LATEST NEWS

Rapping at My Chamber Door: Edgar Allan Poe and the Spiritualists

February 6, 2012

by Jeff Savoye, The Poe Society

Edgar Allan PoeAlthough most advocates of spiritualism trace the origins of their beliefs back to prehistoric times, "Modern Spiritualism" officially began during the last two years of Poe’s life. On March 31, 1848, the Fox sisters (of Hydesville, NY) were reportedly awakened by shaking beds and loud noises. In the presence of their parents and a number of neighbors, who served as witnesses, the younger of the two girls, 12-year old Kate, challenged the spirit to repeat the snapping of her fingers, which it apparently did. Subsequently, sessions were held that served as the first known examples of spirit-tapping, where questions were asked by a group of people seated around a table, and answers were received with taps of one for "yes" and two for "no." The resulting publicity quickly found a prominent place on the front page of newspapers across the nation, and launched a movement that still has adherents around the world.

Among many of the early and most enthusiastic advocates of spiritualism were the very literary women with whom Poe had cultivated friendships while living in New York. One of these, Sarah Helen Whitman, was briefly engaged to Poe in 1848, and remained a loyal defender of his memory until her own death in 1878. Her role as an ardent spiritualist was made evident in regularly attending seances and eventually serving as her own medium. On April 2, 1874, she wrote to John Henry Ingram, Poe's English biographer, that "I never have seen a ghost though I once saw a beautiful luminous hand that wrote for me three initial letters, which I still preserve & look upon with awe & wonder!" (Although she does not specify those "three initial letters," one can reasonably surmise that they were "E. A. P.")

Poe's own precise position on such matters is not easily documented. Robert D’Unger, who was living in Baltimore in 1846 and claimed to have met Poe at that time, Poe having come to town on a visit to family and friends. According to D'Unger, Poe was “a believer in ‘spirit friends,’ spiritualism not then being known.” The idea of the soul enduring beyond the death of the body is present in a number of Poe's writings, including such tales as "Ligeia," "The Colloquy of Monos and Una," and "Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar." One of the poems from Poe's own first collection of poetry, "Tamerlane and Other Poems" (1827), was "Visits of the Dead," later give the title "Spirits of the Dead." Beyond his own writings, one of Poe's favorite poems was "Unseen Spirits" by N. P. Willis, first published in the New-York Mirror (July 29, 1843, p. 272). Poe regularly read the poem during his lectures on poetry, and always with a word of praise. In a letter of March 30, 1844, to James Russell Lowell, Poe cites "Unseen Spirits" as "perhaps the best poem he [Willis] has written."

Rufus GriswoldLess than a year after Poe's death, he became a highly-sought spirit at many seances. Even Poe's nemesis, the Reverend Rufus Wilmot Griswold, held a seance (detailed by George Ripley in “An Evening with the ‘Spirits’,” the New-York Tribune, June 8, 1850). One of those in attendance was Poe's old friend N. P. Willis. Over the next several years, a number of poems began to be "received" from Poe, the most famous being "The Streets of Baltimore," recorded by the prolific Lizzie Doten early in 1863 in the spiritualist newspaper the Banner of Life. In her Poems from the Inner Life (Boston: 1863), Lizzie Doten reprints this poem and five others that she says were also "received" from Poe ("Resurrexi," "The Prophecy of Vala," "The Kingdom," "The Cradle or Coffin," and "Farewell to Earth"). Two decades later, the practice was still much in vogue. The Oswego Morning Express, May 6, 1882 (p.4, col. 3) includes an article called "The Spirit Land" about a mediumistic display by Carrie Downer: "[. . .] Miss Downer next passed under the influence of Edgar A. Poe, and delivered two poems which were identical with Poe's style, but were of entirely new composition and considerable length. [. . . ]"

Selected items, in the form of originals or facsimiles, will be presented in a display by the Poe Society of Baltimore to document this colorful history during the BEYOND NEVERMORE event in March, 2012.

