Singer, comedian and celebrity impressionist, Terry Fator brought his show to the Luhrs Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Aug. 23. It was an evening of not just comedy and music, but inspiration as well.
His act was ventriloquism with a wonderful twist. The puppets, with eerie accuracy, performed songs by impersonating the original artists who made those songs famous.
Winston the Impersonating Turtle was the first ventriloquist’s puppet to appear, singing a duet as Kermit the Frog, with Fator taking the part of Louis Armstrong. OK, technically Fator was singing both parts in turn, but you get the gist. They performed “What a Wonderful World,” one of Armstrong’s most enduring hits.
The artists came rapid fire. Ozzy Ozbourne rode the “Crazy Train”; Randy Travis promised to love “For Ever and Ever Amen”; ZZ Top, with the assistance of DJ Harris, brought their spinning guitars (one of which lost the air that inflated it); Garth Brooks told us about his “Friends in Low Places”; Tony Bennett “Left His Heart in San Francisco”; and Roy Orbison was “Crying.”
Lounge singing puppet Monte Carlo brought Las Vegas smooth with Tony Bennett, and Elvis impersonator Maynard Tompkins, who does not actually know any Elvis songs, gave the crowd Paul Anka singing “My Way.”
One of the many highlights of the evening came when puppet Emma Taylor, the 12-year-old with the big voice, performed “At Last” in the deep, rich, soulful voice of the great Etta James. It was also one of the Fator’s performances on America’s Got Talent, and it stunned the judges, as shown on one of the clips Fator has projected on the large screen behind him.
The projection screen played a big part in the show, which summarized Fator’s rise from a teenager with a dream to becoming a headliner in Vegas, where he now has a 5-year contract as a headliner at the Mirage. Early photos and many clips of his performances helped him tell his story.
But even this night of fun was not without helping others. The receipts from all merchandise sales during his tour go to help veterans and their families. One of the organizations he supports is the Snowball Express, which serves the children of fallen military heroes.
Comedy, music and supporting a good cause – hard to find a better or more memorable evening.
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