October Approaches

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s almost October and there is so much going on! I’m in such a tizzy because there are so many fabulous events that I’m involved with or will be attending.

First up is The Boston BeauTease (that’s us with our shiny new name) appearing at RuffleCon, an alternative fashion conference, on Friday, October 2nd. You know how much I *love* costumes and we’re bringing out some of our most elaborate ones for this show. I’m so excited to be presenting a new act with my hand-me-down Catherine D’Lish costume. Although I’ve performed in it before:
I’ve never felt like it really had its own number. Now it does. No spoilers here; you’ll just have to come to RuffleCon or wait patiently until I bring it to Boston.

Next is The Teaseday Club. I won’t be performing, but B.A.B.E. alumna Elsa Riot will! And Morning Glory will be defending her Cookie Queen title for the second month!

And then comes the event we’ve all been waiting for… The Wrathskellar returns! We’ve been thwarted in our attempts to present our long-form Halloween show for two years now. I cannot express how happy I am that our beloved decrepit cabaret is opening again. I cannot wait to become The Diva and luxuriate in the star’s dressing room again. One (un)lucky person gets to join me there each night for an intimate moment…

It’s the same story of ambition, jealousy, and murder, with the best acts of the previous four years, plus some brand-new ones and a few surprises. I just know this is going to be the best year yet!

Want a sneak preview? I’ve got a few pictures from rehearsals on Facebook, but trust me, you want to see the real thing.

As if he wasn’t busy enough with The Wrathskellar, Scratch is also directing The Woman in Black: A Ghost Play.
We saw this play in London a few years ago and were completely blown away. It’s truly scary and is one of my favorite pieces of theatre (ignore the movie — it’s not as clever or as frightening). I can’t wait to see it brought to the stage here! It’s at the Davis Square Theatre at the beginning of the week, while The Wrathskellar is on the weekends.

Lastly, but only when the calendar is concerned, is Striptober! on Monday, October 19th. It’s B.A.B.E.‘s semi-annual student showcase and this one is going to be particularly great! We’ve got senior students like Alice Azul and Sadie Hunter strutting their stuff, but also the students of Scratch’s Mystery Box class. They each received a box of items from which they had to create a brand-new routine. Here’s they are immediately after opening their boxes:
I am dying to see what they created! It’s been kept a total mystery!

Will I see you this October?

M2

Published in: on 28 September 2015 at 12:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Things change

Dear Constant Reader,

Recently we changed our name from The Boston Babydolls to The Boston BeauTease. This has necessitated all sorts of other changes: email, social media, &c. and of course, business cards.

You might recall that several years ago Scratch gave us these fabulous personalized business cards, which now have the wrong information on them.

Last night he presented us with these new cards:

Sure, they look generic, but flip them over and…

I just love these cartoons of us!

M2

Published in: on 24 September 2015 at 10:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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10 Years and a New Name

Dear Constant Reader,

Last night was the last Harburlesque performance and we used the opportunity for a big bash to celebrate 10 years of The Boston Babydolls. Hard to believe we’ve been doing this for 10 years. It feels like forever — and just yesterday. We’ve weathered some storms, but for the most part, it’s been a fabulous time. Our current group is just amazing.

We had all 6 Babydolls dancing to live music provided by our good friends from The Legendary VuDu Krewe. For the most part everyone did their favorite standards from The Mardi Gras Ball. I never get tired of doing my fan dance to “Harlem Nocturne”. I know there are burlesque dancers out there who say that it’s a clichéd piece of music, but, oh, when there’s a sax player right there, it’s magic.

Brigitte created an adorable trio that she, Stella, and I performed for the first time last night. It was so much fun — I think you’ll be seeing it again in the future!

After both shows were done, we scrambled up to the top deck to twist & shimmy to The WaveRiders. I got there just as they started up “Sing, Sing, Sing”, our usual curtain call music. All the troupe members, plus our Wrathskellar cast, just kept dancing through a surf version of “Bad Romance” (our private pre-show warm up song) and “Miserlou” (which we use for shimmy drills). It was perfect!

So, about that new name. Scratch had been talking about changing our name to celebrate our decade in burlesque, since “Babydolls” is a little juvenile and we’re decidedly not. Then we got a series of nasty letters from the attorneys for a Texas-based strip club chain called “Baby Dolls Saloon”, who seemed to think that people were going to confuse the two businesses.

We took the opportunity and last night we announced the new name. We are now The Boston BeauTease. (That’s Beauties, only with more Tease.) I think my house will still remain Stately Babydoll Manor — it’s an ancestral name, after all.

