Many of you reading this are probably scratching your collective heads wondering what the heck I am talking about. It’s really simple, do you have a favorite market or a market that you feel you relate to especially well. One that satisfies you and that you can actually say “yes, that’s who I am!”. For me it was the kidshow market. I relate to it, I love to entertain kids, and I am (hope this doesn’t sound like a brag) really good at it. I made my entire living doing vent for over 30 years thanks to primarily kidshow audiences, and I truly enjoyed it!
Now that’s not saying you have to stick with only doing one kind of ventriloquism. I also worked several summers doing fair and amphitheater work as the opening act for such top headliners as Garth Brooks, Reba McIntire, Marie Osmond, Trace Atkins and hundreds of others. It was fun and gratifying, but I always came back to my first love, entertaining kids.
As the saying goes, it’s difficult to serve two masters. I feel sorry for the vents who try to be all things to all people and end up being nothing to anyone. As Zig Zigler, the great motivational speaker, once said “Become a meaningful specific instead of a wondering generality!” NOW is the time to experiment and find your comfort level and audience enjoyment level. Once you’ve found it will be like mining in a vein of pure gold. Go for your gold and find your niche and work it with all you’ve got. You will being doing yourself and our art a great service!
To contact Mark Wade: kidshowvent@gmail.com
