The Magic of Ventriloquism

By Shari Thompson Babcock • Illustrated by Sue Parnell

Have you ever wished that you could make your little sister’s teddy bear talk to her? Or have you ever wanted to bring a puppet to life? If so, you may be interested in learning the art of ventriloquism. A ventriloquist can make an ordinary object seem to be alive by giving it a personality, movement, and speech.

Your object can be a stuffed animal, a sock with two buttons sewn on as eyes, a puppet, a doll, or even your fist. Give your new “friend” a name, then decide on the personality that he or she will have.

A Personality for Your “Friend”
Will your friend be quiet or talkative? Friendly or shy? Happy or gloomy? Does your friend have any unusual pets or unusual habits? These are all things that make up a personality.

Let’s say your new friend is a puppet with a big cowboy hat. You may decide he’s from Texas and has a pet rattlesnake. He could be allergic to silly jokes and could sneeze every time you tell him one.

Whatever personality you come up with, be sure to stick with it. For example, if you want your friend to be from Texas, he needs to talk like someone who lives in the South. Maybe he even tells some funny cowboy stories.

Make Your “Friend” Move
The next step is to give your friend movements that agree with the personality you have chosen. For example, a rabbit puppet might need quick movements. A shy bunny could cuddle up to you and bury his face in your neck when someone speaks to him. Then, when he thinks no one is looking, he can peek up over your shoulder to see what is going on. You could also have him whisper in your ear when he wants to speak. Then you can tell the person what he said, pretending he’s too shy to speak to others himself.

Don’t be afraid to exaggerate the movements you have your friend make. If your friend is agreeing, let him nod his head forcefully. If he is saying no, turn his head firmly from side to side. If he’s laughing, don’t be afraid to have his whole body shake. Make your friend come alive by adding gestures that show when he is surprised, excited, or angry.

Make Your “Friend” Talk
The third way a ventriloquist brings something to life is through speech. A good ventriloquist will control his mouth and lips so that it will appear that his voice is coming from the object he is using. This will take practice, but you can do it.

First, decide on a voice that is different from your own. It could be higher or lower than yours, or could even have a special accent. Then, find a clean teaspoon and hold the handle flat between your front teeth. This is about how far apart your teeth should be when you are speaking for your friend. Now, using the voice you created for your friend and holding the handle of the teaspoon tightly between your teeth, look into a mirror and talk. Practicing with the spoon in your mouth will help you learn to keep your mouth from moving. Try holding your lips still while repeating your friend’s name. Now try telling a joke in your normal voice and have your friend say the punch line in his voice.

You will notice that there are a few sounds that are impossible to make without moving your lips. They are the sounds of b, f, m, p, v, and w. Here are a few different sounds that you can use instead:

For the letter b, try d.

For the letter f, try a soft th, as in with.

For the letter m, try ng, as in song.

For the letter p, try t or k.

For the letter v, try a hard th, as in there.

For the letter w, try oo, as in cool.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. You may find other sounds to use in place of these.

All the things you have learned so far are important. But the most important thing to do to become a ventriloquist is to practice. As you talk with your puppet friend before the mirror, carefully watch for the words that make your lips move. Practice those words until you can say them without your lips moving at all. Also watch the movements your friend makes. Do they make him seem alive? Do they fit the personality you created?

Ventriloquism is fun. It also requires hard work to become good at it. But if you are willing to take the time to give your friend an interesting personality, to practice lively movements, and to work on good mouth control, then you will be well on your way to becoming a ventriloquist!