Humor, wisdom, The Doctor’s personal writings, electricity, living history, a dash of mischief, and a professional theater experience all in a blender set on PUREE
Benjamin Franklin Lives is based entirely on Benjamin Franklin’s own writings and letters of correspondence. A presentation of living history crafted for modern live theater audiences.
Benjamin Franklin must share his secrets to only the most trusted, stop the raging rumors, and thwart the lies and inaccuracies being spread by his detractors. However, there may be a few spies from the King lurking about !
Doctor Benjamin Franklin had barely escaped London as a warrant was issued for his arrest. 1775 is a time The Doctor does not know who his friends or enemies are.
Benjamin Franklin is Calling for a Secret Meeting and You are invited to Attend –
Experience one of the most interesting personalities in history
brought to life before your eyes!
“When the pandemic lockdowns were suddenly put into place in 2020, two years of presentations booked across the Southeast disappeared for us. The lockdowns broke the hearts and spirits of the theatrical community at large. We hope to reschedule all those cancelled presentations, especially the colleges. Until then, please join us in Gatlinburg, Tennessee as the presentation is finding a home for now.“
About the Producer and Performer – Tony Rollo
Tony Rollo is a Nashville based Media Producer, honor society actor, feature filmmaker, and Director with a formal background in professional acting and electronic engineering. He has many audio and video works to his credit. For his living history audio works, his actor’s group of characters are known as “The Mighty American Art Players”.
Tony was invited at 16 years old to join the International Thespian Society. He is also a professional member of the Educational Theater Association (EDTA).
Tony Rollo shares a fellowship as alumni in this illustrious honor society with actors such as: Tom Hanks, Dick Van Dyke, John Goodman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Faye Dunaway, Val Kilmer, Cloris Leachman, Tony Randall, Amy Acker and many other successful actors.
Tony spent his early years in professional touring theaters and solo theatrical projects before his positions in the professional recording industry and work in the computer industry. This was his solid foundation in successfully combining technology with the performing arts.
Tony has a wide experience in the Entertainment Industry, print and digital media publishing, radio broadcasting and voice over performance. His work has be seen and heard in many professional arenas.
Years before that TV “science guy” in the 1990s, Tony wrote, produced, and performed a comical science show live on stage and on tour in the 1980s.
Tony was also a frequent guest on television and spent a few years at the Museum Of Science And Industry as the resident science wizard performing several live shows daily and sponsored by a major department store chain based in Florida.
Tony has produced and directed two feature films to his credit to date. His second feature film is the acclaimed feature documentary “Submariners: The Men Of The Silent Service” which appeared in theaters in 2016.
His second feature movie has been called “the best submarine docudrama ever made” by leaders in the United States Submarine Service. The GI Film Festival in Washington D.C. declared this feature to be “of the highest quality” where he not only directed and produced the feature, created motion graphic animations, but also edited the feature as well as mastered and authored the DVD release.
Benjamin Franklin Lives was prepared over several years of research, script writing and production work. It comes after a lifelong study since he was eleven years old of his favorite human, Benjamin Franklin.
It all began in 1972….
… when Tony was chosen to perform at Disney world in a ceremony of American history at Liberty Square. And he met – face to face – Benjamin Franklin. That young, eleven year old Tony had just encountered a Walt Disney actor portraying Benjamin Franklin for that event… of course. However, because of the perfection that Disney demands in all its cast members, it took a few seconds to come back to reality.
After the live performance, that Disney World actor took time to inspire and instill into Tony the spark that began a love for the craft of acting as well as a lifelong love of history, and to study the great man himself, Benjamin Franklin.
Tony’s desire now – after such an early influence, lifelong study and years of preparation, design, and work, is to bring the accuracy and attention to detail the living history world strives to achieve onto the stage for a new and unique audience experience.
Benjamin Franklin Lives is based on the historical writings of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography and digging through his vast number of archived personal letters and correspondence across his life.
Only Benjamin Franklin’s actual writings were considered in preparing this amazing production in order to keep to historical accuracy. Many surprises await you !