Thank you everyone who has been with us on this journey so far and here’s to the next decade!

M2

Published in: on 3 September 2015 at 10:45 am  Comments (1)  
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Upcoming Events

Dear Constant Reader,

I’ve got some upcoming shows & appearances and you should come to all of them!

Think I just take my clothes off on stage? I’m also an award-winning storyteller. I bet you didn’t know that! Next Monday, the 24th, I’ll be at Story Club Boston, telling a true tale inspired by “That One Song”.

The following Wednesday, August 26th is our last regular Harburlesque show. Join me, Brigitte, Stella, and, of course, Scratch for a fun show on the high seas (or at least Boston Harbor).

I said “regular” because our very last Harburlesque show will be September 2nd and it’s going to be a blow-out for The Boston Babydolls’ 10th anniversary! All 6 Boston Babydolls will be dancing for your pleasure to live jazz from our friends in The Vudu Krewe. When you’re not watching burlesque, enjoy surf music from The Waveriders and go-go dancing from The Wrathskellar Wenches. We’ll have a special announcement at the party. Be the first to know what it is!

In September I’m thrilled to be performing at Corinne Sothern’s Burlesque Speakeasy in Providence.

And then it’s time for The Wrathskellar! Our haunting cabaret returns to the Davis Square theatre. You really don’t want to miss this year’s show. The Lost Girl will be so sad if you don’t come and you wouldn’t want to make her sad, would you?

I hope to see you in the audience soon!

M2

Published in: on 19 August 2015 at 2:43 pm  Leave a Comment  
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In Memoriam: Blaze Starr

Dear Constant Reader,

The world has lost a burlesque legend. Blaze Starr, famed for her flaming couch, black panther, affair with the governor of Louisiana, and unrepentant attitude, died last week. You can read her obituary in the New York Times, if you like.

I’m not going to recap her fascinating life story here, for that you should read Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry, which I reviewed here some years ago.

At that time The Boston Babydolls were creating Madame Burlesque: An Evening of Tributes, a show inspired by the stars of burlesque’s Golden Age. For the most part, we weren’t doing tributes as most burlesquers use the term, meaning a re-creation of a legend’s signature act, but new acts that were inspired by those legendary performers.

Betty Blaize was creating a Blaze Starr-inspired act for one of her numbers and Scratch wanted permission before bringing it to the stage. Miss Starr generously granted it, via email, requesting that the act be “in good taste”. Betty performed a slinky, sultry striptease climaxing with the famed flames.

I was told that when Blaze’s couch burst into flames, sometimes she would holler “barbecue tonight, boys!”. Every time Betty’s flames ignited, she really, really wanted to follow suit, but it would have wrecked the mood she was creating and therfore violated the good taste request.

We’re really honored that we were allowed to present a piece in Miss Starr’s name and with her blessing.

Recently Scratch acquired this fabulous piece of Blaze Starr memorabilia:

It means a lot to us because of the Boston connection. The Pilgrim Theater was in the Combat Zone, where burlesque fled after the redevelopment of Scollay Square, and was probably the last true burlesque house in Boston. A number of big names performed there in the mid 1970’s and I suspect this handbill was from 1974.

Bold, brash, larger than life, and a good businesswoman, Blaze Starr made a huge impact on the world of burlesque (and politics!). She will not be forgotten.

M2

Published in: on 22 June 2015 at 9:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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Quick Note

Dear Constant Reader,

Costume-Con was a ton of fun and I will tell you all about it as soon as I get a moment or two.

Last night was the B.A.B.E. Spring Student Recital which I will also tell you all about, as soon as I get a moment or two.

Right now The Boston Babydolls getting ready to launch (no pun intended…) Harborlesque, a weekly burlesque show on The Music City Queen.

Soon, my lovelies, I will tell you all about my latest adventures.

M2

Published in: on 20 May 2015 at 9:47 am  Leave a Comment  

Not Unexpected

Dear Constant Reader,

The notifications for performing at the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend* (aka BHoF) went out yesterday. I applied this year because Legs Malone, a performer I like and respect a lot, saw my act at the New York Burlesque Festival and challenged me to submit it.

I was not accepted.

I’m in excellent company. A lot of performers who I think are amazing also didn’t make it in this year.

Am I disappointed? Well, a little. Rejections always suck. However, I knew it was a long shot — there were something like 500 applications this year. And I knew it would be a challenge to get that act to Las Vegas — I can’t exactly put Super Screen in my suitcase — so I’m a tiny bit relieved too.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll try again next year. Or maybe I won’t. There are always possibilities.

