Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

I’m sorry I have not been a faithful correspondent recently, but things have been busy. A quick rundown:

Despite your valiant efforts, I was not a finalist for a Golden Pastie award, so you won’t have to see me beg for votes in the weeks leading up to The New York Burlesque Festival.

However, I *was* the winner of The Great Teaseday Cookie, so you will be able to see me at The Teaseday Club on October 7th.

The Burlesque Your Way students had their final class last night and I can say for certain that the Student Showcase on September 23rd is going to be a treat! Get your tickets so you can say “I saw them when…”

And finally, The Boston Babydolls are taking their show on the road in October. Because Boston and the environs are terrible when it comes to venues (and getting worse all the time), we could not find a space that was appropriate to bring you The Wrathskellar this year. Instead, we’ll be presenting Out for Blood, our spooky & sexy Halloween revue, as we travel around New England! So far we have dates in Western MA, VT, and RI.

But I know what you’re really here for… your Friday Tip!

Kill your darlings.

It’s been attributed to Mark Twain, William Faulkner, and several other famous authors. Who cares who said it; it’s good advice. They were talking about editing out some of your favorite verbiage, but we can apply the same philosophy to burlesque.

Sometimes you’ve got that one wonderful thing in an act. Maybe it was the concept that the entire number was built around. But things aren’t going so well. As painful as it may be, jettison your wonderful thing and see what happens. You might go in a whole new and better direction!

I speak from experience — the whole reason for “The Faerie Queen” was so I could perform a particular magic trick. Although I worked very hard to master the trick, I couldn’t do it consistently well, which was making me crazy — this was the raison d’être of the act! And then I realized that even if I could do it perfectly, there was absolutely no way to transition smoothly into and out of the trick. Reluctantly, I cut it out entirely. And the act is the better for its sacrifice.

Dear Constant Reader,

Today is your last chance to nominate me for the “I Woke Up Like This” Golden Pastie award! Thank you!

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Rehearse with your costume as soon as possible.

Burlesque is very costume-driven. Your costume can shape your choreography and vice versa. Phantom clothing comes off so much faster and easier than the real thing. So, rehearse in your costume elements, or reasonable facsimiles, as early in the process as possible and you’ll discover all the problems and treasures all that much sooner.

Dear Constant Reader,

Please nominate me for the New York Burlesque Festival’s “I Woke Up Like This” Golden Pastie award! Nominations are open until August 29th!

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Do something nice for yourself today.

Dear Constant Reader,

I’m on my way to the NJ Burlesque Festival, but it wouldn’t be Friday without your tip!

Expect any media coverage to get 3 things wrong.

Dear Constant Reader,

I think it’s Friday. Being on the road completely scrambled my schedule, but I wouldn’t want to neglect your Friday tip!

When packing the car for a road trip, make sure you don’t bury the emergency gear (spare tire, jumper cables, &c.).

The Babydollmobile has a whole plastic tote full of stuff for the standard road emergencies (flat tire, dead battery, out of gas), plus a first aid kit, some additional tools, and, of course, duct tape. The hope is that we never have to use any of it, but we keep the box where we can easily get at it.

Happy motoring!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I’m on my way to Pennsylvania right now, but I certainly wouldn’t neglect your tip!

Get it in writing!

Contracts protect us. You shouldn’t feel like a diva by insisting on having one. If you have a difference of opinion with a producer, venue, or performer, you’ll be able to pull out the contract that both parties agreed upon and signed.

If you want to learn more about contracts, and you’ll be at the Ohio Burlesque Festival tomorrow, take Scratch’s class, Worth the Paper It’s Printed On: Contract basics for non-lawyers.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip:

Sharpies are good for more than just writing.

You can use them to hide scuff marks on shoes. Black works like a charm, but I once used a gold Sharpie on the pumps I wear for my April March tribute. If you clip the tags out of your costume pieces (like you should), but there’s a little white stub left, color it in with a Sharpie. We’ve even used the markers to make white snap tape blend in better with the costume. It’s quick, it’s dirty, it works.

Dear Constant Reader,

I just realized that I’ve given you over 150 tips since I started this blog! And I haven’t missed a Friday yet. (I shouldn’t say that. Now I’m going to jinx myself…)

Today’s tip:

Set deadlines

Even if you don’t have a show on the horizon for that new act, costume, trick, &c., make a deadline anyway. Most of us work better with a concrete deadline instead of an open-ended “someday”. You’ll be less likely to procrastinate or get distracted with that deadline lurking ahead, even if it’s completely arbitrary.

Dear Constant Reader,

I’ve been a bad blogger recently. I feel like I’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing that’s been keeping me away from my correspondence. You deserve better, my faithful reader, and I’ll try to get back to my writing desk more frequently. But at least I still manage to send out your tips every Friday!

Today’s tip is about performances at parties.

Performers are not party guests.

Performers: When you’re hired to perform at a party, you’re there to do your show, not to join in the party. It may look like fun, but only mingle with the guests if it’s specified in your contract. Making a personal appearance is work, just like being on stage. Also, avoid the refreshments unless invited to indulge by your employer. Even then, it’s better to have the food & stuff in your dressing area rather than out with the guests. Be friendly & polite, but head out when you’ve fulfilled your obligations (and after you’ve gotten paid). You want to be remembered as professional.

Hosts: When you hire performers for your party, they are there to do a show, not join in the party. They’re not going to mingle with your guests unless that’s been prearranged as part of the gig. Being “on” off-stage is work too. It’s nice to offer the performers some food & drinks, but have it in their dressing area. Always have a private dressing area available. Being told “you can change in the bathroom” will make any performer’s heart sink. Lastly, pay them promptly. It’s never fun to play “hostess hunt” to get the money so the performers can go home.

Just a few simple courtesies and everyone will have good time!

Dear Constant Reader,

Here in the Northeast, we’re awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Arthur, which forced the Boston Independence Day festivities a day early. Despite the holiday, I would not neglect your tip!

Declare your independence!

No need to jump on the bandwagon of the latest trends. Don’t pattern your act after someone else just because she’s getting a lot of buzz. Just be yourself, your style.

That said, ruts are bad too. Don’t stay in the same comfortable patterns. Push yourself and expand your horizons!