Theater experience that pairs Edgar Allan Poe stories with cocktails coming to Palm Springs
The blood-curdling stories Edgar Allan Poe wrote in the 19th century, including tales of a guilt-ridden murderer and a distraught lover visited by a talking raven, continue to spook and thrill readers to this day.
Now, Palm Springs residents will have a chance to see some of his classic poems and short stories come to life, with a cocktail in hand, at a pop-up called the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. The 21-and-older cocktail experience retells and reimagines four of his most famous works — "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Black Cat," "The Raven" and "The Masque of the Red Death" — and pairs them with drinks that complement the vibe of each piece.
The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy will take place Thursday through Sunday at Revolution Stage Company, located at 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 16. Tickets are still available for select performances on Saturday and Sunday.
Why host an Edgar Allan Poe-themed cocktail event?
The cocktail experience was born through a love of Poe's work and mixology, said show co-creator Julia Tirinnanzi.
"Poe was a really big alcohol enthusiast as well, so it just felt really organic and natural to create a show around it," she added.
The speakeasy kicked off in January 2023 with test pilots in Austin and Atlanta. After it received positive reactions, the creators took it on the road, where it's been touring in cities across the country ever since.
It's not the first time that Tirinnanzi, co-creator Ryan Wieczorek and the Midnight Creative Events team have put on an interactive theater experience with cocktails, but it is their first literary-centric one. Tirinnanzi said she was always "very haunted" by Poe's work after she was introduced to it in middle school, and thought there must be other people out there who have been captivated by the Gothic writer.
Poe is regarded as the first well-known American writer to earn a living through writing alone, which resulted in a financially tough career and life. His works often centered on horror, mystery and the macabre, with "The Raven" considered among the best-known poems in the national literature.
What does the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy entail?
During the show, Poe historians take his works from the page to the stage. The pieces are slightly condensed and modernized, Tirinnanzi explained, so that audience members can easily follow along, especially if they're a few cocktails in and not up-to-date with 1800s vernacular. While actors bring the stories to life, a narrator will explain what was taking place in Poe's life at the time of his writing, including some tense relationships with family members and his whereabouts on the East Coast.
"It was many hours of research and digging into Poe's own writings. He had haters, too, so they'd write lots of things about him," Tirinnanzi said, adding that the team utilized museums throughout the country to find information on the writer. "He lived a short life, he died at the age of 40, so there's not as much as some of our other literary friends who lived longer than that."
The four drinks (mocktails are available too) that patrons will be treated to are modernized twists on classic 1800s-style libations. The Pale Blue Eye is a take on a Collins and pairs with "The Tell-Tale Heart." In Poe's short story, the narrator, trying his best to convince readers of his sanity, describes a murder they committed. The victim was an old man with a filmy, pale, blue eye, which, the narrator says, resembled a vulture. The Pale Blue Eye has a chilling blue look and consists of blueberry vodka, fresh lemon juice, rose syrup and La Croix.
Tirinnanzi said her favorite drink, that has also become a crowd pleaser, is a classic 1800s style brandy milk punch, which was very popular in New Orleans in the 1800s. It is cheekily named The Cat's Meow to pair with "The Black Cat."
"That one's a very cool, very classic beverage," Tirinnanzi said. "You don't seem them as much."
The other cocktail pairings are the Cocktail of Red Death for "The Masque of the Red Death," which includes 100-proof vodka and cherry heering, and the black and gold Nevermore to go with "The Raven," made with orange peach blossom vodka.
To make the evening even more special, the show co-creator encourages attendees to "dust off their finest Victorian attire." She's seen everything when it comes to outfits, including people dressed as Poe, wearing feather boas to mimic ravens and wearing all-black ensembles. However, if the heat keeps people from putting on suits or corset dresses, they can wear whatever makes them comfortable.
She also recommends having a bite to eat before or after the show as the experience does not include food. Guests can also mix and match cocktails and mocktails if they're not keen on having a true Poe-approved inebriated evening.
What is Revolution Stage Company?
Revolution Stage Company, a nonprofit theater company, opened in October under the direction of Gary Powers and James Owens. Since its launch, the company has had more than 200 performances on stage, including productions of the musicals "Avenue Q" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," cabaret performances, a Ten-Minute Play Festival, comedy shows and even the Southern California debut of Japanese rock 'n' roller Johnny Pandora.
The company took over the former home of Zelda's Nightclub in downtown Palm Springs and has 150 seats, a full-service liquor bar and an ice cream station.
Powers said he hopes the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy cocktail experience will become a regular part of the theater company's season.
Revolution's second season begins in October. A full list of upcoming performances and events can be found at www.revolutionstagecompany.com
If you go
What: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy
When: Select times on June 27-30 (tickets still available for June 29 and 30)
Where: Revolution Stage Company, 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 16, Palm Springs
Cost: $55 (includes admission and four drinks)
More info: www.edgarallanpoebar.com
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: How to get tickets to Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy coming to Palm Springs
