Bill Foley, Living History
- Lewis Center, OH
- Civil War Reenactment
- 5 Verified Bookings
Stacy B. said “Bill was very knowledgeable and gave an excellent presentation.”
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Since 2003, Whit McMahan has been portraying President Abraham Lincoln in character and is a life member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters.
Being a Lincoln impersonator/actor appears to be his divine gift, since he was interested in Lincoln, making trips to his birthplace, long before he ever began to resemble him. Through his storytelling, he has entertained audiences from ages 2 - 92 at senior living centers, schools, and Civil War events. Through his research of Lincoln’s character, mannerisms, and voice, Whit presents his character in his own special way.
Please visit his website: (link hidden)
What a wonderful day we had with a great rendition of “Abraham Lincoln” and his wife “Mary” spending the day with our elementary students. From costume to presentation, our stents were mesmerized.
Response from Abraham Lincoln Portrayer:
Alicia, Thank you for your time time in posting this positive review.
I hosted Mr. McMahan’s Lincoln portrayal for my residents at The Villages of Murfreesboro Senior Living Facility. Not only was I blown away by his performance but my residents have not stopped talking about how much they enjoyed it as well. It not only met, but exceeded everyone’s expectations and was quite frankly worth every penny. We will definitely be booking Mr. McMahan again.
Response from Abraham Lincoln Portrayer:
Thank you so much, Jeb, for the positive feedback!
Mr. McMahan did a wonderful job portraying Abraham Lincoln. Our third graders were quiet and engaged the whole time he was speaking.
He brought several items to show the kids such as toys, books, and speeches by Abraham Lincoln.
I would recommend him for third grade and up for a biography lesson or any historical lesson you need.
Whit did an incredible job presenting Abraham Lincoln as a delightful & moving historical icon who was personable, funny, & informative. His creative depiction of the 16th President was a huge crowd pleaser!
My school age children really enjoyed the show.
Wonderful! Hope we can work with Mr. McMahan in the future!
Price Range: $150 for presentations, $225 for all day events
Gig Length: 20 - 60 minutes
Languages: English
Unions: Abraham Lincoln Presenters
For ONE SCORE and ONE YEARS, I have been been bringing the Sixteenth President back to life through his wisdom and humor. "Life of Lincoln", my adult program, includes a story of President Abraham Lincoln's life through the war years and tragic end at Ford's Theater. I have designed my adult talks to entertain, educate, and motivate listeners. I will also add period music and patriotic decor. My children's presentations are adapted for age four and up, including an illustration of period homemade toys.
Since my childhood, I have been an admirer of the Sixteenth American President, known as the Great Emancipator. Born in the old county of Jefferson Davis' birth in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, I made stops throughout my youth at Abraham Lincoln's birthplace near Hodgenville, Kentucky whenever our family visited the region. I'm not sure why I liked to visit so often, but it seemed like a nice, serene place.
yet the story doesn't end here ...
After receiving my college degree and growing a beard in 1991, I began to be teased about my actual resemblance to the former President. My destiny as a presenter then seemed written in the stars. Over a decade later, I began developing a speech dressed in character as Lincoln, which I presented on Independence Day, 2003. The following year, I joined the Association of Lincoln Presenters and became a lifetime member of that organization.
I have portrayed President Lincoln in first person for audiences of ages 2 to 92. Throughout the years, I have visited retirement centers, schools, battle fields, libraries, and more.
I generally do my presentations on Mondays and Tuesdays, with Saturday as a backup day. However, I can also accommodate other schedules if arranged in advance. I generally present in Middle Tennessee.
No stage required, just a large gathering area.
Sound system furnished.
Patriotic decor furnished (34 star flag, fans, garland).
Need a table (5-6 feet in length) to set up my display of materials.
Need private access to the area 1:15 minutes early in order to set up.
Need someone to read an introduction and press a start button on my audio unit to begin the program music. I will provide the introduction and operate the music during the program.
May 20, 2024 • 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Retirement Community Event |
February 09, 2024 • 9:00am - 10:00am | School Assembly |
September 29, 2023 • 4:00pm - 5:00pm | House Party |
July 27, 2022 • 10:00am - 11:00am | Camp Event |
February 11, 2022 • 10:00am - 12:00pm | Nonprofit Event |
February 16, 2017 • 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Dinner Party |
I use recorded period music during my presentations. The songs I typically include are:
Gentle Annie (Stephen Foster)
Dixie's Land
Hail to the Chief
Lincoln and Liberty
Ashokan Farewell (20th century)
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Battle Cry of Freedom
God Bless America (20th century)
I have been inspired by the many members of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, an organization of men and women dedicated to bringing Abraham and Mary Lincoln to life.
I have made over 170 appearances, including 70 retirement centers, 14 conventions, 14 festivals, battle re-enactments, libraries, and schools.
A 4 or 5 foot long table
Electrical outlet nearby
Stacy B. said “Bill was very knowledgeable and gave an excellent presentation.”
Ryan F. said “I invited Barry, or should I say Ben, to entertain guests at my birthday party (Turned 25) and it could not have gone better. Ben was excellent at mingling…”
Tammy S. said “We enjoyed having Santa Craig Cringle with us for our holiday party. He was extremely professional, arrived early, stayed later and the kids and adults…”
Rania A. said “Mr. Richardson was welcomed as Frederick Douglass in Cleveland, OH in Spring 2022. The production was set at the Cleveland History Center of the Western…”