As Told In Myth and Legend
Introducing…
Visions of Lore – VIBF 2015
That’s right people! Get yourselves ready for our next big production! Visions of Lore will debut at this year’s Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. Comprised of entirely new material, Visions of Lore explores interpretation of myth and legend from a female perspective. Join us on this quest for power, knowledge, beauty, and danger on May 2nd at the Vogue Theatre.
Now, we don’t want to give it all away but we do want to share some inspiration with you! Dive into our hearts and minds to discover the beings that will be gracing the stage.
Pandora
Thought of as the first woman to be created by the gods, Pandora received many gifts of knowledge from the divine world. Her curiosity led to the releasing of all things terrible on earth when she opened that fateful box.
Aura
Known as “the divine personification of the breeze,” the Aurae command both light and blustering winds. Stunning to behold, the Aurae disappear and reappear while gliding through the air.
Moth
Represented by Eunomia, the goddess of law and order and Itzpapalotl, the skeletal warrior goddess with flint-tipped claws, the moth is forever in conflict with itself. Can she resist the flame, or will she take on its destructive power?
Curious for more? Next week we’ll be sharing three more mythical beings with you!
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March at the Fox Cabaret
Wait a sec, it’s just been pictures of not us this entire blog post! Let’s get re-acquainted, shall we? Thank you, David Tresham for these sassy photos of our March show at the Fox Cabaret.
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- The brass section!
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- Ruthe Ordare kicks it off with some classic sizzle.
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- Ava Lure, as seen from behind.
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- Nicky Ninedoors flies away with our hearts.
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- Ariel Helvetica; Black Magic Woman!
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- Host Miss Kiss couldn’t handle the hotness and needed some help from Voracious V.
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- Twirly Nicky!
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- Boom! Bam! Ruthe Ordare.
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- Ava got a bit snacky.
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- All done!
Springing Forward
Coming Up Next…
Pandora & The Locksmiths at the Fox Cabaret
Yes, yes, y’all the whole gang is back together and ready to put on a show! We’re returning to the Fox stage with our signature brand of scintillation: a revue of slick performances, unique style, and amazing music. We can’t wait to see aaallll the friends, old and new, so make sure to get your tickets!
On stage this Friday, March 13 you will see:
VORACIOUS V
RUTHE ORDARE
NICKY NINEDOORS
MISS KISS
AVA LURE
ARIEL HELVETICA
&
THE LOCKSMITHS
Doors are at 7:30 with general admission tickets at $15 and VIP tickets at $35. See you there, lovelies!
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What’s Up, Pandora?
Even though we haven’t performed together for the general public since December doesn’t mean we haven’t been busy! Let’s catch up, why don’t we?
We had the opportunity to perform in smaller groups at some of Vancouver’s most lavish parties this winter. Both Gastown Gazette and Prohibition at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia celebrated new beginnings and we were there to entertain their crowds!
Nicky Ninedoors, August Wiled, and Ariel Helvetica at the Gastown Gazette launch party.
August Wiled goofing around at the Prohibition opening party.
Ariel Helvetica has been quite the globetrotting showgirl this winter. She’s high-kicked some major butt at the Southwest Burlesque Showcase in New Mexico and Atame in Montreal last month. Coming up, she’ll be heading down to Portland for Rue Royale Burlesque.
Ariel Helvetica backstage with Paco FIsh at the Southwest Burlesque Showcase.
February was full of action! Voracious V and Nicky Ninedoors both brought down the house in Burlesque Duos on February 14.
Ava Lure has been busy behind the scenes, co-producing Skin Game at The Emerald and working on the 10th Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. And guess what? She’s just been accepted to compete on the Saturday night of the Texas Burlesque Festival in Austin!
Ava performing the number she will do at the TXBF at last year’s VIBF.
And all together, we will be debuting a brand new production, Visions of Lore, at the upcoming VIBF! Voracious V, Ruthe Ordare, Miss Fitt, Ariel Helvetica, and Ava Lure are also performing solos in the showcase sets. Here’s to another festival season!
The finale of last year’s VIBF production, Awakenings.
With a winter like that, no wonder we’re bouncing into spring. Here we go!
New Year’s Eve at the Hotel Vancouver
We rang in the new year at one of the city’s most glamorous venues, the historic Hotel Vancouver! David Tresham caught the magic in his camera, relive it here:
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- The antique beauty of Hotel Vancouver.
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- Balloon Girl August Wiled warms up the crowd.
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- Locksmith Liam.
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- Check out that microphone!
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- Bam! It’s Ruthe Ordare.
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- Oh hai there.
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- Swoosh!
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- Super seductress Nicky Ninedoors.
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- Ariel Helvetica hits the stage…
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- …and flies away with a million new crushes!
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- Special guest Mr. Diva.
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- Very bend, such flex.
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- Snail Lady.
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- Slow ridin’ with Voracious V.
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- Who could it be?
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- #coolbutts
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- Group finale!
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- Happy 2015, everyone!
Springtime Shimmer
Coming Up Next…
PANDORA & THE LOCKSMITHS at GUILT&CO
Join us at our home base, guilt&co, in Gastown on Tuesday, June 10 for our monthly live music burlesque extravaganza! Let us know you’re coming by checking out the Facebook event here. Get shimmying and shaking on a hot spring evening with performances by:
RUTHE ORDARE
MISS FITT
DELILAH DARE
CAROLE BRUNETTE
with stage mistress
NICKY NINEDOORS
musical accompaniment by
THE LOCKSMITHS
and hostess for the evening
MAMA KAY
Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm. Suggested donation of $10 with all proceeds going to the artists.
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Collective Structure
You may or may not know this, but Pandora & The Locksmiths operates as an artist collective rather than a company or troupe. What this means is that there is no assigned “leader” and all jobs -from social media, to band leading, to writing this here blog- are delegated among members. We cast performance spots based on availability and rotate sweeping duties. Sometimes we have one member lead a group number if it is a theme they are particularly passionate about, but most of the time we create as a team. It may take a lot longer, but we all feel strongly about creating with equality among artists. Miss Fitt and Nicky Ninedoors echo the sentiments of the group with their thoughts on our collective structure:
Miss Fitt
The most interesting part for me is how we seem to grow so much as individual performers through our work together. I get inspired all the time by my team. Performing along side such diverse and talented people helps me to become a stronger performer. I get ideas, I see what is exciting and effective for others and I bring my own unique talents and ideas to the table as well. I feel we each contribute to setting the bar higher for ourselves and support each other with our goals and ideas. We all benefit from each others success and grow stronger as a group as a result.
