Miss Mina Murray

Dear Constant Reader,

Tomorrow we present Queens of the Jiggle at Deacon Giles! Right now there are still some tickets available, but we tend to sell out, so there might not be any at the door. Buying tickets in advance is the only way to guarantee a seat!

Here’s your tip:

Hold at the end of your act for a moment. Your stillness allows the audience to realize it’s over and it gives you a chance to enjoy the applause.

There’s no reason to run off-stage immediately (unless that’s part of the act).

These…

Dear Constant Reader,

I have a great fondness for horror movies of a certain type and I was beyond excited to learn that The Coolidge Corner Theatre was showing a double feature which included one of my favorites. And it was going to be in the woods. I immediately invited Devastasia.

Saturday evening we packed up chairs, pillows, and blankets, bug spray and folding fans, and of course, snacks, and set off for Rocky Woods, a property of the mysterious and ominously-named Trustees. In a clearing surrounded by…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Thankfully, the heat has broken a little, but if you like heat, I invite you to join The BeauTease at our upcoming shows: Queens of the Jiggle in Salem on July 27 and Isle of Tease at House of Hatchets in Hyannis.

And now for your tip:

If you want to film your acts, invest in a tripod.

Even if you have a friend who can hold your phone and film for you, it’s never going to be completely steady. No one to help? No problem. Set up your tripod and camera and hit record. And a…

Dear Constant Reader,

I hope you’re keeping cool! It’s wretchedly hot here. Rehearsing in summer is a challenge — I don’t want to wear layers and everything sticks to my sweaty skin!

Speaking of the seasons, here’s a related tip, coming from Scratch, who manages most of the troupe’s costumes and similar stuff.

Rotate your stock.

If you’ve got props and costumes that you only use for acts at specific times of year, like holidays, pack them up and put them into deep storage when you’re not using them. There’s…

Dear Constant Reader,

A couple of years ago I tried out the burlesque craft subscription Burly Bundle, so I could review it. I had fun, so I ordered the next couple of boxes before Misty closed the business.

Here’s the last one, which I completed first — gloves!

The kit came with the gloves, marabou trim, rhinestones, and everything needed to affix the decorations, even needle and thread and a little measuring tape. In the past, some kits included individual colors choices, but this one had only wine red…

Dear Constant Reader,

If you’re in the US, I hope you had a pleasant (and maybe contemplative) Independence Day yesterday. For all my other readers, I hope it was a nice Thursday.

I’m still thinking about options for group choreography. Here’s another one:

Have every other person do a variation of the movement.

For example, odd numbered dancers in the formation move forward while the even number dancers are moving backwards, then they switch.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 20…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I hope you’re having a lovely last-Friday-in-June!

Last week’s tip got me thinking about group acts and simultaneous movements.

Vary group movements with cascades.

Instead of everyone moving on the beat one, just the first person does, the next starts the movement on beat two, and so on down the line. It’s trickier, but looks great!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 20 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I *think* the heat here in New England has broken. I’m grateful it was only a few days over 90F. For those of you in more balmy climes, stay cool!

Here’s your tip:

When creating group acts with performers in synchronized movement, the lowest common denominator wins.

When you’ve got multiple people performing the same moves at the same time and one or more are clearly struggling, the act is not succeeding. If the goal is unified movement and if the way to get it is to…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! We just had a lovely torrential downpour. I do love rainy afternoons in the summer.

Here’s your tip:

Contrast is important.

To quote Scratch, contrast is what makes photographs great, Twilight Zone twists effective, and jokes funny.

Having some sort of contrast between the story and the music makes your act interesting. Letting the music dictate the story throughout the entire act can flatten your performance.  Do something unexpected. Surprise the audience.

I don’t want…

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday! It’s also the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend. 

And in that spirit, here is your tip:

Know the history of our art. You can only truly move forward if you know who came before you.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 20 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.