Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip.

Carry reusable utensils with you.

Most performers I know are often eating on the go — in the car, backstage, in an airport, &c. Having your own silverware in your bag means you’ll never find yourself without a fork in a time of need and you won’t be contributing to single-use plastic utensils ending up in the trash.

There are tons of options out there — like metal, bamboo, folding, modular, &c. You can buy fancy sets or just use a thrift store find.

I have a metal fork, knife, and spoon I found in the kitchen junk drawer (I think I bought them for my first apartment…) plus a metal straw. I made a cute little bag to carry them all and there was even room for a small cloth napkin. The whole thing takes up almost no space in my purse and it’s been so useful!

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 11 October 2019 at 11:30 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

If you’re using a mirror on stage, treat the glass so the lights don’t glare off it.

Not only is the light reflecting off a mirror distracting, it might hit an audience member. A good temporary solution is to spritz the mirror with hairspray. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s something we all carry, and it washes right off. A theatre trick is to spray the mirror (or glass) with diluted soda. You can also buy theatrical anti-glare spray, but I don’t see the need for that.

For a permanent solution, if your mirror is a dedicated prop, is to use some silvery paint. It will still look shiny, but you won’t get the reflections. Or, if it’s easy to remove the mirror from the frame, you can replace it with something else silvery (and non-breakable).

Photo is my vintage mermaid hand mirror without any glass treatment. I probably should have hairsprayed it and then taken another.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 4 October 2019 at 2:25 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

When making tear-away cup bras, use two bras.

It may seem like the logical thing to do is cut the cups off a bra and then reattach them to the bra with fasteners. Trust me on this, you are only setting the stage for sorrow.

In order to have a good structure, you want underwire on both the cups and the frame. So, get two bras. From one cut the cups from one just below the underwire — these are going to be your cups. From the second cut the cups just above the underwire — this is going to be the bra frame. I know it’s a bit wasteful, but you want both pieces to have that wire. I salvage the straps and hardware from the now-cupless (and useless) frame for other projects, so it doesn’t all go to waste. If you’ve got other ideas of how to use the leftover bits, I’d love to hear them!

If you want a little extra lift, or you need to conform to decency laws that prohibit underboob, instead of cutting away the entire cup, you can leave part of it attached to the frame. Don’t forget to finish the edge! A little bias binding works great for this.

Attach your fasteners (I use snaps) so the underwire of the cups sits on top of the underwire on the frame.

Have fun tearing away!

M2Like this costuming tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 27 September 2019 at 2:35 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

This is a tough tip for me to release into the wild. I’ve wanted to talk about this for a long time, but I’ve been afraid. Scared of being clumsy with my words and offending someone and being attacked. I’ve seen it happen and I’m cowardly enough to keep my head down and hope I’m not noticed. There are some vicious people in the burlesque world.

A confluence of several things recently made me need to say something. One of those things was this essay by Jet Noir, which you absolutely should read. He says some important things better than I can.

I had a hard time deciding on the wording of the tip, so you get two versions.

Conversation, not cancellation and Talk to people, not about them.

If you have a problem with someone, talk to them. Don’t just call them out or send an open letter or screenshot them and then block them — there’s no resolution and nothing will change.

Sharing screen shots in a closed group may make the participants feel smug and righteous, but it does nothing to address the problem and nothing will change.

You may not know the entire context of the situation. The person you have a conflict with may not be aware of the result of their actions. People make mistakes and it doesn’t necessarily make someone a total lost cause. Two-way communication is the way to resolve and improve things.

Social media posts, texts, emails have no nuance — subtleties of meaning are lost. It’s so easy to perpetuate misunderstandings. The best way to really communicate with someone is in person. It’s not just the words; it’s tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language that lead to understanding. Sitting down with someone also reminds you that there’s a real person behind that screen.

If you can’t talk in person, at least pick up the phone and have a real-time conversation. And these days technology makes it possible to have a face to face discussion from a distance.

Yes, I know there are exceptions and special circumstances but this is just a tip, not a lengthy essay addressing all sorts of “what if”s. I admit there is no talking to some people, but it’s worth at least trying.

Above all, be kind.

M2

This was a challenging tip to write and I’d like to challenge myself more. If you liked it, consider supporting me on Patreon. With more support, I’ll write more!

Published in: on 20 September 2019 at 2:11 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday the 13th! And it’s a full moon! I feel like a should give you an appropriate tip, like something about mirrors or cats or just luck. Maybe ladders… I got it!

Use a spotter.

When you’re trying out some new chair tricks or climbing a ladder to hang lights or anything else where there’s a chance of falling, have a partner available to spot you. Just in case.

May your luck be good today and everyday!

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 13 September 2019 at 4:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Ghosting is unprofessional.

For those of you unfamiliar, that’s Dita Von Teese* as Vivienne, the spirit that haunts Christine McConnell’s mirror on The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell.

But I’m not talking about that kind of ghost! I mean the kind where you ignore communication from someone and hope they’ll get the hint and quit bugging you. Whether you are a producer or a performer, it’s just rude to leave someone hanging, even if you’re not interested in what they’re offering.

