Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) will collaborate with The Patterson Foundation to offer three free staged readings of a new one-act play—written by award-winning playwright and educator Beth Duda, who will also direct—called Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, A Walk to Respect. Two readings take place on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center. An additional reading will take place on Friday, February 21 at 10 a.m. at the Manatee Community Foundation.

This special WBTT "Voices" performance, in recognition of Black History Month, is presented as part of The Patterson Foundation’s “Honoring & Onward” initiative. The role of Abraham Lincoln will be played by Michael Krebs, who has portrayed Lincoln in film and presentations throughout the U.S. since 1994. Entrepreneur, performer, writer, director and producer Joel PE King will play Frederick Douglass and spoken word poet Cedric Hammed will serve as narrator. Tickets are free but reservations are required.