WORD FROM THE BIRD
Ventriloquist hits the stage
B4
Ventriloquist dummies have been horror film fodder forever. The skill to project one’s voice to animate an inanimate character is loaded with mystery, too. OK, it’s actually kind of weird.
But what if the real story behind projecting your voice into another character was a way of breaking out of your shell? What if that dummy was part therapist/part performer?
At age 8, Vancouver-based ventriloquist and children’s performer Kellie Haines had just such a realization when she received her lifelong performing partner, a bird puppet she named Magrau.
The two have been through thick and thin together ever since, and are now preparing new family entertainment show A Birdy Told Me So, which premieres at this year’s Vancouver International Puppet Festival as part of the Homegrown Series.
“This play was inspired by me getting Magrau as a child and the realization that my puppets were talking back to me, and I could make people believe it,” said Haines.
“As a loner going to new schools I learned that I could break through the ice if I got up on stage in talent shows and wowed everyone with this little act that I came up with. I need to tell my story to other kids to let them know that if you have a talent you can use to empower you, go for it.”
Haines says she was just a kid having fun believing in her puppets, and didn’t even know about the craft of ventriloquism. But when she discovered it, she never looked back.
Through educational shows and entertainment, Haines and Magrau — and their occasional companion Kamilla the Frog — have entertained loads of children and delivered that reassuring message of “don’t give up.”
“We grew up together, although he only got to grow up to age 12 which he’s sometimes a bit annoyed at me about,” she said.
“But we have a really good time together, from our first talent show which he volunteered me for and I was mortified to the present day. This has been the most challenging and the most creative play I’ve done to date.”
A Birdy Told Me So is a semiautobiographical multimedia work that incorporates more than 30 original illustrations by artist David Robinson, as well as sets by Haines’ husband Greg Robinson and Trish Pattison. Penned by Haines and director/puppeteer Jeny Cassady, the show includes highwire hijinks and original songs by Haines and John Pippus.
“While working on it, people kept on noticing the relationship I have with Magrau dating back over the years, and they noted that he’s like a real person,” she said.
“And the thing is, that’s the character I bring to the stage, so it needs to feel that way. After this long working together it’s completely natural, which really draws kids in.”
With a degree in performing arts, Haines fits the standard for a fully trained performer, but she learned the ventriloquism on her own. When she isn’t touring, she gives classes in the art.
“Since that America’s Got Talent where the little girl won with ventriloquism, kids all want to get some tips,” she said.
“Honestly, it’s easier than you think, you just need to be willing to put in the thousands of hours needed to perfect the craft. The belief comes long before the skill and, OK, perhaps I was blessed with a slight overbite which makes it easier to hide the movement.”
Two other shows are featured in the festival’s Homegrown Series.
Who Killed Gertrude Crump? (Feb. 13-18) is an award-winning whodunnit that is a spirited romp for general audiences; while the Valentine’s weekend adult audience The Heart On Cabaret (Feb. 17) is an evening of merrymaking. The adult events at the previous Vancouver International Puppet Festival were big hits, so come prepared for big laughs, and maybe a blush or two.
The next complete Vancouver International Puppet Festival is in October.