The Yocum Institute for Arts Education will present a staged reading of “Sally Wister,” a new play by award-winning playwright D.W. Gregory, on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. in West Lawn. Set in Philadelphia in 1777 and inspired by true events, “Sally Wister” follows a 16-year-old Quaker during the American Revolution as she navigates questions of faith, duty, courage and friendship. The story begins as the Wister family flees Philadelphia to escape the British occupation and finds itself sharing quarters with American officers. Although the family is committed to pacifism, Sally becomes captivated by a young major as she encounters a world increasingly at odds with her family’s beliefs. “We’re so excited to bring ‘Sally Wister’ to our community. After producing D.W. Gregory’s ‘Radium Girls’ in 2025, I knew our students would connect with her work again,” said Andrea Hart, Theater Department Director at Yocum Institute for Arts Education. Hart said the production also provides an opportunity to highlight a young woman’s perspective on the Revolutionary War. “‘Sally Wister’ centers a young woman whose firsthand account gives us a window into the American Revolution, a period when young women’s voices can be difficult to find in the historical record,” Hart said. “Coming on the heels of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and our production of ‘1776’ this summer, it feels like the perfect moment to tell Sally’s story.”
Gregory is best known for “Radium Girls,” which has received more than 3,000 productions worldwide and was presented by Yocum Institute in 2025. She is currently developing a musical adaptation of the play with composer Steven M. Alper and lyricist Sarah Knapp.
Her other works include “Memoirs of a Forgotten Man,” “The Yellow Stocking Play,” “A Thing of Beauty” and “Molumby’s Million.”
Yocum Institute said the staged reading continues its efforts to support new theatrical works while connecting local audiences with artists and stories through the performing arts.
The performance will be held at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education, 3000 Penn Avenue in West Lawn. Tickets and additional information are available through the institute’s website or by calling 610-376-1576.
The Yocum Institute is a nonprofit community arts organization that has served Berks County for more than 90 years. It offers programs in music, theater, dance, visual arts and early childhood education.