Next year is the 175th anniversary of Poe's death in Baltimore, and we're working harder than ever to keep his legacy alive.

Poe knew as well as anyone how hard it is to fund the arts. As one of the first Americans to make a living as a writer, he spent his life scrapping to support himself and find patrons for his creative projects. After his death in 1849, it was up to others to make sure his poems and stories lived on. Today, it's our turn to bring those stories to life.

This year, we reached major milestones in our mission to bring Poe's works to life in Baltimore and beyond -

Our second annual Doomsday event brought 42 actors, authors, and community leaders together in a 24-hour reading marathon that reached audiences in person and online - and made the front page of the Baltimore Sun.

Our first live recording sessions brought audiences from across the region to hear Poe's detective story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" adapted as an audio drama featuring live sound effects and an original score. The final version will enter the Enoch Pratt Free Library's Maryland Special Collection, along with the rest of our catalog of audio dramas.

Rue Morgue performance at Pratt

Partnering with the Poe House and Museum (Poe Baltimore), our first film night featured The Death of Poe by Baltimore filmmaker Mark Redfield, launching this year's International Edgar Allan Poe Festival.

And, for the first time, we sent a play on the road to appear at the Tennessee Williams Festival in Massachusetts - earning high praise and a return invitation!

On top of that, almost everything we produced this year was FREE to the public.

And that's why we need your help.

We have big plans to mark the 175th anniversary of Poe's death next year -

A Doomsday event with more activities for the community and sister events around the country and overseas
The development of a newly commissioned stage play
The launch of our education program
And more to be announced over the next few months!

But we can only do it with your support. So please give generously, and help us keep Poe's works alive onstage, on the air, and in the classroom in Baltimore and beyond.

Help us bring Poe's works to life in 2024!

By The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre

Help us bring Poe's works to life in 2024!