At the Cameo Art House Theatre, a story can change a room before the first line. Dim lights, close seating and a historic screen give the theater an intimate feel, a natural setting for Edgar Allan Poe.
The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy: Chapter Two returns to the Cameo on Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, with performances at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 90-minute production by touring company Midnight Creative pairs four Poe works with four cocktails.
Brian Adam Kline, founding artistic director of the nonprofit Cameo Collective, said the theater can feel “spooky if she wants to.” The Cameo hosted the first chapter more than a year ago. Kline contacted Midnight Creative and asked the company to return.
The new program features “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “Annabel Lee” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” paired with cocktails named Swing of Fate, Montresor’s Revenge, Lover’s Lament and Roderick’s Ruin. Performers presented as Poe historians guide guests through the anthology. Prior attendance is not required.
Kline said the Cameo’s approach is simple.
“We dim the lights and allow the storytelling to be the most important part of the night. The drinks shape the experience, but Poe’s language and the performers’ work stay central. Midnight Creative produces the show, Fever manages ticketing, and the Cameo hosts it.”
The partnership fits the Cameo’s next chapter. After a quarter-century under its founding owners, the theater transitioned to the nonprofit Cameo Collective earlier this year. The organization aims to preserve independent film while expanding into live performance, education and special events. Kline hopes to learn from audience response and build more programming of this kind.
“All companies are welcome at the Cameo,” he said.
The intimate room suits Poe’s sealed chambers, wine cellars and doomed houses. As lights fall and the actors take the room, the story becomes a shared experience. The Cameo’s historic atmosphere gives the performance a sense of place.
Fever lists general admission at $55, including entry and four cocktails. VIP front-row admission is $70 and was marked sold out when checked. Kline advises arriving 30 minutes early; seating is general unless a guest has a VIP ticket.
Age guidance needs confirmation before guests buy. Fever’s listing says attendees must be 21 or older with valid ID. Kline said, all ages are welcome and that guests requesting mocktails may not need to show ID. The answers differ, so guests should confirm the current entry policy directly with Fever or Midnight Creative. The listing says mocktails are available upon request and identifies the Cameo as ADA compliant.
Kline said the event is in the first-floor theater, with street parking and the Franklin Street garage nearby. Refund requests go through Midnight Creative. Guests should contact Fever or the producer about late entry and ticket policies.
For the Cameo, the Poe Speakeasy offers a glimpse of what a nonprofit art house can hold beyond the screen: a room where literature, performance, and atmosphere meet, and where a touring company can find a local home. Kline said the theater hopes to make experiences like this part of its future.
Poe’s stories ask audiences to listen for what lies behind the wall. At the Cameo, the darkness is part of the invitation.