The Buzz Intro Interview

Allison Wonders (CPO) Chief Puppet Officer

We don’t get enough spaces in our lives to simply laugh, play, and feel a sense of wonder. This show gives you permission to let go for a while—to be surprised, to be a little silly, and to reconnect with that part of yourself that doesn’t take everything so seriously.

I’m excited to share this show at the Atlanta Fringe, and especially to perform at The Supermarket—an incredible place I’ve seen grow from the very beginning. What I love about festivals, and Fringe in particular, is the spirit of creativity and possibility. It’s a space where artists can take risks, try bold ideas, and audiences come ready for something unexpected. There’s an energy to it—a sense of discovery and connection—that you don’t always find elsewhere. Being part of that, especially in my own city, feels really special.

When I saw Lily Tomlin’s brilliant one woman show, In Search of Intelligent Life in the Universe, I knew I wanted to do a one woman show. I was captivated that one person could command an entire stage.
When I turned 50, I decided to make that dream a reality and created my first one-woman show, Allison Wonders and Her Cast of Characters. It was a series of vignettes with off-the-wall characters and one puppet. I’d spent twenty years working with puppets —teaching, performing, even on my children’s television’ show, Ladida’s Room—and never thought to be a ventriloquist . Then in 2019, on stage during a stand-up routine, it hit me: if I just shut my mouth, I could be a ventriloquist. So I did!
I immediately got to work finding new puppets and creating material for my next show, The Allison Wonders Show. In May 2021, with an outdoor audience seated 6 ft apart I performed the very first show. Since then I have been performing around the country in homes, small venues and at events.