Dear Constant Reader,
I was delighted when I was accepted to perform at the First Annual Booklover’s Burlesque Festival in Portland, Oregon. First, because if you’ve been reading here for a while you know how infrequently I’m accepted to perform at festivals, then because I’ve never been to Oregon, let alone performed there, and I do love revealing a new state on my travel map, and finally, but most importantly, a whole event about literature and burlesque, two of my favorite things!
It was an a bit of an ordeal figuring out how to get there. My usual airline only flew at inconvenient times and was charging astronomical amounts. Ava Fox suggested some places to stalk cheap tickets and I was finally able to confirm that I was going. The deal was sweetened further when producer Lacy Knightly hooked me up with a local performer who had a spare bedroom.
I arrived around mid-day (local time) on Friday, having arisen at 4am (Boston time). Although the festival had started on Thursday, I couldn’t take that much time away. I thought about going straight to my host’s home from the airport, but realized I could get to the theater in time for one of the classes. That was the right decision because just as I pulled up, there was a group of performers heading out for some lunch between classes and I joined then.
Before the class, I needed to check in with Lacy and get my performer badge. Also a particularly awesome swag bag, which, besides the usual cards and pamphlets from sponsors, contained socks (you know you’re a veteran showgirl when you get excited for socks) from Solmate and from Fantasy, plus all softs of festival-branded items like the tote bag itself and a big mug full of chocolates and tea bags. It’s like they know me! And, to top it all off, a whole-ass bottle of wine from Nasty Woman Wines (I picked a Pantsuit Pinot Noir). Knowing I wouldn’t be able to bring it home, as I only had a carry on, I hoped my hosts would enjoy it.
The class was Guest of Honor Leslie Cunningham‘s presentation “Girl Show”. I had taken it at BurlyCon, but a different group of people raised different questions and discussion. I still want to take her other two classes. Leslie was staying at the same house I was, so all weekend I shamelessly tagged along on her GoH status for rides.
After I got a nap (with Miko, one of the resident corgis) and dressed for evening, we returned to the Alberta Rose Theatre for the first grand showcase. Booklover’s Burlesque is a marriage of literary readings and burlesque. The host would introduce reader and performer, then the reader would, well, read aloud. Over the three shows I attended, there was classic literature, including Shakespeare, folklore, children’s books, graphics novels, non-fiction, poetry, writings from some of the performers, and probably more that I’m forgetting. After the reading, there would be a burlesque act that complimented it. I think my favorites of the evening were Remy Dee’s Headless Horseman and Guest of Honor Jo Weldon’s leopard-print tease. She can do so much with so little. After the rather long show, I finally met my hostess (and opening performer for the night) The Infamous Nina Nightshade.
Saturday, after a delightful home-cooked breakfast and some downtime, we returned to the theater for Jo Weldon’s first workshop “Pleasure and the Art of the Eyefuck”. I had taken this class at Virtual BurlyCon in 2020, but that was nothing like experiencing it live with other students to practice on. Jo is one of those people, that when she talks, I listen and there will always be a little bit of wisdom to take away. I have learned so much from her over the years and this class was no exception. Facial expression and communication is not one of my strong skills, so the exercises we did were very valuable to me, if uncomfortable at first.
Although I was staying for her next class, about creating a book proposal, I was starving and skipped the first 15 minutes or so to grab some (pretty darn good) Thai food from a couple of doors down. I had also taken this class as an on-line workshop, but again, in-person has a completely different feel and there were different take-aways. As my new book is currently in production, it was useful to hear about the publishing industry and what goes into selling a book, even though I’m self-publishing.
After a quick nap and change into evening attire, I headed out to the second grand showcase with Nina (who had already had one gig that afternoon and would be leaving the show early for another). The show was four hours long. You heard me correctly. I realized we were in for a long one when the MC wrapped up her opening remarks to introduce the first pairing and I snuck a look at my phone to see that half an hour had already passed. There was a lot of good stuff, although I was starting to nod off in the later part of the second half (still being on East Coast Time). I particularly liked Maggie McMuffin’s Jean Gray/Phoenix, Gem Brûlée’s Captain Underpants, and a Cupid & Psyche lyra duet. Leslie had been nervous about her reading, but she did great — and told me she used some of the techniques we learned from Jo that afternoon.
Finally, Sunday morning came. We were performing in a large tent, the sort that are set up for weddings and other festivities, on the grounds of the Victorian Belle Mansion. Our dressing room was on the top floor of the house and then we would walk through the garden to get to the tent. It would have been utterly charming if it wasn’t raining. Fortunately, I was opening the second act and the rain had stopped by then.
The Faerie Queene is a challenging act for me and I was more nervous than I expected. I do several different magic tricks during it, but it’s not a “magic” act. The tricks need to be done very casually without a lot of “abracadabra”, but not so subtly that people miss them, like when the painting on my fan changes from a butterfly to a flower and back again. Knowing that Professor DR Schreiber, the historical conjurer, also made me a bit more nervous.
I shouldn’t have been. First off, Whiskey Rick was a wonderful host, which helped put me at ease. My reader was lovely, with a passage from, no surprise, Spenser’s The Faerie Queene. (I’m terribly embarrassed that her name has slipped my mind at the moment). The magic went smoothly, as did the striptease, and I think the audience enjoyed it all.
Post-show, it was great to catch up with Sharon, one of our former apprentices who had moved to Portland. It felt wonderful to know there was someone in the audience who was there to see me. That happens so rarely when I travel.
Then there was brunch for performers inside the mansion. The Belle is quite gorgeous and in the midst of taking pictures of the beautiful stained glass, furniture, and hardware, I remembered to take a selfie in one of the rooms.
The rest of the evening was spent hanging out with Jo, Nina, and the corgis until it was time for me to go to the airport. The Portland airport has a tiny movie theatre showing short films, so I entertained myself thusly for a bit. Once I got to the gate, I was delighted that Gem Brûlée and Scarlett Wisteria were on the same flight, so I had people to chat with until we boarded. I believe I actually slept until we arrived in Charlotte where I bid my traveling companions farewell and took my next flight north where some handsome gentlemen were waiting for me.
To sum up, a well-organized festival with a large and skilled crew. Tips were diligently collected for performers and handed over with the costume bits right after each act. (Tips were pooled for readers and performers were encouraged to share some of their tips with readers and stage crew.) I was paid a couple of days after I got home and received photos a couple of weeks later. I am particularly grateful to Lacy for arranging for a place for me to stay and Nina for generously opening her home. Not only was I spared the challenge of trying to find affordable lodging in an unfamiliar city, but I never felt the usual travel loneliness.
Photos of The Faerie Queene in action by Guy Masson/ Phoebus-Foto, courtesy of Lacy Productions
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