W. Allen Taylor News

W. Allen Taylor's one man play 'In Search of My Father ... Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins' is more than personal genealogy. His father, unknown to him most of his lifetime, was also a significant figure in black radio -- one of the first such DJs in the country, whose jive talking show show in Cleveland had legions of fans and likely influenced another DJ at his station, Allen Freed, in presenting the day's upbeat rhythm and blues as rock 'n' roll.

'In Search of My Father...Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins,' written by and starring W. Allen Taylor of Berkeley, Calif., celebrates Black culture and the legacy of Black radio.

The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts has announced an extension of its current presentation of “In Search of My Father...Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins.' W. Allen Taylor's award-winning, critically acclaimed solo show about family secrets and absent parents is infused with history, music and the influential Cleveland radio scene during the 1950s.

'In Search of My Father...Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins,' written by and starring W. Allen Taylor of Berkeley, Calif., celebrates Black culture and the legacy of Black radio.

This award-winning, critically acclaimed one-man show recalls W. Allen Taylor's adventurous search for his absent father, Bill Hawkins, the first black disc jockey in Cleveland, Ohio. This inspiring, heartfelt play features musical interludes celebrating the cultural legacy of black radio, as W. Allen Taylor skillfully portrays a range of richly defined characters when he recalls the journey he took to discover his roots.

'In Search of My Father...Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins,' written by and starring W. Allen Taylor of Berkeley, Calif., celebrates Black culture and the legacy of Black radio.

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre will present the New York City premiere of 'In Search of My Father ... Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins.'

AfroSolo Theatre Company proudly presents the San Francisco premiere of Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins… In Search of My Father (WTBH), an award-winning solo show written and performed by W. Allen Taylor. Directed by Ellen Sebastian Chang.