Reviews

StageSceneLA Review:

Wow!

Ferrell Marshall is luminous as Emily Dickinson in Sierra Madre Playhouse’s gorgeously staged intimate revival of William Luce’s The Belle Of Amherst, impeccably directed by Todd Nielsen.

Emily Dickinson may only have published a handful of poems during her lifetime (and only known romantic love from afar), but her artistry lives on. Ferrell Marshall brings Emily the poet, the daughter, the sister, and the woman back to incandescent life in a solo production sure to be remembered as one of the year’s finest.

StageSceneLA 2016-2017 SCENIES

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTION
Honey B Productions & Sierra Madre Playhouse Productions.

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE – Ferrell Marshall

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN – Matthew Hill

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – Todd Nielsen for his amazing roster of productions which included Belle!

COSTUME DESIGNER OF THE YEAR – Vicki Conrad for her amazing work this past season which included Belle!

BroadwayWorld LA:

Don’t miss The Belle of Amherst! The play is a treasure, and this production, enhanced by Nielsen’s loving touches and the polish and flair of Marshall’s outstanding work, is another feather in Sierra Madre Playhouse’s hat.

Under director Todd Nielsen’s caring hand – he has a great eye and ear for detail – Marshall gives a truly radiant performance. Even with the most difficult juncture, Dickinson found happiness in her limited world and Marshall imbues her portrayal with every nuance of that joy and passes it on to us who leave the theatre full of hope.

Grigware Reviews:

 CRITIC’S PICK

Marshall produces and stars as Emily in a brave and exciting performance. … what she does with the genuine spirit of the lady is a wonder. The play has an upclose, intimate structure. Luce’s ability to interweave Dickinson’s poetry with her friendly chatter is remarkable. One flows beautifully into the other with a seemingly effortless stream of consciousness.

Los Angeles Daily News:

Directed by Todd Nielsen to balance this treasure trove of verbiage with enough action to keep the hearer engaged, the play works to both charm and instruct.

Marshall has a sense of quietness in her portrayal, balancing Emily’s wit and her darkness in ways which make her works make sense and her poetry sing.

Pasadena Independent:

From the moment Ferrell Marshall enters … she emanates Emily Dickinson. Ferrell Marshall’s nuances of facial expressions are remarkable at conveying a gamut of emotions

SGV Tribune:

A telling look at Emily Dickinson. In short, The Belle of Amherst, in the person of Marshall, is worth a look. Come ready to sit and listen, for this is a quiet tale, told without elaborate flourishes. It is, however, a telling look into the person behind such poetry as “Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me…   “ or “Hope is the things with feathers…” and perhaps rediscover what poetry can do that prose cannot.

The Stage Struck Review:

Poetry Reigns in The Belle of Amherst in Sierra Madre. Ferrell Marshall has taken on the story of Dickinson with a generous understanding of what her poetry has to say, and the heart of the woman behind all those now-familiar words.