Have you ever wondered what it might be like if our founding fathers and mothers could step off the pages of history books, come down from their monuments, and speak with us?  My work can generally be described as that of a Thomas Jefferson impersonator, motivational speaker,  or a Thomas Jefferson re-enactor.  Some simply say that I am a Thomas Jefferson look-alike.  My favorite way to explain what I do is to say  that I am a 1st-Person Interpreter.  First-person interpretation is the dramatic portrayal of our nation's heroes as they were before they were encased in statues and imprisoned in books. The first-person interpreter gives a heartbeat to the priceless knowledge we have gathered from artifacts and ink,  breathes life into the history we have learned from museums and memorials,  and speaks the thousand words a picture is worth.

   Watch a 5 minute video.
Read a magazine article about what I do.

    I shape my presentations according to the distinct interests and schedules of specific audiences, as well as to the nature of each event.  Usually I begin my show with a  biographical monologue that focuses on subjects and stories requested.  Then I engage the audience in a Q&A session, which is my favorite part.  

     I often root my presentation on a portrayal of Jefferson as a man of 33 - his age when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.  However, each venue is unique, and I therefore address themes and events from the entire span of Jefferson's life according to the inclination of the most important people in the room - the audience!  

Read a newspaper article about what I do.
     
     Thomas Jefferson was uncomfortable with giving speeches.   In portraying Jefferson I must connect immediately with varied audiences. As a result I am presented with a difficult puzzle: how to portray, on stage in an interactive setting, the character of a person who shunned crowds.  It was my struggle with this paradox that led me to my current method of Thomas Jefferson interpretation, " The Performance Conversation."  With this approach I progress quickly to a modified question-and-answer format. This allows the audience to choose the direction in which the show moves, the subjects we cover together, and the intensity of the interaction. This approach allows me to cultivate an atmosphere more appropriate to Jefferson's disposition: a dialogue between performer and audience.



Oil Portrait of
Steve Edenbo as Thomas Jefferson

Painting by the talented artist
Pamela Patrick White


 
   
     Eight years ago, when I began this work, I relied primarily on the traditional structure of a question-and-answer session. Such an approach creates a strictly controlled interactive experience in which the performer determines the length of time devoted to a subject, as well as the spin given to each subject. An audience member asks a question, and the performer addresses that question - often with an established performance piece, composed earlier, to address a general subject into which a given set of questions might fit.  In this setting, once a particular subject has been covered, it is generally not revisited.

     When the situation allows I  expand the standard Q&A construct,  tailoring my answers to invite audiences to delve further.  I challenge my audiences to challenge me, in the person of Thomas Jefferson, to explain and defend Jefferson's views, actions, and words. First, I strive to answer questions in the simplest form. Then, if the questioner is in search of more specific information, I encourage them to further define the subjects they wish to discuss or debate. Such an approach draws the audience in, transforming them from spectators into participants.  Jefferson believed that the exchange of conflicting ideas in an informed, civilized environment was the basis of a free society.  Although Jefferson despised argument, he loved the dialectic, the give-and-take, and believed it essential to the strength of a mind and of a nation. I have found that this philosophy also engenders a vibrant performance environment.

     On the other hand I do not require the audience to do the work to ensure a lively performance.  The audience is there to have a good time with their education.  When I say that I allow the audience to control the amount of interaction in a performance, I also mean that, if they wish, they can simply sit-back, watch, and listen. 

      When I first began to learn the art of historical interpretation from William Sommerfield of The American Historical Theatre , he taught me that the core of first-person interpretation is theater.  The bottom line is that if the audience members are engaged and enjoy themselves while they learn, then I have done my job.  Many people have the best time when they can jump in and join the fray.  Others prefer a little more distance.   In the end the direction my show takes is up to the audience.  The majority rules.  I think Mr. Jefferson would appreciate that. 

For more information, or to schedule your event, please contact Steven Edenbo at
steve@yourthomasjefferson.com or (215) 514-1927 .