Genre | Comedy drama | |||
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Running time | 1 hour 3 minutes | |||
Country of origin | United States | |||
Language(s) | English | |||
Starring | Robert Lorick | |||
Written by | Thomas Lopez | |||
Directed by | Thomas Lopez | |||
Narrated by | Dave Herman | |||
Recording studio | United States | |||
Original release | 1977 – present | |||
No. of episodes | 1 | |||
Website | http://www.zbs.org/ | |||
Jack Flanders chronology | ||||
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The Ah-Ha Phenomenon is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. [1] Released in 1977 this is the third of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of Americana and Old-time radio with metaphysical concepts such as Sufi wisdom and Tibetan Buddhism.
Jack Flanders is approached by a mysterious research institute; the head of one of its departments, Jack's uncle Sir Seymour Jowls (brother to Lord Henry Jowls who was introduced in The Fourth Tower of Inverness) claims to have discovered the location of the fabled City of The Ah-Has, the source of the great ideas and inventions of the future, in the keeping of the higher powers, for their timely release to mankind. Sir Seymour wants Jack to go to the city and steal the Ah-Ha of the grand Unified Field Theory. Jack agrees only when it is revealed that this city is also the location of the Lotus Jukebox for which Jack sought in vain through all of his adventures inside The Fourth Tower of Inverness.
Seeking the help of Chief Wampum, Jack travels to the land of the City of Ah-Has, meeting a pesky troll and an eccentric wizard along the way before he must face the perils of the great city itself - source of the haunting music ("Angel Baby") that Jack has pursued through dimensions, demons and dire deeds...
This adventure concludes Jack's travels in The Fourth Tower of Inverness, and is the adventure in which he finally locates the fabled Lotus Jukebox.
The production is made with a minimal cast and is the shortest of all the Jack Flanders stories. The CD is printed with the title The AH-HA! Phenomena but ZBS refer to it on their website [1] and literature as The Ah-Ha Phenomenon.
Chief Wampum's role is clearly a homage, albeit a comedic one, to Don Juan Matus, the Yaqui shaman from the writings of Carlos Castaneda.
During his adventures Jack Flanders encounters several jukeboxes, each with a different theme.
Chief Wampum: "No matter what, do not holler Help-um!"
Wizard: "You want the Wizard should embellish?"
This project was made possible by donations from the generous Friends & Fans of ZBS.
ZBS Foundation, a small non-profit audio production company, was founded by Thomas Lopez in 1970 with a grant from Robert E. Durand as a working commune, located on a donated farm in Upstate New York. ZBS stands for "Zero Bull Shit". The commune's purpose was to raise consciousness through media, specifically full-cast audio dramas. The foundation is "one of the most prolific producers of contemporary radio drama."
Jack Flanders, full name Jonathan L. Flanders, is the protagonist of a series of audio dramas produced by the ZBS Foundation. He is the creation of writer and sound artist Thomas Lopez and is played by actor Robert Lorick.
The Fourth Tower of Inverness is a 1972 radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the first of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of American culture and Old-time radio, with metaphysical concepts such as past life regression, Sufi wisdom, Tibetan Buddhism and shamanistic communication with the natural world.
Moon Over Morocco is a 1974 radio drama, the second in ZBS's Jack Flanders series. Originally broadcast as fifty twelve-minute episodes, the serial was written and directed by Meatball Fulton.
The Incredible Adventures of Jack Flanders is a radio drama produced by the ZBS Foundation and Meatball Fulton. It is the fourth of the Jack Flanders adventure series.
Return to Inverness is a 2000 radio drama, the twelfth in ZBS's Jack Flanders series. The serial was written and directed by Meatball Fulton, as a sequel to the 1972 story The Fourth Tower of Inverness, the first in the series.
Midnight at the Casa Luna is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. The two parts of the story were released individually in 1998 and 2000; part two has the title The Hungry Ghosts. It is the eleventh of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of Americana and Old-time radio with metaphysical concepts such as Sufi wisdom and Tibetan Buddhism.
Dreams of Rio is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the fifth of the Jack Flanders adventure series, and combines elements of American culture and Old-time radio with themes of lost cities, jungle exploration and shamanism. It immediately precedes but is not part of the "Travels with Jack" adventures, each of which is entitled Dreams of ...
Dreams of the Amazon is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the sixth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the first of the Travels with Jack sub-series. It combines elements of American culture and Old-time radio with themes of lost cities, jungle exploration and shamanism. It is a loose sequel to Dreams of Rio and while it is not necessary to have heard that story first it will help to understand some of the references.
Dreams of India is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the seventh of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the second of the Travels with Jack sub-series. It combines elements of American culture and Old-time radio with themes of Sufism, Hindu mysticism and poetry.
Dreams of Bali is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the eight of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the third of the Travels with Jack sub-series. It combines elements of American culture, Old-time radio and Sufism.
Dreams of Sumatra is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the ninth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the fourth of the Travels with Jack sub-series. It combines elements of American culture, Old-time radio and Sufism.
The Mystery of Jaguar Reef is a radio drama, produced in 1996 by the ZBS Foundation. It is the tenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series. It combines elements of American culture and Old-time radio with themes of pirates and aliens.
Dreams of the Blue Morpho is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the thirteenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the first of the Travelling Jack sub-series. It combines elements of Old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
Somewhere Next Door To Reality is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the fourteenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the second of the Travelling Jack sub-series. It combines elements of old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
Do That In Real Life? is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the fifteenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the third of the Travelling Jack sub-series. It combines elements of Old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
The Eye of Van Gogh is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the sixteenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the fourth of the Travelling Jack sub-series. It combines elements of Old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
Orchids and Moonbeams is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the seventeenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the first of The Fantastic Voyages of Captain Jack Flanders sub-series. It combines elements of Old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
The White Castle is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the twentieth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the fourth of The Fantastic Voyages of Captain Jack Flanders sub-series. It combines elements of old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.
The Ghost Islands is a radio drama, produced by the ZBS Foundation. It is the eighteenth of the Jack Flanders adventure series and the second of the Fantastic Voyages of Captain Jack Flanders sub-series. It combines elements of old-time radio with psychic phenomena, supernatural beings and energies.