Following on the success of his work on Bloody FM’s The Dead, Jeff Whitehead is returning to Bloody FM having created a world in which audiences can experience the works of renowned author, Edgar Allan Poe, in a unique and innovative format, from the lips of Poe himself.
Far from just a recanting Poe’s stories and poems, Poe – Evermore is a gothic horror / urban fantasy world that blends facts from Poe’s actual life with his fiction, blending and intermixing characters, plots, and themes from each to recreate Poe’s life and inspirations. Set during Poe’s life in the 1820s-1840s, Poe – Evermore provides a unique voice to the Bloody FM network, a period piece that creates an accessible way for modern audiences to experiences Poe’s masterworks.
From poems, to short stories, to his lone novel, to his letters, Whitehead has meticulously researched Poe’s life and work to create a balance where fact and fiction coexist seamlessly with one another. While Poe – Evermore is a work of fiction, Whitehead hopes that audiences can learn about Poe’s life and events in American history during the 1820s-1840s that helped shape his opinions and worldview.
Season 1 follows Poe throughout his days as a soldier, moving from Boston to South Carolina to Virginia. Poe enthusiasts will revel at the easter eggs and guest appearances throughout the season. While Whitehead has fictionalized and stretched some of these to create an engaging overarching narrative plot, most of the meetings and correspondences actually occurred!
Whitehead, the Chief Operations Officer for the George A. Romero Foundation, has spent much of his life in horror. At an early age, he was introduced to Edgar Allan Poe by attending theatrical performances of Poe’s work. He has been a lifelong enthusiast ever since, having visited the historical homes, gravesite, and many of the known settings for the works themselves.
In addition to his work on The Dead and Poe, Whitehead is an award-winning writer and producer across mediums including short and feature films, graphic novels, podcasts, and novels. With Poe – Evermore, Whitehead hopes to introduce audiences to some of Poe’s lesser-known works.
“I really wanted to explore the full body of work, particularly the short stories that have not received as much notoriety as his most famous pieces,” says Whitehead. “By combining Poe’s works with the events from his actual life, I am hoping to give audiences a deep appreciation for how the trauma that he experienced shaped his art.
“Poe was impacted by what he experienced and saw around him, a cycle of disease, sadness, and death that took just about everyone he loved at an early age. Coupled with his own battles with mental health, alcohol, and gambling, his mysterious and unexplained death provides a unique canvas for storytelling. I’ve paired Poe’s reality with horror and urban fantasy themes to help audiences explore their darker emotions in a safe, reflective space – through the lens of a troubled maestro.”
When asked why people should tune in, Whitehead offered, “In this world, the audience will get to live not just with the characters from the stories, but with Poe himself, getting to know him in a way that has seldom been done before, through his own writing, inspirations, and lived experiences. The show offers all the masterworks that we grew up relishing in horror rolled up into a fictional world that stretches the boundaries of what we believe to be possible and real.”
Poe – Evermore debuted its 20-episode first season on September 19. New episodes will be released weekly through January 2025. Poe – Evermore can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other industry-standard podcasting apps. Dive in below…
The post ‘Poe: Evermore’ Launches on the Bloody FM Network for Halloween [Podcast] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.