Nicky Ninedoors
What I found incredibly powerful about the process of Awakenings, was that it put us all in a really intense state of vulnerability. We had to be completely open with our feelings, consider the validity of the feelings of others, while working together towards a common goal. I feel that common goal was realized in the creation of “Hunter”, which closed the show. Performing as part of that act was powerful for me because it was created by eight people who were willing to listen to each other, who practiced saying “Yes” to each others ideas, while being humble and gracious when ideas didn’t work or needed revisiting.
It was a really hard process, but as a group we have been evolving for a while, recognizing the talents of each individual within the group, and striving to move away from the idea that any one individual is solely in charge. Each member of the collective is incredibly valuable, and it’s empowering to be surrounded by women who respect, admire, and encourage each other through the challenges they face.
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Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend
Photo by Alex Laurente
A huge “BREAK A LEG” to all the hugely talented women jetting off to Las Vegas to compete in the Tournament of Tease! The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender is a huge four-day fundraiser for the one and only Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum. Team Vancouver will be lighting up multiple categories this year. For Queen of Burlesque we have April O’Peel, Melody Mangler, Burgundy Brixx, and Lola Frost, for best group we have a duo by Lola Frost & Rita Star, and up for Best Debut, our very own VORACIOUS V! Kick some butt down there, Nebula Nipples!
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Vancouver International Burlesque Festival
It was such an honour to grace the Vogue stage with “Awakenings,” a huge collaboration between our collective, Four on The Floor String Quartet, and K-Tel. Want to know what the VIBF is like first-hand? Check out Ava Lure’s Festival Diary in Pin Curl Magazine! Enjoy these amazing photos of our VIBF production from Fubarfoto and Reckless Photography.
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- Early morning.
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- Sunrise.
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- Keys!
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- Bird of paradise, Ruthe Ordare.
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- Singing!
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- Miss Fitt, at the side of the river.
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- Sax, trumpet, trombone!
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- Angel of death, Miss Kiss.
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- Bass!
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- Two-sided symmetry, Ava Lure & August Wiled.
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- Four on The Floor Sting Quartet!
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- Wolf pack on the hunt.
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- Howling at the moon.
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- Thank you!
Daydreams and Night-terrors
Step Into Our Dream World
Announcement time! You may have guessed at this but now it’s time to spill the beans. Every Friday for the month of March, Pandora & The Locksmiths will be presenting a collection of favourite pieces at Fanclub in downtown Vancouver. “Awakenings” will pull the audience through the light and dark of the dream state. Each act will bring onlookers into the performer’s dream world, be it a glittery pajama party, a space adventure, or a visit from the angel of death. More information on tickets and showtimes will be available on our Facebook page very soon.
Until you can join us at Fanclub, why not lean a little more about our real-life dreams? The ladies of Pandora have very active imaginations! Nicky Ninedoors often dreams of the deep blue ocean and the terrifying notion of perishing in a killer whale attack. In the future, she hopes to travel to majestic Iceland (probably to meet Bjork). Miss Kiss dreams of becoming Alice Cooper one day, if she doesn’t lend her voice to a Disney princess character first! Ava Lure has a recurring dream: doomsday prepping! If she survives the apocalypse, Ava hopes to share billing with Violet Eva one day (because that would mean she also gets to go to Japan). August Wiled also dreams of underwater menace; her home being swallowed whole by the whale from Pinocchio. What’s with these whales??
Do you like that gorgeous photo of Miss Fitt? The opening night of “Awakenings” will be coupled with an exhibition of selected photos from Ninedoors Photography. Make sure to mark down March 7th in your calendar, you won’t want to miss this glamorous event! Until then, check out Ninedoors Photography on Tumblr.
Heart & Soul
Are you ready for Heart & Soul with Pandora & The Locksmiths? I bet you want to know who our super sexy guest host is… well, we’re going to keep you guessing! That’s going to be shared on our Facebook event page so make sure to check in. See you on the evening of the 11th at guilt&co, show at 9:00pm!
Everything Old Is New Again
Until you can see us in person, pour over more photos from last month’s show by Bob Ayers.
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- Nicky opens the show with a song.
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- Ava Lure.
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- Piano keys.
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- August Wiled.
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- The brass section.
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- Ruthe Ordare.
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- Miss Kiss.
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- Did I not say brass section?
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- Nicky Ninedoors.
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- Drums.
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- Ruthe Ordare.
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- Ava Lure & August Wiled.
Soul, Funk, Fringe Fest and more!
Up next, we’re taking you to….
Pandora and The Locksmiths are taking you on a 60’s and 70’s FLASH-back (pun intended!) on tuesday August 13th as we dive into a cool pool of retro-sexy goodness we like to call FUNKY TOWN!
With performances in the 60’s and 70’s groove by:
CAROLE BRUNETTE
RUTHE ORDARE
BURGUNDY BRIXX
and
NICKY NINEDOORS
plus DOUBLE TROUBLE stage management and siren skills by
MISS KISS
and
AUGUST WILED!
With classic funk and soul to spice up your hot August night by our 5 piece band, THE LOCKSMITHS!
And hosted by the the rip roaring vocal talents of
DOUG THOMS!
The show starts at 9 pm with the band while our balloon babe gets all her prize filled balloons popped! We highly recommend arriving early so you may enjoy the amazing cocktails and tapas at Guilt & Co.
Admission is a suggested $10 donation*
Join us for an evening of delightfully indulgent entertainment!
*Here at the Risque Cabaret, all donations go directly to funding the performers you see on the stage! Thank you so much for your continued support in making Tuesday night the hottest night in town!
* * *
Super Awesome Reminder: We’re in The Vancouver Fringe Festival!
This is the show you’ve been hearing about and your chance to see it fully staged at the beautiful historic theatre at The Cultch is just around the corner!
