I came across the Vancouver burlesque scene back in late May 2012. To my disappointment, I found out that Vancouver hosts an International Burlesque Festival which occurs in early May. I’d have to wait another 11 months and two weeks to see this showcase of talent once again. Fortunately, with the vibrant scene Vancouver has, there is plenty of burlesque performances to see throughout the year.
So last year, I dipped my toe in the water and booked for Performer Showcase at the Vogue Theatre, as I had conflicting events on the Thursday and Friday. And wow… did I ever have a good time, kicking myself for not clearing my schedule to go the previous two nights. Madame May I’s extremely moving and personal number. April O’Peel revisited her hilariously raunchy mime act. Judith Stein’s, the most senior performer, held the audience’s attention like no other performer that graced the stage that night. Scotty the Blue Bunny made many new fans that night. I could go on, but let’s just say each year, the acts are going to up the ante.
I’ve been wanting to see Blue Morris’ Dirty Dancing Burlesque but I’ll be happy to start off with his Beatles Burlesque first. Been a fan of NickyNineDoors voice (The Wild Party), but have yet to see Pandora and the Locksmiths perform. And what can I say about the tribal fusion bellydance group, Luciterra but wow, your ticket value is almost complete right there. I’m also looking forward to getting to know new acts and performers that I haven’t seen before.
So make sure you book your tickets for at least one of the nights, if not all three! Thursday night Live Music Burlesque at the Rio Theatre, Friday and Saturday nights performer showcases at the Vogue Theatre.
For more info or to Book tickets at www.vanburlesquefest.com
Thursday May 3rd – Live Music Burlesque – at the Rio Theatre
Beatles Burlesque
Putting the bump & grind into Twist and Shout! Beatles Burlesque is a live-music burlesque show with music of the Fab Four and burlesque inspired by The Beatles. Produced by Blue Morris with burlesque curated by Vancouver’s go-go queen Miss Fitt. — VANCOUVER
B
ender in Bermuda
Welcome to your bender in Bermuda! Grab a seat at the bar and indulge in no-limit live entertainment with some post-surf sips. There’s no need for a compass, we’re bringing this home with our colourful cast of creative creatures and live local surf-rock by the Surf Messiahs. — VANCOUVER
Connie Cahoots (Thursday Host)
Connie has been seduced by the devil known as burlesque since 2005 when she became a member of Screaming Chicken. She has since graced and disgraced numerous stages in North America. She prides herself on quick wit and innovation. She is tickled to be a part of VIBF 2012! — VANCOUVER
Night Owl Review
Pandora & The Locksmiths present “The Night Owl Revue,” a scintillating fusion of burlesque and live funk’n'grind grooves. Featuring acts as brilliant as the Swarovskis adorning the costumes, plus fabulous special guest vocalists, this soul shakin’ show will have you movin’ all night long! — VANCOUVER
Friday May 4th – Showcase – Vogue Theatre
Jett Adore
Known internationally as “The No-Pantser Romancer,” Jett’s artistic, sexy, and elaborate performances are male striptease at its finest. Jett is one third of the Stage Door Johnnies, Chicago’s classic male burlesque troup, an old fashioned nudie show with balls! — CHICAGO
Tiffany Carter
Miss Nude Universe 1975, Tiffany Carter began her Burlesque career at the infamous Pink Pussycat in Hollywood, California. An active, in-demand entertainer with Sparky Blaine’s American Showgirl agency, Tiffany toured the U.S., Canada, and Japan from the late 1960s through the 1980s.
April O’Peel
Choreographer and feature dancer for both The Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and The Razzle Tassel Tease Show, April has won awards for comedic Burlesque performance and is an Ovation award nominee. April has also competed twice at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in the Best Group category. — VANCOUVER
Blue Morris
Blue Morris is a guitar player, producer, and burlesque performer. He produces “Beatles Burlesque” and “Dirty Dancing Burlesque.” He has been a major force in bringing live music back to burlesque in Vancouver. He is on the board of directors for the VIBFA for 2012. — VANCOUVER
Cherry Typhoon
Born to a traditional family in Tokyo, Cherry Typhoon began learning Okinawan dance in 1991. She was a Drama director in Tokyo beginning in 1999, and in 2003 she formed MURASAKI Babydoll with Violet Eva. After Performing at Tease-O-Rama 2005 and Miss Exotic World 2006(Best Troupe), Cherry began her solo career. In 2009, Cherry was awarded the “Rosita Royse Award” at the Montreal Burlesque Festival. — MONTREAL and TOKYO
Crystal Precious (Showcase Host)
Crystal’s background in indie theatre and sex-positive femme-nism led her to Vancouver’s burgeoning neo-burlesque stage in 2002. She co-founded the Sweet Soul Burlesque troupe in 2003 and since then her solo performance style has evolved into the world’s first burlesque/hiphop MC. She calls it Striphop. You’ll call it lots of things. — VANCOUVER
Jenny Magenta
