Authors Notes:

I always wanted to write a musical centered around an Edgar Allan Poe story or poem.  I tried in earnest with the story the Black Cat, but without dialogue it was difficult.  The other fleeting thought I had was to do a musical about Emily Dickinson meeting Edgar Allan Poe.  He would be older and she younger, but it could work.  However, I never found a poem or story that I wanted to merge between the two poets that made any sense for a musical.  Then one day, the President of the Martinez Campbell Theater asked me if I was interested in writing a One Act for their upcoming festival.  

Of course, I jumped at the opportunity and immediately dove into the works of both poets.  The most obvious choice for me was “Annabel Lee”.  A complete story of love, death, and the enduring bond between two soulmates.  Perfect!

Next, I had to find a poem by Emily Dickinson that talked about death and complemented Poe’s poem.  She has several poems that speak of death and immortality, so it was easy to find.  I settled on “Because I could not stop for death” and “Funeral in my brain”.  I used sections from both poems to detail the journey of Annabel’s soul as she passes through the afterlife. 

Please note, none of the poems are used verbatim as adapting the music to the words can be very challenging, plus, the poems don’t completely make sense within the context of the overall story.  So, I used bits and pieces from each and supplement my words when necessary. 

Upon completion, I realized that the musical needed an introduction by a Seraph to express his disgust for their love.  So, I added the poem “Song” by Edgar Allan Poe that talks about a Seraph watching the two love birds on their wedding day.

Please enjoy, “Annabel Lee”.