Bonus Ep January 2026 - In The House Where I Was Born

Summary of Bonus Ep January 2026 - In The House Where I Was Born

by Night Vale Presents

9m•January 15, 2026
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Overview of Bonus Ep January 2026 - In the House Where I Was Born

This is a January break preview for a Patreon-only bonus episode from Night Vale Presents titled "In the House Where I Was Born" — a tribute/adaptation of Willis Cooper’s 1949 radio play. The episode includes a dramatic excerpt (narrative monologue), show news (tour and Patreon offerings), and sponsor spots. The full bonus episode and a decade of other Patreon-only content are available to supporters on Patreon.

What this episode includes

  • A preview excerpt of the tribute radio play "In the House Where I Was Born" (after Willis Cooper).
  • Announcements about Patreon-exclusive content and benefits.
  • Live-show tour promotion for the new stage show "Murder Night in Blood Forest."
  • Two sponsor reads: Progressive Insurance and Shopify.
  • Closing host sign-off and tour reminder.

Excerpt — main narrative beats and tone

  • Atmosphere: a moody, nostalgic first-person monologue centered on the speaker’s childhood home — dark windows, gloom, dust.
  • Recurring motif: the "waiting room" — a fourth room the family never used as a bedroom; checking it inspires dread.
  • Family portrait: a disturbing portrait of the narrator’s maternal grandparents (noted sneer and wide mouth); rumor that multiple painters failed before the successful one.
  • Objects/family memory: a large silver coffee urn used for company, emblematic of how ordinary family life erases most mundane details across generations.
  • Town ritual: everyone returns to the house where they were born once every 15 years; this produces strange, sometimes impossible acts:
    • Steve Carlsberg reconstructs his demolished childhood bungalow by scavenging original materials.
    • Dana Cardinal walks barefoot across the desert back to the house where she was born, losing three pounds and two hours in the process.
  • Theme: the fragility of memory and how ordinary, everyday family moments are lost — only odd or striking stories survive and shape family lore.
  • Tone: quiet, eerie, reflective — a modern radio-play homage emphasizing atmosphere and strange ritual.

Notable quotes / lines from the excerpt

  • "In the house where I was born was a line of dark windows, always dark."
  • "Every morning she would ask me, is there anyone in the waiting room?"
  • "The soul of the artist lives on in their work."
  • "We are all of us in town returning to the houses where we were born. This is not easy, but at least it only happens once every 15 years."

Production & contributors mentioned

  • Tribute/after Willis Cooper (1949 radio play).
  • James Urbaniak returns as Leonard Burton Cecil (credited as appearing on Patreon release).
  • Other Patreon offerings mentioned: Carlos' Honeymoon, Tamika Flynn's Book Talk radio show, many Night Vale episodes previously Patreon-only.
  • Hosts/voices in announcements: Jeffrey Cranor and references to Cecil Baldwin and Symphony Sanders (live show cast).

Patreon benefits & content callout

  • Full bonus episode and 10 years of Patreon-only bonus episodes available now.
  • Other perks listed for members:
    • Ad-free versions of all regular episodes (back to the beginning).
    • Monthly Zoom hangouts with the Night Vale team.
    • Access to the Night Vale book club (led by Jeffrey and Joseph).
    • Exclusive pre-sale access for live shows.
  • CTA: visit Night Vale’s Patreon to hear the full episode and get bonus content.

Live shows / tour info

  • New live show: "Murder Night in Blood Forest" (live original music by Disparition).
  • Touring schedule highlights (regions and rough timing; check site for dates):
    • Northeast (Boston, NYC) through upper Midwest (Minnesota) — July.
    • Philly down to Florida — September.
    • Austin through middle of country to Toronto — October.
    • West Coast, Southwest, Colorado — January 2026.
  • US tour’s final stretch mentioned; may be last US tour for ~a year.
  • Tickets and full dates: welcometonightvale.com/live
  • Encouragement for Bay Area listeners to help San Francisco show sales.

Sponsors & offers (brief)

  • Progressive Insurance:
    • Pitch: get an auto quote, potential average savings around $744 (national average from a cited survey period), multiple discounts available.
    • CTA: quote at Progressive.com.
  • Shopify:
    • Pitch: launch your business in 2026 with Shopify tools (templates, AI writing, marketing).
    • Offer: $1/month trial; CTA link used in ad: shopify.com/realm.

Key takeaways / actions

  • To hear the full tribute episode and 10 years of bonus episodes: subscribe on Night Vale’s Patreon.
  • For ad-free episodes, Zoom hangouts, book club access, and live-show pre-sales: join Patreon.
  • For live performances of the new show "Murder Night in Blood Forest": buy tickets at welcometonightvale.com/live.
  • Sponsor CTAs: Progressive (car insurance quotes) and Shopify ($1 trial at shopify.com/realm).

Final notes

  • The preview ends with a reminder that new regular episodes return in February and a warm sign-off from the hosts.