Tuesday, February 19, 2013

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

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