The new one-stop pin-up shop Dallas PinUp opened to much fanfare this month.  A unique store model, the first of its kind, Dallas PinUp is a retail space featuring several “booths” where independent, local, and all female owned businesses sell their vintage inspired merchandise.  Everything from pin-up clothing, lingerie, jewelry, accessories, shoes, and make-up can be found in the retail store on Main Street.  In addition to the retail side, Dallas PinUp is also the new location of Through the Looking Glass, Dallas’ premier pin-up photography studio, and home base for award winning hair & make-up artist Ladonna Stein.  Dallas PinUp is Dallas’ first pin-up and burlesque store, and the only all female owned collaborative in Texas.

Photographs provided by Mark Kaplan of NakedLens.org, and were taken at The Dallas PinUp Grand Opening on October 26^th.  Dallas PinUp is located in the heart of Deep Ellum, Dallas’ original Arts District, at 2928 Main, Dallas 75226.  Store hours are W-F 4-8pm, Sat 10a-6p, Sun 11-4.  Studio hours vary by appointment.

Interview with Dallas PinUp owner, Shoshana

Burlesque Haunts: Behind the Curtain at the Mauch Chunk Opera House

by: Femme Vivre LaRouge

Reports of apparitions and applause, spectral piano playing, whistling, and much more abound at the old opera house in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.  For the past two years Jim Thorpe Burlesque, also known as Dragontown Burlesque, has held the Jim Thorpe Burlesque Festival at the historic Mauch Chunk Opera House, and from what I hear, there’s an audience around before the crowd ever arrives.  Jacqueline Hyde, performer and Production Manager of Dragontown Burlesque, was kind enough to share her chilling personal experiences with me.  For starters, she felt hot and cold spots in the upstairs balcony, and the sensation of ‘walking through webs.’  Then, backstage she continued to sense cold spots in the space and began to hear ethereal voices and movement near her.  But the strangest interaction came the next day when Jacqueline was teaching a class on the stage.  “I was facing the curtains and I saw as though someone was putting their hand on the curtain and running it up and down the curtain.”  Although no one was visible behind the curtains, and there was no breeze to stir them, the movement continued, going up just as high as arm’s reach, and down to a similar point at the bottom of the curtain.  Rather than cancel class, Jacqueline chose to address the entity feeling up the curtain: “When I asked it to stop because it was being disruptive the curtain went back to normal instantly.”

Nestled beautifully amongst the mountains of Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe is a picturesque Victorian village of around 5,000.  Voted one of America’s “Top 10 Coolest Small Towns,” the borough was originally named Mauch Chunk, meaning Bear Mountain.  The opera house was built in the early 1880s, to accommodate both the town hall, and a farmer’s market.  Becoming a fixture on the vaudeville circuit, the opera house hosted big-name performers such as Mae West, W.C. Fields, Al Jolson, and John Phillips Sousa.  Then, in 1927, the venue was converted to a motion picture house, operating in that capacity until 1959.  Serving as a common warehouse for many years, the opera house was rescued by the Mauch Chunk Historical Society in the mid-seventies and restored to its original glory.  Now the opera house is in constant use for live performances and events.

The Jim Thorpe Burlesque Festival, produced by Brooke Au Buchon (aka Madame Corsetiere), has contributed to the preservation of The Mauch Chunk Opera House with the shows held there.  Although the festival will be moving to a larger venue next year, Mrs. Au Buchon is also the Vice President of the Mauch Chunk Historical Society.  As she has spent a great deal of time in the theatre, she had a few spooky stories of her own to share.  While inspecting the seating prior to the 2011 festival, Brooke decided to take a peek in the old projection room.  “It was brightly lit from a high window that faces the street, and contained nothing but an old desk and dusty scraps of wood and wire.  As I turned to close the door behind me, the shadow of a person passed across the floor, as though someone had walked in front of the window.  The window is far too high to reflect traffic from the street, and the top of the nearest tree is a full story down.”  Dragontown Burlesque is named after Madame Corsetiere’s own business, Dragontown Corsets, and they also host an annual Halloween show, Boolesque.  In 2010, while preparing for the show, Au Buchon went to wash her hands after moving some beer kegs.  Alone in the venue, she made her way through the dimly lit theatre to the ladies’ room.  “There are two doors you must pass through to get in, and they create a small vestibule between them.  I entered the first door, and it closed behind me.  I held the second door open, and fumbled for the light switch in complete blackness.  Before I could find it, there was a very loud noise from the back right-hand corner of the room.  It was the unmistakable sound of heavy furniture being dragged across the floor.  However, there is no furniture in the room at all, and the area the sound came from is only occupied by a toilet cubicle. In fright, I turned back, still in darkness, and tried to open the first door.  I couldn’t.  It felt like someone was holding it closed, as I would pull and the door would crack open slightly under my weight, and then slam shut again.  This only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity.  Whoever was holding the door did finally let go, and I practically fell into the lobby.”

Many others have had otherworldly encounters at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, and the site has been investigated by several paranormal societies.  One such group, the Blue Mountain Paranormal Society, invited the public to join their investigations, thereby raising money for the historic venue.  The group detected shadows and phantom whistling, temperature fluctuations, and electromagnetic field changes.  Investigator Beth Dennis responded to a tingling sensation by pointing her camera into the dark and filming where she could see nothing.  She states, “The next day when I reviewed the video, I saw the outline of a gentleman wearing a hat.”