Join us on a racy romp through the golden age of burlesque and experience Minsky’s famous Burlesque Follies as remembered by the one and only Gypsy Rose Lee!
Starring BURGUNDY BRIXX as burlesque legend GYPSY ROSE LEE!
The PURRRFESSOR as comedian RAGS RAGLAND!
And in tribute performances to these other legendary burlesque queens:
NICKY NINEDOORS as extreme edyciast MARGIE HART!
APRIL O’PEEL as the tassel twirling CARRIE FINNEL!l
AUGUST WILED as the ever-elegant SHERRY BRITTON!
and MISS FITT as the feisty fireball GEORGIA SOTHERN!
Plus
SOCRATEASE
And RUTHE ORDARE, VORACIOUS V, and AVA LURE as The Famous Minsky Rosebuds!
And live music and fun with our HOT jazz band, THE LOCKSMITHS!
Sean Bayntun on Keys
John Bews on Bass
Alison Gorman on Trumpet
Dominic Conway on Sax
and Liam MacDonald on Drums
A production of Livestage Performance in association with Kitty Nights Burlesque and Pandora and the Locksmiths as part of the Vancouver Fringe Festival. Inspired by “Gypsy Rose Lee and the Minsky Follies” as produced by Albert Garzon and Ixion Burlesque
Here is the full schedule of when you can find us!
Sept 6 @ 8:55pm
Sept 7 @ 10pm
Sept 8 @ 1:45pm
Sept 11 @ 9:45pm
Sept 13 @ 5pm
Weekend Fringe Festival show tickets are just $12 each, and weekday shows are only $10!
More info on the Fringe Festival here:
http://www.vancouverfringe.com/
* * *
So awesome. Reminder, if you want to follow us on twitter we’re @livejazzburlesk
on instagram we were allowed more characters in our name (yay!) so we’re @pandoraandthelocksmiths
Tweet at us and let us know what you think of our shows! We love interacting with our guests all over the place!
* * *
Hmmmm…. I wonder if we have any other news.
Well, it is a month and a half until our third anniversary! That’s pretty spectacular. We have a lineup featuring almost every single one of our members, a show full of duets, plus two gorgeous group numbers, a new solo from one of our founding members (she is very excited about it, so you should be too!)
AND
We have a burlesque debut. (!!!!)
I’m getting choked up just typing this sh*t, I’m so excited.
You’ve seen her in the incredibly talented fusion bellydance group, Luciterra.
*deep breath*
LAURA!
Here’s a cute picture of her on the right (from my wedding after party, actually!) with one of her Luciterra sisters and one of our Pandora sisters, Delilah Dare! Delilah will be our stage manager in the show. I can’t wait to watch her face watching Laura! Oh, sister love. ❤
This is so damn exciting. I love our extended collective family!
I might add that you can find Luciterra performing at Guilt & Co on the last Tuesday of every month. They also teach classes- many of our members have been in their workshops getting our shimmy on. Check out their website if you want to learn more!
Photo by Amanda Flagg
* * *
Okay, I think that’s it for announcements. I can breathe now. My heartbeat can return to a slightly less elevated rate!
Except now it’s time for gorgeous photos taken at our most recent Guilt & Co production, by Jess Desaulniers-Lea.
Heart races. Swoon.
The Heat of the Night
Summer is here! And it’s glorious! We’ll be celebrating by disrobing… tell all your friends 😉
As warm breezes sweep through the city,
And the sweltering sun starts to set,
We’d like to invite you to join us inside,
Where we’ll tease ’til you work up a sweat.
Pandora and The Locksmiths are happy to present you with with a sizzling show that’s sure to raise your temperature!
Featuring:
CAROLE BRUNETTE
AVA LURE
AUGUST WILED
MISS KISS
VORACIOUS V
We are also incredibly pleased to have the stunningly sultry NICKY NINEDOORS singing steamy tunes, and keeping our ladies in line.
Not only will we satisfy your eyes, but you’re ears will be delighted with smoking hot music by the fabulous five piece jazz band THE LOCKSMITHS! If you thought it couldn’t possibly get better, the always scorching MAMA KAY will guide you through the evening and keep the mercury rising.
The show starts with the band at 9pm while Nicky NineDoors gets all her prize filled balloons popped; a rare treat indeed! We highly recommend arriving early so you may enjoy the amazing cocktails and tapas at Guilt & Co.
Admission is a suggested $10 donation*
*Here at the Risque Cabaret, all donations go directly to funding the performers you see on the stage! Thank you so much for your continued support in making Tuesday night the hottest night in town!
Whew! That show is sure to be a hot one. Don’t worry, Guilt & Co has air conditioning, so all that heat is going to be strictly internal, and our fault. Oopsies.
Before we get to some jaw dropping photos, we have a couple other things we would love to promote, because they are awesome.
Avenue Q!
Go see the incredible hit production that is getting rave reviews across the city! It’s innapropriate, it’s definitely not PC, and it’s fabulous! We were going to link to all the reviews to prove how awesome it is, but there are SO many. We’re not just saying that. Google is your friend. Avenue Q was over 80% sold out of the ENTIRE RUN until August 3rd, and then they extended it until August 17th due to demand. It’s amazing. It’s totally side splitting. Do yourself a favour and go.
Also, our own Brother Keys aka Sean Bayntun is the music director! And Mr Ninedoors is playing bass in the band with Sean!
Find out more and get tickets here!
and…
The Burlesque Assassins!
Reasons why we love this film:
1) “Rather than a film about burlesque, it is a burlesque film”- This is Cabaret
The BA features hugely inspirational performers such as Roxi D’Lite as the leading lady, plus our good friend Amber Ray as one of the dancers in the club! (There are so many inspiring performers in this film it’s kinda hard to list them all.) It’s a salacious romp of espionage in the land of absurdity. Love. which leads us to our next reason we love it…
2) Hello, cult hit!!
3) It’s Canadian made!
4) And bonus, they launched the film in Vancouver because they love Vancouver. Awesome. Nice work, guys!
If you’d like to buy this movie or rent it, please click here! They are doing an affiliate program with lots of burlesque community members, so a portion of the sales go back to to the community! We think that’s super awesome.
