Postmortem: RUDOLPH!

Jack & Wood's 1st Annual Holiday Special: RUDOLPH! was a success.  In retrospect, I see things that in the future I will do differently and things upon which I want to expand but I am pleased with the project in general.  I am thankful for everyone who made this event possible:

1. A wonderful and supportive ensemble and crew: Ashley Coates (performance and props), Becky Peterson (performer), Colin Madison (stage manager, website), Emily Cappel (performer), Jason Studstill (techie), John Huddlestun (performer and choreographer), Kat Schroeder (performer), Qevin Smith (performer... and for keeping me sane through this process!), Rachel Lamb/Miles (performer), and Sam Petit (performer).  And though he was not involved in RUDOLPH! thanks go to Brendan Mack for all his help and support this year.
2. Our fabulous guest artists: Adra Boo and Stella D'Letto
3. Everyone at the Rendezvous and Jewelbox Theater; who have been marvelously supportive this past year!
4. Dear friends who attended the show, many of whom have supported us from early on (Zack Wheeler, Steven Stone who each have attended nearly every Jack & Wood Show this year!)
5. New friends and fans of Jack & Wood.
6. Seattle Stage Right who has been a major support (and whose entire board of directors has been a part of Jack & Wood), and with whom I hope to continue a fruitful partnership.
7. Finally, my dear friend co-host and co-producer Miss Polly Wood.  We have come a long way from our SPU days, and I have no doubt that we will go far.

There are others that I should thank, and if I have forgotten to mention you by name, you have my apologies, but know that every single person who has contributed to RUDOLPH! and to other installments of the Jack & Wood Show this year, you have my deepest thanks.  You have all helped my dream come to life.

With a few more things to do to wrap up this year, and a gift to make out for Lambert House (everyone who came to RUDOLPH!, thank you for helping us make even a small donation to this great cause!), and final paperwork and numbers to work out, I have little to block my vision of lots of fun shows and opportunities to come.

With dates submitted to The Rendezvous for all of 2011, and plans to find a secondary venue (I would love for the kids at Lambert House to be able to see RUDOLPH! next year), there is much to do, and a look forward to the continued challenges I will face with Jack & Wood.

Loves!
~ Fosse Jack

RUDOLPH!

Dear Friends and Readers,

So it has been ages since, I last added to this blog.  Life, alas, has been crazy these past months.  However, as the year comes ever closer to its conclusion, I am back in the game and I have some exciting news to share.  As you know this year I have been throwing myself into both my solo performance career as Seattle's Limelight Loverboy, Fosse Jack, and alongside my dear friend and fellow burlesquer, Polly Wood, have been producing cabarets and variety shows on a monthly basis.  The Jack & Wood Show: A Neo Vaudevillian Cabaret has had nine awesome shows this year, as well as our first charity event; STRIP POKER A Trivia Game Show.  This month Polly and I are bringing a new show (the first of a Jack & Wood holiday tradition), and charity show to The Jewel Box Theater at the Rendezvous in BellTown...

RUDOLPH! is an adaptation of the old holiday, clay-mated special about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, a movie that has long been a tradition in my family.  This cheesy, politically incorrect, holiday feature though outdated still has a message that is important for us to hear today.  Misfits have a place to.

Rudolph and his friend the misfit elf Herby are told that because they don't fit in, they don't belong.  Rudolph and Herby set off on their own, and after meeting the jolly, and welcoming prospector Yukon Cornelius, journey to a land of misfits, all the while on the run from the Abominable Snow Monster of the North.  But you cannot hide from your problems for ever and in time the misfits return, and in a twist become heroes.

With a stellar cast of Jack & Wood regulars and a couple of new faces, RUDOLPH! is guaranteed to entertain.


CAST:

1. Fosse Jack as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
2. Polly Wood as Hermione the Misfit Elf
3. Sam Petit as the Narrator
4. John Huddlestun as Donner/King Moonracer
5. Becky Peterson as Missus Donner
6. Qevin Smith as Fireball
7. Tulula Von Luptuous as Santa
8. Adra Boo as The Head Elf
9. Ashley Coates as The Charlie in the Box
10. Stella D'Letto as The Abominable Snow Monster of the North
11. The YES Sisters as The Depressed Dolly and her Girl.

With the recent suicides by LGBT teens throughout the country, I feel that RUDOLPH! is especially poignant this holiday, and Polly agrees with me.  We will be donating a portion of the ticket sales to Lambert House, a support organization that works with LGBT youths.


Come join Polly Wood, our star studded cast and myself on November 29th (7:00pm AND 8:30pm) for Jack & Wood's First Annual Holiday Special; RUDOLPH! and help us start a new holiday tradition.

