When people think of American Gothic fiction as it relates to the Hudson Valley, one name comes to mind: Washington Irving. However, for two nights this October, one of Irving’s contemporaries will become the center of attention, as the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy arrives in Peekskill.
The touring cocktail experience is part bar, part immersive theatre performance as a “macabre lead mixologist” shares four of the famed Baltimore author’s stories, pairing each with a curated concoction over a 90-minute event.
Hudson Valley fans of Poe and/or all things gothic can buy tickets for one of seven showings scheduled Oct. 16-17 at Dramatic Hall, an 187-year-old building on Peekskill’s Main Street.
Shows start at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16 and begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.
“Over a century and a half after Edgar Allan Poe’s death, this cocktail experience brings the most beloved works of Poe to life off the page and onto the stage,” reads the event website.
According to the site, the featured stories for the evening include “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” and “The Black Cat.”
The cocktail list is as follows, with descriptions from event organizers:
- Pale Blue Eye: A refreshing light blue cocktail made with blueberry vodka, fresh lemon juice, rose syrup, and topped with La Croix.
- Cocktail of Red Death: A bright vibrant cocktail made with 100-proof vodka, cherry herring, Benedictine liquor, lime juice, pineapple juice, and bitters.
- Edgar’s Twisted Brandy Milk Punch: Equal parts Kentucky Bourbon meets with French Brandy and is mixed with vanilla cream, milk syrup, and half and half. Topped with star anise.
- The Nevermore: A black-and-gold cocktail fueled by orange peach blossom vodka, lime juice, and secret spices.
The Peekskill venue will only add to the lore of the event, as the building is only slightly younger than The Raven himself. It opened as a grocery store in 1838 before transitioning into a hardware store. By 1870, Dramatic Hall was operating as a small stage on the building’s third floor, according to Secret NYC.
“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream,” Poe once wrote, and this dream will be fleeting, so pick up tickets while they’re still available.
Follow @edgarallanpoespeakeasy on Instagram for a sneak peek at the show’s aesthetic.