Know what else is awesome? If they do well selling this film, they plan to make another movie!! AWESOME!
Follow this link! Watch the preview! Purchase the movie! Support the little guys- they do big things!
Okay. Now that you’re done with our opinions, you may have some eye candy. Please enjoy a single serving of each of our performers featured in our upcoming show at Guilt & Co!
xo
Hello, gorgeous!
up next….
The joyfully brazen, delightfully lavish expression of sensuality. The whetting of curiosity, the glimmer of hope, and the arousal of desire, wrapped up in a package of indulgent extravagance.
Pandora and The Locksmiths are an extravagant collective of professional musicians and multi-disciplined burlesque artists, known for their prowess in weaving smokin’ live music and scintillating strip-tease into a sonically and visually lush spectacle. With a wink and a smile, they invite their audiences on a compelling journey into both the past and future of the burlesque art form.
On Friday, June 7th, these talented cats and kittens bring their saucy touch to the stage of Vancouver Fanclub for three sets of entertainment.
Featuring the talents of:
Burgundy Brixx!
August Wiled!
Ruthe Ordare!
Voracious V!
Nicky Ninedoors!
All set to the gorgeous tones of the FIVE PIECE BAND, The Locksmiths.
Doors: 7:30pm
Music begins at 8 pm, and the burlesque artists join in the saucy spectacle at 9 pm. Admission $15
ADVANCE TICKETS HERE!
Join us for a glamorous evening of unforgettable live entertainment!
and…..
Pandora and The Locksmiths are proud to present a collection of delectably sweet and devious acts to titillate every palette. This is one treat that even your dentist will approve!
Featuring:
BURGUNDY BRIXX!
RUTHE ORDARE!
AUGUST WILED!
plus two duets from
NICKY NINEDOORS and VORACIOUS V!
All to that smokin 5 piece jazz band, THE LOCKSMITHS!
And hosted by the the rip roaring vocal talents of
DOUG THOMS!
And our professional showgirl herder and sensational singer,
MISS KISS!
The show starts at 9 pm with the band while Miss Kiss gets all her prize filled balloons popped! We highly recommend arriving early so you may enjoy the amazing cocktails and tapas at Guilt & Co.
Admission is a suggested $10 donation*
Join us for an evening of deliciously glamorous entertainment!
*Here at the Risque Cabaret, all donations go directly to funding the performers you see on the stage! Thank you so much for your continued support in making Tuesday night the hottest night in town!
Well, that’s exciting! Our first ever show at FanClub! Wheee!! We do hope to see you there, it’s a BEAUTIFUL space with amazing sight lines and lights and sound, and we’re very thrilled to be performing on Granville Street again. Any time we can insert the burlesque counter culture into the pop culture is a good time by us! 😀
Speaking of which, some of our group members just got back from the Burlesque Hall of Fame! Brother Keys and I (Nicky) performed in the Movers, Shakers, and Innovators Showcase, Ruthe Ordare (with one of our fav performers Villainy Loveless) competed for Best Duo during the Tournament of Tease- and got a FULL standing ovation and brought many, many people to tears. And Burgundy Brixx was as dazzling as the sun in the Queen of Burlesque Category during the Tournament of Tease!
Special mention to Sweet Soul Burlesque led by sass queen Crystal Precious who also performed in the Movers, Shakers, and Innovators Showcase, as well as Lola Frost and Melody Mangler who seduced us in the Best Duo category, and Lola Frost in the Queen of Burlesque category winning 2nd Runner Up! Congratulations, girl! She was FIERCE!
We did NOT envy the decision making process the judges had to go through. Every single performer that was up on that stage was deserving of a prize. Quite literally the best of the best were showcased. I gave so many yelling, screaming, standing ovations I actually gave myself a headache. And I wasn’t the only one in that position! Damn! Amaaaazing.
So, on the tail end of the glittery performance wonder of BHoF, we come back super thrilled and inspired to up our game. We always want to up our game, but now it’s ON! We can’t wait to take this inspiration and the creativity that we’ve been offered, digest and absorb it, and put our all into our next creations! So, we really hope to see you at our next shows. We’re feeling fierce! *** Now for the eye candy…. 🙂
Here are a few photos that Jess Desaulniers-Lea took at the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival! Check out the festival’s FB page and Tumblr account for more! Enjoy!
When the trumpet hits High C…!
as part of
The 8th Vancouver International Burlesque Festival
As part of the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, Kitty Nights West and Pandora & The Locksmiths have teamed up under the masterful producing of Burgundy Brixx to bring you on a racy romp through the golden age of burlesque! Featuring Burgundy Brixx as Gypsy Rose Lee, plus August Wiled, Ava Lure, Miss Fitt, Nicky Ninedoors, Ruthe Ordare, and Voracious V as the Minsky Rosebuds!
Thursday May 2nd
The Rio Theatre – Broadway @ Commercial Drive
Show at 9:20pm*
Tickets are $35 – one ticket price gains you admission to ALL THREE different productions taking place on Thursday May 2nd: GYPSY ROSE LEE AT MINSKY’S BURLESQUE, MOTOWN BURLESQUE, and PAINT AND PASTIES!
Feel free to come early and stay late!
OR save money by purchasing a weekend ticket bundle.
Tix available at Northern Tickets:
http://tinyurl.com/cbnh484
In honour of the fast approaching burlesque festivities, please enjoy some of the photos that were taken during the festival last year!
xox
She’s As Modest As Can Be….
up next…
We are very excited about the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival! The board has been hard at work all year, but things are getting pretty intense now! Intense in the good kinda way, you know? Like when you feel you’re getting kinda werked and are like yeaaaaah… harder.
Anyhoo! The festival runs from May 2nd to May 4th, plus there is a wicked after party on the 5th at The Cellar. For reals, I’m going to be laughing my ass off all night. Or swooning 😉 -You should come too!
after the festival…
Tuesday May 14th at Guilt & Co
This coming month we are featuring the spectacular Lady Josephine! Burgundy Brixx, August Wiled, Nicky Ninedoors, Voracious V, and Carole Brunette round out the line up (uhhyeah they do), Ava Lure is our leggy stage manager for the evening and the night is hosted by the bombshell Mama Kay! Of course you’ll be treated to the musical stylings of The Locksmiths all night, so don’t miss out!