 

The Baltimore sun features 'beyond Nevermore'

January 29, 2012

On Friday January 27th, 2012, THE BALTIMORE SUN newspaper featured an article on the front page discussing POE FOREVERMORE which will take place at Westminster Hall (the burial place of Edgar Allan Poe) in downtown Baltimore on March 3rd and 4th, 2012. Chris Kaltenbach wrote the article which you can read by clicking on the link below!

THE BALTIMORE SUN: ''Psychics to try and summon spirit of Edgar Allan Poe'

Be sure to spread the word and 'like' it on Facebook or 'tweet' it on Twitter!

Get the full details about the event on our EVENTS page!

 

Vincent Price 18 x 24 inch Poster Now Available In Our Store!

December 31, 2011

Printed on high-quality, glossy poster stock, it measures 18" x 24" and is perfect for framing.

This rare, candid photo of the actor visiting Edgar Allan Poe's grave at the Westminster Burial Grounds was taken by Jeff Jerome, the curator of the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, when Mr. Price was on tour with his one-man show Diversions and Delights, in 1977. Not seen for 34 years until it was published in the pages of the premiere issue of Monsterpalooza Magazine, readers began asking immediately if a poster could be made available--and now it is!

While in Baltimore on tour, Mr. Price stopped at Westminster Hall to pay his respects at Poe's grave, and paid a visit to the near-by Poe House and Museum. While at the Poe House, the veteran actor, known for his wonderful portrayals of Poe's heroes and villains in the AIP/Corman films, was quoted as saying, "This place gives me the creeps!"

Poe At DoorVisit our STORE Page to order your poster today!

 

Season Ends At The Poe House

December 6, 2011

The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore will close for the season on Saturday, December 10th, 2011. Barring any unforeseen problems with the renovation and the budget situation the Poe House should be reopening in late March or early April. Exact date will be announced mid March. 2012.

But come back to this site regularly for news and updates on all things Poe-related--and we thank you and appreciate your continued support of the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore!

Poe At Door

 

Mark Redfield's A CHRISTMAS CAROL Now Available On CDBaby!

December 6, 2011

As the Poe House and Museum closes for the season for repairs and maintenance, our thoughts turn toward the holiday season. Did you know that 2012 marks the Bicentennial Anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens?

Long-time Poe House supporter and Poe Events producer Mark Redfield performs Charles Dickens' classic story A CHRISTMAS CAROL! Performing Scrooge and all the roles in this remarkable reading based on the very adaptation that Dickens' himself used for public readings, Redfield's performance is accompanied by incidental music by Bill Dickson.

Mark Redfield brings Scrooge and your favorite Dickens' characters to life in this delightful performance of "A Christmas Carol". This 1 hour performance is now available for download for just $4.99 at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/markredfield

A Christmas Carol

Poe's Frightful Halloween!

 

POE’S FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN!
At Westminster Hall in Baltimore
Sunday, October 30, 2011 6PM to 9PM
$10 at the door (adults) ($3.00, 12 & under)

Continuous Live Entertainment!
Party with Poe as he plays Ghost Host With The Most at the most ghoulish and ghastly fun event this Halloween!

All proceeds go to support THE POE HOUSE AND MUSEUM IN BALTIMORE!

 

POE NIGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BALtimore!

Poe Night 2011Spotlight UB celebrates Halloween and all things spooky, with its third presentation of "Poe Night," an evening of readings from some of the Edgar Allan Poe's best-known works.

The event will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Lucy and Vernon Wright Performing Arts Theater in the University of Baltimore Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Avenue.

Renowned Baltimore actor, teacher, director and Poe impersonator Tony Tsendeas will perform Poe classics "The Raven," "The Telltale Heart" and "The Black Cat." Tsendeas has been performing as Poe for the Edgar Allen Poe Society and at Halloween performances at the Westminster Burial Ground (site of Poe's grave) for many years. Spotlight UB will ask the audience for donations for the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, located at 203 Amity St. in Baltimore.

 

 

 

 

When: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 26, 2011 at 7PM
Where: Lucy and Vernon Wright Performing Arts Theater in the University of Baltimore Student Center (21 W. Mt. Royal Avenue)

FOR MORE INFO VISIT UBALT.EDU

New York's Bedlam Ensemble Presents "The Delerium Of Edgar Allan Poe"

Proceeds To Support The Poe House!

