Photo by Jeff Fusco

Steven Edenbo is shown as Thomas Jefferson.

At 7 p.m. this coming Wednesday, Nov. 9, Steven Edenbo of Philadelphia will portray Thomas Jefferson, sharing Jefferson’s life and thoughts with the audience during a performance in the Coolidge Theatre at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro.

Afterwards, Edenbo will remain in character as Jefferson and participate in a question and answer session with audience members.

Jefferson, an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father, was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809.

A proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, Jefferson motivated American colonists to break from the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation.

While earning a college degree, Edenbo focused on research and writing and also took acting classes.

In 1999, the American Historical Theatre based in Philadelphia brought Edenbo on board to portray Thomas Jefferson.

His first performance as Jefferson was in Independence National Historical Park 23 years ago. At that point Edenbo had read only a few books on Jefferson but already knew how the work of first-person interpretation could combine his love of reading, writing, and theatre with travel and teaching.

Since then, Edenbo has continued to do research, both on his own and as a Fellow at Monticello’s Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies, learning more and honing his interpretation of Jefferson as he has made appearances across the United States and in England.

“I can rely on the works of scholars who have mastered specific facets of Jefferson research as I continue to tell his story,” Edenbo said.

The other History Comes Alive performances will be in the Deane Center’s Coolidge Theatre at 7 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: Dec. 14, Robert Gleason as Thomas Paine; Feb. 8, 2003, Bill Robling as Benjamin Franklin; March 15, 2003, Kim Hanley as Betsy Ross; and April 12, 2003, Robert Gleason as William Penn. 

Tickets for each show are $15. Children 12 and under accompanied by a paying adult are admitted free. 

For information, call 570-724-6220 or visit www.deanecenter.com and click on TicketLeap.com.