Another organization that has examined the opera house is NEPA Paranormal, whose medium, Lauri Moore, came into contact with the ghost of an usher at the opera house.  He seems to have been concerned about her safety as she navigated the balcony area in the dark.  Although the usher was kind to Lauri, demonstrating an unearthly loyalty to his job, he did chide her for being late.  The word ‘tardy’ was caught on the group’s Ovilus, or ghost box, a piece of equipment which amplifies vibrations so that they are audible to the human ear.  When the NEPA team posed the question, “Who’s with us this evening?” the answer on both the EVP and Ovilus was ‘ghost.’

To listen to the EVPs obtained that night at the opera house, visit: http://www.nepaparanormal.com/page43.php

You can also listen to EVPs obtained by the Hazleton Paranormal Society: http://www.hazletonparanormal.com/mcoh.html and view videos from the investigation by A&E’s Psychic Kids and CT Paranormal Encounters And Research: http://www.cpeargroup.com/id103.html

Meet the Pinup Angels

by: Shoshana

A group of girls gathering in a quaint living room, writing love letters, signing photographs, and sorting through piles of snacks would like the makings of a good old fashioned slumber party, but for The Pinup Angels this is business as usual.  Founded in 2007 by US Marine Miss Kitty Baby of Seattle, The Pinup Angels seek to “use [their] Pinup Superpowers to send morale care packages to our deployed troops”.   Their super powers have now grown to hundreds of care pages being sent out every other month corresponding with the national holidays, by Pinup Angels from all over the country.  Care packages include all kind of goodies from practical items like socks and snacks (jerky, nuts, and candy are popular items) to fun items like pin-up magazines, toys,  thank you cards, and of course- signed pin-up photographs.  Inspired by Kay O’Hara ‘s personal approach to supporting our troops, the gals take the time to make sure each package has a hand signed photograph and hand-written note or letter.

Unlike the first wave of war time pin-ups, which included famous names like Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth, our modern times mean that now it’s not just men serving in the armed forces.  Depending on which stats you read, between 15-20% of our military is made up of enlisted women; as a US marine herself, Miss Kitty Baby is acutely aware of this. When quoted the statistics regarding the incredibly high number of female soldiers with sexual harassment and rape reports against their male counterparts[1], and asked if she ever had concerns about the safety of sending pin-up care packages to male soldiers, Miss Kitty responded, “We send our pinups for the purposes of morale and a friendly face from home in a manner that mimics a wartime history.  With that intention, we don’t worry too much about it being taken the wrong way because we know in our hearts they are sent with love and respect”.

In fact, many female soldiers request care packages from The Pinup Angels, and they fill those requests with “gal packages” for female soldiers, which in addition to girly items, also include pin-ups.   “We get wonderful feedback from the females thanking us, telling us how we motivate and inspire them, and that a shipment of our pinups always raise morale”, says Miss Kitty Baby.  It seems a love for the All-American pin-up is common among all soldiers, regardless of gender.

All of the care package items are paid for with donations from Pin Up Angels fans via their website:  www.thepinupangels.com or at one of the seemly endless fundraising events the Pin Up Angels produce or attend to raise awareness and money for their mission.  Which begs the question, how can we help? “We really just need anything that can be added and sent that comes from our community.  Unique items like calendars, promotional images, and magazines from our subcultures are always nice because they are something that can’t be normally bought on the news stand. “, says Miss Kitty Baby. To send Items

One of the really neat & unique things about the Pinup Angels is that you don’t have to be a member to donate pin-up images to the troops!  Are you a pin-up model or photographer with images to give?  Send pin-ups.

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Meet some of the gals:

Miss Kitty Baby- Founder, Seattle

Q: Are you personally connected with a veteran, or anyone currently on
active duty?

As a veteran myself, I hold a personal connection to all those who are serving or have served in our military forces.
Q: Fondest memory as a volunteer with The Pinup Angels?
Our first veteran’s hospital visit.  It took the least effort and had the most instant impact on the veterans we visited.  Every single other thing we have done as a group follows closely behind though!
Q: Favorite cocktail?
Crushed Velvet
Q: Favorite vintage film?
Sands Of Iwo Jima.  John Wayne as a Marine…Dreamy!
Q: Who should be cast as you in a movie about your life?
A younger Susan Sarandon.

Christina Rini- Team Lead, California.

Q: What is your favorite Fourth of July tradition?

Singing the National Anthem before or during our fireworks show.

Q: Are you personally connected with a veteran, or anyone currently on active duty?

I come from a family of Marines. My brothers have served several tours of IRAQ, and I have several Marine friends who are serving now or whom have served. I am also involved in my local VFW, Post 6213.

Q: Fondest memory as a volunteer with The Pinup Angels?

I will never forget my first year with the Pinup Angels at Ink N Iron. We had a father and son come to our booth. The father had come across us at previous show and naturally we gave him our information and what we do as an organization. We sent a package out to his son. So that first show at Ink N Iron I had with the angels, both father and son came to our booth. It was very moving to see his son, alive and in one peace and grateful beyond all belief for us sending him a package. It was just great seeing how much they appreciate the little things, and that’s when I knew I was in the right place…helping out with an amazing organization!

