Practice makes perfect.
As we await Paul O’Connell’s dispatch and photos from the 2012 Viva Las Vegas competition (the lucky winners were announced last night), it’s time to turn some attention to a few unusual burlesque highlights and new faces launching innovative shows this week:
Thursday, April 12 @ Rebar:
EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! Presents: Sing & Sling: A Musical Burlesque Show
In what may be the most atypical burlesque event of the week, Sing & Sling: A Musical Burlesque Show will attempt the siren-like feat of luring you in with beautiful bodies as well as enchanting voices. Many of Seattle’s burlesque performers are also gifted singers: Heidi Von Haught, Ella Titsgerald, Olatsa Assin, Sara Dipity, and of course, EmpeROAR Fabulous will show you what they’re made of this Thursday at Rebar.
EmpeROAR Fabulous took a few moments to explain how the show came about and how he chose the cast:
“Being a musician and burlesque performer, the idea for a show centered on singing burlesque performers has been stewing in my mind for many years,” he said.
“Each performer will be doing two of these three: a straight-up burlesque act, a strictly singing act, or a singing burlesque act. I wanted to create a show that had more dynamics than a parade of burlesquers glued to a stationary microphone. Wireless headsets are a costly investment (it took me four years to get mine), and there are few venues where one can sing to canned music and still be heard over the raucous applause of a good striptease. I am pleased with the variety we’ve attained while still honoring the original intention of the show.”
“The first time I saw Olatsa Assin, I knew I could finally make this show work, so that was a no-brainer. I’ve always loved Heidi Von Haught’s voice, and craved more of it. She worked with a trio to record the music for her act in this show, and it’s going to be side-splitting. I’ve done musical duets with Ella Titsgerald, and being that every one of her burlesque acts includes live singing, I couldn’t do this without including her. Sara Dipity wowed me both when I heard her sing, and saw her strip- her musical theater training oozes through every performance. There were people I just wasn’t able to fit on the bill, and have had people request to be in the next one, so if all goes well, this will be the first of many!”
EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! presents:
Sing & Sling: A Musical Burlesque Show
Thursday April 12th, 8pm, at Re-bar
Tickets available at www.singandsling.eventbrite.com/ for $15, or $18 at the door.
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Friday, April 13 @ Rendezvous / Jewelbox Theater:
Dr. Rocket’s Boom Boom L’Roux and Ella Titsgerald Present: Fresh Meat
In order for burlesque performers to shape their routines and improve as entertainers, nothing is more valuable than stage time. Yet to sustain audience interest and quality shows in a super-saturated community, many feel there should be an outlet for working out show business kinks away from the public eye. Still- practice makes perfect, after all. Fresh Meat– which takes place this Friday on the Jewelbox Theater’s cozy, unintimidating stage- is one of a handful of recent events geared toward workshopping and peer reviews.
Fresh Meat is a variety-style evening performance open to anyone to attend, but producers and performers are encouraged to come in order to facilitate constructive feedback. A panel of two to three ‘celebrity’ reviewers are invited (established performers or producers with strong backgrounds in arts, theater, dance, music, etc.) to provide written feedback after the show. The idea is to have fun on a small public stage while gaining valuable experience.
All levels of performers are encouraged to apply for future shows. Boom Boom L’Roux says that the response so far has been overwhelmingly good, and that she and Ella intend to produce Fresh Meat on a quarterly basis as long as there’s interest.
For information or to participate in future installments of Fresh Meat, please contact: doctor.rockets@gmail.com
Fresh Meat
April 13, 2012
8pm $10
Rendezvous / Jewelbox Theater
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And last but not least, another new venture (and spectacular poster):
Tuesday Tease launches April 17
Tuesday, April 17 @ Lucid Jazz Lounge
Tuesday Tease
Tuesday Tease launches April 17 at LUCID Jazz Lounge in the U District. The show aims to fill the oft-mentioned need for a regularly scheduled burlesque revue with the added chemistry of live musical accompaniment. Featuring the musical stylings of The Lurid Spectacles (Meg van Huygen, Tyson Lynn, and Jono Green) and a rotating cast of Seattle burlesque artists and cabaret singers, the first show features burlesque by Sailor St. Claire, Whisper de Corvo, and Persephone Illyri with vocals by Jen Nelson and host Ace Carter.
Says performer Sailor St. Claire:
“The show is a unique contribution to Seattle’s burlesque scene that allows dancers to work in collaboration with musicians and singers. Most contemporary burlesque shows work with pre-recorded music, orchestrated by a DJ or sound engineer. While that’s a perfectly fine way to run a show, it’s also limiting. Unless a performer has music editing skills, what they can do with their performance is bounded by the music they choose, with little room for improvisation in between highly choreographed 8-counts. Working with a live band allows dancers to extend their music where they need it, enhancing their performance in ways they might not have previously been able to. At Tuesday Tease, dancers work alongside The Lurid Spectacles and guest vocalists from Seattle’s cabaret scene to adapt their pre-existing act concepts to live music, creating a dynamic performance experience for both artists and audience.”
Tuesday Tease takes place at Lucid Jazz Lounge in the U District on the 3rd Tuesday of the month in April, June, August, October and December.
Tuesday Tease: April 17 at 8:30pm, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/236178
For more information, visit www.tuesdayteaseseattle.com
Burlesque Seattle Press 
oops! don’t forget the lurid spectacles’ drummer, jeff myers!