The actor, who has portrayed Sherlock Holmes at the Oregon Cabaret, is back to deliver swash and comedy as the hero of ‘Sherwood’

By Jim Flint

When Nick Ferrucci bounds onto the stage as Robin Hood in Ken Ludwig’s “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, he brings with him more than a green tunic and a lightning-fast bow arm. He carries a career shaped equally by classical rigor, comic irreverence and an enduring affection for the Rogue Valley — an artistic home he keeps finding his way back to.

The comedic swashbuckler opened Jan. 23 and will run through March 29, offering matinee and evening performances. An optional pre-performance dinner (or brunch for matinees) is also available

Ferrucci is something of a theatrical nomad these days. Asked his age and city of residence, he replies with a grin between the lines.

“I’m a bit of a vagabond at the moment,” he said, “but currently I’m somewhere along the West Coast.”

That itinerant life suits an actor whose résumé zigzags from Shakespeare-adjacent drama to high-wire farce, from regional repertory houses to cabaret stages where audiences sit close enough to catch every raised eyebrow.

From sports to stage

Born and raised in Puyallup, Washington, Ferrucci didn’t grow up in a household steeped in theater.

“Not at all,” he said. “I grew up in a sports family.”

Basketball, baseball, and football filled his early years — until high school, when he did his first play, “Fiddler on the Roof.” The pivot wasn’t dramatic or romanticized in hindsight, but it proved decisive. The competitive rhythms of sports gave way to the collaborative demands of rehearsal rooms, and Ferrucci never really looked back.

Early inspiration came not from Broadway cast albums but from VHS tapes. Ferrucci grew up watching old Victor Borge recordings, performances that fused virtuosity with clowning. That blend left a mark. He also idolized performers such as Jim Carrey, Peter Sellers and Bill Irwin — artists unafraid to look ridiculous in pursuit of something truthful.

Later, a different influence took hold. Philip Seymour Hoffman became a lodestar, particularly in films like “Love Liza,” “Owning Mahowny,” “Capote” and “The Master.” The through line was range: comedy with teeth, drama with vulnerability, craft worn lightly.

Following curiosity

There was no singular “aha” moment when Ferrucci decided to become an actor.

“I just wasn’t interested in anything else,” he said.

He kept doing plays, comedy groups and drumming in bands, following curiosity rather than a long-term plan. Looking back, he admits he might have chosen differently if he’d been more pragmatic. But higher education sealed the deal.

“College and graduate school allowed me to fall in love with art. That’s ultimately what kept me here.”

That love affair began in earnest at Southern Oregon University, where Ferrucci earned a BFA in theater. The move brought him to Ashland early on and the Rogue Valley left a lasting imprint.

The area felt different from where he grew up — more porous to art, more welcoming of ambition. With the Oregon Shakespeare Festival nearby, students were surrounded by “high-level work, education and opportunity.” It made a life in theater feel not only possible, but worthwhile.

After SOU, Ferrucci went on to earn an MFA in acting from Northern Illinois University, adding layers of technique and discipline to his instincts. His training reads like a sampler platter of performance philosophies: the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia, the Second City in Chicago, the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy theater in Los Angeles. Each left a distinct imprint.

His MFA, he says, helped him develop his instrument — body and voice — but also taught him reverence. Studying at the Moscow Art Theatre connected him to the history and legacy of the form, while Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade reminded him “to stay irreverent and unserious.” The ongoing challenge, he said, is “learning to take acting — and life — incredibly seriously and not seriously at all, at the exact same time.”

Range and return

That balance has served him well across a wide-ranging career. Audiences may recognize him from Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s production of “A View From the Bridge,” where he played Submarine, or from Portland Center Stage productions including “Redwood,” “Crossing Mnisose” and “Astoria.” He’s tackled farce in “The Play That Goes Wrong,” romantic bravado as De Guiche in “Cyrano de Bergerac” and iconic roles like the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” at Sierra Repertory Theatre.

At the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Ferrucci has become a familiar — and welcome — presence. He first returned at the invitation of Valerie Rachelle, with whom he’d worked elsewhere, to play Sherlock Holmes in 2024. He also delighted audiences as the Mouse King in “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Each return reinforced his affection for the Oregon Cabaret Theatre.

“I knew I’d be in good hands. It’s a wonderful company to work for,” he said. “Fulfilling, joyful and deeply collaborative.”

High stakes, high energy

Performing at the Cabaret, he notes, is its own kind of marathon. Eight shows a week over runs that can stretch two months or more demand stamina and focus.

The payoff is the audience.

“They’re eager, engaged, and deeply appreciative of live theater,” he said. “They want to be entertained!” And that appetite fuels the work.

Taking on Robin Hood raised the stakes. Ferrucci admits he was both excited and nervous when cast. The role is iconic, the story resonant. Beyond the comedy and adventure, he wanted to be sure the production was saying something meaningful, noting how closely the story mirrors the current political landscape.

“Sherwood” is, in his words, “a romantic adventure comedy that’s truly for the whole family.”

“The challenge is in finding the right balance,” he said, “leaning into the playfulness without losing the poignancy and heart that make the story resonate.”

Directed by Rick Robinson, the production demands constant motion. Ferrucci’s role is athletic, romantic and often ridiculous, with sword fights, quick shifts in tone and genuine emotional stakes.

Timing is everything

Stamina is the biggest challenge. Ken Ludwig’s writing requires precision. Much of the work feels like choreography and comic timing as much as acting. Once the structure is locked in, Ferrucci said, the performance can stay alive and responsive, with timing that shifts subtly each night.

Comedy, for Ferrucci, is never throwaway. He recalls learning from OSF legend David Kelly that taking comedy seriously is essential. The approach doesn’t change much between genres: Identify the objective, the obstacle, and pursue the action, he said.

Asked about favorite roles, Ferrucci lights up talking about Sam Shepard’s “True West,” calling it “brutal, beautiful and demanding.” Still, “The Play That Goes Wrong” may be his desert-island show — the perfect distillation of the comedy heroes who first inspired him.

Offstage, Ferrucci finds sanctuary in baseball. A devoted Seattle Mariners fan, he’ll watch any team, drawn to the rhythm and meditation of the game.

“It continues to serve as a metaphor for life and acting — for everything really,” he said.

As for what audiences should take away from “Sherwood,” Ferrucci hopes they feel the strength of the company itself.

“This cast is incredible,” he said, “and the Oregon Cabaret has some of the best designers working in professional theater — lighting, sound, costumes, set and projections.”

The production has something for everyone: sword fights, comedy, romance, drama and heart.

“My hope,” he said, “is that people of all ages walk out feeling entertained, energized and maybe even a little inspired.”

For more information about “Sherwood” and other Oregon Cabaret shows, or to purchase tickets, visit oregoncabaret.com.

Jim Flint’s Curtain Call column publishes on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Jim at [email protected].