Love,
Fosse Jack

Details:
Date: November 29th, 2010
Times: 1st Showing 7:00pm, 2nd Showing 8:30pm (21+) .
Cost: $15 Door/$12 Pre-Sale (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/137318)
Place: The Rendezvous JewelBox Theater, 2322 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible, call 206-218-9901 for front seating.

GAZM Preview

Last night I had the opportunity to perform at Café Metropolitan with the boys of GAZM, Seattle’s premiere boylesque troupe. With the exception of the no-show-host, the show went down without a hitch, and was well received.

Guest artist, Jinkxs Monsoon stepped up to the bat and hosted the show on the fly with a mixture of wit, and charm that the audience took to very quickly. As a performer, Jinkxs blends stellar cabaret pipes, and energetic style of dance, with a touch of musical theater camp that I enjoyed greatly. Her rendition of All That Jazz was amazing, and I want to be her back up boy sometime!

The remaining guest artists included Jack Hammer, and Captain Jakalof, two fantastic performers with very different styles. Jack Hammer is a solid bit of beefcake, tall, broad shouldered with classic All American good looks. His Private Eye number is an excellent story, which he tells start to finish with finesse, and sex appeal. The Captain, or in this case his cousin Aspen Switch, is a chic geek with some killer dance moves. His pop and lock routine as Aspen Switch is a clock-work precision piece of comedy, equally pleasing and teasing to the audience.

The four boys of GAZM performed next with Jean DuJour starting the set. Jean combines natural grace, Raver sensibilities and mouth watering sex appeal. He will take you on a bizarre journey that can leave you feeling good, excited, sleepy or at times slightly nauseous (like any recreational pharmaceutical one should be prepared when you experience Jean). His costumes are imaginative patch work pieces that could be described as haute or hot depending on your point of view, his prop use is equally imaginative, and his daringness often crosses the line of propriety. Art is risky, and Jean will gladly take those risks.

Paris Original, the Balletic Burlesque Performer presented a gorgeous piece en pointe that would be equally praised on both the classical and the burlesque stages, and set both the blood and heart aflame (and is apparently “SO Creole”). Capturing the ecstatic energy of mourning, Paris de-clothes first to tease and then to show respect for the departed. This piece is on YouTube but as one audience member noted last night, it can only be fully appreciated in person.

The Luminous Pariah offered up a piece of dystopian delicacy, a post apocalyptic themed number that combined fantastic costuming, a concise and interesting story, and a breathtaking physical mastery. It is his ability to balance his intensely creative imagination with a supreme self-control that makes the Luminous Pariah one of the top performers in Seattle. I have said it before, but he WILL go far.

EmpeROAR Fabulous!!! The creator of GAZM and the brains of the operation closed out the show, with an exercise themed number that spoke of many a skinny boy’s desire to get in shape, bulk up, etc. and the frustration with the process. EmpeROAR is a versatile performer, a talented singer/songwriter, a skilled EMCEE, and an utterly devoted artist with an unashamed and fearless stage presence.

Last night’s performance was a fund raiser for GAZM’s upcoming World Tour Show at the Re-Bar in mid September, and as an appetizer to the main event, was very promising. Merde mes amis! Stick with it and you will do well.

Love, Fosse Jack

Lustfully Legendary

Sinner Saint Burlesque’s current show, Lustfully Legendary is a collection of pieces paying homage to those women in history (and fiction) who have inspired the performers. SSB is my favorite burlesque troupe, and the women who are part of it are all beautiful, talented and smart performers; that being said this is not the strongest compilation that SSB has presented. The concept behind the show is almost too broad, and at times it felt like a mash up of two different shows, one legendary and the other mythical. Criticism aside, there are some very strong performances that deserve recognition.

Lolita “Tatas” Valentino presented tributes to two legendary lusty ladies of history; first, Betty Grable and then, 60’s burlesque performer, Sandra Storm. As Grable, Lolita personified the playful energy of the early pin-up girls, teasing the audience and helping us remember those sexy pioneers who bared their midriffs for the good of the country. As Storm, she played up the comedic aspect of burlesque. Like Storm, Valentino is known for her facial expressions and the homage was both entertaining and sexy.

As Mata Hari, Evilyn Sin Claire was chillingly beautiful, and moved me to the brink of tears. For those of you who have not experienced Evilyn’s belly dance, it is a spiritual experience. Her movements stoke the fires of heart, her moments of stillness catch the breath and the undulations of her body coax the audience into a state of physical excitement. Later in the show, her performance as Sakhmet, the Egyptian goddess of vengeance and war once again evoked in me a state of awe (boarding on fear) that would have me bow in reverence. I must admit that as I was leaving the Noc Noc I was nurturing a fantasy of being a leashed harem boy….don’t tell Evilyn, I’m pretty sure she’d eat me alive.

