Making Up

Dear Constant Reader,

In my everyday life, I’ve been using a black liquid eyeliner for my usual pin-up make up. However, for The Wrathskellar I wanted a more dramatic eye. The liquid liner just wasn’t working for me. I couldn’t get the line even and thick enough. I tended to get big, wet patches, which I’d invariably smudge.

Enter gel eyeliner. This is my new favorite stuff: thick and easy to paint on, dries quickly, and waterproof. I’m sure you all have been using this for ages, but it was a revelation to me, so I’m spreading the gospel. I’m using this stuff, but there are plenty of other brands out there.

Published in: on 11 October 2011 at 11:06 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Today’s tip is inspired by something I noticed during the open dress rehearsal of The Wrathskellar last night.

Always cut the tags out of store-bought costume elements. Nothing turns you from glamorous burlesque queen to Minnie Pearl in an instant like the sight of a white tag sticking up out of your undies.

Published in: on 7 October 2011 at 2:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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What Have We Wrought

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s hard to believe that only two weeks ago we walked into a gutted storefront full of construction debris. Tonight we open the door on The Wrathskellar, our disreputable tavern…

Published in: on 6 October 2011 at 4:17 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A tip for Friday

Dear Constant Reader,

I am so sorry to disappoint you yet again in the book review department this week. The Wrathskellar has been keeping me so busy. I will try my absolute best to review a book for next week, but no promises. In the mean time, there are reviews I bet you haven’t read yet in our library.

Today’s tip comes from Betty Blaize, our lead choreographer.

When choreographing for a group, learn to love your differences. Rather than trying to hide them, play up the things that make each performer special. You’ll get a more interesting number, happier performers and a number than can only be done by your group.

Published in: on 30 September 2011 at 10:44 am  Leave a Comment  
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So Glamourous

Dear Constant Reader,

As I may have mentioned, the life of a burlesque diva is not all champagne and rhinestones. Sometimes it’s downright dirty, and not in a fun way.

The Boston Babydolls are preparing for our annual halloween show The Wrathskellar (do you have your tickets yet?). This year, instead of asking you to believe that a nice theatre is a disreputable tavern, we’re building an entire custom performance space. How cool is that?

The space is a gutted storefront, basically a construction site. Lots of exposed studs and bricks, broken drywall, bare lightbulbs. It’s perfect for creating our dark, distressed cabaret. However, did I mention it’s a construction site with all the associate paraphernalia that entails?

And that’s why I spent my Saturday piling up a mountain of shredded fiberglas insulation for disposal. And then sweeping dirt, and sweeping sawdust, and sweeping bent nails. At least I have stylish purple work gloves.

Published in: on 26 September 2011 at 11:58 am  Leave a Comment  
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2 Tips for a Friday

Dear Constant Reader,

Because I’m feeling generous, you get two related tips today!

Let your skin rest before performing, Garments with elastic, like socks, will leave impressions that you don’t want. Staying hydrated will help them go away faster.

and

Cheap fishnets will not leave impressions on your legs that last as long as those left by dance-quality fishnets.

Published in: on 23 September 2011 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Burlesque Books

Dear Constant Reader,

I’ve been trying to write you a book review every Wednesday, but I just don’t have time this week. Things are really heating up with The Wrathskellar. I probably shouldn’t even take this much time, but it’s for you, Constant Reader.

Once I write the reviews here, I put them up in the Boston Babydolls’ Library. Go take a look; I’ll wait. Are there any books you’re dying to have me review? If they’re in the lower section, we don’t have them yet, but maybe some angel will send me a present…

As long as I’m asking questions of you…

My friend, Marian, a culinary historian, said “all sources are cooking sources”. I believe that all sources are burlesque sources. You can find out some of the most interesting things that can be applied to burlesque from some unlikely places. Tell me a book from which you learned something about burlesque that wasn’t specifically a burlesque book.

Inquisitively yours,

Published in: on 21 September 2011 at 12:57 pm  Leave a Comment  

A little tip for you

Dear Constant Reader,

Friday seems to be tip day!

When working with feathers, confetti, glitter, or anything small and floaty, avoid wearing lipgloss. It’s very sticky and all those light little bits will stick to it.

Published in: on 16 September 2011 at 11:12 am  Leave a Comment  
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Review: Papa’s Burlesque House

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Wednesday, so how about a book review?

Papa’s Burlesque House: Growing Up in a Burlesque Theater by Bernard Livingston (1971).

This novel, purporting to be an as-told-to story, is more of a thinly veiled autobiography. The point-of-view character grew up in a large Jewish family in Baltimore during the Depression. His weak-willed father, unable to support the family, is pushed into managing a burlesque theatre by a pawn-broker uncle who has acquired the unsavory building.

Family life focuses around the theatre, since the narrator’s father can rarely leave. Shabbos dinner is held with the entire family crammed in the ticket booth. While his parents refuse to enter the theatre, the narrator frequently sneaks backstage and dallies with strippers. He becomes increasingly resentful of his parents’ plans for his life (he’s to become a lawyer — his older brother is going to be a doctor), especially after he learns a few things about his father.

The theatre, called The Burlesk, but known as The Scratch House, is a filthy, seedy dump on the infamous Block. The comics are drunks and the girls are third rate. Some of the activity at the Burlesk is down right unsavory and it will come back to bite the family badly. Not a pretty picture of burlesque, but a realistic one.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Published in: on 14 September 2011 at 3:18 pm  Comments (2)  
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Opening the door

Dear Constant Reader,

As I may have mentioned, I run a modest burlesque academy. Until recently, quite modest. We’ve been occupying a small studio, but we love it because it’s all ours. The opportunity presented itself to move to a new space, just a few doors down, and we jumped on it. We decided to do all the nice things that we always wanted to with the old space, like improving the lighting and having a real wood dance floor.

The studio is so much larger that we have a reception area and a storeroom. When you first walk into the studio this is what you see:

That’s the door to the storeroom, where we keep our costumes and props. Nice, isn’t it? Scratch does very nice work. I bet you didn’t know that besides being our director and producer, Scratch was also a talented carpenter.

If you were to turn to your left, you’d see a lovely Queen Anne desk, eventually with a smiling hostess sitting behind it. For the moment, behind it is a bunch of frightening power tools.

As we progress, I’ll keep you updated. And if you’d like to see the studio in all its glory yourself, consider signing up for a class.

Yours,

Published in: on 12 September 2011 at 2:55 pm  Leave a Comment  
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