With Foote, fun is easily at hand

His musical influences are eclectic: Al Jolson, Nat King Cole, Bob Dylan; his style is vaudevillian and his puppets are still “props with attitude.”

Some children’s music artists do sing-alongs; Vancouver-based veteran Norman Foote, who’ll put on a show at Scherr Forum Theatre in Thousand Oaks on Friday, does laugh-along.

Known first for witty, offbeat, gentle songs, this triple Juno Award nominee (Canada’s Grammy equivalent), a father of five, has shaped his improvisational skits, wacky puppetry and wicked impressions of pop icons with inventive comic skill to tickle funny bones, young and old.

Foote’s puppets are the cornerstone of his concert shows. One, an obstreperous baby, remains unseen except for various body parts (a chubby leg might deliver a swift kick from a bassinet). Another is a giant head that takes on varying personalities. The latest, Rosalita, has a back story; she’s a former dancer with neck trouble. “I get some innocent bystander in the audience to put the head on and I provide the voice,” he says. “She always brings the house down.”

He’ll be joined on stage at the Scherr by a chorus from Mound Elementary School in Ventura. The students will provide sound effects and various actions. “I call them my animated wall of sound,” Foote says.

Respect for all ages is key to what Foote does. “A lot of people think with kid stuff it’s just a matter of ‘good enough.’ I’ve never felt that way,” he says. “My biggest compliment is when moms come up after a show and say, ‘My mascara was running.’ ”

Norman Foote, Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 6:30 p.m. Friday. $14. (805) 449-2787; (213) 480-3232; www.ticketmaster.com