Miss Lilly Day- Team Lead, East Coast

Q: What is your favorite Fourth of July tradition?
Fireworks at the Beach!
Q: Are you personally connected with a veteran, or anyone currently on
active duty?
My husband is active duty Coast Guard
Q: Fondest memory as a volunteer with The Pinup Angels?
My most favorite would have been at a show we did in Pongo, VA that was a 1940’s Valentine’s Day Hanger Dance.  I had the honor of meeting a WWII Veteran, who spent a wonderful hour telling me stories and how much myself and The Pinup Angels reminded him of the better days.  The smile alone on his face warmed my heart so much and at some moments brought tears to my eyes!

Q: What is your biggest indulgence?
Vintage Purses! Can never have too many!

Becky Lee- Volunteer, Las Vegas

Q: Are you personally connected with a veteran, or anyone currently on
active duty?

Yes, my grandfather is a veteran who served in WWII in the Pacific, my uncle is a Vietnam War veteran and in my boyfriend’s family are Marines.
Q: Fondest memory as a volunteer with The Pinup Angels?

Tough question because there are so many, but I would defiantly say meeting the men and women that received our care packages when they were deployed. It is such an awesome surprise to be working an event and have them come up to the booth and introduce themselves.

Q: Your perfect date scenario would be:

A night of sushi, dancing and snuggling would be awesome. Or going to the fair, ride the Ferris wheel, eat cotton candy and deep fried Twinkies.

Mighty Mo- Volunteer, New Mexico

Q: Are you personally connected with a veteran, or anyone currently on active duty?

My husband is a veteran and a recipient of a Purple Heart and many of his Army friends are still actively serving stateside as well as overseas.

Q: Fondest memory as a volunteer with The Pinup Angels?

My fondest memory was seeing faces of the wounded warriors light up when we smothered them with love and attention during the Wounded Warrior Project Auction we attended at the Playboy mansion as well as our visit to the Seattle and Lakewood VA hospitals on Veterans Day and spending time with the old vets in the dementia unit.

Q: Who should be cast as you in a movie about your life?

I think it would have to be Milla Jovovich. Being that I am not American I would love to be played by her. I think she would do me justice. Hahaha…

Q: What is your biggest indulgence?

Shopping for vintage things. Whether it is an old blender or a beautiful gown, if it is of the right era and in good condition I simply cannot turn it down.

Your favorite Pin Curl contributors, Divertida Divotchka and Femme Vivre LaRouge, joined forces with local emcee Violet O’ Hara to accept the Legends Challenge put forth by Burlesque Hall of Fame, and decided to sponsor Dallas’ own Tammi True.  The group’s diligent fundraising efforts put them in the top three and guests of the Legends Brunch, which they gladly recapped for us.

Burlesque Hall of Fame Legends Challenge

By: Femme Vivre LaRouge

This year the Burlesque Hall of Fame issued a challenge to the burlesque community to put our pasties to work for a good cause.  The first-ever Legends Challenge was a great success, raising over $13,000 to help pay the way for the living legends of burlesque to attend the 2011 Burlesque Hall of Fame Reunion in Las Vegas.  Since its beginning in 1957, the annual reunion has grown into the wondrous and star-studded affair that it is today.  It is a great treasure to have the chance to mingle with the beautiful, passionate, and talented women who have passed their trade on to us.  Over twenty legends were in attendance, most of them sponsored by troupes and performers around the country.

We were delighted to sponsor Dallas’ very own Tammi True, former dancer at Jack Ruby’s Carousel Club.  The DFW/Austin burlesque community really came together with the goal of sending Miss True to the event, and we were able to make more than we even dreamed.  Numerous local performers and dedicated fans contributed to this worthy cause, with a generosity that was truly touching.  With the support of Hot Rods and Heels and events hosted by Viva Dallas Burlesque, The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue, Violet O’Hara of the Ruby Revue, four raffle baskets, an auction, a Burly-Q Bake Sale, and one event dedicated solely to the fundraiser we were able to raise over $2,000!

In fact, the Texas team did so well that we made it to the top three highest grossing benefactors of the Challenge!  Boy howdy, were we gals happy to have our team listed alongside the noteworthy names of Michelle L’Amour and Cora Vette & Burly Cute!  The greatest reward, aside from the honor of lending a hand to these venerable women, was a special luncheon for the Legends and patrons, which Divertida Devotchka, Violet O’Hara, and I had the privilege of attending just before the Legends Q & A.

Highlights from the BHOF Legends Q & A

By: Divertida Devotchka

What memorabilia or sentimental objects did you keep from your burlesque career?

Holiday O’Hara, the Lady Who Loves to Love You, started performing in 1968, retired in 1983 and came out of retirement in 2007. “I kept some costumes and all of my jewelry and all of my boas. What still fit was my jewelry, my boas and my duster.” Holiday also kept pictures of other burlesque performers who inspired her, particularly Gina Bon Bon.

Joan Arline, the Sexquire Girl, performed from 1953 to 1958. Joan still has her burlesque trunk and her costume from when she was 22, which still fits. She last wore the costume one week prior to the Q & A!

Share a favorite backstage memory.