Doors 7 pm, show 9 pm, suggested donation is $10. Pretty good for a 13 person cast, right?
So mark it in your calendars, cuz sh*ts about to get real sparkly.
***
Now, where were we? Oh yes, dessert. Who says dessert can’t be good for you?
Please indulge in the photos that were taken by the talented Cameron Brown at our most recent show at Guilt. Isn’t his website just full of gorgeous, gorgeous photos? And his blog is pretty nifty, too! I get the feeling that you’ll be seeing lots more photos of his in the near future… 🙂
Enjoy!
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- Welcome to the show!
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- The traditional way we start the show- with prizes, balloons, and nudity, of course!
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- Check out that rear end suspension.
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- Let’s go!
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- Oh hi, Officer!
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- She’ll get your green
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- Hairography
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- She’s a blondshell
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- First she giveth…
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- Oh!
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- Ah!
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- Yay!
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- Oo!
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- The Fox
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- She’s bringing sexy back
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- Carole Brunette is this adorable pretty much all the time
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- Spin!
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- DING!
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- DINGDINGDING!
This Here Blog
up next…
60s Groove!
Tuesday April 9th, Show starts at 9 pm, Guilt & Co at 1 Alexander Street in Gastown. Suggested donation $10. Our regular monthly show! It’s a super fun night with cocktails and gorgeous food, a great atmosphere, and every month we prepare a different style of show for you!
We’ve been successfully running since September 2010, and since then there has been quite an evolution in our cast. Pandora has literally doubled in size, becoming what Ruthe Ordare refers to as an army of talent. We’ve all been really happy with how the show runs and the format we’ve come up with.
That being said…
Another evolution is approaching in the future. We have big plans. I’ve been plotting and budgeting and dreaming and scheming, and it’s going to happen. February 14th, 2014… Yep. Mark that in your calendar. You will want to be there.
In the meantime, if you have a friend who hasn’t been to our monthly show and isn’t terribly concerned because the monthly keeps happening… they should come out sometime. Sooner rather than later. Because evolution is inevitable, and change is good. And we want our audience to see our creative process when it comes to our productions. We don’t want you to miss out on how we’re getting where we’re going. We want you to continue to be a part of our history!
Speaking of history, fast approaching is the
8th Annual Vancouver International Burlesque Fest!
Burgundy Brixx has put together a really great production that we’re a part of on the Thursday night, and our members are all over the showcases on Friday and Saturday! It’s pretty sweet. I highly recommend getting a weekend pass. Highly recommend!
and now… for set 2 of photos from our most recent show at Guilt!
Photography by Rene Blais. Colour edits by myself. I was feeling experimental this morning.
Enjoy!
A Taste of Spring
catch the collective in…
Get Away with Pandora and The Lockmiths!
March 12th at Guilt & Co, 1 Alexander St in Gastown. Doors 7 pm, Show 9 pm. Suggested donation $10.
Retrospective
An ElectroSwing Club Canada spectacular at The Rickshaw, Friday March 22nd. Full show by Pandora and The Locksmiths, Dj’s, dancefloor, fashion show and more!
upcoming sister productions from P&L family members…
Guilt goes MOD with The Hot Pants!
Tomorrow! March 5th at Guilt & Co, 1 Alexander St in Gastown. Doors 7 pm, show 9 pm. Suggested donation $10. Wear your best 60s duds and get ready to be blown away by a whole troupe of dancers, plus guest hula hooper Nicky Ninedoors! Produced by Miss Fitt!
Paris A Minuit!
Friday, March 29th at The Rio Theatre. Doors 7 pm, Show 8 pm. Can’t be bothered to write the whole lineup, plus reading is good for you. World class promoter, that’s me! Just click the link and look at that amazing lineup!
and, of course, Kitty Nights every Sunday at The Biltmore!
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Now, maybe you were stuck inside all day and maybe you need a bit of a pick me up. Or maybe you just need to look at pretty photos. We don’t judge.
Here’s a few morsels of gorgeous from Jess Desaulniers-Lea!
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In Like a (purrrring) Lioness
Next Up with Pandora and The Locksmiths:
Get Away With Us! March 12th at Guilt & Co
Electroswing: Retrospective on March 22nd at The Rickshaw
sister events
Kitty Nights at The Biltmore produced by Burgundy Brixx: every sunday!
The Hot Pants at Guilt & Co produced by Miss Fitt: Tues, March 5th
Paris a Minuit at The Rio, produced by Miss Fitt: Fri, March 29th
And check out every Tuesday at Guilt & Co for fabulous cabaret themed productions, featuring incredibly talented performers whom we love and work with as much as we can!
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Well! now that we’ve scheduled your life for you… let’s get onto business!
As you can see, we’ve got some really amazing events coming up. Our next show at Guilt features a special guest who both plays an instrument and is an excellent burlesque dancer- Miss Via Rose! I’m personally excited to see her dance whenever I get the opportunity, but I’m also extra excited because she and I are creating our first duet together! Featuring the bassoon, my voice, some classic strip-tease, and gorgeous custom costumes by my sister in law, Jessica Bayntun.
We’re also very excited for our first ElectroSwing event as a whole group! The WHOLE SHEBANG! Wow!
And as you can see, Miss Fitt has been gettin busy! What? She’s a hard worker! She’s got her Hot Pants show on March 5th (I’ll be swinging hoops) as well as Paris a Minuit on the 29th. You should look at that lineup. Kinda insane!
And now, what you came for…
Last month we had the wonderful Jess Desaulniers-Lea be our sponsor photographer. While we love our men behind the camera, there’s a special sort of vibe when you know that it’s a woman who’s waiting for your sultriest moment to be captured at the flick of her finger…. shall we take a look at what she got?
Enjoy!
Get Yer Mischief!
Hitting the stage at 9 pm on February 12th at Guilt & Co…
Femme & Fatale featuring The Lady Josephine!
See you there!
