By Judy Thorburn
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Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - Las Vegas Round The Clock
Owner/Editor in Chief/writer - The Flick Chicks
Director of Communications - Nevada Film Alliance
www.theflickchicks.com

Terry Fator performs special show to benefit the Arthritis Foundation

Singing impressionist Terry Fator performed a special show of Terry Fator: Ventriloquism in Concert at 6 p.m on Sunday, Oct. 24 at the Mirage to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation. The "Voices for a Cure" benefit was in honor of Terry Fator's sister, Debi, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis more than 20 years ago at the age of 18. The "Voices for a Cure" benefit was to raise awareness and research funds for the 464,000 adults and 2,300 children with arthritis in Nevada.

Before the show started Debi arrived on stage and spoke about how she has struggled for 24 years with the debiliting disease that effects the immune system, attacks the body’s joints, bones and organs and makes it very difficult to live a normal, pain free life. Presently there is no cure, but she emphasized how important it is for anyone who may be experiencing the symptoms of arthritis to get an early diagnosis and treatment.

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Terry Fator presents his sister Debi with a bouquet of flowers.
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

As for Terry’s special performance, guests not only paid the price for a ticket that went to a good cause, they got every bit of their money’s worth seeing an excellent performer, who stands out as the best in his field.

I have seen Fator’s show several times in which he brings to life a cast of characters with his amazing ventriloquism and celebrity singing impressions and he has tweaked and tightened his show to perfection. While his band of eclectic puppet characters include Winston, the impersonating turtle, Country and Western ladies man Walter T. Airdale, Maynard Thompkins, the ever stuttering, self proclaimed world greatest Elvis impersonator, the recently added crash test dummy named “Rex”, and Vicki, the sultry red headed “cougar”, a few of Fator’s puppet friends have undergone a makeover. Julius, the ultra smoothe soul singer now looks like Nat King Cole (his excuse for the radical change in appearance is that he had plastic surgery) and jazz songstress Ella Taylor shows up as a wild haired, freckle faced teen. For this special show, stoner Dougie Scott Walker, described as the annoying neighbor, was decked out in black cape and mask in celebration of Halloween.

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Terry Fator with 'Julius'
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

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Terry Fator with 'Walter T. Airdale'
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

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Terry Fator and 'Ella Taylor'
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

As an unparalled talent drawing both local and international audiences to his Vegas show, it is admirable that Terry Fator is using his gift as a way to help raise money for this and other charitable causes. Although 2300 children have been diagnosed with arthritis in Nevada sadly, at this time, there is no pediatric rheumatolgist in Las Vegas. Felix Rappaport, President of the Mirage spoke after the performance adding “Hopefully the money raised (from his special show) will help bring a pediatric rheumatolgist to Las Vegas.”

For more information about the Arthritis Foundation visit www.arthritis.org.

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Some of Terry Fator's characters
Photo credit: Stephen Thorburn

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