The Making of Cherry Darling from Planet Terror

     I was booking my shows in calendar openings, hoping to take the stage with my favorite - Hubba Hubba Revue- whose focus that month was on Super Action Films. Although my forte is Classic Burlesque, I saw this both as a chance to strengthen my limited "themed" work, and a fantastic costuming challenge that I would otherwise not explore. When Kingfish, Hubba Hubba Revue's producer extraordinaire informed me there was an opening in the Super Action Burlesque show- I jumped! I had about one month to be show ready. I had my heart set on a piece that told the story of Cherry Darling from Quentin Tarantino's Planet Terror. I was thrilled that Jim Sweeney (Kingfish) was onboard and I started my research.........Feeling exhilarated I poured over notes and websites......then the panic set in. If I was going to actually make this real, and convincing, and not just another costume gimmick, I was going to have to enlist talented, reliable, ambitious help. The challenge was making my leg appear to be gone under a small miniskirt.

     I asked Szandora LaVey to play the part of Cherry Darling before she lost her leg. This would require her to dance for more than half the piece, until she was taken offstage and replaced by me, playing the part of Cherry Darling after her leg removal, and with a machine gun prosthetic. We would dress as 'twins' to create a seamless effect for the audience. With the help of my talented seamstress, we created the tops for both roles, and I worked with Olga of Decadent Designs to create the same skirt for both of us, but with very specific instructions and alterations to the skirt that would be worn with my prosthetic. Sight unseen, with a few measurements, Olga made this happen without a hitch, and had it shipped to me extremely fast. I can't say enough good things about working with Decadent Designs.

Photo: Howard Gold

     Next I needed dancers portraying Zombies- hot, beautifully disturbing Zombies. I was very fortunate to have Candy Pie, Roxanne RedMeat, and Trixie Fou Laurant play these roles. Candy Pie did the most gorgeous, gruesome Zombie makeup with wounds of shimmery shades of glitter- horrifying and  stunning. She is also a wonderful costume engineer and Producer- you can find more of her at candypie.me

Photos: Cody Molica

. We all worked to choreograph a background portrait for Szandora to dance in front of.....until the point where we had her lifted off the stage and the Zombies displayed the leg they ripped off her body.
.......enter me, to shoot down the Zombies with my machine gun leg.

So......how did I do it?

Pics are taken from my Instagram: Beaucoupburly

1- Order casting tape. 
 I used about 5 rolls of 4" x 4 yrds Techform Premium Casting Tape

2- I decided to cast my left leg, so I bent my leg back, and secured it with the following, in order:

            -Support hose

            -Black fishnet stockings

            -Ace bandage

            -Compression booty shorts, cut to hide under miniskirt

            -Heavy Duty Black Gorilla Duct Tape

3- Once in place, I found a semi comfortable spot at the edge of a soft couch, wrapped a soft cotton fabric 'sock' that fit over my knee and thigh, and had a friend help cast- Sporting latex gloves, and a large mixing bowl of warm water, he dipped the tape and began rolling the outside of my leg, 4- 5 layers, until I could pull my leg out and wait for the cast to set.

4- While the cast set.....I found an M16 toy machine gun that had lights and sound in the barrel- this is key. I split the gun in half lengthwise to remove the insides, or 'guts' of the gun, and replaced it with an adjustable crutch for Juveniles, that I sawed off to fit the height of my other leg (including the cast) 

5- Now to attach the gun/crutch to the cast...... I used metal strips from Home Depot and snapped them through the cast.....

6- I added one more roll of casting tape over the top of the metal strips

7-  High Gloss Harley Davidson Spray paint in black coated the gun, and was highlighted by silver paint and shards of glitter for stage presence. 

8- Basking in the glory of the first dress rehearsal, post-leg, with my dog playing the part of the audience! You can see the craftsmanship of Decadent Designs....even better in the video below

And now.....video with my amazing Cast and the machine gun leg......

My Resources

Just thought I would share some of my resources for the items I use when creating a burlesque number. These are places I purchase my items from. I do not receive anything from these companies- this list is my own personally tested, tried-and-true, compilation of sites that work for me.

