During the COVID-19 pandemic when the world shut down, Care Design NY member, Donny, used this time to learn ventriloquism. With fewer than 400 professional ventriloquists in the world, this is a rare art and very challenging to master.

Visiting with Donny and his mother, I quickly felt the passion and joy that this young man with Autism felt as he brought out his two puppets, D3 which he named after himself, Donald the Third and the second puppet named, Tootles, to meet me.

Both D3 and Tootles have unique personalities that Donny demonstrated with their carefully curated costumes to match the songs he selected for them to sing. I was immediately captivated by the creativity in the air and the excitement in Donny’s eyes as he showed me their extensive wardrobe and props, much like a Hollywood producer would do in developing an award-winning production.

Research shows that studying performing arts will help develop the showmanship needed for ventriloquy. A few years ago, Donny attended a theatrical arts program at Wildwood. This opened an enchanting world of designing characters and scenes with costumes and props.

It was the internationally famed ventriloquist, Jeff Dunham, who inspired Donny to channel his thoughts and voice through puppets. Dunham achieved the Guinness Book of World Records for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up comedy tour" for his Spark of Insanity tour, performing in 386 venues worldwide. His memorable characters include a pepper named José Jalapeño, Peanut, and Walter. The banter between Dunham and the puppets has entertained audiences of all ages for decades.

Donny is self-taught using a Jeff Dunham ventriloquism instruction video. His practice included hours learning how to clench his jaw and “throw” his singing voice while moving the puppet’s lips. It was uncanny watching D3, and Tootles sing and testimony to Donny’s skill of keeping his mouth still.

According to ventriloquist experts, it’s important to choose a vent voice (a voice for the puppet) that sounds different from your own voice to make it more believable. Donny’s mother said that Tootles sounds very similar to Edith Bunker, the wife of Archie Bunker, in the 1970’s comedy, “All in The Family.”

Donny, D3, and Tootles

You be the judge - CLICK HERE to view Donny and the singing puppets. My favorites include D3 singing, Home on the Range in an adorable cowboy costume, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, and Tootles singing, You Are My Sunshine and Wish Upon a Star.

Donny is a remarkable young man with an incredible talent, and we are extremely proud of his accomplishments. Tom Craig, Care Manager, stated, “I’m excited to see that Donny has found something that he can be passionate about. I can’t wait to see him grow and show this skill off to others.”

With the public health emergency ending, Donny hopes that in 2024, he will be able to introduce D3 and Tootles to in-person audiences at outdoor venues in the Capital Region.

We will be following Donny, D3, and Tootles in 2024!