One-Woman Historical Performance Set For Feb. 20 At Historic St. Mary’s City

ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — Historic St. Mary’s City will host “Ms. Story’s Living History,” a one-woman performance presented by actress Shemika Renee, on Feb. 20 from 6–8 p.m. in the Visitor Center Auditorium.

The performance invites audiences to “step back in time” as Renee portrays notable Black women from history through first-person storytelling and period-accurate costumes. The show spans multiple eras, from the colonial period through the Civil Rights movement, offering an immersive and personal look at women whose stories are often reduced to brief mentions in textbooks.

According to the show’s synopsis, “Ms. Story’s Living History” focuses on humanizing history by presenting these women as real people with “hopes and dreams, successes and failures,” rather than historical footnotes.

Renee, who has been part of the theater community in the DMV region for more than 20 years, told The BayNet she began performing first-person historical portrayals after volunteering to present a historical figure in her oldest child’s kindergarten class. Interest in her work grew as she shared images and performances on social media, leading to invitations from schools, churches and community organizations.

“I’ve always loved fashion eras from the past. I have been a part of the theatre community in the DMV for over 20 years. I started performing in the first person over 20 years ago when I volunteered to present a historical figure for my oldest child’s kindergarten class,” Renee told The BayNet.

In 2019, Renee combined the stories of seven women into her first full presentation of “Ms. Story’s Living History,” a copyrighted one-woman show. Her work centers on honoring the memory and legacy of women from the past, emphasizing the importance of telling the full story of American history.

“They were more than just a sentence or paragraph in a textbook,” Renee told said. “They were real and should have their stories told. I honor their memory and legacy because our enslaved ancestors weren’t enslaved because they were bad people, it was bad that people enslaved them. It’s important to remember and talk about all of our history. I hope that audiences feel they have truly met the women I portray. That they gain a deeper respect for how they were and what they endured. When we listen and learn from the past we can work toward a better future.”

Tickets are available through Eventbrite. General admission tickets are $20. Discounted tickets are available for seniors ages 65 and older, students and military members at $17. Children ages 12 and under are $15. Historic St. Mary’s City members may attend for $18. Proceeds from the performance support Historic St. Mary’s City’s educational and interpretive programs.

Additional information and registration details can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ms-storys-living-history-tickets-1981943094147.

For more information about the performance, follow “Ms. Story’s Living History” on Facebook or contact msstoryslivinghistory@gmail.com.

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