The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and the only theatre company in the world adapting the works of Edgar Allan Poe for the stage, for broadcast, and in schools for literacy.

Artistic Director Alex Zavistovich founded The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre in 2019. Its work is preserved by the Library of Congress, broadcast on NPR, and streamed to audiences across the country and internationally.

The Theatre quickly earned award recognition and found an international audience on NPR.org, Audible, and Amazon Music, among other platforms. Its programs hold a permanent place in both the Library of Congress and the Maryland Special Collection of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre has also collaborated internationally, creating audio dramas with the University of East Anglia in the UK.

Programs

In 2022, The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre staged its first full production, “Edgar Allan Poe’s Blood, Sweat and Fears,” based on three of its own audio dramas. That same year, the Theatre partnered with Poe Baltimore and Poe House to hold its first film screening, “The Death of Poe,” launching the 2023 International Edgar Allan Poe Festival.

In 2025 the company staged the world premiere of “A Christmas Carol for Edgar Allan Poe,” a critical success that demonstrated the Theatre's ability to originate major new works.

No initiative reflects the Theatre's civic impact more than the Doomsday 24-Hour Poe Readathon. This reading marathon has grown into a Baltimore tradition, with certificates of recognition from both the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland. The Doomsday event is the rare arts event that is both a literary celebration and a community gathering. The Theatre is proud to have built this annual event from the ground up.

In Summary

Taken together, this young organization has a strong track record:

• A growing catalogue of nationally distributed, permanently archived work;

• A  proven ability to move fluidly between audio, stage, and film;

• Deep and reciprocal partnerships with Baltimore's cultural institutions; and

• A signature annual event that has earned formal recognition from city and state government in just five years.

Philanthropic support of The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre helps ensure that company will thrive for years to come.