The world is full of interesting passionate people who remind us that there is so much compassion, whimsy and fun around us. Just like Amany Yousef AbdulNour, a ventriloquist and a puppeteer who has a valuable message for children all around the world. She performs puppet shows and Radio and TV programs for children.

Amany started puppeteering in 2015 and with the help of two wonderful cast members; sound engineer, Wael Karim and musician, Micheal Makram, she was inspired to start a useful puppet-show for little friends!

“I was very passionate about studying puppetry and ventriloquism, so I worked hard on practicing the art of ventriloquism and was able to become a professional puppeteer. We were motivated by the great need of our children who miss getting involved in social activities, rather than their addiction to digital tablets and electronic devices. And to convey positive ideas by sharing with them a message about God’s love for each one of them, and to teach them good behavior and morals,” Amany explains.

Her art is backed up by education as she studied drama, short story analysis and writing, criticism and translation, and holds a bachelor’s of arts in “Arts and English Literature” from Ain Shams University in Cairo. But she hasn’t stopped there, she continues to learn and grow so she can improve her craft. “I did courses in parenting and counseling on “How to raise effective children in a defective world” and completed other business courses in HR, professional narration and Voice-Over in Arabic: Khaliji, Lebanese, Egyptian & English, and the Art of Writing course,” Amany continues.

The stage puppets are handmade by a specialized team who make and sew them. Amany also hosts workshops that guide teachers and children how to make their own puppets, transform stories into a script, and perform their own puppet shows on stage. The puppets that they use were specially made to match the culture, for easier communication and to socialize with kids in the Gulf, especially since the team travels all over the region to perform.

It takes a special talent to imagine the character that will communicate the messages that Amany wants to convey to the audience. She gets inspired by the culture in which the puppet will perform. She tells us that kids enjoy and love funny and smart characters. Choosing the right voice for the puppet is important too. It has to match the character to give credibility to the puppet. For example, a grumpy, hoarse, loud voice won’t work with a tiny delicate puppet. It takes skill and talent to deliver a consistent voice for each character while switching between them during a performance. “I worked with many radio stations and production studios, and still do advertisements, feature films, and dubbing for movies. I also do the tannoy flight announcements at airports, and answering machines at call centers too… this gave me the experience to know how to switch between voices to match with the occassion,” she explains.

The heart of any performance, though, is the story, and Amany finds inspiration in lots of places. Some stories are taken from real life; such as the sad tragedies of bullying that break the hearts of many children. “I talk about the importance of building your own self-esteem and never trusting the lies that come from the negative minds of bullies,” she says.

Amany’s stories and shows are all driven by a core message; as a child you are loved by God. She wants to teach children to see blessings, practice gratitude and trust that Allah’s gifts and mercies are plentiful.
Some stories are taken from old children’s books to match the theme of the performance of that particular show, others are written by Amany herself. But her main goal is to always deliver a lesson or a moral that can be easily digested by kids.

“I have had lots of positive feedback from children who came back to me, after the show, and were excited to tell me how this show touched their hearts and that they received a powerful message that made them trust in their own abilities and ignore all the negative opinions! And that made me eager to reach out to more children and convey optimistic and positive messages through this puppet show performance,” Amany explains.

While her main audience is children, parents who attend the puppet show performances enjoy the shows as much as the kids and when they meet her after the show, tell her how they wish that there were more shows like them performed at schools to make learning more fun. Amany tells us that the best thing about puppeteering is that she gets the opportunity to meet children from different cultures and interact with them face-to-face. “I feel blessed to share positive thoughts to help children face the difficulties in life, and draw a smile on their little faces,” she explains.

Amany’s puppet show is growing. She has plans to do more traveling to share her stories and characters with more kids in the region and is currently working on a new podcast in the form of short reels that aim to answer questions from their little friends, who are facing challenges with parents and friends.
We can’t wait to see more of her and her great puppets.

TRUTH OR DARE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Cheerful
How would you describe your mother in one word?
Wise
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
When they ask silly questions about personal details in my life
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
Reading
What is your theme song?
“How Great Thou Art”
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
A word like Brunch (that is a meal between breakfast and lunch) I want to invent a word for a meal between lunch and dinner and other meals
Where would you like to live?
Where my family lives at any place God directs to go to
What is your dream retirement location?
Europe
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
We never know what tomorrow holds but we know who holds tomorrow, so trust God and surrender all to Him
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Loyal dog
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
Simplicity and old childhood friends
If you could change your name, to what would you change it?
I like my name!
How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
Welcoming
What is the toughest part of your character?
Anxiety
Who is your favorite historical figure?
Joseph the dreamer
What in the world do you least desire?
Negative thoughts
What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Love
What do you like most about people?
They are nice simplicity and honesty.
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is… … being with your beloved one forever”

Follow @puppetsa_q8 on Instagram to find out what Amany’s up to.