Dear Constant Reader,
We had a lot of fun presenting our holiday show at Flying Embers. I’m especially glad we had the chance since who knows what is going to happen with live entertainment in the coming weeks. Big thanks to Jo Oltman for connecting us with the venue in the first place!
As performance spaces that aren’t really theatres go, it’s a good one. There’s a large open space in front of a projection screen, so we had video backdrops for the acts. A private back hall was turned into a dressing room for us. There were even multiple mirrors! And it wasn’t freezing, like so many winter dressing rooms I’ve been in. We set up a curtain by the side of the stage so we could have a little place to stash our props and robes (and masks).
There was a photographer there, and I even saw a little video of the end of my fan dance on Instagram, so maybe there will be pictures someday.
Here’s a brief recap of the show:
Act I
Alyssa Joy, Ava Fox, Odette Good: Booty Swing
Alyssa and Odette are two of our apprentices (the third, Lopez La Lopez, was manning the box office) and this was their first “real” show. They have performed with us before, as Expositionettes at this year’s Expo and in Vamps After Midnite, but that was like being thrown in the deep end. This was a more typical show and more relaxed. Everyone was adorable in their sparkly silver shrugs and red velvet skirts.
Betty Blaize: Winter Wonderland
A reverse strip! After a wild night, Betty gathers her scattered clothing and re-dresses in her evening finery, ready for her walk of shame(lessness).
Devastasia: Santa Baby
A song, no striptease. After getting to the venue, we discovered no one had the right cable to connect the microphone to the sound system, so Devastasia sang unamplified. And did a fine job — I could hear her in the dressing room.
Mina Murray: Mina in Furs
A classic gloves & gown strip in wintery colors with a luxurious fur stole.
Scratch: Magic
Something impossible involving gift boxes and some high-end presents.
Ava Fox: Gift-Wrapped Boy
This is a fun, high-energy tap dance and strip with a gift-wrap costume. Ava’s pasties even have jingle bells on them.
Mina Murray: Sugar Rum Cherry
Possibly my favorite fan dance. Only doing it once a year makes it that much more special. I was going to wear my new Manuge et Toi Eugie (like a g-string without a string), but chickened out at the last minute in favor of my trusty thong.
ACT II
Betty Blaize: Blue Christmas
Mrs. Claus, as portrayed by Betty, has a secret! It’s not naughty though… she just prefers eight glowing lights to eight tiny reindeer.
Devastasia: Warm in December
A rare costume with color for Devastasia as she strips from chilly blue to hot flames. And her panel skirt is just magical. Trust me on that.
Scratch: Magic
A minor miracle involving cards.
Ava Fox: Riviera Life
It may be winter now, but Ava is a ray of summer sun on the beach.
Devastasia: Real Gone
A classic bump & grind act.
Mina Murray: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
I get to break out my champagne gown and best ostrich boa for this one! An exquisitely slow tease and a champagne toast.
We had a good time and so did the audience. Our only real issue was with the sound system. There seemed to be a problem with the bluetooth connection, so the song would cut out for a second or two. Fortunately, we know our music well enough to just keep going. And it shouldn’t be an issue next time, since we’ll have live music. Keep your fingers crossed that we can go ahead with our first show with the band on January 20!
These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 13 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.