September 14, 2026 - Santa Rosa, CA – Santa Rosa Junior College’s Theatre Arts Department will open its 2026–27 performance season with Emilia, a witty and powerful play by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm that explores the life and legacy of the poet who inspired Shakespeare’s Dark Lady, Emilia Bassano.

Directed by Emily Hansen, Emilia will be presented October 2–11 in the Frank Chong Studio Theatre at Burbank Auditorium on SRJC’s Santa Rosa campus. The production features an all-female, diverse ensemble cast, with the title role split across three actors who represent Emilia at different stages of her life.

Four hundred years ago, Emilia Bassano wanted her voice to be heard. It wasn’t. Could she have been the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets? What happened to her own poetry? And why was her story erased from history?

In Emilia, Bassano herself reaches across the centuries in a story energized by passion, loss, a touch of humor, the bonds of friendship, and, above all, female empowerment. The play examines whose voices are remembered, whose stories are overlooked, and what it means to reclaim a place in history.

“I wanted to bring this show to life here on our stage because we are at a moment in history when all women, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ women, should be joining together to elevate each other. This is our time.” — Emily Hansen, Director

Emilia premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in London in 2018 before moving to the West End in 2019. The production received three Olivier Awards, including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.

Performances will be held at 2 p.m. for matinees and 7:30 p.m. for evening performances, October 2–11, 2026, in the Frank Chong Studio Theatre, Burbank Auditorium, SRJC Santa Rosa campus.

Tickets are on sale now.

For tickets and additional information, visit the SRJC Theatre Arts Department website.