Bedlam Ensemble

THE DELIRIUM OF EDGAR ALLAN POE


http://www.stagebuddy.com/onlinethumb.php?nm=Show_Video/1757848197_Poe_Poster.JPG&mwidth=320&mheight=240An immersive theatrical performance to benefit the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, MD presented by Bedlam Ensemble in NYC.

Bedlam Ensemble presents The Delirium of Edgar Allen Poe, a theatrical experience dramatizing a selection of Poe’s writings including The Raven, The Cask of Amontillado, Berenice and The Fall of the House of Usher.

The audience will enter a macabre customized space designed to illustrate his chilling compositions focusing on the most grotesque fragments of human behavior. The performances will intertwine Poe’s writings with live music from You Bred Raptors?, dance and poetry where the audience will be the driving force behind the events that unfold. 

All profits will be donated to the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, in an effort to keep its doors open to the public.

Dates: Oct 28, 29, 30, Nov 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13.

150 West 28th Street, NYC 10001 between 6th/7th Avenues

Bedlam Ensemble www.bedlamensemble.org
Contact:  Kimberly Marie Freeman 646-355-7713 bedlamensemble@gmail.com

LEBANESE TAVERNA RESTAURANT HOLDS FUNDRAISER FOR POE HOUSE IN BALTIMORE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011!

Lebanese Taverna Party

The Lebanese Taverna, located at 719 S. President Street in Baltimore, is having a Poe Halloween Party on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 9pm to 1am with proceeds from a silent auction going directly to support the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore!

Many great items have been donated for the auction by area writers, artists, businesses and The Baltimore Ravens in an attempt to raise much needed funds to keep the doors of the Poe House open!

Come and enjoy great food in a great Baltimore restaurant and help the cause!

When: Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 9pm to 1am

What: Poe's Halloween Party at Lebanese Taverna. Silent auction, DJ and dancing and costume contest!

Where: Lebanese Taverna, 719 S. President Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

(410) 244-5533

Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. www.lebanesetaverna.com

Click the image to download the PDF Flyer!

 

BALTIMORE: MEET “THE RAVEN” DIRECTOR JAMES McTEIGUE AND STAR LUKE EVANS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011 AT WESTMINSTER HALL!

Luke Evans James McTeigue

Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans, The Hobbit), star of Relativity Media’s highly-anticipated film The Raven and the film’s director James McTeigue (V For Vendetta) to pay special honor at Baltimore’s Westminster Hall on the 162nd Anniversary of the death of Edgar Allan Poe. Come on out on Friday and support The Poe House and Museum, and show your love for Poe!

On Friday, October 7th, 2011 Poe and film fans are invited at noon, promptly, on a first come, first admitted basis. Meet one of the stars and the director of The Raven and participate in a Question and Answer session about the up-coming film. A wreath-laying presentation at Poe’s grave will take place at 2:30pm.

Westminster Hall, where Edgar Allan Poe is buried, is located at 519 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. This event is free and open to the public. Limited space available, so arrive promptly at noon. First come, first admittance.

About The Raven: In this gritty thriller, Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack, Being John Malkovich) joins forces with a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans, Immortals) to hunt down a mad serial killer who’s using Poe’s own works as the basis in a string of brutal murders. Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), the film also stars Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster). The Raven opens nationwide on March 9, 2012.

