Sinbad slam-dunks the jokes at The Ridgefield Playhouse on March 31

 

Sinbad doesn't deliver punch lines - he slam-dunks them! Actor and comedian Sinbad’s "hit 'em in the face" style has kept audiences laughing in the aisles for more than three decades. A feel-good show – that is completely free of swearing - will have the whole family in stitches when he returns to the stage at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Thursday, March 31 at 8 p.m. From national TV and movie stardom to the printed page, Sinbad’s book, Guide To Life (Because I Know Everything), he tells stories in his comic observational style -- from love to layaway, parenting to primping, weight loss to the World Wide Web. Before this night of laughs, Dog & Pony (378 Main St., Ridgefield) is offering a free glass of house wine or draft beer with dinner the night of the show when tickets are presented. Media sponsor is 98Q.

In the early 1980s, Sinbad caught his first big break as a contestant on Star Search, winning 10 times on the show. Before long, Sinbad was an in-demand performer and landed a role on TV sitcom The Redd Foxx Show, playing Foxx's son on the short-lived series. He then landed a recurring role on The Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, which ran from 1987 to 1991. In addition to acting, Sinbad continued to perform his stand-up comedy. He became known for his offbeat yet clean approach to humor. As he explained to Ebony, he has been called "a middle-of-the-road comic.

Some of them compare me to Bill Cosby because I don't curse. I take that as a compliment, but my style is wilder than his." Sinbad went on to star his own sitcom, The Sinbad Show, in 1993. On the series, he played a single foster father to two children. The show's premise borrowed a bit from Sinbad's own life, as he was an active father himself, sharing joint custody of his two children from his first marriage. Over the years, Sinbad also made a number of film appearances, costarring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1996 holiday comedy Jingle All the Way and with Phil Hartman in Houseguest (1995). Around this time, he also wrote Sinbad's Guide to Life: Because I Know Everything.

Known for his humanitarian work, this kind-hearted performer finds time to help others through community service with The Children's Defense Fund and Omega Boys Club. In 1996, Sinbad accompanied First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to Bosnia and other European stops to provide comic relief to U.S. peacekeeping troops. He is the recipient of Harvard University's "Artist of the Year" (1997) award and the 1994 "Candle" award from Morehouse College honoring his excellence in Arts and Entertainment. With a long-standing interest in technology, Sinbad has served as a spokesperson for the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), which encourages minorities to pursue studies in science, math and engineering.

For tickets ($65, VIP Package VIP Package - including a hilarious Q&A with Sinbad, “Selfie” photo with Sinbad, and autographed laminate – is available for an additional $50 by calling the box office) call the box office at 203-438-5795, or order online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge