Paul Zerdin is one of the best ventriloquists in the UK. He is about to go on tour in UK and perform at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.  (See the dates later). He will be joined by his ventriloquist figures Baby, Sam and Albert.  He gets a member of the audience to help him out in one of his routines that is very funny.
To add variety to the show he does some stand-up comedy without his friends about life as a ventriloquist. 
 He performed at last year’s Royal Variety Performance Show and has been seen on many TV shows. This quote from The Stage sums up his show:
“Paul Zerdin is no dummy. A ventriloquist for the South Park Generation”
And from The Scotsman Paul’s show got 5 stars:-
‘Every now and then you stumble across a finished article, a show so polished it shines. Paul Zerdin: Sponge Fest is one of these shows. A ventriloquist at the top of his game, Zerdin is so sure of his skills and so in control of his material that he isn’t just performing – he’s showing off, clearly having as much of a laugh as his audience.’

I say “If you get the chance go and see his show and see a ventriloquist at the top of his field.”
There is great article including an interview with Paul became a ventriloquist, attitude toward ventriloquism etc. You can check it out here:
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/lifestyle/Venting-spleen/article-2417571-detail/article.html
I think they get Terry Fator mixed up with Jeff Dunham, otherwise it gives some good insights into what makes a ventriloquist.
The dates for Paul Zerdin’s 2010 shows are:
July 2010
Wednesday 21st The National Lottery, BBC1
Friday 23rd Redgrave Theatre, Bristol
Saturday 24th Newbury Festival, Newbury

August 2010
Thursday 5th – 15th Sponge Fest – Revisited, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh

September 2010
Wednesday 22nd Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Thursday 23rd Octagon Theatre, Yeovil
Friday 24th David Lloyd Club, Raynes Park
Saturday 25th White Rock Theatre, Hastings
Sunday 26th Wimbledon Theatre Centenary Celebrations, Wimbledon
Wednesday 29th Corn Exchange, Bedford
Thursday 30th Komedia, Bath

October 2010
Friday 1st Theatr Hafren, Newtown
Saturday 2nd Camberley Theatre,
Sunday 3rd Garrick Theatre, Lichfield
Wednesday 6th Wulfren Halls, Wolverhampton
Thursday 7th Palace Theatre, Newark
Sunday 10th Capitol Theatre, Horsham
Monday 11th Comedy Festival, Sheffield
Tuesday 12th Leicester Square Theatre, London
Wednesday 13th Leicester Square Theatre, London
Thursday 14th Pavillion Theatre, Brighton
Friday 15th Arts Centre , Darlington
Saturday 16th Clocktower Arts , Croydon
Tuesday 19th The Comedy Store, Manchester
Wednesday 20th Alban Arena, St.Albans
Friday 22nd The Regal, Tenbury Wells
Sunday 24th Playhouse Theatre, Derby
Tuesday 26th Library Theatre, Leeds
Wednesday 27th Richmond Theatre, Richmond
Thursday 28th Assembly Room, Tamworth
Saturday 30th Millennium Studio, Cardiff
Sunday 31st Millennium Studio, Cardiff

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The Vent Haven convention is the oldest and biggest get together of ventriloquists. Held annually and put on by Vent Haven
This year’s convention opens shortly for registration – it runs from the 14 -17 July in Ft. Mitchell, KY at the Drawbridge Inn & Convention Center.  
It has much to help the ventriloquist hone their act and skills. There are workshops and lectures on the craft of ventriloquism.  There is an impressive list of 25 suppliers of ventriloquist puppets, props and collectibles.
There are expected to be over 400 ventriloquists attending this year. It is a great opportunity for ventriloquists of all skill levels to mix and mingle and learn from each other.
It is a full schedule including a talk by Jeff Dunham on “Enhancing Your Performance Skills.” It’ll be great to get this from a ventriloquist at the top of the field.
I can’t make it this year. There is always next year. I’m sure those there will have a fun and informative time.
If you want to know more about the largest gathering of ventriloquists please click here:
http://www.venthavenconvention.com/

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I just came across a listing on Craigslist for a ventriloquist to open up for an advance screening of a new film.

