Everly Heights Tales

Bill Meeks

Everly Heights, Ohio—where the past clings like smoke, and every escape route loops you back to Main Street. In each standalone episode of this scripted anthology, you'll hear stories set in Everly Heights about growing up, breaking down, and being pulled back to where it all began. Equal parts quirky and tender, these stories drift between the uncanny and the everyday—haunted theaters, fractured families, strange friendships, and the kind of hometown lore that follows you long after you’ve left. Everly Heights Tales is funny until it’s tragic, ordinary until it’s not, and always ready to remind you that leaving doesn’t mean you won't be back.

  1. Welcome, Freshmen

    EPISODE 2

    Welcome, Freshmen

    Meet the Special family, a theater-loving, stoner couple and their three very different kids. It’s 1994, and Michael and Jennifer Special are just trying to help fund in the arts in their community, but their son Ricky is on the run from a school bully, and their daughter Zara is betting everything on a plan to start the school year as a popular girl. With a mix of '90s nostalgia, sitcom homages, and a healthy dose of humor, "Welcome, Freshmen" will teach you the joys of scented oxygen, the perils of Crystal Pepsi, and why you should never trust a math teacher to do "creative accounting" for the arts. Equal parts funny, smart, and a little messed up, just like Everly Heights itself.     SPONSOR CAST LIST Bill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. MathesonSean Seigler - Michael SpecialKristyna Zahrek - Abby SpecialLaurin Skarr - Zara SpecialKaushal Patel - Phillip "Sinnimon Slush" SimonsonHelena Geraci - Jennifer SpecialDallis MacKenzie - Beatrix KnappMandy McCullough - Rebbeca/VeronicaHoward F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor BrownRichard Reynolds - Jock, Oxygen Bar AttendantClaire Forbes - Brenda, Beach Babe, Carrie TartDan Pavatich - Nosloo the GreatSean Weiland - Jerome Bentley, Surfer Dude "How Can You Be Sure?" and "Zara Special's Mini-Musical Suite" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks   LINKS Everly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionSubscribe on YouTube

    57 min
  2. Paul Zaloom on Beakman’s World, Puppetry, and the Art of Curiosity

    EPISODE 4 BONUS

    Paul Zaloom on Beakman’s World, Puppetry, and the Art of Curiosity

    In this bonus episode of Everly Heights Tales, I talk to an actor I have an awful lot of nostalgia for: Paul Zaloom, best known as Beakman from the hit ’90s educational series Beakman’s World. This hour-long interview traces Zaloom’s journey from his own “Everly Heights,” Garden City in New York state, to his work in avant-garde theater and puppetry. He reflects on the comedic and cultural inspirations behind Beakman (including Soupy Sales) and shares fascinating stories about the show’s massive and lasting impact, especially in Mexico and Brazil. If you grew up with Beakman’s World, you'll love this conversation packed with behind-the-scenes stories about creativity, art, and the balance between independent expression and mainstream success. Before the interview, we go behind the scenes of a previous Everly Heights Tales story: the making of "Hey, Marie Molecule!" Hear the full development process as Bill and his teammate September McCrady — including producer Bobby Frankenburgger and advisor Tom Merritt — tackle the challenge of crafting a short, science-focused audio drama judged by Scott Johnson, Justin Robert Young, and Jenny Josephson on America’s Next Top Podcaster. (Beakman fans: skip ahead about 20 minutes to jump straight into the interview.)         SPONSOR CAST LIST   Paul Zaloom - Himself/Beakman/Roy G. BivSeptember McCrady - HerselfBill Meeks - Himeself "Theme for Hey, Marie Molecule!" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks LINKS Everly HeightsJoin the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the showBuy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic CollectionEverly Heights Tales MerchSubscribe on YouTube America's Next Top Podcaster - Hey, Marie Molecule!

    1h 14m

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Everly Heights, Ohio—where the past clings like smoke, and every escape route loops you back to Main Street. In each standalone episode of this scripted anthology, you'll hear stories set in Everly Heights about growing up, breaking down, and being pulled back to where it all began. Equal parts quirky and tender, these stories drift between the uncanny and the everyday—haunted theaters, fractured families, strange friendships, and the kind of hometown lore that follows you long after you’ve left. Everly Heights Tales is funny until it’s tragic, ordinary until it’s not, and always ready to remind you that leaving doesn’t mean you won't be back.

You Might Also Like