Posts Tagged ‘Burlesque’

Mamma Mia! A Burlesque Tribute to ABBA

Friday, November 17, 8 pm (show at 8:30)
Tickets: $20 (free for our members)

The Last Chance Dancers disco dance to GOLD by ABBA, played live on vinyl.

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFETY

Dress for the weather
Mixed seating & standing room
COVID vaccination required
Masks optional

This is a real burlesque show, with professional burlesque dancers. Anyone is welcome, but please note there will be sexually explicit performance, nudity, and language.

Other accommodation needs or questions? Email [email protected]

KICKAPOO: A Burlesque Tribute to Tenacious D

Friday, September 15 at 8 pm (show at 8:30)
Admission: $20 General (Free for City Reliquary members)


The Last Chance Dancers blur the line between artifice and authenticity with THE PICK OF DESTINY by TENACIOUS D, played live on vinyl.

The Last Chance Dancers are: Queensiñera, Esmé, Xaddy Addy, Maggie McMuffin, and Venatrix. Plus, One Night Only special guest BOBBY FISHNETS and the return of our original pressing, KITA ST CYR.

It’s also Kita’s birthday! Bring her savory snacks, shiny things, and good tequila.

This is a real burlesque show, with professional burlesque dancers. Anyone is welcome, but please note there will be sexually explicit performance, nudity, and language.

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFETY

This is an outdoor show with mixed seating and standing room. Entry from sidewalk through the museum is wheelchair accessible, but to get outdoors is four steps up and down. The backyard is largely uneven, but you are welcome to watch the show from the flat paved area.

Other accommodation needs or questions? Email [email protected] and we’ll work it out.

The Last Chance Dancers Present “Disco”: A Burlesque Tribute to Saturday Night Fever

Friday, August 18 at 8 pm (show starts at 8:30 sharp)
$20 general admission, free for City Reliquary members

The Last Chance Dancers continue their leftist stripper agenda with their very first soundtrack show: SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, played live on vinyl.

No breaks. No mercy. Just raw emotion and bare flesh. Anything could happen. Bring tributes to the record player and hope it spares us.

The Last Chance Dancers are: Queensiñera, Esmé, Xaddy Addy, Maggie McMuffin, and Venatrix. Plus One Night Only guests VERA SAFIRE and SUSIE DAHL

HEADS UP: BUTTS OUT
This is a real burlesque show, with professional burlesque dancers. Anyone is welcome, but please note there will be sexually explicit performance, nudity, and language.

ACCESSIBILITY & SAFETY
Mixed seating & standing room. Entry from sidewalk through museum is wheelchair accessible, but to get outdoors is 4 steps up and down. Backyard is uneven, but you are welcome to watch from the flat paved area.
Other accommodation needs or questions? Email [email protected] and we’ll work it out.

Undiscarded: Stories of New York, Episode 2 (Mannequin)

I love the eclectic arrays of curated artifacts jammed packed in crowded cases at the Reliquary, and all the stuff on the walls but there are also a lot of beautiful art and handmade homages to the history found throughout. From the little birds hidden in the vitrines to the altar dedicated to Jackie Robinson, and the stunning mosaics and sculptures in the backyard, history-based surprises abound. Those who know me are aware of my obsession with burlesque, so it’s no surprise that the “Tribute to Little Egypt” artifact made the cut for Episode 2. Who would have thought that a repurposed police locker could perfectly depict the History of Burlesque in New York?


As mentioned in the episode the Little Egypt Act was unveiled at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC

Some say the original Little Egypt was a dancer named  Fahreda Mazar Spyropoulos. Sol Bloom, an American songwriter, politician, and all-around showbiz personality, presented a show titled “The Algerian Dancers of Morocco” at the attraction “A Street in Cairo.” The show featured Spyropoulos, who was neither Egyptian nor Algerian, but Syrian. In reality, it was likely a rotating act, with many others performing as Little Egypt and many claiming to be the original. Another Little Egypt was Fatima Dejemilie and was most famously, the subject of two early films: Thomas Edison’s Coochee Coochee Dance (1896) and Fatima (1897). Another one who claimed to be the OG Little Egypt was Catherine Devine’s who took the “exotic” stage name Ashea Wabe. Little Egypt was a hit, but its success really took off in New York, particularly in Coney Island. Due to Little Egypt’s popularity and the titillating appeal of belly dancing (also known as the Hootchie Kootchie) several troupes and theaters put on their own versions of the Little Egypt act. I was utterly immersed in this era during the episode, delving into the catfights, scandals (that dreadful Seely Dinner), and vintage photos—it’s just such a vibe! I was fortunate to stumble upon a treasure trove of photos courtesy of David Bruce at https://www.femmecentric.com/, featuring the three main Little Egypts and a wealth of images from that era. I’d gladly dedicate an entire season to this period.

