A Note from the Admins...

The cast of the Burlesque Boston Showcase on 02/11/2017 at Club Cafe. Photo by Roger Gordy.

A little over a year ago, after much discussion about the needs of the burlesque community in the greater Boston/New England area, a small group of people with different performance and work experiences came together to build a new resource for performers and audience members alike.

Our first admin meeting was at Veggie Galaxy in Cambridge. (Surprise! Most of our subsequent meetings have taken place there as well.) We spent almost two hours going over what types of things we would offer, what our goals were, and what our mission statement would be. How much time do we have to devote to something this large? Will it be sustainable? Will it even be worth it? Ultimately, we decided to take on this challenge (on top of our full-time muggle jobs), and thus Burlesque Boston was born.

Following in the steps of the Hubba Hub, Burlesque Boston was launched to provide audiences with a one-stop-shop experience to find upcoming shows, classes, and other events hosted by members of the burlesque community. For performers and producers, it is an opportunity for their art to reach a wider audience at no monetary cost to them (unlike sponsoring a post directly through a social media platform).

A few weeks after we went live on January 1, 2017, we were met with almost an impossible task. Several out-of-town performers were suddenly stuck with non-refundable tickets to Boston but nowhere to perform. With less than two weeks until their arrival, we had an idea: what if we GAVE them somewhere to perform? What better way to celebrate this new venture than by holding a showcase of some of the best talent in the state? (And country!) With the help of Rogue Burlesque, we secured a date at Club Cafe in Boston (February 11, 2017!) and produced the first-ever Burlesque Boston showcase, complete with a (tiny!) red carpet. No advance pre-sales, walk-up tickets only, very little marketing… and we filled the room. It was a night full of love and support and truly showed what Boston burlesque is all about.
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Since then, our online presence has grown. We gain new Instagram and Facebook followers every day. We continue to promote shows that align with our mission:

• Fostering a safe and accountable community;
• Creating a safe space for performers to communicate with one another in a non-competitive environment;
• Promoting community and a culture of inclusion and empowerment;
• Building a foundation of respect, honesty, accountability, and transparency.

We could not do this without the support of our community. A few people in particular we’d like to thank:

• Our Burlesque Boston Showcase performers & crew: Elsa Riot, Benji Bombay, Lucifer Christmas, Jane Doe, Sugar Dish, Madge of Honor, Polly Surely, Maggie Maraschino, Fem Bones, Broad Stewart, Dewie Decimator, Gigi Marx, Devilicia, Incogneato, Lilith Beest, Tuesday Addams, Ginny Nightshade, Sake Toomey, Kyle Ward, Dr. Rae Rae, Ellie St. Cyr (Cleveland, OH), Bunny Buxom (New York, NY), Scarlett O’Hairdye (Seattle, WA), and Bolt Action (Seattle, WA).
• Our donors, who helped get us off the ground: Polly Surely, Rogue Burlesque, Dixie Douya, Mary Widow, Femme Brulee, and Brandy Wine.
• Our graphic designer: Sparkletown Studios was generous enough to donate their time and talent to design our logo and website header.
• Our guest bloggers, who shared their stories + knowledge: Dale Stones, Lucifer Christmas, Madge of Honor, Daphne Dumore, Femme Brulee, Jane Doe, Essence Revealed, Mary Widow, Harley Foxx, Fem Bones, Sherman, and Belle Gunz.
• Our loyal audience members: You! And you! And you, also! And all of you over there!

2017 was good, but let’s make 2018 even better. See you in the spotlight.

With love and glitter,
The Burlesque Boston Admins