On Sun, 8 Apr 2007 08:47:14 +0000, Emily Rose wrote
> Does anyone have any information on re-enactors at Jamestowne  
> (settlement or island)? When I visited recently there were costumed 
> tour guides but no attempt, as far as I could tell, to portray 
> individual characters. 

Jamestown Settlement uses a third person interpretive method where the
interpreters are dressed in period clothing doing period things but talking as
a modern person from a modern perspective. Plimoth Plantation uses a first
person method where all the interpreters take on the role a a person who was
actually in the colony. This requires a lot of preparation for the public to
understand that any answers to questions they may have will be from a 17th
perspective.

This approach is problematic for Jamestown Settlement because essentially,
they'd only be able to hire almost all men to be able to fit the roles of the
characters present. It also requires more intense language and diction
training which is difficult to incorporate for short term summer hires.
Complete first person interpretation can be tedious if it is not done well.

Historic Jamestowne (NPS/APVA, actual site)) will hire interpreters or
reenactment groups from time to time. Some will do third person
interpretation, sometimes it's first person. Historic Jamestowne does not have
a resident costumed interpretive staff but more of an ad hoc one for special
events and such.

Regards,

Tom A.