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Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  3w, 4m plus ensemble

Jonathan Christenson

This unique and wildly theatrical musical combines haunting music and poetic storytelling to chronicle the fascinating life of iconic American writer Edgar Allan Poe. At once gorgeous and grotesque, Nevermore explores the events that shape Poe’s character and career, blurring the line between fact and fiction.

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 4m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

This unique and wildly theatrical musical combines haunting music and poetic storytelling to chronicle the fascinating life of iconic American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The literary rock star of his day, Poe struggles with tragedy and addiction, poverty and loss, yet produces some of the world’s most original, visionary and enduring literature before dying in unexplained circumstances at the age of 40. At once gorgeous and grotesque, Nevermore explores the events that shape Poe’s character and career, blurring the line between fact and fiction – after all, as Poe himself writes, “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”

History

The world premiere of Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe was produced by Catalyst Theatre and presented by the Magnetic North Theatre Festival at Canada’s National Arts Centre on 4 June 2009. The Off-Broadway premiere of the show opened on 25 January 2015 at New World Stages in New York City.

Keywords
Performing Groups

EDGAR ALLAN POE (Male/Tenor)

Player 1 (Male/Baritenor) – MAN AT BAR (1), UNDERTAKER, METZENGERSTEIN’S HORSE, THE IMP, COLLEGE STUDENT (2), RAVEN (2), ALEXANDER SHELTON, RUFUS GRISWOLD, RODERICK USHER
Player 2 (Male/Baritone) – DAVID POE, JOCK ALLAN, RAVEN (1), MISTER BLISS, WILLIAM WILSON
Player 3 (Male/Tenor) – MAN AT BAR (2), HENRY LEONARD POE, MISTER LEE, ANCIENT ROTTING CORPSE (1), ANCIENT ROTTING CORPSE (2), COLLEGE STUDENT (1), RAVEN (3), MISTER BURTON, ARTHUR GORDON PYM
Player 4 (Female/Soprano) – THE DRESSER, STAGE MANAGER, ROSALIE POE, FANNY ALLAN, ANN CARTER LEE, SISSY CLEMM, MARIE ROGÊT
Player 5 (Female/Soprano) – ELIZA POE, MISS DUVAL (1), ASYLUM ATTENDANT (2), GHOST OF ANN CARTER LEE, LOUISE GABRIELLA, MUDDY CLEMM, WRITER, MRS. WHITMAN, ANNABEL LEE
Player 6 (Female/Alto) – MISS DUVAL (2), ASYLUM ATTENDANT (1), ELMIRA ROYSTER, MISS FULLER, LENORE

  • Time Period 19th Century
  • Setting

    Various scenes in the life of Edgar Allan Poe. 19th Century. 

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“Exquisitely stylish... a gothic fantasia.” – The New York Times

“Theatrical genius! Reminds you of Tim Burton gone wild.” – Calgary Herald  

“★★★★! Achieves the atmosphere of a vivid, unsettling dream.” – London Telegraph

Videos

  • Nevermore – Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Nevermore – Trailer

  • Nevermore – TV Spot youtube thumbnail

    Nevermore – TV Spot

Music

Music Samples

“Alone”
“All Our Days Are Trances / Now Doubt, Now Pain / David Poe’s Elegy” 
“My Name Is Henry/Life Will Get Better”
“The Death of Eliza”
“Childhood Dream”
“Now Doubt, Now Pain (Reprise)”
“My Name Is Henry / Life Will Get Better (Reprise)”
“Fanny Allan Loved the Theatre”
“The Metzengerstein Room”
“Take This Kiss”
“A Dreadful Apparition / Evermore Alone”
“Fanny and Edgar”
“That Staring Eye, so Pale”
“Fanny Allan Loved the Theatre (Reprise)”
“Eldorado”
“A Born Poet”
“Israfel”
“Discipline”
“The House of Allan and Son”
“The Imp”
“Take This Kiss (Reprise)”
“Boyhood Is a Summer Sun”
“Eldorado (Reprise)”
“A Dream within a Dream”
“Life Is but a Dream”
“It’s a Free Country“
“Edgar Met Elmira”
“Israfel (Reprise)”
“Edgar Met Elmira (Reprise)”
“Tamerlane—Letter to Jock Allan”
“The Day Elmira Was Married”
“Tamerlane”
“My Name Is Henry / Life Will Get Better (Second Reprise)”
“Muddy Clemm”
“Hush! Hush!”
“My Heart Laid Bare”
“The Family Poe—Reunited”
“The Family Poe—Torn Apart”
“Edgar Allan Poe”
“A Cure for the Pain”
“A Taunting Ray of Hope, Pt. 1”
“All of My Hours”
“A Taunting Ray of Hope, Pt. 2”
“The Raven”
“Ever with Thee”
“The Happiest Day, the Happiest Hour / Annabel Lee”
“No More of This Madness”
“Alone (Reprise) / We Are Your Nightmares”
“Childhood Dream (Reprise)”
“A Dream within a Dream / Edgar Allan Poe (Reprise)”
Bows / Exit

  • Musical Style Pop/Rock, Contemporary Broadway
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.
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Authors

Jonathan Christenson

Jonathan Christenson

Jonathan Christenson is a director, writer and composer whose original musical plays have been presented at major theaters and festivals throughout the UK, Australia, the USA and Canada. His work has been recognized with more than 40 British, Canadian and American awards and ...

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