Shannon Doah started performing in 1967. She shared a memory of performing at a club with a very small dressing room with a clothing rack at the back of the room. One night while everyone was getting ready for a show, they looked down and noticed a pair of men’s shoes. They kept looking and discovered a man lying under the rack hiding under the clothes!

Ellion Ness, began performing at the age of 15. During her second week performing in the chorus line at Minsky’s, she was sent on a wild goose chase to find “the key to open the curtain.” She frantically looked everywhere for this mysterious (nonexistent) key thinking that she would ruin the show if the curtain wouldn’t open, and after much searching Minsky told her not to worry and to go get ready for the show.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Camille 2000, the Cosmic Queen of Burlesque, began performing in 1968. She wants her legacy to be her tribute to Marquis de Sade.

Judith Stein began performing in 1974, and said she was “last legend standing” at the after-parties at BHOF weekend (and trust us, she was!)

Toni Elling began performing in 1960 and retired in 1974. Toni wants to be remembered as “a good entertainer. I consider myself that, not a stripper.”

Dusty Summers by RJ Johnson of LightReclaimed.com

Dusty Summers, Las Vegas’ Only Nude Magician, began performing in 1965. She posed a question to the rest of her peers on the panel- what was your career after burlesque?

Gina Bon Bon’s performance career lasted from 1962 until 1991. She’s now an artist and brought with her an incredible painting she did of Camille 2000. She is currently working on a collection about burlesque stars.

Joan Arline had 2 children and a successful dance school specializing in Russian ballet and ballroom dancing, and she also became a commodities trader. At age 60, she began performing in the Golden Girl Follies.

Kitten Natividad started performing in 1969. She was also known for her appearance in Russ Meyer films and Kitten had a long relationship with Meyer. Kitten now works in real estate.

Judith Stein learned to surf, started skiing again, started her own business, and now works with the dying “so at least they can die laughing.”

Camille 2000 owns Cosmic Hog Pen, which specializes in “motorcycle leather and switchblades” among other things.

Holiday O’Hara was a professional dominatrix from 1983 until 2005 and is now a hypnotherapist. “I applied the ‘you’re mine’ aspect of working a room to just one person and now I do the same with hypnotherapy.”

Shannon Doah volunteered at an animal shelter for 10 years and said she felt insecure about getting a “normal” job. She now works with a program for victims of domestic violence, particularly helping get the animals out of abusive environments. “With many abused women, the abusers also abuse the animals and they threaten to harm the animal to keep the woman from leaving.”

Tips from the Living Legends of Burlesque:

Tammi True (known as Miss Excitement, she began performing “by accident” in 1959 and retired in 1968): “I never had an ‘act.’ You don’t have to have a ‘character.’ Be true to yourself and just be you.”

Holiday O’Hara: “I’m always Holiday. I’m me. I don’t turn it off and on. Just make love to the audience. The audience makes love to you back.”

Dusty Summers: “Don’t be afraid to learn something new; try something new.”

Haji (best known for her roles in Russ Meyer films, most notably “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” with Tura Satana): “Fantasize. Be a flower, a snake, whatever you can think of. Be fun, be free, but don’t be vulgar.”

Tai Ping (performed from 1960 to 1970 until a car crash ended her dance career): “Use the whole stage; work it all. Everyone paid and they all deserve the same show.”

Toni Elling: “Have fun.”

To prop or not to prop… That is the question… by: Vivienne Vermuth Kitten Deville by Derek Jackson Photography There’s nothing like watching stagehands bring out a huge oversized prop or set piece before an act is performed… It sets the mood for the performance and gets the crowd buzzing about what to anticipate! On the other end of that scale however, it’s just as big a letdown to see that huge prop dismissed or not utilized to its scintillating potential. Or is it? Burlesque is all about the tease, the show, and the glam; whether it be in sparkling costumes, glittery makeup, or over the top sets and props. More and more performers are seen with big stage production pieces, with performers like Dita Von Teese leading the way in large-scale glittering props, such as her signature martini glass and her makeup compact. However… the question that is commonly asked… are big props necessary? In order to answer this, one must first make a checklist. First up- venue restrictions.  Each time I choreograph a number, first thing I check is venue restrictions. Where is the most likely of places I am to perform this piece? If you live in a city setting like New York City, Jonny Porkpie had this to say -”I don’t have any numbers that require a large prop, but that’s probably partially because I live in New York, where the backstage can be small, the taxis very expensive, and the subways have a lot of stars.” Lugging around props is a major make or break point… If you own a big truck and don’t mind the extra show load, fabulous! If not, you may be finding yourself borrowing or scrounging to find suitable transport. Next on the list- Why are you using said prop? “I always warn newer performers against rushing to use great big props in some effort to ‘raise the bar’ for themselves. I have seen many performers upstaged by their props.”, warns Tigger! of New York. I agree; large props are best suited to performers with a great deal of stage experience. Ostrich feather fans, sparkly umbrellas; even trash can lids can serve as great smaller stage props to add spice without overwhelming yourself and the audience. Also consider the costume/song, does it absolutely just call out for props? Additionally, do you have a lot of prop heavy performances in your repertoire? “I feel too many props in one show kills the effect of having a prop,” says Kitten DeVille of California. “I also have seen too many girls relying on their prop to do all the work while they just pose.” Kitten brings an excellent point… Props are great, but if they cannot be fully used to their potential and worked thoroughly, they can be a hindrance. Lastly- Do you interact with your prop, is it well thought out, and does the prop serve as an essential part of the performance? Props are tools, and they are only as good as the performer using them.  As Penny Starr Jr. of California puts it, “I may remember the prop, but I rarely remember the act surrounding it. The prop should serve the act; the prop should not out-shine the performance.” Midnite Martini by Derek Jackson If you are going to use a prop, make sure it is sturdy (so that it will not fall apart on stage), is stage worthy (please don’t bring me you crudely hand-drawn sign), and it big enough to be seen by the back row (How am I supposed to read the title of that paperback from 100 feet away?). Some of my favorite big props – Midnite Martini of Colorado uses an aerial hoop to perform beautiful striptease, Viva la Muerte of Chicago uses a coffin in her tribute to Creepshow, and Lexa Lusty of Dallas uses multiple boxes and suitcases to contort in and out of before being stuffed into a suitcase and wheeled offstage. I highly suggest searching these folks and others (Angi B Lovely, Lula Hoop Garou, Roxi D’Lite, Catherine D’Lish, Lola Van Ella, etc.) and check out how they make use of their props.  Jonny Porkpie teaches a great class called the Arc of the Tease, in which he talks about the best use of props being using them at least twice- the first to introduce it, then coming back to it at the end as part of the reveal so that the audience can understand its function as it’s related to you. One of our burlesque legends Big Fannie Annie says it best, “Props have always been done, and I think it adds [to the performance] if it is done well and with good taste!” If you choose to use props, large or small, keep it simple, use them to best advantage, and enlist the help of fellow performers to ensure you don’t go prop-overboard! Also, use YouTube, vimeo, and other resources such as burlesque hall.com, burlesque411.com, 21stcenturyburlesque.com and other sites to keep current and get inspired by other performers with amazing props!

