Dear Friends,
I’ve been a collector of Burlesque memorabilia since I was a child. My collection began by swiping my dad’s Playboys and my uncle’s girlie cards. As I grew older I began scouring estate sales for 8x10s and knick knacks from the burlesque houses. However it wasn’t until I took my first steps onto a burlesque stage in September of 2004 that that a lifelong pursuit of a fantasy became a reality. Those few minutes in front of an audience at the World Famous Derby in Hollywood gave me the most amazingly liberating feeling I’ve ever had in my life. Sharing your art, your soul, your body, and your story is what entertainment is all about. At 37 years old and in a town that fetishizes young thin women with fake boobs, it was amazing to see real burlesque alive and working its way to the mainstream again.
In 2007, I began producing Monday Night Tease, the continuation of the Derby Show that launched my career in burlesque. Since then I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 local and international performers – strong women and men with whom I now share an unbreakable bond.
Six years later, we have over 40 shows a month throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Our scene is about art, all shapes sizes, colors, and sexual preferences. We applaud the new and revere the past. We celebrate sexy and funny, we parody politics and social norms. We revel in Nerdlesque and pop culture and have original shows with live bands. We have productions that range from free shows to high end experiences. We keep the art form alive in striptease and baggy pants comedy. Above all else, we entertain. We are Hollywood after all.
When I attended my first Tease-o-Rama in 2003, I became addicted to burlesque festivals. The performances, the sharing of knowledge, spending time with legends, and making friends… there is nothing else like it. So it is with much pride, and plenty of support from the entire Los Angeles burlesque community that I am happy to announce the first annual Hollywood Burlesque Festival, Dec 6-9, 2013 here in Hollywood!
We hope you’ll come spend a few sunny days in December celebrating the best of burlesque with us.
Thank you,
Lili
