To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, the English Department and the English honor society, Sigma Tau Delta/Literary Club, are hosting a Poe celebration. Professional character actor Jake Esau will dramatically recite several classic Poe stories and poems and will present biographical information on the writer. Featured Poe tale and poems include, “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Raven,” and “Annabel Lee.”
Jake Esau has been a professional character actor/adapter-writer for 37 years, and has developed and performed more than 30 one-person shows and programs – mostly on literacy and historical themes. Portraying Poe’s friend and employer, N.P. Willis, Esau has performed “A Tribute to Edgar Allan Poe” since 1979 and is considered a Poe scholar. A native of St. Paul, MN he has also lived and performed in Southern California, Arizona, and Washington state.
The celebration will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, March 6, in Room 108, the O’Shaughnessy Room, in the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center.
Everyone is invited and audience questions about Poe’s life and writing are encouraged.