James Hester (Mister) This is James L. Hester’s second role at Centre Stage. James L. Hester’s love for the theater began at an early age under the direction of the late Dwight Woods and Clark Nesbitt while a member of the Phillis Wheatley Repertory Theater. Throughout his young life, he’s worked in various areas of ministry as Minister of Music and the performing arts including his performance as Reverend Purlie in the stage production of “Purlie”. He also has appeared in the lead role of “Don’t Give Up On Your Dream”, “Saying Loud on Broadway” and “Till Victory Is Won” as the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Known to Centre Stage as Bishop in "Through The Night"