About Edgar Allan Poe: Edgar Allan Poe (19 January 1809 - 7 October, 1849) was an American author, poet, editor and critic. Best known for his Gothic and horror stories and poems, Poe championed the short story as a literary form, contributed to the growing science fiction genre emerging in his day, and is the inventor of the modern "detective story" as we now know it. Poe lived a brief life of continued financial hardship sparked by flares of creative and critical success. Born in Boston to David and Elizabeth Poe, working actors, his father's disappearance and mother's premature death forced him into a pseudo-adoption by John Allan of Virginia, where he grew to consider himself a "Southern Gentleman" for the remainder of his life. As a student at West Point, poetry captured his fervent imagination, and he became a writer, winning his first monetary prize for his writing in Baltimore, Maryland. Shuttling between Richmond, Philadelphia and New York through-out his turbulent life, jumping between newspaper and magazine editorial jobs while gaining notoriety for his Gothic short stories, Baltimore became more of a home for him than other cities. His paternal grandfather and brother lived in Baltimore, and it was in Baltimore that he lived for many years with his Aunt, Maria Clemm, whom he considered more than anything else to be his "mother", and his child-bride, Virginia. It is in Baltimore that he died under mysterious circumstances in the autumn of 1849, and it is in Baltimore where he is buried, along-side Clemm and Virginia Poe.

DC ARTS ENTHUSIASTS STEP UP TO SAVE THE EDGAR ALLAN POE HOUSE

OCTOBER 7 BENEFIT SHOW TO HELP RAISE FUNDS ON THE 162nd ANNIVERSARY OF POE’s DEATH

Poe FundraiserWASHINGTON, D.C. – For the second year in a row, the city of Baltimore has cut over $85,000 worth of funding for the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum. The house, now facing closure, is a historic literary landmark where Poe lived and wrote in the mid-19th century. Long subsidized by city government, the home now survives only on reserve funds and donations and, without additional community support, is likely to close in June 2012. In an effort to raise awareness and donations for the struggling landmark, literature enthusiasts in neighboring Washington, D.C. have stepped forward, organizing a benefit concert this October 7, on the 162nd anniversary of Poe’s death.

Taking place at D.C.’s Velvet Lounge (915 U St. NW) the benefit features local acts Lenorable, Nunchucks, Dance for the Dying and LTW. Doors open at 9 p.m. and music starts at 9:30. Tickets are $8 with proceeds going directly to the Poe House. A raffle featuring generous donations from local eateries and bookstores will raise additional funds.

Our collective fascination with the unlucky writer persists today, as evidenced by the recently announced film project, “Raven”, starring John Cusack as Poe himself. In the years since his lifetime, we’ve seen countless projects influenced by Poe, from film to essays, music and literature. As one of America’s most iconic writers, buried in Baltimore and lending his name to numerous local businesses and cultural attractions, the potential loss of his home as an educational and cultural resource in the greater Baltimore-Washington area is an unfortunate possibility. Benefit organizers Kai Hsieh and Sharon McClintic hope the show will encourage city officials and area residents to take a stand against the closure and revive the Poe House with renewed funding and interest.

Location: Velvet Lounge (915 U St. SW, Washington, DC)
Date: October 7, 2011
Time: Doors open at 9:00pm
Tickets: $8.00

BANDS

LENORABLE
http://music.lenorable.net/

LTW
http://landtandw.bandcamp.com/album/l-t-w-state-violence-split-seven-inch

DANCE FOR THE DYING
http://danceforthedying.bandcamp.com/album/ep

NUNCHUCKS
http://wearenunchucks.bandcamp.com/album/eat-your-moneys-ep

The Creative Cauldron Presents 'NEVERMORE'! October 7th Show - Portion of Ticket Sales to Benefit The Poe House!

29 Sept 2011 | Posted by Admin

Monsterpalooza Magazine Issue 1

SPECIAL DEAL FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE BALTIMORE POE HOUSE

The show on FRIDAY OCTOBER 7TH AT 8:00PM ONLY

TICKETS ARE $20

$5.00 of the ticket price will go to support The Baltimore Poe House

Use the Promotion Code POE when purchasing tickets

Location: ArtSpace: 410 South Maple Avenue, Falls Church,VA 22046

DOWNLOAD A PDF FLYER FOR THE EVENT HERE

NEVERMORE runs from October 7-30, 2011
Fridays at 8:00 pm
Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm
Sunday Matinees at 4:00 pm

Calls regarding this event should be directed to the ArtSpace in Falls Church at Phone: (571) 239-5288 Email: info@creativecauldron.org

Seating is limited and this will be sold out! Don't delay or wait to the
last minute.