Pin Curl Magazine Wants You!
Check out the following opportunities to be published in Pin Curl Magazine:

Contest: The Best in DIY
Burlesque and DIY are almost synonymous. We are looking for fabulously insightful and original DIY articles that are well written, easy to follow, step by step, include lots of photographs, and are of course, geared to the burlesque and pin-up minded gal.
DIY Categories:
Beauty
Costuming/Props
Craft
Fashion
Promotion/ Business
Examples: Hover over DIY at PinCurlMag.com and choose a category!
Prizes:
Grand prize: $500 in cash and prizes!
$100 cash, prize basket worth over $400, and publication in both our online and print edition!
First Place: $100 prize basket full of pin-up goodies and publication in future online and print issues!
Second Place: $50 prize basket of pin-up goodies and publication in future online issues!
Third Place: $25 prize basket of pin-up goodies and publication in future online issues!
Rules:
Deadline for submissions: Sept 1st, 2011
Article must be original! It must be your writing and photographs. It must be your own brainchild or a significant improvement or twist on an existing project.
By submitting your DIY article you agree to be published without restriction in Pin Curl Magazine.
Submit:
Send article to editor [at] pincurlmag [dot] com with the subject “DIY Contest – _____________(name of project) Submissions must include LINKS to low res images shot to illustrate project. High res images, if needed will be requested.
Winners notified by October 1st, 2011

Submit your City- Glamma Guide
When festivals & conventions call, our readers travel in mass! What’s a vintage minded gal to do in your town? That’s why we have a regular feature called the Glamma Guide! Example
We are looking to eventually cover every major burlesque town in the United States! To submit: please send article with LINK to one low res image to editor [at] pincurlmag [dot] com Please title email “Glamma Guide: ___________(city)” We will contact you if we would like to publish your piece, and arrangements for images will be made at that time.
Cities of Particular Interest:
Chicago, New York, DC, St Louis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Key West, Minneapolis, Boston, & Denver.
Cities Already Covered:
Austin, Atlanta, New Orleans

Submit Your City- Layman’s Guide:
Wanna be the burlesque tour guide to visitors of your town? We’d love to have ya! There’s a lot of burlesque around, and how do I find the right show for me? Well, from Gals like you of course!
Example Article: New Orleans
To submit: please send article with LINK to one low res image to editor [at] pincurlmag [dot] com Please title email “Layman’s Guide: ___________(city)” We will contact you if we would like to publish your piece, and arrangements for images will be made at that time.
Cities of Particular Interest:
Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Key West, Minneapolis, Boston, & Denver.
Cities Already Covered:
Dallas, New Orleans

Burlesque Haunts: Vegas

by: Femme Vivre LaRouge

It’s June, which means tons of burlesque performers, producers, and fans, are heading to Las Vegas! In honor of Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, we present to you- Burlesque Haunts: The Vegas Edition!

Bugsy Siegel’s Fated Flamingo Hotel and Casino

In a city where change is the only constant, the Flamingo has lasted longer than most Las Vegas establishments can ever dream.  It has now seen several owners, but the original was the notorious gangster, Bugsy Siegel, in 1946.  The project cost three times its preliminary estimate, and also cost Bugsy his life.  Construction was halted several times due to battles over building permits and the post-war lack of resources.  While Mafia men were inititally ecstatic to expand their gambling empires, the mounting costs and Bugsy’s shady dealings while trying to get the job done turned them sour.  During the building of The Flamingo not only was the Mafia becoming displeased with Mr. Siegel, a successful career hooligan and rumored lover of the likes of Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe, but J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI were closing in on him as well.  Knowing full well that mob bosses were becoming impatient with Siegel, Hoover only fueled the fire by using Walter Winchell to plant rumors about Siegel’s money mishandling.  It all came to a head in the summer of 1947, just six months after the grand opening of Bugsy’s beloved Flamingo.

