Checking In!

Dear Ones,

It has been quite a while since I last made an appearance at The Scarlet Curtain.  Life has called on me to focus elsewhere for a time, and for awhile to come as well, but I thought I would check it quickly.  I haven't forgotten all of my dear, sweet friends and readers in the Burlesque Community!

I have a few things in the works.  Working on plans to further re-vamp The Jack & Wood Show with Polly Wood, some new duets included!  I'll be performing my Captain Jack act at Behind the Blue Door in July.  If you are a Doctor Who fan, you won't want to miss this show!  Last year was great, and I have a feeling this year will be even better.  I'll have more info soon!  And finally, I am super excited for the return of Burlesco Divino later this summer!

I am also hard at work making sure that attendees at this years BurlyCon are going to have some fabulous opportunities to learn, share and grow!  I'll release information about presenters, guests and so forth as they become public, so stay tuned!

Finally, I want to send warmest wishes and cheers of joy and pride to fellow performers representing Seattle at The Burlesque Hall of Fame this year/weekend!  Sydni Devereaux will be competing for Queen of Burlesque, and BOTH Waxie Moon and Paris Original are competing for King of Burlesque!  Also Trojan Original and Iva Handful are further representing as performers and innovators!  I couldn't be happier, unless I was there in person to cheer them on!

While Twitter and FB will be abuzz this weekend with hundreds of updates, be sure to check on BHoF's website as well.  This organization is doing lots of good work, keeping old traditions alive, performers remembered and adored, and helping to usher in the new!

If you want some of the hottest updates I would recommend following: Sir Eddie Van Glam, Miss Polly Wood, and Miss Indigo Blue on Twitter!

Well that is all for today.  I promise my I'll update again soon!

Loves!
~ Fosse

Meet the Boyz! Part 9

Alright folks, we have come to the top of our billing, the poster boy for "Boyz! Boys! Bois!", and our very special guest here in Seattle.

Jett Adore

"The No-Pantser Romancer"

"Jett's innovative, artistic, silly, sexy, scandalous, sophisticated, elegant, and elaborately theatrical performances are male stripteaseat its finest."

This hip cat strips down to his hat! Born and raise on the Isle of Romantica, he is the internationally beloved icon of glamor, passion and lusty elegance.

Jett Adore is one third of the Stage Door Johnnies, Chicago's award-winning male burlesque troupe, an old fashioned nudi show... with balls!  The Stage Door Johnnies (Jett Adore, Bazuka Joe and Ray Gunn) perform choreographed striptease, combining dance, classic jazz, humor, acrobatics and all-around shenanigans.

I addition to producing their own shows at Chicago's Park West Theater each month, the Johnnies team their titillating talents with the Dolls of Doom female burlesque in The Nuts 'N Cherries show throughout the year. They can also often be spotted in shows produced by Michelle L'amour and the Chicago Starlets.

Jett and his Stage Door Johnnies brothers have been seen shakin' their nasties all over Chicago and in many other major cities, as well as in festivals internationally.  He's gettin' his dance on the takin' his pants off... in way you've never imagined.

[Hot!!!]

I have heard about the Stage Door Johnnies.  I have seen pictures and a few video clips, but I have never had the opportunity to see, let alone work with one!  I am excited beyond words to work with Jett Adore during this show!  He is a class act, smooth, sexy, a man of style, and grace.  He is in a word... yiff.

You will NOT want to miss this show, my friends.  With "The Prince of Burlesque" Jett Adore, local legends Ernie Von Schmaltz and Waxie Moon, the delicious burlesque brothers, Trojan and Paris Original, sexy butch duo Black & Tan, the gender bending lothario, Daddy Z Deviant, kinky every-man, Man Johnson, exposing composer EmpeROAR Fabulous, and rhinestone stud Sir Eddie Van Glam... (oh and me!) this show is going to be awesome!

Tickets are still on sale, so take advantage of them now!

