The Dallas College Richland Campus Theater Group will present additional performances of “Emilia,” the original play by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, directed by Professor Emily Gray, from Feb. 12–15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fannin Hall Theater. These new performances will take place after the play qualified as regional competitor for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. .
The story of Emilia Bassano, one of England’s first female published writers and Shakespeare’s sonnets dark lady, came to life at Richland College through Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s “Emilia.” This play is now heading to the prestigious Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival from Washington, D.C.
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a nationwide program created to help students develop their theater skills and improve the quality of college and university theater productions. Most schools in this competition are four-year universities, so Dallas College is one of the few two-year schools to make it this far.
Director Gray, said: “After competing against more than 300 other college productions, “Emilia” was chosen as a regional finalist, a huge accomplishment for the cast and crew at Richland. Now, they’re preparing to bring their story to the regional festival in Abilene, Texas by the end of February.”
Gray is an experienced theater professional with an international background. Originally from England, she trained in London before moving to New York, where she focused on classical theater. After relocating to Texas, she and her husband founded a classical repertory company and works like Shakespeare, Greek tragedy, Molière, Chekhov and Calderón de la Barca, before she transitioned to full-time professor at Dallas College.
“When we started working on this play, we knew it was something special. But the impact it’s had on us and our audience has gone far beyond what we imagined. To be selected for KCACTF is proof that passion and purpose can take you far,” Gray said.
One of the boldest choices Richland made was changing the casting a little bit. The original play was written for an all-female cast, but with permission from Malcolm, the director decided to incorporate male actors into certain roles. “We weren’t trying to change the message,” Gray said. “We wanted to reflect our diverse community and show that Emilia’s fight to be heard isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a human one.” she said.
“This is a play with a strong feminist message, and we wanted to make sure that came across in a way that felt authentic to our students and our community. One of the biggest challenges was balancing historical accuracy with modern relevance — how do we make a 400-year-old story feel urgent and immediate?” Gray said.
The 15-member cast took on multiple roles, working with the play’s mix of poetry, humor and drama. This competition isn’t just about performing, it’s also a chance for Richland’s students to learn and grow. “For many of our students, this is their first experience performing at this level,” Gray said. “It’s not just about the competition, it’s about learning, growing and seeing firsthand how storytelling can create change.”
Beyond the excitement of the competition, Gray emphasized that theater is about much more than just performing on stage. She said “People sometimes think theater is only for those who want to be actors, but that’s not true at all. Theater teaches you discipline, responsibility, and teamwork, and those are skills that will help you in any career.”
Gray also said that theater is one of the most collaborative art forms, requiring actors, directors, designers, and technicians to work together toward a common goal. “In theater, you learn that you can’t do it alone. If one person doesn’t show up, if one person isn’t prepared, the whole production suffers. That’s a real-world lesson that applies to any job.”
Audiences at the original performances were deeply moved by the way the play connects Emilia’s story to today’s struggles for equality and representation. As highlighted in a previous article, “Emilia” isn’t just about honoring a forgotten historical figure. it’s a call to action, challenging us to rethink how we tell stories and whose voices we include.
As “Emilia” returns to the stage, the Richland Theater Department invites faculty, staff, students, families and community members to attend and experience the show.
