Black Lodge Burlesque: A Night of Cabaret Inspired by David Lynch.

•10/04/2012 • Leave a Comment

~ Written by Jessica Price (this article also appears in the 10/5/12 edition of Seattle Gay News).

Whether you worship or despise his non-linear, often surreal narratives – no one ever forgets seeing a David Lynch movie. Perhaps Diane Ladd drunk-dialing while smearing fire engine red lipstick all over her face in Wild at Heart gave you chills. Or you fell for a young, pre-meltdown Nicolas Cage being visited by the Good Witch, or the cruel romance between Naomi Watts and Laura Harring in Muholland Drive broke your heart. Whatever the movie (or the short-lived, mind-bending prime time television show Twin Peaks), David Lynch’s bizarre characters and dream-like realities never fail to leave you with a fractured view of normal life for a few hours after.

Two Portland burlesque producers well-versed in the unconventional are bringing their successful Black Lodge Burlesque: A Night of Cabaret Inspired by David Lynch to Re-Bar October 12-13. Vera Mysteria, who produces shows regularly as Sign of the Beast Burlesque, and co-producer Rocket (GoGoRocket Productions), originally met while working as a DJ and a dancer in Portland. “I was surprised to see a woman DJ at a strip club, that’s uncommon,” says Rocket of her co-producer. “She was hilarious. She’d say stuff like ‘next up on stage it’s Rocket. She loves chocolate and kittens and brushing her hair. She’s gonna take us back to 1985 right now with this next song. Do you like kittens too? Go give Rocket your money right now’.”

A fast friendship was born, and it wasn’t long before the two began performing in each other’s left-of-center burlesque and variety shows and organizing a few joint productions. Black Lodge is the first to come to Seattle, but given the kinship that local cabaret performers have with our sister city of Portland, it’s no surprise. The Northwest already has a sweet spot for all things Lynch (Twin Peaks was set in a fictional Washington town with exterior shots filmed in Snoqualmie and North Bend). Expect to see appearances by the Log Lady, Laura Palmer, the Elephant Man, and maybe, just maybe Baby Le’Strange will break out her gender-bending transformation from Blue Velvet’s Dorothy to the inhalant crazed Frank Booth at Re-Bar.

Baby Le’Strange as Blue Velvet’s Dorothy (Happy Robot Photography)

I spoke with Vera Mysteria about why Lynch’s characters are so ripe for reinterpretation through burlesque and cabaret: “Cinema and burlesque often have very similar archetypes for women. Both offer the chance to present a character in any number of the classic molds. Many of Lynch’s women appear to fit one of those molds on a surface level, but he sort of flips them over and reveals their dark, bizarre underbellies. More and more I’m seeing burlesque performances that aren’t centering on the bright and shiny side of sexuality. It seems like we’re becoming increasingly interested in that seamier side of sex because it feels more relatable.”

Vera Mysteria as the Log Lady (Happy Robot Photography)

“The characters are often so bizarre, creepy or sad, and that’s a mood that burlesque doesn’t usually play upon,” adds Rocket. “I like that the audience doesn’t know how they are going to feel from one act to the next. David Lynch’s work has such a cult following, and I think that the people who come to see the show are already fans, they already love the characters. We even work in some call and response with the audience using classic lines from the shows and movies…so be prepared!”

Sign of the Beast Burlesque & GoGoRocket present Black Lodge Burlesque at Re-Bar, Friday October 12 and Saturday October 13.  Doors @ 6:30, show starts promptly at 7:30. tickets available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/283295 or at the door. You can also visit the event page on Facebook, over HERE.

Rocket in Black Lodge Burlesque (Happy Robot Photography)

Posted in Written by Jessica
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Picks of the (g)litter.

•09/27/2012 • Leave a Comment

BSP will be out of pocket for a few days doing some extracurricular Madonna-worshipping in Vancouver and Seattle…but when we return we have a very special feature about the other show we’re absolutely swooning over in October:  Black Lodge Burlesque: A Night of Cabaret Inspired by David Lynch.

Also happening within the first week of October are two exceptional shows worthy of attention:

Friday October 5:  AtmosFear Productions presents Decay, a night of sultry, dark, and dangerous burlesque and bellydance. I believe as of today tickets for this event might be sold out, but who knows- perhaps there will be some last minute door sales. One can only hope.  Decay’s unusual theme and stellar cast (La Petite Mort, Seraphina Fiero, Violet Tendencies, Iva Handfull, and more) caught my eye- BSP is all for a little exploration of the darker side of burlesque.  And how very appropriate for the first week of October…

Seraphina Fiero (POC)

Sunday, October 7:  Mod Carousel presents: Wham! Bam! KaBoom! at Can Can in the perfect-for-day-jobbers slot at 7:30pm (doors are at 7pm). Speaking of dark sides, although this particular Mod Carousel show centers on superheroes and a villainous vixen, I recently caught Paris Original performing with Sinner Saint Burlesque and was especially taken with one of his acts in which he plays a devilish role.  Watching Paris embrace his dark side is always a little like watching Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction or Damages… something just “turns”- and something formidable takes hold.

Paris Original and The Luminous Pariah (POC)

At any rate, you can see the yang to this yin at Can Can. Wham! Bam! KaBoom! should be sharpened to perfection, as the cast spent time touring in Europe and beyond this summer:

“This show has been quite fun to tour around,” says the Luminous Pariah  “We have performed it roughly 30 times, give or take a show.  Our run in London was for six weeks, and was wonderful. The crowds seemed to be more surprised than some, having not been to see much burlesque in general – let alone ‘BOYlesque’, says the Luminous Pariah. The Brits seem to be a bit more buttoned up than our US cohorts, but generally end up excited (sometimes more so) about halfway through.  Our show is a very American-style comedy, so some jokes were lost on a British audience, and they giggled at other things that weren’t intended for that affect.”

“After our time in London, we moved on to Brighton, Berlin, Basel (Switzerland), Paris, and Madrid. We then hopped over to NYC for one show, then on to Boston. We had very pleasant experiences in all of these great cities….Our next tour will be in the US this winter. After that, we will go to Europe in February for shows in Basel, Helsinki, London, and possibly more…”

Welcome Mod Carousel back to the US at Can Can, October 7.

*****
See you soon….

Photobucket

Posted in Written by Jessica

Sustainable Nerdlesque: a look back at Seattle’s “Summer of Nerdlesque”.

•09/20/2012 • Leave a Comment

Al Lykya as Dr. Horrible (Photo by Inti St. Clair)

~ Written by Paul O’Connell (with additional contributions from Jessica Price)

“Nerds and boobs and Joss Whedon might be the cause of the sell out…but a damn good show is what will make my audience want to give burlesque a second try.” – Jo Jo Stiletto

Summer is coming to a close, and with it we reach the end of “The Summer of Nerdlesque” (as it was affectionately dubbed by producer Jo Jo Stiletto). Four prominent themed shows (Behind the Blue Door: A Dr. Who-Inspired Cabaret, Stark Naked: A Nerdlesque Tribute to Game Of Thrones, JOYstick! and Whedonesque Burlesque: Burlesque Inspired by the Works of Joss Whedon) played to sold out audiences throughout the summer. (Full disclosure-I was in both Whedonesque and Stark Naked). Of course this isn’t the first time burlesque has been devoted to geek culture or parody. Historically, burlesque has been a form of commentary on popular culture- but never before have there been so many shows in Seattle mining the seemingly endless supply of pop culture underdogs. And they’re doing it with impeccable attention to detail.

The Norse Goddess as Thor (Photo by Inti St. Clair)

Man Johnson as Mal Reynolds (Photo by Inti St. Clair)

In addition to this summer’s main shows, many individual acts within variety formats have incorporated fan-based inspiration (Iva Handfull’s Napoleon Dynamite or Prince tributes, for example). Black Lodge Burlesque, a David Lynch themed show, hits Seattle October 12-13 courtesy of Portland producers Sign of The Beast and Go Go Rocket. Also from Portland, Critical Hit Burlesque will soon collaborate with Jo Jo Stiletto for Geeklesque Unites!

Lady Laycock as Buffy (Photo by Inti St. Clair)

Jake Groshong as Captain Hammer (Photo by Inti St. Clair)

While burlesque has always given performers license to formulate ideas based on hidden obsessions, with nerdlesque it might just be something you never openly admitted was sexy before. (Jo Jo Stiletto breaks this down in her article over HERE). With this much buzz about the actual substance and the future of nerdlesque, one thing is clear: it’s brought new faces to shows and triggered many new ideas. In live performance, that’s never a bad thing. With this in mind, we talked to the producers of this summer’s crop of shows (Vixen Valentine of Behind the Blue Door, Wiggy Stardust and Madeline Rider of Stark Naked, Steve Stone of JOYstick!, Jo Jo Stiletto of Whedonesque) about their experiences and what the future holds for burlesque and its geeky sibling.

Lady Laycock in JOYstick! (JOYstick! photos by Jackie Kingsbury)

We started off by asking what doors have opened regarding new concepts for burlesque, and where these types of shows might go in the future…

Jo Jo: I wouldn’t say that what these shows are doing is exactly new to burlesque. It’s merely repackaging. I know that I’ve seen many acts that are heavy on the narrative or commentary on pop culture. So while I think Miss Indigo’s Wonder Woman act is brilliant for standard audiences…imagine her doing that act in front of an audience comprised with folks who are very well versed in the history of Wonder Woman. That audience will lose their minds.

Miss Elaine Yes in JOYstick!

Madeline: There is a line when creating fan art between impersonation or imitation, and parody or satire, and when creating these acts it’s important to address your underlying motives and ask yourself who you are creating for. Pop reference is a huge tool within burlesque but I think the same problem that exists in the non-nerdlesque world, exists in the nerdlesque world- that when I, as a producer, am charging people money to see my show, I am obligated to deliver them entertainment worth their dollar and that THAT takes work. At the same time as a newbie producer, creating within the nerdlesque genre was an incredibly safe and empowering experience because I was surrounded by people like me who got what I was aiming for. But like I said, with power comes responsibility.

Wiggy: I was worried about creating this show because even though it sounded FUN and potentially lucrative, I am really interested in projects that are socially engaged, and wasn’t sure if this project would fit the bill. Luckily, working with a similarly-minded co-producer and choosing some really awesome and thoughtful talent meant that those were conversations we had, and that we could parody pop culture instead of just reproducing it outright. And it is great to be working within the framework of a fantasy novel, because it attracts a different audience than other burlesque shows. You get people in the door that haven’t necessarily been to a burlesque show before, who are there because of the theme, and you can nerd out with them. It’s really exciting.

Iva Handfull

Fosse Jack

How well do these fan based cultures/themes and burlesque play together?

Vixen Valentine: Fans of a particular niche are very passionate about it and love being around people who feel the same way. Burlesque is also a wonderful voice of the audience, to bring to light the stories that might not have happened, but we all wish that did.

Lady Drew Blood as The Wall in Stark Naked (Stark Naked photos by Joshua Weiner)

Jo Jo: Nerd culture and burlesque culture are excellent bedfellows. Fan culture, when you boil it down, is really about passion. Burlesque is about exploring passion in front of a live audience. Nerdlesque doesn’t need to only be about fan art. Some nerd acts have no “source material” in pop culture. Busty Keaton in Boston does an act in which she shows her own history of getting bullied and then transforms into a super hero. Also, the Wil Wheaton act that Scarlett O’Hairdye created for Whedonesque Burlesque, when you strip away the Wil Wheaton merkin and insignia pasties, is just an act about a kid that grows up to be cool. It’s the “It Gets Better” nerd act.

Paris Original as Cersei Lannister with Trojan Original as Jaime

Wiggy: I think the two go together very well. Burlesque is all about constructing fantasy (even a straight glamour piece does that). When you combine the over-the-top elements of burlesque with the over-the-top elements of high fantasy (as in a fantasy novel), there is so much potential to use narrative and create little alternate worlds, realities, and character sketches. Fan fiction is already ridiculous and hilarious, and adding burlesque into the mix makes it sexy and opens the door for cultural critique.

Steve: These worlds mesh together excellently. Cos-Play itself is one of the original public odes to nerddom and nerdlesque is one of those branches that have been created from that. For years, nerds were told to hide their obsessions and were constantly ridiculed in one way or another for it. Nerdlesque challenges those cultural norms as well as the ones that burlesque on its own does. The challenge for the performer, however, is staying true to what they are representing. These cultures are built on staying true to canon. A performer’s lack of knowledge of a character can easily lead to a negative response from the audience.

Violet Tendencies as Daenerys Targaryen

Legendary NYC performer Tigger! once said of burlesque performance that as males, we are here by invitation. The originating subject matter of the 4 biggest nerdlesque shows this summer are mostly dominated by males (meaning the writers, creators, or ideas came from a somewhat male-centric foundation). We wanted to know the producers’ thoughts about bringing these male-based shows into the primarily female world of burlesque? Are fan-based shows providing a new playing field in which creative women and men can collaborate in burlesque?

Vixen Valentine: When you take these male-based shows and bring them into a female dominated art form like burlesque you change the voice and perspective. We can take the things we love and celebrate it or take something that didn’t sit well with us and satirize it. The entire subject is up for scrutiny and allows the performers to give their own take on it.

Wiggy: Madeline and I were hyper-conscious of the way that women are portrayed in the Song of Ice & Fire series. There are some moments in those novels where women are totally equal players, and others where sexism is the driving force, and we wanted to address that by encouraging those playing female characters to be strong and sexy, and have agency. I think it’s especially great for our female-dominated genre to be exploring some male-based narratives and characters, since in those books, males are often subjects while women are objects. The stories we (women) often hear do not have women as agents in their own lives, even if they are the main characters of the books, movies, or shows we watch. Writing and performing our own stories, even if they are based on characters from elsewhere, is a fantastic and potentially empowering exercise. Taking male and female characters out of those novels, giving them agency, and telling a story about them can recontextualize them, and that is really important for women to be doing in particular.

Madeline: Burlesque has historically provided a forum for the marginalized to be heard. Like Wiggy said, we are integrating burlesque performance within already established fan-culture and as women, an under-represented population within nerd culture, are given the opportunity to tell the stories the way we want to. I’m not sure if this is collaboration or cross-pollination since we have pulled our inspiration from the work of male mega-celebrity writers, directors, and creators but I think it could be should we decide to work personally with local opposite-gender authors or film-makers. Maybe that’s what’s next: Sustainable Nerdlesque.

La Petite Mort as Direwolf

Jo Jo: Hollywood is dominated by men. Gaming culture is dominated by men. Nerd culture is dominated by men. Comic book stores are dominated by men. Ah, but in burlesque, you’re right, the women control the space. It’s a space welcome to male collaboration, as you well put it. Burlesque needs more exploration of male influence…all expressions of “maleness”. But, also, burlesque needs more attention as being a feminist art form. The founders of GeekGirlCon seem to understand that. I think that’s pretty powerful on its own. A feminist geek convention has embraced burlesque. That says something about subverting the traditional male gaze associated with burlesque and male dominated nerd culture.

I’d argue that the Whedonverse is already a pretty feminist space. Yes, Joss is a man. But, frankly, he is one of the most feminist writers in Hollywood. And many of his important collaborators are women. Jane Espenson was a great role model and influencer of our show.

The summer of nerdlesque was feminist burlesque, without a doubt. JOYStick! was a fundraiser for GeekGirlCon, a feminist geek convention. And, despite the completely insulting review from the Seattle Times that seemed to think this show was targeting fanboys and their boner potential, I believe these shows were created for a feminist geek audience. It’s about everyone’s boner potential.

*************

Here are some things coming up from our producers:

Valentine Vixen has been hired to take Behind the Blue Door to Con-Volution 2012 in Burlingame, California the first weekend in November.

Vixen Valentine (Photo by Ralph Gayle)

Wiggy and Madeline would love to take Stark Naked to Portland and incorporate some PDX burlesquers to the show. (This is definitely a real possibility since our dear Madeline has moved to Portland this summer).

Madeline and Wiggy of FauxDust

Steve Stone will be hosting Geeklesque Unites! on October 19 at Re-Bar as Vanadium Silver. Steve and Kelly Clark of GeekGirlCon will be starting a production company known as Lost In Thought Productions; they are working with Lady Laycock (JOYstick!, Whedonesque) to produce An Evening at Merlotte’s in the winter. They’re also hoping to present JOYstick! Level 2 next summer.

Steve Stone, aka Vanadium Silver

Jo Jo’s next production is Geeklesque Unites! with Critical Hit Burlesque from Portland, Oregon. Next up she’ll be at BurlyCon, where she will host a “Nerdlesque Happy Hour” in hospitality. She will also be part of a panel on nerdlesque featuring speakers who’ve had firsthand experience performing, producing and researching nerdlesque. Her next big concept show will be the Burl-X-Files (an X-Files tribute show) in summer 2013.

Jo Jo Stiletto with Paul Philion

Posted in Written by Paul O'Connell
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Scratching that itch with Miss Kitty Baby.

•09/14/2012 • Leave a Comment

Seattle burlesque is a unique, beguiling universe- one that is teeming with bold statements, brazen pronouncements, and hopeful showgirls/boys around every corner.  It’s sometimes a tricky business trying to determine who can live up to their eloquent names and really deliver that elusive blend of entertainment and self-expression that scratches that itch just right.  There are shows each week showcasing all kinds of performers, all kinds of ideas- some fully formed; some still in the making.  When we get a little complacent as audiences or as performers, I believe the best remedy is a short, sharp pinch in the fleshy part of your favorite soft tissue.  One of the performers that delivers that delicious pinch (with both hands) is Seattle’s very own Miss Kitty Baby.

Miss Kitty Baby is an active supporter of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, and she has a show planned for September 22 that will remind you why you got a crush on burlesque in the first place.   But we’ll get to that in a moment.  First, in the words of  Heidi Klum:  let’s “have a little chat” with Miss Kitty Baby:

Miss Kitty Baby (Photo by Derek Von Eville)

Burlesque Seattle Press:  Hi Kitty Baby!  So just to give a little background, when did you get started in burlesque?

Miss Kitty Baby:  My first performance was in 2005 for an annual Toys For Tots fundraiser put on by the Rooks Car Club.  We thought a few burlesque acts would give it a ‘boost’.

BSP:  The last time I saw you perform, you did a sizzling act to “I’m a Woman” (who was that version by? It’s a takeoff of the classic by Muddy Waters, right?) and that song really stuck out to me in combination with the way you showed such strong ownership of your moves.  How do you choose music?

Miss Kitty Baby:  That song was by Koko Taylor. I love music that Scott Ewalt [NY DJ and boylesque historian] calls ‘greasy’. I am deeply into music that makes me want to rip my clothes off and do a dirty bump & grind…then I create an act where I remove my costume and well, do a dirty bump and grind.

BSP:  And how did you develop your commanding and unabashedly sexy performance style?

Miss Kitty Baby:  When I was rehearsing my very first burlesque act, I remember strongly feeling that I wanted to translate to the audience “I own you.”  It took my body and stage presence a while to catch up, but now that I am there, I feel I can really deliver what I originally set out to do when I first started in striptease. Unabashedly sexy – Well I’m a triple Leo with 36DD’s.  I’d say it’s really just in my blood.  My hot blood.

BSP:  Where did you pick up that Legend-like thigh slapping move? It’s so sexy and powerful every time I see you do it…like an exclamation point punctuating your acts…

Miss Kitty Baby:   I wish I could say it comes from watching old videos, but most of the footage I have is a little tamer.  The music I like to bump & grind to is say, mid-50s to mid-60s.  A time when I imagine the dancers moved to the music the way I move to the music.  Unapologetically sexy.

Miss Kitty Baby (Photo by Rachel Robinson)

BSP:   What do you think makes a performer truly great?

Miss Kitty Baby:  The desire to be a great entertainer and in turn getting great joy out of entertaining.

BSP: What advice would you give to new and intermediate performers on how to become truly memorable?

Miss Kitty Baby:  Put your heart into what you do.  Community and your audience are just as important as your act on stage.  Integrity in your art will shine through and stand out.

BSP:  Do you think it’s about ideas, or stage presence, or a magical combination of the two?

Miss Kitty Baby:  Definitely a magical combination of the two.  An act based on a very simple idea can be delivered with a knock-out punch.  If a performer is invested in and passionate about an idea this will translate to their presence on stage.

BSP:  Now for your show!  Let’s talk about the concept first…

Miss Kitty Baby:  When producing my Legends Challenge show this past February I was being very impatient with how ticket sales were only trickling in for a Thursday night show.  The causes surrounding the Burlesque Hall Of Fame are very important to the burlesque community, but I think that importance may not always be as apparent to the fans.  I daydreamed of an ‘easy sell’.  I said to Iva Handfull, “I want a show in September, on a Saturday night, at Re-Bar, I want to make it a goofy competition and I want Ernie Von Schmaltz to host.  Do you think people will come?” I had the Re-Bar booked within a few hours.   I’ve gotten terrific responses from the performance community to compete and volunteer.  I’ve got a group of sponsors beyond my imagination.  I have sold a generous amount of tickets.  I really do hope it’s a success and something that we can do annually.

BSP:   Now let’s talk about the cause. You’re a huge champion of the importance of recognizing and honoring our burlesque Legends (and the wild history of untamed women in general) and of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, which preserves their history.  How is this show involved with the Burlesque Hall of Fame?  Why does this continue to be a relevant cause?

Miss Kitty Baby:  We will just be making a general donation to the Burlesque Hall of Fame with the proceeds from this show.  There are always things like rent, archiving supplies, and preservation of our memorabilia that can benefit from our donation.  The relevance of this is that burlesque has a unique grasp on our history in a way not many art forms or subcultures do.  It was also a special request from the stage of the Hall of Fame Reunion this year that we in the burlesque communities act as ambassadors for spreading the word for the need to support the Burlesque Hall of Fame.  I also really appreciate the ambassadorship of our very own Reigning Queen of Burlesque 2011, Miss Indigo Blue.  I feel we can all follow her example of spreading the word as much as possible.  There are many burlesque fans out there who are surprised to hear it exists at all:  www.burlesquehall.org

Seattle Burlesque Olympics, produced by Miss Kitty Baby, takes place Saturday, September 22 at Re-Bar and features:

Sports Announcer: Ernie Von Schmaltz
Celebrity Judges: Miss Indigo Blue and Waxie Moon
The 2012 Seattle Burlesque Olympics Team: Ernie Von Schmaltz, Jamie Von Stratton, Flirty Sanchez, Bella Bijoux, Whisper De Corvo, Olatsa Assin, Paris Original, Cherry Killer Tomatoes, Boom Boom L’Roux, Lady Drew Blood, Taffetta Vee, Cherry Tart, Jovie DeVoe, Ivy DuPri, Eddie Van Glam, Dessi Devine, Tony Tapatio, Holly Bordeaux, Kylie Koyote, EmpeROAR Fabulous, June Cleavage, Pidgeon Von Tramp, Seraphina Fiero, Randi Rascal, Kutie La Bootie, and Man Johnson.

Get tickets HERE and check out the event page HERE.

Generous sponsors include: Atomic Cosmetics, Pidgeon Coop Productions, Fig Tree Catering, ELD Images, Stripped Screw Burlesque, Pinky Shines Designs, Aces & Anchors Productions, Midnight Menagerie Productions, and Pole Fitness Seattle.

Posted in Written by Jessica
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Whedonesque Burlesque 2012.

•09/10/2012 • 3 Comments

Whedonesque Burlesque
Theatre Off Jackson
August 24-25, August 31-September 1, 2012

~ Written and photographed by Special Guest Contributor, Paul Swortz

In the interest of full disclosure – while I’m a fan of burlesque, I’m merely a casual fan of Joss Whedon.

From science fiction/fantasy/horror films and TV to comic books and superhero movies, he’s written, directed, and produced many works beloved by fans around the world. Most famous are the successful TV series and movies Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and The Avengers, but the less commercially successful sci-fi Westerns Firefly (a one season TV series) and Serenity (a fan-driven film based on the canceled series) are equally beloved. Whedon has created a universe (dubbed “The Whedonverse”) of flawed heroes and noble villains with legions of fans the world over.

THE FANS

It was immediately apparent from lobby conversations in the Theatre Off Jackson before Whedonesque Burlesque that the house was going to be filled with experts on the Whedonverse every bit as studied as Stephen Hawking is on the plain old, regular universe. And most performers in the eighteen acts over the course of the show demonstrated that they are also advanced fans of Whedon, who is aware – and supportive of – the shows inspired by his work. According to producer Jo Jo Stiletto: “We had some folks with connections to the set of The Avengers… Joss knows of us and is tickled. I truly appreciate his dedication to fans and fan art.”

Fans apparently appreciated it too, as the show quickly sold out in June, leading to weeks of lively swaps and “tickets needed” exchanges on the show’s Facebook page. “It’s always a surprise, honestly, to have a sellout,” said Jo Jo. “I knew it would do well but I didn’t expect the frenzy. It’s fun. It’s frightening. We are a very niche show.”

Niche maybe, but the crowds on both nights I attended were vocal, energetic, and raucous… and that’s got to sound good to any producer.

THE PERFORMANCES

There’s simply not enough room to report on all eighteen performances, but here are a few notes on some of the numbers (you can see photos from each number at www.paulswortz.com).

• Rebecca M. Davis was our hostess for the evening, “assisted” throughout by Jake Groshong’s “Captain Hammer” (from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog“)

• Solange Corbeau as Faith from Buffy/Angel: This was a darkly sexy number, her black leather and latex as alluring and dangerous as the character from the Whedonverse she portrayed.

• Modesty Babe as Joyce Summers, Buffy’s mother: Modesty immodestly seduced the audience with a strip tease after consuming an accursed (but aphrodisiac) piece of band candy.

• Sailor St. Claire portrayed a conceptual incarnation of the ship “Serenity” from Firefly. Sailor did a classic fan dance – her blue ostrich feathers and fluid movements representing the solid reliability and grace of the spacecraft.

• Tootsie Spangles and Hattie Hellkat as Doll/Doctor from “Dollhouse:” Watching the “evil” doctor have the brainwashing tables turned on her – she wound up stripped, bound, and spanked by her subject.

• La Petite Mort as The Arsonist from “Cabin in the Woods:” This darkly erotic performer brought her signature gothic style and lovely curves to the show, closing her number with a bloody surprise.

• Lady Drew Blood as Moist from “Dr. Horrible:” Her sexy portrayal of a minor character from Whedon’s hilarious web-film left the audience wet (literally, if they were in the front row).

• Billy Corazon as Giles from Buffy: Corazon played the anguished Watcher, mourning the death of Buffy’s mother, and taking drastic action in response…

• Scarlett O’Hairdye as Wil Wheaton: Yes, this was a show for devoted Whedonverse geeks. According to authorities on the Whedonverse/Star Trek universe, Wheaton (who played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation) has a bit of a complex about his character’s legacy, and may rely on facial hair to help shed his image as a precocious teenage Enterprise geek. Three words: Strangest. Merkin. Ever.

• Sara Dipity and Man Johnson as Saffron and Capt. Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly: Christina Hendricks made this role one of the most memorable on this short-lived series, and Sara Dipity’s great voice did the role justice. Man Johnson showed AMAZING cool as Capt. Mal Reynolds as she seductively shimmied, snuggled, and kissed her way into his, um, heart.

• Lady Laycock as Buffy: As previously noted, Whedon has been known to kill his characters, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer died twice over the course of the series…so where does a slayer go when she dies? Apparently, to a very blue place, where her lovely white dress falls away during a graceful dance performance.

• Mae Kim Beg as Bad Horse from “Dr. Horrible:” As one Facebook poster wrote on the event wall: “I’ve never been so attracted to a horse in my life.”

• Trojan Original as Xander from Buffy: This talented dancer brought his skills to an atypical striptease, his shiny red bikini bottom fulfilling the Xander fantasies of many Buffy fans in the house, judging from the cheering howls he received at his finish.

• Iva Handfull as Spike from Buffy: If I were a burlesque performer (and trust me, NO ONE EVER WANTS TO SEE THAT), I would never take the stage after Iva Handfull. The energy and power she brings- in this show and every other performance I’ve seen her in – absolutely tears the house down. Finish the number with a suggestive grope/kiss with Buffy herself (Lady Laycock) and you have the perfect finale to close this show.

Posted in Written by Paul Swortz
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