Mr. Tad Allen has been portraying President Abraham Lincoln for over twenty years. Although he has always been a fan of the president, Allen only began impersonating Lincoln after growing a beard and being told by friends and colleagues of his strong resemblance. Since then the concept has really taken off.
A former assistant professor at Brevard Community College; Allen has done extensive research on our sixteenth president. He has devoted one room of his house to look-alike, where he maintains a library of nearly 800 publications on Lincoln and other memorabilia.
Allen’s extensive insight into all aspects of Lincoln’s life provides him the versatility to target his programs specifically to the audience at hand, thus making a dramatic impression on groups ranging from young children to senior citizens. He also offers a question-and-answer period afterwards, encouraging listeners to explore his wealth of knowledge about the president.
The audience becomes spellbound, as Tad Allen commands attention with his absolute look-alike manner and dress. An uncanny hush settles in, as Mr. Allen truly becomes “honest Abe”. Children blurt out, “I thought you were dead.” Adults express, “I felt that I was actually in the presence of Abraham Lincoln.” The most often expressed sentiment is, “You could have heard a pin drop during your performance.”
One of Allen’s greatest honors was being invited to perform in Lincoln’s hometown of Hodgenville, Kentucky for the Lincoln Days Celebration, where he won the National Abraham Lincoln Look-Alike Competition.