Does anyone here belong to the International Ventriloquists’ Association?

What are the benefits?

I did. Benefits? Got the magazine - really a pamphlet, usually late.
Tom

Thanks Tom;

It looked more to me that some guy DBA’ed the name and got a web site and started advertising for membership.

I can’t find any additional information, besides the site.

Maybe I’m not looking in the right place

Let’s see who else comments here

Buzz,
In answer to your question about the I.V.A.. It was started about 13 years ago by Valentine Vox here in Las Vegas. The VentHaven Convention had decided to discontinue its annual convention in Kentucky. Valentine owned a Ventriloquism and Magic museum here, and was also a Pro-vent in England and Canada before moving to this region. In order to fill the void created by lack of an annual convention, Valentine decided to organize The Vegas Ventriloquist Convention. The International Ventriloquist Association was created as the Masthead for the convention. With almost 40 years as a Vent(25 in Vegas), I became Valentine's assistant after the first year. The convention organized, and communicated through an annual membership which later included the magazine. The Vegas Convention was later renamed the International Ventriloquist Festival, and for seven years Las Vegas was the backdrop city. The Kentucky VentHaven Convention started-up again after a few years, and ventriloquists were torn between the two functions. Kentucky was easier for many to drive to, or take a more economic short flight. Held near the location of the VentHaven Museum, it offered a wonderful laid-back, family atmosphere. It's where Jeff Dunham practically grew-up. The Vent population gradually migrated back to Kentucky. In 2005 Valentine sold the Museum. He decided to retire and the Festival was no more. The website is still running, and the magazine, which was sent only to members of the I.V.A, was recently announced as discontinued. We are still in talks for another Vegas Festival.
Marc Wade("kidshowvent" here at MagicCafe')is the Executive Director of the VentHaven Convention, and has been doing a wonderful job for many years.
Checkout the website: http://www.venthaven.com/
Or, better yet, attend this year's Convention!!

Duane;

Thanks for the complete story; a web site is still up and advertising for membership.

I guess it’s not worth becoming a member of this organization.

Buzz

I remember when the Vegas thing started up, and got to hear about the convention from a couple friends who attended (who of course totally enjoyed it), but I had totally forgotten about the little "break" in the conventions in Kentucky. Relatively speaking, I guess 13 years isn't a long time, but it sure seems like it was a long time ago.
It's a shame the Vegas thing ended, I remember a lot of people being happy about it because for many out west, it was closer and easier attend.

Duane,

You seem to be up on your statistics. Do you remember what years that VH was shut down? I know that under Marks leadership it is alive and kickin now. If I had to guess the "down" years were before Mark took the Exec spot over.

Steve

The first year of the Vegas Convention was 1997(yikes!). That year we honored the great Paul Winchell. We had an exclusive for several years until Venthaven started again in 2000. Not sure how long Mark Wade has had the helm as Executive Director, but like Dunham, he practically grew-up there. Other mainstay pros who I consider to be the supportive "roots" of the Kentucky convention are Jimmy Nelson, Dan Horn, Tom Ladshaw, Johnny Main(deceased/missed), Col.Bill Boley(deceased/missed), Lynn Trefzger-Joy, Ken Groves, Lee Cornell, Bob & Marty Hamill, Phillip Jones, Pete Michaels, Dale Brown, Jerry Layne, Bob Isaacson, and Bob Rumba. Wonderful down-to-earth professionals. All are approachable, and welcome any questions you might have about this wonderful but strange art. By the way, most of them supported, and attended the Vegas Convention. I, admittedly have been promising to attend Venthaven for over 20 years. Hopefully this spring!(I'm trying Mark!)

The first year we made it to Ky, was 2005. Missed 06, and haven't missed since and have no intention of missing in the future. ConVENTion is like a family reunion for us. You did miss one name from the support roots list. Gary Owen. He is the one who told my wife that she was missing the mark in latex. Told her to start doing Soft puppets. And now you know the rest of the story.

Bob Rumba has become as close a friend as I have. A couple of times a week, (on night rate where the minutes are free) Bob and I will stay up on the phone until one of us runs out of batteries. Bob is as close to being a real "Peter Pan" as anybody I know. He gets older but never grows up - lol. He shares one table with us for his Vent Haven Tee-shirts.

Duane you really have to come to Kaintuck this year. You will fit right in to the craziness.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

My apologies for missing talented Gary(the only Pro Vent in Oklahoma as he says). I know the Drawbridge has a room somewhere with my name on it. I'll keep hoping. Lots of wonderful friends that I have missed.

Gary is a wonderful example of a guy that has the ability to tell you that your stuff sucks, and you are happy to hear it. He can tell you everything that is wrong with what you are doing, but he does it in a positive way that builds you up in the process. Super guy. We love him and his wife both to death.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

So my new question is;

Does the VentHaven origination have a dues paying association that supports ventriloquism with continued training, a publication, child figure exploitation protection, and a secret hand shake?

