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Dressed in clothing representative of the 1800s, Janina Birtolo held a letter that looked aged as she read about delegates and massacres.

Kristen Poppenhouse / Eagle staff

Janina Birtolo performed in a one-woman historical drama, Remember the Ladies, at the Marco Island Yacht Club on Wednesday. The performance told the story of Abigail Adams, wife of the second U.S. president and mother of the sixth U.S. president. It was the fourth performance in the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts women in history series.

Birtolo performed a one-woman historical drama, Remember the Ladies, at the Marco Island Yacht Club on Wednesday. It was the fourth performance in the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts’ Women in History series and about 70 people attended.

Birtolo’s performance told the story of Abigail Adams, wife of the second U.S. president and mother of the sixth U.S. president.

Birtolo, as Adams, told about the founding fathers and creating a world where all men and women are considered and valued.

Birtolo said the founding mothers were just as involved in the fight. She began with talking about Adams’ childhood and then her marriage to John Adams.

Adams learned about duty to one’s country from her grandfather and duty to God from her father. And this was her support for her life.

Adams described her husband as her dearest friend and said all he wanted in life was to be a simple farmer. The first 18 years of their marriage, they were not together more than half the time.

She spoke of the major events, including the Boston Tea Party and the French Revolution. And how Adams stayed home to raise the children, care for the finances and look after their aging parents.

Adams wrote many letters to John and friends.

“Women should share in liberty and freedom, but also the slaves,” she said.

She described the events with the Declaration of Independence and Abigail’s and John’s strong duty to the country.

She talked about moving to France and about coming back to the U.S. Shortly after, John was elected as vice president.

Birtolo, as Abigail, saod that people must safeguard the Declaration of Independence.

“You people hold the power,” she said. “And remember, too, the ladies, because we have much wisdom to share.”

Birtolo has been doing one-woman characters since 2001. She started with Dava Sobel, Galileo’s daughter. She chose Abigail when she read a book about the founding mothers and thought Abigail was the cream of the crop that rose to the top.

With an hour-long performance, Birtolo said it’s always been easy for her to memorize lines. She said it helps that she writes the plays, too.

She said it was fun putting it together about Abigail and since Abigail left a lot of writings, Birtolo was able to incorporate Abigail’s words as much as she could.

Birtolo said she felt that Abigail’s message was not to take liberty lightly and to be involved in protecting your liberties.

She said the performance is a fun way to learn history. Her schedule of other performances can be found at www.janinabirtolo.com.

“I think it was the most enjoyable and informable ways I’ve ever spent at a luncheon,” Howard Blankman said. “Janina was a mistress of her material and delivered it with passion and ease.”

The Marco Island Foundation for the Arts will have an art film series in March and will continue to have performances at The Esplanade.

The organization is sponsoring three scholarships for graduating Marco Island high school seniors. Only students living on Marco Island will be eligible for the scholarships.

Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each will be awarded to students showing outstanding ability in visual arts, literary arts or performing arts.

Applications can be obtained through high school guidance councilors, visiting www.marcoarts.org or by calling Karen Dowling at 642-8668. The deadline for applications is April 30.

“This is our first effort in establishing the Marco Island Arts Scholarships. We look forward to receiving many applications and hope our fellow Marco Islanders will join us in finding deserving students for these three scholarships,” Dowling said.