The performance I attended this week was my own. I portray Emily Dickinson in William Luce's play, The Belle of Amherst whenever and wherever I am invited. This week I performed at The Whallonsburg Grange in Whallonsburg (in the town of Essex). I have appeared at The Grange in several other productions--Agnes of God, Mrs. Farnsworth and The Vagina Monologues--but always with at least two other cast members to wait with in the wings.
I arrive a few hours early to get my adaptable set in order and get comfortable with it before show time. Thanks to a painted backdrop that lives at The Grange, borrowed platforms and a couple of borrowed props, plus a quick trip to the thrift store, this is one of the best sets I've had for the show. The backdrop, a painted grove of trees, helps transform the stage into Emily's backyard.
About 40 minutes before curtain, I put my hair back and get into costume. Once in costume, I make sure to keep out of sight of audience members as they arrive. It sounds like there will be a nice crowd tonight. I take time now to connect with my body by doing a breathing exercise which I learned from an Alexander Technique teacher. I sip water and go over some of the parts of the show in my head as the audience din rises.
Then I hear the introductory speech and out I go but now I am America's foremost female poet, Emily Dickinson, entering her parlor in 1883 Amherst, Massachusetts.
An audience has a big effect on an actor and how hard you have to work on any given evening. I find that especially true for this show. And this evening the audience is magnificent. They laugh at lines no one else has before. They are extremely generous and the connection with them is immediate and strong. They have bonded with Emily--listening to her stories and her poetry--and are eager to know what comes next. Act I whizzes by.
When Emily enters to begin Act II, she is greeted with applause--a first for this "Belle." The second Act is more somber and the room is hushed as Emily shares her losses and her sorrows.
When the show is over, I wait for a minute or two before exiting the backstage. I am still in costume and have to get through some audience members to get to the back room where my day clothes are. Some folks have already left but others are hugging me and telling me how much they enjoyed the performance. The biggest praise comes when an acquaintance is thanking me through her tears.
This is only part one of the Emily Dickinson weekend. At noon on Sunday folks are invited back to the Grange Hall to read a poem written by Emily as well as to share an original poem if the spirit moves them.
As I approach Whallonsburg on Sunday, I am more relaxed. Today, I am not the main attraction, just one of the audience participants.This gathering is even more intimate.
There are about 10 readers, including a young man of about 12 and a professor of dramatic literature emeritus at Columbia University. The poems that are shared are varied yet all reflect an attitude that Emily Dickinson herself would have enjoyed. We hear an original poem by Judith Moore written to a Canadian painter; published poet Roger Mitchell reads Wislawa Szymborska's poetic introduction to her mother-in-law which begins: "So this is his mother." Professor Martin Meisel and Ted Cornell (of Wadhams) each begin by explaining that they are not poets but...Prof. Meisel shares an original entitled "Accumulated Wisdom" which has everyone chuckling and playwright/poet Marion Brown of Westport/Westchester (who facilitated this part of the Emily event) shares one of her own that seems inspired by Emily's passion for birds as well as her "I'm Nobody" theme. Editor/writer Kathryn Cramer of Westport pays tribute to Emily by reading her offbeat "Before I Got My Eye Put Out." (Kathryn is also a fine photographer and captured the show in a photographic journal.)
--Kathleen Recchia has been enjoying the arts in the Adirondacks for about 20 years—both as observer and participant (acting, directing, and producing). She feels especially connected to Emily Dickinson and the William Luce script. Should you wish to contact her about performing The Belle of Amherst you may do so through Between A & B Productions at betweenaandbproductions@yahoo.com
