When Terry Fator took the stage of America’s Got Talent way back in 2007, no one could have predicted the trajectory his career would have taken. After all, it was just a man, a puppet and a trio of judges, one of whom obviously had no tolerance for ventriloquists. (We’re looking at you, David Hasselhoff!). Then Fator opened his mouth—er, rather, his puppet, Emma Taylor, opened her mouth, and out came the voice of Etta James singing “At Last.” Suddenly some of the judges resembled dummies themselves, mouths wide open in stunned disbelief.
He went on to win that season, and everyone knew he was on his way to significant fame. It made sense, as at the time, it was just a basic fact—no one could do what Fator could do; not only was he a world-class ventriloquist, he could throw his voice while singing! And not only that, he could sing in other people’s voices, specifically the voices of legendary musicians, everyone from Garth Brooks and Karen Carpenter to Bruno Mars and Meghan Trainor. It was an act tailor-made for Las Vegas, as it had all the elements of a classic Vegas show:
1. The ventriloquist element, well grounded in Vegas lore, thanks to legendary acts like Willie Tyler and Lester, Wayland Flowers and Madame, and even more recent acts like Ronn Lucas and Jeff Dunham.
2. The comedy element, one that incorporates the cheesy, anything-for-a-laugh style that goes all the way back to The Rat Pack, Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickles.
3. The singing element, as almost every voice Fator generates has performed in Las Vegas—Elvis Presley, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Louis Armstrong, and so many others.
So began an incredibly successful run, first at Las Vegas Hilton (now the Westgate Las Vegas), for a year, followed by a $100 million, multi-year contract at The Mirage, complete with a performance space built for him, The Terry Fator Theater.
But as every entertainer on the Strip knows, Vegas is a town that changes rapidly, and that extends to performers. Fator wrapped up his Mirage residency after 11 years in 2019, and was set to return to New York-New York right before the pandemic shutdown of 2020. However, he was also one of the first shows to return in late 2020, originally in the space previously used by Cirque du Soleils’ Zumanity and, now, in a new space ideally suited to the intimacy his show requires: Liberty Loft, located on New York-New York’s second floor.
Of his new show, titled, Who’s the Dummy Now? Fator said in a press release, “I am thankful to the MGM Resorts team for allowing me to perform at the resort, and am touched by the tens of thousands of fans who came out to support me this year. When we started to talk about Liberty Loft, I was thrilled to discover it affords us the opportunity to create the ideal viewing experience for my audience.”
No doubt Fator will continue to amaze and entertain a whole new generation of fans.
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