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The Edgar Allan Poe House, Photo by R.Kennedy for GPTMC

Earlier this month, the city of Baltimore finally gave Edgar Allan Poe a proper burial 200 years after his birth.

The fact that he received a proper burial stands to make the famed writer’s resurrection for Poe’s Cask at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site on October 29th all the more terrifying and supernatural. On that devilish night, the man himself (or park ranger and trained actor Helen McKenna-Uff) will come alive once more to act out and retell one of his most chilling tales, The Cask of Amontillado.

For those unfamiliar with the haunting story, it follows the aristocratic Montressor (portrayed by Poe/McKenna-Uff) as he leads his “friend” Fortunado (played by Paul Campbell) deeper and deeper into the catacombs beneath a local festival in search of a rare and mythical wine — the Amontillado. As the pair travel deeper underground, Fortunado imbibes heavily on less valuable libations, precipitating his eventual unfortunate end.

There’s no better place to see Poe’s saga recreated than the Poe House with the dark dreary basement doubling as the horror-inducing catacombs. The fact that Poe will be placed as one of the story’s main characters adds a unique and sinister twist to the original tale. Catch one of two shows at 6:30 and 7:30 — a perfect pregame for Halloween night.

Poe’s Cask
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
6:30 & 7:30 p.m.
For tickets ($10), call (215) 861-4971.

The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
530 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 597-8780