Many guests at the original hotel, and even after extensive remodeling of the resort, insist that Bugsy still revisits his pet project.  Numerous patrons have sighted Siegel’s ghost in his fouth floor Presidential Suite.  In true gangster fashion, this was no typical suite.  The walls were reinforced with naval steel, the windows bulletproof, and the room came complete with gun portals and a dead-end stairway and hall meant to confound would-be assasins.  Furthermore, the room had only one entrance but no less than five exits, including trap doors, secret passageways, hidden stairwells, and even a secret elevator.  Unfortunately, though, none of these devices helped him when he was gunned down in his moll’s Beverly Hills home.

Visitors at the Presidential Suite have often seen an apparition of Bugsy in the room, usually lounging by the pool table or milling around in his pistachio green bathroom.  On quiet evenings Bugsy has been known to visit the pool and has been sighted at the wedding chapel, as well as the rose garden, near his own historical monument.

While Bugsy Siegel’s afterlife activity is more pronounced than most, Las Vegas is host to many specters.  Some say that they have seen Houdini haunting The Plaza’s showroom and others have spotted the white-sequined figure of Elvis both at the Las Vegas Hilton and the old RCA recording building, where he has been known to respond to any mention of his name.  Liberace has been sighted in his restaurant, Carluccio’s, overseeing the staff, and one employee even encountered the reflection of a bedazzling, floating cape while cleaning a large mirror!  The employee, Oscar Ortiz, stated that Liberace is “a good ghost who’s watching to make sure his place is clean.”  Some customers at Whiskey Pete’s have sensed Clyde Barrow hanging about near the display that contains the car in which he and Bonnie Parker met their demise.  Yet, of all the famous phantoms in Vegas, the ghost we would probably all like to encounter the most is Whiskey Pete himself, an old miner, bootlegger, and filling station owner who sometimes fills up customers’ cars while they gamble!

Mata Hari, the Most Infamous Spy that Never Was

by: Femme Vivre LaRouge

Her greatest crime was her ambition; her foolish pride proved to be both her virtue and vice.  Mata Hari lived in an era when the world would be forever changed by ‘the war to end all wars.’  Parisians had been riding high on a wave of gaiety in the emerging modern age, intoxicated by opium and orientalism, the spider woman and the Salome craze, and the fervor of unbound flesh that came along with it.  But it was not to last; The Great War brought everyone back down to earth with startling disillusionment.  Unfortunately, Mata Hari was unwilling to let go of her dreams of grandeur and did not accept the sobriety of a new age, thus landing herself, inextricably, in a situation which was much direr than she ever realized.  The year 1917 found her not only arrested, but condemned to death by firing squad for crimes she most likely never committed.

Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, born in 1876, was always a proud and spirited girl who wished to bring attention to herself.  After a tumultuous marriage to the stormy Rudolph MacLeod, which caused her a good deal of humbling heartache, she hightailed it for Paris.  Due to the despicable circumstances of her marriage, she had little choice but to leave her daughter behind and was never allowed to see the girl again, though she did try.  Even the letter written to her child on the day of Margaretha’s execution remained sealed in her dossier, which was not scheduled to be opened for 100 years.

Margaretha made a bold move for a penniless woman when she arrived in Paris and checked in to one of the most expensive hotels in town.  She cleverly used what she had picked up while living with her military husband in Java and Sumatra to cloak herself in exoticism, creating a new identity as the Javanese temple dancer Mata Hari.  Belle Epoque Paris was more than willing to believe this charade and her love of men and military uniforms quickly made her not only a sensational performer, but an extremely successful courtesan, as well.  Meaning ‘eye of dawn,’ Mata Hari performed her stripteases in the homes of the wealthy, famous, and powerful all across Europe.  Depending upon her venue and audience, she would sometimes wear a nude bodysuit and sometimes nothing at all; however, she never removed her trademark bejeweled breast plate, not even for her lovers.  The truth is that she was displeased with her small breasts and large areolas, but she often claimed that it was because her violent husband had bitten off both of her nipples in a fit of rage.

Enjoying fully the freedoms of her existence as a fallen woman, Mata Hari took on lovers from all walks of life.  She claimed that in her ‘sacred dances,’ “I offer everything and finally myself to the god – which is symbolized by the slow loosening of my loincloth, the last piece of clothing I have on, and stand there…entirely naked.”  Surprisingly, she was never arrested for a lewd performance, only on trumped up espionage charges.  Initially, those who were suspicious of Mata Hari were merely offended by her insistence on continuing to represent herself ostentatiously in the midst of war and fearful of her influence with men of power and position.  Times were changing for women and the pendulum of patriarchy had swung back to once again condemn women who dared to live too largely, rather than admire them.

