Abraham Lincoln lives on through Neshanic man
By:Mary Kaempfen
Eager and enthusiastic, Dan Bassuk of Neshanic hastened to explain what the new dimension was in his career as impersonator of Abraham Lincoln.
Dr. Bassuk’s usual solitary excursions into schools have him presenting important information through original stories about Lincoln. But Dr. Bassuk and his wife, Pat Thomas, have now formed a team, and this team has presented a drama they wrote about Abe Lincoln on the day he was shot, April 14, 1865.
Dr. Bassuk, who has a doctoral degree in literature and religion, not only expounded on their play, but he breathed softly and spoke in mellow tones about how good "working together and being together" with his wife happened to be while putting on the show.
Dr. Bassuk is in his glory, as they say, and with husbandly heartfelt feelings called his wife the "light of my life."
Ms. Thomas, in addition to being an actress, is also an educator, author, and music student at Westminster Conservatory of Music.
The play that Lincoln went to see, called "Our American Cousin," had been a success and ran for a long time before Lincoln was to see it on the last night of his life.
Dr. Bassuk and Ms. Thomas’ show weaves around "Our American Cousin," with Dr. Bassuk playing Lincoln and Ms. Thomas doing the part of Laura Keene, the featured actress in "Our American Cousin."
In Dr. Bassuk and Ms. Thomas’s show, "Star-Crossed Lovers of the Theater," Laura Keene makes a visit to the White House to see President Lincoln; each learns how compatible each one is with the other – the theater is important to both of them – and Lincoln has always been fond of Shakespeare.
Lincoln intends to see Laura Keene’s performance, not knowing what will happen on that fateful night.
Ms. Thomas, an accomplished pianist, plays a funeral dirge called "A Nation in Tears" (circa 1865) as a musical interlude to indicate to the audience that the assassination of President Lincoln has occurred.
These moments in time are enhanced by the costumed performers and the period piano music.
Scene 2 and the last act of Dr. Bassuk and Ms. Thomas’s play depicts Laura Keene after the shooting as she delivers a monologue describing the assassination of her beloved president.
Ms. Keene, a highly successful Victorian actress, was shattered by Lincoln’s assassination and her health and career were affected in the long run.
At the time of the shooting, Laura Keene, who managed, starred in, and directed the acting group, ran to Lincoln’s box and held Lincoln’s head in her lap.
Dr. Bassuk started to "become" Abe Lincoln in 1970 when friends began to call him "Honest Abe" because of his close-cropped beard. In the next 10 years Dr. Bassuk began to read and accumulate books on Lincoln – he has over 800 now – as well as collected memorabilia.
In the 20 years that have elapsed Dr. Bassuk has become a believable impersonator and storyteller. Props such as dolls, books and a Civil War flag may accompany Dr. Bassuk on his one-man shows.
He also has started a group called the "Association of Lincoln Presenters" – he enjoys working with others who can "invest themselves with Lincoln persona, attire."
"Honest Abe" unquestionably believes in Lincoln. He can speak the Gettysburg Address in two minutes. His answering machine bellows out, "I have stepped out of the Oval Office."
Ms. Thomas likes her role as Laura Keene very much; she admits that her admiration for this Victorian woman has stimulated her to play her part with greater depth and intensity.
Dr. Bassuk believes that their show provides a good opportunity for Ms. Thomas to use her piano-playing ability.
Because of his solo work, Dr. Bassuk receives more than 100 letters per year from students, all of which are personally answered by him. Dr. Bassuk at present is collaborating with a colleague on a book about Lincoln.
My 1998 column about Dr. Bassuk quoted him as believing that African-Americans would have been given the vote sooner if Abraham Lincoln’s life had not been cut off so soon. He still contends this.
In addition, he calls Lincoln "velvet and steel" because Lincoln was braced with steel in that he aggressively ended the war – he fought slavery to the end.
Dr. Bassuk admits that the president was a melancholy person.
As for schooling, Lincoln did not have much, yet he was given honorary degrees from Columbia University, Princeton University, and Knox College.
Lincoln aspired to knowledge, to greatness because of the voluminous amount of reading that he did and because of his innate intelligence.
Dr. Bassuk admires "the Great Emancipator" more and more as each year passes. He recognizes that Lincoln has been idealized but defends this by saying, "Whenever there is a struggle for freedom, people admire him for what he did."
And what happened to Laura Keene in spite of the assassination? Her presence had made the theater a respectable place for women, especially in New York, where she built her own theater.
Audiences are very responsive to Dr. Bassuk and Ms. Thomas because of their thoroughly researched script and their authentic costumes. (Ms. Thomas wears a cape and shawl over her dress)
It was time to go. For purposes of general information I asked this couple how long they had been married. "Five years!" piped up Ms. Thomas.
"Oh, you’re honeymooners!" I proclaimed. Dr. Bassuk winced at that.
I owed him one. In our 1998 interview I mistakenly called Ms. Thomas his daughter. He never let me forget it.