Glendale actor brings Thomas Jefferson to life in ad-lib show
For more than four decades, Glendale resident and longtime actor Dale Reynolds has portrayed Thomas Jefferson all across the U.S., and on Saturday he will bring his one-man, interactive show to the Glendale Central Library.
Dressed in full late-18th century regalia and armed with decades of knowledge about the third U.S. president, Reynolds will give a roughly 45-minute, ad-lib performance called “Man from Monticello,” where he answers questions from the audience in character.
“As an actor, you get to be the center of attention, but you also get to do something for other people: educating,” Reynolds said. “It’s important that we know our history, what worked and what didn’t work.”
Reynolds considers himself an expert on Jefferson and an American history buff. His version of Jefferson is based during the nation’s fight for independence, or simply, how Jefferson is pictured on the nickel.
Reynolds has played Jefferson at schools, libraries and in front of community groups. Recently, he’s performed at the Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon libraries leading up to the Fourth of July holiday.
Although his audiences are usually children and families, Reynolds said the show is an opportunity to discuss controversial issues within the context of history in a way that focuses on fun over angry debate.
One example Reynolds said he remembers is when a fifth-grader asked him what he thought of the 2001 Patriot Act. As Jefferson, Reynolds told the student he couldn’t answer that specific question because he “wasn’t of this time” but instead used the question to segue into Jefferson’s thoughts on the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.
“The more we are aware of our history, of what the country means to us intellectually and emotionally, the better. That is what my show’s about.”
The most common questions during performances usually center around Sally Hemings, a slave on his estate with whom Jefferson is rumored to have had children, as well as the origins of democracy and the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
For those still interested in Jefferson beyond the performance, Reynolds recommends books about Jefferson by authors Dumas Malone and Fawn Brodie.
Reynolds will perform at 2 and 3 p.m. in the outdoor plaza at Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St. The performance is free.
Twitter: @JeffLanda
