Capping off another exhilarating season of the arts in our region, the Lively Arts Series, in partnership with Montgomery Count Community College’s Theatre Arts Program, embarked on a journey offering our students professional experience by joining professional actors on stage to pay tribute to the struggle Black women endured to gain the right to vote in this country.

The Lively Arts Series and the Theatre Arts Program presents “The Voice That Would Not Be Silenced” by Millicent Sparks and directed by Lenny Daniels. The curtain rises Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m., Friday, May 13, at 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 14, at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre of the Science Center on Blue Bell Campus. Tickets are on sale now and open to the community. Parking is free.

The Black Box Theatre is located on the lower level of the Science Center building. There are two entrances open during construction. One entrance leads directly to the lobby from the Morris Road parking lot. The alternate entrance from the Quad requires visitors to proceed to the lower level of the building upon entering.

When people think of the Woman’s Suffrage Movement in America the names Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott usually come to mind. Rendered nearly invisible are the Black women who were in the trenches with white women despite fighting the dual oppression of being both female and Black. Even when racism tore through the movement undercutting their efforts, they were undeterred.

“The Voice That Would Not Be Silenced” is an otherworldly coming together of noted white and Black suffragists of the 19th century, bringing to light some of the racial and class dynamics that tore through the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. It is not intended to diminish the significance of the activism of any of these historical icons, but rather to brush the women of color with a broader stroke, elevating what has been left untold or under told. 

“The Voice That Would Not Be Silenced” is also the story of a courageous and fearless Black woman in the Jim Crow South who carried the suffrage mantle into the 20th century, helping to secure voting rights and first-class citizenship for Black people.

Brent Woods, Senior Director of Cultural Affairs, said this is an important story that needs to be told.

“Millicent Sparks is a wonderful actress and writer,” said Woods. “She wrote this work about the contributions African American women made to voting rights. In addition, she wanted to expose the difficult conversations had within Woman’s Suffrage Movement, using words direct from speeches, writings and third person accountings. Each character tells their own story about how and what they contributed.”

Sparks said she started writing the script for the play in 2020, during the celebration of the 100^th anniversary of 19^th Amendment, as a way to tell the full story the Suffrage Movement.

“I didn’t have a chance to do anything with it because of the pandemic,” she said. “I thought at the time it was the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote, but it was mostly white women. Black women, especially in the Deep South, were locked out of the ballot box. Through things like the poll tax, violence, intimidation— they couldn’t vote. I wanted to show anniversaries give us the opportunity to see the full picture.”

While women earned the right to vote through the 19^th Amendment, Black women had to continue to fight for their right even after the Amendment was ratified, she said. This play celebrates that perseverance.

Theater Assistant Professor Tim Gallagher and theater students will have a special opportunity to collaborate with professionals for this production.

“This is such a great opportunity,” he said. “We’ve done things like this in the past. We try as often as we can to give students the opportunity to engage with professional theater artists.”

The play, he said, is written to focus on three actual students at MCCC learning the history of Black women’s suffrage. In addition, other students will perform as background characters.

“This is living history in a play format,” said Sparks. “I have in this play so many important figures including Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Fanny Lou Hamer, who picked up the suffrage mantel and ran with it.”

“Our students will get a chance to work with Philadelphia actors, and a director and writer. It’s an amazing opportunity for them,” said Gallagher. “They can make connections with the community and more importantly, get experience beyond what we get to do at the College. They’ll get a chance to take their training and apply it among professionals in a solely professional production.”

Sparks said she and Daniels looked forward to meshing the professional actors with the students at MCCC.

“It gives students a chance to see how the pros work,” she said. “How characterizations are built. How actors put flesh on the bones of their character. It gives students a chance to shine artistic lights on what they’re trying to do in pursuing theater and drama. I’m looking forward to the feeling of cooperation. It will be a good blend of professionals and students working together.”

Woods considered these performances as an extension of the “Racism in America” series the Lively Arts Series has presented of the last two years.

“It’s also the beginning of a new way to look at programming and how students can benefit from the Lively Arts Series,” he said. “This is a first of many in the future with projects and partnerships.”  

For more information about “The Voice that would not be Silenced,” visit the Lively Arts Series landing page.