An Interview With Ventriloquist Lisa Laird - Part 5

With the 2013 Ventriloquist ConVENTion coming up, I talked with ventriloquist Lisa Laird about her past experiences with the convention.

Video Transcript:

How many times have you been to the ventriloquist convention?

We’ve been there twice.

Can you tell us a little bit about your experience — what you enjoyed, and what you found interesting?

Sure. First of all, let me say that our very first year at Vent Haven was also the last year it was held at the Drawbridge. That was… interesting. My husband came with me both times. For years, our family vacation had been the week-long puppet festival in Kankakee, Illinois, which was sponsored through Creative Ministry Solutions. That was our family trip every year. My husband is a puppeteer, a writer, and has been a director, so puppetry was always his world.

But Vent Haven was my world — not his — so he felt a little out of place. Add to that the fact that it was at the Drawbridge, which wasn’t the best venue, and we came away thinking, “Okay, we’re not doing that again.”

Then Mark announced that they were changing venues, so we decided to give it another try. We couldn’t believe the difference.

Of course, the first time you go to any convention you’ve never attended before, it can be overwhelming. You don’t know where to start, you don’t know anybody. The one thing in my favor that first year was that I had already taken training with Mark Wade, so I knew him and a couple of other people. That helped, but it was still overwhelming.

The second year, though, was better on so many levels. We knew how things worked, we knew more people, and it wasn’t at the Drawbridge. Having said that, I am glad we experienced the Drawbridge once — emphasis on once.

At the new venue, the Marriott, it felt much more like a community atmosphere. The big atrium gave everyone a place to talk and connect. At the Drawbridge, you felt crammed into smelly hallways with no real area to mingle. The Marriott was so much better.

My husband even went to some of the classes as a non-vent and really enjoyed them. And of course, the performances both years were phenomenal. That, in itself, is so much fun because you see such a wide range of people performing. Let’s face it — we’re all as different as our personalities, and our venues are different too. So each of us does something unique, and you can learn a lot just by watching.

I thought it was great, and I’m really looking forward to going again this year. I’ve actually encouraged a number of other people I know to attend as well.