“ANIMAL” VS. “HUMAN” PUPPET
The debate over whether to use an animal puppet or a human puppet or figure has raged for many years. Is there a right or wrong answer? I don’t think so. I think it depends upon your performance style and your intended audience. In an old issue...
ARRIVAL TIME IMPORTANT IN MANY WAYS !
When my son Brett was in high school marching band his director had a saying that rings true for all of us, “To be on time is to be late; to be early is to be on time!”. In other words, get to your appointment / show early so you have time to gather your...
THE REWRITE !
This happens to all working vents. You write what you think is a great bit for your show and it gets a tepid response. You feel maybe it’s the audience being tired, conditions weren’t right, but for what ever reason it isn’t going as well as...
GIVE YOUR NEW SHOW “SHAKE DOWN” TIME !
I have found something that is practical when it comes to working a new show. You need “shake down” time…the time it takes to actually work out the flaws and rough places in a new show. It’s amazing when I video one of my shows in early...
KEEP IT SIMPLE !
I once took a vent friend of mine with me to one of my school shows. This friend watched with interest as I did my 40 minute program and witnessed the routines that I presented to this audience of 400 kids. They roared with laughter at my...
IT TAKES DEDICATION !
A motivational speaker I heard once said “it takes dedication to get the job done!” and no truer words can be said, especially when it comes to the art of ventriloquism. Let’s face it, ventriloquism is not instant gratification. It definitely...
RECYCLING OR CANNIBALIZING A PREVIOUS SHOW
I am a firm believer in reusing material or taking parts (cannibalizing)from an old show to make it fit into a new show. The only caveat is to make sure that the show you are dissecting isn’t one you did recently for the same group. If it is...
WHEN IN DOUBT…
To tell you the truth I shouldn’t even have to write this column. It’s about interjecting some adult humor into a children’s or family show, under the guise that the young people in the audience won’t get it. Some claim the jokes are over the...
WHO IS YOUR COMEDY MENTOR?
That’s a question worth pondering about for a few minutes, who is, or are, your “comedy” mentors. Now It COULD be a ventriloquist who is your favorite, or it may be someone else, like a comedian or someone you saw on television. Although I have...
ARE YOU A “NICHE” VENTRILOQUIST ?
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...
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