pictured: Belmont Burlesque
It happened in theaters, music halls and gin-joints; a young lady by the name of Lili St. Cyr caused an uproar by innocently bathing on stage, and Gypsy Rose Lee raked in major cash—and one hell of an arrest record—peeling off her clothes at the legendary Minsky's. There was also the incomparable Sally Rand, who famously proved that the "fan is quicker than the eye" right here in Chicago at the 1933 World's Fair. Such is the rich and storied history of an often misunderstood art form: burlesque. And you thought it didn't go beyond the awkward gyrations of a few dozen Suicide Girls. Tsk. Tsk.
Chicago's burlesque scene is bawdy, brazen and brimming with extraordinary talent. It can be a daunting world to navigate without proper guidance, so we've prepared a handy primer to steer you through all of the feathers and fans of the barest of subcultures.
Belmont Burlesque
Need a monthly dose of tease without the sleaze? Well, maybe just a little of the sleaze. The Belmont Burlesque Revue delivers a sultry brand of romping revelry at the Playground Theater (next shows on January 26, February 23 and March 22). Plowing through master-of-ceremony duties (and usually an entire bottle of Jim Beam) is the delightfully dysfunctional crooner Jack Midnight, aka Mark Henderson, who wears the ugliest vintage tux on the planet. Of course, you'll find tassels and ta-tas galore, along with plenty of improv, slapstick, magic and even a dim-witted hillbilly. You get all of this for only 10 bucks. What more could a vaudeville tourist ask for? How about a BYOB policy to make sure the entire ordeal is well, err, lubricated?
Girlie-Q, Reinvented
When the HotHouse closed last year, the Girlie-Q-Variety Hour lost its home, and heaps of fans wondered when they'd ever see another queer burlesque review. Lucky for those folks, campy maven Miss Bea Haven (sorry, couldn't resist) reincarnated the project and settled it into the Empty Bottle for quarterly runs (next date yet to be announced). The results remain to be seen, but if the past is any indication, patrons can expect plenty of edgy performers, live music and a raucous blurring of gender lines. Also born from the demise of the Girlie-Q Variety Hour, Varietease Cabaret takes up monthly residence at Strawdog Theatre, with the next performance taking place on February 8.
Gurlesque Burlesque
For a cerebral introduction to this sultry world, nothing holds a tassel to the Sissy Butch Brothers. When history buff Red Vaughan Tremmel and camera-happy Gwen Lis decided to make a documentary on the history of burlesque, they set out to raise the money themselves—raising plenty of skirts and eyebrows along the way—by producing some of Chicago's most impressive shows since the heyday of cabaret. The duo leans hard on politics, kitsch and marquee performers. The last Gurlesque Burlesque featured the irreverent Margaret Cho, who's known for her activism, potty mouth and, most recently, her belly-dancing prowess. There's no telling what the team has in store for 2008, but it's sure to be huge.
Michelle "Toots" L'Amour
Nothing short of burlesque royalty, Chicago's own Michelle L'Amour has her peep-toes in just about every exotic activity in town. Crowned Miss Exotic World in 2005, L'Amour has performed for over 50 million people, has a cocktail at the Motel Bar named after her, hosts "In Bed With Michelle L'Amour" on Fearless Radio, and still finds time to take on proteges at Arabesque Dance. Whew! If just thinking about this lady's schedule leaves you breathless, imagine how you'll feel when you see her perform. L'Amour is involved in many of the city's burlesque groups, including the Pillow Fight Club, the Star and Garter Burlesque Show, Lipschtick (next performance February 8) and the Motel Bar's Absolut Burlesque (next performance on February 6) series. In short, if it's in Chicago and held up with a garter, L'Amour probably has something to do with it.
Arabesque Dance
Ready to give it a go? Become intimately acquainted with feather boas, fedoras and ostrich-feather fans in one of L'Amour's Arabesque classes. Hardly a bored housewife's pole-dancing flirtation at a flashy fitness chain, The Art of Burlesque explores the tease, which means no nudity is required. Advanced classes dig further, training students on makeup techniques, costume choices and music selection. Students are able to develop and workshop their own routine before the graduation performance. Arabesque also offers belly dancing classes, an art which has long been intertwined with burlesque performances.
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