Sadly, Mata Hari was oblivious.  She seems to have lived in a dreamworld, perhaps convincing herself of the character history she had been selling the public for years.  Having no idea that the French and British were already keeping tabs on her, she was first approached by a German officer to pass along any useful information she might happen to pick up.  In need of money, she accepted the offer, without really intending to do anything but go on about her own business of self-promotion, as if it was nothing more serious than deceiving one of her many lovers.  Her worst mistake, though, was to fall in love, for the first time ever.  The young man, a Russian officer, was wounded in the war and, in desperation, Mata Hari also agreed to spy for France in order to earn enough money to end her career as a courtesan and marry her lover.

Mata Hari’s grand scheme was anything but subtle; she set out at once to seduce an old lover, the crowned prince of Germany!  After that matters only became further convoluted when she was mistaken for an actual German spy, Clara Bendix.  Mata Hari was interrogated at Scotland Yard until she spilled the story of her agreement to spy for the French officer, Georges Ladoux.  British Intelligence, however, had been alerted by Ladoux himself, over a year previous, to keep an eye on Mata Hari!  Naturally, this made him look rather foolish and only furthered his distrust and distaste for Mata Hari, and he set out to bring about her ultimate demise.  Caught in the crossfire of wartimes, Mata Hari was made a sacrifice.  Her arrest and execution was touted by both Britain and France as a great success in the war effort, and by Germany as a great example of the folly of the Allies.  Her trial was anything but fair and the evidence given against her was circumstantial at best, yet she maintained her poise and dignity to the bitter end.

Living out the last months of her life in a filthy cell, Mata Hari’s letters went undelivered and her pleas unheard.  Her trial was a closed, fly by night procedure, with no press coverage permitted, and those who could have testified in her defense were not allowed to do so.  Destitute, imprisoned, and abandoned by her slew of admirers, she wrote, “I will defend myself and if I must fall it will be with a smile of profound contempt.”  Mata Hari held her head high and, when faced with a firing squad comprised of twelve soldiers, she refused the blindfold, choosing instead to look her executioners in the eye.  She did not flinch until hit by eleven bullets, as one of the men had fainted.  Whether it was just for good measure or just one final insult, an additional bullet was put in her head; no one claimed her body, and she has no grave.  Mata Hari may have come to an untimely and unjust end, but she lives in infamy, immortalized as the most famous spy seductress of all time.

Burlesque Arrests: Jack Ruby & Tony Midnite

by: Femme Vivre LaRouge

I present to you two very different figures from the history of burlesque: Jack Ruby and Tony Midnite.  While Midnite made his mark as a performer, costumer, and LGBT activist, Ruby went down in history not for the clubs he owned, but for shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.

Born in Chicago in 1911, Jack Ruby relocated to Dallas in 1947, to take over management of the Singapore Club, which his sister owned.  Ruby later changed the dancehall’s name to the Silver Spur Club and additionally purchased the Bob Wills Ranch House to operate as a western-style nightclub.  Neither of these clubs survived, but his next venture, the Vegas, did.  The Vegas club offered beer and wine, a limited food menu, a live band, and the occasional striptease act.  After a failed attempt at operating a private club on Commerce, he changed its name to the Carousel Club and abandoned the membership system (which enabled club members to purchase liquor) for a public nightclub format with four stripteasers, an emcee, and a band on the payroll.  While some employees got along just fine with Jack Ruby and even spoke fondly of him and his generosity, he was known to have violent outbursts of temper.  He reportedly sapped one employee, beat a musician with brass knuckles, and pinned another to the wall then kicked him in the groin.  He also supposedly gave a handyman a sound beating and threatened to toss a cigarette girl downstairs when confronted about wages.  Somehow in the end, though, the charges were always dropped.

Ruby’s money management was sketchy at best and some performers claim he withheld payment from them; he used his car trunk for his banking, always paid cash, and took out several loans, but never from a financial institution.  His operations were suspended multiple times by the Texas Liquor Control Board, for being an agent of moral turpitude, producing obscene shows, allowing a drunkard on the premises, alcoholic beverage consumption past club hours, and bounced checks.  He was also arrested for permitting dancing after hours (twice), selling liquor after hours, disturbing the peace, allegedly carrying a concealed weapon, assault, and ignoring traffic summonses for a total of 20 tickets.  Most of these charges, including an additional one by the Bureau of Narcotics, were dropped, or resulted in a small fine.  His final arrest, however, in 1963, saw him sentenced to death for shooting Lee Harvey Oswald point blank in the stomach.  However, Jack Ruby died of cancer while awaiting the appeal process.  His motivations are much debated and his life was a turbulent one from the very beginning; the widely differing opinions of him by people who knew him keep the true Jack Ruby cloaked in mystery.

A native Texan, Tony Midnite was born in 1926 and began his performance career as a female impersonator in Galveston.  Before long he took his show on the road, made it to Hollywood by age 20, and then joined Chicago’s Jewel Box Revue in 1948.  Midnite’s passion for costuming eventually took him away from the stage and in 1952, he opened his own studio.   He outfitted all of the best performers, both female impersonator and female, worldwide, in lavish costumes and gowns.  In 1958 Midnite costumed the Jewel Box Revue for its Broadway performance and after that he stayed on in New York, doing costumes for theatre, television, and even the Metropolitan Opera.  He later returned to Chicago to open his own show; although the Chicago police were open with their dislike of female impersonation, this never held him back.  In the early 1950s, the police department attempted to quell his career, but undaunted, Midnite audaciously booked the Jewel Box to perform a two week run of 25 Men and a Girl at a lush show lounge.  The show, consisting of 25 drag queens emceed by a drag king, was so popular that it continued at this venue for eight months.  The Jewel Box Revue also pushed boundaries by employing a multiracial cast of performers in the early fifties.  Although his career was a very successful one, it was nonetheless peppered with discrimination and, effectively, segregation, at times.  Tony Midnite participated in protests and publishing about LGBT issues, earning him an induction into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1996.