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 8

Alright folks we're almost there! Not only are we just a few days away from Seattle's first big 'Boylesk' extravaganza of the year, but we have just two more performers for you to get to know!  Tonight, let's meet our Emcee and Host...

Ernie Von Schmaltz

The Man, The Myth, The Mustache

Ernie Von Schmaltz is a 'ladies man'.  He is a player with all the right moves, the object of desire in the eyes of many young women, and a role-model for young  male exotic dancers all over The Emerald City, and Beyond.  He believes in the power of the mustache, of polyester and gold medallions, and the irresitible appeal of a health paunch on a virile man.  He is a gypsy at heart, traveling the land in a van, that will inevitably be a-rockin' next time you come a-knockin'.  He is The Man.

Ernie Von Schmaltz has been a performer and emcee in Seattle's burlesque scene since 2005, he is an instructor of boylesque at The Academy of Burlesque, and is one of the funniest Mustachioed Stallions in the business.  I have seen a number of shows hosted by this intimidating specimen of masculinity, and had the pleasure to be in one of them.  I am stoked to have Ernie Von Schmaltz as the Master of Ceremonies for this our Boy Royale of Burlesque, a Celebration of Boydom, the third, the thickets, longest, and juiciest installment of Boys! Bois! Boyz!

You won't want to miss this show, I assure you.  And if you aren't convinced yet... just stay tuned because "The Prince of Burlesque" has yet to make his appearance.

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 7

Our Featured Artist needs no introduction from me... but why not?

Waxie Moon

"Waxie Moon", a gender-blending "boylesque" performance-art stripping sensation has performed at various venues throughout Seattle including Key Arena, On the Boards, The Seattle Rep, ACT Theatre, The Moore Theatre and The Triple Door.

Career highlights include being features in Land of the Sweets, a Burlesque Nutcracker (produced by Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann), performing in and choreographing House of Thee Unholy #2, 3 and 4 (produced by The Swedish Housewife) and being present by numerous performance organizations including On The Boards (Northwest New Works Festival and 12 Minutes Max), Bumbershoot and The Seattle Erotic Arts Festival.  She has performed "boylesque" for Margaret Cho, Cyndi Lauper, Carson Kreseley and The B-52's.  In 2010 he was nominated for a Gregory Award (Excellence in Theater, Washington State).  She is the subject of the feature-length documentary film Waxie Moon (directed by Wes Hurley) which has been screen at numerous film festivals, including The Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Audience Award), The International Queer Fruits Film Festival (Jury Prize) and CineKink (NY Audience Choice Award - Honorable Mention).  He is also featured in the documentary film, A Wink and a Smile (directed by Deirdre Timmons).  In 2009 he was voted "Best Burlesque Performer" by The Seattle Weekly (Readers Poll).  Recently s/he acted in, co-wrote and co-produced Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel (directed by Wes Hurley).

Ladies and Gentlemen, Waxie Moon is a Seattle Burlesque Icon.  S/he is a subject of man crushes by nearly ever straight male burlesque fan I know!  He is a role model to the "boylesque" community, myself included! She is fierce... and I don't use that term lightly!  I cannot express how excited I am to have Waxie Moon rejoin the cast of Boys! Bois! Boyz! after performing in our last show last May, or my joy at that once more the boyz will "Cum Together" around/over/on/etc. this Boylesque Phenomenon!

Make sure to get you tickets folks, because this show will be awesome!

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 6

The world of boylesque is as complex as another child of Madame Burlesque.  Our next pair of performers are from the "Butch" contingency of our art form, and for those in the know I happen to have a thing for Butches!

Black & Tan

Brown Fox 

L-Boogie

You in the mood for milk chocolate?  Dark chocolate? Butch or femme?  This sexy hot chocolate duo is evidence that variety is the spice of life.  Fans of Bang for the Buck will recognize these hotties from the 3-time, award-winning, studly stripteasers, The Nerdz.  And if you’re an aficionado of the Seattle’s sexy drag king history, you’ll have fond memories of one of these studs setting stages on fire as part of the former drag and dance sensation, Milky Way.  Have a sweet tooth?  Keep your eyes peeled for shows by Another Brother Productions where this tasty twosome will be featured.  Introducing Brown Fox and L-Boogie as BLACK & TAN!

