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‘President Adams’ to visit Temple Isaiah

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What would you ask President John Adams if you had the chance?

You can get your opportunity — no flux capacitor required — at Temple Isaiah on Friday night when historical impressionist Peter Small takes the stage as the second president, who was also a statesman and political theorist.

“It’s giving a history lesson in first-person,” Small said. “It brings history alive and makes it relevant. It’s no longer just facts and figures that you’ve read in some old book.”

Small will give a presentation on key points of Adams’ life and ideology during Shabbat services at 8 p.m. at the Newport Beach temple on Irvine Avenue, which shares facilities with Harbor Christian Church.

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As an impressionist for 12 years, Small has portrayed George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Golda Meir and Moses.

Smith first developed his “living history” lessons as a substitute and religious teacher in Prince George’s County, Md., in the 1980s. Now he is an adjunct instructor for the North Orange County Community College District’s Older Adult Program.

As a member of Living Legends — a professional group of reenactors who perform at Los Angeles and Orange county schools, civic groups and other organizations — Smith said he aims to preserve history as a “guide to our future.”

“What we find is that people don’t change,” Small said. “Humanity behaves the same throughout the centuries.”

sarah.peters@latimes.com

Twitter: @speters01

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