Janice Erickson Smith as 'Patsy'
On Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles you can spot dozens of celebrity look-alikes who will have their picture taken with you: Superman, Marilyn Monroe, Darth Vader etc. Take your pick. You won’t see Martha Washington there, but I doubt that any of those impersonators come close to Janice Erickson Smith in not only looking just like their subject but in being like them too.
Smith is currently appearing as Martha Washington (Patsy) in “Eliza and Patsy” (Review) in the Philly Fringe Festival. She has been an 18th century re-enactor for some time. Her husband has been a re-enactor since the Bicentennial. A visit to the Tuscarora Lapidary Society awakened an interest in jewelry design in Smith and she took some classes in silver work and learned to facet stones.
Merging her family’s interest in 18th century re-enactment and her own in jewelry design, she founded Historic Delights 5 years ago. She specializes in handcrafted jewelry designs of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and Historic Delights has provided the jewelry for "Eliza and Patsy". The family’s “canvas marquee” can be seen at historic reenactments. This year they plan to be at the 18th century encampment at Hope Lodge in Montgomery county on the first weekend of November.
But, how did Smith become Martha? How are they so alike? One day in Trenton at a historical event, business was slow for the vendors. A woman named Deborah Peterson looked over at Smith and said: “You know, you should be Martha Washington.” Smith thought it was a joke. But she did some research, and the more she learned, the more intrigued she became. All those portraits of an elderly, grey-haired Martha, looking so serious (you weren’t supposed to smile in your portrait—it was frivolous to do so) belied the much younger woman who bravely traveled to stay with her husband General Washington during his winter encampments, could tell a good joke, and refused to leave the family plantation at Mount Vernon when it was feared that the British would send a ship along the Potomac river to capture her during the war for independence.
Smith also learned that both she and Martha are the exact same height, share some French heritage, have fair complexions, and light-colored eyes: green for Martha (Patsy) and blue for Janice. Both women prefer the comforts of home and agonize over packing for a trip (but what woman doesn’t?).
Martha was not only the beloved wife of George, and a fine hostess at Mount Vernon, she was effectively a CEO. Managing a plantation—actually an almost entirely self-sufficient community was, in fact, “a very big management job”. There were many things manufactured or produced on the plantation, as well as food crops to feed the many people living and visiting there and cash crops. There was a constant stream of visitors to be welcomed and entertained. With General Washington away so much, Martha was left with all the managing of affairs. And of course there were the times she went to join him during winter encampments which involved packing up part of her household and leaving the plantation in good shape and running smoothly. Martha didn’t spend a lot of time sitting around posing elegantly! She did manage to spend an hour every morning with her prayer book.
Smith brings her vividly to life in “Eliza and Patsy”, distilling all that she has learned about her to create a richly realistic character. An audience member described the conversations of Smith (Patsy/Martha) and Colleen O’Brien (Eliza) in “Eliza and Patsy” as “intimate”. Smith considers that high praise and hopes to be portraying Martha/Patsy for a long time to come.
There are still performances of “Eliza and Patsy”. Check the Live Arts-Philly Fringe web site for tickets. Eliza and Patsy, The Powel House, 244 South Third Street, Philadelphia. September 15 & 16 at 7 & 9pm. Tickets: $10.00. Running time: 60 minutes
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