Every show brings something new to the table, and for me it is this sexy set of performers.  However, I have it from reliable sources (name drop... Miss Indigo Blue!) that Black & Tan are not to be missed.  High praise indeed.

We are just a week away from this amazingly sexy, boy/boi-soaked pageant of ecdysiasm and you should take advantage of the ongoing Advanced Ticket Prices on Brown Paper Tickets.

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 5

Ladies and Gentlemen, on today's edition of Meet the Boyz I've got a two-for-one special.  Please meet this sexy pair of Fraternal Teasers...

Paris Original

“Poetry in Motion”

Paris Original is poetry in motion, exuding the graceful elegance of balletic beauty. This international burlesque star calls on his extensive experience in many forms of dance and theatre to craft his unique style of burlesque. Possessing a statuesque aesthetic, he utilizes his affinity for movement to captivate, inspire and capture the hearts of audiences wherever he goes. Paris has toured nationally as well as to London and is also a founding member of the Neo-burlesque troupe Mod Carousel.

Trojan Original

“The Red Hot Manimal”

As a professional dancer, Trojan was classically trained in Ballet and Modern dance and has been performing dance professionally for seven years. In a fun twist of events, Trojan discovered Burlesque through his brother, Paris, who in turn had discovered it from The Luminous Pariah. Trojan’s first striptease was for a good friend’s bachelorette party, for which he and Paris created their first burlesque act: Swan Tease. The duet was such a hit that they got asked to do it again at the reception and he’s been performing Burlesque ever since.

Anyone who knows me, has followed my blog or heard me gush about my favorite performers will know that I have a long-standing crush on the Original Brothers! They are talented, confident, creative, and sexy to boot.  On top of that they are a pair of the sweetest boys you will ever meet!  Oh... and did I mention their TWINS?  Meep!

Dear Ones, you will NOT want to miss our show!  Boys! Bois! Boyz! is going to be packed with some of Seattle's finest boylesque talent.  Stay tuned for the for the next installment of "Meet the Boyz" and don't forget to pick up your tickets *** http://m.bpt.me/event/321943 ***

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 4

The Boyz keep on coming!

Man Johnson

AKA Paul O’Connell (POC)

Paul's interest in burlesque goes back to 2005, when a friend asked him to take photos of her act at an Academy of Burlesque recital. He immediately fell in love with the art form. Since that time he has taken over 70,000 live burlesque photos throughout Seattle, Portland and New York as well as burlesque festivals in Austin, New Orleans and Las Vegas.

Somewhere along the way he decided he might like to take off his clothes on stage. He took Miss Indigo Blue's 101 Boylesque class taught by Waxie Moon and Ernie Von Schmaltz. After that he became hooked. He has been lucky enough to perform at some of Seattle's most well know burlesque halls including The Rendezvous and The Rebar and working with established performers and producers. He was excited to be part of the summer of Nerdelsque last year performing in Stark Naked: A Nerdlesque Tribute to A Game of Thrones and Whedonesque Burlesque: acts inspired by the works of Joss Whedon. He has performed at The Texas Burlesque Festival in Austin. He was thrilled to be part of Miss Indigo Blues step-down number at 2012's Burlesque Hall of Fame. He describes his burlesque as Absurd-lesque: slightly demented, perverted and always silly. He likes to start with one concept and completely turn it on its head.

I saw the Boylesque 101 Recital that gave birth to Man Johnson.  If I recall correctly it was the same one in which Sir Eddie was re-Christened, and fellow artists Piston Chambers and Rip Curl came into existence.  That is to say it was a pretty momentous show!  I also shared the Burlesque 202 experience with that very same group, and it was a blast to see Man’s mind in action! 