Polly Wood paid homage to Hollywood beauty/legend Liz Taylor as Cleopatra. Polly capitalizes on her acting chops, telling stories with her acts. A frustrated Liz Taylor, takes a break from getting into character to indulge in her favorite obsession…diamonds. Later on, Polly shares her love for a childhood heroine/damsel in distress, when she performs as her favorite fairy tale princess. Funny, beautiful, and precise, Polly is a master showman.

Jesse Belle Jones performed first as her musical namesake, though I am at a loss to figure out which historical beauty she was referencing... more research is needed, she also performed a new act based on another fairy tale. I will not give away the surprise but allow me to say that even unclothed Jesse possesses a regal bearing, and poise that puts most real royalty to shame! My Otter and I are both crushing on you a little Jesse!

Like most of her comrades, SSB newcomer Dona Dei Cuori presented one historic figure and one mythical entity. Her tribute to Amelia Earhart was well done, though I would have liked to see more done with the ‘wings.’ I especially liked the strip-tease, dress-tease, strip-tease progression, I like it when performers can make getting dressed sexy. As Terpsichore, the Greek Muse of Choral Dance, Dona is cute and funny. My one criticism and Dona please take this in a positive light, but there was no reason for you to take your clothes off. The number would be funny, and effective fully clothed… maybe you should add some classic stripper music into your mix? The addition would also differentiate your act from the “History of Dance” video that was all the rage a couple of years back. If your purpose was to emulate that video, rethinking the points where you remove pieces might be a good idea. That aside Dona has, and continues to show a great deal of potential as a performer and I am excited to watch her progress.

I also want to give special recognition and props to host, Nicole Lucas who dealt with a VERY rowdy crowd with professionalism and comedic grace.

With a little tweaking Lustfully Legendary could be an awesome piece of theatrical burlesque. As it is, SSB presents a very enjoyable evening that is sure to entertain. I do, very much encourage my readers to check it out, and I will continue to look forward to seeing more of Sinner Saint and there works.

Love, Fosse Jack

L’Edition Francaise

The “living, breathing, work of art” creates a living, breath French arte film that delighted the senses, boggled the mind, and evoked laughter, tears, and more than one arousal.

Anyone who has read my blog knows that I am a Lily Verlaine fan-boy, and last night’s show at The Triple Door gives me another chance to profess my love and admiration for this artistic goddess and her work.

In celebration of Bastille Day, Lily brought to her audience a series of risqué, comedic and beautiful dance pieces performed to the works of a number of smoky French voices. On the whole it was different. It was beautiful. It was risky.

It is always a risk when you do something different. When people go to a Lily Verlaine show they expect to see beautiful girls, and handsome boys, dancing and taking their clothes gracefully, and dare I say tastefully. Lily is a master of gently pushing her audience, teasing, pulling back and teasing again, without pushing so hard as to turn her audiences off. L’Edition Francaise is no exception to this expectation, but it goes beyond that. It pushes the audience in a way I have never experienced, forcing them to immerse themselves completely in the sensations or risk getting lost in the subtly of the artistic statements, the blinding collage of stimulation, and persistent language barrier. It forces the audience to think like the French, and not like Americans. Risky.

I cannot speak for the entire audience but for this viewer the experience was amazing. Letting go of my own thoughts and preconceptions, allowing myself to sink into the story that I could only partially understand was a refreshing exercise in surrender. However, I am at a loss to describe why this show affected me like it did. Perhaps it is something that cannot be explained, but only experienced. Or perhaps the sensation of being forced out of my Ameri-centric thought patterns was more than my brain could handle and still leave room for rational thought. Whatever the case, it is truly a shame that this was a onetime event.

From the tricycle pedaling mime pick-up artiste, a lip syncing ensemble, to a cute as a button baby shark, spirited go-go dancers, and a Pilobolus-esque town car, to handsome men with cigarettes in hand, beautiful girls sunbathing, and a beautifully choreographed gang-bang (how French), to a fantastic pas de deux between Paris Original and Kylie Shea, and a sensational finale that left me speechless and on the brink of tears (and my date thoroughly confused), Lily Verlaine’s Night Cap L’Edition Francaise was without a doubt something I will remember for a long time. Brava divas!

Love ~ Fosse Jack

SHINE: A Burlesque Musical

I sit down to a pot of Assam Tea, a pitcher of cream ready and chilled and I look out upon a mundane world, and its people walking along the street, a post sun-gasm weariness about many of them. They walk through a grey world, and I wonder if they can see the beauty around them, just waiting to come out.

Everyone is beautiful. Everyone is sexy. That is the message of Shine: A Burlesque Musical now playing at Theater off Jackson, and that is the truth the neo-burlesque movement espouses. Forgive me a moment for being preachy in what should be a raunchy review of a fantastic show, but I think it is this belief in the beauty inherent in what the world calls undesirable that draws me to burlesque. Like spinning straw into gold, or turning water to wine, burlesque can be a miraculous.

