spired the first good-natured heckler of the evening.
Referring to Leif’s statement that Marsha is, in
fact, a woman, he shouted “prove it!”
She laughed and replied, “Why don’t you wash
your f**king dishes?!?”
This sort of jovial interplay between the audience
and the performers continued throughout the evening, and you could see that the performers were enjoying it just as much as the crowd.
Next to take the stage was Trixie Fawkes, carried in by the hosts, dressed (and bound) primarily
in bright red tape emblazoned with “DANGER” in
big black letters. She deftly teased the audience as
she freed her hands, and then removed her blindfold
at an agonizing pace.
Each number had it’s own story, and while most
numbers involved a striptease, there was more going on than just the removing of clothing.
“I see my time on stage as a time in which I can
express myself and really put myself out there,”
stage kitten J’onn Ostermann explained. “I suppose
the biggest reward I’ve had is the boost in confidence
in myself and comfort in my body.”
It’s easy to watch the dancers on stage and assume that it takes a lot of confidence to get up there
in the first place, but Ostermann is not the only one
who found his confidence developed through performing.
Stage kitten Saturday Addams said “I walk taller, I look people in the eyes, I dress how I want to
dress, I wear makeup if I feel like it. I would almost
liken burlesque to therapy!”
Luthor wholeheartedly agreed. “I have learned to
love who I am through burlesque. This is why I am
so passionate about the dance style – I have seen
what it has done for not only me and my body image,
but for others as well.”
Her drive to share burlesque as an art form has
recently expanded locally to burlesque dance classes, which she teaches at Soul Fire Studio. Luthor
opened the studio last year with Aeshna Mairéad,
another GMnC cast member. Luthor’s intermediate
class performed a number in the May 31st show, a
slow chair dance with feather boas and black lingerie. No clothing was removed, but the audience
didn’t seem to mind at all.
“I am lucky to have Soul Fire because my classes
are extremely well-received. I have great students
of all ages (over 18, that is), shapes, sizes, and genders,” said Luthor.
The cast of GMnC is similarly diverse and all performers, from the hosts to the visiting variety acts,
were welcomed with equal enthusiasm. Comedienne
No Pants Natasha slayed the audience with a set
about the unfortunate affects of sarcasm in online
dating profiles. Alaia, a belly dancer, did an enthralling tribute to Mata Hari.
It wasn’t just the audience getting in on the cheerJune• 2014
ing, though. The performers often lined the aisles
next to the stage to support one another and catch
as much of the show as they could.
Ostermann credits this support with making performing more rewarding. “Both the troupe and the
audiences are very supportive and accepting, which
makes it easy to express myself and feel validated,”
he said.
Kyla, the stage manager, who runs all of important business behind the scenes, loves to watch the
performers do their thing. “I am humbled by all of
their talents and skills. Their beauty and confidence
is amazing!”
As the show comes to a close, Lweif Peepers called
all performers back to the stage, and they ended by
leading the audience in singing “Happy Birthday”
to Sugar Shaker Merrique Hysteric. Everyone joined
in, from the long time fans, to the freshly minted
burlesque initiates who had now been welcomed into
the GMnC family.
Luthor and Peepers have carved out a solid niche
for GMnC over the last two years, and their future
in the local burlesque scene looks bright.
“I hope GMnC will be a staple in the Burlington
community. I hope that [in five years] GMnC and the
other burlesque companies that are growing alongside us are still working together to expand the Burlington world of burlesque and keep it a supportive
and loving environment for all,” Luthor says.
Peepers agrees. “We appreciate the diversity of
our community and the fans. We are so happy to
have members of all of the local communities involved with our process and our shows,” he said. I
would also love to see GMnC continue to be the open
and welcoming place where anyone with a passion
for performing can bring their act to the stage in
front of the warmest audience in Vermont.”
For more information about Green Mountain
Cabaret, find them on Facebook, or check them out
on the web at greenmountaincabaret.com. Or check
out th