Last night was fierce. The Burlesque Goes Hollywood show at the Wilmette Theatre was a great success. As a co-producer of High Voltage, I really like the changes that were made to the format. We took a chance on fewer, extremely talented dancers. Ten numbers in two acts doesn't sound like enough at first glance, but it actually worked really well. And most of our ladies danced unique numbers in both acts. Our audience was elated to see the same girls do very contrasting dances.
Yesterday was the first show that we applied a theme to the usual retro requirement. Every act was an homage to a classic movie or Hollywood personality. Red Hot Annie brought us a highly entertaining tribute to Lucille Ball and a sultry tease in the spirit of Barbara Stanwyck. Scarlett DeVille reminded us of the timeless talent lost this year in the late, great Lena Horne and rocked the hula Elvis style. I bookended the show with taking us to Hollywood à la Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, and taking on the role of Marilyn Monroe. Our special guest from Hollywood, Wilde Rose, treated us to Let's Call the Whole Thing Off and Science Fiction Double Feature. Zoe Brooklynne was our Sweet Old Fashioned Girl in high style. Last, but far from least was Donna Touch gracefully making a splash with Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head. I'm floored by the creativity and talent that were on display.
Speaking of creativity, my co-producer was on point with her contribution of crafting the video component of most all of the acts. High Voltage has the unique distinction of being more than burlesque - it employs a video accompaniment on the big screen. Going beyond this, an intermission countdown to return of show video was created this go round. I adore the way that carried the theme throughout the intermission, and found equally interesting as well as entertaining. Entirely vintage footage strung together; everything from dancing popcorn and hot dogs to ads for products you can still buy today and those that are merely memories. We will certainly be continuing that as a tradition for the show.
Our host, comedian Adam Burke, was hilarious. His wit is sharp and even the obligatory heckler was impressed by his quick bite. The dancers had glowing reviews of his hosting duties, too. I spent some quality time with him before and after the event, and look forward to working with him again. He and I also drew winners of a raffle just after intermission. The sponsor, Raven and Dove Antiques, provided some lovely gifts as prizes. In addition, my company, Suadela Intimates donated a pair of pasties to the grand prize. As always, the crowd was lively and a joy to dance for.
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Today was a relaxing one. I attended the 1901 Gallery Craft Fairy this afternoon. I spent some time chatting with the sellers there. Two shops really caught my eye. The first was 'Do Bats Eat Cats?', a Gothic and Victorian jewelry crafter. The other was 'Parasols by Tamie' which is fairly self explanatory. Both were inspiring for glittery burlesque endeavors. The real order of business was to get a feel for how sellers feel about the event, and to look into getting a table for Suadela Intimates at future dates. I look forward to trying that out for the holiday season at least.
After taking care of that and drooling over shiny things, I went with the family to the Icosium Cafe in Andersonville. It wasn't as relaxing as usual with the children along, but the comfort of those amazing savory crepes, the fabulous soup, and the delicious strawberry and Belgian chocolate were just what I needed.
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Looking forward to the rest of October, I'm happy to announce a burlesque engagement with Vaudezilla. Now just to decide which act I should do: bring out an old favorite, or imagine something fresh. In the world of pasties, I'm beginning to craft my holiday pasty stock. If you're looking for something for a new number, or want to upgrade a current costume, don't hesitate to send me an alchemy request for something totally based on your ideal concept on Etsy. All are considered, although the stock is primarily needlepoint now, it is growing steadily in the traditional style.
This abrupt stop is brought to you by warm fudge brownies. xoxo
For once it was not me in front of the camera. It was Miss Millie Mae, the new face of Suadela Intimates. She's been kind enough to let me behind the camera, proudly sport Suadela pasties and accessories, and be our spokesmodel. I had an obscene amount of fun sharing the afternoon with her. The results are none too shabby, and I cannot wait to edit the listings in the shop on Etsy to include her! I'm really hungry to learn more about photography, and make the most of my little Sony cybershot. Maybe someday we can afford a real photographer as well as a gorgeous model, but for now I'm pleased to have just the one! :)
As I start buckling down about rehearsal, I'm starting to really get excited about performing with Vaudezilla next week. Remember to mark your calendars kiddos! Broadzilla. Exit. Friday. 10:30pm. See you there!