Lily Verlaine's Nightcap Burlesque

A packed house attended the Triple Door last night to see the latest Burlesque show in the Nightcap series. This one did not disappoint. With a smaller cast than a full length show, producer Lily Verlaine presented a compact and consistent show with a regular high calibre of performer. She herself kicked the show off with a quality turn to the musical accompaniment of La Vie en Rose, and then produced a Charleston like dance, successfully transporting us back into an earlier era.

What came next was equally invigorating as a young dancer ca lled Fuschia Foxx belly danced as exotically as anything I have seen in the inevitable belly dance scene in a Bond film. She really is very good and demonstrated a total control over every extremity as she gyrated to the accompaniment.

Minnesotan Nadine Dubois guest hosted the show but probably it requires a longer show and perhaps a drunker audience to eke the best out of a lady of such personality. Indigo Blue was also on hand performing an inventive and original routine involving a fetish for biscotti. It’s always welcome to see even the most experienced of performers coming up with new routines. The audience loved this one, and in general love Miss Indigo, as do I. Still wondering how I get to meet her though. ;-)

Babette LaFavre has an extraordinary angle on this art form. She performs largely from behind a tarpaulin. Nonetheless with incredibly inventive use of lighting, she achieves some incredible effects and manages to alleviate our disappointment that we don’t get a little more of her flesh. It is though quite a stunning act.

The only male performer was called Ultra who lip-synched through two numbers. During the first he barely moved or acted, and the audience, comprised mainly of females, began to get restless, although you could feel they wanted to love him. In his second number, he moved, disrobed and entertained, convincing me that he has what it takes to keep an audience captivated with a better selection of act.

Each of the female artists did two separate turns and didn’t disappoint with either. The next venture for Lily is somewhat more ambitious than a short late Saturday show. She has been asked to do the Nutcracker for a ten day run, doing two shows a night in December, starting on the 14th. With twenty houses to fill, I’ll be interested to see how she does. It’s quite a task and her success will demonstrate just how strong Burlesque has become in Seattle.
By Steve Clare of examiner.com

Pagan Place @ Triple Door

Perhaps one of the best Burlesque shows to grace the Triple Door yet revealed itself last night. Paula, the Swedish Housewife, produced the show, based loosely on a Midsummer Night’s theme. However, the strength of the individual acts surpassed any lack of continuity. It is burlesque after all.

If you had to pick two acts that stood out, I would have to nominate Nanda, a four man dance/acrobatics troupe whose act consisted of fight choreography, acrobatics, juggling, obligatory striptease and some acting. It was both innovative and original. Nanda is a Japanese expletive used to comment on something surprising or outlandish. That barely sums up this act. Nanda are an explosion of energy, masculinity, sensuality, and agility, who will continue to elicit short, sharp breaths from their audience for years to come.

Rounding off the show was local girl, Pantera. Most of the acts in burlesque try to disguise erogony as art, and succeed. Pantera achieved the opposite. Assisted by the type of metal pole more often seen in lap-dancing clubs, Pantera performed gravity-defying feats, with incredible agility, beauty and grace.

The other acts were more regular staples of Seattle’s burgeoning burlesque scene. Lily Verlaine performed the Cleopatra act but it was noted that her two muses, who I last saw a while back, have worked at their craft and improved immensely. Lily looked totally comfortable and confident working with them, and credit must be given to them for their hard work they have put in. It has brought them results.

Ernie von Schmaltz was there, he’s always worth seeing though he was a little less outlandish than normal. Just as well for him, or the bachelorette party in front of us would have got out of control! But this guy at his raunchiest is always worth visiting a show for. Indigo Blue kicked off the show but as a true pro chose not to steal it and the show was humorously hosted by Scotty the Blue Bunny who just about kept a noisy and ebullient crowd at bay, although there were a couple of drunks who took it upon themselves to decide for us all they wanted an act to end early. True they paid their money, but so did everybody else whose choice they attempted to remove.

