Author Archives: margaret
Everything I Know About Doctor Who I Learned From Burlesque!
In anticipation of seeing Behind the Blue Door Returns to Celebrate 50 Years of Dr. Who I wanted to reflect on what burlesque has taught me about this British sitcom I’ve never seen. I’m not sure if it’s a sitcom or rom-com or a drama. Is it a soap opera? Only soap operas can be on television as long as Doctor Who. I am fairly certain my knowledge of this programme is slightly skewed by its representation on the burlesque stage. • A Tardis is sexy. A Dalek is sexy. One of them is good and one of them is evil. • There are a bunch of Doctors and some … Continue reading
This Weekend in Nerdlesque: Scully, Sex and Strong Female Characters
As I am pushing myself into a weekend of promotion for my next show, The Burl-X Files, and generally bouncing around the Internet and off the walls, I offer excerpts from a few articles that have decided to run amok in my brain. “In an entertainment world where women are disappearing from multiplexes, where men bulk up as superheroes while women don’t eat but sip pink drinks, we need to remember that there was once a very short heroine who hunted monsters and talked about Einstein, who kicked ass and questioned her faith, who went to work with a man she loved but didn’t rip his shirt off over lunch, … Continue reading
This Weekend In Nerdlesque: Neil Gaiman, Harry Potter, Tron and More!
A round up of some fun upcoming nerdy themed shows! Here are a few events in Seattle and beyond over the next two weekends that seem to be talking nerdy to me. Worlds’ End Burlesque Revue An Evening Inspired by the Works of Neil Gaiman “The tales involve a goddess, Beldam and her doll, the heart of a blue box, a young woman who is far older than she appears, an enslaved faerie, the very essence of dreams personified, and more” June 21st to 22nd and 28th to 29th at the Re-Bar Seattle, Washington Fun Fact, back in 2011 I sent a secret list of local burlesque performers to a … Continue reading
This is a love letter…
Thank you to all the cast, crew and volunteers who are helping with this batshit crazy show this weekend. Nerdiversary was a bad idea gone too far. It’s a vanity project of epic proportions. I just realized I actually sent my first email about this party/show in September of 2012. This is lunacy. But there is something behind all this as well. I’ve cried so many tears for nerds and boobs that I fear I may have a problem. For an almost 35-year-old, this seems rather childish. Truthfully, it’s the occasional holdng back of emotions that is starting to seem even more unhealthy or strange. I’m going to release more … Continue reading
This Weekend in Nerdlesque: Pre-BHoF with Bronson. May 24, 2013
Like many others, I’m busy preparing for next weekend’s BHoF. For those unfamiliar, BHoF is sparkle-shorthand for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender. It’s a pilgrimage of sorts. Performers and fans from all over the world descend with doe-eyed wonder on Las Vegas to celebrate the “best of the best” in modern burlesque. While everyone else is frittering away with last minute rhinestone application marathons, I’m fretting over an insane weekend schedule full of research research research. Nerdlesque has made exciting waves and splashes at other burlesque competitions (see past posts). Therefore, I’m travelling with the intent of discovering if nerdlesque will make an appearance on burlesque’s biggest stage. Or, … Continue reading
This Weekend in Nerdlesque: Joss KNOWS! May 17, 2013
Much like how Joss Whedon was inspired to interpret Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, my gang of misfit friends and I were inspired to create Whedonesque Burlesque. I wonder, if Shakespeare was still around, would Joss be as bound and determined to tell the Bard, “Oh, my friends totally got together at my house, drank a little wine, and made a film adaptation of your play.” It’s not much different than someone walking up to Joss and relaying, “Hey, my friends got together, drank a little wine, took off our pants, and did a burlesque adaptation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Actually, last night, it probably went more like this, … Continue reading
This Weekend in Nerdlesque: All Hail the Queen! May 10, 2013
We interrupt this regularly scheduled nerdlesque post to celebrate the fantastic achievement of Jinkx Monsoon and her win on RuPaul’s Drag Race. CONDRAGULATIONS! Watch this video to understand how this is just the beginning of what Jinkx has to show us. Is this what fierce pride and intense jealousy feels like? It’s the pride of knowing she deserves it and will represent her Northwest family of drag queens, burlesque starlets and theater geeks well. It’s also the strange sadness and jealously of knowing we now have to share her the rest of the world. The second part I’ll get over. It’s Monsoon Season, bitches! These are the reasons why I’m … Continue reading
This Weekend in Nerdlesque: May 3, 2013
Nerdlesque does not need to reference popular culture. Pop culture is not inherent in the description of nerdlesque. It’s not all Princess Leia bikinis and Tardis bras here, kids. While “nerd culture” is a significant influence on the developing genre of nerdlesque, it is not the essential ingredient. Take, for example, the act I saw last night by Nikola Tease-la, a performer whose name already screams “love me, Jo Jo.” Nikola was the opening act for the deceptively simple and innovative (aka, not entirely relying on movie references) Indiana Bones and The Lips of Destiny burlesque play. This was my actual inner monologue during her act, “’What the fuck is … Continue reading
This Week in Nerdlesque: The Blur
Have you ever been trapped in an endless whirlwind of awesome? A week in which the conversations start to blur together and you forget what day it is? Even typing these words right now is difficult. I’m exhausted. I think I’m in Chicago. I think I’m spending time with the most wonderful and friendly burlesque nerds ever. I think I’m going to sleep for five days in a row when I finally return home. I realize I’m sacrificing a lot to research this book. I missed a momentous wedding of two fantastic ladies this weekend. I missed my husband’s birthday. I am missing our anniversary in a few weeks. I’m … Continue reading
The Weekend in Nerdlesque: April 19th, 2013
As I dive deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of nerdy burlesque, I’ve often wondered: has this trend altered how the burlesque schools approach educating new students? As the number of nerdy shows increase, I assume also an increase in number of students whose only experience with burlesque is, well, nerdlesque. This weekend I get to witness a sweet little case study at Miss Indigo Blue’s Academy of Burlesque 101 Recital. On Saturday night fourteen brand new burlesque babies will take the stage and at least one baby, bless her sparkly nerdy heart, will not be shying away from using super specific fandom as her source material. Spoiler: her … Continue reading