The Belle of Amherst opened at Mt Tabor Theatre on September 21st 2017. The response was wonderful.
Feedback from Opening Night was wonderful. "Saw it tonight. Joan McBride is awesome! Totally engrossing and a wonderful performance. I don't think you'd see a finer one-woman show on ANY stage!! Bravo. Go." -Janet Davies
"Congratulations on a stellar opening night! Everyone I spoke to said the same... what a talent. The show is terrific with beautiful stage setting, costuming, sound, lighting and on and on. You must be so thrilled to have realized your dream, and you and your entire team have succeeded in creating an amazing show." - Veronica Cluett
"What a wonderful show last night! Joan McBride's Emily Dickinson is a beautiful lady - warm and funny and incredibly engaging. Don't know if I've ever seen Mount Tabor Playhouse utilized so perfectly - the set, sound and lighting, and especially Joan's performance are sheer poetry!" - Rick Zimmerman
"A wonderful performance in a perfect setting. The setting took us to Amherst before you even started - it was so real and intimate and when Joan was reciting the poetry I felt a presence -- it was Emily speaking." Irwin
"Last evening, I had the pleasure of attending opening night of the play “The Belle of Amherst”, at Mount Tabor Playhouse, based of the life of Emily Dickinson. It is a one- woman show, starring Joan McBride, an active member of PEC performing arts community since moving to the County in 2014. I cannot adequately describe how moving Joan’s performance was. Mesmerizing comes to mind. I encourage you to attend this play, which is on until Sept 30th. It won’t disappoint." - Dale Boyd
Congratulations, Wendy, to you and your colleagues on a wonderful show at Mount Tabor. The "son et lumière" was beautifully done, and I enjoyed the play enormously. It's given me a renewed interest in Emily. I hadn't looked at any of her poetry since college, but am now looking forward to reading it again with a new perspective. Dorothy