Edward G Pettit

Although I have in the past urged Philly to forget Franklin and embrace Poe as their icon, I am pleased to see an event that brings them together:

Historical re-enactors Bill Roebling and Paul Campbell will represent Benjamin Franklin and Edgar Allan Poe as hosts for a screening of the 1928 silent film, The Fall of the House of Usher, which addresses many themes of Poe’s literature and makes reference to other famed Poe stories . Well-known glass armonicaist, Carolinn Skyler, will accompany the movie on the instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin . Following the film, National Park Service rangers will lead a discussion and field questions from the audience. Literature anthologies, biographies and novelty items will be available for purchase from Eastern National, the park’s non-profit cooperating association, to support education and interpretive programs. Portions of the event will be filmed for web based education outreach. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/edal or call the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site at 215-597-8780. (Poe House Open W-S 9-5 )

Note this event is not at the Philly Poe House, but rather the Franklin Courtbehind Market Street between 3rd and 4th Sts. 

This sounds like a really great event and I'm very much looking forward to it.  The silent film of Usher is outstanding.  And to see it with live musical on an armonica?  That will be awesome. 

On Saturday, Jan 15, at 1PM there will be a talk on "Publishing in Philadelphia" at the Visitors Center at 6th and Market Streets.

And the fun doesn't end there, at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site (the Philly Poe House) on Sunday, Jan 16 at 1PM, following a house tour, there will be a rousing fame of JePOEdy, in which you can test your Poe knowledge. 

More info about all the Poe events plus more Franklin events.

There are two Edgar Allan Poe productions at the Philly Fringe Festival this year:

This weekend (Sept 11-12) you can catch John Zak in Nevermore Theatre's production of "The Tell-tale Heart."  Coolest part about this show: it's at the creepy Mutter Museum.  More info and tickets.

Also playing next weekend (Sept 17-18) is the Traveling Jones Theater's "Edgar Allan Poe Comes Alive." More info and tickets.  And you can see video of Scott Craig Jones playing Poe at his website.

And although no Poe, the Phila City Paper has a nice roundup of some horror themed shows at this year's Philly Fringe.  I should be going to the Dracula show on Friday night. 

Doppelganger Poes

April 10, 2010 ONLY at 2:00p.m. See what happens when a group of scholars accidentally summon two conflicting versions of Poe. Doppelganger Poes visits one of Poe’s most frequent devices-doubling, this time of his own soul. Poe feels compelled to perform his best works while vying with himself for literary honors. Performance will begin at 2:00pm, doors open at 1:30pm. The German Society of Philadelphia is located at 611 Spring Garden Street, across the street from the Edgar Allan Poe NHS. FREE

We performed this at the Philly Poe Bicentennial celebration and it went very well.  The piece has now been expanded to feature more works of Poe, including a recital of "The Raven" in full.

Oct 1 - Nov 1

Haunted Poe by Brat Productions, a theatrical haunted house experience. 160 years after his mysterious death, Edgar Allan Poe returns from the grave to haunt you with his most terrifying tales and poems.  In a 10,000 square foot warehouse in South Philadelphia, Brat Productions presents a unique and utterly theatrical take on a Halloween tradition—the Haunted House. You move from room to room. Down twisting hallways. Through the heart of darkness. Into the unknown.

Grounded in some of the best-known and most chilling works ever written, HAUNTED POE offers an immersive, multiple-sensory experience devoted to Poe’s peculiar genius. The show features scenarios adapted from “The Tell-tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Black Cat,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Murders in the Rue Morgue," “The Pit and the Pendulum” - and more!

Costumes, masks, puppets, hidden passageways, magic lanterns, optical illusions, music and video all serve to take Poe’s themes of madness, suspense and the supernatural to a frightening new level. In each room, around every corner, a new surprise awaits. Think you know Poe? His words will haunt you – Evermore!  Previews: Oct 1, 2, 3. Opening Night: Oct 7 More info and tickets

Oct 2 - Nov 1

Tell-Tale Heart Exhibition at Art in the Age. This exhibition brings together selected artwork inspired by Poe’s famous literary works such as “The Raven,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Participating artists were chosen based on their creative interpretations of Poe’s portrait and their ability to render his sense of the macabre in various mediums. Opening Reception: Friday, October 2, 6-8pm.  More info

Oct 2 - 3

Halloween Classic: An Evening of Poe at the Historic Village at Allaire. with Miss Helen McKenna.  Miss McKenna mesmerizes audiences as she performs a dramatization from the haunting tales of Edgar Allan Poe.  Visitors will sit spellbound as the 19th Century author comes to life in this performance in this evening of true theatre.  The performance is at the Howell Works Christ Church Chapel National Historic Site and is limited to 100 persons. Friday October 2 & Saturday October 3, 7:30 PM, $15 Per Person.  More info

Oct 7

Poe from a Family Perspective with Hal Poe at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.  On the 160th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s death, Hal Poe will speak about the most famous member of his family tree. 7 PM, FREE More info

