I am a newbie when it comes to the burlesque scene and I was very grateful that I had a chance to attend Hotsy Totsy’s tribute to the master of horror: Stephen King. Cyndi Freeman, AKA Cherry Pitz, is a jack of all trades, who is not only the co-producer, but also the host of and a performer in all of the Hotsy Totsy shows. Helping out Cherry Pitz is Joe the Shark who is also a co-producer, as well as the talent coordinator. Together, these two producers bring us a burlesque show that follows in the footsteps of their previous tribute shows like Mad Men and Doctor Who.
I’ve always been a fan of Stephen King and his stories and when I heard that there was going to be a burlesque tribute show to him, I was intrigued as to how this show would be put together. It was interesting to see how each performer represented a character from classic Stephen King novels like It, Carrie, and The Shinning. Performers Apathy Angel, Dot Mitzvah, Fem Appeal, Rosie Cheeks & Tiger Bay all represent a different character from the novels, and from the Fem Appeal’s amazing IT costume to Apathy Angel’s Carrie interpretation, it’s very easy for the audience to follow along. All the performers did an tremendous job in creating a tribute that showcases the most popular novels of Stephen King’s career and demonstrating to us their talent.
The overall show was very well put together. I was only uncomfortable during Fem Appeal’s representation of Stephen King’s It, and that stems from the fact that I am terrified of clowns thanks to Mr. King. Thanks a lot of Stephen! Miranda Raven and Ivory Fox portrayed the twins from The Shining and there were times when it felt a little too Lolita-esque. But other than that, it was a great burlesque show. The performers were very upbeat, energetic, and charming; and the audience had a blast. The whooping, hollering, and shouts of encouragement emanating from the audience is proof of what a success the show was.
Hotsy Totsy burlesque tribute shows take place at The Slipper Room in New York City, located at 167 Orchard Street. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, then I suggest keep your eyes open for Hotsy Totsy’s Game of Tassels, a tribute to George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, coming March 12th! Make sure to visit the Hotsy Totsy website so that you are updated on future shows and get a bio of the founders of this amazing troupe.
*All images via Matthew Cooper
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