by Olivia Noss // Aug. 4, 2026
This article is part of our feature topic Play.
New York-based ventriloquist Sophie Becker brought her show, ‘Ronnie’s Big Idea’—a spellbinding two-part act that blended the comedic and the absurd—to the Sommerfest at Haus am Waldsee earlier this month. Performing hand-in-hand, literally, with her protegée and ventriloquist dummy Ronnie, Becker portrays a symbiotic relationship between the two: sometimes chiding, other times joking, always collaborative. Becker straddles a split self—one part her stage conductor persona, and another part sublimated through her coy, fame-seeking counterpart who one quickly forgets is an extension of herself. In the spirit of play, we connected with Becker to discuss this performance and her sustained interest in animating the inanimate.
Sophie Becker: ‘Ronnie’s Big Idea,’ 2026 at Sommerfest, Haus am Waldsee // Photo by Maximilian Koppernock
Olivia Noss: Ventriloquism rejects a singular coherent identity by externalizing a second, often contradictory voice. What drew you to ventriloquism? What draws you to the surrogate nature of speaking through a puppet?
Sophie Becker: I was initially interested in ventriloquism because of the humor. It was a party trick when I was first exploring it, and I wasn’t as interested in the puppet as I was in throwing my voice into objects, or just into the air. (For example, I animated Lygia Clark sculptures in a performance directed by artist Liz Magic Laser). Once the antique dummies entered my life, I was inspired to explore a more spiritual connection to the art form because of ventriloquism’s rich spiritual history: it has roots in possession and ancient mediums. The dummies are uncanny objects that elicit a strong reaction from audiences, and I found that discomfort fascinating—knowing that ventriloquists were initially spiritual mediums thousands of years ago added layers to the inexplicable uncanniness of the art form. So, in short, the history of the practice made me delve deeper into my practice.
On stage, I am drawn to oscillating between hiding and revealing myself and sharing the spotlight with a sculptural object. Can watching an object be as fascinating as watching a flesh-and-blood actor? The answer is yes.
ON: You mention that performance art gives you the liberty to engage in absurd, particularly non-linear narratives. Can you speak more to the liberty and room for play that performance offers you?
SB: A performance art audience isn’t expecting my work to be a comedy special. It is expected that I take my time and explore deeper connections to objects that won’t have a “zinger” as punctuation, and ultimately, this is better for the piece. I can be more patient; I can really listen to Ronnie. Her non-linear vocal play and using noises and breath rather than words. Where is the humor and pain in disconnected sounds and movements? The silence can be a bit longer. Her musings on her animation can be a bit more theoretical—she currently has a gripe with what she calls “corporeal supremacy.”
Sophie Becker: ‘Ronnie’s Big Idea,’ 2026 at Sommerfest, Haus am Waldsee // Photo by Maximilian Koppernock
ON: You break the fourth wall in your performance when you acknowledge the construction of Ronnie as a character to be carefully shaped and formed. What was the process of shaping her? What led to the construction of Ronnie’s character?
SB: The ventriloquial figure is made by Austin Phillips, who I met at Venthaven, the ventriloquism convention, in Kentucky. I loved his work, and consider his figures to be the Lamborghinis of dummies because of the smoothness and accuracy of the movements.
Once Austin built her, her character came naturally. Austin fabricated Ronnie to be a boy, but I knew I wanted my “Id”—it made the writing come naturally. The most important early contributions to her character development were clothing and, specifically for her, photoshoots. I would buy designer children’s fashion, bejewel boys’ communion suits or buy beautiful vintage sets on eBay. It was important that the clothing felt adult and the accessories were integral. All of this helped me create her character. As for her being blonde—I, to the confusion of people around me, identify as blonde, but my hair turned brown as I got older. She really is just me stuck with the most arrogant and insecure parts of my personality, and those are the most shameful, relatable and funny parts to put on display.
ON: At one point in your set, you and Ronnie switch bodies entirely. You, pleading to her to come back into her fabric vessel. What was your impulse to convey this?
SB: Ronnie embodying me is a moment of discovery and loss of control. What would I end up doing with no inhibition? How would Ronnie relate to my body for the first time? Having flesh and blood is pretty…gross. So warm, so wet. I liked imagining Ronnie’s shock.
I spend the majority of the set possessing and controlling her, so it is satisfying for the audience to watch the tables turn. Everyone needs little wins in a story; everyone needs a moment to be free.
Sophie Becker: ‘Ronnie’s Big Idea,’ 2026 at Sommerfest, Haus am Waldsee // Photo by Maximilian Koppernock
ON: Ronnie’s personality is flirtatious, attention-seeking, feminine, coquettish, vain, dramatic and overconfident. She seems to vacillate between being overconfident in her abilities and consistently turning to you for affirmation. Can you elaborate on the ways in which you have set her up to be a foil to your more reserved, stately on stage persona? And why?
SB: As a performer, I can be very controlled; she allows me to let loose and engage with all of those embarrassing, annoying and charming qualities. She is my inspiration: be more embarrassing, be more annoying and go home believing you are right. There is a long lineage of characters with this sort of arrogance and way of moving through the world: Falstaff, Don Quixote, Ignatius J Reilly from Confederacy of Dunces—they don’t have inhibitions, they make mistakes, say things that are completely wrong and believe vehemently they are right, and continue in the world. Ronnie, and the dummy in general, has this impermeable psychology. Ronnie’s insecurity highlights the ridiculous air of her claims and actions—she is a bit more aware than the others; she is a woman, after all.
Sophie Becker: ‘Ronnie’s Big Idea,’ 2026 at Sommerfest, Haus am Waldsee // Photo by Maximilian Koppernock
ON: Olive, the second character in your show, ‘Ronnie’s World,’ takes on a more abstract form, a hand puppet created by hair and eyes attached to your hand, and a mouth formed by your thumb and index finger. What is the appeal of a character that is a direct extension of your body, rather than a physical puppet?
SB: The hand of the puppeteer is the most alive and most playful. Our hands are our own disconnected characters that do things for us daily, without us having to think about it first—scratching an itch, catching a falling glass. Watching the simplicity of a hand becoming a character feels so innate to being human. It is the most immediate puppet, and Olive’s shaky, concerned personality matches the tell-all of someone’s hands. They sweat when you are nervous; they shake with excitement. Olive speaks to the audience so clearly because she wears her heart on her sleeve, and our hands do just that.