Music by MATT CONNER
Lyrics adapted from the writings of EDGAR ALLAN POE
Book by GRACE BARNES
Originally produced by Signature Theatre, Arlington Virginia; Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director; Sam Sweet, Managing Director

Take a dark and mysterious journey into the life of Edgar Allan Poe. This imaginative musical uses Poe's poetry and short stories as its base and his shifting obsession with the women in his life as its catalyst. With hauntingly beautiful melodies, Nevermore breathes new life into Poe's work and explores a twisted true-life tale that is as bizarre as his classic stories of the macabre. Nevermore premiered at Signature Theater in 2006 to critical acclaim and sold out houses. Peter Marks of The Washington Post hailed the piece for its “romantic music, ablaze with feeling.”

FOR the Friday October 7, 2011 show at 8pm only $5.00 OF YOUR TICKET PRICE WILL GO BACK TO THE POE HOUSE BY ENTERING THE PROMOTION CODE - POE

Visit the Creative Cauldron's website at www.creativecauldron.org

Mark Redfield, longtime supporter and producer of events for the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, is publishing Monsterpalooza Magazine!

29 Sept 2011 | Posted by Admin

Monsterpalooza Magazine Issue 1

Lovers of Poe and horror, fantasy and science fiction will adore this new professional 'zine! order now and get the premiere issue!

Monsterpalooza Magazine brings you the best of classic and modern horror, fantasy and science fiction, in film, literature, media, art, illustration, make-up and sculpture, in it's glossy print pages.
Inside the premiere issue:
FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA at 80!
A report on the Vincentennial—celebrating Vincent Price!
The John Chambers Interview!
A History of Halloween—A ‘palooza Primer from the College of Monstrous Knowledge!
Who Put The ‘Monster’ In Monsterpalooza? We answer : Chaney and Pierce, of course!
THE THING(S) FROM ANOTHER WORLD!
KNB:EFX FrightNight!
AND MUCH, MUCH, MORE!
IT PACKS A ‘PALOOZA! 96 PAGES—COVER TO COVER CONTENT AD FREE!
Order your copy now!
www.monsterpaloozamag.com

Poe House benefit concert set for Washington!

20 Sept 2011 | Posted by Admin

By Chris Kaltenbach, The Baltimore Sun

A quartet of Washington-area bands is planning an Oct. 7 concert to benefit Baltimore's beleaguered Poe House.

The concert, set for the 162nd anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's death, will feature the bands Lenorable, Nunchucks, Dance for the Dying and Lions & Tigers & Whales. It is being by organized by Washington-area fans of the famed poet and master of suspense.

"When I heard about the funding problems at the Poe House, I immediately went into action mode," said Kai Hsieh, one of the concert's organizers, who describes herself as a frequent visitor to the house. On a recent drive through Baltimore, she and a friend noted the many Poe influences scattered around the city — including the NFL football team named for one of his poems — "and we certainly don't want the Poe House closed down, especially with all Poe has influenced," Hsieh said.

The Poe House and Museum, in which Poe lived for several years with his aunt and in which he met his young cousin and future wife, Virginia, has had its city funding cut and could close next year if an alternate source of money is not found. Baltimore City recently approved a study to look at ways of turning the house into a self-sustaining museum and cultural institution.

Poe died in 1849 after being found wandering the streets of Baltimore, disheveled and wearing someone else's clothes.

The concert takes place at Washington's Velvet Lounge, 915 U St. NW. Tickets are $8, with the music set to begin at 9:30 p.m. Information: velvetloungedc.com

Buy a Raven Print! Support The Baltimore Poe House!

4 Aug 2011 | Posted by Admin

If you missed the "FOREVERMORE" exhibition event at Casewerks on July 14th, 2011, the RAVEN print by the artist Gaia is still available to purchase!

All proceeds benefit the Baltimore Poe House Museum.

