Poe: News & Events
Library of Virginia Poe Exhibition News and Events
Poe: News & Events
Library of Virginia Poe Exhibition News and Events
we haveEducators' Reception, August 14, 2009
Are you looking for ways to bring Edgar Allan Poe alive for your students? Consider bringing them to experience the Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster exhibition and special programs at the Library of Virginia. Participants will receive an overview of education programs offered by the Library, the Poe Museum, and St. John's Church, as well as a tour of the exhibition with curator Chris Semtner, director of the Poe Museum. The first 50 teachers will also receive a commemorative Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster poster. Registration for this event was closed August 7, 2009.
Family Day at the Library of Virginia: I Know Poe Saturday, August 15, 2009
Experience Virginia's rich past by exploring the collections of the Library of Virginia, which houses documents representing 400 years of the state's history. The day will feature an array of events, giveaways, and tours of the exhibition Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster at the Library of Virginia. Parents and children can enjoy activities such as face painting, crafts, a scavenger hunt, and performances by the Haunts of Richmond, a haunted attraction that brings local ghost stories and legends to life.
Poe Mania! Theatrical Performances by Haunts of Richmond Thursday, September 10 and 11, 2009
Join us for a manically energetic, dramatic tribute to the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, in celebration of the bicentennial of his birth. Witness some of Poe's darkest and most riveting tales spun live, onstage in a rich tapestry of terror and suspense. We'll take you on a psychological thrill ride down Poe's unique "murderer's row" of anti-heroes in such classic tales as "The Cask of Amontillado," and "The Tell-Tale Heart." You'll cringe as hapless victims endure the trials and tribulations of ill fortune in stories such as "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "Berenice." You'll emerge from this exploration of Poe's dark world with a renewed appreciation for the artistry and genius of one of America's most influential literary craftsmen.
Tours and Educational Programs Available
Bring your school or community group to the Library of Virginia to experience the Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster exhibition. Your group can take a tour of the exhibition, or request to have a special educational program included as a part of your visit. The programs "The Truth about Poe" and "Poe's Richmond" guide students in the investigation of primary source documents about Poe's life, and can be adapted for students in elementary school through middle school. Both experiences contain elements that correlate to Virginia Standards of Learning for both social science and language arts. These programs are free but limited by staff availability and must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance.
In addition to visiting the Library of Virginia, groups can also make plans to visit two other significant historic sites in Richmond related to Edgar Allan Poe, the Poe Museum and St. John's Church. Our online schedule form is designed for use by groups interested in touring one or more of the featured cultural venues on weekdays during normal business hours. Please keep in mind that all of the locations have different weekend schedules and, as in the case of the Library of Virginia, may be closed on Sundays. All requests are subject to confirmation of availability.
Docent-led Exhibition Tours
Every Tuesday and Thursday (except Sept. 8 and Nov. 27) 2:00–2:45 pm. RSVP by calling 804-692-3592. Join our library docents for a tour of the Library of Virginia's exhibition focusing on Edgar Allan Poe, whose influence on writers and artists was profound. Learn just how well you know this master of macabre. Space is limited.
Curator's Gallery Talks
RSVP by calling 804-692-3592. Join exhibition curator Chris Semtner for an in-depth tour of the Library of Virginia's exhibition focusing on Edgar Allan Poe, whose influence on writers and artists was profound. Learn just how well you know this master of macabre. Space is limited.
Thursday, August 6 | Noon–12:45 pm
Wednesday, September 23 | Noon–12:45 pm
Wednesday, October 7 | Noon–12:45 pm
Thursday, November 19 | Noon–12:45 pm
Tuesday, December 1 | Noon–12:45 pm
Poe Book Talk Series
The Riesling Retribution: A Wine Country Mystery
Tuesday, August 11 | 6:00–7:00 pm
Virginia in Verse: The Poetry of Michelle Boisseau and John Casteen
Tuesday, September 29 | 6:00–7:00 pm
The Long Division by Derek Nikitas
Tuesday, October 27, 6:00–7:00 pm
Tomorrow's "Masters of the Macabre"? Poe Young Writers' Competition winners and finalists named
The Library of Virginia, the Poe Museum, and Comcast have announced the winners and finalists of the "Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster" Young Writers' Competition. High school students were invited to submit their poetry and short stories, written in the veins of the genres Poe mastered—mystery, science fiction, and horror. First place winners earned a $100 savings bond and filmed reading of their winning story or poem on "Comcast ON DEMAND Local Features," second place finalists earned the same prize with a $50 savings bond, and third place finalists and "People's Pick" Competition winners earned a Comcast Prize Pack.
Download all the winning entries, and view our contest winner photo gallery.
Poetry
First Place: "No Birds," by Bryan Killian, 10th grade, Deep Run High School, Henrico
Second Place: "aMuse," by Kirk Roundtree, 11th grade, Kings Fork High School, Suffolk
Third Place: "Shades of Evil," by Robert Poindexter, 10th grade, Deep Run High School, Henrico
"People's Pick": "No Birds," by Bryan Killian, 10th grade, Deep Run High School, Henrico
Finalists:
"The Wondrous Decomposition," by James E. Bullock, Jr., 9th grade, Monacan High School, Midlothian
"My Fair Maiden," Alexis Exum, 10th grade, Deep Run High School, Henrico
"Out of Options," by Olivia Mathias, 10th grade, Deep Run High School, Henrico
Short Story
First Place: "Elizabeth's Dream," by Keely Wright, 11th Grade, Hanover High School, Hanover
Second Place: "Darkness and Light," by Evelyn Hildebrand, 10th grade, Springfield
Third Place: "The Man Who Talked to God," by Alex Zuercher, 11th grade, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond
"People's Pick": "The Man Who Talked to God," by Alex Zuercher, 11th grade, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond
Finalists:
"Requiem Seraphicae" by Elizabeth Ballou, 9th grade, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, Richmond
"My Best Friend" by Matthew Disler, 9th grade, Collegiate School, Richmond
"Disturbed" by Nyssa Giangregorio, 12th grade, Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach
Thank you to contest judges Barbara Batson, Library of Virginia; Tracy Fair Robertson, Virginia Department of Education; Emyl Jenkins, author; Frances Lively, educator; Ann Marie Seely, educator; and Chris Semtner, Edgar Allan Poe Museum.
About the Exhibition
Curator: Chris Semtner, The Poe Museum and Barbara Batson, Library of Virginia
Graphic Design: Christine Sisic and Amy Winegardner
Illustrations: Les Harper, Lightbox Studios, Inc.
Web Page Design and Development: T. J. Rowland and Jason Roma
Lenders: Susan Jaffe Tane, James Vacca, Thomas Inge, Holt Edmunds, Frances Giles, Dwight L. and Rebecca MacPherson, and Windsor Foundation Trust
Print Sponsor: Richmond Times-Dispatch
