Lily Verlaine brings Erotic Ballet to Triple Door
Like many wild imaginings that have materialized into full scale performances, such as the annual Land of the Sweets and Through the Looking Glass: The Burlesque Alice in Wonderland, Lily Verlaine’s new work Giselle began, like so many of her endeavors, with the question: “What if?” What if the familiar characters of the classical ballet […]
Perle Noire: A Beautiful Imperfection
In 1984 Dick Clark of American Bandstand asked a very young, very ambitious Madonna what her dreams were, to which she paused for a beat before replying in total seriousness: “To rule the world.” As anyone who knows international burlesque star Perle Noire can attest, the renowned multi-hyphenate artist (performer, mentor, and most recently, producer […]
Prepare to be Conquered: The Return of House of Thee Unholy
House of Thee Unholy preview by Jessica Price. All photos by Christopher Nelson and Michael Doucett. We haven’t heard much from producer Paula Now – formerly known as The Swedish Housewife – since she partnered with filmmaker Deirdre Timmons (A Wink and A Smile) for the deliciously visceral showcase KINGS: A Boylesque Extravaganza nearly a […]
The Shanghai Pearl’s Burlesque Royale.
The Shanghai Pearl’s upcoming Burlesque Royale is in many ways the show she was born to create. Though she’s been producing since she was just an eager young lass brandishing her bona fides from the Academy of Burlesque (some may recall shows she had a hand in at the Jewelbox and Wallingford’s Seamonster), it wasn’t […]
Strip Strip Hooray!: A Conversation with Dita Von Teese
by Jessica Price In April I had the unparalleled pleasure of speaking with Dita Von Teese about her upcoming West Coast tour, her dazzling co-stars, the merits of dressage, and the peculiar momentum one needs when wearing a gown encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Those who follow Dita’s career closely may already have a sense of […]
A loving farewell to Joan Arline, Burlesque Legend.
Sad news made its way around the burlesque community yesterday – Joan Arline, The Sexquire Girl, passed away on Sunday, October 16th from leukemia. Her last official performance was in June at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Reunion, and it has been reported that she was diagnosed with her illness that same month. Just last […]
Gypsy Rose Lee Centennial Celebration (Seattle)
The Gypsy Centennial (Seattle, 1/8/2011 @ The Triple Door) The frustrating part of being obsessed with an American burlesque icon – or any icon for that matter – is separating myth from unvarnished truth. Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoirs are standard curriculum for burlesque aficionados – treasured, but perhaps a bit embellished by their author. Certain […]