The Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts hosts its second Big Read project in Decatur that will focus on the tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe.  The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.  Decatur is among only 75 cities participating this year in the largest literature project in the United States.  The Princess Theatre will partner with the Decatur Public Library and other organizations and volunteers to bring the entire community together to read and discuss the literary works of Poe.
More than 30 activities will take place in Big Read Decatur from Oct. 1-31.  Mayor Don Stanford and Sen. Arthur Orr will declare October Mystery Month at the free Kick Off event Oct. 5 at noon at the Princess Theatre. The public is invited to bring a brown bag lunch, with the theatre providing complimentary drinks and the Decatur Public Library will distribute free books featuring the tales and poems of Poe.
A free Keynote Lecture on the author Edgar Allan Poe by Dr. Don Noble, Professor Emeritus English professor at the University of Alabama and host of APT’s Bookmark.
The lecture is scheduled Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. on the anniversary of Poe’s death.  Community-based reading programs feature activities such as book discussions at the Public Library and a variety of venues, a series of classic movies adapted from Poe’s stories, actor Will Stutts starring in a dramatic performance of “A Journey Through the Mind…Edgar Allan Poe” and a History Mystery Walking Tour of Decatur Cemetery.   The Decatur City Schools have scheduled arts education activities that include a teacher workshop with Dr. Noble, a week residency with actor Will Stutts providing teacher and student workshops and the premier of the River City Mystery Film Festival on Oct. 23.