A simple and polite “No, thank you.” should suffice. You can politely explain why you’re saying no, like the show is fully cast already or the price offered isn’t your usual rate. Just be polite and professional. If you want to work with this person in the future, you should say so. If you don’t, just sign off.

*I wouldn’t want to imply that Dita Von Teese would ever be so unprofessional, but I couldn’t resist the combination of burlesque and ghost.

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 6 September 2019 at 11:57 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip! Traditionally Monday is wash day, but this week we’re talking about laundry on Friday…

Color remover will save your ass.

Or at least your white wash. So, let’s say you’re doing laundry and a stray red sock gets in with your whites… Let’s be real, we’re burlesque performers — it’s a stray red feather. Now there are pink streaks all over your pristine white lovelies. Don’t panic! It’s time for a color remover.

It’s a powder that you add to water, either in a basin or a washing machine, and let your stained items soak. Then rinse well or run them through the wash cycle. When the stains are gone, wash as normal. It’s like magic! It’s also much less damaging than chlorine bleach.

The stuff is rather caustic, so wear gloves and a dust mask when adding the powder to the water. My favorite version, Dylon Run-Away, is apparently no longer available in the US (I’m glad I stocked up), but Rit makes a color remover with a similar formula.

This stuff is only for white fabric — do not use it on colors! There are also color removers that work with colored clothing, but I haven’t tried them yet. Also, I’ve never tested it on rhinestones. My instinct is don’t. (But you wouldn’t be tossing your rhinestone-crusted costumes in the washing machine, right?)

Remember, heat sets stains, so don’t throw your dye-stained garments in the dryer. If you can’t get to to it right away when the clothes are still wet, let them air-dry, but it’s best to tackle the problem while things are still damp.

Another favorite laundry aid is color catchers. It looks like a dryer sheet, but you throw it in the wash and it’ll soak up loose dye in the water before it transfers to your other garments. I always use them when washing something I suspect might run.

But my best advice (which I don’t always follow) is to carefully check your laundry basket for stray items that could mess up your wash.

Want to learn more about garment care? I’ll be teaching at BurlyCon in November!

M2Like this costuming tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 30 August 2019 at 2:09 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! Here’s your tip!

No wire hangers!

Well, you can use them to remove static, but not for hanging up your costumes. Your costumes cost a lot in time and money and should be treated with respect. Wire hangers are too flimsy and can distort the shape of the garment. Also it’s easy for your clothing for fall right off them.

Padded hangers are great for delicate garments (I use them for my Catherine D’Lish robes) and also for heavier garments because the hangers are broad and supportive

But really, almost any hanger is better than a wire one.

I’ve been thinking about a tutorial on creating your own padded hangers. You can coordinate them with your costumes! If you’re interested, please leave a comment here.

M2Like this costuming tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 23 August 2019 at 3:15 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! A couple of announcements before we get to your tip.

Tonight we’ll be performing at Deacon Giles in Salem, MA. We’re only doing one show, so tickets are extremely limited. Don’t take your chances at the door — get them now! I’ve heard a rumor there will be a very special cocktail on the menu tonight…

Tomorrow we’ll be in Worcester at the Beer Garden Pavilion! We’re so thrilled to be performing burlesque as it should be… with live music! You might recognize some of the musicians from Unlucky in Love and The Wrathskellar.

Also, I’ve got a little poll going on my Patreon. You do not have to be a subscriber to participate.

And now on with your tip!

For a clean fabric edge, pull a thread.

You want a nice straight edge on fabric before you begin cutting, so you’ll know everything is on grain. My favorite way to do this is to pull out a thread, as shown, then trim the fabric along that line. The point of a pin works really well to tease out the thread. This method works for all woven fabrics and especially good to use on delicate material.

M2Like this costuming tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 16 August 2019 at 3:01 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Use stage directions.

It’s so much easier to give instructions to a performer or tech person, if we all speak the same language; in this case, a location on stage. Not all of us come from a theater background, so here’s a quick primer.

Imagine you’re standing in the middle of a stage. Look to your left, that’s stage left. To your right is stage right. Easy, no? The tricky part is if you’re standing in the audience; now if you look to your left, that’s stage right and also house left.

Now look out at the audience, you’re facing downstage. Turn around and now you’re looking upstage. I’m sure you’ve heard of “upstaging” someone. That happens when someone further back on the stage is drawing attention from the performer downstage and/or forcing them to turn their back on the audience to look upstage.

Why “up” and “down” instead of, say, “front” and “back”? Other than we already have a “backstage”? Until the 20th century stages were to be raked, that is, they sloped up away from the audience to improve the audience’s ability to see and hear the action. The performers were literally going up and down the stage as they moved closer and further from the audience.

Of course the very middle of the stage is center stage. You can also be center left, center right, down center, and up center. I usually specify “center center” for dead middle, but I’m not sure how common that is.

If everybody on the team uses these terms, you can be confident that everything and everyone ends up on the stage exactly where they’re supposed to be,

M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 9 August 2019 at 2:52 pm  Leave a Comment  
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