Jenny Magenta burst onto the scene in 2007 with her shocking sexy clown duet. Since then she has continued to thrill, surprise and shock her audiences with her intense and character based performances. She has over 20 years of theatre and dance and has been described as “brilliant,” “mesmerizing,” and “wild.” — VANCOUVER
Jesse Belle Jones
“The Modern Sexual Intellectual” is a principal dancer touring internationally with Sinner Saint Burlesque and a co-producer of Seattle’s Naked Girls Reading. Offstage, she’s been on the steering committee for BurlyCon since 2008 and works closely with organizers for both the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture and Seattle Erotic Arts Festival. — SEATTLE
Lola Frost and Cherry OnTop (duet)
Called Vancouver’s “Rock’N'Roll Flapper” Lola takes Neo-Burlesque to a blend of nostalgic and classic. She has performed on international stages including the Burlesque Hall of Fame & is Co-Director of the Vancouver Burlesque Centre. Cherry OnTop is one of the founders of Sweet Soul Burlesque and co-owner of the Vancouver Burlesque Centre. She has rocked stages from Whitehorse to Acapulco and always brings the heat. — VANCOUVER
Luciterra
Luciterra is a fusion bellydance company. Hard-hitting and dynamic, this powerful quartet performs across the West Coast. You can catch them the last Tuesday of every month at their show, The Decadent Eccentric. They also teach weekly dance classes in East Vancouver. — VANCOUVER
Melody Mangler
Vancouver’s tattooed fireball, Melody is a founding member and Artistic Director of Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society, co-founder of the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, member of the Razzle Tassel Tease Show, and an internationally renowned headliner who has stunned crowds at major Burlesque events across North America and Australia. — VANCOUVER
Nicky Ninedoors & Brother Keys
A classically trained musician, professional vocalist and music instructor, Nicky Ninedoors has made her name by using her buttery smooth voice in her acts. Sean “Brother Keys” Bayntun began playing the piano at the age of three. With his Master’s degree in Piano Performance, Sean enjoys the “perks” of playing in a burlesque band. Nicky and Brother Keys perform with Pandora and The Locksmiths, Vancouver’s live jazz and burlesque collective. — VANCOUVER
Raven Virginia & Violet Rhapsody
Raven Virginia is a performer, producer, instructor and tease-aholic. She has been a part of the Garter Girls Burly-Q Revue for 3 years. Violet Rhapsody has been performing with the Garter Girls Burly-Q Revue in Calgary, Alberta for the last three years and is a glitter glamazon ready to show Vancouver her stuff! — CALGARY
Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society
Screaming Chicken is a member run, not-for profit society established to produce and promote entertaining and innovative performing arts. Our goal is to make the performing arts more fun, provocative, empowering and accessible. — VANCOUVER
Sparkle Plenty
The lovechild of Stella Artois and Jose Cuervo makes Sparkle Plenty a very saucy lady. Her style mixes an uncensored sense of humour and her unapologetic love of pop music. Sparkle performs regularly with Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and is proudly serving on the 2012 VIBF Board of Directors. — VANCOUVER
Spooksy Delune
With a touch of Hoodoo, a whole lot of macabre and some tricks up her skirt, this crazed little deviant has been proclaimed the Queen of Halloween. An ongoing performer at Kitty Nights, Restricted Entertainment, Cabaret Du Passe, and formally a freak with Sex at the Circus. — VANCOUVER
Sydni Deveraux
Classic striptease artist and singer Sydni Deveraux hails from Seattle. With beautiful exotic features, and at a statuesque and very leggy 6’2″, she is one of the tallest established performers in the business. Sydni’s charming performance style is an entertaining mix of wit, finesse and sophisticated musicality. — SEATTLE
Villainy Loveless
Villainy is equal parts voluptuous vamp and hedonistic hellcat. She is just as likely to be found chewing bubblegum as wielding a Jackknife and will always keep her audiences guessing what side of her they’ll see. Whether it’s her lush tush or award winning tassel-twirling-tata’s she’s sure to tease and please. — VANCOUVER
Voracious V
This colourful vixen has an appetite for your attention and will devour your soul with her saucy smile. Performing all over Vancouver. She is a regular with Pandora and the Locksmiths, Voracious V embodies a variety of delightful personas onstage from sexy to sassy. Bon appetite! — VANCOUVER
Saturday May 5th – Vogue Theatre
Betsy Bottom Dollar
Armed with a powerhouse personality and devastating vocals, Betsy is a singer, performer, and co-emcee of the Cheesecake Burlesque Revue. A splash of diva, a smash of drag-queen, and a crash of heavy metal; she’s a woman who will give you her 2 cents… whether you want it or not. — VICTORIA
 Miss Indigo Blue
She’s Miss Exotic World’s current Reigning Queen of Burlesque. For 15 years this “neo-burlesquer” has titillated the world with her wild tassel-twirling techniques, hilarious surprises, and her naughty Wonder Woman act. Sexy, funny, irreverent and ingeniously clever, Miss Indigo Blue flirts with the edgy, exotic and erotic fringes of burlesque. — SEATTLE |
