Lift your glasses and drown your sorrrows: "Cupid on the Rocks"

By Mark Burger YES!Weekly January 28, 2026

Last May, actors Jim McKeny and Mark March premiered “Poe on the Rocks,” billed as “A Drunken Poe Experience,” at Joyner’s Bar in Winston-Salem. An ensemble cast of actors interpreted and recited the immortal works of Edgar Allan Poe — with drinks on the side. The sold-out event inspired them to do another turn in August at The Quarter in Greensboro, and it too sold out. 

Now, McKeny and March have formed a new company called POE & Co. Entertainment and are back with a new Valentine’s Day presentation called “Cupid on the Rocks,” which will take place at 7:30 p.m. on February 11 at Joyner’s Bar, 854 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem. Single tickets are $25, couples’ tickets are $40, and can be pre-ordered at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/my-bad-romance-by-cupid-on-the-rocks-tickets-1979893285113?aff=oddtdtcreator. Given the format and setting, this event is restricted to ages 21 and over.

The theme for “Cupid on the Rocks” is “My Bad Romance,” a combination of poetry and music that takes a skewed look at loves lost and romances ruined, featuring an eclectic selection of works by Poe, William Shakespeare, Elvis Presley, Dorothy Parker, Willie Nelson, William Butler Yeats, Hank Williams, and many others — as performed and interpreted by cast members McKeny, Christine Gorelick, Gait Jordan, Jessica Ann Perry, Ralph Shaw, and Evan Wang, who also doubles as the show’s music director.

“We’ve added music, singers, and musicians to elevate the fun,” Perry noted, “and we’ve expanded beyond Poe to include writers like Shakespeare and Lord Byron, who was actually a major influence on Poe. While Poe is always at the heart of what we do, the experience now welcomes literature of all kinds. The mood, the atmosphere, and that slightly dark, witty Poe sensibility never leave us.”

These events are a combination of the interactive, the irreverent, and the improvisational, McKeny confirmed. “They are structured, but in rehearsal we ad-lib and improv and will usually add those to the script,” he said. “We are irreverent as traffic will allow, but always aware of boundaries of taste … though we bounce off them occasionally. ‘My Bad Romance’ is a pastiche, if you will, of comedy and song about broken hearts and lousy romances.”

“We’ve added music and works by other authors and poets to sort of celebrate the season of Valentine’s Day,” said Gorelick. “I find it to be a varied, interesting, and light-hearted look at the ups and downs of romance. We hope folks will be able to relate to it, no matter their relationship status. I think our guests will leave feeling like they’ve left their everyday lives for a bit and were entertained — and even educated! — in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Joyner’s Bar as the venue doesn’t hurt!”

“‘Cupid on the Rocks’ plays with the idea that Valentine’s Day is traditionally a lovers’ holiday,” Perry said. “While it’s still a perfect date night, it also joyfully embraces the other side of love — the heartbreak, the irony, and the humor in being single. It’s light-hearted, irreverent, and very funny. Jim, our captain and director, gives us the creative freedom to ad-lib while still following a clear structure. We interact with the audience throughout the show and aim to give them a night they’ll truly remember — whether they’re in love, out of love, or happily unattached.”

Are they surprised that “Poe on the Rocks” was such a hit?

“We actually were — especially the second one,” said McKeny. “We had over 100 people in the bar, and it was tons of fun.”

“I’m not surprised by the response to the ‘Poe’ theme,” Gorelick said. “I think folks are looking for unusual types of entertainment — particularly those that pique their imaginations, which I think the Poe theme does. He was American, a haunted but talented artist, and — yes — perhaps he had trouble with addiction, but given the times he lived in, it doesn’t seem all that unusual.”

“What’s surprised me most is how organically it’s grown and evolved,” Perry said. “People seem to connect with it because it makes classic literature feel accessible, playful, and alive. It’s been incredibly fun. Our troupe has grown to include more actors and singers, and rehearsals have become these wonderfully chaotic, laugh-filled sessions of collaboration and improvisation. Everyone involved is quick-witted with strong comedic timing, which makes the process just as entertaining as the performance itself.”

For more information, call 336-955-1969 or visit https://joynersws.com/#

See Mark Burger’s reviews of current movies. © 2026, Mark Burger.