A Midnight Dreary

By Scott Dixon; directed by Harold N. Cropp
Commonweal Theatre, Lannesboro, MN

The Commonweal’s “November Nights” offering is entering the last weekend of its all-to-short run. This play is an engaging look into the writings and persona of Edgar Allen Poe. Jerome Yorke is extremely flexible depicting Poe in a range of ages and emotional states from young child to the tormented mind of a man afraid that his work may not be significant enough to survive him. He is joined by a cast of revolving characters from his past and supported by eerie lighting effects and a lush, nearly non-stop sound track. In A Midnight Dreary, we experience a talented company fully engaged in the process of creating an important work.

Scott Dixon’s play is impressive for both its arrangement of time and its elegant prose that moves back and forth between stage dialog and Poe’s poetry. Dixon creates a vivid picture of what makes Poe an intriguing character and what makes Poe’s work so unique and important to American letters.

While the play merits a full review, these few lines will have to suffice, along with my urging to see play in its final weekend. This world premier production is among the most important and enjoyable works in Southeast Minnesota this year.

A Midnight Dreary runs through November 15
Visit the Commonweal for schedules and tickets: Commonweal Theatre