About Lamar Banister :

Lamar Banister wears too many hats to count. As a historic interpreter, he can portray anyone from author Charles Dickens to St. Nicolas to mountain man Jedediah Strong Smith. He also offers a unique walk-through of nearly 20 musical instruments, some of which Banister crafted himself. In his exciting Wild West Medicine Show, Banister introduces the program with a brief history of the American west, followed by demonstrations of hatchet and knife throwing, as well as Annie Oakley-style trick shots using a mirror. Banister's repertoire is unique and extensive.

Having worked as a special-education teacher and private school founder, steelworker, musician, assistant pastor, carpenter, among other things, Banister has literally done it all. Aside from portraying historical characters, he can speak on family life and parenting, marriage, leadership and motivation. Banister has experience working with troubled youth and the learning disabled. Given his work founding a private Christian school and his Master's degree in education, Banister is well-qualified to work with children and teenagers. In fact, kids can't get enough of his antics, especially when he pulls out one of his many props and goes to work!

A mountain man himself, Banister's experiences living without running water in a log cabin in Colorado, as well as his time as a wilderness trainer combine to make him an extraordinary motivational speaker. Banister also does several composite characters including a Revolutionary War soldier, a Civil War soldier, The Workin' Man, and a Shepherd's View of The 23rd Psalm. All of Banister's characterizations, speeches and portrayals show his genuine care for the people in his audience, and his passions for teaching and helping people grow are evident from his performances. Having been featured on the local Richmond news and on Virginia Currents television broadcast, Banister's notoriety continues to grow. Rarely do we encounter such a gifted and versatile man as Lamar Banister.

With our nation's sesquicentennial upon us, Banister has developed a brilliant program "Our Nation Divided". "To understand it, you have to hear both sides", says Banister.  For the first time, the civil war that divided families, states and our nation, is presented from both perspectives through Banister's one-man, outlandish, Half-Yank, Half-Reb presentation of "Our Nation Divided".

Testimonials:

"The members of the Board of Directors of the Miles B. Carpenter Folk Art Museum would like to express their sincere appreciation for your magnificent one man performance at the 25th Anniversary Folk Art Festival on May 8, 2010. The feedback we received from the audience was overwhelming. It was indeed a delight to sit on the grounds and listen to your masterful instrumental music, songs and stories of American history. Children were engaged creatively in your program and adults alike were mesmerized from beginning to end as you effortlessly wove the tapestry of time through music." -Beverly Hartz, Miles B. Carpenter Folk Art Museum

Speech Titles:

• 
  Parenting and marriage


• 
  Leadership and motivation

Portrayals and Composite Shows:

• 
  Pierre Cruzatt


• 
  Peter Cartwright 


• 
  Charles Dickens 


• 
  William Wallace 


• 
  Jedediah Strong Smith 


• 
  Johnny Appleseed 


• 
  William Wallace Story


• 
  John Clarke – Plymouth Sailor


• 
  John Howard – Plymouth Settler 


• 
  Joseph the Carpenter  (Jesus’ Step-father)


• 
  St. Nicolas 


• 
  St. Patrick 


• 
  St. Francis of Assisi 


• 
  St. John the Apostle


• 
  Shepherd’s View of the 23rd Psalm


• 
  Revolutionary Soldier


• 
  Civil War Soldier


• 
  Working Man (turn of the century)


• 
  Working on Henry Spelman (Emissary to the Powhatans) 

Religious & Spiritual Topics