Fredonia Opera House presents tribute to comedy legend
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The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center will present actor/comedian Brian Hoffman in a special one-man tribute to comedy legend Red Skelton on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Hoffman's performance in Remembering Red ... a Tribute to Red Skelton at the Opera House occurs just a few days shy of what would be Skelton's 110th birthday.
Direct from Las Vegas, Remembering Red is a family friendly, clean comedy show. Re-live great memories from the 1950s, 60s and early 70s, as Hoffman acts out the narrated pantomimes and short skits for which Skelton was famous. The show features many of the characters Skelton made household names, including Freddie the Freeloader, Clem Kadiddlehopper, Junior the Mean Widdle Kid, and more. Ideal for all ages, even the kids will enjoy the silly humor of the two seagulls, Gertrude and Heathcliff. Hoffman's comedy career of impersonating Skelton not only has allowed him to perform in Las Vegas, the "Entertainment Capital of the World," but also at the Red Skelton Tribute theatre in Pigeon Forge, TN, as well as to travel and entertain Baby Boomers all over the United States. His ability to look, walk and sound like Skelton takes audiences back in time, often making them forget that they are not seeing the "real" Red Skelton.
The son of a circus clown, Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television acts between 1937 and 1971 and as host of the television program The Red Skelton Show.
Skelton learned his comedic and pantomime skills beginning at age 10 when he became part of a traveling medicine show. He then spent time on a showboat, worked the burlesque circuit and entered Vaudeville in 1934. An appearance on The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour in 1937 launched his radio career, which lasted until 1957. Most eager to work in television, even as the medium was in its infancy, Skelton premiered The Red Skelton Show on Sept. 30, 1951. It would run for 19 years until it was cancelled in 1970.
Remembering Red is part of the Spotlight Series at the Opera House, which is generously sponsored by DFT Communications. Tickets are $20 (Adults), $18 (Opera House Members) and $10 (Students) and can be purchased in person at the Opera House Box Office or by phone at 716-679-1891, Tuesday-Friday, 12-4:30 p.m., or online anytime at www.fredopera.org.
Opera House programming is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and in part by the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center is a member-supported not-for-profit performing arts center with a mission to "present the performing arts for the benefit of our community and region ... providing access to artistic diversity ... and high quality programming at an affordable price." It is located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.