Last weekend-(my weekends typically start on Thursdays due to me and my beau getting antsy)-Scott and I decided to get all dolled up and head out to Land of the Sweets: A burlesque Nutcracker. We met up with our dear friends, Cori and Miguel at the Noc Noc (2nd between Pike and Pine) and decided that Martinis and Manhattans would be a good de-stresser from Seattle’s HORRENDOUS evening traffic. Soon after loving on some Dirty Martini’s (the drink, not the performer, you pervert!), we walked our cold asses to the Triple Door.
The Triple Door is a gorgeous venue, but even as someone who has and will perform there in the future-you might want to eat prior to coming there. The food is yummy, but if you’re feeling the economic pinch, I don’t recommend sitting down ravenous. Since we knew this, we hit a previous happy hour, and settled in at table #69 (I know, right) with a couple bottles of wine and prepared ourselves for a festive fun show.
Let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed Land of the Sweets. It’s sweet. Perfect to introduce a newbie to what burlesque is, and glamorous enough for us old dogs to love their tricks. The soundtrack is lovely, the flow is easy to digest with the sensory overload, and the humor is sensible for the season. I did have 2 favorite sets though, which were the duet with Miss Indigo Blue and Miss Lily Verlaine, and the boy’s jive, with Waxie Moon and Osiris Bombay- both acts were filled with cleverness and cheekiness. I adored the ladies’ fan work, and their attention to detail in their movements, and the men reminded me of an earlier time on the gilded screens.
Above: The Aerialistas in Land of the Sweets (from the Seattle Times)
Ok. So you got it. I had a good time. But I have more adventures!
Since we went to the early show, my party and I went back to the Noc Noc for Sinner Saint Burlesque. Now, it doesn’t hurt that the venue is only 2 blocks from the Triple Door, that one of their bright shiny stars, Evilyn Sin Claire is performing that night and she happens to be my best friend, or that Scotty knows how to make a drink-we were all just looking to continue our good times. And oh did we.
The show titled Sacred and Profane is exactly what it suggests-featuring acts of both varieties, but in the Sinner Saint way. I loved that my party and I all had a great time at the show and proceeded to start an epic dance party after. Since I have no video of the awesome dance party, here’s a picture of me with the cast-check out their adorable Virgin Mary costumes:
Photo by Greg Holloway
FRIDAY NIGHT: On Friday I had the task of performing at El Gaucho’s “Dark Side of the Moon”. I’m one of their featured performers, and that’s pretty groovy. Their staff is beyond accommodating and their food is superb. This particular night I am joining Evilyn Sin Claire and Paula the Swedish Housewife as the cast. I had been preparing my “Dolly’s Purple Haze” act in anticipation for the show, and was beyond nervous and excited to premier it in front of that audience.
It’s always strange premiering a new act-you never know what you’re going to get. Is your costume going to come off without a hitch? Will your audience appreciate the jokes? Will your stage person properly light your joint on stage when it’s time? So much to think about!
Luckily, or rather-predictably- the whole show was absolutely lovely and seemed to go off without a hitch. My Dolly act was a smash!
The best part of the show was running into some of my fellow peers who had decided to see what all the fuss was about. They seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves, and really that’s all that it’s about-entertaining your audience. I was tickled pink that our audience seemed thrilled to be there. The amount of praise and gracious hello’s after the show were very heart warming!
However, I was exhausted and needed to sleep. It took 20 minutes to get my car from the valet. I went home and ate popcorn with my honey and fell asleep on his lap. My weekend wasn’t over yet.
SATURDAY: This day brought a fair amount of domestic running around. I had decided that my honey needed a treat from me for being so amazing and so I took him to a little Thai restaurant in Ravenna before going to see my mom perform her holiday concert with the Seattle Women’s Chorus. My mom has been on the chorus circuit since I was 7, so it’s pretty much a tradition to go to all of her big shows at Meany Hall or Benaroya. Nothing like watching 150 lesbians (granted there’s a few straight ladies) hit a major 8 part chord from 3rd row. It’s really awesome my mom has an amazing artistic outlet.
From the holiday concert Scott and I headed to the Pink Door to meet friends Wendy and Zack and support my peers in their show. Burlesque Behind the Pink Door has been a Seattle staple for nearly 10 years and has featured some of the best burlesque performers in Seattle and beyond. It’s an interesting show and has had many permutations over the years. I mostly went to hang out with my friends and to see some of my peers perform, but I was curious to see what the show was like these days and whether the economy had affected their show like others in Seattle.
The Pink Door audience is an interesting one, and that is neither good or bad. It consists of mostly the bridge and tunnel crowd-from Bellevue and Kirkland and a salt and peppering of Seattlites. There’s usually a bridal shower, a bachelor party or a drunk dude claiming it’s his birthday. Depending on the night it can be a ruckus good time or frustrating. I’ve found that my weirder acts don’t really go over there, mostly because if they don’t understand what burlesque is, my eating a hamburger might not be the best idea.
Anyways, this nights show was super fun. Hosted by Armitage Shanks as Dirty Santa, and starring Kitty Baby, Evilyn Sin Claire, The Shanghai Pearl and Ernie Von Schmaltz-I was thrilled to see new acts I haven’t seen, and some old goodies from last holiday season.
Intermission came and Santa offered a seat of his lap:
There was a vibrator in his pants! NAUGHTY SANTA!
I have a great life.