Oct 8 - 11

The Poe Studies Association Third International Edgar Allan Poe Conference at the Hyatt's Regency on Penn's Landing. The conference will celebrate Poe's 200th birthday with a keynote address by Dwight Thomas, co-author of the acclaimed Poe Log; panel presentations that highlight Poe's work, life, and influence; a performance of "Edgar: The Life and Life's Work of Edgar Allan Poe, A New Chamber Musical" at the Ethical Society Building on Rittenhouse Square; a reception in the Historic Landmark Building of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sponsored by the Rare Book Department and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with music by The Mount Vernon Trio, a performance of Gerald Elias' "'The Raven': A Monodrama;" a bus trip to the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site; a guided walking tour of Poe's Philadelphia; an on-site gift shop from the Richmond Poe Museum; and on-site book sales by Robin's Books.  More info

Oct 10

Poe-sers,  the life stories of a woman's splintered personality as she lives and survives within, and because of, the poems of Edgar Allan Poe. (40 minutes)  October 10, 5:30pm at Historic St. George's Methodist Church,235 North Fourth Street, Old City, Philadelphia. A short walk from the Poe Studies Conference, enough time to attend the banquet.  Half price for conference attendees, $7, RSVP or for further info and directions at: poe-sers@hotmail.com or tickets at the door. The Show benefits Poe Studies Association and will be filmed.

Oct 13

Poe's Ghosts at Art in the Age  Brat Productions will host Poe’s Ghosts to enrich the discussion about the strange allure of Poe and his work. Three actors who portray different facets of the author in Haunted Poe will perform excerpts from the show and engage in a “Battle of the Poes” using the texts of some of the best-known of the author’s stories and poems. To cap off the evening, Edward Pettit, better known as “The Philly Poe Guy” and instigator of a feud with Baltimore for the right to claim Poe for Philadelphia, will lead a discussion about the myths and misconceptions that have haunted Poe’s legacy for over 150 years.  The winning Poe inspired ROOT cocktail will also be unveiled (and hopefully imbibed). 6PM-8PM More info

Oct 14

Poe: the Crimes of Philadelphia, Edgar Allan Poe discussion with the Ruth R Abel Seminar at Abington Library.  The Philly Poe Guy, Edward Pettit, leads a book discussion of some Poe's Philadelphia-penned tales (Murders in the Rue Morgue,  Mystery of Marie Roget, Man of the Crowd, Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat).  7PM FREE.  Registration info

Oct 14 - Nov 14

Tales of Poe at the Hedgerow Theatre. Tales From Poe tells the story of Dr. Morane, who after he witnesses the death of Edgar Allan Poe, is haunted by Poe's ghost. Morane experiences the worlds of the chilling tales The Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, Ligeia, William Wilson and The Masque of the Red as Morane wrestles with a moral dilemma of his own. Wednesdays, October 14 at 1 p.m. with complimentary tea party intermission and October 21, 28 and Nov. 4 &11 at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays, Nov. 1, 8 & 15 at 7:30 p.m  More info and tickets.

Oct 21 - Nov 1

Shades of Poe at the Collings-Knight House.  As you walk through this 19th century farmhouse, you will be treated to presentations of some of Edgar Allan Poe's most chilling works: "The Raven," "The Imp of the Perverse," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Oval Portrait," "To Helen" and "The Cask of Amontillado."  Oct 21-25 and Oct 28-Nov 1, 7-9 PM each night.  More info and tickets

Oct 23

The Tell-Tale Heart with Grover Silcox at the FONTHILL MUSEUM  in Doylestown, PA.  Come and tour the Henry Mercer castle and enjoy an eeire night tour.  You'll learn about Mr. Mercer's interest in literature, especially, the works of Edgar Allan Poe.  The program concludes with a dramatic telling of Poe's THE TELL-TALE HEART by popular actor, Grover Silcox. Friday, October 23 at 6:30-7:30PM $15/$12  BCHS members.  Registration and prepayment required. To register, call 215-348-9461  Ext. 10 More info

Oct 29

Poe's Casks at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.  Poe narrates and brings to life one of his most horrific stories. Poe is Montresor, who arranges for a memorable wine tasting for his “friend”, the unlucky Fortunato. Descend into the basement with Park Ranger actors. (Not for claustrophobics.) Oct 29, 6:30 and 7:30 PM.  More info and tickets

Oct 30

Edgar and the Poe Boys: Closing Night at the Philadelphia College of Physicians, home of the Mutter Museum.  Starring Harry Anderson of NBC's "Night Court" fame and Philly's own, Grover Silcox for a night of POE's Poems, Tales and things Poe might've enjoyed watching himself.  Friday October 30 7-10 PM.  For information and reservations, contact the College of Physicians of Philadelphia at: 19 S 22ND St  Philadelphia, PA 19103-3001, (215) 563-3103 More info

Oct 31

Edgar Allan Poe and the Flip Side of Comedy with Grover Silcox at Karen Ann's Tea Room in Warminster, PA 1535 W. Street Road (215) 773-9300  Saturday, Oct. 31 Call or email for reservations. More info

Oct 31

Lolla-POE-looza at the Hiway Theatre in Jenkintown, PA.  Once upon a midnight dreary…Join us for a midnight showing of two films based on Edgar Allan Poe’s macabre classics.  Introduced by the Philly Poe Guy, Edward Pettit.  One short Poe film, plus the feature presentation, "The Raven," the 1935 classic featuring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Starts at 11:30 PM on Halloween night.   Matinee prices apply.  Hiway members pay just $5.  More info