Audition for a New Stage Adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart

A grassroots gothic horror theatre project in Denver, Colorado

Seeking three adult male actors for an original one-act adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart - an unpaid, passion-driven production being developed for live performance, filmed presentation, and future audio drama adaptation.

I am currently developing a new one-act adaptation of The Tell-Tale Heart with the goal of staging it in Denver as a live theatrical performance, filming the production as a stylized “TV play,” and later adapting it into an audio drama.

This is a passion project built around a love of theatre, storytelling, atmosphere, and artistic collaboration. It is also intended to be the beginning of something larger: a creative ensemble dedicated to adapting gothic horror classics for the stage, screen, and audio.

If you are an actor who loves dark material, classical literature, psychologically intense performance, and community-driven art, I’d love to hear from you.

Why This Project Exists

As a filmmaker and content creator, I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with new technology, including AI-driven creative tools. While I can see their usefulness in certain contexts, I’ve become increasingly aware of what they cannot replace: the feeling of building something real with other creatives.

There is a profound difference between generating content and creating art through human collaboration.

When a group of actors, artists, and storytellers come together in a room, rehearse a scene, shape it, live inside it, and finally perform it - something meaningful happens. There is a sense of craft, connection, presence, and shared purpose that cannot be automated.

That’s what this project is about.

My background is rooted in theatre - in dramatic work, classical texts, adaptation, and performance that explores the human condition, psychology, and atmosphere. I believe theatre remains one of the most powerful art forms we have, precisely because it brings people together in one place, at one time, for a shared emotional experience.

At a time when so much creative output feels fast, disposable, and disconnected, I want to make something human, intimate, and alive.

This production is one small contribution toward that goal.

What We Will Be Creating

This project begins with The Tell-Tale Heart, adapted into a one-act play for live performance. The current vision is to:

• Rehearse and develop the play with a small cast in and around Denver

• Stage the production in an accessible venue, ideally low-cost or community-based

• Film the finished performance in the spirit of classic television plays

• Adapt the work into an audio drama

• Use this production as the foundation for future adaptations of gothic horror classics

Long term, the goal is not simply to mount one play, but to build a recurring creative collaboration - a team of actors and artists interested in exploring Poe, gothic horror, psychological drama, and classic literature through stage and audio performance.

I would love for this to grow into future productions, including potential double bills of short Poe adaptations, regional performances, and even open-air seasonal performances around October.

Important Note About Pay

This is currently an unpaid project.

I want to be transparent about that from the start. Everyone involved, myself included, is contributing because they believe in the work and want to help create something worthwhile.

That said, I also want to be respectful of people’s time. Rehearsals will be planned collaboratively and scheduled around availability as much as possible. The intention is not to ask people to put their lives on hold for unpaid work, but to build something meaningful together in a practical, sustainable way.

My hope is that as the project develops, we can gain support through partnerships, sponsorship, venue collaboration, or future growth that allows the work to expand.

For now, this is about artistry, collaboration, and building something strong from the ground up.

If you believe theatre still matters, if you love the atmosphere and intensity of gothic horror, and if you want to help create something handmade, human, and haunting - I’d love to hear from you.

Submit your interest below and let’s build something unforgettable together.