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Published June 30, 2020

Before starting her business, Christian Community Theater, Mary Ellevold of Green Bay worked full-time as an accountant.

"I really disliked that job," Ellevold said. "It was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole."

Now, with years of experience as a successful puppeteer, she encourages people to follow their dreams.

"Do what you love and what you shine at," she said. "We are all created with gifts and talents to use our strengths. If there is something you love, but don't know how to do, learn it."

That's exactly what Ellevold did in pursuing her creative gifts. From the time she was a youngster, she was drawn to puppets, ventriloquists, and writing. A constant companion was a small puppet that she kept in her pocket.

Her favorite television program was "Circus 3," a children's show that ran from 1961 to 1972 on WISC-TV in Madison that featured ventriloquist Howie Olson and his famous puppet, Cowboy Eddie. Children waited as long as six months to sit in the bleachers and see the show live, and Ellevold was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she enjoy the show, but she also wanted to imitate the performers.

"After the show, my parents let me order a ventriloquist kit, and I started practicing," Ellevold said.

She learned ventriloquism and puppeteering, and as the years passed, she amassed more than 100 puppets and those talents became more and more a part of her life. Her four children were treated to puppet shows, songs, and jokes.

"I went to Word & Pen in Oshkosh for a course in writing and only had a few pages of a puppet show script written," Ellevold said. "When the announcer read the script, everyone was laughing."

Encouraged by that response, she attended Creative Ministries I-Fest in Illinois where she honed her skills in areas such as puppetry, ventriloquism, stick ministry, gospel illusions, and balloon twisting.

Her first mentors were clowns, and by 1996, she was an accountant during the week and a performer on the weekends. The shows gained in popularity and grew; at the peak, she was doing about 100 shows a year at churches and nursing homes assisted by a dozen teenagers, including two of her daughters.

"I had three teams, and we did a 45-minute variety show that included songs, puppets, jokes, and inspirational messages," she added. "When the teenagers went to college, I went to a one-person show that was performed mostly in nursing homes."

But those shows were put on hold when she was sidelined with health issues. She turned to write and wrote a how-to book, "Learn to be a Ventriloquist for Kids of all Ages," and a biography, "The Storms of Life."

The writing continues and two additional books are in process. She has an editor but self-publishes the books (available on Amazon).

She also has written a children's video series, "Sockie Puppet Storytime," a faith-based, 30-minute show with clowns, puppets, and songs featuring Gramps and Brilli, the storytellers. Eight episodes are written but need to be filmed.

The next step is figuring out how to produce, market, and monetize it. Because video production and social media aren't strengths, she is working with Green Bay SCORE mentors for advice. The business has changed since she made Christian Community Theater a success through cold calls and word-of-mouth marketing.

Although she wanted to continue to do variety shows, Ellevold has felt the effects of the pandemic and understands that it will be a long time before performances are allowed at nursing homes. So, she does what other entrepreneurs have done to adapt to the new normal and modify her business.

It has come a long way since she was a student of Reggie White's Urban Hope Program in Green Bay where she wrote her first business plan.

"The hardest part was writing a philosophy statement, and focusing on exactly what I wanted to do. That has been the most difficult part because everything keeps changing," Ellevold said.

But the one thing that hasn't changed is her desire to weave a message of faith in whatever format she uses. Ellevold strives to combat negativity and bring joy by sharing the Gospel.

"I want to make a difference in people's lives and touch their hearts," Ellevold said. "After working as an accountant, I realized that I was created for something different. A favorite quote is, 'Follow your dreams, the world needs you.' And the world, especially now, really needs encouragement."

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.