The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey

Step behind the curtain into The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey!

This stunning deluxe book is a long-awaited portal for Gorey fans, collectors, and curious explorers into the fantastical world of a unique artist.

Edward Gorey (1925–2000) emerged as a cult hero with unsettling graphic novelettes like The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Doubtful Guest. He became a pop-culture icon for his stark, intricate designs for Dracula on Broadway and his animated credits for PBS’s Mystery! But Gorey wasn’t just a quirky, darkly humorous storyteller and illustrator. In The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey, his close friend and collaborator Carol Verburg celebrates his lifelong passion for the stage. Her first-hand account follows Gorey’s evolution as a playwright, designer, and director, from his radical experiments with Harvard’s legendary Poets’ Theatre to his Tony Award-winning designs for Dracula to his whimsical puppet pastiches of classics like Hamlet and Madame Butterfly.

Inside these velvet-bound covers is an intimate look into Edward Gorey’s creative life. Thanks to the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, it’s the first publication of numerous original scripts—some annotated by the author—and over 200 rare or previously unseen images from Gorey’s archives: sketches, notebook doodles, finished artwork. Recollections and photos by Verburg and other members of Edward Gorey’s theatrical troupe flesh out this deeply personal portrait of the man behind the eccentric genius.

Why You’ll Love This Book:

• An Influential Legacy: Edward Gorey’s distinctive style continues to inspire creative artists around the world: Tim Burton, Daniel Handler, Tom Gauld, Stephanie von Reiswitz, The Tiger Lillies, and many others.
• Exclusive Treasures: Dive into unpublished scripts, illustrations, and backstage stories—complete with Gorey’s own notes.
• A Personal Touch: Carol Verburg’s warm storytelling brings Gorey’s world to life in heartfelt detail.
• A Gift to Treasure: Beautifully crafted and bound in red velvet, this hardcover edition is a showstopper for any coffee table or book collection.

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

The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey isn’t just a keepsake—it’s an invitation to fall in love with Gorey's brilliant imagination all over again.