Related headlines
Jim Thorpe Burlesque Festival, Fri., April 1-Sun., April 3., Mauch Chunk Opera House (14 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe) & Memorial Hall (101 E. 10th St., Jim Thorpe). Tickets: “Fundraiser Gala” $30, “The Big Reveal” $35, Classes $10-$20 pre-registration only. For info or complete schedule: 570.807.8891, jimthorpeburlesque.org
It’s all about the tease — she knows it, you know it. The beat of the music thumps in the background, but you are both lost in the moment. For a brief second her eyes lock on yours, whoever you are. She could be the girl next door, the shy one who was always self-conscious of her curvy body. She could be the mother with two grown kids out of college, wondering if the lights will show how time has tried to wreck havoc on her once flawless skin. But she’s beautiful, sexy, powerful. She’s there to perform, not give away all of her secrets. It’s the fine art of curiosity, of show a little but don’t tell a lot. And as she turns to walk off of the stage, she flashes a quick smile and winks, leaving the audience wanting more.
Sometimes, what the audience wants, the audience gets.
Back for the second year, the Jim Thorpe Burlesque Festival, presented by Dragontown Corsets, will be held from Friday, April 1-Sunday, April 3. Featuring two main events, the “Fundraiser Gala” and “The Big Reveal,” both held at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, the festival also includes a wide variety of classes, lectures and workshops, as well as the “Burlesque Bazaar,” all held at Jim Thorpe’s Memorial Hall.
Brooke Au Buchon, executive producer of Jim Thorpe Burlesque Ltd. and owner of Dragontown Corsets, said that she is pleased to be able to bring the festival back to the area, which had been a major stop on the vaudeville circuit for big names like Mae West, Red Skelton and the Dorsey Brothers as they traveled and performed on stages across the country.
“We have an authentic Victorian background here,” she said. “Our downtown has changed very little since 1915, thereabouts. For such a small town, we have a really supportive, really active artistic community. It just seems natural.”
Au Buchon said that many people are under the misconception that burlesque is the same thing that people view at modern strip clubs. However, burlesque, which originates from Victorian-era Britain, actually focuses more on the performance itself and the talent that is brought to the stage, though it does involve the art of the striptease.
And it’s just a tease.
“Our performers have actually a pretty strict series of burlesque etiquette rules to follow,” Au Buchon said. “I host the show myself as a way to quality control what comes across the stage. It’s really important to me that we don’t use any foul language, and everything is done in good taste because I feel that it’s really easy to push the envelope in all the wrong directions.”
As Madame Corsetiere, Au Buchon brings to the audience a variety of performers ranging from professionals in the field to local talent new to the scene. She said she wants to give all of these women a place to shine, regardless of age, body-type or appearance.
‘WE COME TO MAKE YOUR SPIRITS RISE’
This year’s festival opens with the “Fundraiser Gala,” a night of entertainment featuring performers such as Jacqueline Hyde, Sizzle Dizzle, Venus Mantrap and Bunny Bedford. The proceeds from the gala will go towards restoring and preserving the Mauch Chunk Opera House.
Hyde, who performed in last year’s festival and will be traveling once again from Seattle to headline Friday’s show, said Jim Thorpe provides performers with a unique opportunity to be on a stage in front of an appreciate crowd that doesn’t see shows like this every day.
“Being able to present something that’s fun and entertaining, or provides a little intrigue to their life, that’s the point to performing burlesque,” she said. “It is a magical event highlighting the best of the best. There is something for everyone, and we come to make your spirits rise.
She also said she plans to contribute more to the burlesque scene in the Jim Thorpe area in the near future by opening a school of burlesque and cabaret arts.
To add to the theme of teasing, Au Buchon said that there is something special about the performance that night.
“There will be something happening at Friday’s show that may be a Mauch Chunk Opera House first,” she said. “But I can’t tell you what it is. I’ve been absolutely sworn to secrecy.”
On Saturday night, the entertainment heats up some more with “The Big Reveal,” where burlesque performers compete for cash prizes and the “Crystal Corset Award.” Headlined by Chicago’s Red Hot Annie, the show will also feature performers such as Deb O’Naire, Mourna Handful and Wham Bam Pam.
Annie, executive producer of Vaudezilla Productions, said she will be performing two numbers at the show, one a throwback to classic burlesque, and the other a more modern piece.
But it’s not just the women on stage that drive the events of the weekend. Throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, the “Burlesque Bazaar” will be in full swing at Jim Thorpe’s Memorial Hall. Vendors such as Bunny Made Studios, Stitch Me Happy and A Ghoul’s Best Friend will be selling their wares, providing customers with the opportunity to delve into the world of burlesque on their own.
Also on site will be local pin-up photographer Lorna Doone of Lornography.
“This will be the first time I’m offering an open shoot,” she said. “I generally have a core group of models that I work with.”
But the response for the photo shoot has been a success, and the appointment slots are nearly all filled.
The festival would not be complete without the various classes that will be available to those who pre-registered on the festival’s website. With everything from the basics of burlesque to glove peels, rhinestone application techniques to show-stopping dance moves, these classes and lectures will be presented by the performers themselves.
Overall, this year’s festival seems to be filled with a variety of quality entertainment.
“You don’t have to be afraid to bring your wife, you don’t have to be afraid to bring your husband or your boyfriend,” Au Buchon said. “It’s perfect for guy’s night out, it’s perfect for girl’s night out. It’s date night. It’s just fun, without any consequences whatsoever.”
w
| Tweet | Follow @wkdr |
|
|
