Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, A Walk To Respect

Wednesday, February 19 at 7:30pm
Thursday, February 20 at 7:30pm

As part of Honoring and Onward*, in partnership with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, The Patterson Foundation is proud to announce a staged reading of a new one-act play, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, A Walk to Respect.

Black abolitionist leader and former slave, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States of America clashed in their ideologies regarding race, politics and slavery. Frederick Douglass, a true radical with a fiery spirit, believed in racial equality for everyone. Douglass dedicated his life, writings and career to abolishing slavery everywhere. Abraham Lincoln, cautious and considered, while opposed to slavery, was first and foremost a patriot intent on preserving the Union at all costs. These two self-made men, at a time when our divided nation faced annihilation, faced their differences with courage and compassion, forging a friendship that helped to end the Civil War and reunite our nation. Through their own words, explore the walk of these two great American Leaders from conflict to understanding.

Abraham Lincoln will be portrayed by Michael Krebs. Krebs has portrayed Abraham Lincoln in film and presentations throughout the United States since 1994 offering insight to the 16th President's life and times. Krebs is a native of Freeport, Illinois, and former company member of New American Theater in Rockford, Illinois. He was cast as Abraham Lincoln in 2014 film Field of Lost Shoes. His appearances include the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Gerald Ford Presidential Library, Hoover Presidential Library, Chicago History Museum, Gettysburg, the New Salem, Illinois Historic Site, the Harold Washington Library, and an extended run in Chicago. Krebs presented Abraham Lincoln at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum during international simultaneous reading of Gettysburg Address in 2009. Past credits include presentation in Library of Congress' Lincoln's Virtual Library in 1998, and live broadcast of the Galesburg Lincoln-Douglas Debate in 1994 on C-SPAN. In 2014, Michael was invited by The Patterson Foundation to participate in the national dedication of Patriot Plaza at Sarasota National Cemetery. 

Frederick Douglass will be portrayed by Joel PE King. King is a native of East Saint Louis. Graduating from SIU Edwardsville, Joel attained a B.A. in Studio Arts with a minor in music and theater. King is an entrepreneur, performer, writer, director and producer. His production company, JPEK CreativeWorks was established post college and has had great success in creating quality, courageous, socially driven stage plays. King has received three city proclamations, two cover stories (Riverfront Times and Zoom Magazine) and a groundswell of support for his stage works: Real Life, Issues of Love and Stand Your Ground. King’s theatre credits include, Amen Corner, The Color Purple, The Sam Cooke Story and Knock Me a Kiss at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Spunk, Raisin in the Sun, Colored Museum, Immigrant Project, In the Blood, Dutchman, Big River, Damn Yankees, Bubblin Brown Sugar, Real Life Hip Hopera, and Complacency of Silence for which he received a Kevin Kline nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical. King has attained leading and supporting roles in independent films and television.

Spoken Word Poet, Cedric Hammed will serve as the narrator. Cedric Hameed is a fierce arts advocate and believes that local, national, and global change can be accomplished through expression. Evidence of his philosophy can be seen in the students and parent voices of Visible Men Academy. A native of Schenectady, N.Y, Cedric grew accustomed to using words as an escape from his harsh realities. He never realized it would be the blueprint to creating a life-changing platform. "Poetry saved my life, literally! I see the world in metaphors and similes. And, when you can see in the abstract you can create. I can see the world we can all create!"

* http://www.thepattersonfoundation.org/honoring-and-onward.html

Tickets - FREE
Reservations Necessary

COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE NOT GPAC PRODUCTIONS