SHEFFIELD-Most people do not expect to ever hold a live conversation with Thomas Jefferson. But that is exactly how Bill Barker describes his reenactment of the third President of the United States.
Barker will appear as the Sage of Monticello at 7:35 p.m., Oct. 25_27 at the Ritz Theatre, 111 W. Third St., Sheffield. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at tvaa.net, at the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia, 256-383-0533 and at the door. Audiences are invited to join “President Jefferson” in the Ritz’ Education Studio following performances.
“Enacting the persona of Jefferson helps to connect our past to the present,” Barker said. “I continue to evolve my presentation to fit the social and national debates of our time within the context of like scenarios in Jefferson’s time.”
Barker welcomes, and is planning on, audience participation discussing questions and ideas audiences have about Jefferson.
“Many people have the misconception that Jefferson was an atheist, insincere about ending slavery, a spendthrift, a womanizer and a political antagonist. I hope to alter their opinion,” he said. “I am hopeful that the audience will attend wanting to experience Thomas Jefferson, the person, as well as to learn something new about him and his times.”
Barker’s portrayal of Jefferson began 40 years ago at Independence Hall and he has been the resident Jefferson Historical Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg for 25 years. He has been featured as Jefferson in Time, People, Southern Living, Reader’s Digest and in programs aired on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN and C-SPAN.
Additionally, Barker is the Jefferson image in the Visitor Center videos at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., Monticello and the Virginia State Capital and was the model for the statues in the Jefferson Library at West Point and in the Virginia State Capitol Building.
Barker has received commendations from the Hellenic Ideals Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense, the Jefferson Legacy Foundations and the cities of Philadelphia, St. Louis and New Orleans.
Theatre also plays a big part of Barker’s background, but a variety of dramas play into the view audiences have of Jefferson. From Lin Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway hit “Hamilton” to the HBO production of “John Adams” and even older productions such as “1776” have featured different versions of Thomas Jefferson.
“(These works) help the younger generations grasp the realities and relevance of history,” Barker said. “As Shakespeare wrote, ‘The play’s the thing through which to capture the conscience of the King.’”
Media Release/Bobby Bozeman/Marketing and program development/Tennessee Valley Art Association
