Terry Fator lends his voice to an ensemble cast in ‘Who’s the Dummy Now?’ By Matt Kelemen
Terry Fator has spent much of his show business career surrounded by dummies. They steal the spotlight onstage even though Fator often carries them. A true pro, he prefers the audience focus on his co-stars while they sing. Those co-stars got Fator to where he is now, at New York-New York Hotel & Casino with a second Vegas residency that seeks to answer the question put forth by its title: Who’s the Dummy Now? Surely Fator is not the dummy, although a few members of his ever-evolving supporting cast may beg to differ. Who’s the Dummy Now? is a double entendre, possibly a triple, that strikes to the core of the art of ventriloquism while inviting the audience to suspend disbelief and imagine Fator’s pint-sized celebrity likenesses have been possessed by the spirits of their inspirations. Those inspirations are invariably Fator’s and include David Bowie, whose presence allows for a rendition of Bowie’s classic collaboration with Queen, “Under Pressure.”
30
8.7.22
LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE
Fator’s singing career started long before his 2007 AGT win, and his interest in ventriloquism began during his adolescence. He can trace his artistic ancestry to Edgar Bergen, who established ventriloquist standards in popular culture such as having multiple dummies with contrasting Fator’s respect for Elvis Presley and personalities. Contemporary dumthe legacy of Las Vegas entermies had to be memorable as Willie tainment is embodied in Maynard Tyler’s Lester and Wayland Flowers’ Tompkins, the world’s greatest Elvis Madame were in the ’70s. impersonator whose resemblance Airdale joined the act first. Other to The King makes up for the lack of characters were gradually added to focus that has prevented his from the cast, and some such as Vikki learning any Presley songs proper. the Cougar and Wrex the Crash Test Fortunately, Fator has Walter T. Dummy became integral to Fator’s Airdale on hand to add Nashville stage show. Fator got more knowhow to the proceedings. comfortable doing more The country star has been direct impressions of married eight times and New Yorksingers with respective does dead-on impresNew York dummy likenesses as he sions of Garth Brooks 866.606.7111 became a veteran Vegas and Toby Keith that have headliner and added caused many tears to fall versions of Elton John, Paul into beers during his storied McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Dean career. Fator’s own career would Martin, Willie Nelson and Justin have turned out very differently Timberlake to his ensemble. were it not for his sidekick, Winston With all that impersonating, the the Impersonating Turtle. Who’s singer found a way to get back to the Second Banana? may be a where he once belonged by schedmore descriptive title as winsome uling a series of semi-monthly Terry Winston demonstrates chemistry Fator After Hours Thursday night with his boss, a key factor leading to performances inside New York-New Fator becoming the second-season York’s The Bar at Times Square. champion of America’s Got Talent.
Photo courtesy of MGM Resorts International
