Vent Haven-Ken Groves ..more on Vent Haven to follow
July 23 2008 at 12:25 PM
Ron Crowley
Sitting beside an insurance or a real estate agent would be a quiet time compared to Ken Groves. He is very high energy and has a take no prisoners attitude.
Ken hosted a seminar on the morning of Thursday July 15th--sorry Wednesday night was comprised of registration, gabbing with friends, and watching the one man too long show(45 minutes) by Ken Lucas and getting my sea legs at the Drawbridge Inn.
Ken Groves says one must have a professional look on stage with at least a backdrop(on the curtain)like he had. He stated one's emphasis should be on the comedy -not the vent and vent should be the vehicle for good comedy which he says is ten times more difficult than not moving your lips. He said one must dress well and look good.
He says never let the audience closer than 12 feet since closer than and that the human ear can trace the source of the vent sound and ruin the illusion of a conversation between two separate people.
Groves went on to say he believes one should begin a show with stand up and then move on to ventriloquism and is convinced the success of a show is 80 per cent determined by controlling the stage conditions before you arrive.
An audience member asked him about using Ax Trax voice CD's and he retorted.."where's the talent?"..""if you use them then call yourself a puppeteer not a vent."
Thanks for sharing, Ron. Some good pointers there. For my ventriloquism I find it best if the audience is much further than 12 feet away. Usually 120 feet and they seem to enjoy themselves the most. That puts them just out of earshot.
If you want them closer you can always perform underwater, where it is much more difficult to distinguish the voices. The Latex puppets (such as the book) are excellent for underwater ventriloquism. If you don't have a puppet which is completely latex then you can try blacklight ventriloquism, which also helps the illusion.
Concerning the Ax-trax, keep in mind that they come with a background track as well, so once you have it down you will be able to do actual ventriloquism and have the sound effects and music right where you want it. Think of it as a talented sound person who works very cheaply.
Was the 45 minute show too long because you had spent the day traveling?
On a different note (D minor) I am working on the Jewish story of Esther (thus the minor note). I perform it on Saturday. This will be the first time I have taken the entire time to tell one story (in several ways) instead of using a theme and lots of skits. We'll see how it goes. I'm excited about the possibility. If it works well perhaps I'll tackle 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy.
Ken mentioned having everything ready BEFORE the show for a successful show. That is very true. I've had to ask places to turn the air conditioning up because once you get 100 bodies in there it's going to be hot. I was just at a place that crammed twice as many people in as the fire marshall would have allowed. Had I known that many were coming I would have said, "Let's do two shorter shows." They were serving ice cream and cake afterward and that would have split the serving line in two as well.
Sound is the most important thing to check. Where are your feedback spots? Once mine was right in front of my backdrop! Check everyplace you intend to walk.
Lighting is generally overlooked. I went to a college show and they had NO lights on the stage, but all the houselights on. I called the usher over and said, "Can you turn more lights on the performer?" It took them 15 minutes to figure out how, but it added to the rest of the night. The motto is MORE light on the performer and less on the audience.
Have your props in order so you
A. Don't turn your back to the audience
B. Don't disappear (without a conversation going on)
I break both of those rules because I'm lazy, but they are good rules.
Once your props are in order you'll find you don't have to look at your show outline, it's lined up for you!
Ken mentioned that we should start with stand-up comedy before doing ventriloquism in the show. I don't think most of us can do that. When I say it, it just isn't as funny as when the bear says it. I tried saying, "I love children. They're delicious." Didn't work. The bear knows just how to say it. Most of us couldn't do stand up without our partners. And that's okay. Who was Abbott without Costello? Burns without Allen? Laurel without Hardy? Axtell without Latex?
Matt, I have to have the update of my little book on Irish-Canadian history ready for distribution on August First. I still have many rewrites to do and one of the reasons I'm behind is that I didn't do any revisions while I was at Vent Haven in Kaintuck.
Matt what was your favourite seminar..which was your favourite performance?
Point well taken, Tony ,but people were there from all over the world so maybe it was a scheduling blip.. I was looking at my watch.
I am now convinced..the theme was Taking It To The Next Level..that I have to change a number of vent things. First, straight vent is too much unless you're Ronn Lucas. Terry Fator showed us the importance and fun of variety entertainment. Fator live in a room of only 200 people is/was so impressive. More on Terry later.
My favorite seminar was Ken Groves' seminar. It was just a good foundation of how, for me, to start getting into actually doing Vent shows. Speaking of shows, My favorite was Jeff Dunham's show. I know it was also a lecture, but for a lecture/show combo, his was my favorite. The reason is that he is the one inspired me to get into doing ventriloquism, so I loved learning from him.
Breakdown:
Just a lecture: Ken Groves's Breaking Down the Brick Walls of Show Biz
Show/lecture: Talk With Jeff Duham and the Guys.
Terry Fator is the biggest Entertainment package I have ever seen in the world of vent. He told us in Fort Mitchell that when he entered America Has Talent he "was unknown" in the world of vent.". Matt, he is the most natural entertainer I have ever seen on stage. He did not seem any different than he had been all day sitting on the chairs in the audience with the rest of us.The name Fator did not ring my bells--even after his win--not anymore--the man's singing and range is unbelievable..his pacing is first class.
