06/13/2026
THEY SPEAK is back this summer! | wssr.org/they-speak
Dorothy Paige-Turner presents a staged reading series celebrating the breadth and brilliance of African-American storytelling.
Experience an unforgettable collection of poetry, drama, and storytelling—from the dreams and wisdom of Langston Hughes, to inspiring women whose spiritual experiences have too often gone untold, to the bold theatrical plays of Rockford native Nathan Alan Davis.
Each event offers a unique opportunity to engage with remarkable artists, ideas, and histories.
I DREAM A WORLD
The Poetry, Plays and Publications of Langston Hughes
SAT Jun 27 at 7:30
SUN Jun 28 at 4:30
CAST: Coleen Martin Williams, Richard Meeks, Jackie Rogers, Wendell Thompson, Carl Towns, Janet Wright
CANDLES IN THE DARK
Unnamed Spiritually Gifted Women of the Bible
SAT Jul 25 at 7:30
SUN Jul 26 at 4:30
CAST: Valerie Black, Yazmin Jones, Dorothy Paige-Turner, Vida Tsaras, Coleen Martin Williams, Janet Wright
A NATIVE SON
A Showcase of the Plays of Nathan Alan Davis
SAT Aug 29 at 7:30
SUN Aug 30 at 4:30
CAST: George Davis, Anthony Laws, Richard Meeks, Jackie Rogers, Wendell Thompson, Carl Towns, Coleen Martin Williams, Janet Wright
wssr.org/they-speak
