By Isabel M. Castro
Photos courtesy of Landon Harvey
Landon Harvey’s Las Vegas studio is a vibrant and chaotic mix of energy, wild abandon, and heaps of textural fabrications. Amidst the gauntlet of puppets stands a wild-haired, statuesque figure: strikingly handsome, with a mischievous boyish smile. Landon leaps to greet me exuberantly through the clutter.
“This is something I don’t like to talk about. My early childhood had many painful experiences. At six, I felt estranged from everyone as I was subjected to endless medical tests and lonely hospitalizations. Often confined for months, I found solace in the pirate puppet my father gifted me to keep me company,” said Landon.
Landon was excited to play with the toy. The moment his dad left, this toy turned into therapeutic relief from the boredom of a sterile hospital and numerous recoveries after surgical procedures. While his parents provided constant comfort during these difficult times, his father engaged him in writing, allowing him to escape the repetitious doldrums of those days. To compensate for the inhospitable solitude and depression of this environment, his imagination blossomed into a variety of friendly characters, keeping him comfortable, entertained, and connected to the outside world.
From age six to sixteen, Landon endured illnesses, diagnoses, numerous surgical procedures, and ongoing tests. But through it all, he became stronger while his body recovered from one illness to another. He felt like an outcast when he was healthy enough to return to school. Landon recalls feeling like an observer but never part of the crowd. His experiences in the hospital made him feel like a prisoner, but strangely, he also felt like he belonged there. He had friends, but they were always fleeting. His puppets were a source of solace and permanence in his moments of loneliness.
In middle school, while maintaining his health regimens, he developed a love for theater, performing in every production. Landon became known for his comical and ingenious puppetry acts, marking the beginning of his solo theatrical career. He was now playing various unique characters, shedding the boy's identity in the hospital bed and creating the personalities that would become his most popular puppets.
Throughout middle school, he was ridiculed for not fitting in with other people. Dedicated to his art, he carried a puppet twice his size around, which, with scathing wit, defended him from marauding bullies. His material evolved as Landon diligently worked on his act and developed his repertoire.
As he honed his ventriloquism skills and routines, Landon began booking part-time jobs, making money, and performing at various gigs, birthday parties, Cub Scout events, and even senior homes. These shows allowed him to play with his art and improvise, but the real test came when his high school choir director asked him to perform a ten-minute segment in the middle of their upcoming recital. Caught off guard, he quickly ran home to tell his father about his dilemma. With a ten-minute spot to fill and a desperate need for new material, they brainstormed that weekend. Landon’s quick-witted ideas made his dad tear up from laughter, and as more retorts presented themselves, their writers’ room turned host for a comedic ping-pong match.
Performance day arrived, and forty-five minutes into the recital, Landon recalled walking out to a deadpan audience and a silent stage. None of the past bullying mattered. The puppet wasn’t a shield but now a tool. He wasn’t a victim anymore; his energetic presence filled the auditorium and fueled a sea of laughter. He killed! They loved him! It was a rush, a euphoria, an incredible high. A high he still chases in every performance.
Landon continued his performances and studied The Greats before him, such as Edgar Bergen, Jeff Dunham, and David Strassman. They all had their style of performance and signature puppets. He knew he needed to develop his own identity through the characters he designed and created. Through those early years, his slew of puppets grew. His style morphed into wacky characters, presenting a cartoony edge. This inspired him to develop a persona for each character: the voice, the look, the animation, and the vocal material breathed life into what was before just a roll of foam and fleece. One of his most popular characters is a three-foot-tall disgruntled zombie with a maggot in its head's cavity. Bill (The Zombie) represents a side of Landon he fears he’d become without his art—a void of creativity.
Landon knew he had to venture out onto new horizons. Through a twist of fate, while in Las Vegas, Landon met an eccentric, wizardly, red-headed, animated force of nature named Christina De Musée. He recalls being impressed by Christina, an edgy contemporary artist who fills a room as if it were a stage with her theatrical gestures.
“When I first entered De Musée’s studio, not only was it magical, but it was dazzling. The place was filled with larger-than-life billboard-size artwork. There was such a creative buzz, an instant effect that stimulated us to work together.”
Christina and Landon are currently collaborating on projects involving artistic backdrops featuring wonderful characters, one of which portrays him as a phantasmagorical puppet.
Furthermore, she created a large theatrical set that featured him as the center of interest, flanked by dark effigies of Landon’s mind. This dynamic partnership will document the process of creating a visual masterpiece for YouTube and Patreon to inspire the artistic community and further foster interest in the arts.
Landon’s objective is to reach a vast audience of fans worldwide while growing the next generation of ventriloquists. His edgy themes, witty dialogue, and clever banter have established his reputation as the “Bad Boy of Ventriloquism.” He pushes the boundaries of traditional ventriloquism with offbeat viral videos, a livestream improvised show he calls “Landon Up Late,” and the upcoming production of his ‘Damaged Goods’ tour. During his not-to-miss live show, he focuses on “self-reflections” from the comedically troubled mind of a twenty-three-year-old puppeteer.
For further information on Landon and ticket info, visit, www.LandonHarvey.com
Biz Contact: Team@LandonHarvey.com
Socials: @LandonVenting
YouTube, youtube.com/@ChristinaDeMusee
Patreon, patreon.com/QueenDeMusee
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