Enter the enigmatic realm of Edgar Allan Poe, an iconic figure whose literary genius has left an indelible mark on American literature and culture. From pioneering the detective genre to shaping modern science fiction and horror, Poe's contributions are immeasurable. His tormented love for his wife, Virginia, fueled the haunting verses of "The Raven," while his enigmatic death in 1849 continues to ignite speculation to this day. Over a century and a half later, his works remain a global sensation, inspiring countless adaptations on stage and screen.
See the resurrection of this legendary author through the talents of Campbell Harmon. Be transported into Poe's world as Harmon delivers a spellbinding one-man show, intertwining dramatic re-enactments, historical biography, and dynamic interactions with the audience. Whether you're a school, library, or historical organization, immerse yourself in the captivating experience of Poe's life and works, as Harmon breathes new life into the mystique and brilliance of this literary icon.
Upcoming Performances
2024, April 13 New Fairfield Free Public Library, New Fairfield, CT
2024, May 11 Private Event, NY
2024, Sept 25 Seymour Public Library, Seymour, CT
2024, Sept 30 Event TBA
2024, Oct 6 - 9 N/A
2024, Oct 02 Stonington Free Public Library, Stonington, CT
2024, Oct 10 Darien Senior Center, Darien, CT
2024, Oct 16 Event TBA
2024, Oct 17 Oliver Wolcott Library, Litchfield, CT
2024, Oct 21 Event TBA
2024, Oct 23 Event TBA
2024, Oct 24 Event TBA
2024, Nov 14 South Windsor Library, South Windsor, CT
Booking now for 2024 & 2025
Contact for Booking
Please email edgar@thepoeactor.com or call (203) 710-8486 for booking and honorarium information. Bear in mind that October is the most popular month for Poe performances. Check the calendar on this page to see upcoming performances as well as closed dates in any month. Reserve your performance date early.
Campbell Harmon
E-mail: edgar@thepoeactor.com
Phone: 203-710-8486
Location: Connecticut and New England area
Safety: Fully vaccinated with boosters. Happy to provide vaccine proof if needed.
Education: Yale Divinity School, Masters of Arts and Religion, 2004
Experience: Campbell Harmon has portrayed Edgar Allan Poe for theaters, museums, historic societies, libraries, and schools since 2009. He worked with the National Endowment for the Arts' "Big Read Program" for four seasons across the United States. Harmon is the preeminent Edgar Allan Poe impersonator with a focus on historic accuracy and dramatic entertainment.
Speaker Biography (pdf) with links to photos.
Program Description
A one hour program with dramatic performances of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven. Campbell speaks in-character as Poe with the audience about the author's life, his death, and his profound influence on American literature; dispelling the myths that have surrounded his legacy to show how his works continue to influence literature and culture today. The program is suitable for all ages and venues.
Performance Calendar
This calendar is tentative and dates may change without notice.
Click here if you have trouble viewing this calendar in the website.
Please call or email directly to check for any booking availability.
Campbell Harmon as Edgar Allan Poe
Photo by Ayal Rosen
Transformative illusion wig by HeroHair.com
Social Media
From the audience
"...thank you for your wonderful portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe...Your delightful but gruesome description from 'The Tell-Tale Heart' kept our members enthralled. We also appreciated your fount of information on the facts of Mr. Poe's life and times. Thank you for providing such an informative and entertaining program. We all thoroughly enjoyed it!!
--Loretta Rubin on behalf of the MILE Advisory Board, 2023
"Educational, entertaining, spellbinding." --Audience member at Henry Carter Hull Library, 2023
"There has never been and could never be a better Poe re-enactor than Campbell Harmon. Campbell wooed our crowd so much so that they stayed long after the program for their chance to chat one on one with Poe. He was so generous to oblige us. Not only was Campbell incredibly knowledgeable, but he was so personable and great with a group. For one actor to keep a decent size audience sitting on the edge of their chairs is no easy task. It was because I saw Campbell preform some years ago that I knew he'd be just as much of a hit at our organization. It really was the perfect October evening, with guests raving about their experience for the next two weeks. I can't recommend Campbell and his program more."
