In what is sure to become a Baltimore annual tradition, the second-ever “Doomsday” is upon us, taking place this year on May 20-21 at Greedy Reads Fells Point.
Doomsday is Baltimore’s unique take on Ireland’s Bloomsday – the annual celebration of writer James Joyce. In Baltimore, however, the horror writer Edgar Allan Poe is the man of the hour — make that 24 hours, actually.
Last year’s first-ever Doomsday entailed a 24-hour non-stop marathon reading of Poe’s writing.
It was also a fundraiser for the National Edger Allan Poe Theater, which exceeded its goal of $5,000, ultimately raising $7,000 at last year’s event.
According to The Edgar Allan Post, the theater’s newsletter, “[i]t was so much fun we decided to do it again – and for Doomsday 2023, we invited the whole community to join us.” Greedy Reads owner Julia Fleischaker offered up her Fells Point bookstore for the occasion this year.
When the Poe theater sent out its call for readers, they expected just a handful of responses from devout Poe enthusiasts. Instead, they describe receiving a “flood of yesses.”
The list of readers includes State Delegate Mark Edelson; City Council Member Zeke Cohen; Baltimore National Heritage Area Executive Director Shauntee Daniels; Baltimore Museum of Art Director Asma Naeem; Baltimore Public Markets CEO Paul Ruppert; WYPR’s Midday host Tom Hall; National Public Radio’s Book of the Day host Andrew Limbong; Baltimore area award-winning authors, journalists, and filmmakers; and even Baltimore Fishbowl’s own founding editor and publisher Susan Gerardo Dunn, among others.
Donations are tax-deductible, and help the theater bring Poe’s works to life onstage, on the air, and to Baltimore classrooms for another year.
“That means another year of producing public events like Doomsday 2023, developing new stage plays like last fall’s Edgar Allan Poe’s Blood, Sweat, and Fears, and another season of our award-winning audio drama series, ‘Poe on the Air,’ which will be recorded before a live audience for the first time ever this October at Enoch Pratt Library’s main branch in Mount Vernon,” read the newsletter’s announcement.
If you’re unable to attend Doomsday in person, you can watch online by clicking here once the event begins.
Donations are welcome, but not required for attendance. You can make your donations here.
The theater is still seeking volunteers for the Doomsday marathon, as well. Interested folks can email julia@poetheater.org for more information.