Man Johnson should be called the “Everyman of Burlesque”. He takes everyday situations, and preconceptions and takes them to the ‘kinky side of life’, flips them on their head, turns them inside0out and fs’em sideways.  As a character he is the kinky-geek that lives in his dirty old uncle’s basement.  Is that the right picture?  I think so…

We’ve asked Man to reprise one of our favorite numbers at this incarnation of Boys! Bois! Boyz! I won’t tell you which one, but it is a delightful tribute to a Japanese cartoon character.

We are less then TWO weeks out from this awesome Boy-Soaked Celebration of Burlesque.  So don't forget your tickets! *** http://m.bpt.me/event/321943 ***

Loves!

~ Fosse

Meet the Boyz! Part 3

We are less then two weeks away from Seattle's celebration of boylesk, "Boys! Bois! Boyz!" on March 1st!  With that in mind allow me to introduce the next of our performers!

Daddy Z Deviant

Daddy Z Deviant is the very distant cousin of Seattle's "Bitch in Charge", Diva le Déviant.  This Germanic gender bending lothario is a product of Weimar Era aesthetics.  His darkly carefree attitude that "anything goes" stems from his belief that we could all die tomorrow...so...why not do it all, try it all, f&*k it all?  You've seen Daddy crooning and hosting on stages around Seattle including previous editions of "Boys, Bois, Boyz", Randy Andy's "Tomfoolery", La Petitie Mort's "Morbid Curositease", Another Brother Productions' "Butches Unwrapped, Sinner Saint Burlesque's "REVOLUTION", J9 Fierce presents "Sound and Smoke", and Cherry Manhattan's "The Beyond Real Human Female".  Please note, little kitty, that Daddy knows your heart belongs to him, but what he WANTS is between your legs!

If I were to sum up the sexual predilections, animal magnetism, and stage presence of this performer I would do so thusly: Daddy Z Deviant is what you would get if Marlene Dietrich and Alan Cumming had a love-child conceived during an absinthe soaked night of rough sex.  Nuff said, I think.

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 2

The continuing prelude to our 'celebration of boydom' coming to West Hall, Oddefellows on March 1st, I am pleased to introduce you to another of our Producers!

EmpeROAR Fabulous!!!

"The Exposing Composer"

EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! is an award-winning Seattle based singer-songwriter, boylesque performer, emcee, instructor and event producer.  He is The Exposing Composer, The Singing Slinger, The Turquoise Noise Maker and Electric Blue Shimmy-Shaker, Your Raunchy Ruler and King of Queer, EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! 

He is the jewel you discover when you roll the rock, the Harry Winston cocktail ring you find in a thrift store, the bottle of bottom-shelf whiskey in a debutante's Prada purse, the pop you hear when the bubble bursts.

EmpeROAR is a performer par excellance, wholly devoted, incorrigibly and unashamedly unique!  His performances have been called "crazy" by some, "insane" by others, and who am I to gainsay them? I've seen spectators giggle, blush, laugh and avert their eyes, even look slightly bewildered all in response to this artist's evocative (you might say explicit) lyrics, brash stage presence, and cleverly absurd concepts.  From sing and strips about sex-starved airline stewards to graceful renditions of Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales, EmpeROAR Fabulous applies unwavering dedication to his art, and a feylike glamor to everything he does.

With the "Prince of Burlesque" Messieur Jett Adore, a bonafide "Knight Erotic", Sir Eddie Van Glam, and the "Ruler of Raunch" EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! our little show is looking to be something of a Boy Royale of  Burlesque!  Make sure you have your ticket! *** http://m.bpt.me/event/321943 ***

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Meet the Boyz! Part 1

Ladies and Gentlemen in only three short weeks Boys! Bois! Boyz! returns to the stage with a very special show starring “Chicago’s Las Vegas Showboy” Jett Adore.  

