Miss Mina Murray

Dear Constant Reader,

Here it is, Friday again. Time for a tip! But first a few announcements…

On Tuesday, B.A.B.E. will be presenting “Burlesque” Means “Comedy”, a brand-new workshop from Mr. Scratch. Some of the most famous American comics got their start on the burlesque stage. Burlesque has its roots in a long comic tradition — and a lot of modern comic traditions have their roots in burlesque. This class is a look at the evolution of burlesque from the commedia dell’arte of the 16th century to the…

Dear Constant Reader,

Here it is, Friday again. Time for another tip…

When wearing a mask, use your stage voice. Project, speak a little slower, enunciate a little more.

Not only does the mask muffle your voice, your mouth is hidden. We “hear” more from facial movement than you might think.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s sour cherry season at The Manor and I’ve got a new recipe for you! Technically it doesn’t have to be made with sour cherries, but I’ve got them… oh, do I have cherries…

Kompot is a refreshing fruit drink from Eastern Europe. The recipe is super simple, just three easy to remember ingredients: water, sugar, and fruit!

For every gallon of water, you need one pound fruit and a cup of sugar. Because our pitcher only holds two quarts, I used half quantities (mostly) — 2 quarts (8…

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! A few notes before we get to your tip.

If you haven’t read my post on forgotten burlesque chorine Buddy Wade, please do. I’m quite pleased with the research that lead me to her story.

I’m teaching on-line workshops every week at B.A.B.E. Check out the schedule!

The Boston BeauTease have a new show next month! To celebrate the second season of The Umbrella Academy, we are presenting The Underwear Academy. This streaming show is like nothing we’ve ever done before, in…

Dear Constant Reader,

As I was writing my Friday Tip about research, I was going to included an example of an uncorroborated statement and fell down one of those rabbit holes I mentioned.

On page 240 of Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show, Rachel Shteir writes of strippers with tragic ends. “Buddy Wade’s tap shoes caught fire, the sparks ignited her costume, and she burned to death one night at the Old Howard in Boston. Walter Winchell wrote a column about her commemorating her courage for not…

Dear Constant Reader,

About a thousand years ago, I ran a little contest where my Constant Readers would vote on a pattern from my collection and I would make the dress. The winner was “Fifties’ Fit & Flair” by Folkwear, a now out-of-print pattern. You can read all about the process here.

However, I left you hanging with a dress that didn’t fit quite right. So what happened?

I tossed the dress in my “unfinished” pile and it languished there for years. Last week I unearthed it and decided it was a shame to…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! If you are celebrating Independence Day this weekend, I hope you do it safely. Here’s your tip!

Research your research.

Jo Weldon recently talked about burlesque history and some of its problems, which inspired this,

When researching anything but let’s focus on burlesque history, don’t take anything at face value. Even primary sources, like newspaper articles and autobiographies are full of exaggerations and grandiose statements. Publications wanted to sell copies and…

Dear Constant Reader,

I’m catching up on my book reviews! The Burlesque Hall of Fame is usually a chance to meet our Legends in person. However, it’s happening virtually this year. While trying to decide if I should submit something for the on-line showcase (answer — probably not), I was flipping through this book.

Legends of Burlesque, Then and Now presented by Gina Bon Bon and Julie Mist, 2018

This is a collection of photographs of burlesque legends, from their glory days onstage and also from the…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Feeling overwhelmed with work? Set a timer.

When I have many things on my to-do list, I find myself jumping from task to task, accomplishing little. To create focus, I set a timer, usually for half an hour and work on only one project, with no breaks until the timer goes off. If I’m on a roll, I take a 5 minute break and set the timer for another 30 minutes. Half an hour is a manageable bit for time for me — your milage may vary — that I know I get get…

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday — time for a tip! But first I want to recognize that it’s Juneteenth today. The artists of The Front Porch Arts Collective have been celebrating all week and you should check out today’s programs!

And now your tip:

Review, reflect, revise.

Take a look at your acts with fresh and honest eyes, especially if you’ve been performing for a long time. Are your acts still appropriate to be performed? What can you do to change them up?

Are they at your current skill level? You may…