M2*It used to be known as the Miss Exotic World pageant and is basically the World Series of Burlesque. Some of the finest performers in burlesque have taken home the crown. On the other hand, some of the finest performers in burlesque have never performed there.

Published in: on 30 March 2015 at 2:36 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Continuous Improvement

Dear Constant Reader,

The other day, Scratch wrote the following on Facebook, and I just had to share with you. I think it’s thought provoking and hope it might start a little conversation. Obviously he’s writing about burlesque, but you can apply this to any performing art.

***
I read yet another performer gushing “Burlesque is great! Anyone can do it!”. Well, that’s true — anyone can write a poem, play the guitar, throw a baseball, or draw a flower. The question is, do you want to be good at it?

Being good at burlesque is constantly learning and training — sometimes burlesque classes, but many times learning other skills that you bring back to burlesque. Being good at burlesque is not taking an introductory class or two, doing your first (or even second) performance, and thinking you know it all.

It’s learning all the time from everything and at every opportunity. It’s watching video clips and movies of modern and classic performers… and yourself — to see what you can glean from that. It’s heading to museums to pull inspiration for costumes and acts. It’s getting outside of your comfort zone and outside your city to see how you stack up against performers in other parts of the world. It’s honestly assessing both your strengths and weaknesses… and working on those weaknesses, even when you’d much rather be playing to your strengths.

It’s not listening to your friends when they tell you you’re great — and, instead, trying to actually be great. You probably won’t achieve greatness, so few people do, but if you live your life as a performer in the middle of a mutual congratulations society, you’ll never get anywhere significant… and worse, you’ll think you have.
***

What do you think? How do you improve your art?

M2

Published in: on 9 March 2015 at 2:31 pm  Comments (1)  
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Expo 2015: Prologue

Dear Constant Reader,

This was without a doubt the most challenging Expo since the first one.

Even if you’re not from the Northeast, you’ve probably heard of the crippling snowstorms that have hit Boston. As of today I think we’ve gotten about a hundred inches of snow and almost no thaw. There have been parking bans, collapsed roofs, total shutdown of public transit, giant icicles destroying cars, nowhere to put the snow — it’s a mess.

Trying to get tech gear from the various storage units to the hotel in the snow and bitter cold was a nightmare. No fewer than 2 dozen performers canceled. Some of our mainstay staff members, like Linda B., Mr. Wrong, and Marek, couldn’t make it for various reasons (and none of them were happy about it). Volunteers were scarce. Ticket sales were down. The hotel was not always so helpful and sprung some surprise charges.

And yet, we pulled it off again. And people seemed to have a really good time, despite the weather.

As predicted, the event lost quite a bit of money, but Scratch is doing it again next year, for the 10th time. He’s got all sorts of ideas to make it even more special. If you had a good time this year, if you want to come next year, please consider donating a little to the Expo fundraising efforts. Just a few bucks can add up, but if you’re a high-roller, there’s a special one-of-a-kind reward from Blaze & Red Rose Regalia.

Thanks for your indulgence and I’ll start my blow by blow report soon!

M2

Published in: on 25 February 2015 at 11:40 am  Leave a Comment  
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The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2015

Dear Constant Reader,

Just in case you missed me saying so forty thousand times, this past weekend was The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2015. I’m exhausted, sore, and generally brain-dead, so I’m afraid if I start thanking people now, I’ll forget someone vital and feel terrible. As I report on the weekend in my next several missives, you’ll see me call out a lot of fabulous people who made The Expo the wonderful event that it is. But there are a few who I personally owe a debt of gratitude above and beyond:

Diamond DeVille for doing absolutely anything and everything from working backstage to teaching to cutting my hair. And doing it so cheerfully and eagerly.

Betty Blaize for making the website happen. You guys have no idea how hard Betty has been working for the past year. Pretty much as soon as last year’s Expo ended, she and her team began creating a brand new site, through which *everything* can be done. During that year she’s had major crises in both her professional and personal life, but she never stopped coding. And then when The Expo came around, she spent most of it trapped behind the Registration Desk because we were short on volunteers.

Chef Robert Daugherty at the Hyatt for creating the wonderful treats at my Tea Party and all the other catered events.

And of course, Scratch, without whom none of this would be possible.

M2

Published in: on 24 February 2015 at 11:35 am  Leave a Comment  
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