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It’s been a bit of a whirlwind! Winter is a really busy season for burlesque, what with religious holidays and all, and on top of it I just got back from performing in the 1st Annual Minneapolis Burlesque Festival with Sean! WHEEEE! We performed “Nude” in their beautiful Ritz Theatre (Ummm… Vancouver? You need a theatre like that) and just came back so overwhelmingly inspired. It was our first out of town festival, and getting to meet so many international talent machines was just incredible. I could gush for days.
Dirty.
Sandwiching the MBF, getting applications in for both the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend in Vegas, doing photo shoots and video shoots, plus now buckling down and creating the first duet between Burgundy Brixx and myself (excited!) for April O’Peel’s Burlesque Duos on Valentine’s at The Rio (Miss Fitt is also in that show!)…. it’s a little busy. I’m also going to be fan dancing in my good friend Mackenzie Gray’s Crazy 8’s film “Under The Bridge of Fear”, and I’m really excited about that. Burgundy Brixx is a part of that, too, plus many people connected to our glorious burlesque community here in Vancouver.
Did I mention that it’s also my birthday coming up? Yeah, let’s talk more about MEMEME! It’s my birthday on Sunday, Feb 17th, and I’ll be celebrating in the way that pleases me most- by shaking my stuff for tips at Kitty Nights! I’m one of those people who haaaaates to plan a party and would rather be working than plan a party… by dancing at Kitty Nights, I get to do both! I can’t think of a better way to celebrate, to be honest, than sweating all over a wad of caaaaashhh. Right? I’m going to be wearing Pants. Yes, you heard me. PANTS. And you can bet they will be your FAVOURITE PANTS EVER. They’re the only pair of pants that I actually own and wear. So clearly they are magical.
Enough of this yapping. You came here for photos.
This week we’re featuring Lotus Eater Films, who came out to our show in January.
Enjoy!
xox
Nicky Ninedoors
Look At This!
Are you ready for some heart stopping femininity?
Femme and Fatale with Pandora and The Locksmiths, featuring special guest Lady Josephine!
Feb 12th, Guilt & Co at 1 Alexander Street in Gastown. Doors 7 pm, Show 9 pm.
Suggested donation $10, which directly funds all the heartbreaking cats and kittens you see on stage!
At our upcoming monthly show (monthly show #29! Holy crap!) we are presenting a saucy mix of femininity. We have gloriously soft and gorgeous contrasted with fiercely film noir, as well as deliciously complex combinations of those ideas. Much like a fine bottle of scotch. Okay, okay. Wine for all your wine ladies (and gents). I’ll keep the scotch to myself, thanks. Okay, fine, I’ll share it with Jody.
I could tell you all the reasons why you should come see the show, or you could just come, because you know why already. I wrote a testimonial on how awesome our show is, but frankly my craft desk is a mess and I can’t find it. Oh well.
Ramble ramble ramble…. heeeey, how about some pictures?
This blog entry, we’re featuring the work of Voodoo Bill (swoon). We were lucky to have two photographers at our Dream a Little Dream show (with Amber Ray!) in January, so next blog entry, you get an entirely different flavour! We’ve got your bases covered, Vancouver.
Alright, it’s time to indulge. (favourite word ever. I should just start saying “It’s Nicky O’Clock”!)
Enjoy!
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- A Praying Man
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- Bubbly queen
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- Singing your heart out
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- The Blues
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- Film Noir
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- She’s Come To Destroy You
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- And You Don’t Really Mind…
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- Soul Man
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- Classical
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- Man Eater
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- Beautiful Amber Ray
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- Glowing with love
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- Showgirl Sprites
Risque Resolutions
1) Umm…. less pants.
Pretty sure that’s our new years resolutions all taken care of! And we know it’s one that everyone can easily stick to… Moving right along!
This entry is going to be short and sweet and full of eye candy. I should really be rehearsing right now for upcoming shows, because boy do I like to bite off a lot to chew on.
Phrasing…?
On Sunday the 30th, it’s Kitty Nights New Years Eve’s Eve!
I’ll be performing with an incredible lineup, and I’m bringing out the hubby on the upright, and the brother on the keys. I will not be wearing pants. Resolution, check!
On Monday the 31st, Pandora and The Locksmiths have put together an incredible New Year’s Eve production for the
eatART Foundation’s Genesis party.
I am personally really stoked on this as it’s one of the biggest shows we’ve done. An hour and a half straight of live music, burlesque, five part vocal acts… ahh! Intense! You’ll have to ask us directly for links to get tickets as it’s a very intimate affair- just the way we like it. Please email us at livejazzburlesque@gmail.com for more details! I will be wearing one pair of pants. But they are made of sequinned fringe. So… pretty sure that our resolution isn’t being broken there. Also, they are sheer. Win!
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Eye candy time! Last month we had photographer Craig Cochrane at our Winter Magic production in Guilt & Company. PS- next show at Guilt is January 8th. We have a special guest. She’s an international star. It’s top secret. You liked her a lot when she was with us in November.. hint hint… 🙂
Enjoy!
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Mama Kay and Ava Lure begin the balloon tradition!
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Is it any wonder those balloons disappear so fast?
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Yes. This happened. For real.
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Beautiful Burgundy in lilac feathers.
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Carole Brunette!
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Twirling!
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Miss Fitt says Merry Christmas
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Special Guest Travis Bernhardt brought winter into Guilt.
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Burgundy has tricks up her sleeve, while wearing no sleeves. Or anything else!
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I’m gonna give you candy..!
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Cast!
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- Mama Kay and Ava Lure begin the balloon tradition!
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- Is it any wonder those balloons disappear so fast?
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- Yes. This happened. For real.
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- Beautiful Burgundy in lilac feathers.
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- Carole Brunette!
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- Twirling!
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- Miss Fitt says Merry Christmas
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- Special Guest Travis Bernhardt brought winter into Guilt.
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- Burgundy has tricks up her sleeve, while wearing no sleeves. Or anything else!
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- I’m gonna give you candy..!
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- Cast!
Sugarplums and Showgirlbums
Happy Monday!
On December 11th we hope to see you at Guilt & Co for
Winter Magic! featuring the incredible Travis Bernhardt!