Fishnets: I use Capezio Seamless 3000, and I always cut the waist off first thing. Unlike less expensive fishnets, these will not unravel when they are cut, and will last a good long while. They can also be mended with a needle and thread, like darning a sock. I don't have any one go-to site, as the price will vary, so check Ebay and discountdance.com

Gloves:  For classic numbers, I like the 23" Opera glove in Satin . Finale Gloves has a great color selection and great prices (around $12)

Pasties: I wear, almost exclusively, Gothfox.com pasties. They are reliable, they will make anything custom that you can dream up, and the quality of their fabrics and crystals is incomparable. I still have my first pair, and they look just as gorgeous now as they did the day I received them. In addition, they do custom Merkins, V-strings, and have a nice assortment of accessories, such as Vegan Boas.

Pastie Tape/Glue: I prefer a good Medical Adhesive (and remover) over more traditional applications like Spirit Gum, but my favorite fastener is Indoor/Outdoor Heavy Duty Double-sided Duct Tape, more specifically 'Shurtape' carried at Lowes.com

Boas and Plumes: I have shopped this around, and for my money, I like the quality and customer service of Eskayfeathers.com. Their plumes are always very fluffy, and they are willing to work with you if you have a special request. I have a Wholesale license, but I find their pricing very close to Wholesale. Pair a few flowers from Michael's with some smaller plumes and a few rhinestones, and you have a gorgeous hairpiece.
In addition, Cindy at Fancyfeathers.com is pretty much capable of ANYTHING! Recently she was able to get me the amount of feathers I needed in the custom shade I needed, all while in the midst of BHoF....and still managed to make me feel like I was her only customer- feeling spoiled by that!

Swarovski Crystals: I use therhinestoneshop.com. Very close to Wholesale pricing, and very prompt shipping. If you are in the Phoenix area, you can take your costume pieces to the shop and try different colors right there....which means finding nice complimentary colors for shading, etc
It is perfectly acceptable to use a stone other than Swarovski.  Preciosa is a nice alternative. I usually prefer to use E6000 glue and go with non-hotfix stones. I work with very delicate fabrics at times and the heat needed to place hotfix stones is not something I want to take a chance with.

Shoes: This is a very personal thing, so I'll just list 2 of my favorites, both have quick-releases, and are comfortable enough that I can wear them for an entire evening of social dance without hurting.
Character shoes (great for Troupe pieces)- SoDanca.com
Ballroom Shoes (great for solos) I like VeryFine.com

Glitter and Micas: This is also very personal. For a great lip/body glitter, the main thing you want to look for is size. The finer and more micro the glitter, the nicer it will wear. If you want to test this before investing in bulk glitter buying, a good starter is Martha Stewart's Glitter in extra fine, and it can be found at any Michael's store. It's rarely on sale, so be sure you download a coupon from Michael's before you go and you could save yourself up to 40% off.

Costuming: If you don't sew, the best thing you can do is find a good seamstress. Check with your local Ballet companies or Theatre Houses. You want someone who is familiar with costume work. Most of these seamstresses will be very reasonable, and will save you money in the long run. 

If you are not ready to go that route, you can find some good foundation pieces and make them your own with trims and embellishments.

I have used and like corsetstory.com, although check Ebay because you can find alot of the same corsets at half the price if you're willing to look enough.

As for your foundation pieces (bra and bottoms you are going to build on), I highly recommend getting something that fits you well and that you're comfortable in. It's not a great costume if your bra costs $5, but keeps riding up on you while you perform. You can find something that is from a good, reliable company on sale almost always, and if you are covering it, it doesn't matter what it looks like, just remember to cover the inside as well. When you take it off, if the audience gets a peek at the underside, nobody wants to see something 'unfinished'.
A couple of my personal foundation favorites are Secretsinlace.com and Dottiesdelights.com. I just ordered an underpinning from vintagesuitsbymary.com, so I will update and review once I receive it. (I have since received this item, and i have to say it was worth every penny. Period-perfect, gorgeous fit, lush fabric and movement)

Remember if you are adding trim etc to a bra/bottom- you want a trim with stretch. If it does not stretch and you don't allow for that, you won't be able to get it on your body.

A nice stretch ribbon and some colored tulle simply cut can make a great skirt and you can customize it for your corset. A much more professional look than an off-the-rack mall or costume store purchase.

Lashes: A MUST HAVE or your eyes will not show up onstage. I like Duo clear lash glue. I also prefer Kryolan.com lashes. The lashes that are going to work for you depend on the shape of your eye and face. I usually have to cut the lashes before placing because my eyes are not that wide.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have additional questions, or would like guidance, please feel free to ask here, or you can message me privately, and I will happily answer.

"By changing nothing, nothing changes"

What an amazing year this has been, and to think it's not over just yet!

I am in love with California! 

In the brief time I have been here, I have encountered one dynamic person after another.....venue owners, producers, and performers. All genuine and obviously following their passion. I find myself drawn in by these individuals. I feel there is an unwritten rule however, and this might just be my rule, but......as lovely as being friendly with everyone is, if I am not delivering great performances, I don't really deserve to be there...and I want to deliver. BIG.

This is something that was taught to me by Lili VonSchtupp, in one swift email when I was starting out in burlesque, and for which I will always be grateful. If not for this realization early on, I would not be performing today. The bonds formed while learning and performing together are irreplaceable, but 'oh darling', 'kisses doll', and 'you're so fabulous' only hold so much weight without the sincerity that comes with solid performance skills, professionalism, and business etiquette. And this is a business.

It has been difficult coming to the decision to leave my Arizona troupe BurlEscapades permanently. It is a troupe I co-founded, and I grew immensely as a dancer and as a person during our time together. They are wonderful performers. Watch for their shows!

Meanwhile, check my website for show dates and event information! www.mercybeaucoupburlesque.com

*Title quote- Tony Robbins

Trick does Treats

Getting ready for all the upcoming Halloween events and shows. This is my favorite time of the year for Burlesque....also the most challenging for me personally. How to turn my strip-tease style into a true piece of burlesque. Enter Lucy Morals, my amazing teacher from the beginning, and a very good reason to take classes from someone who can and does do it all.  Classes: http://phoenixburlesque.webs.com/vavavoomclasses.htm

The work in progress:

On being a Stage Kitten for The New Orleans Burlesque Festival

Upon finding out that I would be a Stage Kitten at what I consider THEE single Best Burlesque Festival in the World, The New Orleans Burlesque Festival, I believe I let out a shriek of joy that only the neighborhood cats and dogs could hear! Since embarking into the world of Burlesque, it has been the one Festival that I hold as having the finest entertainers, venues, and ambiance, anywhere.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Orleans-Burlesque-Festival/224223057636806?ref=ts

Once I found out what the weather was going to be like in New Orleans in mid Sept (rainy, hot, and muggy) I could then begin obsessing over what to pack.

As a Stage Kitten, I was supplied with a beautiful ensemble from Secrets In Lace, a sponsor for the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, and the maker of truly well constructed and gorgeous underpinnings. I worked the House of Blues shows, and was on hand to help pass out promo materials for Secrets In Lace as needed.

With my stage wardrobe taken care of, I only had to pack for dinners, parties, and running around in general. I packed a leopard pinup halter dress,  a slinky black jersey tea length dress with a wicked slit up the leg, an almost-off-the-shoulder tight Sophia Loren-esque dress with a masculine pinstripe, a red strapless A-line chinese silk floral dress, and a second-skin gunmetal grey stretch dress in a very conservative style and a very un-conservative fit. I brought a black pashmina and a light evening sweater, as well as a thin raincoat I thankfully didn't need. Pair all that with leggings, a couple cute tanks, a pair of jeans, and nice shorts.  LOADS of hair accessories and jewelry. DONE.

Even though Nola's French Quarter is known for its ankle turning cobble stone walkways, I refused to bring touristy-style 'sensible' shoes. I did pack a couple pair of kitten heels and ballet flats, and even after an evening of cocktails, I was able to manage in my heels. I will tell you that at the end of my trip, my feet were not happy with me for a couple days!

We stayed at the Astor Crowne, which offered a discount to Festival goers and was just off Bourbon St and everything was within walking distance- even in impractical shoes.