For inquiries, please contact eapoe@baltimorecity.gov

Gaia - Raven Print

FOREVERMORE: Print Sale and Artist's Installation to Benefit The Poe House

11 July 2011 | Posted by Admin

FOREVERMORE: An event & installation celebrating the gift of 100 signed prints by artist, Gaia to benefit Baltimore’s Poe House & Museum

When: JULY 14, 2011
Time: 6:00 to 8:00pm
Artist Reception - 8:00 to 10:00pm
Urbanite@Case[werks]
1501 St Paul Street, Suite 116 (Railway Express Building)
Baltimore, MD 21202

MICA trained artist, Gaia has generously donated a numbered special edition of his print, The Raven (Forevermore) for a sale to benefit Baltimore’s Poe House & Museum so that they may continue to keep their doors open. There will be a Preview & Print Sale gallery event at Urbanite@Case[werks] and hosted by Baltimore Heritage on the eve of Artscape 2011, July 14th from 6 to 8 pm. To attend the Preview, please RSVP. An Artist’s Reception will follow from 8-10 pm to celebrate the gift with an installation by the artist and is open to all.

Gaia-Raven

THE RAVEN (FOREVERMORE), 2011 by Gaia. Block print on Mulberry paper, 66x91 cm
(26 x 35.8 inches)

Actor John Astin will host the evening and introduce the artist Gaia. The evening will include a performance of The Raven by Tony Tsendeas.

John Astin

John Astin

Only 100 prints will be offered at a cost of $400 each with all proceeds going directly to the Poe House & Museum. Framed prints (per the artist’s specification) will also be available for $600. Sales tax and/or shipping is additional.

For more information about this very special project, contact eapoe@baltimorecity.gov.

Sponsor:
The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Awards


Event Organizers:
Artist, Gaia
Baltimore Office for Promotion and the Arts (BOPA)
Baltimore Heritage
Baltimore City Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation (CHAP)
Case[werks], LLC
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Station North Arts & Entertainment District (SNEAD)
URBANITE Magazine

The Artist Gaia Makes a Spectacular Gift To The Poe House

24 June 2011 | Posted by Admin

As many followers of the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore know, The Poe House, long funded by the City of Baltimore, must become self-sufficient or close its doors in 2012.
The artist Gaia, a rising star in the art world, has generously stepped forward after learning about this situation, and has created a special edition of 100 signed prints of his work THE RAVEN (FOREVERMORE), 2011, offered for sale to benefit the Poe House and Museum! All proceeds from this sale will go directly to the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore.

Gaia-Raven

THE RAVEN (FOREVERMORE), 2011 by Gaia. Block print on Mulberry paper, 66x91 cm
(26 x 35.8 inches)

ABOUT THE ARTIST. GAIA
Gaia grew up in New York City and is currently a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. His studio work and gallery projects have been exhibited in Brooklyn, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Gaia lives and works in Baltimore, MD, and Brooklyn, NY.
Drawing on his new and evolving body of imagery depicting human and animal figures, Gaia’s work reflects on the ancient themes of animal and human sympathies, but now in the context of the city and the human built environment. Working with myth and symbolic animal figures, Gaia’s street murals are like the works of an urban shaman drawing on a positive force from animal protectors.
Gaia employs recognizable animal figures to remind us of lost human connections to nature and the environment. He constructs an image of a reversal of the “natural order” where animals intervene as protectors and avatars for a new awareness of the human condition in the natural world. He is known world-wide for street murals placed in areas to elicit surprise and reflection by passers-by who encounter the symbolism and fragile narratives of his work. –Martin Irvine.

HOW TO PURCHASE A PRINT AND SUPPORT THE POE HOUSE:
The print is offered at $435 (price includes all tax, insurance, shipping and handling).
Please send your check or money order, made out to DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, to:
Jeff Jerome
Department of Planning
8th Floor
417 East Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

Please annotate check “Poe House/Gaia Print”.
We will be adding a PayPal feature soon to the website, to make this transaction easier and more convenient for you!

 

 

VINCENT PRICE VISITS POE'S GRAVE!

28 May 2011 | Posted by Admin

Baltimore Poe House Museum curator Jeff Jerome recently came across some photos of Vincent Price visiting Poe's grave at Westminster Hall in Baltimore, MD back in 1977!

