Frankie Tease Blog

Whitney Streed by Rebel Rogue Media - Sammy Rivera I first worked with Whitney Streed in Portland, Oregon during 2009-11. A degree holding almost 30-something transplant from Colorado Springs, CO., Streed weaves puns in and out of self-deprecating gender confusion jokes. Her ability to room-read is fairly unparalleled and she's amassed a sizable list of comedian friends for any booking occasion. She's also played family and conservative rooms in the regions, including Applebee's , where she got a check to tell jokes while people ate. The mental games and exercises in writing are something she's been doing for five years plus, but she first had a career in editing text books before moving to Oregon in the 2000's. Now doing adult care to make it all work, Streed hosts her own comedy night, travels out of region, and has credits on Portlandia , U.S. Comedy Festivals, and her set time is growing stronger and longer. A comedian's comedian, a writer and f

After three years of producing burlesque shows in various venues and bar rooms here in Portland Oregon, I still have never seen a cohesive unbiased list of venues that encourage and house burlesque. Here is to you, the 'burlesque show goer'. Save time and save my  handy dandy where to see shows list , and pick which is best based upon your party needs. Bachellorette party, date, birthday party, whatever, here is a list to help you sort out the expanding Portland options for burlesque shows. Photos will be added to this article of each venue later, so check back.I have included venues that have hosted shows over a year, or new clubs that have just opened with burlesque on their menu. I have placed the venues producing the most shows with the  largest capacity at the top of the list, and those with the longest history  are also up top. Sorry if any pertinent venues were omitted from this list. That's easy to fix just email me a note via  http://missfrankietease.com  an

Shanghai Pearl by POC Photo One of the most impressive performers I have ever seen once came on stage in a gorilla suit, and high heels (as seen on America's Got Talent ). By the time she took that suit off she was in a bikini eating a banana. Who could I be talking about? None other than jet- setting, world class international burlesque instructor, performer, and costume-maker extraordinaire: The Shanghai Pearl . Below is the interview I conducted by chat, long-distance, with this amazing individual, June 27, 2011. FT: Where are you originally from? SP: I was born in Taipei, Taiwan. FT: What year did you come to U.S., was it first Seattle? SP: I came to this country with my mom when I was three, and grew up in Arizona. I've lived in Seattle for almost nine years now. FT: What year did you begin performing burlesque , and what or who was your inspiration? SP: I graduated from Miss Indigo Blue's academy of Burlesque in 2006. Before that I was a p

Choosing the right shoes  for your burlesque routine is like shopping for specialty fudge, you kind of have to know what you're doing. This 'how to' is about choosing the right shoes for what you're going to do on stage. Burlesque routines can vary in choreography as much as a good day of weather in Portland. What you're doing in your routine is going to determine the type of shoes you will want to wear. If you are planning to sashe across the floor gracefully, you probably won't want something too tall with a rubber sole.  Ballroom Dance Shoes  - Ballroom dance shoes are made for action. The average shoe has a suede based sole for moving on dance floors, and will run from $30 to $200 depending upon the quality of the manufacturer. A couple sources I recommend are  http://www.danceshoesonline.com  and in Portland:  The Glass Slipper  3106 NE Broadway, as well as  the Letoard  2432 NE Martin Luther Kind Blvd. 503 284-9244. Ballroom dance shoes can be fo

Frankie Tease sat down with a local Portland Oregon patron of burlesque shows in town and across the nation, to find out what the heck the patron is thinking while sitting in the audience and enjoying the show. Here is what our new friend Rob had to tell us. FT: What do you do for a living? RJ:  I am Sr. V.P. at U.S. Bank. FT: You sound like my next sponsor!  I understand you are also a photographer. RJ:  I shoot in studio and landscape.  RPJoseph.smugmug.com  is a good way to see my work. FT: How long have you been in Portland RJ:  Originally I am from Missouri, but here via Phoenix Arizona. FT: What is the first burlesque show you went to? RJ:  Phoenix, 1989. I am not gay but I ended up at a gay burlesque show. FT: What was that like? RJ:  Comedy, stripping, drag, mostly drag. I like going to strip clubs but I always go with my wife. We always feel that it's a little sad, and it's younger women. Whereas burlesque is real women, older women, not as m

Lucky Deluxe by Vixxen Photography Frankie Tease sat down to chat with nationally touring burlesque dancer and stand-up comedian Susanna Lee aka Lucky Deluxe . She dishes about audiences across the nation, producing burlesque shows, performing Stand-up since 1996, and how she put burlesque in her stand-up and is bringing it to major comedy clubs. This popular act isn't only disastrously pretty and curvaceous, but smart as a whip. Here is what 'Lucky' had to say. FT: Where are you from? LD: I am originally from Kansas City, but spent years in Chicago and Portland as well, and currently live in LA.,CA. FT: How long have you been performing stand-up comedy? LD: I've been a professionally touring stand-up comic since 1996. FT: Stand-up comedy is so male driven , what or who inspired you to become a stand-up comic? LD: I've always loved stand-up comedy, since I was a kid. The organic nature of it appeals to me, the connection betwee

If you're new to show business, you will be new to the idea that Photographers are artists too. Just like you wouldn't want an image of you displayed without a name, photogs also take pride in the work and time that was put into capturing an image. The laws surrounding photo imaging, reproduction, and use of images can be very complicated and confusing. This  how to burlesque  is dedicated to side-stepping any issues surrounding use of photos and I hope you find it useful. Photography of a subject is usually handled with a simple  'model release' form . This document is signed by the subject or performer and specifies what the subject or model will allow the photographer to do with the photos taken. Model release forms are easy to print or create in person. They should simply state the desired purpose and distribution intended for the photo, who can use it, and where it can be redistributed. Paying a photographer is another way to get the full rights to a photo

Frankie Tease sat down with burlesque dancer and pin-up model in Seattle and Portland:  Lucky Lucy O Rebel . The talk includes the Red Sox, burelsque, how to be cheeky, and why she loves burlesque so much.  FRANKIE How long have you been performing burlesque? LUCY Almost five years now. FRANKIE Did you get your start in Seattle, Wa? LUCY Yes, I started about six years ago as  pin-up girl and I graduated to being a burlesque performer. FRANKIE How does what you do in pin-up become usable in burlesque? LUCY That cheeky cheese cake factor, where you make light of everything, no matter how serious, you're trying to make people laugh and have a good time. FRANKIE What does burlesque dancing allow you to do and express that pin-up modeling does not? LUCY  It allows you to carry over. In pin-up modeling you have to get everything in one shot, you have to get that expression with every part of you with one shot. In burelsque I can take a few seconds to