This is episode 19 of The Spirit of the Forest, an audio drama and dark comedy created by Corvallis, Oregon resident Dan Crall. Each episode blends fiction and reality, and reflects upon the sadness, the absurdity, and normalcy of modern life.
On this episode, we open with an infomercial for the latest volume of CDR-W box sets of outtakes from The Spirit of the Forest, followed by a visit to a hoarded property in the forest, where an estate sale of vintage items and a visit from the Spirit itself takes place. We continue with an interesting take on "My Favorite Things" assembled by the legendary Negativland music project. Cross country hiker Joe Omundson shares some reflections on trees, life, life's purpose, and other tidbits along the Pacific Crest Trail, we hear a bizarre, unknown origin voicemail, then it's more tunes from Negativland, with their song, "Steak on a Whim." We venture to a front yard Halloween display of epic proportions, and get an audio tour from its curator, then, it's the return of the much anticipated series, "Rickshaw Diaries" (heard originally on episode 7) recorded in Eugene, Oregon. This time, it's the driver who is rejecting everyone. We wrap things up with a supposedly demon possessed girl and her pastor as they reminisce fondly of Heaven, unfavorably about Hell, and face the reality of the situation of together - it's too late for forgiveness or grace. We wrap up with the first end credit announcer to die on us while we were recording.
Featuring the voices of Jay Plemons, Dan Crall, Nic Mijares, mystery holders of an estate sale in Monroe, OR, Solomon and John Crall, Sharon Thompson, Joe Omundson, various voices from several youtube videos, and a number of mystery voices in Eugene, Oregon. With music from Dan Crall, Arlon Bayliss, Negativland, Matt Kellam, WX Radio, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Another Headache, Allegory Chapel Ltd., and Cock E.S.P., this episode was recorded and produced in October and Early November of 2015.
- KBOO