Prologue - Original Off-Broadway Cast of Nevermore/Jonathan Christenson
There was a man a most peculiar
Man his tale a most peculiar
Tale of mystery and horror
And of unrelenting woe
We met him on a steamer
From Richmond to New York
We'd have known him anywhere
Who wouldn't
For there was no one more notorious than he
And though it was a stormy night
He stood on the deck looking up the James River
Weary yet somehow full of
What was it
Hope
Yes that was it
He was full of desperate hope
And from his childhood from the dawn
Of a most stormy life was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
A mystery which bound him still
Excuse me I said pardon me
Mister Poe it is you isn't it
Edgar Allan Poe
I just wanted to say you see
That forty years ago in this very city
On this very day
I had the great honour of seeing your mother
On stage and afterwards meeting her
You met my mother
Indeed
Won't you come in
It's dreadfully wet out there
It's an honour to meet you Mister Poe
We're very big fans of yours
This man it seemed had never been
As others were had never seen
As others saw and could not bring
His passions from a common spring
Allow us to introduce ourselves we are
The Eldorado ns
En route this fateful night to New York
To perform at the Park Theatre
You're soaked to the skin poor dear
So from one of our trunks full of costumes we gave him
A shirt
Some trousers
A pair of shoes
And a waistcoat
Tell us Mister Poe what takes you to New York
I'm to meet in a week with a publisher
A new book
No it's about a position
Chief editor of a new journal
That's wonderful
It's just a short trip
My fiancé awaits
Your fiancé
Yes
We plan to be married upon my return
Well Congratulations
From the same source he'd never taken
His sorrow he could not awaken
His heart to joy at the same tone
And all he loved
All he loved
All he loved he loved
Alone
I wonder
Yes
About my mother
Yes
Do you think could you tell me more
It's just the past
It all seems like a dream to me now
Mister Poe it would be our great pleasure
To help you remember
Remember it all
Would you
Yes
Are you ready
Yes