The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey

Rare Drawings, Scripts, and Stories

Carol Verburg

• Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781797229539
• eBook ISBN: 9781797230337
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Artist Monographs

The definitive, deluxe art book about Edward Gorey's theater work—from the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Dracula to the wildly creative productions to which he devoted the last decade of his life. Edward Gorey (1925-2000) was a prodigious and original artist who published more than one hundred beloved works, including The Gashlycrumb Tinies, The Doubtful Guest, and Amphigorey, and illustrations that appeared regularly in such publications as The New Yorker and The New York Times and books by authors ranging from Charles Dickens and T.S. Eliot to John Updike and Virginia Woolf, among many others. His animated credits for the PBS Mystery! series introduced him to millions of television viewers. In addition to hisintricate pen-and-ink drawings and darkly humorous storybooks, Gorey also nurtured a lifelong passion for the performing arts. This volume is the first to showcase his extensive theatrical work, including his transition from designing major productions to crafting original community theater pieces on Cape Cod.Written byhis friend and collaborator Carol Verburg, thishandsome hardcover edition is filled with annotated scripts, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and over two hundred images, including archival photos and previously unpublished artwork. It unveils Gorey at work and play, drawing back the curtain onhis enigmatic genius, which continues to inspire artists and collectors today.BELOVED ARTIST: Edward Gorey's art is instantly recognizable. Storytellers such as Tim Burton and Daniel Handler cite him as an inspiration, and his influence is visible in the works of illustrators ranging from Tom Gauld to Stephanie von Reiswitz. With an oeuvre that ranges widely from storybooksto the stage, Gorey is a major artist of the 20th century.RARE ANDUNPUBLISHED CONTENT: This is the first bookfocused on Gorey's theater work andincludes previously unpublished and rarely seen archival photos, illustrations, and scripts—some annotated in Gorey's own hand. It is an essential read for collectors and fans.THE INSIDE STORY: Carol Verburg was Gorey's close friend and creative comrade-in-arms all through the last decade of his life, and she writes with insight and a personal touch. She intersperses her own reminiscences with quotes from actors and other collaborators to weave a vivid narrative.EXQUISITE GIFT: With rich visuals, engaging writing, and a luxurious hardcover package featuring a red velvet spine, this is a beautiful volume to display on a coffee table and the perfect gift for Goreyfansand theater buffs.Perfect for:

• Fans and collectors of Edward Gorey's books and illustrations
• Lovers of theater, theater history, and theatrical design and production
• Art students and collectors
• Readers of memoirs and biographies

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction: Arts and Cats
• 1. Trains, Bats, and the Poets’ Theatre
• 2. Dracula
• 3. Gorey Stories and Sequels, the Mikado, and Tinned Lettuce
• 4. Lost Shoelaces: Debut of a Playwright
• 5. Stuffed Elephants: Debut of a Director
• 6. Useful Urns: Focus on Tableaux
• 7. Flapping Ankles: Something Old, Something New
• 8. Crazed Teacups: Back to the Classics
• 9. The Christmas Plays
• 10. Chinese Gossip: More Surrealism
• 11. Salome (and Six Who Pass While the Lentils Boil): Gorey Goes Wilde
• 12. Inverted Commas: “Deranged Distraction”
• 13. Puppets: Le Théâtricule Stoïque and Heads Will Roll
• 14. From Tragic Secrets to English Soup
• 15. Cautionary Tales for Children
• 16. From Hamlet to Omlet and Rune Lousse
• 17. Epistolary Play and Drat! Eek! Hist!
• 18. The White Canoe
• Notes
• Chronology
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• Back Cover