Shine A Burlesque Musical had the potential to be so many things. As my background lies in musical theater, I know that the genre can be awesome, average, or just plain awful. The same can be said about burlesque, I have seen performers who stunned me with grace, excited me with sensuality, and challenged me with daringness. I have also seen performances that left me feeling nauseous (which in some cases is the point), or worse indifferent to the performer. To put the two genres together, a passion of my own, is a risky, and dangerous cocktail, one that Shine mixed, shook, and served with gusto and skill.

The music is catchy, drawing on numerous styles of musical theatre. The lyrics are at times surprisingly clever, and over all well written. If I were to draw links between Shine and other musicals I would say take two parts Cabaret, one part Rent, one part Urinetown and a sprinkle of Spamalot and Young Frankenstein, poured over The Rocky Horror Show, and that’s what you’ve got. The scenic design is simple, effective and actually quite elegant. My one critique is the inclusion of the Cat statue, whose symbolic ties to good luck and fortune are not lost on me, but whose presence on an otherwise simple set was distracting.

The lighting design was beautiful and well executed, and the sound design while obviously canned did not distract from the rest of the show. That being said, having worked with canned orchestration before, I must say bravo to all the performers. You HAVE to be on because the musicians/music director isn’t there to help you. However, should the budget ever allow I would love to see this show with live musicians, some of the numbers hinted at grandiose and very impressive dance-music merging which didn’t quite hit the high notes that they could have.
As this is a burlesque musical two aspects of design in particular must be applauded. The costumes where gorgeous; glittery, sequined and glamorous where they needed to be, and at other times distressed and sympathetic reflecting the hard times which performers, especially fringe artists, often face.

Inga Ingénue, local burlesque artist and fabulous choreographer provided the moves for this show and her hard work shows. The choreo was uniformly professional, sexy, graceful, and dare I say tasteful? And props to all of the performers because everything was very well executed, and a few individuals in particular left this dancer somewhat envious of both their opportunities and talent.

Production elements and design having been covered I can move on to the performance itself. Brava divas! I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and found myself slipping into the story rather than analyzing details objectively. The ensemble comprised of highly talented performers, who brought their own flavors to this feast of eye candy. From the energy and precision of Trojan Original, the natural grace of Paris Original, and the masterful stage presence of the Luminous Pariah, to the powerful sensuality of Jesse Belle Jones, comedic mastery and dedication of Polly Wood, camptastic performance of Elsa Von Schmaltz, and coiled spring energy of Roxie Moxie the ensemble ROCKED!

The leads where all equally talented and amazing, taking chances on stage that many actors would shy from. I do not have the words to describe everything but I will make special mention of two of the lead performers. Cass King was funny, sympathetic and sexy as Shine, the epitome of burlesque royalty. Dedicated to the art form she inherited, and dedicated to the family she provided a home for. Adra Boo as the sensual, large and in charge Lulu was amazing. Her vocal performances stunning, and her bawdy stage presence worked perfectly in this show (an actor’s triumph as this was her first burlesque performance!) The numbers in which Cass and Adra performed together where especially enthralling.

I could go on and on, and really the cast deserves it, but my little review has already drawn on too long so I will end this by saying, if you have not seen it yet, do so. Shine A Burlesque Musical is running for one more week, Thursday through Sunday 7:30pm, with 10:30 shows on Friday and Saturday. You can buy tickets at (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/111305). And for more information about Shine, it’s creators and future check out: http://www.shinemusical.com. I will be there again this Thursday, and I hope to see you there. In this performer's opinion it is a must see show.

Love, Fosse Jack

FOSSE JACK AND POLLY WOOD PRESENT:

THE JACK & WOOD SHOW: A NEO-VAUDEVILLIAN CABARET!

Pride doesn't have to end with the weekend! On Monday, June 28th, Fosse Jack and Seattle's Tinseled Tart, Polly Wood, present THE JACK & WOOD SHOW: A Neo-Vaudevillian Cabaret!

Hosted by Fosse Jack and Polly Wood, it will be an evening of music, dance, burlesque and original sketches (including a Jack & Wood Original Series Roomies!) as performed by our hosts, the J&W Ensemble, and guest performers: The Cougar Trio, and Wiggy Starrdust

THE JACK & WOOD SHOW returns to the intimate JewelBox Theater, at The Rendezvous in Belltown. Full food and beverage service is available within the JewelBox! Come nurse those Pride-induced hangovers, and help us kick off the summer!

Details:
Date: June 28th 2010
Times: 8:00, doors at 7:30 (21+) .
Cost: $13 at the door (Cash only)
Place: The Rendezvous JewelBox Theater, 2322 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible, call 206-218-9901 for front seating.