Angelica Page (Turning Page, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man) will star as Emily Dickinson in the Ensemble for the Romantic Century's fall production of James Melo's Because I Could Not Stop: An Encounter with Emily Dickinson. Using Dickinson's own words, the play with chamber music will explore the inner life of the American poet.

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) was a poet from Amherst, Massachusetts, whose poetry is considered among the most studied and celebrated in the American literary canon. Her life has been the subject of a number of plays, books, and films, including William Luce's solo play The Belle of Amherst, the 2016 movie A Quiet Passion, starring Cynthia Nixon, and the recently announced comedy series Dickinson (starring Jane Krakowski).

Because I Could Not Stop will play in the The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center Off-Broadway with direction by Donald T. Sanders. Performances will begin September 15 ahead of a September 27 opening.

Live chamber music will be performed by Victoria Lewis (violin), Mélanie Clapiès (violin), Chieh-Fan Yiu (viola), and Ari Evan (cello), joined by ERC Co-Artistic Director Max Barros on piano and soprano Kristina Bachrach.

Because I Could Not Stop: An Encounter with Emily Dickinson kicks off ERC's 2018–2019 season. The limited engagement will continue through October 21 and will have scenic and costume design by Vanessa James, lighting design by Beverly Emmons, and projection design by David Bengali. Casting is by Geoff Josselson, CSA.

For tickets and more information, visit RomanticCentury.org.