Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short-story writer, editor and literary critic and is best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre. Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career. Poe switched his focus from poetry to prose and spent several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move between several cities, including New York City. In Baltimore in 1835, he married his 13-year-old cousin. In January 1845, Poe published his poem “The Raven” to instant success. His wife died of tuberculosis two years later. On October 7, 1849, at age 40, Poe died in Baltimore; the cause of his death is unknown and has been attributed to alcohol, brain congestion, cholera, drugs, heart disease, rabies, suicide, and tuberculosis. Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world. His work appears throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his homes are dedicated museums today.
WHAT IS RADIOTHEATRE?
Well, we’re NOT an authentic re-creation of old time radio shows…
Rather, we are inspired by the artistry created during the Golden Years of Radio when SOUND was king and STORY TELLING, along with great voices, music and sound effects…as well as, the individual imaginations of its audiences …were the primary ingredients used to provide a memorable, live, theatrical experience. It’s not much different than the earliest form of Theatre…telling tales around a campfire in the dark where all of one’s attention is focused upon the Narrator. However, primitive it might sound, it’s still the most powerful means of intellectual stimulation, wherein, the audience is invited to participate by conjuring the images in their own minds…something they are not required to do very often these days. Of course, we do like to add some 21st Century touches…such as fully scored orchestral sound tracks which you won‘t hear anywhere else, a plethora of aural effects and, sometimes, a few visuals, too! As for our stories content, RADIOTHEATRE draws its inspiration from the Pulp Fiction Era when genres such as Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction and Crime dominated the American popular culture…all genres which have been thoroughly mined and exploited by Literature, Cinema and TV, but, generally ignored or spoofed in the Theatre world. Our cinematic scripts and presentational format allows RADIOTHEATRE to deliver nearly anything …from King Kong roaring atop the Empire State Building to an explosive invasion from outer space to the inner voice of a demented mind...all of which you won’t experience anywhere else on the live stage. So, there’s your answer! By combining a unique presentation with non -traditional content, RADIOTHEATRE is a singular theatre company creating modern, innovative stage works.
WINNER of 2008 NY Innovative Theatre Awards:
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC and OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
"STUNNING" - SCI FI CHANNEL
"Brings to mind VINCENT PRICE and Victorian Era full moons!" -NYTIMES
"Spooky, SHOCKING, Horrific!" –TIME OUT NY
"A SOUND EXTRAVAGANZA!" -VARIETY
"Elegant and VIVID storytelling!" -NYTHEATRE
"A TON of FAST PACED FUN!" -VILLAGER
"Dan Bianchi's Sound Design is MARVELOUS!" -VILLAGE VOICE
"Ominous, EERIE, Monster Movie Sound FX!" -BACKSTAGE
"RADIOTHEATRE is a VIBRANT force for NYC Stage Shows!" -HYREVIEWS
"CREEPY!" -AMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE
"HORRIFIC! EVOCATIVE! ROUSING! ENGAGING! CHILLING!" -OFFOFFONLINE