San Francisco area burlesque for March 3 to March 9, 2010

Lots of shows this week, especially on Saturday night.

Looking across the shows this week, it looks like the big show is Saturday's Cabaret Verdalet, which will feature performers from across the country, including Joey Arias from New York, Kitten de Ville from Los Angeles, and Tatah du Jour from Key West, Florida!

And before the show—within walking distance of the Great American Music Hall—former San Franciscan Jessica "Tink" Whiteside will have an opening reception for her exhibit "Innocence Perceived" at Gallery Three.

There will also be plenty of chances to see Kellita of the Hot Pink Feathers perform. She'll be at the Honeymoon Benefit Show on Thursday, both Red Hots Burlesque AND First Friday Follies on Friday, and Cabaret Verdalet on Saturday. (I believe the core Hot Pink Feathers trio will perform at Verdalet, and the rest will be at Burlesque n' Brass at Cafe Van Kleef in Oakland.)

Then there's a Kentucky Fried Woman's tribute to the Sound of Music on Saturday, a birthday and Alice in Wonderland themed show at Red Hots Burlesque on Friday, and lots of new performers on Monday at the Hubba Hubba Revue show at the Uptown.

Feel free to pick and choose the shows you'd like to attend, and enjoy! :-)

• Thursday, March 4: Honeymoon Benefit Show at the Uptown Club in Oakland, 1928 Telegraph Avenue. Brought to you by Juicy D. Light, come to the show that will help Bombshell Betty and Randy Johnson have a happy honeymoon! Starring Ariana la Fey, Chi Chis Del Fuego, Fina Fatale, Francine Dead, Frida B., If N Whendy, Kellita, Kitty von Quimm, Milkshake, Patina DeCopper, Red Velvet, and Tasty Temptress! Odessa Lil will be your Mistress of Ceremonies! Doors at 9pm show at 10. $10, 21+ w/ID.
  


• Friday, March 5: Red Hots Burlesque at El Rio in San Francisco, 3158 Mission Street. It's Dottie Lux's and Alotta Boutté's birthdays, and you're invited to their Alice in Wonderland themed show! Co-emcees Alotta Boutté as the Queen of Hearts & Dottie Lux as her Card, Kellita as the White Rabbit, Ruby Vixen as Alice, Citty Rich & Ava Lanche as Tweedle Dee & Tweddle Dum, and Kentucky Fried Woman as the Hookah Smoking Caterpillar! Show at 7:30pm. $5-10, sliding scale. 21+ w/ID.


• Also Friday: First Friday Follies at the Stork Club in Oakland, 2330 Telegraph Avenue. Your burlesque show after the Oakland Art Murmur art walk. Featuring Ariyana LaFey, Frederique, Bunny Pistol, Kellita, Cupcake, Little Eyeful, and Ms. Cherry Galette! Music from the Gommoran Social Aid and Pleasure Club! Pick up by Swiffer-killer B.B. Dahl, and the evening's host will be Margaret France! Show at 9:30pm. No cover, but donations welcome. 21+ w/ID.
  


• Saturday, March 6: Innocence Perceived at Gallery Three in San Francisco, 835 Larkin Street. A reception for and exhibition of burlesquer and artist Jessica "Tink" Whiteside's work. Tonight's reception will feature feature new mixed media paintings, sculptures, a video installation piece, and a few opening night surprises. Innocence Perceived investigates a culture clash which began in America in the 1950's - revolving around American sexual identity, media influence on society, and a divide between traditional and progressive values. 7-11pm. Free.


• Also Saturday: Cabaret Verdalet at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, 859 O'Farrell Street. Little Minsky's big sister Cabaret Verdalet returns March 6th for its ninth annual run at the luxurious Great American Music Hall with full table seating and an amazing mix of local talent and visiting guest performers from across the country. Guest performers include legendary drag sensation Joey Arias (New York), gorgeous burlesque star Kitten de Ville (Los Angeles), the elegant and alluring Eliza Bane (Los Angeles), blonde bombshell Tatah du Jour (Key West) and the devastatingly delightful Miss Delirium Tremems (New York). Also returning from other parts are past Minsky's favorites The Flying Fox (New York), Mariel a la Mode (Los Angeles) and Kristina Nekyia (Los Angeles). Katya Smirnoff-Skyy hosts this three hour stage show extravaganza including Hot Pink Feathers, Delilah, Trauma Flintstone, Flame Cynders, Alotta Boutté, music from The Cottontails and circus shenanigans from Shannon Vau de Vire and the Cowboy Girls. Doors at 8pm, show at 9. $30, ticket information at gamh.com. 6 and older.