Burlesque Haunts: Austin

by: Femme Vivre LaRouge

If you’re planning on heading down to Austin for the Texas Burlesque Festival this month (which we recommend) you may want to consider staying at The Driskill hotel for some extra kicks.  Fans of all things vintage just might have an intimate encounter with history via one of the numerous ghosts known to haunt The Driskill.  A “landmark of legendary Texas hospitality,” the place is so lavish and lush that some guests choose never to check out.

The Driskill was built by wealthy cattle baron Colonel Jesse Lincoln Driskill.  Its architectural splendor was matched by its advanced technological luxuries and was the first hotel south or west of St. Louis to boast electric lighting.  The very first long-distance call ever placed in the city of Austin was from the lobby of the Driskill, and the hydraulic elevator and elaborate bell system that enabled guests to ring for room service made it a luxurious place to stay in 1886.  Thanks to the Austin Heritage Society and many concerned citizens, the structure was saved from the wrecking ball and remains not only a State Historic Landmark, but a luxurious place of lodging to this day.

Ever important to Austin’s social scene, the hotel is located right on the infamous 6^th street, and during Prohibition it housed the finest hideaway in all of Austin.  The Driskill has been dubbed ‘the living room for Texas politics’ and indeed, not only have the politically powerful gone there to meet and drink, but the Texas Senate convened at the hotel for about a year during the construction of the State Capitol.  Rumor has it that the Texas Rangers even hatched the plan that would be the demise of Bonnie and Clyde while sitting in a suite at The Driskill.  It’s also considered by many to be Austin’s most haunted building as well as the most haunted hotel in the state of Texas.

Due to a tragic accident on the stairs, the first resident ghost of the hotel arrived in 1887 while the Texas Senate was in session.  The daughter of a senator, the little girl was back within the week and has never quit playing and bouncing her ball in the 1^st floor lobby and the 2^nd floor ladies’ room.  The Driskill is still home to its namesake, Colonel Driskill, as well, whose face you can gaze upon in the lobby thanks to a portrait painted in 1890.  Don’t worry, he won’t be showing his face any other way, although if you smell a cigar and no one’s smoking or an unseen force becomes interested in your bathroom lights, he may be nearby.

But don’t get Colonel Driskill confused with Colonel Peter Lawless, who also haunts the hotel.   A resident of the Driskill hotel for around 31 years, the retired railroad man stayed on thereafter and has been seen by several, usually checking his railroad watch while waiting for the elevator.  A woman driving a bus recently had to slam on her brakes at the intersection of 6^th street and Brazos when a man wearing “old time clothing and carrying a watch on a chain” appeared in front of the bus, only to disappear again.  If you happen to see him, he’ll probably just turn and walk off through a wall, although hauntedtexas.com notes that he is an unusual spirit as he will look at and acknowledge the living.

There is one room of the Driskill that has been known to steam up as an invisible roommate takes an imaginary shower and you may even find some scribbles on your notepad.  Guests in another room have had their luggage rearranged while they slept and once a cheeky phantom decided to choose Annie Lennox’s outfit for the evening while she was showering.  In a friendly fashion, the alternate outfit was hung neatly in the closet.  The same ghost has a reputation as a ladies’ man and has been known to make advances on single ladies.

The most mystifying room, though, is 525, which went unused for years.  Legend has it that two brides, 20 years apart, had committed suicide in the bathroom, but whatever the reason, the bathroom door was bricked up until 1998 when renovations brought about a smattering of paranormal activity.  The paint peeled from the walls, the air conditioning defied science, and most alarming, the tub turned out to be full of water with seemingly no way of it getting in there.

The ghosts of The Driskill really seem to be a kindly bunch and for some of them, the party just never ended.  Banquet manager Arthur Cicchese once heard inebriated laughter erupting from the elevators at 6am and then a whole group laughing around him in the hall after the elevators had both opened, although none of the merrymakers was visible.  As the author of Ghost Stories of Texas, Jo-Anne Christensen, puts it, the Driskill embodies “the true ‘spirit’ of southern hospitality.”

If you still haven’t had your fill of ghosties, head on over to The Tavern, rumored to have been  a speakeasy and brothel during Prohibition.  Located on West 12^th Street and Lamar, The Tavern is home to ‘Emily’ who is enjoys the peaceful mornings at the bar and has been known to change channels on the television and occasionally break a glass.  The staff doesn’t seem to mind, though- they’ve named a liquor cabinet after her!  Emily has also been seen standing in the window with a little girl who may or may not have been her daughter, and staring out across the road, to the gas station.

Or, you could just camp out at the Capitol hoping to see the mysterious lady in the red dress.  Whatever your itinerary looks like, April in Austin is sure to be spectacular, and maybe even a bit spooky.