Joe Gandelman Comic Ventriloquist & Friends

Try to drive regionally but if necessary fly. Try to avoid travel expenses by routing or other cost-cutting techniques for schools.

Most assemblies include a short how to do ventriloquism bit at the end where a student gets up and tries a dummy. More extensive workshops can vary, depending on the school. A school in New Mexico hired Joe Gandelman & Friends to do a special 45 minute ventriloquism show followed by a 45 minute how to do ventriloquism workshop for K - 12. Kids of all ages- -- particularly the high school drama club -- got up. Schools have asked and gotten the show extended to an hour to include a 15 minute workshop to coincide with dismissal time, asked for three assemblies plus classroom visits, and invited Joe to appear, speak and perform at high school career days (as a writer and performer).

Joe Gandelman's assemblies feature a BIG CAST of high visual puppet, dummy and volunteer segments that have proven popular a schools of all levels. Although San Diego based, shows are performed all over and there were two special 8 month tours of schools in the U.S. and Canada. Joe's VERY BIG cast includes dummy John Raven (who can wiggle his ears and stick out his tongue), a bear, water-squirting elephant, fame-smoke blowing dragon, "magic" drawing board, two dogs, talking pizza, talking plant, shark, turtle and crying/smiling baby. Interactive segments include a student wearing a "ventriloquism mask" which makes the student a living puppet with a voice magically talking, the how to do ventriloquism segment and, if set up for music, ventriloquism lip sync. Schools can pick a regular ventriloquism/puppetry show, a show with a theme such as anti-bullying, reading, Internet safety, character --or get a customized theme at NO additional cost.

School assemblies don t have to be EITHER educational OR fun -- they can be BOTH...which is why Joe Gandelman & Friends visit some schools year after year after year. Another reason: students AND teachers ask for him to come back.

Joe uses his famous Learning Through Laughter Technique, which mixes entertainment with serious information so kids laugh -- and RETAIN. All shows are geared to each age group, and if there's a mixed audience an adjustment is also made. Schools can choose from one of Joe's themes, or ask for a customized theme which can be done at NO ADDITIONAL cost.

As many educators know full well, kids of all ages can learn and blossom if they're also having fun. So the goal is to give a top-of-the-line full, entertaining show that could be done without a theme in a family fair show (and in fact, the shows are) or at a family night -- but with serious content. A school can pick one of the existing themes, or ask for one at no extra charge. Content is not only inserted by Joe: when he visits a school he will ask administration if they have any key concepts they're teaching the kids on their requested theme. He can weave themes, key points, and slogans ("Be a Hero of the Hallways...Stick your neck out for your friends..Healthy Choices...) into the show in a way they'll retail. After the assembly, kids will remember the fun of the show and also retain the concepts. FOOTNOTE: Some schools have used the show for a reward assembly or asked Joe (who has Bacherlors and Masters degrees) to a pre-test assembly.

The first assembly was performed in November 1990, shortly after leaving the newspaper to do ventriloquism full-time. From November to 1990 this timeframe also included 1)being included in The Great Ventriloquist trading cards, b)appearing on NBC's SPY TV hidden camera show 3)appearing on VHI's "The Cho Show," 3)taking a version of the show (without the theme) to fairs all over the country.