Ventriloquists act helps patrons push troubles aside
Ty-Rone’s World brought its blend of ventriloquism, puppets and laughter to the stage of the Family Area recently at the Fayette County Fair. Weeding in educational messages in between comic skits with the puppets, he calls his “buddies,” Ty-Rone introduced “Raggz,” a dog dressed in a sweat suit. Raggz entertained the parents and children alike gathered at the show with his sound effects, singing of “Home on the Range” and “Over the Rainbow” and often bad manners.
“I liked Raggz the dog and I liked the show,” said eight-year-old Nicole Villaneuva, who laughed and laughed in her front row seat during the show.
Thirteen-year-old Kristin Ritenour also enjoyed the show. “I thought it was pretty cool,” she said.
“There’s something at my show for everybody,” said Ty-Rone. “There’s something for the moms, for the dads and for the kiddies. I want to bring the families together and give them entertainment, that’s the main purpose of my show.”
Although this is Ty-Rone’s first time performing at the Fayette County Fair, he believes his act is growing at a fast pace.
“This is only the second year I’ve been on the fair and carnival circuit,” said Ty-Rone. “The act is just taking off so fast.”
Along with a Ty-Rone’s World website soon to be released, a CD of the character “Skool’s” rap songs titled “Time for Skool: Recess is Over” will also be out in September.
“It is a serious CD with a positive message,” said Ty-Rone, who created Skool as his little nephew, who wishes to be a rap artist but has gotten into some problems on the streets. “It’s about the things people deal with like problems with love and problems in school. It’ll get them to think about things and educate the children on positive values.”
Originally from Richmond, Va., Ty-Rone said he learned the art of ventriloquism at the young age of seven when his mom encouraged him to pick up a book on the topic.
“When I got into this business, I thought about something that interested me,” said Ty-Rone. “The first puppet I had was a sock. Two other socks made the floppy ears and the puppet looked like a dog. Mom called it “Raggz” and the name stuck.
African-American ventriloquist Willie Tyler served as a role model for Ty-Rone who first saw Tyler with his puppet Lester on an after school special.
Bill Cosby is another role model of Ty-Rone’s. And because of the famous comedian, Ty-Rone is striving to succeed at his main goal of eventually taking his act to television.
“I learned from reading Bill Cosby that television can reach millions while visits can only reach thousands,” Ty-Rone said. “My main goal is to have a TV show where I can take my act on screen and promote positive messages. Someone’s got to get out there and promote the positives.”
Ty-Rone travels all over the country and will soon visit the west coast to hopefully turn his goal planning into reality.
With the big goals put aside, Ty-Rone said he and his crew of “buddies” perform mainly to see people smile.
“If I see them smile for at least 30 to 45 minutes and know I helped them forget all their troubles, that makes my day,” said Ty-Rone. “For those 30 minutes of my act, I tell them let me play doctor, a doctor to the heart.”
Ty-Rone’s World will be held under the O.C. Cluss Pavilion in the fair’s Family Area daily at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. A 2 p.m. show will be added to this schedule for Saturday, Aug. 2, the last day of the fair.