William, Still the father of the Underground Railroad, is the subject of a stage performance at the Lexington Opera House this week.

It has a historical connection to Lexington, and the people involved in creating it have a family connection.

More in this week's Arts and Culture segment.

We call tapestry.

Sanctuary road is an opera that has been out for about two years.

It's based on William Stills document.

William Still is my great, great grand uncle.

In 1872, he published his records on an underground railroad.

He was probably the most influential, conductor or person in Underground Railroad, of working with everyone that was escaping who ever got to Philadelphia.

And so it's based on all his records and it's an opera.

And then also Peter still his, my great great grand uncle, his oldest brothers were enslaved in Lexington.

And so part of the story is that Sanctuary Road is a collaboration through the digital Access Project, where when an enslaved person is transacted, whether they were left as a gift to another family member or close relative or close friend in a state, or the transaction was done through a deed convenience.

We have those records filed here at the county clerk's office.

And so our connection is the Peter Steele, who is one of the, enslaved individuals who were who attained his freedom down the line.

We have a transaction record with him and his brother Levon in our office.

I play the character of William Still, who is the main character of the production.

William still, has recorded, the, the, the lives and trials of Slaves.

And and also he recorded, you know, abolitionists as well.

Right.

In some ways, it's easier to play him, but it's also hard because I didn't live during slavery, you know, I didn't witness I didn't witness someone lift up the shirt and see the whips on their back.

I didn't witness, someone who just didn't have any money or someone who was trying to run away.

And so to be in that place is very humbling.

But it's a true learning experience that I've had, and it's been great.

This journey, when someone documents their history, when they tell their story, it's important because then we know exactly what that person was dealing with.

We don't have to go to, you know, secondary sources.

We know exactly what we still was dealing with.

And, and it's important for African-Americans because it's so difficult for us to find and trace our histories, because most of my research is done in probate court and, you know, archives where I'm looking at other individuals, wills where they are exchanging people with just the first name.

And so when someone like William still writes and documents this with precise accuracy.

Yeah, you know, it's it's amazing.

It's unheard of.

Oftentimes we don't know when we when a composer composes something or writes, he don't know what's going to happen when it comes up.

And so when it becomes a time where the political and social atmosphere of the country or a place is in peril or in a situation of unrest, and you have a work that has the potential to shift the conversation of the atmosphere.

It's a true honor.

And we are in that time right now, and it's so cool to have this work and be able to present it in times like these.

Because, you know, I mean, we could present this anywhere, and, and it it would be a true story, a true American story told, to people who are willing to listen and who are willing to see.

I wanted to see these names in show how family navigated through the system of slavery and found their way back.

The whole legacy is all about connection.

It's about family.

And that's family is connection.

That's what the Underground Railroad was about.

It was strange because they were running away from they had that this associated with their families, but at the same time it was about them leaving their families better than where they were.

That's what my grandmother and my great, great great grandparents, when they escaped, they escaped so I could be here today saying that it's about family, it's about connection.

To find versus Morpheus Sanctuary Road, the opera is set to be performed at the Lexington Opera House this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Afterwards, a panel discussion will include a conversation about William Still and his legacy.