The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre has commissioned an innovative theatrical production that merges Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale with the life story of America's master of horror. 'A Christmas Carol for Edgar Allan Poe' represents a creative fusion of literary traditions, reimagining Poe's biography through the structural framework of Dickens' beloved Christmas story. Written by Zac Pensol, a past winner of The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival 'Saturday Visiter' Award, the play explores Poe's life up to the final days of his wife Virginia Clemm. According to Poe Theatre Founder and Artistic Director Alex Zavistovich, the production examines 'the lessons he learned about love and happiness one fateful December night' through the lens of Dickens' supernatural visitation narrative.
The production will run for 12 performances at Baltimore's Motor House Theater from December 5 through December 21, 2025. The show's development was supported by a grant from the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts through their Creative Baltimore Fund, highlighting the local significance of this cultural initiative. Zavistovich describes the production as 'destined to be a Baltimore holiday tradition' and 'a new spin on a timeless classic that's perfect for Baltimore.' Featuring a cast of Baltimore-based actors including Jade Green, Oz Heiligman, Sarah Bella Joyce, Rocky Nunzio, Anthony Parker, Ian Blackwell Rogers, Mallory Shear, and Alex Zavistovich, the production emphasizes local talent.
The creative team includes Mark Kamie as director, with Adam R. Adkins serving as assistant director and Katherine Ross as production manager. Technical elements include set design by James Raymond, sound design by James D. Watson III, lighting design by Andy Walling, costumes by Sarah Bella Joyce, and makeup by Siobhan Beckett. Ronald Malone serves as stage manager for the production. Performance dates include evening shows at 8 pm and matinees at 2 pm across three weekends in December. Tickets for the production are available through https://www.poetheatre.org or https://ticketstripe.com/events/592107736357896. The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre, which commissioned the work, is recognized as the only organization worldwide dedicated to adapting Poe's works across stage, radio, and educational platforms.
This production matters because it represents a significant cultural synthesis, bringing together two distinct literary giants in a way that recontextualizes Poe's personal narrative through a universally recognized moral framework. The implications extend beyond entertainment, suggesting new methodologies for biographical storytelling and demonstrating how classic narrative structures can illuminate historical figures' inner lives. By situating Poe's story within Dickens' Christmas redemption arc, the play invites audiences to reconsider Poe not just as a purveyor of horror but as a complex human figure whose life contained lessons about love and happiness. The local Baltimore focus, supported by city arts funding, indicates a strategic cultural investment that positions the city as an incubator for innovative literary adaptations while creating potential new holiday traditions that celebrate both local history and universal themes.