• Also, also Saturday: Burlesque n' Brass at Cafe Van Kleef in Oakland, 1621 Telegraph Avenue. Hot Pink Feathers will provide the Showgirl Samba, and Blue Bone Express will provide the live Dixieland jazz. Doors at 8:30pm, show at 9:30. $10, 21+ w/ID.
  


• And also, also, also Saturday: Kentucky Fried Woman Show: The Queers are Alive with the Sound of Music at Velvet in Oakland, 3411 MacArthur Blvd. You must check out your favorite performers as they pay tribute to one of the greatest musicals of all time...The Sound of Music. With Starr69, Jake Danger, Brock Cocker, L. Ron Hubby, Juicy D. Light, Drew Montana, Lance Armstar, Cherry Poppins, Sugarbush Lane, Lil Miss Hot Mess, Simone de la Getto, The Toby Rieser Quintet Minus 3, And featuring Leigh Crow as Co-Emcee & All Around Sound of Music Expert! Doors at 8:30pm, show at 9:30. $10, 21+ w/ID.
  


• Monday, March 8: Uptown Hubba Hubba at the Uptown in Oakland, 1928 Telegraph Avenue. Join Kingfish and Eddie as they welcome Isabella Minx, Bitter Waitress, Lady X, Dixie DeLish, Siren Sapphire, Mother Joseph, Gibson Pearl, Princess Cream Pie, Chi Chis del Fuego, Victoria Victrola, Cupcake, Zip the What-Is-It?! Doors at 9pm, show at 10:15ish. $5, 21+ w/ID.

As always, for more information, please check the calendar above. Also, you may want to check back during the week to see if there are and late additions to this schedule. And if you have a burlesque show or information about a show you would like to add to the calendar, please email me at sfbr AT gmx DOT com.

Cabaret Verdalet on Saturday, March 6: Tickets now available!

It's that time of year again, folks! A time of year when burlesque fans from San Francisco and the surrounding areas dress up and head out to the Great American Music Hall for a true variety show! The show's description down below pretty much sums up the event and the performers, so I'll let you in on some of the nuts and bolts of attending Verdalet.

Tickets are available now! There are a number of ways you may purchase tickets, which are described at www.gamh.com/tickets. General admission tickets are $30, and ticket fees vary depending on how you purchase them.

There is an option to purchase an additional $24.95 dinner ticket, which reserves you a seat at a table and of course a dinner from their special menu. I imagine the table will be close to the stage, so that's an option. Otherwise make sure that you get there early to get a seat at a decent table.

If you arrive at the show late and can't get a decent table, there are seats upstairs along the railing. There's a table in front of you and the waitstaff goes up there, so you'll still be able to eat. That's where I sat last year, and if you can get a seat close to the stage, you'll have a good view of the proceedings. The gamh.com site has a nice picture of the venue on its homepage, so you'll get an idea of what it's like.

If you purchase a general admission ticket, you'll still be able to order dinner. It'll just be from the regular menu. I had the chocolate malt last time. It was yummy! I saw other people ordering salads and stuff, so that's an option if you don't have time to eat before the show.

The show itself is a mix of performances, so musical performances, burlesque, and circus aerial acts are performed through the evening. Cabaret Verdalet was founded and is run by Douglas Good, so if you've been to a Little Minsky's show, you'll have an idea of what the show will be like. In fact, Verdalet has been described as Little Minsky's big sister. The show ran about 3 hours last year, so it will probably end at about midnight.

There's no dress code beyond what is normally required at clubs, so you don't have to wear your formalwear. But the feel of the show is "a night out on the town," so you'll probably see a couple of tuxedos and more than a few suits and dresses.

Limited parking is available on the street, but they also validate at the AMC Van Ness 14 on O'Farrell between Van Ness and Polk. According to gamh.com, parking there is $10 for 4 hours with validation.

