Miss Mina Murray

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday the 13th! And it’s a full moon! I feel like a should give you an appropriate tip, like something about mirrors or cats or just luck. Maybe ladders… I got it!

Use a spotter.

…

Dear Constant Reader,

Ever since I realized it was okay to wear G-strings (both that I was pleased with how I looked and that it was legal in our venues) I’ve been making my own.

Mostly I make what I…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip! Traditionally Monday is wash day, but this week we’re talking about laundry on Friday…

Color remover will save your ass.

Or at least your white wash. So, let’s say you’re doing laundry…

Dear Constant Reader,

I am extremely enamoured of the Victorian cooking web series at English Heritage and recently I tried one of their recipes. The results were interesting!

The recipe for Queen Drop Biscuits is from the personal receipt book…

Dear Constant Reader,

Although I still have a huge pile of books to review, here’s a book that’s hot off the presses!

Rust Belt Burlesque: The Softer Side of a Heavy Metal Town by Erin O’Brien and Bob Perkoski (2019).

…

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! Here’s your tip!

No wire hangers!

Well, you can use them to remove static, but not for hanging up your costumes. Your costumes cost a lot in time and money and should be…

Dear Constant Reader,

These may have been the first burlesque-related DVDs I bought when I was just starting out *mumble* years ago. I still think they’re a ton of fun.

On each DVD Angie, Tara, and Helen take you through…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! A couple of announcements before we get to your tip.

Tonight we’ll be performing at Deacon Giles in Salem, MA. We’re only doing one show, so tickets are extremely limited. Don’t take your chances at…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Use stage directions.

It’s so much easier to give instructions to a performer or tech person, if we all speak the same language; in this case, a location on stage. Not all…

Dear Constant Reader,

I performed “The Stripteaser’s Education” at Hot in Topeka’s fundraising show in June. It’s an act that’s been around for a long time and seen some changes.

It’s adapted from Gypsy Rose Lee’s famous talking act…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! And happy August! Here’s your tip!

Make your own bias tape.

Bias tape is great for finishing work on costumes, especially where you don’t want much bulk, like the edges of corsets. Its ability to…

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I can’t believe I’ve never shared this tip with you before. It’s some of my standard advice to my students.

Discard your costume pieces to the sides or back of the stage.

You want to…