Brat Productions, a theatre company in Philadelphia, will host a videoconference to highlight the collaborative process of creating HAUNTED POE, an interactive, site-specific show based on the short works of terror by Edgar Allan Poe. Presented in a 10,000 square foot warehouse, HAUNTED POE features scenes and scares from The Tell-tale Heart, The Raven, The Black Cat, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Pit and the Pendulum…and much more. Its literature, history and theatre — in the form of a haunted house.

Moderated by Michael Alltop, this videoconference event will feature a discussion of Poe’s biography and work, with an emphasis on the author’s penchant for the gothic and supernatural. Short passages from stories and poems will be performed by a professional actor who plays Poe in the production, and the director of HAUNTED POE will discuss the challenges inherent in bridging the gap between page and stage. Several props and/or set dressing from the production will be shown to aid in the description of the physical production.

Poe’s works include scenes of murder, madness and the supernatural. It should be noted that our program of HAUNTED POE will contain scenes and descriptions intended to scare an audience.

Program Outline:

• Welcome and Introductions

• Introduction to HAUNTED POE
  Students will be taken virtually behind the scenes of the HAUNTED POE haunt with videotaped segments showing various rooms and scenes from the show.

• A look at Poe in Philadelphia
  The moderator will present a brief outline of Poe’s life and times, specifically in Philadelphia, where he wrote many of his most famous stories and poems.

• How did you do THAT?
  An interactive discussion with the director of HAUNTED POE, on the challenges of making a show based on Poe’s stories. Topics will include: what makes ‘The Telltale Heart’ tick; how to scare an audience; and, theatre tips and tricks.

• Poe, back from the Dead
  The actor who plays Poe in the production will recited short passages from the stories and poems used in HAUNTED POE, and will entertain questions from participants while in character. During this time, we will call on sites in alphabetical order to ask a question. Each site will have an opportunity to ask one question, and then we will move onto the next site. If time permits, we will repeat the cycle. Students should prepare questions ahead of time and should be at the microphone, ready to ask their question, prior to the moderator calling on your site.

• Closing Remarks

Pre-Videoconference Activities:

• Familiarize students with the concept of Haunted Houses: Participants should be familiar with haunted houses. Ideally, participants will have attended at least one during the Halloween season. This will help with our discussion about theatrical tricks during the “how did you do THAT?” section of the videoconference.

• Read Poe’s works: Although we encourage students to be familiar with as many of Poe’s works as possible, they should focus on the following: The Telltale Heart, The Black Cat, The Masque of the Red Death, and The Raven.

Post-Videoconference Activities:

• Reflect: Have students write a written reflection about the program or conduct a classroom dialogue with students. Some questions to consider: what did they learn about Poe? What did they learn about theatrical productions? What surprised them? What did they like about the videoconference event? What could have been improved?
• Create a Poe Performance: (optional) Using tips and tricks discussed during the videoconference, divide students into teams and have them dramatize scenes from one of Poe’s works not presented during the videoconference.

National Educational Standards:

Participation in this program satisfies the following content standards, as outlined by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations:

• Comparing and integrating art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and new art forms
• Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions

Participation in this program satisfies the following English language arts standards, as outlined by the National Council for Teachers of English:

• Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.