Historic district kicks off summer, with storytellers as versed in yesterday's Philadelphia as today's cheesesteaks

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s historic district is ready for visitors this Memorial Day weekend. Performers have been rehearsing for months and learning accurate facts about history.

Historic Philadelphia Inc, Is a non profit that offers all sorts of programming in the historic district. Their training program is known as the Benstitute — after Benjamin Franklin, of course.

There are eight Once Upon A Nation storytelling benches stationed throughout the historic district, where vistors sit on a bench and listen to a free story. There’s one in Signers Garden, across the street from Independence Hall. That’s where Samantha Ricchiuti tells us the story of Jean-Pierre Blanchard.

In 1793 the French inventor conducted the first balloon flight in America, just blocks away from the garden and witnessed by President George Washington.

“He floats over the Delaware River. Au revoir , Philadelphia, and hello, bonjour , New Jersey!” recounts Ricchiuti. “After flying 46 minutes, Jean-Pierre lands in Woodbury, New Jersey, about 15 miles from where he started. He delivers the letter that President Washington has given him.

“It’s America’s first air mail delivered letter.”

On some days she will trade her storyteller lime green polo shirt cap and khakis for a Colonial-era dress, bonnet and apron.

“My name is Elizabeth Ross,” she says, taking on the persona of Betsy Ross.

“The well water is not safe to drink, Sir. So, I would stick to small beer if I were you,” she says.

And that’s “water,” not “wooder”?

“No, certainly not. ‘Tis water. It is with an “a.” I have heard many a Philadelphian say that they refer to it as ‘wooder.’ No, no — that is with a U or a double-O,” she says, playing along. “We are not building what comes out of the well.”

Breaking character, Ricchiuti says, “I am wearing a corset underneath my costume, and it’s hot. Let me tell you. It’s hot! Let me tell you! A hundred times a day, people ask me, ‘Are you hot?’ Yes! The answer is yes,” she says.

“But this is my job and, like, this is what we are doing.”

The storytellers and colonial interpreters, known as historymakers, have been rehearsing for two months. Not only do the performers learn accurate history — they must also know their surroundings, so they can assist visitors with where to find food, a landmark, a bathroom — or a cheesesteak.

Geoffrey Berwind is artistic director for Historic Philadelphia and storytelling director for Once Upon a Nation.

“Storytellers — we have 15 or so. We have about 10 or 12 historymakers, and of course a big amount of people behind the scenes running Franklin Square, running the Betsy Ross House, administrative staff. It’s a nonprofit that has a lot of wonderful things out there.”

The performers will be out and about this weekend through Memorial Day Weekend.