Hope to see you there!

Cabaret Verdalet

Cabaret Verdalet's ninth annual variety show combines the beauty, humor and allure of burlesque, the thrill of circus arts acrobatics, the playful charm of drag artistes and live musical interludes in a three hour stage production featuring outstanding local talents and guest performers from across the country. A true variety show, Verdalet brilliantly balances the sensual with the comical, the classical with the unclassifiable, vampish vocalists with seductive dancers and charismatic characters. The cast mixes performers from various Bay Area scenes - alternative circus folk, the thriving drag and cabaret shows, underground jazz circuit, the burlesque revival - and all have devoted countless hours towards both evolving their acts and keeping their style of art alive and well. It's an impressive array of established and emerging artists gathered for one night only.

Special guest performers include legendary New York drag vocalist Joey Arias. Known for an uncanny Billie Holiday impersonation as well as a sparkling stage presence, Joey Arias' past appearances have included the film "Wigstock," David Bowie's musical guest on Saturday Night Live, and an extended run as MC of Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity" show in Las Vegas. From Los Angeles, we have the stunning international star of shimmy and shake Kitten de Ville, frequently known as "The Embodiment of Burlesque." From her early days as an original member of Velvet Hammer Burlesque - one of the first troupes of the new burlesque - Kitten De Ville has performed ceaselessly, worked with bands such as The Cramps and Rob Zombie, appeared on film and television and also teaches classes in the art of the tease.

From Key West, Florida, we have the lovely living pin-up Tatah du Jour, co-founder of Key West Burlesque. From New York, the striking and stylish Miss Delirium Tremens known for acts ranging from sultry ballet to gothic glamour and classic striptease. And from Los Angeles, the ever-elegant Eliza Bane brings her vintage charm and fabulous custom costume creations.

Cabaret Verdalet was created in 2001 by producer Douglas Good who also runs Little Minsky's Burlesque/Variety Show, an intimate monthly affair showcasing local and national talents to a packed house since 2005.

Cabaret Verdalet

FEATURED GUESTS:
Joey Arias (New York)
Kitten de Ville (Los Angeles)
Tatah Du Jour (Key West)
Eliza Bane (Los Angeles)
Miss Delirium Tremens (New York)

BURLESQUE:
Hot Pink Feathers
The Flying Fox (New York)
Mariel a la Mode (Los Angeles)
Kristina Nekyia (Los Angeles)
Alotta Boutté
Delilah
Flame Cynders

VARIETY:
Trauma Flintstone
Shannon Vau de Vire
Cowboy Girls

MUSIC:
The Cottontails

MC:
Katya Smirnoff-Skyy

Cabaret Verdalet
March 6, 2010
Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm
Great Arerican Music Hall
859 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

$30, ages 6 and over


http://www.verdalet.com

http://www.gamh.com

Little Minsky's this Thursday, March 12, 2009... plus bonus Cabaret Verdalet 2009 rehash!

The producers of Little Minsky's today put out their lineup for this Thursday's show, and I've noticed that some of the performers starred in this year's Cabaret Verdalet. Hey, why don't we hop into the Sorta Wayback Machine....

Cabaret Verdalet was at the Great American Music Hall (www.gamh.com) in San Francisco on February 28, 2009. For those who aren't familiar with the GAMH, it's in the Tenderloin several doors down from the infamous Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theater. A bit different kind of stripping happens there. Heh.

Anyway, the GAMH is a midsize to larger club. The main floor in front of the stage was filled with tables (with tablecloths!) and chairs. You can see the setup on the website's homepage. Attendees could enjoy dinner before the show. Half of the balcony level was closed off, but the other side had chairs lined up along the railing and also had tables and chairs. Since I was a bit late, I was guided upstairs into the balcony and found a nice seat along the railing. It is an elegant venue.

The show was hosted by Katya Smirnoff-Skyy (www.russianoperadiva.com), who introduced the acts and performed some songs from her repetoire. As the name implies, the show was a variety show. There were some burlesque acts from some of the top performers around, such as Kellita, Miss Indigo Blue, Kalani Kokonuts, Amber Ray, and many others. There were also musical acts, such as Katy Stephan. There were acrobats and gymnasts. Lots of talent on display!

