"Propaholic"?

I've always loved teaching with object lessons and props, so it seemed only natural that I was attracted to ventriloquism where a prop was always in hand. Destiny, I'm certain.

I've had my pet props (favorites) and provocative props (stimulating). There are partial props (unfinished) and problem props (they never work as intended). Pretty props and powerful props. But at the top of my list of props with punch - they make a point. I guess I'm just a "propoholic" who specialize in puppet props (they can speak for themselves - well, almost).

I wrote a cover article for Newsy Vents on this subject in 1988. Reading it again today, I'm not certain what mood I was in when I wrote it 23 years ago, with nearly every other word containing the labial "p" (the above paragraph is one excerpt)...I must have been trying to use up all the labial "p's" I had avoided in my routine writing! I closed the article by saying:

"Beginner ventriloquists should not try to read this article without moving their lips unless some of the labials are first removed. For example, you might drop the ending labials from 'Prop Shop.' The result would be 'Pro Sho' which should be the goal of all performers!"

Day #5 N/V Give-Away: Two sets of three random 1988 issues of Newsy Vents (including the one pictured here) are being awarded today. The winners are Cleve Odom and James Tucker.