Vijai Nathan
Tuesday February 10
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

This program is offered with generous support from Terry Kramer and Liz Loughran, Producing Donors.

Ms. Vijai Nathan’s humor springs from her experiences of growing up as a "foreigner" in America, despite the fact she was born and raised in a suburb of Washington D.C. She lovingly and hilariously talks about growing up as an Indian in America, dating, cultural clashes with her parents, and the racism she dealt with as a child and now as a comedian.

Vijai has performed throughout the U.S. and was featured at festivals in Montreal, Singapore, South Africa, London, and Trinidad. She has the honor of being one of the few South Asian artists to be invited to perform at the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian, Library of Congress & Constitution Hall in Washington D.C.

You can catch her on an episode of Netflix's "Lady Dynamite, " starring comedy legend Maria Bamford, and in the film "Meet the Patels," an Oprah Magazine pick that Variety calls "Sharp" & "Riotously Funny."  

Vijai was honored to be chosen to open for Comedy Legend Arsenio Hall Nov. 2016; she has also opened for international juggernaut Russell Peters & is one of his top "two South Asian comics to watch."  Russell featured Vijai in his first nationally-televised Christmas special in Canada. She appeared in the CBS pilot "The Night Crew" and on the wildly popular NPR show  "Snap Judgment" July 2014 & April 2015. In February 2013, CBS Online called Vijai one of the best comics in DC.

Special Concert: Speak At Home with Kim Weitkamp
Wednesday February 18
7:30PM
$25/guest minimum donation

This concert is not included with a season ticket. Please contact us to reserve seats and inquire about location

In 2026 Speak is offering a second, limited run series of house concerts called Speak At Home. These concerts are intentionally intimate, limited to a small group of guests. The first half of the program will include the artist telling a new work, possibly among other stories. During the second half of the program our Artistic Director Adam Booth will lead a conversation with the artist about the process of crafting new work. The entire program will be audio recorded for a short-run podcast. 

Kim Weitkamp grew up in Amish Country as the redheaded middle child of exhausted parents. Labeled by teachers as high-spirited and too talkative, she took those comments and channeled them into a lifetime of high-energy, heartfelt and hilarious artistry- and we are better for it.

Laura Simms
Tuesday March 10
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

This program is offered with generous support from John Deupree and Sally Reynolds, Producing Donors.

Called “riveting” by the New York Times, and “luminous” by The Soho Theater in London, Laura Simms is an award-winning storyteller who performs, teaches, and conducts story projects worldwide. Simms combines ancient myth with her own true-life narrative, which she has performed at venues including the Lincoln Center, the Belfast International Theater Festival, and the historic Town Hall theater in New York. Laura is the artistic director of the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Series in New York’s Central Park and the founder of The Center for Engaged Storytelling. She has received the Brimstone Award for Engaged Storytelling, Sesame Street’s Sunny Days award for work with children worldwide, and the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement awards. She is author of multiple award-winning recordings and books. 

“A perennial favorite everywhere.”  – Daily News, NY

Tuesday’s program will be UNLOCKING NINE LOCKS. UNLOCKING NINE LOCKS is a riveting weaving of story within story in and out of an almost ignored Grimm’s fairytale called THE GLASS COFFIN. Braided stories include Hearing Nina Simone when I was sixteen, a new telling of Jack and the Beanstalk, Laughing with women in a camp in Haiti, and the homeless woman who was an Alphabet. We begin with a single Note in a Taxi, and end with the end of a story from the Caucasus. Transformation is possible when we expose the roots of rape and fascism. Without condoning cruelty, we release the radiance of joy and wakeful kindness, unlocking the exuberance of engagement and true celebration. 

Special Concert: Speak At Home with Paul Strickland
Sunday April 5
7:30PM
$25/guest minimum donation

This concert is not included with a season ticket. Please contact us to reserve seats and inquire about location.

In 2026 Speak is offering a second, limited run series of house concerts called Speak At Home. These concerts are intentionally intimate, limited to a small group of guests. The first half of the program will include the artist telling a new work, possibly among other stories. During the second half of the program our Artistic Director Adam Booth will lead a conversation with the artist about the process of crafting new work. The entire program will be audio recorded for a short-run podcast. 

Paul Strickland is a professional storyteller and theatre artist who lives in Kentucky. His repertoire includes reupholstered folk tales, fairytales for adults and future adults, tall-tales and even historical stories that just happened to have never happened. In November of 2018 he made his NYC stage debut Off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse with his shadow and flashlight ghost story play "13 Dead Dreams of "Eugene."

