Hey friends!

I was just curious what the ratio of standard puppeteers vs ventrilequists here is?

I truly admire you gifted voice throwers!!...i wish i had the talent!! Me i do standard muppet style puppetry at a puppet theater...and love every minute of it!!

SOUND OFF!!

cc

I do mostly vent (not the greatest vent but well enough to get by with the kids)

I vent-- using ventriloquism... Haven't done puppetry per se in 50 years.85% of my figures are Axtell.

I am a better puppeteer than vent, but I do a pretty even mix, along with magic. I will say that we vents would all benefit from puppetry lessons. I started as a vent, switched to puppetry for 15 years, then incorporated vent once again when I got a puppet with legs.

You'll have to use vent with your new Ostrich puppet. Hard to lift that thing over the stage!

Thanks for posting guys!!

Tony... we pre record all of our shows to enable various staff members to exchange shifts... we do so many shows a week and have such demanding production value...its just the only way to insure each show is at its best!

we do however do a half hour pre-show presentation that is all live... its my favorite part because its so interactive and "fly by the seat of your pants" kinda thing

cc

Aloha,

Did I ever say Hello?

I started as a Vent around age 7 with a "Danny" listening to Jimmy Nelsons' record over & over. Went into Magic but always kept up with Vent & Puppetry. Big fan of Bergen, Nelson, Lewis, Winchell & all current Vents. Took puppetry from Kermit Love of Jim Hensons' staff in College, became Pres. of Hawaii's SAM & IBM, and became a returning Vent last year. I love it and missed it a lot. (Not back to speed yet, but steadily improving)

Along the way, also designed big Haunted Houses, Wrote a book on Magic, contributed Gag material (99cts Shopping Spree) to Jay Leno (some used), Consulted for Theater, did Commedia 'Del Arte & Magic for Rennaissance Faires, Wrote Comedy for Island Comics, did multiple jobs for Conventions and produced a Childrens' Cancer Benefit featuring the great Ronn Lucas

Gotta say how tremendously helpful Jimmy Nelsons' observations came in for entertainment work. Practice-practice-practice. Don't let a stale response throw you, perservere, and work as often as possible to improve. God Bless him. He said gently the truths all entertainers need to hear.

If you are a Pro Vent passing through Honolulu I am happy to do local liason work (done that for several magicians) or buy you lunch in town.

My new Bride and I thoroughly enjoyed the 2011 ConVENTion (at the suggestion of Mr. Axtell). Vent is the most fun I've had in a long time! We can't wait for the next one. Hope to meet Mr. Borders and many of you there.

Aloha & Have a great year.

Mike C
MikeChingMagic.Com
HonoluluSantas.Com
HawaiiVentriloquist.Com
FB:http://www.facebook.com/mikechingmagic?ref=profile

Sounds like youve had an amazing career thus far mike!!

Here's to many more years doing what you love!!

cc

I only know one thing Hawaiian joke. I was traveling on a plane to Hawaii one time many years ago when a friend told me that people raised in Hawaii pronounced it as Havaii, with a v sound. I said that I didn't believe him. In fact, I bet him $20 that he was wrong. He said, "When we land I'll prove it to you. My good friend was born and raised there and he's picking us up at the airport. You can ask him."
So when we landed I shook his friend's hand and said, "How do you pronounce the name of this great state?"
He said, "Havaii." I was amazed! I pulled out a twenty and paid off my bet. I turned back to the native Hawaiian and said, "Thank you."
He said, "You're velcome."


Incidentally, I have never been to VentHaven myself. Usually working hard in the summer (as opposed to hardly working in the winter). But we do hope to go to Maui sometime in the near future!

I started out at age 7 with my Danny O'Day doll and Jimmy Nelson's record. Years passed and I went over to magic which has been my main focus. Being a Children's entertainer I decided about a year and a half ago to get back into venting seriously. Last month I debuted my venting in one of my magic shows and it went over great. I am working more and more on my venting and would like to be able to offer both Magic or Ventriloquist shows and a combination of the two.

good stuff eddie!!

cc

I vent. Not a pro by no means. None the less I vent. I have found if I am tired or trying to be loud, due to no sound system, the lips want to move more. With a good mic, I am good to go, in front of a group I got them. When I am able to watch faces. They aren't looking at me anyway. They are watching the puppet. Isn't that the way it is suppose to be? Bring life to the puppet so they are watching the puppet and not the vent. I treat the puppet as if it were alive and well, and have noticed most people suck it up.
My brother and son are the hardest to vent around though. They are too busy pointing at my mistakes. But friends and not close friends are eating it up. I am grateful that the family keeps me on my toes. It helps me to grow and improve. As for the others I love the smiles and the laughter. The kids get caught up in it, and it is wonderful. Dodger DeCar (my Axtell possum) talks with a twang. I had a small group of kids repeat after him one Sunday morning. They all resounded with a twang. The church pews broke in laughter. It was great! I love puppeteers to. But I prefer to vent.

You mentioned some times when it is difficult to keep the lips still. I find that true when I am working on a new skit (the script takes too much concentration), I am tired (thinking takes too much concentration), I am using a different puppet, such as a hard figure, or I have just eaten something with sugar which creates too much saliva.

Over production of saliva can be a problem. When kids in the front rows complain, I bring out the Axtell Dolphin with the squirter which serves as the perfect cover.