Last year we featured Travis in our show to rave reviews. He’s always such a treat to watch, let alone work with. We just couldn’t resist his charms. Har har! But seriously…. ladies in our audience…. we know you come to watch fierce women and be entertained and titillated and inspired… but this month you’ve got some eye and brain candy represented by this man. Who in the heck gets to be tall-dark-and-handsome-and-smart-and-f*cking-magical? Travis Bernhardt. That’s who. So, you’re welcome 😉
We’re also welcoming back to the stage one of our rare treat ladies- a founding member of P&L, Carole Brunette! Joining her are the likes of Burgundy Brixx, Miss Fitt, and myself. The long and leggy Ava Lure is our stage manager this month, and Mama Kay our MC. Doors 7 pm, show 9 pm. Suggested donation $10- which goes directly to paying the cast of 12 people on stage!
A big snuggly thank you to all who came to Cafe de Paris at Guilt & Co last month- wow was that place ever packed! It’s usually pretty cozy before, but on top of our regular crowd, there were faces we’d never seen before in the audience, and l’amour was in the air! Pretty sure the incredible Amber Ray and Lady Josephine had something to do that that, don’t you think? We were so thrilled to get to work with them- international guests are a little hard to come by in Vancouver, so we absolutely jumped at the chance to collaborate. Did they ever exceed every expectation, and you know we have high expectations! Speaking of expectations, we apologize for starting the show later than usual, we had some unexpected sound setup issues that pushed us a little late. We’ll be on time next time, promise!
Just a friendly reminder that we don’t allow any form of videotaping or photography during our show, unless you’re a designated photographer (if you’re a professional photographer and are interested in shooting, please contact us at livejazzburlesque@gmail.com)- this includes cameras as well as iPhones and all those fancy little devices. We know it’s oh-so-tempting to try to snag a picture of that amaaazing moment that is playing out on stage, but then you have to take your eyes away from the stage and look through a screen. And that is not nearly as awesome as absorbing and indulging in the performance real time. And that is what we live for- indulging you in real time, completely live. We spend so much time in front of computer screens for work and un fun purposes, it really tickles us to be able to connect with our audiences one hundred percent! Furthermore… if you are caught breaking the rules (naughty!) then you’ll have to deal with me. And I’m a very nice person, but my will is even firmer than my backside. I realize that’s hard to believe, but just ask around.
On the bright side! This little issue inspired something that I think is VERY cool. We’re going to have a polaroid camera (can those things be called retro yet? Or are they just outdated? whatevs) so that you can purchase autographed photos of you and your friends with our performers and musicians! I love sassy keepsakes. I was inspired by the gorgeous Voodoo Pixie at our wedding reception- she snapped a picture of John and I and it’s just so charming. What’s more, is it was signed by a number of the guests at our party. I love it so much, and after watching so many people struggle to get pictures with their camera phones (It’s out of focus! That one didn’t take! I blinked! Why is my camera frozen!) I thought it would be so nice if people could just sit back, relax, and have their photo taken and have a little autographed treasure handed to them to take home right away.
Wow, I’ve talked for two paragraphs about photos. They say a good act runs with three’s… so, here you go.
A photo blog! Featuring the stunning artistry of Voodoo Bill!
Just what you’re been waiting for! Unless you were clever and skipped over my blathering. In which case, good on you. You made it through 723 words.
Ta-da!
L’amour! Je deteste wordpress!
Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, we’re taking a ride on Miss Fitt’s French wings of fancy on November 13th and turning Guilt & Co into
We are thrilled to have two spectacular special guests for Un Cafe de Paris!
Pictured above, the shimmering sensationalist from New York, Amber Ray! www.amberray.net
And from Montreal, the marvelously musical Lady Josephine! www.facebook.com/TheLadyJosephine
Yeah, um, the only word I can think of right now is YOWZERS! Holy fierce, batman!
Miss Fitt, Burgundy Brixx, and yours truly will be adding new Parisian inspired solo acts to the show, and we’re creating a silky new trio! Voracious V will be on feather and balloon duty, and The Locksmiths will play beautiful music to serenade us all! We’re looking forward to a truly spectacular evening!
November 13th at Guilt & Co. Doors 7 show 9. Suggested donation $10. Get there early- with these guests we are going to fill up faster than ever!
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Speaking of l’amour, we’d like to thank you for being a part of Fall (in love again) last month! Our most recent production truly lived up to its title, with the finale of our fabulous trumpeter Alison Gorman proposing to her long time girlfriend Soo on stage. It was magical. Burgundy Brixx created an act to Ravel’s Bolero and danced en pointe to an enraptured crowd, then sneakily got Soo up on stage at the end to “thank her” for helping in the act. Heh heh heh. At that moment, Alison came out from the back of the stage playing a beautiful melody (to the completely unsuspecting Soo, I might add) and then got down on bended knee and proposed! It was only at that moment that Soo had any idea what was going on. The crowd jumped to their feet and gave the loudest cheers I’ve ever heard there. There were many happy tears. (On a related note, I’m not sure how we all managed to keep a secret for like, two months, but no one brought kleenex. Come on. Troupe full of ladies. No kleenex. Really?)
Congratulations to the beautiful couple. We wish you many, many happy years together. Thank you for sharing your love with all of us. It’s beautiful and we love you.
On that wonderful note, onto the fabulous photos taken by Cameron Brown!
Enjoy!
Stolen by a Kiss
With Summer Groove just around the corner, we felt it was time to introduce you to another new member of our collective…
Miss Kiss!
But before we get to her interview (and gallery! Shazam!) let me tell you a little bit about our upcoming show. We have a craaaazy lineup in store for you, and this show is all about the groove. Burgundy Brixx and I will be performing, as per usual, and Miss Fitt will be lending her sweet voice for the show, but in addition to that we have fierce burlesque vocalist Miss Kiss, and Vancouver’s high energy sweet-heart from Sweet Soul Burlesque and the Vancouver Burlesque Centre, Cherry On Top! We’ve never performed with her before and we’ve been dying to for a long time! And with Cherry in the mix, you know there will be lots of booty groovin music abounding. Have I mentioned how hard we work our musicians? One month it’s all 1940s and classic jazz, the next month we make them do funk and soul. And they switch gears like nobodies business. NBD.
