Terry Fator Delivers Laughter and Heart at the Palace Theater

By Dave Parsons

The Palace Theater in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has seen its share of legendary performances over the years, but on the night of March 29, 2025, it hosted a show unlike any other. Terry Fator, the world-renowned ventriloquist, singer, and comedian, brought his one-of-a-kind blend of puppetry, impressions, and heartfelt storytelling to a packed house.

Known for his meteoric rise to fame after winning America’s Got Talent in 2007, Fator has spent the past two decades honing his craft.  His ability to blend ventriloquism with music and comedy sets him apart. He can make his voice sound like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Garth Brooks, and countless others.  Fator doesn’t just put on a puppet show—he stages a full-fledged variety performance that engages the audience.

Fator has a roster of puppet characters that are as famous as he is. He makes you forget he’s the one doing all the talking, but then has one of the puppets remind you of that very fact, which makes the show even more entertaining.

The Palace Theater, a historic venue in downtown Greensburg, was an ideal setting for Fator’s show. With a small screen above the center stage, adding in the great acoustics and intimate seating, you could see every wrinkle of the eyebrow and curl of the lip which brought the show even more to life.

Fator brought along a cast of characters to share the show with.  Puppets with personalities like Winston the Impersonating Turtle.  Winston was one of the first characters that Fator created and the end of his segment actually turned into a trio between Winston, Fator and a familiar green frog, each taking a turn on What a Wonderful World.  

Puppet characters like Maynard Thompkins, the greatest Elvis impersonator, who doesn’t actually know any Elvis songs, had the audience rolling as he attempted to sing famous Elvis tunes but humorously got every lyric wrong. Julius the Soul Singer, bringing a Motown vibe to the show, Walter T. Airdale and his country songs and characters like Fernando V. Francisco and Vikki The Cougar kept the crowd in stitches as the 90 minutes rolled by in what seemed like a blink of an eye.

While Fator’s comedic timing and banter with his puppets kept the audience roaring with laughter, the show had its heartfelt moments as well. He shared personal stories about his journey from small-town Texas to the Las Vegas Strip, expressing gratitude to longtime fans in the seats.  He acknowledged one fan who had seen him perform 16 times. In another sweet moment, a young fan near the stage made Fator stop a moment to enjoy the youngster’s giggles.

The mix of comedy, music, and heartfelt moments made for a show that had something for everyone. Winding up the night, Maynard Thompkins found his voice and lyric sheet for a verse of My Way. Adding in a puppet of Frank Sinatra it turned into a trio that brought the house down.

The standing ovation Fator received wasn’t just for his incredible skills as a ventriloquist—it was for the experience he had created. Fator asked the audience if they would like to see one more song, and brought out on stage, complete with a tuxedo, none other than Winston the Impersonating Turtle.  Originally beginning the song with a backing track, the two ended up doing an ACAPELLA duet of an OPERA song, that was pure magic.

For those lucky enough to be in attendance, it was a night of wonder, laughter, and music that they won’t soon forget. And for those who haven’t yet seen Terry Fator live, it’s a must-see experience that showcases the magic of live performance at its very best.