Night Vale Live: A Slasher Story Comes to Connecticut

“ Welcome to Night Vale the captivating supernatural podcast that is ingeniously framed as a summary of strange local news stories, sometimes transforms into a live performance. The newest tour, 'Welcome to Night Vale: Murder Night in Blood Forest,' is heading to District Music Hall at 8 p.m. in Norwalk on Monday

Live "Night Vale" performances have no connection to any of the podcast episodes and are specifically created for the stage. These productions are lengthier compared to the narratives presented in the podcasts and feature a greater number of characters and voice actors, as the podcasts primarily focus on the anchor-like host Cecil Palmer, portrayed consistently since the start of the series by Cecil Baldwin.

The live audience gets to see real people behind well-known podcast voices, including Cecil Baldwin as well as Symphony Sanders, who portrays Tamika Flynn on the series, and Disparition, the artist responsible for the show's music.

Devoted followers of Night Vale are familiar with asking "What will the weather be like?" During each episode of the Night Vale podcast, Cecil Baldwin signals the start of "the weather," yet rather than providing an actual forecast, the show features a track from a well-known independent music group. For this particular tour, "the weather" refers to Al Olender, an emerging musician from the Hudson Valley region in New York, whose first album was launched in 2022.

The podcast's creators and primary writers, Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, are also part of the tour. Cranor leads "Murder Night in Blood Forest" and appears in the production, whereas Fink is accompanying the group during the initial stops to assess whether adjustments are needed for the performance.

As per Fink, the live performance offers an enjoyable opportunity for listeners of the podcast to come together and connect—with this also applying to the cast members themselves.

We're spread out everywhere," Fink remarked. "Disparition and I reside in Los Angeles, Jeffrey is based in Brooklyn, Cecil is in North Carolina, and Symphony is located in Chicago.

As they have been close friends for a long time, they make an effort to meet whenever they can, yet many of their podcast collaborations take place remotely, making the live tour events perfect opportunities to reconnect.

The "Welcome to Night Vale" podcast usually releases a new episode every two weeks but skips the months of January and July. The summer hiatus provides time for tours.

Fink mentioned that this is "the 11th or 12th live performance." He emphasizes that although many members of the audience are already followers of the podcast, the stage performances are thoughtfully crafted to also appeal to individuals who have not experienced the absurdity, tension, humor, and enchantment of "Welcome to Night Vale" before.

When they first started touring several years back, the original creators were taken aback by the people who showed up. "Initially, our audience wasn’t what we anticipated; it consisted mostly of teens," Fink explained. "Now they've grown older, and some might be bringing their partners, children, friends, or even their parents."

Fink characterizes the latest concert experience as having a horror-film vibe. "A once-recognized young militant named Tamika Flynn is gathering several hundred companions for the yearly Murder Night at Blood Forest, an event honoring crows, ravens, and every type of bird in the crow family," according to the storyline. "However, someone wearing a mask is targeting these relaxed guests individually. Who would spoil Murder Night with violence? Will Cecil and Tamika uncover the truth before the killer takes everyone out?"

The podcast is written by Cranor and Fink, with long-time collaborator Brie Williams also frequently contributing episode scripts.

Cranor and Fink are involved in numerous other writing endeavors under their "Night Vale Presents" label. Their most recent major undertaking is the third season of Fink's private investigator series titled "Unlicensed," which can be accessed via the Audible audiobook platform. "I'm really pleased with 'Unlicensed,'" Fink remarked. "It doesn’t happen often that something ends up precisely as I envisioned."

Like with their previous programs, Fink follows specific guidelines that set "Unlicensed" apart. "We aim for locations where genuine life takes place," Fink mentioned. The series features female leads and offers a contemporary vibe addressing today's societal challenges.

In addition to exploring multiple genres across the "Night Vale Presents" initiatives, each narrative approach has distinct requirements. Regarding the live performances, although they take place on stage, they follow highly detailed scripts with minimal opportunity for unscripted deviations. "This hasn’t ever been an improv-heavy production," Fink mentioned.

A new "Night Vale Presents" fictional podcast initiative was specifically influenced by Fink's travels with the Night Vale program. "Alice Isn't Dead" follows the journey of a long-haul trucker as she embarks on a nationwide quest to find her lost wife. Additionally, multiple Night Vale-themed novels have been released. However, there are currently no intentions to produce further ones, although Fink is involved in different literary endeavors.

"‘Night Vale Presents' is how Jeffrey and I produce our content," Fink explained. "We retain full ownership of everything. That's wonderful, but the downside is managing a business. The live performances require a significant amount of effort. My wife, Meg Bashwiner, serves as our tour manager, handling the logistics such as arranging travel and reserving hotel accommodations." Bashwiner also appears as a performer on the podcast, similar to many others in the Night Vale group, who each take on multiple roles.

I first encountered Jeffrey through the New York Neo-Futurists," Fink mentioned. "I relocated to New York in 2008 and began spending time at a tiny theater. Many of my long-term friendships were formed through the New York Neo-Futurists. 'Welcome to Night Vale' continues to reflect that influence, with the kind of creative output produced in modest venues lacking significant funding within downtown New York.

"Welcome to Night Vale: Murder Night in Blood Forest" is scheduled for July 14 at 8 p.m. at District Music Hall located at 71 Wall St., Norwalk. Tickets range from $49.32 to $54.47. districtmusichall.com .