Paul Messinger, veteran actor and director, plays the 40th president in "Ronald Reagan Saves the World." Photo contributed

“Ronald Reagan Saves the World,” an original screenplay by former journalist Terry Phillips, is coming to Fresno’s Tower Theatre Saturday for one night only.

Though his name is in the title, the play is not entirely about Reagan. Instead, Phillips said it focuses on a time when the political parties were not as divided. 

“I think that art can change the world. But it does it incrementally. One of the things that we have talked about pretty much from the beginning is that we hope this play starts the conversation and then lets it go from there,” said Paul Messinger, veteran actor and director.

The collaborative effort from multiple creators, writers and directors spotlights Reagan’s life juggling family and marital obligations while running the country. The one-person show is directed by Messinger, who also plays the 40th president.

 

“He is an extremely experienced actor and director. I’ve seen him on stage before, and he just captivates the audience and elevates the role that he plays to the point where I know this play a little bit. And every time, I’m taken aback by his performance,” said Phillips. 

Part of the proceeds from the show will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. The organization was chosen because of Reagan’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In return, the association has helped produce the play. 

Most of their funding came from supporters. Phillips said they tried a Kickstarter campaign that didn’t go as planned. They didn’t meet their goal, but the people who pledged still donated to the arts. 

The play was originally going to debut in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the date. Phillips didn’t plan to become a co-producer of the play — he hoped to write the script and turn it over to someone willing to pick it up. 

During that time, nobody wanted to invest in theatre. So the collaborators were left with two choices —  put it on the shelf and wait or take a chance and back it themselves, which they decided to do.

 

The show opened in Santa Barbara for nine performances. Carmel was the next stop before arriving in Fresno. 

Phillips is a journalist, author and media consultant. As a foreign correspondent, he covered events around the world for CBS News, and reported regularly for NPR, MonitoRadio and the NBC/Mutual Broadcasting System. He said people have an opportunity to leave the show with a better understanding of Reagan and possibly themselves.

“They can expect in 90 minutes to see something they’ve never seen before. And they will come away having a different understanding — I think, regardless of their preconceived notions, a different understanding of who Ronald Reagan was, a better understanding of who we are, and some hope that we can be better,” Phillips said.