Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Get to know your local thrift store.

They are a gold mine for costume pieces, accessories, and props. And for cheap. It’s a great place to get things you’re going to destroy, modify beyond recognition, or experiment with. Some garments are worth getting just to rip off the trim and use it on something else.

My best success was half a dozen champagne coupes for my “French Champagne” act for three bucks total. But this pales in comparison to Scratch’s super-shopping abilities.

Tuesday he arrived at The Teaseday Club without his suit (long story) and certainly couldn’t host a show in his civvies. He went over to the Goodwill across the street and scored a pair of pants, a dress shirt, a checked sport coat, and a Hawaiian-print tie. And they all fit.

And of course, if you’ve got stuff you don’t need any more, it may become someone else’s treasure!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! By the way, the weather is kind of nuts here in New England. Last week we had one of the warmest days on record and it’s supposed to snow next week. If you’re coming for a visit, just pack everything. That’s not your tip, though. This is!

Consider your venue when selecting an act for a show.

Some acts are more appropriate for some venues than others. A big stage in a theatre calls for an act that can fill the space — this is a great time to use your big props. A bar wants something a bit more streamlined. Raked seating means the audience can actually see your floorwork. Performing in the round isn’t the best for a fan dance (although I’ve done it!). If the only “backstage” is the ladies’ room, choose a costume that’s fairly compact. &c., &c., &c.

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

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Your tip today comes courtesy of Betty Blaize, who, as we speak, is on the west coast with her Bharatanatyam (classical Indian dance) guru preparing for an amazing dance performance she’s going to present in Boston next month.

Betty’s choreography creation metric: one minute of music = one hour of choreographing

For every minute of music in your act, expect it will take you an hour to create the choreography for that minute. Similarly, if you are teaching someone else a choreography, plan on one hour of teaching time for every minute of music.

This is just a rule of thumb. You might be on fire and whip through your creation process. You might get stuck and things take much longer than expected. Once you add more people into the dance, you need to add more time for both creation and teaching.

When you’re figuring on how long it’s going to take you to go from zero to performance, this is a great metric to keep in mind.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Price your merch at three to four times what it cost you.

If you are making products, remember to factor in your labor as well as the cost of materials.

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

Dear Constant Reader,

As you read this, I am winging my way to lovely, warm Los Angeles, but I would never forget your tip. Here it is!

Done is good.

Sometime we just don’t have the luxury of time, money, or skill to make something exactly, perfectly as we dreamed it would be. You can always go back and fix it, but for now, when you need it, done is good.

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

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a wonderful time at The Expo last week. It’s hard to believe it was a week ago. I’m still recovering and Stately Babydoll Manor is a wreck.

Of course, there’s no time to rest because tomorrow and Valentine’s Day The Boston BeauTease are presenting R&J: A Shakespearean Burlesque. Tickets are almost sold out, so jump on it or miss out!

And now, here’s your Friday Tip!

Pack headphones in your gig bag.

You’ll want to listen to your music and warm up your act before you go on stage. But you don’t want to disturb any of your fellow performers who have their own pre-show rituals with their own timing of them. So, make sure you always have your headphones.

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