The Best of Edgar Allan Poe--Piccolo Spoleto's Spellbinding "Cognac and Roses" at Threshold Repertory Theatre

You could see it in his eyes. You could see it reflected in his demeanor's shadow. Dark was the medium of his world, the source of his intellectual power. His words were a palette of shades of black. The chill of dusk was the beginning of his day, and the warmth of dawn was its end. Thus was the story and life of Edgar Allan Poe, and what a poem he brushed, what a picture he versed.

Edgar Allan Poe left his imprint on Charleston, particularly the sands of Sullivan's Island, where he served in the military for 13 months at Fort Moultrie. The Gold Bug, his most famous story written 15 years after leaving the Lowcountry, takes place on the island.

It is believed his ghost walks the beach of Sullivan's Island, as recounted in a 2005 encounter with a 26-year-old woman on a family vacation. While picking up shells, she noticed a gentleman, standing fully clothed, watching the ocean waves break on the shore. She found his appearance to be odd. He wasn't dressed for a day at the beach, and his long dark hair and very dark eyes made him stand out in her mind as a unique presence. He approached and spoke to her about the shell she was holding in her hand. Bending down to pick up another to inquire about it, the gentleman vanished. While at Poe's Tavern that evening, she identified the mysterious man by the portrait on the restaurant's wall.

The Baltimore Sun's Laura Lippmann wrote an article in 2000 about an individual who would become known as the "Poe Toaster." From around 1949 until 2009, this somebody—or somebodies—toasted the famous author, who was born a hundred years earlier in 1849. They usually came sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. Even though a small group of onlookers watched his ritual, no one ever tried to unmask the visitor. The traditional uniform of the "Poe Toaster" was an all-black outfit with a white scarf and big hat. This somebody would leave three red roses and a bottle of cognac on his grave.

The story of the "Poe Toaster" is the basis for Threshold Repertory Theatre's presentation of Cognac and Roses: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe. A dark and dreary night of dramatic retellings of Poe's most famous works of literature will be presented, including The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart. Expect performances so dark and terrifying they will have your heart beating so hard you'll be sure it was buried under the floorboards. The cast includes Paul O'Brien, Ernie Eliason, Andrea Catangay, Tara D Holwegner, and Jonathan Quarles, all orchestrated by veteran director Chrissy Eliason.

Paul O'Brien and The Raven

Paul O'Brien set a high bar for the evening with a dramatic opening tribute to the "Poe Toaster" and followed it with an emotionally superb rendering of the Raven. Without missing a beat, the rest of the cast delivered absorbing, passionate renderings with the metaphorical power to arouse Poe from his grave to bestow his approval with a standing ovation.

Tara D. Holwegner and The Lake

Andrea Catangay and Dream Within a Dream

Ernie Eliason and The Black Cat

Jonathan Quarles and The Tell Tale Heart

If you love Edgar Allan Poe, this is a must see, spellbinding through and through. Remaining shows are June 10 at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm, with a final performance June 11 at 3:00 pm--purchase tickets.

You can see Poe today, though neither in the flesh or the spirit. Go to Poe's restaurant on Sullivan's Island, stand before his mesmerizing portrait painted on one of its walls, and if you dare, look him in the eyes. Take care you do not get sucked into one of his nightmares.