John Leguizamo is coming to town with every intention of making you laugh until you cry, and then cry a little bit and then laugh some more.

The actor is currently touring the country with his hit Broadway show, "Ghetto Klown," and he will be here performing live Feb. 14 at the American Bank Center.

Leguizamo has been in show business for decades, getting his start with Madonna's "Borderline" video and various appearances on the television series, "Miami Vice," from 1986 to 1989. He is best known for his performance opposite Al Pacino as Benny Blanco in "Carlito's Way," his portrayal of Toulouse-Lautrec in "Moulin Rouge" and of course, who could forget him as Sid in the "Ice Age" movies?

But he is always willing to forgo the screen for some one-on-one time with his audiences by performing his signature one-man shows. The first, "Mambo Mouth," was a hit with the critics, and he followed it with "Spic-O-Rama." Next came "Freak," which was also filmed as an HBO special directed by Spike Lee, followed by "Sexaholix … A Love Story," which was nominated for a Tony for Best Special Theatrical Performance.

"Ghetto Klown" may be the funniest show yet. "It took me almost six years to put this show together," Leguizamo says. "I wanted to find out what it would be like to put together a show about what it really takes to be a success – all the ups and downs and things you have to go through."

He says it took so long because he was "having a panic attack. I was experiencing performance anxiety and just didn't want to go out and do a show in front of people."

He started giving talks to college kids. The talks were meant to motivate the students by telling them his personal experiences and the obstacles he's overcome to be a success in such a highly competitive field. But then he started to notice that the kids really loved his talks. He began to refine them, keeping what worked and dropping what didn't, and the result is the show he performs today.

Leguizamo warns that "Ghetto Klown" is "brutally honest." He tells his audience about the famous people with whom he's worked and gives the real story of his experience in show business. Even the impersonations are brutal. Everyone from Pacino and Steven Seagal to Sean Penn and Patrick Swayze is a victim of his wit on stage.

"It's real and raw, but that's what makes it hilarious," he says. "I liked connecting with the college kids, and the show is really about the journey of my life."

It's about his evolution in show business, which he says boils down to hard work. The way to succeed in show business, Leguizamo told the students and now says in his show, is being willing to dedicate yourself to the work. But that's nothing new for the actor, who was born in Bogota, Colombia, and moved to New York City with his immigrant parents as a toddler.

He says he was a troubled kid, always acting like the class clown, until one day, a math teacher told him that instead of being a class clown, he should go into acting. He took her suggestions seriously and began acting at 17.

It was a long road from class clown to "Ghetto Klown," but Leguizamo says hard work and perseverance are what got him where he is today.

"Hollywood is always a struggle," he says. "You have to see beyond that and make it happen. Don't get stuck waiting for an opportunity. You have to make it happen for yourself."

That's a poignant message for a show that is, by all accounts, very funny, but Leguizamo learned how to get just that message across in a funny way when addressing those college kids.

And this performance is perhaps his favorite part of acting. "A one-man show is the most intimate experience an actor can have with his audience," he says. "It can take them to a different time, a different space, just with the power of suggestion and the power of what you talk about and where you take them. That's the power of theater."

The show tackles tickly topics like his first divorce, spoofing his family and even his impression of the scene in "Carlito's Way" when Pacino schools his character. "That bit always gets the crowd going," he says.

The show ran on Broadway for six months and has been touring for four years. "It's just been a pretty incredible reception," he says. "The six years I took making the show made a difference. Time equals quality. There's no shortcut around it.

"This is the rawest, craziest show to date. There's dancing, singing, big jokes, even drama. They will be taken on a journey, and they will definitely enjoy it."

If this show wasn't enough to keep him busy, the notoriously hard worker also has "Ice Age 4" coming out this summer, along with "One for the Money" with Katherine Heigl, and "Fugly," which he wrote and produced, debuting soon.

To find out more about the show itself, go to http://ghettoklownbroadway.com/. For ticket information and other details about the performance here in Corpus Christi, go to www.americanbankcenter.com, or call 361-826-4700.

Leguizamo will also be tweeting about his upcoming visit and his experiences here, so he recommends following those, as well, to get the real scoop on his experiences while touring through the Lone Star State.

It's an exciting day for the Coastal Bend that an actor of this caliber is bringing such a widely critically acclaimed show to this neck of the woods!