BOB and Ruby at the New York Burlesque Festival | Photo by Kitty Kowalski
Every year at The Burlesque Hall of Fame Striptease Reunion, several performers bring numbers constructed to tribute their favorite superstars of classic burlesque. Sometimes they are recreations; sometimes they are simply inspired by and include elements of movement, costuming, and/or lore associated with those performers.
Vintage Hairstyling by Lauren Rennells
I am pretty lame about my hair, seriously. When I was in high school–I had curly hair in the 70s, not a good thing–I hated my hair as only a high-schooler can. It took me years to learn to just tolerate it, and when I worked in strip joints I was constantly flinging it around so no one could really tell what it looked like. Now I rely mostly on hairpieces, and if I’m not wearing one, my hair is usually what I call “put away,” in a ponytail or bun. (more…)
photo by Jo Weldon
I had started this scrapbook blog, but it doesn’t make sense to run two at the moment when I haven’t had time to do one, so here’s a scrapbook post for the holiday. Happy Halloween!! (more…)
“The Hysterical Festival is a celebration of fearless female humor launching in New York City in Fall 2008. Showcasing the wide range of ways in which women are hilarious, we aim to both entertain and break new ground for women in the comedic arts.” (more…)
Photo by Jo Weldon
I have been flat on my back with a horrendous flu since I got back from Tease-O-Rama, and this is the first chance I’ve had to post some photos. Although I got a lot of sharp sort of journalistic photos, at the moment I’m in love with my grainier, more impressionistic stuff. So I hope you enjoy a few of those. (more…)
With the New York Burlesque Festival almost upon us, this seemed like a great time to nab a quickie interview with producer / entrepreneur / all-around hottie Jen Gapay! Jen is the owner of Thirsty Girl Productions, which produces the NYBF with the Pontani Sisters, and I’m happy to have a chance to tip my pastie to one of the most charming and hard-working producers in the scene. What would we do without her? (more…)
I adored Waxie Moon the minute I met him. He is one of the people, along with Indigo Blue and Paula the Swedish Housewife, who makes Seattle feel like my home away from home. And he’s in the news! (more…)
It’s Gal Friday!
The Miss Coney Island Pageant of the Millenium is a burlesque of a beauty pageant with sideshow performers and burlesque dancers. The first one was created by Bambi the Mermaid, co-producer of the Burlesque at the Beach series, and of course she won, and received her crown while all the rest of us had a catfight on the stage behind her. (more…)
“Selene Luna lives in a building once inhabited by Lucille Ball, and whatever magic Ball left in the walls seems to have rubbed off. Luna radiates old Hollywood glamour, and it’s not just the kitten heels or the torpedo bra. She’s got a quirky humor reminiscent of the red-haired comedian, made naughty by a touch of Bettie Page sensuality and the girlish charm of Betty Boop. It’s that kind of presence that has made Luna one of the most recognizable faces in the city’s burlesque-revival scene.” (more…)
New Yorkers often bring their most inventive A-Games to Coney Island’s Burlesque at the Beach, a series which has been taking place at Sideshows at the Seashore for nearly fifteen years. A theme show at Coney Island is a whole other kind of magical world.
Bambi the Mermaid, for many years the co-producer of the BOTB series, has created some outrageous theme shows there, and one of my favorites so far was the Blacklight Spectacular. She begins planning some of her theme shows years in advance, and they’re just not like anything else. (more…)