--Ari Kellerman, Education Director Old York Historical Society, 2021
Comments submitted by the audience at the 2013 Springfield, Missouri Big Read event:
From the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read performances:
"My family and I were able to attend a library event, the Dead Poets Slam, and Boo at the Bushnell. All were excellent. Our daughter is a big horror fan and has loved Mr. Poe since fifth grade. These events gave her an opportunity to learn more about a genre she loves and some insight into what goes into the creation of these art forms."
"[Campbell's] Poe improved with each performance. I was deeply touched by Poe's difficult life and his heroic struggles to create art and support his chosen family. I was also grateful to [Campbell] for the tact and sensitivity he displayed in handling what could have been some tricky questions regarding Mr. Poe's personal life, given the ages of some of the audience members."
"My daughter asked him about the role of alcohol and drugs in the enhancement of the creative process. He was clear and emphatic that substance abuse hampered Mr. Poe's efforts, which I later learned was really the answer she was looking for. " --November 4, 2009
"I just wanted to let you know that at lunch today, the students came in and began checking out the books on our Poe display. They had questions about The Raven, they wanted to read The Tell-Tale Heart; it has been very "Poe-like" around here today. Our class set of books is out in Mr. Torres' classroom and the school is abuzz with talk of Poe. Never underestimate the power of an actual performance to begin many dialogs about literacy, even in middle school. It is a beautiful thing to witness and I thank you." -- October 10, 2011
"We received a lot of positive feedback from your performance... people are still talking about it – so again many thanks. We are not known for having people come to our programs and you certainly packed them in!" --November 24, 2009
"People in Rocky Hill are still talking about the Bushnell’s Edgar Allan Poe night at the Library – so thank you again!" --November 5, 2009
Article in the Wallingford Magazine, Issue 44, Autumn 2023
Articles
A Pre-Halloween Evening with Edgar Allan Poe --North Main Book Notes, October 2023
Campbell Harmon Portrays Edgar Allan Poe --Wallingford Magazine, Issue 44, Autumn 2023
Wallingford Library offers evening with ‘master of macabre’ Edgar Allan Poe --Record Journal, Oct 6, 2023
Spotlight: Divinity School staff member brings dark tales to life --Yale News, Oct 7, 2012
Edgar Allan Poe: In October Coming To A Library Near You --New Hampshire Public Radio, October 1, 2012
Master of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe ‘visits’ Ashford book lovers --Reminder News, February 16, 2012
About People --Yale Divinity School "Notes from the Quad", November 2009
Edgar Allen Poe impersonator to speak at Wallingford library --Record Journal, October 21, 2009
Campbell Harmon as Edgar Allan Poe at the Hill-Stead Museum.
Transformative illusion wig by HeroHair.com
Note that some descriptive text on this page has been written by ChatGPT and edited by a human.