Some of my favorites? Tigger (www.myspace.com/tiggernyc), who is a boylesque performer and had an act that would not play wellin the Bible Belt. It involved athletic ability, flexibility, religious artifacts and stripping. And I really like the performer who integrated rhythmic gymnastics into her routine. Her name escapes me, though. Then there was Trauma Flintstone (www.traumaflintstone.com), who is a drag queen who brought new meaning to the term "stripping."

Speaking of which, Trauma Flintstone will be the emcee at Little Minsky's this Thursday! Back to the present. Haha. To a certain extent, you can get a taste of Cabaret Verdalet by seeing this show. Some of the performers from Cabaret Verdalet will be there, too: The Flying Fox and Mariel a la Mode! The venue is more intimate, and the kitchen is closed for the performers, but if you missed CV, then check out Little Minsky's! :-)

Ladies and gents, it's that time once again to get the shimmy a-shakin', the jazz a-swingin' and the cocktails flowing. That's right, it's Little Minsky's time with your host for the evening, musical drag sensation Trauma Flintstone, some lively 1920's style tunes from comedic duo McPuzo and Trotsky, and of course a sultry line-up of lovely ladies including Alotta Boutté, Mariel a la Mode, Gia Haad, Dottie Lux, Ariyana La Fey and The Flying Fox.

Afflicted by the recession, winter depression or stressful tension? Cast off your worries and join us Minsky's. For the only thing we have to fear is a world without dancing girls, music and laughter...

See you at the bar...

-----------------------

LITTLE MINSKY'S

BURLESQUE
Alotta Boutté
Mariel a la Mode
Gia Haad
Dottie Lux
Ariyana La Fey
The Flying Fox

VARIETY
Trauma Flintstone (MC)
McPuzo and Trotsky

DJ
Oran - swingin' retro tunes

Thursday, March 12th
Club Deluxe
1511 Haight St (at Ashbury), San Francisco
9pm — 2am, Show at 10:00pm
$5, 21 and Up

--- Every Second Thursday ---

Performer Info:
Trauma Flintstone - www.traumaflintstone.com
McPuzo and Trotsky - www.myspace.com/mcpuzoandtrotsky
Alotta Boutté - www.myspace.com/alotta
Mariel a la Mode - www.myspace.com/marielalamode
Dottie Lux - www.dottielux.com
Ariyana La Fey - www.masquerade.net/lafey.html
The Flying Fox - www.myspace.com/margofox

Little Minsky's is brought to you by Douglas Good (of Cabaret Verdalet) and The Flying Fox (burlesque glamour girl).

http://www.myspace.com/little_minskys
http://www.liveatdeluxe.com

Classes with Miss Indigo Blue on Saturday, February 28, 2009

I remember seeing and meeting Miss Indigo Blue at Tease-O-Rama last October. I had heard a lot about her and was looking forward to seeing her perform, as she's one of the top burlesque performers and educators around. Not to mention she developed the Google Calendar for burlesque events in Seattle, which is where I got the idea for this blog! And, yes, she wore blue the two times I saw her. :-D

She'll be heading to our town from the Northwest and will be performing at Cabaret Verdalet (see previous posting) on Saturday night. That afternoon, however, she'll be teaching two classes at the Center for Sex and Culture in San Francisco. Here are the details:

Miss Indigo Blue teaches Two Classes in ONE!

The Art Of The Tease & Sparkling Stage Presence Saturday, February 28, 1-3pm at Center for Sex & Culture, 1519 Mission, between 11th & So. Van Ness.

Cost: $20 preregistered $25-35 sliding scale at the Door

Register now at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/56783

Questions? Call 206-47-TWIRL or 415-255-1155 or email events@sexandculture.org,

1pm: The Art of The Tease

Women in the Golden Age of Burlesque refined teasing to an art - the art of strip-tease! Students will learn the fundamental components of the tease... All are empowered to explore and discover their own inner tease-artiste in a safe and friendly environment. We will work with boas and gloves, which will be available for loan. You are also welcome to bring your own.

