Comedian Frank O’Donnell to open for Bobby Collins at Ocean State Theatre

Posted 8/6/14

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company that recently concluded its second successful summer season in Warwick, along with legendary comedy club Catch A …

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Comedian Frank O’Donnell to open for Bobby Collins at Ocean State Theatre

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Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company that recently concluded its second successful summer season in Warwick, along with legendary comedy club Catch A Rising Star, announce that local comedian Frank O’Donnell will open for nationally recognized funnyman Bobby Collins at Ocean State Theatre on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

“We are thrilled that Frank will be joining Bobby Collins on August 17. He has been a friend of OSTC’s for many years,” said Amiee Turner, producing artistic director of Ocean State Theatre Company. “Not only has he appeared on stage in both the staged reading of ‘They Walk Among Us’ in commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of The Station nightclub fire and as Big Jule in our recent production of ‘Guys and Dolls,’ but The Keri Anne O’Donnell Memorial Fund, which was established to honor the memory of his daughter who loved everything about performing, has presented a scholarship to a Camp OSTC camper for the past four years.”

Frank O’Donnell, a Providence native who now calls North Providence home, is well known for his off-the-cuff humor and emceeing talents. He began performing as a standup comedian in 1982 and helped establish Periwinkle’s, (Rhode Island’s first comedy club), where he emceed open mic nights and hosted and appeared in the weekend shows.

Frank has appeared at numerous colleges and comedy clubs throughout North America and was recently voted the area’s Best Comedian by the readers of a local publication. He has opened for such notable performers/groups as Michael Bolton, Chicago, the Harlem Globetrotters, David Brenner and Richard Lewis.

In the early ’90s, Frank hosted and produced The Laffin’ Group on Rhode Island cable television. His material has been used on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and by comedy legend Bob Hope (in a special Rhode Island appearance in 1986).

As one of today’s leading and most sought-after comedic talents, Bobby Collins’ heartfelt humor engages audiences with a clever blend of characterizations and hilarious observations, to which everyone can relate. He takes the funny business very seriously, from starring in his own Showtime Special and being Rosie O’Donnell’s predecessor pick to host VH1’s “Stand-up Spotlight,” to opening for such names as Cher, Dolly Parton, Julio Iglesias and Tony Bennett, to name a few. Topping Collins’ first comedy CD “On The Inside,” which showcased his wide-ranging observational material, his second “Out Of Bounds,” earned a Grammy nomination. While live stage performances in New York, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City are forever expanding his list of faithful followers, he has also appeared in five feature films and numerous television shows.

O’Donnell will join Collins for one performance only at Ocean State Theatre on Sunday, August 17 at 7:30 p.m. The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. A limited number of VIP tickets, which include a post show meet and greet with Bobby Collins, are available for $40. All other tickets are $25 and are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12 noon-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 12 noon-4 p.m. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling 921-6800.

Catch A Rising Star is a nationally known trademark and forum, recognized for over 35 years for launching the careers of some of America’s most popular and beloved television and film stars, top comedians, comic actors, musicians, directors, producers and writers. A leader in the industry, Catch A Rising Star’s commitment to tomorrow’s comedy stars has remained the same over its history, and continues today in Reno, Nev., Providence, Princeton, N.J. and Monticello, N.Y.

OSTC is a professional not-for-profit regional theatre whose mission is to preserve and pass on the tradition of live, professional theatre – including the American musical – and to pursue avenues of enrichment and education for the benefit of the state of Rhode Island and the surrounding region through the theatre arts. OSTC, which re-opened and ran the historic Theatre By The Sea in Matunuck from 2007-2012 and began producing shows in Warwick in 2012, is an IRS designated not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.

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