Archy Jamjun
Tuesday April 14
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

Archy Jamjun is the curator of Outspoken LGBTQ Stories at the Sidetrack, a monthly storytelling show in Chicago featuring members of the LBGTQ+ community and allies. His stories, often centered around his family, mix humor and vulnerability and have allowed him to tell stories for over ten years across Chicago as well as the Sierra Storytelling Festival, The Strong Like Bamboo Festival, the National Storytelling Network, and multiple Moth Mainstages. His comedy has been featured in Chicago's Future of Comedy Festival and his writing has been published by Barrel House, The Rhumpus and Chicago Magazine. 

The PAZA Experience
Delwin Hehakapa Mahto (Elk Bear) Fiddler &
Dr. Samora Free
Tuesday May 12
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

Programs from the PAZA Experience are made possible with generous support from Mid Atlantic Arts’ Touring Roster program.

Delwin Fiddler, Jr. is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Sans Arc band, and a world renowned Native American Flutist and Champion Grass and Hoop dancer and award-winning filmmaker. Delwin’s Lakota name is Hehakapa Mahto (Elk Bear). He is the third generation grandson of the Elk Head Red Hair (Hehakapa Pahinsa) who was the historical Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe. Delwin has performed for several American Presidents as well as the Royal Family in England. His traditional Grass Dance is featured at the Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Delwin is currently in the process of releasing his PBS documentary called Without Arrows about his journey living on and off the reservation in South Dakota. In addition to sharing his culture, Hehakapa Mahto's work involves a commitment to protecting and defending Mother Earth. He created his non-profit PAZA, Tree of Life to preserve his native heritage and keep the traditions of his people strong for future generations.

Samora Free is an afro-indigenous singer, composer, and soundscape artist who has performed for international audiences since early childhood and has been working with PAZA as a performer and Cultural Engagement Director since 2021. Using her classically-trained voice and a variety of sound instruments, she weaves vibrational healing with indigenous wisdom into a wave of musical alchemy. Dr. Samora was born and raised in New York City and comes from a multicultural background. She is currently the Associate Director for The New Seminary for Interfaith Studies and the Director of The Interfaith Temple. Samora is also an adopted member of the Lakota tribe and has been named “woman who brings harmony” (Owanzila Win). Driven by a deep sense of justice and human rights, Dr. Samora uses her artistic platform to educate and support the advancement of struggling communities through cultural exchange and interfaith dialogue.

Laura Packer
Tuesday June 9
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

As the daughter of a children’s librarian and a writer, it seems inevitable that Laura Packer became a storyteller and writer herself, since her childhood was steeped in narrative. By second grade, Laura was telling stories to her classmates, creating her own magazines and writing letters to the editor of her hometown newspaper; her deep love of fairytales and mythology eventually led her to obtain a degree in Folklore and Mythology from Boston University; it was while pursuing her degree that she discovered storytelling, and that changed the direction of her life. She has taught, told, coached, and consulted around the world.

Since then, Laura has built a career helping people and organizations find their own story, performing original and traditional tales around the world, and creating written narrative that draws the reader into new possibilities.

Many of Laura’s stories have their roots in fairy tales and myths, though they sometimes roam far from those ancient grounds. She tells traditional stories, fractured fairy tales and myths, personal narrative, and original fiction that often strays into the fabulist. Laura believes her stories speak to the commonalities of human existence, and give voice to emotions and experiences we all have but can't always name. 

Special Concert: Speak At Home with Megan Hicks
June (date TBA)
7:30PM
$25/guest minimum donation

This concert is not included with a season ticket. Please contact us to reserve seats and inquire about location.

In 2026 Speak is offering a second, limited run series of house concerts called Speak At Home. These concerts are intentionally intimate, limited to a small group of guests. The first half of the program will include the artist telling a new work, possibly among other stories. During the second half of the program our Artistic Director Adam Booth will lead a conversation with the artist about the process of crafting new work. The entire program will be audio recorded for a short-run podcast. 

Megan Hicks dives heart-first into every story she tells – fairy tale, personal story, American history, parody, ghost & horror, humor. Her favorite story is whichever one she happens to be telling at the moment.

She performs at festivals throughout the North America; and her international storytelling credits include tours of libraries and bilingual schools in New Zealand, China, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Chile.

The Reverend Robert B. Jones, Sr.
Tuesday July 14
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

This program is offered with generous support from The Family of Jackie Thomas, Producing Donors.

Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. is an inspirational storyteller and musician celebrating the history, humor and power of American Roots music. His deep love for traditional African American and American traditional music is shared in live performances that interweave timeless stories with original and traditional songs. For more than twenty-five years Robert has entertained and educated audiences of all ages in schools, colleges, libraries, union halls, prisons, churches and civil rights organizations. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that should celebrate, not just tolerate. Acclaimed photographer James Fraher writes about Robert: “Perhaps the world’s most highly educated blues musician, an ordained minister, a longtime DJ, and a living encyclopedia of blues history, the Reverend Robert Jones is comfortable among juke joint loud talkers, fancy-hatted church ladies, and PhDs alike."

Denise Manning Keyes Page
Tuesday August 11
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

This program is offered with generous support from Marianne Alexander, Producing Donor.

Denise Manning Keyes Page came to storytelling, later in life, at least as a performing artist. A Connecticut native, many of her stories stem from her experience as a multi -generational African American New Englander. She recently learned of 4 generations of family history from research conducted by Yale University. Denise believes that to truly know someone or a people, we must learn about more than the stories of sheroism and victimization. Those stories are indeed important and should be shared. However to really know someone don’t we need the in between spaces? The places where everyday life is lived? Stories of being, and of being in the skin we’re in. When Denise tells her stories you feel yourself slip into those spaces with a sense of knowing, belonging and deepening understanding. She tells the undertold stories of African Americans to enlighten and inspire, to laugh and cry and most of all, to build bridges of understanding.

Adam Booth
Tuesday September 8
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

Adam Booth is the 2022 West Virginia Governor’s Arts Awards Folk Artist of the Year. His original stories blend traditional mountain folklore, music, and an awareness of contemporary Appalachia. His career highlights from 2025 included being the featured keynote presenter at the Sydney Australia International Storytelling Conference, being a featured artist for the fourth time at the US National Storytelling Festival, and having his original multidisciplinary program The Heron’s Journey featured on the 2024-2025 Mid Atlantic Arts Touring Roster. 

As a nationally touring artist, Booth’s professional telling appearances include premiere storytelling and arts events across the United States, such as the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Teller-In-Residence at the International Storytelling Center (four times), the National Academy of Sciences, and a commission from the National Academy of Medicine. He was a resident at the Banff Centre Spoken Word program in Alberta, Canada. 

Education is an important part of Booth’s storytelling practice. He has taught classes and given presentations at Ghost Ranch, John C. Campbell Folk School, the National Storytelling Conference, the Appalachian Studies Association Conference, Berea Appalachian Sound Archives Fellowship, and the National Endowment for the Humanities Voices from the Misty Mountains summer seminars and institute. 

Antonio Rocha
Tuesday October 13
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown
To view the live stream, purchase tickets here. For in-person attendance, purchase tickets at the door.

This program is offered with generous support from Carolyn J. Rodis, Producing Donor.

Antonio Rocha (pronounced haw-sha), originally from Brazil, began his career in the performing arts in 1985. In 1988 he received a Partners of the Americas grant to come to the USA to perform and deepen his mime skills with Mime Master Tony Montanaro. Since then he has earned a Summa Cum Laude Theater BA from USM (University of Southern Maine) and studied with Master Marcel Marceau. Mr. Rocha’s unique and award winning solo fusion of mime and storytelling with mesmerizing voices and sound effects has been performed from Singapore to South Africa and many places in between, including 20 countries on 6 continents as well as in 44 US states. Some of the venues include The Singapore Festival of the Arts, Wolf Trap, The National Storytelling Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Institution, The National Geographic, The Tales of Graz in Austria, Dunya Festival, The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Cave Run Storytelling Festival as well as thousands of school performances. Antonio Rocha also loves to teach his craft and often facilitates workshops, not only for performers, but for those who want to incorporate storytelling into their business presentations and classroom. A two time TEDx speaker, Mr. Rocha is a proud recipient of the coveted Circle of Excellence Award by the National Storytelling Network, and most recently the 2024 Maine Arts Commission Fellowship for the Performing Arts. 

Tuesday’s program will be Once Upon a Hill in Maine: The Pedro Tovookan Parris Story, an evocative performance that traces one man’s extraordinary journey from enslavement to freedom. Born in East Africa around 1833, Pedro Tovookan Parris was trafficked aboard a Maine-built brig to Brazil before finding refuge and community in Paris Hill, Maine. Through movement, voice, and song, Rocha brings Pedro’s story to life—illuminating Maine’s connections to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and celebrating resilience, creativity, and the power of testimony. 

This show is suitable for ages 12 and older. Running time 45 minutes followed by a Q&A.

2026 Commission Recipient
Tuesday November 10
7:30 PM

Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, 213 North King Street, Shepherdstown

Join Speak as we present the world premiere of our 2026 Commissioned Story. Recipient and details will be available here in late February. More information about the process and the first three stories we commissioned is available here.