Join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln for a Constitution Day celebration.
The four former presidents will meet on stage Thursday, September 17, at 7 p.m, in the East Grand Rapids High School auditorium, 2211 Lake Dr. SE, Grand Rapids.
Rushmore Live is being co-hosted by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, the Gerald R. Ford Foundation and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum.
"West Michigan is in for a first-rate event," said Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. "These character interpreters combine a love of history with a knowledge of 'their' president. This is probably the first time that all four of these presidents will have had the opportunity to debate the toughest issues our nation has faced. And you can count on them doing it with humor, grace, and expertise."
Character Interpreters:
Bill Barker, Colonial Williamsburg's
Thomas Jefferson, has portrayed the 3rd president for more than 20
years. An actor and student of history, Barker played Jefferson in the
musical "1776," and he has performed at the White House, the
Palace of Versailles throughout the United States, Great Britain,
France, and on the Las Vegas Strip. Barker has portrayed Jefferson in
programs on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, the History Channel, and C-SPAN.
Jim Foote, Sagamore Hill's Theodore Roosevelt, has portrayed the 26th president for more than 30 years. Foote has played TR at the White House, Mount Rushmore, and all across the U.S. He has appeared on the History Channel, C-SPAN, and on Comedy Central's "Colbert Report," where he refused to apologize for the Spanish-American War.
Jim Getty, Gettyburg's Abraham Lincoln, has portrayed the 16th president for more than 30 years. A nationally renowned actor and Lincoln historian, Getty has performed at the National Theater in Washington, D.C., the Library of Congress, and the Reagan and Ford Presidential Libraries.
Dean Malissa, Philadelphia’s George Washington, has portrayed the first president for 10 years. Malissa has played Washington at Mount Vernon, Smithsonian Institution, National Constitution Center, Mount Rushmore and across the U.S. He has appeared on Discovery Channel and Showtime.
For more information visit www.allpresidents.org or call (616) 331-2770.
