celebrates Dickinson again
Arts Ovation winner JoAnn Wilchek Basist revives
one-woman show in Civic's Theatre514, Sept. 10-12
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Civic celebrates the life of one of America's most acclaimed poets, Emily Dickinson, with The Belle of Amherst, a one-woman play, on the stage of Civic's Theatre514 performance space, Sept. 10-12.
Arts Ovation Award recipient and veteran Civic Theatre actress JoAnn Wilchek Basist portrays Dickinson. Civic artistic director William Sanders, who directs the play, revived it after a well-received run last season. After a three-day home stand, the play will tour Lehigh Valley area schools through the school year, as part of the Civic Outreach program.
Weaving together poetry, letters, dramatic flashbacks and narrative, William Luce's play portrays the people and events that shaped Dickinson's increasingly secluded life. With the wit and guile of a master of words, the poet shares with us her burst of creative brilliance as she pens her exquisite poetry and unfolds the mysteries of her eccentric love affair with language. Of Dickinson's 1700 poems, only a handful were published during her lifetime; only after her death in 1886, at the age of 56, did she find acclaim as a poet.
"Dickinson was an amazing person and an amazing writer," Basist said. "She lived this rich, complicated life, but almost entirely inside her head. It's been quite an experience to get to know her through this stunning play."
The Belle of Amherst plays Friday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6 for students and seniors, $10 regular admission. Performances are at Civic's new Theatre514 black box performance space, across the street from the 19th Street Theatre. Call 610-432-8943 for tickets and information.
School bookings are available through June 2005, by calling the Civic Theatre administrative office, at (610) 433-8903.