History Theatre Ends Production of QUEEN OF BURLESQUE, 5/23

History Theatre takes audiences back to a hot August night in 1953 for a unique look at the lives of burlesque dancers. Featuring classic burlesque dance numbers performed on the stage of the Gay 90s juxtaposed with the lives theses working women lived off-stage in the dressing room and beyond. The production QUEEN OF BURLESQUE will end its run May 23.

Playwright David Mann brings his unique perspective on the world of burlesque dancers to the History Theatre stage. As the husband of one of the founders of Lili's Burlesque Revue he gets to see both sides of the performers - the persona they create as part of the business of show on stage and the real people who go about the business of life off stage. Mann found this contrast to be intriguing and the recent revival of burlesque in the Twin Cities also prompted questions about where burlesque had gone and what it had been like back in its heyday. Mann felt this would be a great story to put on History Theatre's stage.

"I admit to being... cautious when David came to me with his idea for this play," says History Theatre artistic director Ron Peluso. "I had never been to a burlesque show. So he invited me to see his wife's troupe perform. Well, how racy could it be? Come watch my wife undress to music! Sounded innocent enough... It was a small venue in Minneapolis and the joint was packed - mostly with women - and they were screamin' and cheerin' the whole night! What a gas! Today's burlesque scene is very much different from that of the 1950s but at its heart, it's all entertainment - funny acts designed to tease! David's play captures the fun of those on stage moments and also pulls back the curtain and invites audiences to meet the real women behind the feather boas."

Initially Mann set his play in 1937 at a theatre called The Gayety in Minneapolis. After a reading in History Theatre's 2004 Raw Stages, he decided to update the time setting to the 1950s, drawn by the fun and recognizable striptease music of that era - Sonny Lester-inspired horns, big fat drums, etc. The setting was changed to the Gay 90s which was still a burlesque house in 1953, and the script was read again at History Theatre' 2008 Raw Stages, this time with some added flare provided by some performers from Lili's Burlesque Revue. The resulting play is a sassy, funny, and unexpectedly poignant look at the lives of burlesque performers working in a time of changing social mores.

Queens of Burlesque was written by David Mann. It is directed by John Miller-Stephany, with choreography by Gina Louise Woods, original music composition and direction by Andrew Cooke, scenic and costume design by Matt LeFebvre, lighting design by Mike Wangen, sound by C. Andrew Mayer, properties design by Gunther Gullickson, and stage managed by Dan Hanson. Starring Stacia Rice, Greta Grosch, Brian Sostek, Emily Rose Skinner, Daisy Macklin Skarning, Scott Jorgenson, Karen Weber, and Matt Erkel.

And information and photos are available at www.HistoryTheatre.com

 

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