‘Belle’ will hopefully keep evolving

By Rebecca Petersen | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, October 13, 2007

Theater and music and poetry and film are back in full swing this month. At 2 p.m. Sunday, join us for Actress Pam Chabora in the one-woman show, “The Belle of Amherst.”

Read the following from Dr. Pam Chabora (and Emily Dickinson) herself:

“We never know how high we are, Till we are asked to rise, And then if we are true to plan, Our statures touch the skies. This journey has been joyful and deeply introspective. In the past— ”

“I have had the opportunity to serve as guest artist in a number of places across the country, but never in a one-woman show. The major challenge has been getting two hours of text verbatim in my head — quite a challenge. But I feel such a kinship with Emily Dickinson that so much of the script makes deep sense to me, and I can retain it easily. Working with my current director, Martin Jonason, has been wonderful; He is patient and incredibly insightful.

“Emily had something enormous inside to share with the worlds, a ‘calling,’ if you will. Her only vehicle was poetry. Something or someone (God?) was driving her to alert the world to the beauty all around us.

“She was filled with questions about existence, the meaning of being, God and spirituality, about purpose — about her purpose. She couldn’t get enough of nature and of the world around her, but she couldn’t bear to live “aloud” — life in the collective was too much for her to handle.

“She felt like a misfit in the world, like the “kangaroo among the beauties” — she just couldn’t figure it out. I understand her “cry” deeply. I understand her need to voice this “big” thing deep inside. I understand what it feels like to be a misfit.

“I have learned to relish poetry so much more through her writing. The power and potency of a single word - carefully selected — carefully placed — can change the world and put a name on “Immortality” (her obsession).

“I feel that this is just the beginning. This seems to be a project that must stay with an artist for many years to truly season and move to the level of finesse it warrants. I hope to keep developing “Belle,” and I see this production as merely a debut, the beginning of a long relationship with Emily Dickinson!” — Pamela D. Chabora, Ph. D.

So, a series of Sundays, with Pam Chabora at 2 p.m. this weekend; “The Butch Thompson Trio” at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21; and author Debra Fraser, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, (a short program for the entire family.)

Additionally, the FM Opera with Highlights from The Mikado, at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Violinist, Midori at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25, and our first Fergus Falls Humanities Forum at 7 p.m. Oct. 30, at The Kaddatz Hotel, in collaboration with Victor Lundeen’s and The Community College.

Tickets are also on sale now for “Gales of November” (Nov. 1), Folk Music icon, Bill Staines (Nov. 2) with a full season of holiday programs to follow.

Rebecca Petersen is the director at A Center for the Arts in Fergus Falls.