The Belle of Amherst
Your Own Sky Productions and Actors Forum Theatre present "The Belle of Amherst" by William Luce.
Emily Dickinson secluded herself from the rest of the world in her own home by the age of 23. As lights come up, Ms. Dickinson breaks the fourth wall and greets us with warm charisma, shouting out the recipe of her favorite black cake. Allowing the front row to sample a taste, Dickinson speaks of her neighbors to whom she sends the cake with little notes attached. The townspeople make fun of her and compare the notes to see who got the strangest one from the crazy lady in white, who wishes "we were always children" and says dogs are better than beings "because they know but don't tell."
We follow Dickinson through good and bad times. We see her love for her family and boyfriend, her dream of being published, and then we share in her sadness on a day when "a great hope fell."
Dickinson is portrayed by Kate Randolph Burns with sparkling confidence and dynamic capability, additionally set with meticulous interpretation. Randolph Burns is a butterfly amongst moths, as one-person performances couldn't possibly be more entrancing than her take on this gem of a show directed by Tony Sears.
Sears lightly pushes Dickinson across and through the house just perfectly enough to combine his own charming lighting design (with Brent Molina), illuminating her every step to each neatly designed room. Set design by James Coccoluto and Teresa Grew.
How does a writer scribe about the enchanting Emily Dickinson without attempting to be as brilliant as she? William Luce has succeeded in doing such a task. His script is filled with consistency, overlapping treasured true stories, and glorious poetry.
This one-woman show must be seen by everyone! A+.
I would offer a personal refund on your money
If it does not satisfy,
But that would be an invitation
To your greedy lie.