Performance for the National Endowment for the Arts
at the Kimo Theater, Albuquerque, NM
Past Performances
2024, March 22 Castle Craig Adult Learning Center at Meriden Library
2024, March 02 Save Mansion Creek, Wallingford, CT
2024, Feb 17 Gothic Romance Masquerade Ball, Wadsworth Mansion, Middletown, CT
2024, Jan 17 Darien Senior Center, Darien, CT
2024, Nov 17 The Poe Room, NYU Law School, New York, NY
2023, Oct 30 Sponsored by SPRYE, Rye, New York
2023, Oct 26 Middlesex Community College MILE program, Middletown, CT
2023, Oct 24 Woodbridge Town Library, Woodbridge, CT
2023, Oct 20 Old York Historical Society, York, ME
2023, Oct 19 Cromwell Beldin Public Library, Cromwell, CT
2023, Oct 18 Abbott Library, Sunapee, NH
2023, Oct 17 Darien Public Library, Darien, CT
2023, Oct 16 Wallingford Public Library, Wallingford, CT
2023, Oct 13 Harry Bennett Branch Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
2023, Oct 1 The New York Public Library Jefferson Market Branch, New York, NY
2023, Sept 28 Henry Carter Hull Library, Clinton CT
2023, Jul 20 Southbury Public Library, Southbury, CT
2023, May 13 Private event, NYC
2023, Apr 30 Blooms and Books Benefit, Jefferson Market Library, NYC
2023, May 31 Scares that Care AuthorCon, Williamsburg, VA
2022
2022, Oct 31 Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT
2022, Oct 25 Abbott Library, Sunapee, NH
2022, Oct 24, King Phillip Middle School, Norfolk, MA
2022, Oct 21 Old York Historical Society, York ME
2022, Oct 20 Cromwell Belden Public Library, Cromwell, CT
2022, Oct 08 Curioporium, Hartford, CT
2022, Oct 3, Massry Residence, Albany, NY
2022, Sept 14 Deane Center for the Performing Arts, Wellsboro PA
2022, July 8-10 Haunters Against Hate, Lexington, KY
2022, May 28 Curioporium, Hartford, CT
2022, Apr 22, Trexler Middle School, Allentown, PA
2022, Apr 21, Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY
2021
2021, Nov 6, Hagaman Memorial Library, East Haven, CT
2021, Nov 2, Seabury Active Life Plan Community, Bloomfield, CT
2021, Oct 28, Torrington Library, Torrington, CT
2021, Oct 22, Old York Historical Society, York, ME
2021, Oct 21, Cromwell Belden Public Library, Cromwell, CT
2021, Oct 13, Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, CT
2021, Oct 9, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT
2021, Oct 8, Canterbury Historical Society, Canterbury, CT
2021, Oct 5, Mansfield Town Senior Center, Storrs, CT
2021, Sept 26, Isham-Terry House, Hartford, CT
2021, July 30 & 31 Haunters Against Hate, Louisville, KY
2020
2020, Feb 12, Acton Women's Club, Acton, MA
2019
2019, Oct 30, Center Meeting House, Newbury, NH
2019, Oct 28, Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, CT
2019, Oct 24, Vernon Senior Center, Vernon, CT
2019, Oct 23, Jackson House, Portsmouth, NH
2019, Oct 22, Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, CT
2019, Oct 19, An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, Salem, MA
2019, Oct 15, Cromwell-Belden Public Library, Cromwell, CT
2019, Oct 14, Special Community Festival, Pierson Park, Cromwell, CT
2019, Sept 18, NCCHP Museum, Granville MA
2019, Sept 16, Massry Residence, Albany, NY
2019, Sept 9, Fiske Free Library, Claremont, NH
2019, March 26, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT
2019, Jan 19, Brainard Memorial Library, Haddam, CT
2018
2018, Nov 1, Covenant Village, Cromwell, CT
2018, Oct 24, Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady, NY
2018, Oct 23, Rye Public Library, Rye, NH
2018, Oct 23, Willow Valley Community, Lancaster, PA
2018, Oct 22, Willow Valley Community, Lancaster, PA
2018, Oct 20, The Scarlet Letter Press, Salem, MA
2018, Oct 17, Cromwell Belden Library, Cromwell, CT
2018, Oct 11, Stonehurst, The Robert Treat Paine Estate
2018, Sept 19, Suffield Historical Society, Suffield, CT
2018, July 10, Southbury Public Library, Southbury, CT
2018, July 12, Silas Bronson Library, Waterbury, CT