Burlesque returns to the Triple Door on August 1st, with Alice, Through the Looking Glass, where Lily Verlaine, Bunny Monroe, Miss Indigo Blue, Waxie Moon, The Swedish Housewife, Babette La Fave, Patty O' Furniture and Jasper McCann take on the roles of Carroll’s famous characters.
By Steve Clare of examiner.com

Moisture Festival: Burlesque & Variety in Seattle

"You got up this morning," says sandwich-maker Rob Williams to his volunteer from the audience, "and you pretty much thought you knew where this day was headed."

The volunteer acknowledges as much, and then concedes how wrong she was.

Perhaps you're thinking: "Sandwich-making — that's hardly a vaudeville-worthy activity."

Yes, but what if you do it with your feet, as the jaunty, motor-mouthed Williams does? He's just one of the surprises in the sixth annual Moisture Festival.

The festival, which alternates family-friendly shows with racier burlesque programs, is longer than ever ("because we're out of our minds," co-host Ron W. Bailey says cheerfully) and has expanded from its usual Fremont venue, Hale's Palladium at Hale's Brewery. You can see it through Sunday at ACT Theatre, or go to SIFF Cinema next weekend, where a series of circus/burlesque-inspired films will be preceded by live entertainment. Shows at Hale's continue through April 5.

On opening night, extravagantly costumed performers greeted the audience at the door and feather boas and other "moisture" keepsakes were on sale in the lobby. In the theater, the G-rated offerings included music, comedy and juggling. Best of all was the aerial work: acrobat Sally Pepper of Circus Contraption, working solo, and the Velone Sisters, delivering captivating midair displays of balance, grace and strength.

Dr. Calamari and his assistant, Acrophelia, after nimbly parodying German expressionistic cinema, performed equally demanding feats — he remaining earthbound while she perched on top of him with the nonchalance of a bird on a twig.

A cappella rockers the Bobs dropped by to perform "a nondairy version" of their favorite Cream tune, "White Room." And Tom Noddy's "bubble magic" ranged from an erupting Mount St. Helens to a rotating carousel. ("What you see here," he said, "is the result of over 30 years of playing with bubbles almost every day. My father is so thrilled.")

The most striking acts were Pinky d'Ambrosia, fantastically decked out in an op-art hoop-skirt and head-dress as she invested an operatic aria with a passion bordering on psychosis, and Godfrey Daniels, a clown of remarkable proportions with a slow but oddly perilous balloon routine. Most acts will be appearing again at some point between now and April 5. The lineup changes slightly every night, so check the schedule for details.

Note: "Family-friendly" doesn't mean entirely vanilla. Risqué moments on Wednesday included jokes designed to fly over the kids' heads and a dance number by Du Caniveaux Dancing Bears, whose décolletage was not what it seemed.

But this wasn't raunchy fare. For that, the burlesque shows are the ones to go to — as the names of the performers (Indigo Blue, Ben DeLaCreme, the Von Foxies) suggest.

by Michael Upchurch

Dita Von Teese to Perform at The Triple Door

The famous martini glass goddess, the mistress of fetish, the modern pin-up, the Queen of burlesque: Dita Von Teese is coming to The Triple Door.

Using the best of Neo-Burlesque, Dita Von Teese will grace the stage for two performances a night on Wednesday April 1 and Thursday April 2, 2009. Joining Von Teese are her special guests The Bedazzled Brooklyn Bombshell, Angie Pontani and new rising star Ava Garter.

All shows are only for the drinking age crowds and will cost a pretty penny at $45 advanced and $55 day of show.

Dita Von Teese is the biggest name in burlesque. Beginning as a fetish model recreating Bettie Page style pin ups to becoming known as a tight lacer, using corsets to narrow her natural waist to 22 inches and only 16.5 inches when laced, Von Teese became the headliner she is today through the creation of her signature burlesque routines.

er famous numbers include the use of a carousel horse, her traditional feather fan dance, her Bird of Paradise show, her powder compact show and her famous submersion into a massive martini glass complete with an olive sponge.