news clippings of Little Egypt
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC


Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC
Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (Pittsburgh, PA) 09 May 1937, Sun. Page 73
Courtesy of The Rogue Cap LLC

Naturally, who better to discuss the infamy of Little Egypt than the Reliquary’s very own burlesque expert and reigning Miss Coney Island—Maggie McMuffin. Maggie, a producer of numerous shows around town, became one of the Reliquary’s most ardent supporters after discovering it as an unconventional outdoor venue post-lockdown. Her burlesque troupe, the Last Chance Dancers (produced with Venatrix), arguably kept the doors open during these challenging times, donating all ticket sales to the Museum. Like many Reliquary members, she possesses a wealth of knowledge on specific objects, such as the Ghanaian Fantasy coffin in the front lobby (perhaps an artifact for Season 2!).

Here are some behind-the-scenes shots with Maggie.

Maggie McMuffin holding a micrphone


A few things I realized after this episode, the hustle required to make it in Showbiz in New York hasn’t changed, it seems just as grueling/exciting as it did back in the early 20th Century. To think Little Egypt(s) did it all without Social Media!  Also that Coney Island is still Sodom by the Sea. Would you listen to pod about the Early days of Burlesque?

Be sure to check out all the amazing Reliqaury Events and if you become a member, you get to see some of them for free!

Further Readings & Watchings

https://blog.mcny.org/2013/04/23/the-mysterious-little-egypt-of-coney-island/https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/herbert-barnum-seeley-grandson-throws-greatest-bachelor-party-earth/

https://www.streetswing.com/histmai2/d2egypt1.htmhttps://youtu.be/mYiwZbFdsmc

Wonder Woman Events!

Art by Isabel Samaras

The City Reliquary’s new exhibit, Wonder Women: NYC’s Heroes of Heterodoxy spans topics of feminism, equality, and community—all subjects that we at the museum hold dear and are determined to highlight and uplift.

In the spirit of Wonder Women everywhere, we have teamed up with some amazing community members to educate, inspire, and entertain you!

Get tickets to all events here, at our Withfriends events page. Museum Members may reserve free tickets through the same page.

Friday, June 24th
Opening Reception

– Open house, museum tours, informative talks, and some surprise performances –
 

Saturday, June 25th
Cartoon Carnival

– Vintage 33mm film cartoon showing with the theme: Wonderful Women –
 

Thursday, June 30th
Carousel


– A comics reading and performances focusing on Women in Comics –

Thursday, July 14th
Bare Book Club

– Women who love to read naked will be reading excerpts from articles, books, slash fiction, and more celebrating the world of comics –
 

Thursday, July 28th
Superhero Burlesque


– A sexy show where all kinds of superheroes take it all off in the name of comics –

Friday, August 26th
Lookalike Contest

– Enter to win a variety of prizes in several categories in this silly and enthralling competition to be the most like Wonder Woman –
Click here to submit a short form to compete!

And More TBA!

Bicycle Fetish Day 2011!

The City Reliquary sponsored Bicycle Fetish Day took place the last weekend of May. We blocked off part of Havermayer street and celebrated Williamsburg’s love of bicycles. Awards were handed out for Best Small Wheel, Best in Show, Best Vintage (we had one entry from 1938!), Best Handmade, and Best Beaterbike. In addition, we also raffled off a light blue bicycle at the event. The man who won luckily did not show up to BFD with a bike and rode off with a new one!

The after party, which was held in the City Reliquary’s back yard, was also a huge success! We had first time visitors as well as old friends. With beer provided by Brooklyn Brewery, we partook in bicycle themed events such as whacking a bicycle themed piñata, stationary bicycle races, and bicycle burlesque by Darlinda Just Darlinda, Divina Grandsparkle, Frida Schwinn and Miss Spoke.