I do both and ejoy doing both. I have used many of Steve's creations both in my Vent work and from behind the stage. The thing they both have in common is Character. Wheter a vent or a puppeteer, Character is the key. Without it all you have is a cloth and latex and a lifeless doll. IMHO.

Chris, Where does one find a puppet theater? I want to be there.

hey jim!!

we have a small theater in a little town called Saint Albans in West Virginia... its our little furry oasis!! hahaha

heres our website and blog

http://sassafrassjunction.com/

http://sassafrassjunction.blogspot.com/

and u can also find us on myspace!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sassafrass-Junction-Puppet-Theater/147024272002858

cc

Puppeteer all the way. Trying to figure out the best method for lip-synching the puppet to pre-recorded tracks on a stage show I'm currently brainstorming. Mostly sound issues.

hey travis...

what sorta issues are ya having? the actual recording process? or sound system?

we pre record all of our shows and you would be surprised how quickly you can pick up the rythm of the track.... i add a light laugh track underneath everything which creates a bit of a soundscape for the puppeteers to groove on.... the laughing ebs and flows and u really do get a melodic feel to the way the show flows...

i was a mash up mixtape dj for many many years...which has helped my sound mixing skills a bit... thank goodness... i doubt we could afford to have it professionally done

let me know if u have any further questions

cc

Chris, you could add a puppetry workshop to your repertoire of offerings. People pay $25 for 5 weeks of puppet classes. At the end they get to join in the performance. (Which you also charge the parents, etc. to attend.) Works for dance recitals. You can even up the price and provide a t-shirt at the end of the course.

hey tony!

We've actually been down that road!

We not only taught a 12 week course at a local art academy... but we also hold regular puppet workshops for varying age groups during the summer

We do them as full days though instead of spreading them over weeks and creating overhead nightmares

We start each workshop out with a performance of our current show...to inspire the group

then we normally divide into 2 or 3 groups...each headed by a staffer... then we establish each groups storyline by drawing slips of paper out of a hat... the slips are drawn in rounds:

round 1- basic fairy tale (ie 3 pigs...goldylocks...etc)

round 2- genre (ie western .. sci fi...etc)

round 3- movie quotes that must somehow be incorporated into the show (ie "you cant handle the truth"...etc)

after the groups have these... they hash out the script and decide on characters

(at this point we provide a snack)

then we begin basic sock puppet design and felt and foam costuming

then we provide a pizza party lunch

after lunch we do prop and set design... (basic stuff) with foam sheets and whatnot

then each group has practice time

then a super nice afternoon snack of popsicles or ice cream

then parents come and each group performs their show for the crowd

its been a great success!!


we also do a version for pre schoolers where mommies are required to stay and we perform our show and then simply design a sock puppet afterward with mommies help... after which we do a puppet parade for the crowd with all the kiddos displaying their creations


cc

ps- people pay ALOT more than $25 dollars...

hee hee

wink

Sounds like fun! (And a lot of work.) I based the $25 on your party fee per child, but I definitely think it is worth more.

I took an interest in puppetry at the age of four. I learned vent when I was 11-12, but just fiddled with it on and off. I was mainly a puppeteer. In 2005 I began doing vent more seriously. It was a natural step to making the characters even more belivable. So...now I'm a puppeteer who doesn't move his lips! lol

sounds like you've been at it a while doodles!!

thanks for sharing!!

cc

Crazy Chris,
It's more an issue of trying to have a simple system. Do I have the audio of the puppet (voice, music, sound fx) on a cd or digital track piped over a sound system and then speak into a mic? When do I need a mic? Is it dependent on size of room/crowd? Should I simply have it playing thru the speakers of a device and me not need a mic? And if so, what device (boombox)? Trying to create a routine for church ministry but not really sure what I need. I've done sound mixing as well (I use Sony Vegas), but the problem is more of a lack in knowledge about sound presentation. Vents have it "easy" all they need is a mic. This is probably a conversation for a different thread.

hey travis!!

let me just tell you how our set up is and maybe that will give you some insight...

we have a half hour pre show that is completely live and interactive... our show is hosted by a larger than life character (human) name Dr. Ophelia Tottlebottom...the kids and puppets call her dr t... she has a high dollar wireless headset mic system... and i have a really nice handheld mic back stage...when puppets engage with her i voice them by holding the mic in one hand and the puppet in the other....sometimes my partner puppets while i voice....its tricky but he has become really in tune with me and can sync up quite well... we also have a large suited character which he plays and i voice...that goes out and performs an interactive dance with the kids...

at the end of our pre show segment... dr t explains a couple rules and then intros the main show... at that point ALL MICS ARE OFF... and we go straight into pre-recorded audio... i have all our music and shows on 2 mp3 players (always have a backup) which patches in to our PA system

i really recommend the use of mic's in your show... even though our venue is small... the few times we attempted to shout lines from backstage unmic'd resulted in the audience not really comprehending what we said...and our throats were raw... also if you add the element of music then your voices are completely muted without a mic...

i also feel that it gives you that extra notch of professionalism as well

as far as PA systems... we use the yamaha staggepas 500 unit in our theater and for our mobile shows... it has a built in sound mixer with inputs for audio devices and like 10 mic inputs... and its perfect for most small to medium sized venues

let me know if you have any other questions!!

godspeed!!

cc