Jan. 19, 2009 marked the 200th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. To commemorate this historic milestone, the city of Baltimore is hosting Nevermore 2009, a yearlong celebration of the life and works of one of Baltimore's most famed residents. The year will be filled with a variety of events, including birthday celebrations, lectures, wine tastings, art exhibitions, theatrical performances, special tours and more.
On Saturday, toast Poe's 200th birthday while enjoying a rare exhibition of Poe artifacts along with a number of special performances. At 7 p.m. the festivities begin with an Edgar Allan Poe tribute by noted actor John Astin of "The Addams Family" fame. Mr. Astin will present a spellbinding hour of Poe's most beloved works interspersed with comments and observations on Poe's life. A theatrical performance, "Some Words with a Mummy," will allow spectators to witness Poe's tale of a scientific experiment gone awry. See a mummy brought back to life through electricity and the mayhem it causes with the doctors who raised him from the dead. The evening also includes a musical tribute to Poe by soloist Paula McCabe from the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. A sparkling apple cider toast to Poe will be conducted by Jeff Jerome from the Poe House and Museum. Even Bicentennial Poe T-shirts and calendars will be on sale.
On Sunday, many of the same festivities will occur starting around 4:30 p.m. In addition to the events, the celebration will hold a theatrical performance of "Hop Frog," Poe's chilling tale of revenge, complete with special effects, life-size puppets and live actors. A cake in the shape of Poe's coffin will be raffled off at the conclusion of the Sunday program.
The birthday celebration will be held in Westminster Hall on 519 W. Fayette St. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Visit http://www.poebicentennial.com/tickets.html to purchase tickets online. Toast Poe's 200th birthday with probably the most morbid, yet fascinating parties around.
