THEATER | ALBUQUERQUE
Welcome to Night Vale podcast brings 'Murder Night in Blood Forest' to life on stage
Popular podcast transforms into an immersive live experience with audience interaction
Put the headphones down and talk a walk in the Blood Forest as the Welcome to Night Vale podcast comes to life on stage.
The twice-monthly podcast, created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, tells the tales of the fictional town of Night Vale, 鈥渨here every conspiracy theory is true.鈥
Symphony Sanders, who voices Tamika Flynn, said 鈥淲elcome to Night Vale: Murder Night in Blood Forest鈥 acts as a standalone production and can be seen without having listened to the podcast prior.
According to the Welcome to Night Vale website, 鈥淭amika Flynn is joining a few hundred of her friends for the annual Murder Night in Blood Forest, a celebration of crows, ravens and all corvids. But a masked killer is hunting these carefree partiers one by one.鈥
鈥淭he show is called 鈥楳urder Night in Blood Forest,鈥 and basically we鈥檙e all in Blood Forest together,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very much like a slasher sort of film vibe.鈥
While a standalone, she said it is not the only way the live show differs from the podcast.
鈥淎s opposed to just being a 25-minute episode, there鈥檚 a lot more to the show,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a super episode, and we also have a lot more music and interaction with the audience than we do on the actual podcast itself.鈥
She said, for her, the show creates more energy with the cast and audience than when she records solo at home for the podcast.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very exciting to see, to be able to see the show and experience it in person, because, you know, we鈥檙e all there and the vibe is very strong (and) very fun,鈥 Sanders said.
The live show also creates a different listening experience for the audience, she said.
鈥淭he live experience is so different from when you鈥檙e listening in your home or in your car,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淏eing able to experience this with hundreds or thousands of other people that are also interested in the same things you are, it鈥檚 a one-of-a-kind experience.鈥
The Welcome to Night Vale live show has come to New Mexico before, and she said Albuquerque is a fitting setting because the podcast is set in a small desert community.
Sanders has been part of the Night Vale cast after first appearing in a live show, then she joined the podcast about 12 years ago. Her character, Tamika Flynn, began as a town hero and has evolved into a community leader over the years.
鈥淎s your characters grow up and get older, they鈥檙e gonna have different priorities or things that interest them,鈥 Sanders said, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 been amazing to be able to be a part of this, because she鈥檚 been able to grow with me.鈥
While she has not seen many people dressed as her character, she said many in the audience wear cosplay and she loves seeing everyone鈥檚 outfits.
鈥淚 truly feel so humbled that the work that I do in any way has changed someone鈥檚 life or has inspired them,鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 very special anytime I see people light up because I noticed what they wore.鈥
She said people wanting to experience something new and different will be drawn to 鈥淲elcome to Night Vale: Murder Night in Blood Forest.鈥
鈥淲e just hope everyone comes and enjoys themselves and has a really good time,鈥 Sanders said.
Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local 近距离内射合集 Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.