These impressive stage shows have earned her many famous and fervent fans. Besides being known for her short-lived marriage to shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, Von Teese is a muse for many high-profile designers from Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin and John Galliano to Jean Paul Gualtier, Zac Posen and Louis Vuitton. Most recently she designed a new strip tease entitled “LipTeese” for her role as MAC Viva Glam spokesperson.

If you’ve ever seen the Atomic Bombshells burlesque troupe, which frequents The Triple Door, or have always wanted to, do not miss the ultimate burlesque experience with Dita Von Teese in the flesh.

A staple of the glitzy and glamorous stages of Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, as well as the first ever guest to perform at the Parisian Crazy Horse cabaret club, Dita Von Teese is the undisputed master, leader and seductress of burlesque.

Seattle's 6th Annual Moisture Festival

The 6th Annual Moisture Festival kicks off March 11, 2009 at ACT with 10 shows in the Falls Theatre. This year, as a part of The Central Heating Lab at ACT, the festival plans to dazzle and delight even more people, of all ages, with five Grand Varietè shows (family friendly) and five Burlesque shows (18 years and over). On March 19th, the Festival continues with comedy/varietè shows at Hales Palladium through April 5, 2009.

The family friendly all ages varietè shows include captivating acts of skill and daring - be it aerial, acrobatic, clowning, rope tricks, sketch comedy, juggling, dancing, singing, magic, puppetry, and astonishing bubbles. A live show band provides the underlying pulse that propels the show to create a fantastic family entertainment experience. Performances are: March 11, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; March 14 at 2:00 p.m. and March 15 at 5:30 p.m.

For an intimate adult evening, The Moisture Festival presents its glorious Libertease Burlesque shows. Featuring a tantalizing mix of burlesque stars and ribald comedy/varietè acts, these shows seduce and delight while tickling your funny bone. Performances are: March 12, 13, 14 at 10:30 p.m.; March 12 at 7:30 p.m. and March 15 at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets to the varietè shows are $10-$20, and $15-$25 for the burlesque performances. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.acttheatre.org or call ACT's Ticket Office at (206) 292-7676.

Aerialists:
The Aerialistas - Seattle's premiere all girl aerial gang
Eric Newton - formerly with Cirque de Soleil
Tamara the Trapeze Lady - Columbia City Cabaret Mistress of Ceremonies
Richochet - Aerial duo, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Sally Pepper - Seattle star of the rope swing, Circus Contraption
The Velone Sisters - aerial duo from The Aerialistas and UMO ensemble
Quynbi
Amanda Crockett

Burlesque:
Trixie Little and the Evil Hate Monkey - Baltimore
Indigo Blue - Star of the new film "A Wink and A Smile"
Miss Lily Verlaine
The Shanghai Pearl
Inga Ingénue

Plus:
Baby Gramps, Bellini Twins, Daniel Forlano, Dr Calamari & Acrophelia, Flaming Idiots, Foolz, Fyodor Karamazov, Godfrey Daniels, Hilary Chaplain, Hokum W. Jeebs, Jim Page, Jonathan Rose, Lelavision, Los Magnificos!, Mud Bay Jugglers, The Peculiärs, Reid Belstock, Rob Williams, Smerdyakov Karamazov. UMO Ensemble

This performance genre has its roots in the Music Halls of 19th century England. It evolved into Cabaret in Europe and Vaudeville in America. It's an intriguing assortment of entertainment featuring highly skilled performance mixed with unique talents, often humorous, with no limit to the imagination. The Moisture Festival's Varietè shows feature a rapid succession of acts showcasing comedy alongside awe-inspiring physical and mental dexterity, with poignant moments of strength and delicate beauty. Aerialists, jugglers, comedians, dancers, rope acts, bubble acts, clowns, acrobats, can can girls, tap dancers, drill teams, the weird and the wonderful- all keeping the tradition of Comedy/Varietè/Vaudeville alive. Each show is propelled by a live show band.