Category Archives: News

TONIGHT! The Oregon Burlesque Festival begins!

Posted by Marisa on

My most sincere apologies for not posting about this sooner, but I’ve been so busy lately it’s not even funny. But tonight begins three fabulous nights of glittery goodness at Dante’s in Portland – the fourth annual Oregon Burlesque Festival! Featuring more amazing performers from around the country than you can shake a tail feather at, our smoking hot headliner Ray Gunn, and our own local legend September Rose! I will be performing tonight, an old favorite with an updated (and extremely souped-up) costume! Go here for tickets for tonight, and here and here for Friday and Saturday! There are workshops too – with Ray Gunn and EmpeROAR Fabulous! Portland may be in the grips of a record-breaking heat wave right now, but the weather is not the only thing that’s hot around here! You don’t want to miss this! See you there!

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All good things must come to an end.

Posted by Marisa on

It makes me very sad to announce that I am no longer officially associated with Rare Vintage Burlesque. It was a good run for almost a year, but it’s time to move on.

Also, after Muppets Burlesque next month (more on that shortly!), I will be taking a break from burlesque for a while. This last year has been very stressful on several fronts, for me and for many of us. It’s time to take a step back, rest, reflect and renew. The odd performance may pop up now and then, but in the main I’ll be on hiatus. Wishing you all a blessed holiday season!

Red Hot Flo by Chuck Saxe

Rare Vintage Burlesque Presents: The Strippening!

Posted by Marisa on

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY! Peer into the darkness with us and see what mysteries the shadows hold close to their cold hearts in The Strippening! {thunder and lightning} Yes folks, it’s RVB’s Halloween show and I could not be more excited! Our headliner is the incredible Jacqueline Hyde (and is that not the perfect name?) from Seattle! Our guest performer is The Mayor of Chubbytown herself, Ri Ri SynCyr! And back for another go as our guest MC is the sultry Daria from 105.1 The Buzz! I will be bringing two brand-new acts to this show, and they are probably my most elaborately costumed and propped acts to date. They are both based on beloved horror films, one considered the very first, the other a modern-day classic. I’m very nervous and very excited! I’m especially jazzed to once again be sharing the stage with the mysterious Mr. Arcane for the first time since the Gods and Monsters show last year! (And by the way, stay tuned for this year’s show announcement…) Go here for tickets and get ’em quick – they’re going fast! I will see you there – if you dare….     BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!

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Ricki Covette 1925 – 2016

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Another burlesque legend has left us. Irene Siewert Jewell, who performed as Ricki Covette from the 1950s to the ’70s, passed away last Friday just short of her 91st birthday. She was known as the Glamazon, “the world’s tallest burlesque dancer,” and at 6’8″ she was undoubtedly that! We thank her for the years of beauty and glamour, and we wish her peaceful rest.

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Rare Vintage Burlesque Presents: Rock of Aged!

Posted by Marisa on

No, that’s not a typo! The “ladies of a certain age” return to the stage once again to rock out with our frocks out! Prepare to be dazzled as the women of Rare Vintage Burlesque put a burly-q spin on their favorite rock and roll hits! We are beyond thrilled to welcome our very special guest for this show – bringing you the fresh and juicy money melons, it’s the tantalizing Honeydew La Roux! And if that wasn’t hot enough, our special guest MC is none other than the High Priestess of Sacred Shimmy herself, Eva D’Luscious! Click here for all the info and to purchase tickets! We’re out to prove to you once again that sexy has no expiration date! See you there!

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Presenting: Rare Vintage Burlesque!

Posted by Marisa on

I am pleased as punch to announce my new burlesque venture! My fellow Portland peelers Scarlett Thrustmore, Judy Patootie, Ivana Mandalay, Ophelia Bouche and I have banded together to form the production and performance collective Rare Vintage Burlesque! We are five 40+ and fabulous performers who will be bringing our seasoned naughtiness to the stage each month – and we’ll get you home by bedtime! Part troupe, part production team, and a whole lot of fun, we are living proof that sexy has no expiration date. Please click here for info on our first show, Ladies of a Certain Age, coming up next month! We plan to present a different themed show each month, with special guests and more fun than you can shake a beglittered cane at! Like rare vintage wine, we only get better with age!

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Our first tea party gets a little out of hand. Photo by Jason Standefer of Hotshot Imagery

 

Gods and Monsters: A Burlesque Tribute to American Horror Story!

Posted by Marisa on

Holy cow, people! The DEVO Bash was absolutely amazing! And now, it’s time to prepare for my next show. One that has been such a long time in the making, and for which I could not be more excited. It’s Gods and Monsters: A Burlesque Tribute to American Horror Story! My beautiful cohort Miss Scarlett Thrustmore is producing this, her very first show, and it promises to be one of the most incredibly creative burlesque shows seen in Portland this year. I am honored to be bringing one of my two Myrtle Snow acts to the stage for this event. If you are anywhere near Portland this Halloween Eve, I urge you to join us for this spectacularly macabre performance. Don’t be a hater, dear…

Gods and Monsters

Another legend has passed.

Posted by Marisa on

From Leslie Zemeckis, author of Behind the Burly-Q: The Story of Burlesque in America, we receive the sad news of the passing last night of burlesque legend Lady Midnight. Says Leslie, “Born Benita Kirkland, her father was legendary comedian Monkey Kirkland and Benita got her start stripping in his club. She was a light, a positive, upbeat friend. A funny, generous, gorgeous woman. She will be missed. And I’m so glad I got to tell at least part of her story in Behind the Burly-Q.”

Rest in power, Benita. Thank you for lighting up our world.

Lady Midnight

I am back, bitches!

Posted by Marisa on

Hey all – I am very pleased to let you know that my lumpectomy surgery was a success! I will be starting radiation therapy very soon, and all signs look really really good for a complete recovery. Thank you all so much for your love and support! Please check my schedule page for my upcoming performances next month!

In the meantime, here is my favorite shot from my performance as Red Hot Flo at the Oregon Burlesque Festival in July. Many thanks to Curvygrl (Lisa K. Smith) for this super-cute pic!

Oregon Burlesque Festival 2015 by Curvygrl