By Renee Worthing 

Staff Writer

Kennebunk resident Danie Connolly said when she met Jonathan Meath, she “just knew” he had to portray Santa in the Norman Rockwell Famous Saturday Evening Post Illustrations’ Plays to be performed Aug. 16 at Kennebunk Town Hall. She also enlisted him to portray Santa on the May Day Parade float on which a Norman Rockwell illustration of Santa will be recreated.

The white-bearded Meath is the husband of M’Lue Zahner and a self-proclaimed “wonderful father” to 19-year-old Amelia and stepdaughter Laura. He is also a proud grandfather of Laura’s 9-month-old son, Henry.

 Meath lives in Cambridge, Mass. where he produces children’s television shows, including “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”– an educational cartoon that taught children geography.

He also produced the second incarnation of the 1970s educational children’s show, ZOOM, “The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss,” and “Paz the Penguin,” and was the animated host of the Discovery Kids show “Ready Set Learn.”

The original ZOOM invited viewers to send their jokes, tricks, recipes, games, science experiments and other contributions to ZOOM, Box 3-5-0, Boston, Mass. 0-2-1-3-4.

 “All viewers of the original ZOOM can sing the original ZOOM jingle,” he said.

The unscripted show featured a cast of seven children, called ZOOMERS, who performed the games, experiments and other contributions on air.

He said the second ZOOM harkened back to the original  format, but was enhanced by the Internet.

“On the Web, it was even better,” he said.

While the first ZOOM was able to share a few viewer contributions per show, the Internet allowed “thousands of ideas to be shared,” Meath said.

“The promise of ZOOM was fully realized with interactivity in the 21st century,” he said, though the show is now off the air.

“I’m also working on a new preschool program,” he said, but declined to reveal details.

Meath often appears as Santa Claus after children pointed out his likeness to Santa.

“After that, the beard got longer, the shirts more red,” he said.

During the holiday season, Meath makes appearances as Santa at retail stores, birthday parties, parades, corporate functions and any other venue requiring Ol’ St. Nick.

During the “off season,” Meath appears at “Christmas in July” events, visits nursing homes, homeless shelters and is available for “Santa on vacation”” appearances in a “wonderful” Santa suit from the 1960s.

“It came from ebay and it has ‘the magic,’” he said. “It’s got the history.”

Meath made a cameo appearance as Santa in the Matthew McConaughy film “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” due to be released early next year.

“It’s based on ‘A Christmas Carol,’ which by the way, is my favorite Christmas story,” he said. “It’s all about Santa.”

He said he is excited to participate in the Norman Rockwell Famous Saturday Evening Post Illustrations’ Plays.

“Each play begins or ends with a tableau of the (Rockwell) image,” he said, adding he will be recreating Rockwell’s illustration of Santa mapping out his Christmas Eve route.

Meath said Rockwell’s illustrations capture an era of innocence in small town America.

“In Maine, the feeling of small town still exists, I hope,” Meath said.

During the May Day Parade May 3, Meath will recreate Rockwell’s illustration, “Santa at the Map,” sitting atop a ladder in front of an 8-foot-by-8-foot map, charting the route for his Christmas Eve toy delivery.

Meath said he hopes retirement will allow him to be a full time Santa.