Julia Cook
I am petrified of performing on stage, which may surprise people, considering I’ve now been on stage twice this summer at the Guild. First, as a drag king and recently as a singing green witch in a corset.
But if someone from a burlesque group asks you to perform, you don’t say no.
Charlottetown Burlesque performs throughout the summer at the Guild in Charlottetown every couple of weeks. The night includes a combination of music performances, dance numbers and comedy acts.
Oh, yes, and most of it is done half-naked.
Dana Lucien-Joseph Doucette has been with Charlottetown Burlesque for two years and the troupe itself has been around for six. He often performs as Olivia Face, his drag persona.
Doucette was looking for a creative and happened to know a couple members of Charlottetown Burlesque.
“I thought that Charlottetown Burlesque might be a really great way to explore this avenue of performance and it has definitely been a rewarding experience,” he says.
The version of burlesque we know today draws its history from performances in 19th century England and America. At that time, burlesque was a variety concert night that was more comic and risqué than your typical night of entertainment. Over the years it has evolved to still include those elements, but with the addition of strip tease.
When I asked Doucette if I could profile our local troupe for a story, he asked if I wanted to take part. It was never something I’d done before, but this has been a summer that I have been daring myself to try new things.
The first step was deciding what my act would be. I didn’t have enough time to plan a dance routine and I’m not funny enough to do comedy. And while I was willing to be on stage in a corset and underwear, I wasn’t willing to go the full monty. Singing was the final option.
The theme of the night was also “Fantastic Imaginarium” which meant it had to be fantasy-based. Some of the performances included acts based on the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and the Jungle Book.
I’ve been a fan of the musical “Wicked” for more than a decade and singing “Defying Gravity” seemed like the perfect introduction in Burlesque. But I was still nervous.
“I’ve been performing on stages since I was five, so I was fortunate in that my first experience was not one weighed down by nerves,” said Doucette.
“What that stood out for me more than the first performance however, was the rehearsal process and show developing that occurred beforehand.”
When the night came to perform, I stood in the dressing room while another performer helped paint me green. People were getting ready in sparkles, satin and leather and, as with most theatre dressing rooms, there was no time to be modest.
Performing on that stage was heart-pounding, but it went by faster than I thought. Coming off the stage it felt like I’d indoctrinated into a special group of performers. An important part of burlesque is that of acceptance, of all talents and body-types. The people in the audience are there to have fun and after each number there was a warn round of applause.
“One of the goals within burlesque is to develop positivity in regards to body, gender expression and sexuality. These are attitudes that grow in healthy communities, and help make those communities healthier,” added Doucette.
After the performance, my friends asked it I would do it again. I think I’ll put away the green paint and broom for now. But who knows? Maybe you’ll see my on stage again soon.