Price at Poe's Grave 1 Price at Poe's Grave 2
Price at Poe's Grave 3 Price at Poe's Grave 4

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VINCENT PRICE!

27 May 2011 | Posted by Admin

The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore's Tribute to Vincent Price

Written by Max Berring. Edited by Sean Paul Murphy. Narrated by Mark Redfield.

This video was created to honor the Centennial of Mr. Price's birth, and was shown at the 2011 Birthday event in January, at Westminster Hall.

 

3RD ANNUAL THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO WINE TASTING AMONG THE BONES

March 5, 2011 | Posted by Admin

Wine Tasting 2011

Join us on Saturday, March 12, 2011 from noon to 4PM at Westminster Hall in Baltimore of our 3rd Annual CASK OF AMONTILLADO WINE TASTING AMOUNG THE BONES!

CONTINUOUS ENTERTAINMENT through-out the day while you sample great wines from WOODHALL WINE CELLARS! Also returning this year is Baltimore’s popular RAVEN BEER!

LEARN ABOUT THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WINES! The ever-popular LAURIE FORSTER, THE WINE COACH returns to give a spirited talk on wines, and Poe House favorites DAVID KELTZ and TONY TSENDEAS will be LIVE performing selections from Poe’s poems and stories!

THE DROP THREE COMEDY IMPROV TROUPE will be presented for the first time at this event, performing multiple times through-out the day. DROP THREE plucks THE RAVEN, drains A KEG OF ARMADILLOES, and patently parodies Poe with love and laughter!

BRING YOUR CAMERA and have your picture taken with POE, or with your host MONTRESSOR, with YOU dressed as FORTUNATO, or BOTH!

MARK REDFIELD will be showing new POE-INSPIRED ART with new drawings, cartoons and painting for sale! And rounding out the festival atmosphere will be a return engagement of SADIRA, brought back by popular demand because YOU asked for her, with her exciting display of ORIENTAL DANSI—it’s educational AND entertaining! SADIRA will also offering fortune-telling sessions, along with THE MYSTERIOUS MYKITA, who see’s all and tells all!

DATE AND TICKET INFO: Saturday, March 12th, Noon to 4PM. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for “designated drivers”, at the door. Cash and checks accepted. Sorry we CANNOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS. Admission includes 3 wine samples and all entertainment. Additional wine samples may be purchased. Children under 12 not admitted.

Come for the wine and the friends! Stay all day for the entertainment!

 

 

MAT JOHNSON PENS NEW NOVEL ‘PYM’, AFTER POE

March 5, 2011 | Posted by Admin

Pym

In PYM (On Sale March 1, 2011), recently canned professor of American literature Chris Jaynes is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe’s strange and only novel,The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. When Jaynes discovers an old manuscript of a memoir that seems to confirm the reality of Poe’s fiction, he conspires to get to Antarctica, the setting for Poe's book, in hopes of discovering Tsalal, the remote and mythic land of pure and utter blackness that Poe describes with horror. Jaynes imagines it to be the last untouched bastion of the African Diaspora and the key to his personal salvation.

For his expedition, Jaynes convenes an all-black crew – some members are going to the South Pole in search of adventure, some for natural resources to exploit, and, for Jaynes at least, the mythical world of The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. But soon, he and his fellow adventurers find themselves unable to make contact with the rest of the world and enslaved by the giant white ice creatures that also appear in Poe's Narrative. With little but the firsthand account from which Poe derived his seafaring tale, a bag of bones, and a stash of Little Debbie snack cakes, Jaynes embarks on an expedition under the permafrost of Antarctica, beneath the surface of American history, and behind one of literature’s great mysteries.

A riveting adventure novel and a cutting, insightful meditation on race, literature, and obsession, PYM is sure to be one of the most inventive and engaging novels of 2011.

