TCNJ

48 The College of New Jersey Magazine PETER MURPHY BACK STORY What does it take to be a ventriloquist? A good ventriloquist can make a puppet talk without moving their own lips. But an excellent ventriloquist creates a distinct personality with their dummy — the puppet says what it wants to say, and the ventriloquist doesn't have much time to think about a response. Sometimes I'm so into the performance that my puppet, Maria, and I have a real conversation. It's odd; I know. How did you get into ventriloquism? As a kid, I felt it was my responsibility to entertain my baby sister. I would pretend to make objects talk — her dolls, her blankets and pillows, even her food. It made her so happy, so I did it all the time. Tell us about your first real puppet. My parents bought me the Willie Talk doll, which had a string near its neck to open and close the mouth. Days after I got Willie, I pretended he had a dangerous fever. I stuck a thermo- meter down his mouth to take his temperature, but it got stuck and ruined his mouth mechanism. When I asked my parents for a new puppet, they said no. Back then, McDonald's gave out burgers in Styrofoam containers that connected in the back, which made for an easy puppet mouth. So I began making my own puppets How did you develop Maria's character? Maria is 5 years old and in kinder- garten. She says things a 5-year-old would say, and she does things that a 5-year-old would do. She has no filter, which sometimes gets her into big trouble. I believe that everything has a voice and that everything has some- thing to say. Kids think she's real. Magic is a really important part of being little, and Maria provides that suspension of disbelief. — Corinne Coakley '25 out of McDonald's containers and my mother's beaded jewelry. Don't tell her. She still doesn't know. How did you learn the art of ventriloquy? I'm a self-taught ventriloquist. When I was younger, there were no books on how to be a ventriloquist. I watched a lot of Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. Since then, we have seen ventrilo- quists like comedian Jeff Dunham and, more recently, America's Got Talent winner Darci Lynne. I am sure there's a lot more information now. Word of mouth Karen Rostoker-Gruber '85 credits her career to baby talk, McDonald's packaging, and tight lips. Occupation: Ventriloquist and author TCNJ major: Advertising design When her mind works best: 3 a.m. Rostoker-Gruber has published 12 children's books. She takes her puppet, Maria, to schools and libraries across New Jersey to read her books to kids. "We've even flown to Texas with her in my bag. The security people at the airport didn't really like that too much." Dream job: Puppeteer for Sesame Street. She got close. She was in the lobby of the Children's Television Workshop admiring what she thought was a Kermit the Frog statue when it rang. "I got to answer the Kermit phone," she says.

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