FACes
& PlaceS
The arts 2004
 An
Evening with Ben Franklin & Friends
by Marilyn Bullock & Les Isbrandt
I
hate to put damper on your summer holidays, but September
and the beginning of the new school year
is just around the corner! The GOOD news is that on
September 28, 2004 the New Hope Historical Society
(NHHS) and the New Hope Solebury High School Social
Studies Department are co-sponsoring an exciting family
event – an Evening with Ben Franklin & Friends.
This event kicks off the Society’s first fund
raising effort to benefit the newly formed Francis
Curley Memorial Scholarship Fund.*
The
event features the “Official Ben Franklin,” internationally
renowned speaker and impersonator, Ralph Archbold,
who brings his talents to the Stephen Buck Theater
in New Hope from 7 – 9 PM. The evening will include
stories and anecdotes from Ben Franklin, a dialogue
between Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, and a musical
performance and demonstration of a glass harmonica,
one of Ben Franklin’s many inventions.
When
Archbold started portraying Ben Franklin in 1973,
he immediately
liked it. He liked being wise and funny.
He liked that people listened to him. He started
reading every Franklin book he could find (more than
200 sit
on his bookshelves) and quickly discovered that he
was born on Franklin's birthday (January 17th). Archbold
began performing as Franklin in schools around the
Mid-West full time, and in 1981 he moved his business
to where the market for Franklin is.
Archbold
has become an institution in Philadelphia and around
the world.
His face is on 11 tourist postcards
and the official Philly tourist brochure, and he
has performed for every President since Gerald Ford.
When
the city wanted to cut funding for his free daily
children's programs--just three years before Franklin's
300th
birthday--Archbold knocked on some corporate and
government doors and got the cash. It's hard to say
no to someone
willing to dress up as a Founding Father in public.
Seven
days a week at 11 a.m., Archbold walks over to Franklin
Court, where Franklin's house once stood and
a museum now does, sits on a bench under a mulberry
tree as Franklin did and talks to people - especially
the womenfolk.
Les
Isbrandt, president of the New Hope Historical Society,
remembered meeting Archbold some years ago.
Late last year, Les contacted “Ben” and
asked him to come to New Hope, where we are all excitedly
awaiting Ben’s debut performance. Purchase
your tickets early for this “not to
be missed event. ”Advance tickets are as follows:
students,$7 for students, teachers and NHHS members,
$20, all other adults,$25. To order tickets or for
more information, call 215-862-5652.
_____________________
* The Francis Curley Memorial Scholarship Fund was
formed to provide yearly scholarships for deserving
New Hope Solebury HS graduating seniors who have
an interest in the social sciences.
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