“Social criticism rubs shoulders with cutting satire in this high-concept adventure…[Pym] is caustically hilarious as it offers a memorable take on America's ‘racial pathology’ and ‘the whole ugly story of our world.’” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“An acutely humorous, very original story that will delight lovers of literature and fantasy alike.”—Kirkus, starred review

“[A] romp that surprises on every page. Funny, insightful, racially important, Pym is a death-defying adventure and a probing examination of notions of race, even at the farthest ends of the earth.” – Booklist

“You can trust the veracity of this account: Pym is a spectacularly sly and nimble-footed send-up of this world, the next world, and all points in between. A satire with heart, as courageous as it is cunning.” —Colson Whitehead, author of Sag Harbor

“Johnson's new novel is nothing short of fantastic, in every sense. I fell in love with the voice, the tone and the world of Pym. This is an adventure novel, a work of historical and social commentary, a rumination on identity. The only problem I could find with this novel is that I didn't write it. It's a beautiful piece of work.” —Percival Everett, author of I Am Not Sidney Poitier

“Johnson has come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and he's all out of bubble gum. Pym is an adventure, a satire, and a bracing political debate all rolled into one brilliant novel. Edgar Allen Poe has inspired many authors but Mat Johnson has the inspired audacity to both honor and discredit the man, often in the same sentence. I imagine Poe choking on half the things Johnson writes in this novel, and tipping his tiny hat in admiration to the rest.” —Victor LaValle, author of Big Machine

“Johnson writes with all the probing intelligence of James Baldwin, the scalding satire of Dany Laferriere and the technique of a master craftsman, all of which make him one of the most exciting, important and gifted writers of his generation. Pym is a moving and accomplished novel.” —Chris Abani, author of GraceLand and the Virgin of Flames

“Pym reframes far more than Poe – it reframes everything American,from the whiteness of Ahab’s whale to Detroit bus drivers; from DNA testing to tenure review; from the Gatsbyesque dream of romantic love to the dream of Utopia; from our fear of life to our love of death. No one today writes inside the brilliant black mind better.” —Alice Randall, author of The Wind Done Gone and Rebel Yell

 

‘POE’ DETECTIVE SERIES COMING TO TV?

March 5, 2011 | Posted by Admin

The Raven, a new thriller starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, recently wrapped shooting in Europe.

Jumping on the Poe-as-detective bandwagon, ABC recently announce that they’re developing a TV pilot called Poe, a fictional crime procedural set in Boston that follows Eddie as he takes a bite out of crime and brings the wicked to justice. It seems that period mystery and adventure is all the rage, with Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows with Robert Downey, Jr. coming to theaters next year, and the small screen developing a new series about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini doing the detective thing, and CBS looking to re-launch The Wild, Wild, West.

Ryan Phillippe is being courted to star in ABC-TV’s proposed Poe pilot.

 

SAVE THE POE HOUSE IN BALTIMORE

February 4, 2011  |  Posted by Mark Redfield

Dear Friend of Poe and The Poe House,

On Monday, February 7, 2011, we will have a PETITION that we ask that you sign and pass along to your friends who care about keeping The Poe House and Museum open in Baltimore.

More news coming! Watch this website for updated, accurate information regarding the closing of the Poe House by Baltimore City.

-Mark Redfield

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS: CLOSING THE POE HOUSE IN BALTIMORE

February 4, 2011 | Posted by Admin

The Associated Press has a story today on the closing of the Poe House, written by Ben Nuckols.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore cut funding for the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, one of the strongest links between the literary icon and the city that claims him as its own.

The Poe House must become self-sustaining by the middle of next year or it will close, curator Jeff Jerome and city officials said Friday.

You can read the rest of the story at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-poe-house-funding,0,2353983.story

 

BALTIMORE SUN: POE HOUSE COULD CLOSE WITHOUT FUNDING

February 4, 2011 | Posted by ADMIN

Today, The Baltimore Sun reported on the closing of the Poe House, written by Chris Kaltenbach.

For Baltimore's Edgar Allan Poe House to remain open, officials there have 17 months to find a way to operate the museum without city money. But its long-time curator said yesterday that he's not confident that deadline can be met.

You can read the article at http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bs-ae-poe-funding-20110204,0,5892553.story

BACK TO TOP