Looks interesting – it’s in Time’s Square, New York on 29th July 2010. The qualifications needed are that you a professional or highly trained ventriloquist and have an act where your ventriloquist figure is your best friend or partner. A character in the soon to be released film is a ventriloquist that is married to his friend.

You can find out more here about the role here:-

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/tlg/1841306348.html

Could you be opening for Jeff Dunham, who is part of the supporting cast in a film being released on 30 July 2010?  I can’t see any other film starring ventriloquist that this description would meet.

They would like a photo of you and your puppet and a price for your ventriloquist act. If you are interested and can be in New York on the 29th could be good for you.

Technorati Tags: Ventriloquism, ventriloquist

From the box or closet illusion it is an easy step to the production of the voice overhead, from through a wall or under the floor, although in attempting either of these effects there are several striking points or essentials to be care­fully observed.

For the voice on the roof you do not use the drone pure and simple, although you retain the same formation of the vocal organs. This gives the distant effect, but instead of retaining the voice in the back of the throat, as it were, you force it against the back of the hard palate, or roof of the mouth. The quality of the voice should be a kind of gruff falsetto, elevated to a high pitch.

By rolling back the tongue and keeping the jaws rigid, with the lips slightly apart, the palate will be elevated and drawn nearer to the pharynx, thereby forming a cavity in the back part of the mouth and throat. The consonant sounds need not be articulated plainly, all words being formed in the pharynx and exploded, as it were, against the roof of the mouth by sudden expulsions of the breath clear from the lungs at every word.

When you are ready to try this voice in public, take your position as far from the audience as possible, because, as already stated, the more removed you are from the listeners the better the effect will seem to them. If you are not entirely sure of yourself, deliberately turn your back on the company and direct their attention to the ceiling, either by looking upward or by pointing while calling loudly, as if you have reason to be­lieve some one is concealed above. Make your own voice very distinct and loud and as close to the lips as possible to give further contrast be­tween the natural and the ventriloquial voice. In fact, almost shout, and then in exactly the same tone and pitch, but as faint as possible con­sistent with audibility, answer in the manner already described.

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Jeff Dunham is taking his gang on tour over summer. It will be a good opportunity to see Achmed, Walter, Peanut, Jose etc live. You may have caught his act on David Letterman or Comedy Central, or maybe on Youtube where he has one of the most watched videos of all time – Achmed The Terrorist.

His style of comedy and ventriloquism is not for everyone but I think he is very talented and worth checking out with some close to the bone humor that his puppets help him push it to the edge.

The ratings on Ticketmaster are 4.7/5.0 with 98% saying they would recommend to a friend after 8,166 reviews of Jeff Dunham

He has announced 30 dates which cover cities in the USA and 7 dates in South Africa.

 
Here are Jeff’s tour dates from his site – http://www.jeffdunham.com

14/07/2010 – James Brown Arena  – Augusta, GA  

15/07/2010 – Southaven, MS – Desoto Civic Center

18/07/2010 – Verizon Arena  – North Little Rock, AR

21/07/2010 – Pacific Amphitheatre – Costa Mesa, CA  

22/07/2010 – Paso Robles, CA – Grandstand @ California Mid State Fair

28/07/2010 – Santa Ana Star Center – Rio Rancho, NM  

29/07/2010 – Amarillo Civic Center – Amarillo, TX

30/07/2010 – Ector County Coliseum – Odessa, TX

31/07/2010 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT

01/08/2010 – Ohio Expo Center  – Columbus, OH  

06/08/2010 – South Shore Music Circus – Cohasset, MA

07/08/2010 – Clearfield County Fairgrounds – Clearfield, PA

14/08/2010 – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mount Pleasant, MI

15/08/2010 – Iowa State Fairgrounds Grandstand – - Des Moines, IA

18/08/2010 – Indiana State Fairgrounds – Indianapolis, IN

19/08/2010 – The Family Arena – Saint Charles, MO

20/08/2010 – Kentucky Exposition Center – Louisville, KY

21/08/2010 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO

27/08/2010 – Mohegan Sun Grandstand – Syracuse, NY

03/09/2010 – Colosseum At Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, NV

