xox, Ms. Bea Haven Newsletter: 2/23/10

Issue 4, Volume 4
February 23, 2010

Dearest Kats and Kittens,

In honor of Girlie-Q blogger boypal, Darlin’ O’Doyle, I have decided to not bury the lead today…So, without further ado, our big announcement:  Girlie-Q will be featured at this June’s Milwaukee Pride Festival!  On Sunday, June 13, you can see our Biggest, Gayest Show Ever!! onstage at the largest queer arts festival in the country.  Sweet.  Get a hold of your friends in Wisconsin, pack your cheese hats and join us!

Locally, we have more shows than you can shake a stick at (and we know how you all love to shake your sticks, dollies), so please read on and JOIN US at one of these fine upcoming events.  (Just added: A completely FREE Oscar Night Extravaganza at Joie De Vine.  Skip to the end if you wanna read about that first.)

SHOWS
Friday, March 5, 9:30 pm
The Flesh Hungry Dog Show
Jackhammer, 6406 N. Clark Street
$10, 21 and up
Join irrepressible host Gary Airedale, DJ Sky, and bands 8 Inch Betsy and The Athens Boys Choir for an evening of rock n’ performance.  Girlie-Q provides the intermission entertainments post-Bag-of-Fun!

Sunday, March 7, 7:00 pm
Girlie-Q’s Ginormous Oscar Party Deluxe! or “Let’s Go to the Movies!”
Joie de Vine
1744 W. Balmoral
Dress to impress (red-carpet-worthy)
Completely, Absolutely Free

Starring yours truly and a star-studded cast of Girlie-Q favorites, Girlie-Q will deconstruct the silver screen for your enjoyment.  Bartop, aisle and small stage strip-teasers, performance art and variety entertainments will be unveiled for your viewing pleasures during commercials and the boring parts of everyone’s favorite Hollywood awards show.  (Scientific and Technical Awards, anyone?)

We will give away fabulous prizes for the best dressed and offer a special “what was she thinking?!” award for the most confusing outfit.  Drink specials will include $8 “Ms.-Bea-Sized” (large, pretties, LARGE) martinis.

This is gonna be the best (and definitely free-est) Oscar party in town!  Join us!

RECITAL
Sunday, March 14
7pm Doors, 7:30pm Show
Ms. Bea Haven’s School For Wayward Girls
Graduation Show
$5 suggestion donation

Come and see the inaugural performances of the latest crop of students in Ms. Bea’s advanced burlesque class.  Introducing, for the first time on any Chicago burlesque stage:
Jiggles O’Lafferty, Mena La Vey, Titty Perkins, and Millie May!

AUDITIONS
Saturday, February 27, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Saturday, March 7, 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Join the revitalized Girlie-Q Ensemble and get the chance to perform regularly with one of Chicago’s oldest, most prestigious burlesque & variety companies.  We are expanding our focus from a strictly queer ensemble to include any performer who is interested in camp, comedy, political & high quality performance art of all kinds.

These auditions welcome any type of act.  We are not just looking for burlesque artists this time around, but any expression of performance in any genre.  Just make sure your act is high-quality, tight, and well-rehearsed.  Come and show us what you can do.

These are not open auditions, you must have a time slot to attend.  Sign up here

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Beginning Burlesque with Ms. Bea Haven
12:00 – 1:00 pm (NEW TIME!)
New series starts March 13
Rast Ballet, 1803 W. Byron, Suite 201
$15/Class

This week’s songs:  Runaround Sue (Shimmy Dance with cardigans, pencil skirts & belts)

Last week!  Then we’re taking a one week break and starting right up again.

Interested in burlesque, but you’re not quite ready to jump off into the deep end into public performance? Then try this basic how-to class that combines a great workout with mini-routines aimed at having fun, finding your “sexy place”, and getting in shape. Each two to three week period, we will work the removal of one item of clothing (gloves, bras, boy shorts, dresses) or play with a prop (canes, small fans, chairs). There is no nudity in this class.   Hope to see you soon!

xox,
Ms. Bea Haven
Public Femme-nist #1

Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, March 24:  The Breast Show Ever! @ Mary’s Attic (a benefit for LCCP and Bright Pink)
Friday, April 2: Flesh Hungry Dog Show’s 5th Anniversary Party @ Jackhammer
Sunday, April 11:  The Freak Museum @ Mary’s Attic
Saturday, May 1:  the return of The Girlie-Q Variety Hour, our classic burlesque and vaudeville show
Sunday, June 13: Girlie-Q at the Milwaukee Pride Festival

February Shows!

Issue 4, Volume 2
February 3, 2010

Dearest Sweethearts,

Just writing to let you know that Girlie-Q is back from break and we have a whole sackful of valentines for you this year!  Read on…

SHOWS
Friday, February 5, 9:00 pm
Flesh Hungry Dog Show
Jackhammer
6406 N. Clark Street
$10, 21 and up

Join me and Scarlett DeVille as the halftime entertainment at this showcase of queer singer-songwriters.  Hosted by the irrepressible Gary Airedale and with music by hot, hot DJ Sky, this month’s installment features Katie Todd, Dylan Rice and Jen Porter.

Thursday, February 11, 7:00 pm
For the Love of Guilty Pleasures
Mary’s Attic
5400 N. Clark Street
$10 in advance, $15 at the door
21 and up

Secret code for my loyal fans! If you buy in advance and enter this code into Brown Paper tickets, you can get $3 off admission!  Secret code: xox, Ms. Bea Haven

Join me and Mr. Dago T as we host a cast of characters in a tribute to love songs you love to hate.  Featuring sexy strip-tease performances by: Candyland, Cruel Valentine, Ms. Ellie Noise, Honey La Fleur, Sultry Susan, Trixie Sparx, Justin Syder, Scarlett D’Evil, and more! 

Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20
Midnight
Live! Rude! Girls! (In the Dark Performance Series)
1901 Gallery
1901 W. Belmont (Entrance on Wolcott)
$15 donation, BYOB

Come to the 1901 Gallery for their monthly gothic dance and performance art series featuring Chicago’s most sultry and edgy burlesque performers, performance artists, and dancers.  This month’s show features performers such as Ms. Vine, Dollface, Ellie Noise, Ammunition, and Girlie-Q regular Honey La Fleur.

I will be unveiling a brand new piece that you will have to see to believe.  Sexy, heartbreaking, incredibly visual, and steeped in performance art aesthetics (with sculptural set pieces), it will be a sight to behold.  Don’t miss it!

Also, keep your eyes peeled on your in-box for some amazing upcoming shows and events…We’ve got some exciting things in the works, including an advanced student recital, a collaboration with some very exciting and talented performance artists, our regular show at Joie de Vine (February 28) and a benefit event for LCCP and Bright Pink!

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Beginning Burlesque with Ms. Bea Haven
12:00 – 1:00 pm (NEW TIME!)
Till February 27
New series starts March 13
Rast Ballet, 1803 W. Byron, Suite 201
$15/Class

Yes, we’re still going…And it’s never too late to jump in!

Interested in burlesque, but you’re not quite ready to jump off into the deep end into public performance? Then try this basic how-to class that combines a great workout with mini-routines aimed at having fun, finding your “sexy place”, and getting in shape. Each two to three week period, we will work the removal of one item of clothing (gloves, bras, boy shorts, dresses) or play with a prop (canes, small fans, chairs). There is no nudity in this class.   Hope to see you soon!

xox,
Ms. Bea Haven
The Great Chicago Fire

xox, Ms. Bea Haven newsletter

Delight Before Christmas

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:30 pm

November 27 – December 19

Theatre Building Chicago

1225 W. Belmont

$15 – $20

Tickets available on Ticketmaster

This is an original production that includes the most exciting performers from the queer burlesque, variety performance and performance art scenes both locally & nationally.  Read on…

Watch Our Trailer!

Delight Before Christmas incorporates a stunning variety of classic burlesque, modern dance, variety acts, and performance art to tell the story of a hopeless Fox-y News intern who posts a sad message on Craigslist and then is led on a sexy, magical quest by the Fairy Craigster to find the true meaning of the season. Along the way, they encounter a gender-bending gang of burlesque and variety performers who each express the meaning of the season in unique and titillating ways.

One part Baz Luhrmann and one part Dickens, with a dash of 1940’s & 1970’s holiday claymation and a heaping tablespoon of Bing Crosby & Howard Hawkes, combined in a cocktail shaker with several shots naked ladies, boylesque dancers, jugglers, drag and butoh performers, and all the ingredients for a flaming rum punch, Delight Before Christmas goes behind the glittery holiday facade, exploring the agony and ecstasy of the season, with an ending wrapped in a sparkling bow.

Sunday, November 29

Shows at 8 and 9:30
Girlie-Q Presents: Salon deVine
Joie de Vine, 1744 W. Balmoral @ Ravenswood
No Cover

Presenting Chicago’s finest burlesque and variety performance in a revue in one of Chicago’s most intimate spaces. Come and sample fine wines and handcrafted cocktails, enjoy glamorous queer burlesque performance, and revel in the beauty of one of Andersonville’s hidden gems.

No cover, ample wine list, free parking, located three blocks west of Clark Street on Balmoral.  This week features Bizarre Sally, Kitty Victorian, Holly Peno (all the way from MIAMI, people!), and yours truly.  Every 2nd and 4th Sunday, always free.

* * *

The Holy Trinity: Fans, Gloves and Panel Skirts with the Lady Miss Vagina Jenkins, Atlanta’s “Best Burlesque Dancer”

T Minus 3 Days

Well, we are in the thick of it now.  I woke up at 5 a.m. because I was so excited, I could barely sleep.  We have sold seven tickets so far (which isn’t much, admittedly, but the fine folx at the Theatre Building seem to think we’re going to do REALLY well in walk-ups!) and of course I am nervous.  There is a lot (of money) on the line.

Note to self: Christmas AND sparkly boobs?  How can we lose?

But the tech last night was so smooth and seamless, I could barely believe it.  It was probably the most fun I’ve had in the last few months because it was so engaging and awesome.  I can barely describe how lucky I feel that I am able to take time off and really engage in what I am passionate about.  It’s been a long time coming, but I can finally see the forest in the trees.  And know what?  It’s beautiful.

There is still so much to do, but there are four whole (day-job-free) days to do it in.  Yesterday, I took the set designer to the Textile Discount Outlet, someplace near the Ohio off ramp (right up the street from my podiatrist where I got the P.T. on my heels last summer) for fake snow, and then Menards, which is the epicenter of light-up Christmas crapola.  Today, we’re headed to Metro Sales on Montrose–home of cheap crafts supplies, faux branches, and glitter–and then it’s back here to continue editing video footage for the show and another tech rehearsal tonight.

OK.  Better get to the gym.  I’m trying to keep my commitment to myself to go there every day while I’m off work to get back in the habit.  I am extremely resistant to that idea at the moment (because there is SO MUCH TO DO) but I think it will help manage my stress level.

Exes and ohs (as my darling friend Vag would say),
Ms. Bea Haven

Quick Poem

So much
and so little.

Today, I choose
detail work
of the banal
variety.

Not to say it’s not
Important
but it just weighs less
than so much more.