2pm: Sparkling Stage Presence

Stepping on stage is one thing, feeling the energetic sparkle with the audience is another! Learn to capture the attention of your audience with riveting facial expressions, gestures, movements, and charisma.

Open to all genders, backgrounds, abilities, orientations, and bodies.

Participants only, no observers. 18+ or parental permission.

Miss Indigo Blue Bio:

Sexy, funny, irreverent and ingeniously clever, Miss Indigo Blue flirts with the edgy, exotic and erotic fringes of burlesque. Evoking the elegant tease of legend Gypsy Rose Lee, and inspired by the brilliant comic wit of Whitney Biennial recipient Julie Atlas Muz, Miss Indigo is more than just a great practitioner of the ol' bump and grind; she enlivens her performances with a heady blend of brainy and bawdy that makes audience's mouths water, as their minds whirl.

"Miss Indigo Blue flirts with the edgy exotic and erotic fringes of burlesque... "

For the last fifteen years , this "nouveau burlesque" entertainer has titillated crowds across the country and in Europe with her wild tassel-twirling techniques and smart, sexy, and funny skits. With a strong dance and theater background and extensive experience as a stripper, Miss Indigo Blue brings sensuality, sexuality, eroticism, and humor to her carefully crafted routines. Miss Indigo is known for her creative and
hilarious surprises, erotic dance skills, detailed and authentic retro 1930's-1960' s costuming, and naughty reformulations of favorite characters like Holly Golightly, Carmen Miranda and Wonder Woman.

Miss Indigo Blue is also the President and Chief Twirling Officer of TwirlyGirl LLC, which created the most exquisite pasties in the world for discriminating nipples, and the founder and Headmistress of the Academy of Burlesque in Seattle. She has taught Burlesque and Teasing techniques in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Seattle since 2001. Miss Indigo Blue and her Academy are the subject of a feature-length independent documentary "A Wink And A Smile", which is in theaters as of May 2009. Miss Indigo Blue is based in Seattle, WA.

www.missindigoblue.com

www.academyofburlesque.com

So if you'd like to take two classes in one from one of the premier burlesque educators in the world for as little as $20, this is your chance!

SF Bay Area burlesque for the week of February 23, 2009

This final week of February seems to be a busy one, highlighted by the Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Extravaganza on Tuesday and Cabaret Verdalet on Saturday:

• Monday, February 23, 2009: Uptown Hubba Hubba at the Uptown in Oakland, 1928 Telegraph Avenue. Come in from the rain and wind and be blown away by Kiss Me Kate, Josie Starre, Pin Key Lee, Professor Shimmy, Arianna LeFay, Juicy D. Light, Kitty von Quimm, and McPuzo and Trotsky! Doors at 9pm, show at 10:15ish. $5, 21+ w/ID.


• Tuesday, February 24: Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Extravaganza at Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, 1695 Polk Street. Ooh la la! Join the Hot Pink Feathers and Blue Bone Express as they celebrate Mardi Gras in their own special and sexy way. Doors at 8pm, show at 9:30. $10, 21+ w/ID.


• Also Tuesday: Dr. Sketchy's SF and Sketch Tuesday at 111 Minna Gallery in SF, 111 Minna Street. Draw sexy burlesque chick Tricksie Treat! Watch her perform! Be entertained by Randy Johnson and Fromagique! Check out the exhibition, "Pin It Up, Babycakes!" Watch renowned artists at work and purchase the fruits of their efforts! 6-10pm. Free, 21+ w/ID.


• Wednesday, February 25: Haute House Burlesque at Stagewerx in SF, 533 Sutter Street. Sit back and relax in comfortable theater seating while sipping your wine and enjoying the hilarious and delightful acts from your favorite burlesque troupe, the Burlesqueteers! Most acts performed to live accompaniment by Fromagique, Bombshell Betty's and Randy Johnson's new burlesque band! Hosted by Odessa Lil, your *thwack!* Mistress of Ceremonies. Doors at 7pm, show at 8. $12-15, suggested 18+.


• Friday, February 27: Red Hots Burlesque at El Rio in San Francisco, 3158 Mission Street. Dottie Lux brings you a different show every single week! Each event promises the seductive and spicy, absurd and amusing all from local and visiting talent. Show at 7:30pm. $5-10 sliding scale, 21+ w/ID.