This is the third time that Sir Eddie Van Glam and I have worked on producing this show together and we are stoked to add veteran producer and performer EmpeROAR Fabulous to our team AND to partner with the prestigious organization that is Miss Indigo Blue’s Academy of Burlesque!

We have a fantastic cast of Seattle Boyleskers on top of Jett (wait… I guess we should get his consent before making those plans.  :-p) and first and foremost among them are the incomparable Ernie Von Schmaltz, who will be hosting our show, and ‘international stripping sensation’ Waxie Moon who is helping us to once more come together.

More to come on these upstanding icons of Seattle Boylesque… for now, I would like to introduce the boys on our production team.

Sir Eddie Van Glam

"The Rhinestone Stud"

Boylesk Performer, Producer, Emcee, Actor, Professional Wrestler, Hair Stylist

"The Rhinestone Stud," Sir Eddie Van Glam has been thrilling audiences by mixing machismo & metrosexuality since 2009.  He is co-producer of the Seattle Boylesk Revue "Boys! Bois! Boyz!" as well as co-producer & trainer of the Seattle based stage combat troupe, "3-2-1 Battl!" With abs of righteousness & a suitcase full of awesome, this sharp dressed man delivers a sizzling performance every time!"

I first saw Sir Eddie Van Glam as newcomer “Van Glam” in an early production of The Nightmare Before Christmas Cabaret.  Van Glam rocked my socks off with (and he is going to hate me for telling you this…) his interpretation of Bad Romance, sporting fish nets and heels.  Since this first foray into burlesque “Van Glam” joined the AoB Boylesque 101 class and was re-christened “Sir Eddie Van Glam”.

Since that time Sir Eddie has continued to grow as an artist, performer and as a producer, and is one of Seattle’s BIGGEST boylesque fans and supporters to boot. He has all the bravado and charm of Lancelot (sans the rainbow colored mambo sleeves), and the sex appeal and good natured camp of Hollywood Elvis Presley. What can you say about a hetero-sexual man with a hard on for rhinestones, and an intense desire to take his clothes off in front of people?  

Easy.  You say “Thank you!”

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know a little about what Sir Eddie is bringing to the stage on March 1^st and I can say this.  It is something new.  It is something sexy.  And it is something you won’t want to miss!

Boys! Bois! Boyz! is a bi-annual Celebration of Boydom produced by and featuring some of Seattle’s hottest boylesque performers! On March 1st, Boys! Bois! Boyz! in partnership with The Academy of Burlesque is bringing you a bigger, thicker, longer lasting bundle of boy flesh than ever before.

Get your tickets soon. This fantastical spectacle of boylesque should not be missed! http://m.bpt.me/event/321943 !!!

Loves!

~ Fosse Jack

Sinner Saint Burlesque, "Long Kiss Goodnight"

In the “golden age of burlesque”, the women of bump & grind would perform for upwards of 20 minutes at a time.  The drawn out art of the tease, blended with a profuse amount of choreography or improvised dance meant that a single artist was an entire ‘Act’ all to herself.  Today the standard burlesque piece averages at about 5 minutes.  With YouTube, Netflix, Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets dishing out instant gratification we are mentally geared toward shorts.  This isn’t necessarily bad! It’s just a new standard. Personally I love it when a performer can tell an entire story in the course of a single song, and can get bored if the ‘reach’ of an act extends the performer’s ‘grasp’.

With this in mind the concept of a burlesque show devoted entirely to contemporary long form burlesque, that is acts averaging 10 minutes or more, and involving varied elements of performance, is a risky one.  However, if you have been following my sporadic posts over the past 10-12 months you may note that one troupe in particular has been getting its kicks tackling risky concept shows!

I am, of course speaking of Sinner Saint Burlesque.

photo by Danny Boulet of WittyPixel Photography

The first of SSB’s 2013 season is called “Long Kiss Goodnight” and is composed of four feature acts, and a sprinkling of shorter group numbers.  Of the troupe’s five primary members, four participate in each night’s performance.  The themes of the individual pieces are surprisingly diverse, sharing only a joint dedication to a longer-form of act structure.  This diversity of theme provides the necessary variety needed to maintain the attention of a typically distracted audience and was, for me, very satisfying.