Alright. Let’s get to know Miss Kiss. And let me give you a disclaimer- this little kissing bandit is much more likely to throw you down and kiss you than wait for a knight in shining armour to come deliver one. She’s fierce. Read about her. The lady is gettin naked for you, so get to know her!
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What is your performance and training background?
After being out of school for a year, my Mom said I better get doing something, so I thought, okay, I like to sing and express myself and dress up in costumes – how bout musical theatre? So I auditioned for the Capilano Musical Threatre Diploma Program. So that is three years of training which includes, but was not limited to: singing, acting, jazz, tap, ballet, film, music theory, and a lot of masterclasses! This does not mean I am a pro at all these things, but I have lots to draw on for performances should I need them! I learned that you can really disguise how terrible you are at tap if you learn to smile…ha! I was the rocker girl dressing up as Alice Cooper for first year ice breakers and not having a clue who Sondheim was. I quickly learned though! I have performed with many local theatre companies since graduating, including Gateway Threatre, Theatre Under the Stars and the Arts Club Theatre.
I also started getting into Marilyn Monroe around Grade 9. My dad bought me a Monroe lunchbox as a gift for good grades and I started watching her films and wearing red lipstick everyday – with my doc martins and bondage pants. So I have always had this mix of rock n’ roll and glamour. I also found out I make a terrible blonde and could not be Monroe.
Enter Bettie Page and the burlesque world. “Oh my gawd! So amazing! Where can I find this world?!” I asked myself as a little girl from Surrey. Well thank goodness for The Purrrfessor!!! We were in a production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” with TUTS in 2008 and he told me about Kitty Nights, that I should come out, and maybe Go-Go sometime. Thank you Jesus! Ha! Here are all these amazing women who come in all shapes, sizes and colours just kicking ass on stage being sexy and fun and strong! Love love love at first sight! So needless to say, I did Go-Go, and went on to start doing my own numbers. Burgundy Brixx really showed me how it is done and has always been someone who inspires me as a performer, teacher and friend.
So more on the “why burlesque”: it is a medium where I feel I get to truly express myself and my vision how I choose. It gives me a chance to be my own character instead of one already created in a script. It also has helped me be more comfortable with myself. Miss Kiss does not have body issues or insecurities – she just wants to have a good time and entertain!
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We’re really stoked to work with Miss Kiss. She has a massive voice, as you may have seen during our “Night Owl Revue” production for the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, or in Blue Morris’ Beatles Burlesque. With the amount of skill she has, it’s no wonder we’re all trying to get a piece!
Enjoy the photos!
The Fever Pitch
It’s been hot and glorious, and while our last Heat Wave production was sizzling (we’ve got the photos to prove it!), our next production is going to be nothing short of gloriously scandalous- we’re bringing the fire for…
Summer Groove!
Now, onto our traditional week starter of saucey photos captured at our most recent show at Guilt & Co by the talented Cameron Brown!
Ta-da!
Well, I decided that I’m going to take a day off tomorrow, so you get lucky and get the last photos from William Stewart today!
Continuing on in the back story…
So, a little while after our first meeting, I was sad to discover that I wasn’t able to take the burlesque course that I wanted exactly when I wanted, and that I was going to have to wait until the next session. BOO. How would I continue my friendship with the mysterious little pinup with the helmet-wearing friend? Displeased! But, to be honest, it gave me time to warm my mom and dad up to what I was doing anyways. Don’t get me wrong, my parents now come to every show and sit pretty much front row whenever they can, but there was a famous quote uttered once…
“What, are you going to do burlesque as a career?”
“Well… why not? I’m good at it.” 🙂
It only took a couple shows for them to figure out where this was all coming from, and how it was actually preeeetty much what I’m made to do (ie. make a spectacle of myself), so I won their undying support in short order!
So, in January, I went to my first class…. and who walks in, but that quirky lady again! Turns out we were completely on the same page and fate decided to keep us together!
That’s pretty much it. We went through Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society’s Becoming Burlesque together, then decided we would hang out all the time, then Pandora & The Locksmiths was formed, and the rest is history in the making.
Oh yeah… hope to see you at our next show at Guilt & Co on June 11th. Voracious V is performing, and we’ve got a new naughty duet we’ll be debuting….
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- Nicky Ninedoors – Nude
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- Voracious V – Geisha
A Little Backstory…
Ahhh, more photos of myself and Voracious V from William Stewart.
Here’s a little backstory about how Voracious V and I came to be friends.
Back when I was working as a waitress, there was a girl I worked with whom I would occasionally go out and party with. I was kind of over the club scene at that point (I no longer really drank and that killed it for me) but every once in a while I definitely needed to dance. One night we were out at The Lamplighter and she introduced me to V, saying “She is going to do a burlesque course!”. I was really surprised, because I thought I was definitely the only person to have such a cool idea. No, not really, but to be honest I hadn’t come across anyone else who was like “I AM GOING TO STRIPPER SCHOOL! YAY!” and I was incredibly intrigued. Who was this little lady, with her super curvy body and her quirky mannerisms? WHO WAS SHE?
As I was going to do the same thing, I said “Me too!”. We proceeded to discover that we were signed up for the same session with Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society! WHOA.
There’s more to this story, obviously. But, just in case you didn’t know, I’m a professional tease. You’ll get more. When I say you’ll get more. Now, for some photos.
Juxtaposition- Nicky Ninedoors and Voracious V
I’m a big fan of contrast. So imagine my delight when I discovered I could get my hands on photos of myself and Voracious V taken by William Stewart for The Straight from The Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. Ummmmm, I’m not sure if you were there to witness the two acts we did, but we were VERY different. Both ended up pretty damn naked though (in custom made underthings by Messica Demolition, obviously, and our own hand made “naked” crystal pasties- very naughty!)
So, in the next few blog posts I’m going to be posting photos of both myself and my lovely purple friend Voracious V. Enjoy!
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- Whoooo dat? Photo by William Stewart
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- Voracious V at The Vogue. Photo by WIlliam Stewart
Pandora and The Locksmiths 