My favourite seminar was in a Master Class(what was I doing there?) hosted by Dan Horn. He has the best ventriloquist figure manipulation I have ever seen and this includes Ronn Lucas. Horn (with his two control poles)is the master of vent movement.
My biggest disappointment was Pete Michaels(not his real surname). His introduction of his new gay vent figure and his constant homosexual jokes attack again B.C.'s Neil Bacon in the first row was bullying and only Neil's good, Canadian manners prevented a retaliation. And again this year I was again unmoved by Jeff Dunham. I consider his Dead Terrorist skit as racist(last year at a Vent Haven forum I stood up and said this.)'nuff said for now.
I really liked Ken's workshop/lecture too, but I did disagree on a few things and that's OK. I do a lot of walk around vent and it isn't an issue.
People still talk to the puppet and "go along" with the illusion.
Dan is a master of manipulation for sure. I love how he can pick up any puppet and just bring it to life.
As for Pete Miceals picking on me - Pete and I are friends, and it was my fault for sitting in the front row
I don't find Jeff racist at all. I agree with what he says in that it's OK to laugh at our fears. Whistling in the dark as he calls it.
Maybe it is just a matter of taste, but I like all of Jeff's characters.
Thanks for the info Neale. I thought that Yank was giving the gears to a hoser, eh? As for the rest we'll continue the discussion next year.(smiley face icon)
Tony, the Tour Director says most of the things I know won't pay off the mortgage(actually I did that and got 2 kids through college)and our camp out in the rhubarb(home).
For what it's worth, we had a good synagogue in our little Ontario town and in late winter(inside where I lived somewhat south of James Bay) the lighthearted festival of Purim was held in late winter (the date changes every year and the site Ask Moses will clarify 2009 date).
Anyway, this funny festival commemorates the survival of the Jewish people and the scroll of Esther is read in the synagogue..it's a kind of late winter carnival.
Yet listen to this Tony..all the children masquerade as characters in the story of Esther.
Now gentle listeners, who do we know who owns his own TRIBE of vent figures?..not including Wanlu? Right... Rabbi Antonio Borducci! So Tony,your PR flak (brother--law) sets up gigs for late winter. Isn't it quite possible that with some of your venues, the kids in the audiences would dress up as Esther characters? Additionally, your tribe could also be costumed vent characters. Uhhh Ron..what about a script? RIGHT..what's a cubit? I think it would be a hoot to help you write it(you get to keep the falling Yankee dollars you make). This could be fun! Yours,Thares
I did the story of Esther this morning. I had forgotten that the children dress up as characters in the story for Purim. I did dress up 5 kids for the main characters. The Axtell lion played the part of the king (makes sense). I used behind the stage puppets for Esther, Mordecai, and Haman, although I'd love to get a Diva for Esther sometime.
The hard part is that I felt like I was telling pieces of the story instead of the story. If you didn't know the story already you wouldn't have known it when I was done either! BUT the elements are there. I used a lot of magic tricks and started off dressed as the cook in the kitchen of the castle of the king. He likes food that starts with a k sound. Cookies, cakes, croissants, candy, casseroles, etc. And I've been cooking for 7 days because he's been throwing a never ending party! Then I make a birthday cake appear in the dove pan and do an alcohol passe-passe bottle routine to talk about the drinking.
2. The lion comes out as the king and asks for Vashti, who won't come.
3. Radio type announcer tells about a contest for the new queen.
4. Magic Drawing Board for Before and After pictures. I let the kids draw the before and then we try to work on her outer beauty.
5. Appearing flower trick to talk about inner beauty.
6. etc. etc. etc. There are MANY elements, but it is difficult to have the story flow. It might actually work best to write it as a stage play for puppets, with less humor and more understanding, so I'll work on that.
I was out walking the pup(who wanted to fight all five fierce, big sheepdogs on the neighbouring farm when it struck me. In a Damascus moment I became papist..racked with another guilt trip..Bless me father for I have sinned. I thought I had tried to convince you to become Jewish and try to convert Christian children. Egad!
Luckily on my return now I read your reply and praise the Lord you're still Christian! I was trying to suggest a Purim/Old Testament theme not a conversion.
I was exhausted with worry..now I must get back to rewriting the church history. It's been a real trial.
excluding Purim, i think we heard from the purist's. vent can be many things at the same time and that was what was being celebrated. yes i enjoyed ken's lecture but it immediately made me nervous as i want to go into walk a round. vals lecture had some great points on one way to approach that, but for me came up short as to the mechanics of "how to".
one of the best things for me was the tie in,(in my own head) of dale's lecture on characterization and jeff's q and a session. for me the depth of character that jeff has on his group gave life to dales lecture. (and, it is something that i have never done.) so i guess i need to start interviewing my cast of critters!
above all, i was struck with the unparralled aproachability of everyone and their willingness to help. It was only surpassed by , (these are my words), the "unbridled creativity" that was evident everywhere you looked. from characters, to routines, to performance antics. this alone had my head hurting as it has been so restrained for so many years, all the while trying to break free.
Mary fry, if you are reading this, thanks for being a sounding board, i needed an outlet.