The show’s host, Cherry Manhattan, spun a story built around a decadent party.  Sporting a lovely RP dialect, a variety of evening and ‘after-evening’ outfits, and playing the role of a gracious, candid, professional party girl, Cherry was delightful and engaging!  Her mixing of borderline adolescent obsession with kissing, a peppering of pop-culture references, sophisticated innuendos, and obscure allusions allowed her to connect with the varied mob that is The Noc Noc’s usual crowd.  This was my first opportunity to enjoy Cherry’s hosting style and I very much hope to experience her again!

The first of SSB’s featured act was Polly Wood’s 'extended edition, director’s cut' of her Elizabeth Taylor Tribute.  Polly’s approach to the longer form structure of the show was to provide, in sequence, strip tease, reverse strip, strip tease, reverse strip, and final reveal.  In her interpretation of the famed Hollywood diva, Polly explored two of Taylor’s most remembered roles: Cleopatra and Maggie the Cat, and executed the costume changes necessary to play those roles, all without revealing her… well ‘lady apples’?  Polly’s take on Ms. Taylor leans more to the lighthearted than to the smoldering, walking the line between tribute and good natured parody, but she successfully captured moments of iconic Liz Taylor sexiness that the audience very much enjoyed it!

Second was Dona De Couri’s three part sketch/burlesque act involving a kissing booth, an Andrew Sisters’ style performance between herself, Polly Wood and Jesse Belle-Jones, and finally a classic strip tease.  The kissing booth sketch was hysterical! Dona’s initial revulsion, followed by decided enthusiasm provided the audience with vivid images of her ‘clients’.  The musical performance that followed was a delightful surprise.  I love it when performers open up in other ways!  Finally, Dona’s skills as a dancer, and consummate teaser, successfully pleased, entertained and titillated the audience, in the third movement of her piece.

Next up, Jesse Belle-Jones becomes the medium for a Grecian Goddess with her interpretation of Actaeon and Artemis.  Okay this was one of my favorite acts, but I am a huge myth buff! The act begins with a rendition of SSB’s harem girl group act, a piece that evokes popular images of Sapphos and the Isle of Lesbos.  Then with a little exposition from our gracious hostess, we are transported to a forest pool where the Goddess Artemis is caught in the act of bathing.  I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that this little furry yiffed, the audience was left spell bound, and Julie Taymor would have approved.

Finally, Evilyn Sin Claire channels the majesty of the peacock, the mystery of a masquerade, and the allure of reflection.  Have you ever had a conversation with someone in a mirror?  There is something fascinating about reflections.  They capture our attentions, and our imagination.  Even as self aware individuals there is a child-like feeling of looking into another world. (Well that could just be me.)  Ms. Sin Claire utilizes this fact beautifully, teasing herself and allowing us to more fully experience the voyeuristic thrill that is watching a burlesque act.  This has to rank as one of my favorite piece performed by Evilyn.  There was a calm control about her that dominated the audience in a way I’m not sure they were fully aware of.  Few performers have the effect on me that Evilyn does (I’ll let you interpret that as you wish), and I am happy to say that once more she left me speechless!

So there we have it. Four featured acts, with a sprinkling of group participation, all skillfully performed with appropriate flash, flare and sex appeal.  It is a simple but risky concept. It was a show that I believe worked beautifully.  It was a show that I hope inspires and encourages other burlesque artists to up their game, go deeper into their art and make the antici.....PATION last longer for Seattle's burlesque fans.

Sinner Saint Burlesque is one of Seattle’s oldest, longest, continually operating burlesque troupes, and can be found at The Noc Noc Every Thursday Night.  I strongly encourage you to attend their run of a “Long Kiss Goodnight” which plays through March 14^th!

Loves! ~ Fosse Jack