05/09/2010 – Allentown Fairgrounds – Allentown, PA

06/09/2010 – Mahoning County Fairgrounds – Canfield, OH

18/09/2010 – Sun City Superbowl – Sun City, South Africa

20/09/2010 – Carnival City Casino – Johannesburg, South Africa

21/09/2010 – Carnival City Casino – Johannesburg, South Africa

22/09/2010 – Carnival City Casino – Johannesburg, South Africa

23/09/2010 – Carnival City Casino – Johannesburg, South Africa

24/09/2010 – Grand West’s Grand Arena – Cape Town, South Africa

25/09/2010 – Grand West’s Grand Arena – Cape Town, South Africa

30/09/2010 – Bloomsburg, PA – Grandstand

If you go let me know what you think of this talented ventriloquist.

Technorati Tags: Jeff Dunham, Ventriloquism, ventriloquist

Ventriloquist Shanthakumar is a veteran performer of 2,500 shows and his shows have appeared on TV. You may not have heard of him because he is based in India.
There is an interesting article that has recently been published about him. In it he discusses how he became a ventriloquist and some of his insights into learning the art of ventriloquism.
The article starts as follow:
Shanthakumar has three interesting companions, whenever he takes the stage — puppets named Johnny, Jack, and Rani, who always worries about her looks. These puppets are the Chennai-based ventriloquist’s creations and have become a means to convey his quick retorts, well-timed repartees and reflections on life.
How did Shanthakumar get interested in the art? He replies, “My interest was in presenting jokes with punch lines at various humour clubs that I have been visiting since the 1980s. I equipped myself accordingly and showcased my brand of humour at these clubs. This, perhaps, is what led me to ventriloquism.”
He continues, “The great Prof. M.M. Roy, one of the oldest professional ventriloquists in India, was my teacher. I asked him if he could teach me and sure enough, classes began on a fortnightly basis. Roy had performed in the film ‘Muradan Muthu’ on the insistence of ‘Sivaji’ Ganesan, and M.R. Radha was all praise for Roy after watching a show of his. Roy had assisted many in Hindi and Telugu movies.”
The rest of the article can be found in The Hindu by clicking here:

http://thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article505963.ece

Let me know your thoughts on the article and ventriloquism in general.

Technorati Tags: how to be a ventriloquist, how to become a ventriloquist, learn ventriloquism, throwing your voice, Ventriloquism, ventriloquist, ventriloquist secrets revealed

At this point act as if strongly exasperated and apparently push and struggle against an opposing force with all your might. Finally by seemingly a greater effort you cause the door to fly back suddenly and at the same time give ut­terance to a loud ” ha, ha, ha,” in the ventriloquial voice, as if some one were laughing at you in the room or hallway beyond.

Always bear in mind that the eye helps to de­ceive the ear, and make the action of pushing the door, etc., as natural as possible. The more realistic the ventriloquist makes his part the more effect his performance will have upon the public. As far as voice alone goes, there are ventrilo­quists who can manipulate ventriloquism per­fectly, but who, on account of lack of necessary actions, do not succeed in impressing their hearers very strongly. As a rule, between a good actor who is a poor ventriloquist and a good ventriloquist who is a poor actor, the former will be more successful. This topic will be more fully gone into in the paragraphs about ventriloquial acting and entertaining further on.

The foregoing dialogue is merely suggested and intended for preliminary rehearsals rather than for use in public, although of course if the performer is unable to write a better one there can be no objection to such use. The chances are however, that he can obtain suitable material of a more witty and amusing character from other sources and make it ventriloquially effective. One month’s daily practice should be sufficient to enable him, by proper emphasis on a tone or syllable, to illustrate and bring out the salient points of any dialogues he may use, and to sur­prise and astonish those among his friends not familiar with the capabilities of the art, with the strange voices within him. There should be no straining after effect, but the student will find that what he has practiced much he can do well, and by perseverance alone can perfection be obtained.