• Saturday, February 28: Cabaret Verdalet at Great American Music Hall in SF, 859 O'Farrell Street. An evening of burlesque, music, and variety all-star acts with emcee Katya Smirnoff-Skyy. Featuring Michelle L'amour, Tigger, Miss Indigo Blue, Amber Ray, Gravity Plays Favorites, Kalani Kokonuts, La Cholita, Sharon McKnight, Veronica Klaus, Katy Stephan, Twilight Vixen Revue, Hot Pink Feathers, and more! 8pm to midnight. $30, tickets and more info at www.gamh.com.


• Sunday, March 1: Pip Squeak A Go Go ™ at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda, 2513 Blanding Avenue. San Francisco's premier 60s style go go dance group, the Devil-Ettes, are pleased to bring you a Go Go Dance party for the underage set. This is a special Pip Squeak A Go Go because it is a BENEFIT for the Cure JM Foundation (www.curejm.org), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization which hopes to find a cure for Juvenile Myositis, an extremely rare autoimmune disease. 1-4:30pm. $10 (kids under 1 are free).


• Also Sunday: Cabaret de Nude at The Stud Bar in SF, 399 9th Street. A lezzi, queer girl and tranny Strip Joint featuring uncensored, risqué and fun performances guaranteed to tantalize and satiate your every naughty desire. Burlesque, Striptease and Erotic Performance Art, with a dash of comedy, spoken word, poetry, song and more… Doors at 6, show at 7:30. $8 before 7, $10 after, 21+ w/ID.
  

As always, for more information, please check the calendar above. And if you have a burlesque show or information about a show you would like to add to the calendar, please email me at sfbr AT gmx DOT com.

Return of Cabaret Verdalet: Saturday, February 28, 2009

Wow! I remember hearing about Cabaret Verdalet when i started this blog/calendar in May of last year, but there hasn't been a show since. Looking at their website, www.verdalet.com, it looks like the last one was in 2005. It's been almost four years?

I was happy to read from Amber Ray that she'll be appearing in the show, which will be at the Great American Music Hall. Looking at the lineup, there will be other big name burlesque and cabaret stars from out-of-town appearing, such as Tigger, Miss Indigo Blue, Michelle L'amour, Gravity Plays Favorites, Kalani Kokonuts, La Cholita, Fuchsia FoXXX, and Sharon McNight. In addition, there will be local favorites such as the Twilight Vixen Revue, Hot Pink Feathers, the Flying Fox, and Mariel a la Mode.

According to Amber, Cabaret Verdalet is "a retro stage show styled after the old Parisian music halls and the classic American speakeasy." It's a bit more spendy than other shows, but it seems akin to a night of Tease-O-Rama. Lots of stars, and probably more production value.

If I remember correctly, this year's Cabaret Verdalet is a joint production between Verdalet and Baby Doe Productions. And one of the main forces behind Verdalet is Douglas Good, of Little Minsky's fame. And Baby Doe of the Devil-Ettes is the main force behind Tease-O-Rama. So the show has got to be good with that pedigree! (Correction: I wasn't correct. Heh. Baby Doe is not involved in the production of Cabaret Verdalet, which is a production of Verdalet.)

Here are the details:

Cabaret Verdalet
http://www.verdalet.com
Saturday, February 28, 2009
8:00pm - 12:00am
Admission $30

Great American Music Hall
http://www.gamh. com/
San Francisco
859 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 885-0750

Featuring:
Tigger (New York)
Miss Indigo Blue (Seattle)
Michelle L'amour (Chicago)
Amber Ray (New York)
Gravity Plays Favorites (St. Louis)
Kalani Kokonuts (Las Vegas)
La Cholita (LA)
Fuchsia FoXXX (Seattle)
Sharon McNight (LA)
Veronica Klaus
The Cottontails
Hot Pink Feathers
Twilight Vixen Revue
Flying Heseds
Katy Stephan
Kristina Cañizares
The Flying Fox
Mariel a la Mode
MC:
Katya Smirnoff-Skyy

Looks like this may be your only chance to experience Cabaret Verdalet for a few years! So get your tickets early!