A gothic speakeasy and theatrical pop-up inspired by Edgar Allan Poe will arrive in the Texas Hill Country this weekend for one night only. 

The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy will take over Kerrville’s 100-year-old Arcadia Live Theater on Saturday, June 27, serving alcoholic drinks such as The Nevermore, Cocktail of Red Death, Pale Blue Eye and Edgar’s Twisted Brandy Milk Punch to fans of the famous nineteenth-century writer and poet.

According to the pop-up’s website, several of the author’s most famous works will be “retold and reimagined” by Poe historians during a “chilling” and “immersive” four-part cocktail experience. Bespoke mocktails are also available upon request. 

The 90-minute performance will transform the historic theater into a dark, gothic speakeasy, according to organizers. However, the 100-year-old venue has a rich backstory and its own intrigue. 

Arcadia Live first opened as a vaudeville and silent-movie theater in 1926, according to the theater’s website. With the advent of the Western Electric Sound System and “talkies,” it eventually became a full-fledged movie theater for six decades before closing its doors in 1989. For 30 years, it sat mostly empty before being donated to a nonprofit in 2019. It then reopened in 2020 as an aesthetic, state-of-the-art theater and community space overlooking the Guadalupe River.  

Hosted by Midnight Creative, an events team based in Orlando, Florida and Houston, Texas, the show recently launched international performances and is scheduled to begin shows in Argentina, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, France and more. 

Tickets for many of the 21-and-up shows have already sold out, though seats are still available for the 10 p.m. performance.

The show is also scheduled for July 17-18 in San Antonio. Ticket prices range from $55 to $69 for general admission and $84 for VIP front-row seats, not including booking fees. Tickets can be purchased through the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau and Arcadia Live. 

Midnight Creative and the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy have not responded to requests for comment.