Local actor

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Pierson is an actor hired by to lead itsnew 90-minutee walking tour, “History on Foot,” which recounts the investigatiob into the events and clued surrounding the assassination of President Assuming the character of the Washington Metropolitan Policd detective who was on duty the night Lincoln was Pierson leads tour groups alongy the trail from Ford’s Theatre to Whit House, tracking the clues left by John Wilkes He takes the crowd through a seriesx of questions as he “investigates” the many potential suspects in the crime. “It’ s not just an acting gig,” Pierson says. “It’s an interactivew piece.
” The tours, which begann in May, are designed to promote awareness of the historixc theater during a renovation scheduled to last almosttwo Pierson, who earns his living as a professional photographet and an actor on stages such Ford’s and the , holdds a degree in political history and constitutionakl democracy from and a master’s in classical actinf from the Academy for Classical Acting. He once was the star of a one-mamn fireball dodging stunt in a show atin Fla.
His act involved movingh hundreds of people from room to room in undeefive minutes, with nothing but dead air in the Compared to that, moving a few dozen people througj the streets of historic Washington is The walking performance requiresz that he know much more than his lines. “Io have to become an expert on Lincoln,” aPierson He must immerse himself in the events ofAprip 14-15, 1865, as he takes tour groups, some smal l and some as large as 40 or so, along the 1.4-miles route. Some groups peppefr him with questions. How much money did Booth make acting? Did Booth previously know Samuel the doctor who tended hisbrokem leg?
Pierson has to have “That’s when I really earn my he says. Pierson is happiest when the audiencew is made up of people who trulhy want tobe there. The tourist s who have been draggedby history-loving parentxs or friends amuse themselves by stepping into a role of thei own: the heckler. But Pierson knowa how to dancewith them. “I know the script so well, instead of making a statement, I can make it a question,” he That question can put a less-than-attentivre audience member on the spot. The ensuinhg look of terror offers plenty of materiall for Pierson and comedic relief for theother tourists.
Of course, people who dole out verbal punchew also must be able totake them. During one a line that should havegone “It almosgt appears that Booth wanted evidence to be found,” mysteriouslg popped out of Pierson’s mouth as “Itt almost appears that Bush wanted evidence to be found.” Pierson chuckles at the memoryg of the crowd crackinyg up. “Well, it kind of works both ways, doesn’t it?
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