The First Embassy
Schedule
Fri, 22 May, 2026 at 07:30 pm to Sun, 24 May, 2026 at 03:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
500 NE 9th St, Ocala, FL, United States, Florida 34470 | Ocala, FL
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Join us in the NOMA Black Box May 22 - May 24 for The First Embassy! Performed by award-winning actor/playwright Ronald Keaton, this one-man theatrical event brings the founding of America to life through powerful storytelling and emotional depth.
The First Embassy tells the story of Benjamin Franklin’s mission to France during the American Revolution, and the personal journey that unfolded alongside it.
✨ In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America
Event Description:
In late 1776, Benjamin Franklin is asked by Congress to go to France to speak with Louis XVI about becoming partners in the Revolutionary fight against Britain. As he prepares yet again to serve his country, Franklin asks his 16-year-old grandson Temple to come along. It's a thoughtful, challenging tale about the most famous American in the world, his patriotic dealings in Paris as America's first ambassador, and the rise and fall of a grandson's love...all told through one man's eyes.
Long Bio:
Ronald Keaton is an award-winning actor/playwright, best known for creating and performing original one-person theatrical events that bring great figures and forgotten stories vividly to life. His solo productions - including Churchill, his original Appalachian drama Echo Holler, and the Irish-themed Teddy’s Last Ride - have earned strong audience response across the country for their emotional depth, historical grounding, and intimate storytelling style, as they reflect the vast experience of an actor in the business for over a half-century.
Now arrives his newest work, The First Embassy, as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence. It explores the diplomatic mission of Benjamin Franklin, as he helps to secure the nation’s survival. It also shows us a softer side of the great man through his 16-year-old grandson, Temple. Through humor, humanity, and meticulous research, Keaton portrays the great man in France at the turning point of the Revolution - revealing the man behind the legend and the unique negotiations that changed history.
Specializing in solo narrative theatre, Keaton founded, along with Artistic Director Kurt Johns, SoloChicago Theatre Company. Its performances combine scholarship, character transformation, and direct audience connection - creating theatrical experiences that are both educational and deeply engaging. The First Embassy highlights Keaton's signature blend of scholarship, humor, and human insight well-suited to regional theatres and cultural venues - all while focusing on ideas of legacy, redemption, and the enduring spark of the human spirit.
Tickets on-sale this Friday, February 20th at 11 AM!
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Where is it happening?
500 NE 9th St, Ocala, FL, United States, Florida 34470Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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