Running around town:

Day/Night 1:

Some of my girlfriends went to the Ritz Carlton for High Tea: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/NewOrleans/Dining/DavenportLounge/Menu.htm, while I ran to my Secrets In Lace fitting. I met Dan, owner of Secrets In Lace, and the nicest gentlemen. It was like Christmas at the fitting! Bullet bras, girdles, garters, all made so well with every shape of every woman in mind- this is lingerie engineering meets exceptional execution, technique, and quality....AND THE HOISERY! I was completely smitten with the hoisery. I did not know that Secrets In lace has over 50 styles of hosiery EXCLUSIVE to them. I found this out when I kept telling Dan how I was falling in love with every pair as they were opened, and how I had never seen stockings like these- the denier and styles were breathtaking. Once I was outfitted in the proper size and style, I walked around the Quarter and snapped pics, my head was spinning like in a Fairytale! I headed back to the room to get ready for the evening.

We decided to dine at Muriel's: http://www.muriels.com/ The food was amazing, and since we were pressed for time (we had a tour scheduled at 8pm), we did not know they keep a table there for their Ghost. Actually, it's a private dining room. Ask about it if you go.

We then walked to the Ghost Tour : http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/. It is about an hour and a half long, and takes you through some of the paranormal activity that has been reported throughout the French Quarter. While we didn't spot any ghosts, the stories and our guide were very interesting. I recommend some type of tour like this. It gave me more of a feel of the rich history of the streets beneath me.

On our way to Pat O'Brien's, we stopped in at the Royal Sonesta Hotel quickly, and were completely delighted to see the infamous Perle Noire perform right in front of us! In the sweetest intimate little venue! What a treat that was. Absolute HIGHLIGHT!!!

On to Pat O'Brien's: http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/ Pat has dueling pianos! Requests are welcome, usually written on a napkin (include a tip) and your song will be belted out by performers and patrons alike. They are famous for their Hurricane here- basically a giant hurricane glass filled with lots and lots of alcohol!


Day/Night 2:

After an easy morning, I got ready to head over to Harrah's for the Secrets In Lace Fashion Show rehearsal. They had a hair team come in and pamper us, and as nice as that was, it was actually more nerve-racking for me and my poofy-wild-lion mane. I should have styled myself, but now I know. The Fashion show was wonderful. All the ladies backstage, performers and kittens, were as sweet as could be. Stormy Gayle did an incredible job of organizing everything, and made us all feel at home. This is the first time I got to meet and talk to my favorite performers- Ginger Valentine, MediaNoche, Dinah Might, Miss Redd, just to name a few. That was thrilling! Once finished, I threw my little black dress over my lingerie and it was on to the next thing...

Following the Fashion show at Harrah's, I decided to take a cab over to the House of Blues where I would be working as a stage kitten for the Bad Girls of Burlesque Show. I checked in with the performers (again, all women I have admired immensely- Coco Lectric, Lydia DeCarllo (we shared a fun moment over a robe)Peekaboo Pointe, GalFriday, Charlotte Treuse, and so very many more ) and then hopefully I got out of their way. HOB had a fantastic stage manager- Domenic Castelli. He was on top of things like I had never seen, all while being utterly gracious and fun. https://www.facebook.com/domenic.castelli He is currently working the Montreal Burlesque Festival, lucky bastard. I  spent 2 evenings working by his side, and he was a pleasure and a true professional. AND HOLY COW-  Derek Jackson was front and center in the audience shooting away with his camera- more than a bit intimidating!  And the costumes! The workmanship, ingenuity, and engineering of these items was exquisite. I took great care in how I gathered everything and met the performers immediately after their piece to be sure all was accounted for. The only thing that took me a little longer was a pair of shoes behind the far end of stage right- they belonged to GalFriday- I was so distracted by her duet with Peekaboo Pointe that I completely and utterly forgot I had a job to do! At the end of the night I thanked the performers and made certain everybody had everything they needed and came with before leaving.

Post-Show we decided to check out Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop: http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html .Built in 1722 and the oldest structure in the country to be used as a bar. There is no electricity, it's all lit by candle....there is alot of old brick.....and a piano. Everyone gathered around the piano and we sang. Some of us were encouraged to lie across the piano (Sable Switch was quite breathtaking in the role of Siren!) while there was serenading. It was a wonderful way to wind down the night. We made a quick stop into Flanagan's Bar where a nice gentleman made me a CD of some cool eclectic classical tunes.

....then a long walk back to the hotel.


