We recently connected with April Brucker and have shared our conversation below.

April, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is one I’m currently working on. My puppet partner, May Wilson (Gold Digging Valley Girl), and I have teamed up with the World Famous Ink Spots for a reimagining of the classic duet “That’s The Way It Is.” Intially performed by the original Ink Spots lead singer Bill Kenny with jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald, we’re giving the song a modern theatrical twist—telling the bittersweet story of a singer and a showgirl puppet whose love can never be.
This collaboration is especially exciting as the Ink Spots music is experiencing a resurgence, thanks to the Amazon series, “Fallout,” recently renewed for a third season. Fans may recognize their classic hit, “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire.”
For me, it’s than just about music—it’s about the legacy. Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans and lifelong fans of the original Ink Spots. Now, I’m honored to help bring their timeless sound to a new generation.
(May Wilson: Ahem! I’m doing all the hard work, thank you!)

April, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m April Brucker—an actress, ventriloquist, writer, and TV host with a passion for bringing characters to life, both on stage and on the page. My journey into entertainment began when I was 13, after watching ventriloquists on TV. That Christmas, my mom gave me a Groucho Marx doll, and I was hooked. From then on, I performed wherever and whenever I could.
As a teenager, I created and hosted three public access shows: “Apriltalk,” where I interviewed local celebrities and performed comedy sketches; “Aprilrock”where I featured local bands; and “Storytime with April and Friends,” where I read bedtime stories to kids. I believed in my work so much that I mailed my tapes out on my own dime—and they ended up airing in 36 states, 6 countries, and online.
I earned my BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, training at The Lee Strasberg Institute and Stonestreet Studios. Later, I went on to earn my MFA in Creative Writing/Screenwriting from Antioch University Los Angeles. Like many performers, I worked side gigs to pay the bills—one of them being a singing telegrammer, which became the inspiration for my first book, “I Came, I Saw, I Sang: Memoirs of a Singing Telegram Delivery Girl.”
At one point, I was engaged to someone who made me choose between him and the puppets. I chose him… briefly. But I missed the puppets too much—so I chose them instead. That decision ended up being the best one I ever made. It led to a profile in “The UK Daily Mail” and a feature on “My Strange Addiction,” which is now streaming worldwide.
Since then, I’ve been fortunate to appear on “The Today Show,”(NBC) Entertainment Tonight,”(NBC) “Inside Edition,” (CBS) “Judge Jerry,” (NBC Universal Syndication) “What’s My Secret?,” (MTV) and many others. I also performed in “Murdered By The Mob,” the longest-running Off-Broadway dinner theatre show.
As a writer, my work has appeared in “The Huffington Post,” “Good Men Project,” “xoJane,” “ Elite Daily,” and more. I’ve also published two other books: “April Unwrapped” (an adult picture book) and “Don’t Read My Lips: America’s Foremost Female Ventriloquist Reveals The Secrets On How To Be A Successful Vent.” All are available through online booksellers worldwide.
Las Vegas has become a second home for me. My Valley Girl puppet May Wilson and I were the special guest stars in an all-female revue that ran for nine months. I also host and produce the TV chat show “April in Vegas,” filmed poolside at The English Hotel in Las Vegas Arts District.
Last year, May and I released a cheeky holiday tune, “Merry Christmas: I’m So Glad I Didn’t Marry You!”, a tribute to all those dating disasters of holidays past. It debuted on iHeartRadio via “The Kyle and Jackie O Show,” Australia’s number-one morning show. Now we’re working on a remake of “That’s The Way It Is” with the World Famous Ink Spots, originally sung by Ella Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots.
Through comedy, music, writing, and my ever-growing puppet family, I’ve made it my mission to entertain, inspire, and keep people laughing—one voice at a time.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I first came to Las Vegas, I was getting ready to debut my one-woman show, April Unwrapped. In February 2020, we had two incredible preview weekends at The Notoriety Theatre. This little ventriloquist was so excited—ready to take on the Strip.