Buzz,
if you're in such a rush to spend money, send it my way. I'll make sure it goes for a good cause. New figures are always calling my name. I'll even name one of them after you.

:)

Donald;

I am never in a “rush” to spend money, it comes naturally to me; I spend every day; but eventually a truck from a delivery company pulls up and leaves something for me to play with,

What are you going to send me?

BTW, where in the thread have I stated I need to spend money?

Hi All..
Duane thanks for the history and for the compliments. We DO have a room with your name on it..just waiting for you to show up and claim it! Let me give you all a bit of history about the Vent Haven ConVENTion. The ConVENTions started a year after WS Berger, the founder of the Vent Haven Museum, passed away. It was at first an informal meeting of a handful of vents at the old Holiday Inn (next to Vent Haven Museum). It was decided to have a regular ConVENTion for vents at the Drawbridge Inn (now Hotel) since it was a conference center and had both sleeping rooms and meeting rooms to accommodate us. For several years the Executive Director was Dorothy Millure and we changed ConVENTion Chairmen every year. I ran 11 of them prior to our recess in 1996. Dorothy resigned unexpectedly (at least to the Advisors..) and none of us were ready to take on the job. It was thrust upon us at the last minute and the Advisors decided to take a break. After a couple of years John Brooking , President of the Museum, approached me to be the new Executive Director. I took the job with the understanding that we needed consistency and to have a new chairman each year was counter-productive. We consolidated the position into just one, the Executive Directorship, and I been in charge doing conVENTion as Executive Director for 11 years. I'm proud to say using the staff that Duane mentioned above we increased our attendence to well over 400 each year and were finally able to provide the museum with some financial support to update things. We have made major rennovations over the past five years and the process continues.

We have no magazine, nor membership. We simply run a ConVENTion that has grown to be the largest and oldest in the world and I'm very proud of it. I too enjoyed Valentines's conference in Las Vegas (lectured and performed for him there..) and he did a great job with it (ably assisted by Duane and others) . We all have contributed articles to Valentine's "Distant Voices" magazine but am not sure of the status of it at the moment.

Hope that fills in some of the blanks for all of you. It will be wonderful to have you all attend Vent Haven and join in on the fun!

Mark
markwade@kidshowvent.com

I find it very interesting on how threads progress,

I started the thread to obtain information on the International Ventriloquists’ Association; it has resulted in being a very informative and interesting history of Ventriloquism with contributions from veteran Ventriloquist’s.

With anticipation, I am optimistic that more history will continue to be shared here

I have learned a great deal in this thread; thank you all for contributing.

Had it not been for Valentine holding the Las Vegas convention I would probably have remained retired of this art. I had heard of some convention held back East somewhere but being a Californian would not have considered making the trip. I went to Vegas for three years, met some wonderful people, many that I have not been able to see in Ky. due to the distance and expense to make the trip. I have been to Ky. now two times. It would be really nice to have something held out West here. Wow, magicians seem to be able to host umteen conventions throughout the year, again, mostly mid west and back east but still, many conventions.What would it take to get one out here again sometime?

Doc

I guess I was incorrect in my post commenting that it looked like some guy DBA’ed the name and got a web site.

The International Ventriloquists’ Association filled a void while Kentucky was not meeting and was an important part of the ventriloquism community.

I am regretful that I could never attend a convention in Las Vegas; and I am now trying to clear a week of my time to attend Kentucky.

Buzz,

I don't think you really care about the ConVENTion. I think you just want a "Submit Reply" button!!!


Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

The post has been here for a few days and continues irritating me.

I think it’s time I address it.

I posted this thread because I found the International Ventriloquists’ Association on the internet and was curious what the benefits are of joining.

A few days later, interesting information was posted and the thread has resulted in being a very informative and interesting history of Ventriloquism with contributions from veteran Ventriloquist’s.

I have learned a great deal in this thread; and again thanks you all for contributing

I clicked on the thread one morning and was shocked at a comment that stated that “I don't really care about the ConVENTion. I just want a hit the"Submit Reply" button”

In the thread we are talking about two conventions; the Las Vegas convention, which is true, I don’t care about.

The Kentucky Venthaven ConVENTion that has the unique type style is a convention that I would like very much to attend; in the last week I have been seriously thinking about changing my appointments and attending.

To leave hanging on this thread that I don’t care about the Venthaven ConVENTion is a statement that has been posted in error

My position on the post is:

I am very interested in supporting the Venthaven ConVENTion, Mark Wade, and Ventriloquism; I would do anything Mark would ask me to do to support the convention weather I attend or not.

I am very frustrated that the statement has been posted; it is not a true statement.