 Judith Stein
B.C.’s own burlesque legend, Judith Stein got her leg up in burlesque in the 1970s when she answered a help wanted ad for topless go-go girls that read: “no experience necessary.” Since then she has performed internationally and is now recognized as Canada’s burlesque legend by the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. — NELSON, BC |
 Bunny Bee
Bunny Bee is known as a glamour/bikini model, and has worked with many photographers, companies, and has also worked with Playboy. A member and director of Peaks and Pasties troupe since 2009 and a Producer of the Colorado Burlesque Festival. — COLORADO SPRINGS |
 Burgundy Brixx
Producer of “Kitty Nights West” and director of “The Vancouver Burlesque Centre”. Headliner at the Toronto Burlesque Fest and Queen of Burlesque at New Orleans Burlesque Fest. Solo artist at The Burlesque Hall of Fame, The New York Burlesque Festival, The Best of Midwest Burlesk Fest, and Tease-O-Rama. — VANCOUVER |
 Capital City Burlesque
Alberta’s premiere burlesque dance troupe, Capital City Burlesque elegantly straddles a fine line between classic burlesque and humourous modernist parody. From Rockette inspired kick-lines to a trio of thrusting Santas, CCB does it all with aplomb. — EDMONTON |
 Le Cabaret Du Passe
The Ladies of Vancouver’s East Vanity Parlour are inspired by nostalgia, East Van and our burlesque community. This year we are dying for you to see our new love child, “Le Cabaret Du Passe.” Starring Candy Curves, Cameo LeCrock and Spooksy Delune, it’s an intoxicating, eccentric, lowbrow show inspired by another era. — VANCOUVER |
 Cheesecake Burlesque
The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue keeps audiences coming back for more! More laughs, more tease and more body confidence! The performers are as individual as stars on the walk of fame – cute and geeky, rock n roll, classic and elegant – audiences can’t help but have a favourite or two or three! — VICTORIA |
 Cherry OnTop
Cherry OnTop is one of the founders of Sweet Soul Burlesque and co-owner of the Vancouver Burlesque Centre. She has rocked stages from Whitehorse to Acapulco and always brings the heat. Known for her energy and moves, she bridges the gap between classic and neo-burlesque with a wink and smile. — VANCOUVER |
 Joanie Gyoza
Joanie Gyoza is a very saucy and delicious dumpling. She is a passionate dork, sexpot nerd, community organizer, guerilla gardener and authenticity chaser. joanie’s greatest art is joyful, mindful living and most of all, she aspires to radiate love. — VANCOUVER |
Lola Frost
Called Vancouver’s “Rock’N'Roll Flapper” Lola takes Neo-Burlesque to a blend of Nostalgic & Classic. She has performed on international stages including the Burlesque Hall of Fame & is Co-Director of the Vancouver Burlesque Centre. “She has incredible stage presence, plus a visceral physicality that demands to be watched and admired” (Tigger!) — VANCOUVER |
 Madame Mae I
A tiny little package with explosive energy and smoldering good looks — Madame Mae I is a fiery red-headed burlesque dancer with a fearless personality based out of Vancouver, Canada. When Madame Mae I isn’t producing Burly-Q Benefit shows — events that raise money for various causes and organizations — she’s heating up the stages of Vancouver and beyond with a cheeky yet seductive style that is uniquely her own. — VANCOUVER |
 Miss Alyssa Kitt
The Queen of the curves, Miss Alyssa Kitt has been mooching around Australia with her signature over the top charm and sexed up size 16 glamour, making her mark as Australia’s premier plus-sized burlesque performer. — AUSTRALIA |
 Miss Via Rose & Dapper Dan
Miss Via Rose has been mesmerizing burlesque audiences since 2005. A founding member of the Starlet Harlots, she is known for her calm cool grace and seductive style. Dapper Dan stumbled his way onto the burlesque stage performing his first duo act in 2005. He brings his debonaire flair and comedic timing to duos and group numbers with the Starlet Harlots. — VANCOUVER |
 Persephone Illyri
Woman, performer, artist, muse: Seattle burlesque dancer Persephone Illyri thrives at the intersection between modern art and classic burlesque. With influences from blues to ballet, contemporary to ancient, this Goddess in Glitter has mesmerized audiences across North America. Persephone also produces Intrigue, a bi-monthly burlesque review in its third year. — SHORLINE, WA |
 The Purrrfessor (Showcase Host)
Since 2006 in New York City, The Purrrfessor has hosted KITTY NIGHTS, which, since expanding to Vancouver in 2008, has grown into one of the most popular burlesque shows in North America. KITTY NIGHTS is now a Vancouver institution at the Biltmore Cabaret, drawing hundreds of burlesque fans every Sunday night at 9PM. — VANCOUVER |
 Wrong Note Rusty
Wrong Note Rusty is a part of Canada’s Premier All-Male Burlesque Troupe, BoylesqueTO. He co-produces 3 full-length productions each year and sits on the production committee of the Toronto Burlesque Festival. His bare behind was recently censored on national television via Canada’s Got Talent. — TORONTO |
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