How To Showcase Your Act
When I was younger I hated showcases. I'd get asked to perform in one and end up getting the shaft. By that, I mean they were basically free shows for the audiences. I didn't see any value in showcasing. To me they were glorified free entertainment. "I'm a...
Ventriloquist’s Wish List
My good friend David Weyrick wrote me the other day. He thought a good idea for a column may be a Ventriloquist's Wish List. During the holidays, gift giving is a way of showing others you care. I am at the age that if I want something, I buy it. Which...
Do You Deliver Funny?
Do you deliver funny on stage? Any talent can be boring if not presented in an engaging way. Yet few performers study comedy in-depth. It is more than just telling jokes. You must study what makes words funny so that audiences will laugh. If you follow this tip it will help your act and your bottom line.
The Future Of Ventriloquism
Predictions For The Future Of Ventriloquism I have gazed into my crystal ball to see the future. Okay, it really isn't a crystal ball. It is a glass doorknob. And it really isn't mine. I did this in a Home Depot. And I may have been drinking at the time. But these are...
How NOT To Do Ventriloquism
I get a lot of email from people who want to learn ventriloquism. This one arrived in my inbox the other day: You state that you don't really throw your voice and you can't really tell where the sound is coming from however I attempted to do this and the...
How To Do Ventriloquism
I was scanning through YouTube the other day and a realization hit. There are a ton of free ventriloquism tutorials videos on the Internet. BUT ... Most were about lip control and labial techniques. If you are a ventriloquist, you know there is more to this art than...
Load In / Load Out
You've put thought into your show. You know your script. You know what puppets you are going to use. You've determined what props you need. Chances are you've purchased a trunk. And you've practiced your show. But ... Have you given any thought to how you will load in...
Time In A Parking Lot
I spent a lot of time in a parking lot today. The day I wrote this anyway. Why? Because I believe in being early, or at the very latest - on time. So I had a three hour and 15 minute drive to reach my first gig today. And I allowed a bit over four hours....
There Are Plenty Of Shows
There Are Plenty Of Shows Maybe you have heard the old saying, "There is enough work for everyone." That is true when it comes to shows. Every day people have special events. It may be a corporate dinner, product launch, promotion or tradeshow. Maybe it is...
A Tale Of Two Mahers …
Today I'm going to share a story. A story of TWO Maher Ventriloquist Studios. Today, Maher Studios doesn't begin to resemble the old Maher Studios. The old Maher Studios built figures and sold puppets. The new Maher Studios does not. That is just one...
