I know a magician that very successfully uses Rocky Racoon and it is a huge hit to his act. He even had a custom prop made just to work with him and it is a really cute routine!

brady,

Jim Pace has an excellent DVD on the spring animal here http://www.penguinmagic.com/specialorderproduct.php?ID=8325

My gosh, get what YOU want and feel is BEST for you. If you don't want Rocky, don't get it. I don't have it. If you have no enthusiasm to perform it, then that will be evident in your show quite possibly and your show may not be much of a show. I might in the future get it, but not at the moment.

There's nothing wrong with people recommending you tricks, but when they try to force you into buying a certain trick or else tell you that you aren't a real kid performer until you get this trick... oooooooohhhhhhhh!

I agree with the fact that not every magic trick will work with every magician.

My daughter has Rocky, but she has never used him in a show. It just has never been a "fit" for the routines she has come up with. She may use it someday, she may not--- but how many of us has that great big magic box of "unused" maybe-someday magic items?! We definitely do!

no, its when someone says they cant see any possible use for it in a kids show.

LOL, there is always a possibility for use! Hence why all our "extras" are boxed and we continually go through it looking for new ideas instead of putting it up as Ebay fodder.

Yes Kristen, we all have boxes of things we thought would be "nice" to have in our show and have never used. I have Stinky the spring skunk. No idea of where but I do have one. I found it much better to get "Willie" he is my "pet opposum" that Axtel puts out. Willie is a smart mouthed little guy that insults me when we are together.

I use him for a short 5 minute vent segment in my kids and senior shows. Gets a lot of laughs.

I LOVE Axtell's puppets. Haven't used it in a show yet, but I fell for Vern! He was just too dang cute! Since I am definitely not a vent, I have the CD that goes with him as well.

Sorry everyone -- Zazz's post was actually mine. Didn't notice he had signed me out and signed himself on. My apologies!

Yes I also have Vern. I changed it's name to Lulu and she and willie will get into a good fight every now and then when I bring both with me. That's when being a vent can be fun! Especially when you get the voices mixed up and Lulu yells something in Willie's voice and Willie answers in my voice. That is really embarrassing but the crowds alway think it is rehearsed and laugh about it.

But that is another subject.

Paddy, are there any recommended resources you used to learn ventriloquism? I'm probably not going to add it to my show, but I think it could be useful to learn.

YES! Come to Vent Haven convention in Kentucky in July. There are vents from all over the world there and it is worth it. If you can't afford the $150 (?) for the whole thing it is $50 per day to attend.

July...not a good month for me. It's production camp for a touring dance group I was recently accepted into. Thank you for the info though.

Thank you every one for your help, and I will be ordering the stuff next week.

What are you ordering?