WRITE OUT LOUD Announces 4th Annual PoeFest

Three Nights of Ghostly Interactions

In a new location at Villa Montezuma Museum in Sherman Heights

October 29th - 31st

Rhett Travis Wilson. Photo Courtesy

WRITE OUT LOUD, an organization founded in 2007 with a commitment to inspire, challenge, and entertain by reading literature aloud for audiences of all ages, announces the 4th Annual San Diego PoeFest, in performance from October 29th - 31st at the Villa Montezuma Museum in Sherman Heights. This historic Queen Anne Victorian was named "The Palace of the Arts" by Jessie Shepard, the musician, spiritualist, and author who designed it in 1887. Each program, at 6pm, 7:30pm, and 9pm, will feature 4 distinct performances. 

Write Out Loud presents Poefest in partnership with Friends of Villa Montezuma. The $30 ticket includes the event and Reserved Parking at Sherman Elementary School. Patrons can reserve tickets at https://writeoutloudsd.com/poefest/ or by calling 619-297-8953

“We are beyond excited to partner with Friends of Villa Montezuma to share this newly designed literary experience  AND this beautiful historic Victorian home with our patrons. A PoeFest Host will lead each group of 13 guests through three separate interactive experiences as they explore the mansion, culminating in an encounter with the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.” 
Write Out Loud Artistic Director, Veronica Murphy s 

Performances take place October 29th, 30th, and 31st at 6pm, 7:30pm, and 9pm.

Rhianna Basore. Photo Courtesy

During the 75 minute experience, visitors will enjoy:

• Literary Séance with Madame Philomena - featuring Rhianna Basore
• Mephistopheles & Faustus - featuring Monique Gaffney and Eddie Yaroch
• Dr. Frankenstein’s Laboratory - featuring Paul Maley and John Garcia
• Encounter with Edgar Allan Poe - featuring Travis Rhett Wilson

Guests will be hosted and guided by the mansion’s staff, Walter Ritter, Rachael VanWormer, and Pamela Brittain.

Location: The Villa Montezuma Museum is located at 1925 K St., San Diego 92102. The Villa Montezuma is a historic building with no elevator. Guests will be standing, walking through the mansion, and going up and down multiple staircases. Each performance will last 75 minutes with no intermission.

 Covid 19 Protocols

Proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours of attendance is required for entry. All audience members must be masked regardless of vaccination status. All Write Out Loud staff and performers are double vaccinated.

Write Out Loud serves over 30,000 people annually with their core programs: In addition to PoeFest, Write Out Loud presents a six-show season of Story Concerts; Voices of Ireland each March; Twainfest - an annual free family celebration of 19th Century Literature; Kamishibi StoryBox Theatre for elementary students; Poetry Out Loud for high school students; Read Imagine Create for teens; Ripples From Walden Pond - a one-man play about Henry David Thoreau; Stories for Seniors, and Listen To This - stories recorded by local actors delivered 6 days a week via email.

Paul Maley. Photo Courtesy

And shameless plug, listen to me talk to awesome artists and the arts in our wonderful podcast From Another Zero. Latest episode is "Disability Thinking Twice with Valerie Salgado".