Working: How a Colonial Williamsburg Actor Humanizes History
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\u2019s like to write for his character on the fly, to answer audience questions, and to add meaning and texture to an important historical figure.\xa0\n\nAfter the interview, Kristen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how to handle harsh audience feedback.\xa0\n\nIn the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stephen describes a philosophy of \u201csocial history\u201d which centers individual experiences instead of dry data alone. He also shares which historical figures he would like to play in the future.\xa0\n\nSend your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.\n\nPodcast production by Cameron Drews.\n\nIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows\u2014you\u2019ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices