The second in Reigning Queen of Burlesque Miss Indigo Blue’s year-long series of video edicts stars her dear friend Lily Verlaine, who won 2nd Runner Up in this year’s Burlesque Hall of Fame competition in Las Vegas. Indigo takes the sharing of life lessons very, very seriously- and what’s wrong with a little spanking between friends?
Miss Indigo Blue presents The Queen’s Edict Part 2: “Friendly Competition”:
Fuchsia FoXXX in a live window display celebrating the arrival of Beebo Brinker at ACT Aug 25-27. (Photo by Tim Durkan)
Is there anything more strangely alluring in a window than beautiful, bookish women captured for a moment for all to admire?
Live pinup models posed in ACT Theatre’s 7th Ave window last weekend to warm up passersby for the three night engagement of the Beebo Brinker Pulp Cabarets at ACT Theatre’s Central Heating Lab. The best of the ongoing Re-bar series based on the iconic lesbian pulp novels of Ann Bannon kicked off last night to an adoring crowd and will run again August 26 and 27, with a special meet and greet with the author herself on Saturday from 5-6pm. The ongoing Beebo Brinker Chronicles Festival has been an extremely rewarding experience for those in the cast and crew- and there are more Seattle burlesque luminaries involved than you can shake a feather boa at.
Says Lily Verlaine of her part in the ACT shows:
I was so thrilled when the Beebo Brinker production team contacted me to perform in their ACT cabaret, and furthermore, to act as their choreographer. We rehearsed late into the evening, and I do believe that the explosion of pink we are creating will be an absurdly charming way to open the show.
As for myself, I look forward to making a very, very good friend of Rhonda J Soikowski (Beebo Brinker). If you would like to find out what I mean by that, you will just have to come to one of the shows.
Cherry Manhattan (Photo by Tim Durkan)
Opal Peachey, Fuchsia FoXXX, and Cherry Manhattan as the prettiest dolls in the window at ACT. (Photo Tim Durkan)
Tristan Euterpe Warner (Photo credit pending)
Here’s the details for this weekend:
THE BEEBO BRINKER PULP CABARET @ ACT
produced by Cherry Manhattan Presents and The Central Heating Lab at ACT Theatre
Aug. 25 – 27, 2011
Thurs – Fri at 7:30 p.m. and Sat. 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.
Bullitt Cabaret at ACT, 700 Union St.The very best of the Pulp Cabaret Series @ Re-Bar comes to ACT Theatre for one weekend only! This seriously sexy cabaret will immerse audiences in an erotic 1950s Greenwich Village underground gay-bar rife with pin-ups, intelligent burlesque, live music and an interactive cast. With a retro fashion show, live band, classic film clips from the ’50s, and a titillating medley of song, burlesque, theatre and music, this cabaret offers devilishly dirty entertainment for gay and straight audiences alike …and everything in between! Starring burlesque superstars Lily Verlaine and Fuchsia FoXXX, with Polly Wood, Cherry Manhattan, EmpeROAR Fabulous, Lyla La Coeur, Jesse Belle Jones, Lady TaTas, Daddy-O, Rhonda J. Soikowski as Beebo Brinker, and hosted by Diva le Déviant
Tickets:
$20 in advance / $25 at the door
Show & Reception with author Ann Bannon: $50 (Saturday August 27, 7:30pm)
ACT Ticket Office: (206) 292-7676 or http://www.acttheatre.org
Beebo Brinker ACT's poster (Photo by POC).
**Special thanks to Tim Durkan and Sasha Summer Cousineau for fantastic photos and information**
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In other weekend show news- tonight’s the night! Hometown heroines The Atomic Bombshells (with newest member Inga Ingénue) will conquer the historic Moore Theatre:
The Atomic Bombshells, one night only at the Moore.
rePRODUCTION!'s host, Ernie Von Schmaltz (POC Photo)
Producers Heidi Von Haught, Wiggy Stardust, and Randi Rascal nailed some (political) action last weekend with some of their closest friends and NARAL Pro-Choice, the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Washington state. In the spirit and immediacy of the cause, the performers brought their most dazzling acts and controversial satire to rePRODUCTION! A Burlesque Benefit.
The variety show brought burlesque, belly dance, aerial, puppeteering, and some rather hyper-sensitive paper-mache to the Theatre Off Jackson. Madeline Rider got a little personal with the producers before the show HERE, and photographer Paul O’Connell generously shared some images originally posted in his set HERE which capture a cross-section of the unblushing performances:
The enchanting Evilyn Sin Claire (POC Photo)
Heidi Von Haught, one of the evening's reProducers (POC Photo)
Heidi Von Haught giving a little guidance. (POC Photo)
Queen of Burlesque, Miss Indigo Blue (POC Photo)
Iva Handfull In the examine room (POC Photo)
Jenny Penny (POC Photo)
Wiggy Stardust (POC Photo)
Sylvester Stiffbreeze (POC Photo)
Hyper-sensitive indeed: Tiny Reedlet's Sexy Puppet Parade.
There will be blood: Heidi Von Haught and Randi Rascal (POC Photo)
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Also last week and across town at the Jewelbox, Paul captured these fantastic shots of the ladies of Tempting Tarts in summer road (s)trip show Tarts Across America:
Black Cherry & the Cherry Bombs (POC Photo)
Jezebel Vandersnatch (POC Photo)
Sailor St. Claire (POC Photo)
Not bad for one week out on the town in Seattle. Check out the full menu of Tarts and watch for updates on their monthly shows HERE.
Life Interrupted: Paris Original (a new print by Greg Holloway)
Audacious London supperclub The Brickhouse finished its second run of Electric Burlesque in July. The month-long residency combined burlesque with a photo exhibition, as it did when Sinner Saint took London by storm a few months back. Only this time, Seattle boylesque performers were featured alongside their female counterparts. The Luminous Pariah and Paris Original shared the stage with Sassy Delure (formerly of Seattle, now based in Austin) and Ophelia Moore. The supperclub doubles as a gallery space, and the stylized prints of Seattle photographer Greg Holloway lined the walls. Incidentally, the forward-thinking Greg was also the chief promoter behind the two Seattle-London residencies.
By all accounts, working in London was a life-changing experience for the four performers, as well as for Greg, who has traveled and shown his work abroad previously. Rumor has it the London-Seattle connection may continue in the near future, though nothing has been firmed up or published at this time.
Here are a few photos from the July shows:
Paris Original and The Luminous Pariah performing in London (Photo Greg Holloway)
Ophelia Moore (Photo by Greg Holloway)
The Luminous Pariah on stage in London (Photo by Greg Holloway)
Sassy Delure (Photo by Greg Holloway)
Greg Holloway’s prints (available for purchase on his website) are elegantly stylized photographs taken during live performances. Read the individual stories behind the photos HERE and purchase Electric Burlesque in book form, HERE.
In addition to the shot of Paris Original above, I’m also still in love with this image of belly dance dynamo Fuchsia FoXXX:
"Bang" Electric Burlesque (By Greg Holloway)
Producers Lily Verlaine & Jasper McCann would like to make your acquaintance. (Photo by Christopher Nelson)
While summer is still in full bloom (relatively speaking), producers Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann are already in the planning stages of the upcoming sixth season of Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker. The ecdysiastic pageantry has grown to epic proportions at their home base of The Triple Door, selling out night after night for roughly two weeks during the holidays. The show incorporates jazz, traditional ballet, burlesque, swing dance and song. In a very rare opportunity this year, auditions will be held for paid principal roles with the cast:
CALL FOR DANCERS/PERFORMERS:
Producers Lily Verlaine & Jasper McCann are seeking dancers and comics of any gender for principal roles in the December 2011 run of Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker at the Triple Door. Performers in other disciplines (acrobatics, aerial, etc.) will gladly be considered on a case-by-case basis.
DANCERS:
Dance experience is necessary, classical training is preferred. Pointe, jazz and tap experience are major bonuses. Please arrive at audition warm and ready to dance. Dancers will learn segments of choreography. If you would like to showcase additional talent, time will be allotted to you at the end of the audition. There is a changing area/bathroom area available to you if you arrive in street clothes, but please bring clothing that you can MOVE in! Also, character shoes, pointe or tap shoes if you have them and dance sneakers if you are sensitive to hard floors. The floors are a bit slick, so please be advised that rubber soles on your character shoes will be very helpful.
As this is a burlesque show, be advised that roles may include striptease. While some burlesque experience is preferred, it is not mandatory and the audition will not require stripping.
COMICS:
Please come prepared with a one minute monologue and be prepared for a cold reading and short segment of movement in character shoes or high heels. Comic roles are character-trpe and will involve some physical/pratfall comedy.
These are paid positions.
Tentative show schedule is:
December 1st, 8th-10th, 13th-18th, and 20th-24th
Rehearsals will begin in mid-October, primarily on Sundays.You will need daytime availability for 2 full-cast dress/tech rehearsals.
Auditions will be held in the multi-purpose room of the Hiawatha Artists’ Lofts building:
843 Hiawatha Place So. Seattle, WA 98144Dancers Auditions:
12:00 noon-2:30pm August 27th and 6:00-8:30pm August 29th.
Comics Auditions:
2:30-4:00pm August 27th and 8:30-9:30pm August 29thDancers and comics, please RSVP (please send resume/bio and photo) for either audition date:
sweets.audition.2011@gmail.comPerformers in other disciplines, please send a resume, photo and links to video to: sweets.audition.2011@gmail.com
Imagine yourself as part of this….
Burlesque Seattle Press 