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Then again some wiseacre who thinks “he knows all about it” and discourses learnedly of the “double throat,” will walk confidently up to the performer and ask him to throw his voice to the back part of the room over the heads of the audience or to some other utterly impossible place. I have never yet heard of a ventriloquist being requested to throw his voice into the next county, but undoubtedly there are persons who think that he might do so if he wished, though just how it could be made to return to him from so long a distance they might be rather hard put to it to say.    Apropos of this:

” Did you know,” asks Jerry, the Irish boy, in one of my dialogues, ” that I was down to a party the other night? “

Vent.      ” No, were you? “

Jerry.     ” Yes, and there was a ventrisquealer there.”

Vent.    ” No, no, Jerry, you mean a ventrilo­quist, a man who throws his voice.”

Jerry.     ” Yes, that’s it, but this feller threw his voice so far it didn’t get back again.”

Vent.    “Is it possible?”

Jerry.    ” I dunno, but he did it all th’ same.”

This is probably the attitude which would be taken by the knowing ones who, while they might not believe that the voice could be heard from such a distance, might still maintain that it could be sent there and allowed to go off ac­cording to schedule, even if no one heard

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One popular figure worker has his Old Lady arranged behind a table at the back of the stage, while the Old Man sits in a chair near by, and the Irish and Colored figures are given a settee just back of the footlights.    Another has his Old Man standing and his Old Woman sitting, while still another arranges his figures, which are all of full length, in a row on a covered divan or sofa behind which he stands.

With all his modern improvements the Old Man is fearfully and wonderfully made, like unto no living creature of the heavens above, the earth beneath or the waters under the earth. His nose pulls out and is illuminated by electricity from the interior, as is his scarf-pin, and the pulling process is accompanied by a terrible squinting of the eyes. On occasion his hair raises in fright or amazement, not like ” quills upon a fretful porcu­pine,” but like a hirsute trap-door. His eyes wink at so much per wink per eye. His head turns completely around and when remonstrated with at such an unnatural proceeding, it makes the circuit again in the opposite direction while he casually remarks that ” one good turn deserves another.” His arm lifts and plucking his hat from his head with jointed fingers he waves it jauntily about. Not only does he smoke a pipe, but places it in his mouth himself, and lighting a match on the side of his own face holds it to the tobacco and puffs away contentedly, occasionally adding realism to the action, if not refinement, by expectorating a fine stream of water over the stage. When anything occurs in the audience to attract his attention his neck stretches to a frightful length, while he blithely gives utterance to the warning, ” Danger,” with a rising inflec­tion on the ” ger ” which proves intensely amusing. He also crosses his legs and uses his hand­kerchief; and, in fact, with all his accomplish­ments he must be as difficult to work as a loco­motive.

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There are two ways to make the arms look muscular. One is by means of rings sewn inside the sleeves, as is done with marionette figures. The other is to have underneath the outer cloth­ing an inner suit of silesia, with arm and leg shapes stuffed with excelsior. For the smaller figures the hands are made of wood with enough of a wrist to permit the end of the stuffed arm shape being drawn around it and tightly secured. The stockings are brought up over the leg shapes and fastened with thread, and the shoes (which are ordinary baby shoes) are drawn over the bottoms of these and also sewn. Large figures, however, sometimes have hands made simply of gloves painted in flesh color and stuffed with cot­ton or excelsior, the short wrists of these being fastened either over the arm-shape or to the in­side of the outer coat sleeves. The clothing is drawn over the shape and fastened by means of tacks or small nails to the box or if the inner shape includes a stuffed bust which also covers the front and sides of the box, the clothing may be sewn directly to that. This is much the better way, as tacks are likely to wear loose and also tear the covering. The Old Woman needs neither lower limbs nor feet, if she is to sit, a wire hoop being fastened to the bottom of the dress to give the necessary fullness. When covered with a bright cover, the box the figures travel in is often used as a seat for them.

For more details on making a ventriloquist dummy visit http://www.ventriloquistsecretsrevealed.com

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