Working: How a Black Colonial Williamsburg Actor Humanizes History

Slate Race and Identity

This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Stephen Seals, an actor and historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. In the interview, Stephen breaks down his process for researching and portraying Revolutionary War double-agent James Lafayette, a notable Black American whose story is seldom told. Stephen explains what it’s like to write for his character on the fly, to answer audience questions, and to add meaning and texture to an important historical figure.

After the interview, Kristen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how to handle harsh audience feedback.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stephen describes a philosophy of “social history” which centers individual experiences instead of dry data alone. He also shares which historical figures he would like to play in the future.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [e-mail] or give us a call at [phone].

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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