Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! I’m sure everyone is besieged with Black Friday deals today. However, Christina Manuge of Manuge et Toi Design inspired this tip:
You don’t have to discount your work, just because everyone else is doing so.
And please support small and local businesses this holiday season!
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday everyone! I am back from Stripper’s Holiday and I learned so much! Full report coming eventually… but for now here’s one of my top takeaways! Not so much of a tip as an exercise:
Take a look at your lines. Where is the eye drawn? Is that where you want a gaze to rest? How do you make sure the audience looks where you want?
Get in front of a mirror and play around until you figure it out.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
A very happy Friday to you! I am currently in Las Vegas at Michelle L’amour’s Stripper’s Holiday, but I wouldn’t forget your tip!
If you spill glitter, use a vacuum to clean it up.
Don’t use a broom or a mop. They’re just going to push glitter into all the cracks and you’ll never get rid of it all.
And I’m talking about if you accidentally spill your craft or cosmetic glitter. I don’t mean glitter pours — you shouldn’t be doing those on stage in the first place. They look great, but annoy the venue and your fellow performers.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! This week’s tip is related to last week’s.
When washing rhinestone costumes, avoid soaking them for too long.
If you used a white glue, like Gem-Tac, even if you’ve let it cure for a good long time, immersing it in water for an extended time can rehydrate and thus soften the glue. Your rhinestones might loosen, shift, or fall off (or worse, partially fall off, leaving part of the foil backing behind.). The good news is, if you catch it in time, just leave it to dry and soon the glue will set back up again.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! I’m getting ready for our (practically sold out) show, Carnal Carnival, tonight, but I’m going to make time for your tip! And today’s tip is about time:
Let glue dry at least 24 hours before wearing a costume piece.
This will not happen.
This tip might have been brought to you by someone who decided yesterday to make and rhinestone new pasties for tonight’s show…
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 21 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! It’s a particularly happy Friday for me because tomorrow we’re presenting Carnal Carnival at Deacon Giles and both the early show and the late show are sold out! There are still a few tickets available for next Friday’s show at Club Café, but hurry — they’re almost all gone!
The weather is changing here in New England, getting colder and drier, which puts me in mind of this tip:
Use a richer moisturizer in winter.
Don’t forget to pay special attention to your hands and feet. They need some extra love — and lotion.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 21 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday the 13th! I tried to come up with some clever tip about luck, or mirrors, or black cats, but nothing came to mind. Just bad luck, I guess… Here’s your tip!
If performing in more than one show in one night, make sure each audience gets the same amount of your energy.
We frequently perform two shows when we’re at Deacon Giles (like next Saturday) and I know folks that have the even bigger challenge of appearing in different shows in different venues in the same night.
You wouldn’t want to go flat out for your first show and have nothing left for the others. Also, you wouldn’t want to reserve so much for your later shows that your early ones are subdued.
It’s not an easy balance, but I have faith in you.
Fortunately these days it’s usually two shows a night for me, which makes it a little easier to figure out how to ration one’s energy. However, one Halloween, we did 13 (short) shows over the course of an evening. That was a challenge! Also really fun!
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 21 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
It’s Friday again! Here’s your tip.
If you can’t get into your costume by yourself, arrange for some assistance in advance.
Sometimes are costumes are complicated or fasten in the back or cover our hands or otherwise make it impossible to get into without help. (I’m thinking of these…). You might need a couple of helping hands.
Set that help up before the show. It’s not fair to spring that request on a fellow performer who might be in the middle of getting ready themselves. And you don’t need the stress of hoping someone in the dressing room might have time to help you while it’s getting closer and closer to show time. If you’re bringing your own helper, clear it with the producer first. Often non-performers aren’t allowed in the dressing room.
As a troupe we have it a bit easier, since we rehearse together and know the issues well in advance. These beautiful rhinestone collars needed to be clasped and then pinned in place by someone else. We each had a dressing buddy who would take care of you and then you would return the favor.
If you don’t know anyone, reach out to the producer and see if they can put you in touch with a member of the stage crew who would be available to help. Let them know exactly what help you will need and any special requirements before the show.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 21 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
It’s Friday! But before your tip, a little NPR-style appeal. I’m terrible at actively promoting myself, but let’s give it a try…
I’m glad you’re here for my public writings and videos! If you enjoy that content, would you consider joining my Patreon? The lowest tier is just one dollar. What can you get for a dollar these days? Some ramen? You can’t even get a cup of decent coffee for a buck.
As a Patron, not only do you get my blog posts emailed directly to you, but also costume tutorials, performance videos, peeks backstage, and more, plus all the previous stuff, going back to 2017. Higher level tiers get even more perks.
As an extra incentive, I had promised for a long time that if I reached a certain number of Patrons, of any level, I would tell the story of a special costume piece and do a photoshoot wearing it. I am ONE Patron away from that goal. Will you be the one?
And now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
The weather is getting cooler. It’s time to check the shoes you use for fall and winter acts and repair if needed.
Check for missing rhinestones and other decorative bits and replace them. Also change worn laces or ribbons. See if they need new heels, soles, buckles, etc. and take them to a repair shop. As long as you’re making a trip anyway, see if any of your non-show shoes need professional attention as well.
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Dear Constant Reader,
I know I missed your Friday Tip this week (and B.A.B.E. students didn’t get their weekly newsletter). I was felled by a head cold this past week and wasn’t good for much more than sipping tea and reading trashy novels. Here’s your belated tip:
Trouble twirling? Your tassels might be too light.
A small, light tassel is going to be harder to twirl than one with a little heft to it. Replace it with one with a longer body or a bit of weight in the head (a plastic or wooden bead works nicely). Sally Keith was said to have weighted her famous tassels with buckshot!
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 