Casting Teen Performers for "Poe’s Midnight Dreary" Play

The titular character, Poe is mysterious and macabre. In his final moments, he is delirious at times but also methodical. He is ever-present throughout the duration of the play and experiences a wide array of emotions.

Dr. Moran is the carer of Poe in his final moments. down-to-earth and calculated, Dr. Moran does his best to ground Poe’s fantastical mind.

The cousin and come-to-be wife of Poe, Virginia is a teenager full of life. She is playful even in moments of despair. Of The Fall of the House of Usher, Madeline is buried alive and becomes a haunting figure.

The Chorus are the cardinal voices of the play. They narrate the story, follow Poe on his journey, and portray other characters like the Raven and the Gossips.

Of The Telltale Heart, Bertram is a cunning killer, spooked by irrational fears. She is a servant who is not what she seems. Her cracked mental psyche causes her to have outbursts and fear her imagination.

Of The Telltale Heart, Reginald is an elderly man taken care of by his servant, Bertram. He is oblivious and trusting, likely due to his old age.

Of The Telltale Heart, O’Hernigan is an Irish police officer investigating a reported horrific sound. He is personable and just a bit awkward.

A harlequin / reveler, Fortunato suits the vibes of Mardi Gras. He is a jester who offers many a drink to Poe.

Of The Black Cat, Zachary is a two-faced, mentally sick man whose emotions flip from page to page. He is a drunk who kills his pet cats with inconsistent regret.

Of The Black Cat, The Cat, otherwise known as the Black Cat or Pluto, is the anthropomorphic personification of a cat. She is feline-like, loving to her carers, but will fear those she deems dangerous. She does not speak… for she is a cat.

The mother of Virginia and aunt of Poe, Mrs. Clemm is kind and caring. She urges Poe to reconsider his romantic pursuits.

Of The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick is a doomed soul. He is paranoid and set in his ways, which involves burying his love alive.

Of The Premature Burial, Allouisius narrates the story of The Premature Burial, stories of people being buried alive. He is sporadic and charismatic. He appears and reappears with the lights. Thematically, he has a great fear of being buried alive himself.

Of The Premature Burial, a debutante with multiple suitors, she is unhappy with her romantic decision and fakes her death. She is overly dramatic and a hopeless romantic.

Of The Premature Burial, the first husband of Victorine, he is wealthy, pompous, and vengeful.

Of The Premature Burial, the desired love of Victorine, he is Prince Charming coded.

Of The Premature Burial, he decides the dispute between Victorine and the Banker. He is fair and stern.

Of The Premature Burial, these three doctors bring a corpse back to life. They quip and joke with one another and do not take the situation seriously.

Of The Premature Burial, this corpse is revived from death. Their speech is very poor, but they are quite good at charades.

Of The Premature Burial, these three sailors find Allouisius caught in a storm. They are a bunch of kind boatsmen with some humor shared between them.