Dark, dreamy and steeped in the shadows of Poe’s imagination, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life & Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe opens June 6 at Cottage Theatre — marking the first time the gothic musical has been produced in Oregon. A surreal mix of biography and fantasy, the show plunges into the troubled psyche of one of literature’s most iconic figures, weaving eerie visuals, haunting melodies and a script pulled from Poe’s most famous works. Cottage Theatre’s executive director, Susan Goes, says the play is written for a cast of seven. “There is a character portraying Edgar Allen Poe,” she says, “and then the other six actors are just called player one, player two, player three and they transform into a variety of characters depending on the story.” The musical was originally created in 2009 by a theater in Canada to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Poe’s birth. While it’s flown under the radar in much of the U.S., it has become a hidden gem in the world of contemporary gothic theater. “To the best of our knowledge we are the first theater in Oregon to produce it, which was confirmed by the show creators,” Goes says. Unlike traditional musicals, Nevermore leans into transformation and mood rather than realism, telling Poe’s story through shifting roles and shadowy, stylized scenes. “The musical is like recounting Poe’s life but also is inspired by his writing, poetry and prose,” Goes says. And yes, it’s a little spooky. “The director’s goal is to kind of slightly scare people at the start,” Goes says. “It’s been described as Tim Burton-esque, so the actors will be in very overly dramatic stage makeup.” 

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life & Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe runs June 6 through June 22 at Cottage Theatre, 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove. Tickets start at $15. Visit CottageTheatre.org/Nevermore for showtimes