Historic Philadelphia Seeks Actors for America’s 250th Anniversary

Historic Philadelphia has launched a casting call to recruit a diverse group of actors and storytellers to support the city's celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States this year.

Two role types are available. Historic Philadelphia seeks storytellers who will wear green polo shirts and khaki pants and share stories with visitors, and history makers who are costumed first-person interpreters portraying figures like Betsy Ross.

The casting aims to reflect Philadelphia's past and present by welcoming participants of diverse ages, races, and backgrounds to mirror the city's history and current community.

"This year is special. We have so much programming," said Johanna Dunphy, artistic director of Historic Philadelphia Inc., in a statement shared with FOX 29 Philadelphia. "We have so many stories to tell, and we're expecting a lot of folks to come through here."

Dunphy said Historic Philadelphia is seeking people who are trained actors, enthusiastic, and flexible to accommodate varying schedule requests.

Auditions and rehearsals are required, with paid roles available. The organization will provide resources to help applicants prepare. 

FOX 29 Philadelphia spoke with Claire Bronchick, who portrays Betsy Ross at the Betsy Ross House in Old City Philadelphia, about the interpretive experience. 

"It's really exciting to be able to educate the public, and if you're someone interested in history, if you're gregarious, if you like telling stories," she said. "If you are interested specifically in this time in American history and really Philadelphia history, this is the place to be."

Auditions are ongoing. More information and application details are available on Historic Philadelphia's careers page.