The macabre meets the musical in Nevermore, the latest production from Stray Dog Theatre, on stage at Tower Grove Abbey beginning October 10. Founded in 2003, the organization aspires to create diverse productions and programming that challenges, entertains, and informs audiences
Arriving in time for Halloween, Nevermore centers around the tumultuous life of Edgar Allan Poe and his struggles with mental health, addiction, and grief.
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Featuring six performers in more than 40 roles, the production includes scenes and songs flowing in and out of each other across two tense acts.
Directed by Justin Been, who has spent more than two years working on Nevermore, this company debut leans deeply into the gothic horror aspects of Poe’s work.
“Even when we’re dealing with parts of his life that aren’t spooky, there’s a dark atmosphere around everything,” he says. “I don’t want to give anything away, but we intentionally decided to place this show in October. It’s been exciting to decide what imagery to recreate and what to leave to the audience’s imagination. Poe’s work allows for an atmosphere that anything could be lurking in the shadows.”
For Been, staging Nevermore has been a collaborative process that provided him and the cast a berth for creating a narrative.
“We’re really exploring the limits of what we can achieve on the Tower Grove Abbey stage. The show moves quickly, and we cover a lot of ground, which allows us a chance to incorporate different storytelling styles throughout the show,” notes the director.
Filled with complex choreography and atmospheric songs, Nevermore sheds new light on the Gothic author and his work, beyond what many audience members may be familiar with.
“Edgar Allan Poe is one of those rare figures that almost everyone knows by name, but I don’t think some people realize how much Poe did during his life,” Been says. “His general representation has cemented him as a figure of Gothic horror, and I hope that this show draws people to the idea of the dark Poe everyone knows, but also encourages them to look at other work he has done once they see the show.”
In a season where ghouls and goblins are everywhere, Been emphasizes that Stray Dog Theatre is presenting a more reflective take on one of Halloween’s all-stars.
“We follow Poe through several of the happiest moments of his life and through some of his darkest,” Been says. “This show cheats because you already know how it ends; the interesting part is seeing how we get there.”
Performances of Nevermore run from October 10–November 2 at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee.
