Little did we know five years ago that Alex Zavistovich's brainchild, a Poe reading marathon to rival Bloomsday, first held in his basement with a stalwart group of eight theatre folks, would grow internationally and become a Baltimore tradition!

WHAT'S DOOMSDAY?

Doomsday 2026 is the fifth annual 24-hour livestream of Poe’s iconic writings, and a celebration of the writer's artistic roots in Baltimore. The event kicks off on May 16, 2026 at noon, and ends on noon the next day.

Produced by The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre and streamed on YouTube, this fifth anniversary Doomsday readathon will take place at In the Dark Circus Arts, in Baltimore’s historic Pigtown neighborhood.

Members of the public will be invited to visit the location, enjoy free Poe-themed arts and writing activities, Poe Trivia, and other attractions across the 24 hour period.

Last year, The Poe Theatre had 42 readers in Baltimore, participating in Doomsday, including local political leaders, business figures, the media, authors and members of the professional arts community.

Internationally, groups in Italy, Scotland and England did their own version of the read-a-thon, creating a truly international event!

WHY SUPPORT DOOMSDAY?

To help us raise money to remount our artistically acclaimed production of "A Christmas Carol for Edgar Allan Poe."
To build our operational capacity.
To raise the funds we need to find a permanent home of our own for live theatre that's dedicated to adapting the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
To build a lasting Baltimore tradition that supports the arts, literature, and literacy.

Get on board the Doomsday train, and help celebrate five glorious years of Poe-themed endurance reading.

Doomsday 2026: 5 Glorious Years of Reading Poe

By The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre

Doomsday 2026: 5 Glorious Years of Reading Poe

The Original Edgar Allan Poe Reading Marathon

Team Members