But then came March 2020… and, well, we all know what happened.
Suddenly, live theater was out, and Zoom shows were in. My manager, Clinton Billups, had been urging me for years to write a book about ventriloquism. Now, I had nothing but time. So, in the middle of a pandemic and a whole lot of uncertainty, “Don’t Read My Lips” was born.
The second time I had to dig deep and be resilient came in 2024 when Donald J. Tramp—my puppet who bears a suspicious resemblance to a certain president—joined me at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Our plan was to march, protest, and, of course, bring some comic relief. I had been invited by the Milwaukee Area Labor Council (The AFL-CIO), because I am a proud SAG-AFTRA member.
But the day before the march, there was an attempt on the now-president’s life. And to make matters even more surreal, the shooter turned out to be from my hometown—Bethel Park, PA. He lived just two blocks over from my parents.
Suddenly, it felt like everything was up in the air. Bill Maher cancelled his shows in Milwaukee. “The Daily Show” pulled out of it’s Milwaukee location. I wasn’t sure what to do. But in show business, we have a saying: The show must go on.
So, Donald J. Tramp and I headed to the march. To our surprise, people wanted to laugh—needed to laugh. Regardless of political views, they were curious about Tramp’s ear (which had seen better days).
In President Tramp’s words:
“Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. With a little needle and thread, I’m good as new. This political puppet wasn’t ready to become a car shammy just yet!”
At the end of the day, life will always throw lemons at you. You can either cry about them—or you can squeeze them, add some sugar, and make a killer lemonade stand.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I was never a “musical theatre person.” I liked music, but I never thought I’d be a singer. In fact, one music teacher in elementary school told me—right in front of the whole class—that I couldn’t sing. That moment stayed with me. I figured I had no talent and singing just wasn’t in the cards.
Then came high school. My friends begged me to audition for “The Wizard of Oz” my junior year. I was “a legit actor,” the kind who did serious roles, and musicals felt like enemy territory. But the Wicked Witch of the West? That was a dream role. So, thanks to peer pressure (and a little curiosity), I auditioned—and got the part.
I had the best time ever.
That role led to more: the Evil Queen in “Snow White,” the Queen of Hearts in “Dorothy Meets Alice.” Apparently, I had the local monopoly on fairytale villains with vocal solos. And little by little, I started to find my voice.
In college, I took a singing class almost on a dare. To my surprise, it became my favorite. My teacher, Jan Eric Douglas, gave me the confidence to sing “just in case I had to do it for real.” I had no idea how prophetic that would be.
After graduation, I got hired as a singing telegrammer. Suddenly, I was singing several times a day, every day—sometimes in costume, sometimes with puppets, always with heart. It was a job, sure, but also a crash course in performance, audience connection, and musical storytelling. I even wrote a book about the experience—and I’m working on a second edition.
Eventually, I dabbled in music here and there, but things got serious when Grammy-nominated producer Costas Dino approached me about recording a song with my puppets. I thought he was insane. But I went for it.
The result? May Wilson and I recorded “Merry Christmas (I’m So Glad I Didn’t Marry You!)”, which streamed worldwide and made its iHeartRadio debut on “The Kyle and Jackie O Show”-Australia’s #1 morning show.
Now, May and I are teaming up with the World Famous Ink Spots to release “That’s the Way It Is,” a song originally recorded by the original Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald. With the Amazon hit series “Fallout” introducing their music to a whole new generation, it’s surreal to think this little ventriloquist and her puppet are finding their way into “The Great American Songbook.”
(May Wilson: Ahem—it’s the textile American songbook, April!)
The real lesson here? Just because someone tells you you can’t do something doesn’t mean they’re right. And it certainly doesn’t mean the door is closed.
Sometimes, you just have to kick it open—and maybe belt a note or two while you’re at it.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.aprilbrucker.tv/
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/theaprilbrucker
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theaprilbrucker
• Twitter: http://www.x.com/aprilbrucker
• Youtube: http://www.YouTube.com/aprilbruckercomedy