About This Show
Imagine Dat! STOPS THE MUSIC and portrays Jimmy Durante like you’ve never seen before. A solo dramady show about the man behind the nose, the maestro behind the music, and the jester behind the jokes. Jon Freda embodies Jimmy Durante after a series of “catastastrokes” who has to “reconstyle” his life to the Big Guy before he can pass on from the waiting room of his (after) life, with a couple of musical numbers in true Durante form.
The audience experiences the ups and downs of the “Great Schnozzola”; the son of immigrants from Italy, a seventh grade dropout, an entertainment icon that had a career that spanned 6 decades, 4 major wars, two marriages and millions of adoring fans. Older members of the audience become nostalgic when they hear him belt out “Ink a Dink a Doo” among others and reminisce as he portrays different characters from the old days of New York City’s nightclubs and speakeasies, and strolls and “soft shoes” his way through life. The younger members of the audience are curious when they hear “Frosty the Snowman” as they remember the loveable gruff Durante inspired voice of Herry the Muppet Monster from Sesame Street.