2018, April 23, Newbury Public Library, Newbury, NH
2017
2017, Nov 14, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT
2017, Oct 26, Cromwell Belden Library, Cromwell, CT
2017, Oct 25, Library, Wolcott, CT
2017, Oct 24, King Phillip Middle School, Norfolk, MA
2017, Oct 17, Perkins School for the Blind
2017, Oct 14, Scarlet Letter Press, Salem, CT
2017, Oct 11, Seymour Public Library, CT
2017, Sept 18, Historical Society, East Granby, CT
2017, Sept 09, Case Memorial Library, Orange, CT
2017, Apr 13, Massry Residence, Albany, NY
2017, Jan 27, Trexler Middle School, Allentown, PA
2016
2016, Oct 31, When Words Count Retreat, Rochester, VT
2016, Oct 27, Cromwell Belden Library, Cromwell, CT
2016, Oct 26, Guilderland Public Library, Guilderland, NY
2016, Oct 26, Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady, NY
2016, Oct 24, Meriden Public Library, Meriden, MA
2016, Oct 13, Stonehurst, The Robert Treat Paine Estate, Waltham, MA
2016, Oct 13, King Philip Regional Middle School, Norfolk, MA
2016, Oct 11, Weston Public Library, Weston, MA
2016, Oct 5, Bristol Public Library, Bristol, CT
2015
2015, Oct 6, Welles-Turner Memorial Library, Glasontbury, Ct
2015, Oct 13, Cromwell-Belden Library, Cromwell, Ct
2015, Oct 17, Scarlet Letter Press 7 Gallery, Salem, MA
2015, Oct 26, Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady, NY
2015, Oct 27, Howard Whittemore Memorial Library, Naugatuck, CT
2015, Oct 28, King Philip Regional Middle School, Norfolk, MA
2015, Sept 21, East Granby Historical Society, East Granby, CT
2014
2014, Dec 12, East Shore Middle School, Milford, CT
2014, Nov 16, F. H. Cossitt Public Library, No. Granby, CT
2014, Nov 15, Hagaman Memorial Library East Haven CT
2014, Oct 31, Ross A. Lurgio Middle School, Bedford NH
2014, Oct 28, Mount Anthony Union High Schoo, Bennington, VT
2014, Oct 23, Cromwell Library, Cromwell, CT
2014, Oct 18, The Scarlet Letter Press, Salem, MA
2014, Sept 28, Seymour Historical Society, Seymour, CT
2014, Nov 12, Yale Divinity Faculty Dinner
2014, April 29, Calf Pen Medow School, Milford, CT
2014, Jan 30, La Salle Academy, Providence, RI
2014, Jan 14, Woodbridge Library, Woodbridge, CT
2013
2013, Dec 19, East Short Middle School, Milford, CT
2013, Nov 06, Silas Bronson Library, Waterbury, CT
2013, Oct 30, Belden Library, Cromwell, CT
2013, Oct 30, Ross A. Lurgio Middle School, Bedford, NH
2013, Oct 24, Windsor Public Library, Windsor, CT
2013, Oct 21, Minor Memorial Library, Roxbury, CT
2013, July 29, Crosby Commons, Shelton, CT
2013, April 13, Library Center, Springfield, MO, Big Read Program
2013 January 8, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
2012
2012 October 10, Old Lyme PGN Library, Old Lyme CT
2012 October 17, Kent Memorial Libray, Suffield, CT
2012 October 18, Colonial Theater, Bethlehem, NH, Big Read Program
2012 November 1, Belden Public Library, Cromwell, CT
2012 November 2, Westport Library2012 September 25, Bethel Library, Bethel CT
2012 August 20, Case Memorial Library, Orange CT
2012 August 14, Oliver Wolcott Library, Litchfield, CT
2012 August 7, Southbury Library, Southbury CT
2012 August 8, Derby Neck Library, Derby CT2012 February 14, East Shore Middle School, Milford, CT.
2012 February 10, Babcock Library, Ashford CT.
2012 October 31, Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT
2011
2011 October 7-11, Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Big Read!, Albuquerque, NM.
2011 October 13, 6:30pm, Torrington Public Library, Torrington, CT.
2010
2010 October 20, 7pm, Cromwell Public Library, Cromwell CT.
2010 October 27, 6:30pm, Rocky Hill Public Library, Rocky Hill, CT.
2010 June 14, Northwestern Regional High School, Winsted, CT
2009
2009 October 31, Boo! at the Bushnell, Bushnell Theater, Hartford, CT
2009 October, tour of 13 libraries in Connecticut for the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program
2009 Sept 1, Page 1 television with Zita Christian