In celebration of Black History Month, Dauphin County Commissioners Jeff Haste, Mike Pries, and George R. Hartwick III will present an original digital performance episode by Sharia Benn and partnership program of Sankofa African American Theatre Company and Gamut Theatre Group. The program is titled "Do You Know Me?"

Gamut and Sankofa, in partnership with Dauphin County, produce a new play each spring and typically present it live, in-person at Gamut Theatre with multiple student matinee performances. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sankofa and Gamut converted the event to a virtual program that can be used by teachers in online classrooms.

Sponsored by Highmark Blue Shield and co-directed by Benn and Melissa Nicholson, "Do You Know Me?" connects audiences to Harrisburg's rich history of abolitionists and civil rights activists who worked to end slavery, secure the vote, and challenge segregation. Local students and professional artists share poetry, letters, and more by influential local and national African American leaders. Benn and Nicholson have been working with Dauphin County students Jade Jarrell of Capital Area School of the Arts, Lunden McClain of Central Dauphin East High School, and Najuma Norman of Capital Area School of the Arts, who perform live monologues filmed on the Gamut stage.

This performance is free to all Dauphin County high schools in February and March, accompanied by live talk-back discussions on Zoom. To register a school for this event, readers may contact Gamut Theatre at 717-238-4111.

This digital performance episode will also be offered to the public for two special viewings on Sunday, March 14, at 4 p.m. and Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the public performances may be purchased at http://www.gamuttheatre.org.