Day/Night 3:

Having gotten in around 6am, I should not have been surprised when I woke at 12:30. I scrambled to make my feather fan class with the amazing Queen Coco Lectric. Fortunately for me, the workshop was downstairs in my hotel! The workshop was casual, and incredibly informative. It's amazing how one hour with a seasoned performer can work wonders for your technique. I would definitely take classes from her again if I get the chance. She went out of her way to offer her help to me absolutely anytime I needed, which shows you how generous and confident a woman and dancer she is.

After class, we met with some friends who now live in New Orleans for a quick soda (one can only drink so much!) and some catching up, followed by running back to the hotel to get ready for a fancy dinner at Galatoires: http://www.galatoires.com. What a beautiful restaurant. Gorgeous food and wine, and the dessert!!! We wrapped up dinner, the ladies went to the Queen of Burlesque Show while I got ready to stage kitten at the House of Blues for the Queen's Ball. HIGHLIGHT OF MY NIGHT- meeting Legend Bambi Jones. She is stunning. Truly beautiful, with a rockin' bod and a wicked sense of humor.

The Queen's Ball was sooooo good. Stellar performances, among my favorite was Foxy Brown- definitely a crowd favorite as well. Every single performance in this showcase was epic. Every one. AND I finally got to work with another Kitten, Iris Le'Mour, an absolutely GORGEOUS woman, inside and out, with just the right amount of Sass. Loved her.

After the show and a quick change into a party dress, I headed to the Foundation Room for a private party hosted by none other than Rick Delaup, Creator and Producer extraordinaire of The New Orleans Burlesque Festival, as well as the Bustout Burlesque, and Strut shows. All wildly successful, boasting the absolute best talent in the world- the creme de la creme, if you will.  He was charming, quiet, and kind. And threw one hell of a party!

At the party, everyone was on a high. The Festival was a raging success, everyone gave incredible performances, and now it was time to relax and dance for fun! HIGHLIGHT for me at the party was meeting Derek Jackson, a photographer  and true artist from Atlanta. If you've seen any amazing pics from the BIGGEST Burlesque events of the BIGGEST stars, chances are, he shot those. http://jetblasted.wix.com/derekjacksonphotography#!

Walked back to the hotel, where I met Angi B Lovely, and she was. Freshly crowned Queen of Burlesque, looking dazzling in a royal blue slinky evening dress, she gave me a huge hug, wrapped her arm around my waist and we boarded the elevator up to our rooms. Her smile was infectious and wonderful.


Day 4:

Packed up in the morning, took a stroll, then headed to Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets. All my favorite people in one spot to reflect on our time together. My beautiful girlfriend Erin (she moved to New Orleans a bit ago) and her beau joined us. It was a gorgeous day out, the weather had been perfect the entire trip. This is where we all parted. My girls to the Alligator Farm, Erin to work, and me off to the airport, after a jaunt to St Louis Cemetery, which I arrived a half hour too late to get into, but I could look inside. It is definitely on my list for next trip.

Last little WOW moment in New Orleans- meeting Angelique DeViil in the airport terminal, introducing myself and thanking her for the privilege of working with her.......and having her not only recognize me, but compliment me on a wonderful job. ANGELIQUE FREAKIN DeVIL y'all! (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angelique-DeVil/124089625258?ref=ts.)


In closing,  avery large THANK YOU to Rick Delaup, Secrets in Lace, http://www.secretsinlace.com , Stormy Gayle, all the incredible, powerhouse Performers, and my fellow Stage Kittens. Shall we do it again next year?

SAN FRANCISCO

      I just moved back to the East Bay after spending the last couple of years in Phoenix. I am absolutely thrilled to be home. I have really missed it here.

     My time away was not wasted, however. I spent countless hours taking classes from Lucy Morals,  and danced with VaVaVoom in Phoenix.....I danced on as many stages in as many shows as would have me, I clung to every piece of constructive criticism and took as much feedback as I could get.....I stepped up my practices, and I strived to push myself when it came to showmanship and costume engineering. I met some incredibly talented dancers who were just as passionate as myself- Kara LaFleur, Mia PiaCherrie, and Visa V Is, and together, along with each of our solo endeavors, we created the burlesque dance troupe 'BurlEscapades'. We are currently performing throughout Arizona and California.

     I will be out and about in the East Bay, and I look forward to meeting my Burlesque community in San Francisco!

Priorities and the like

     My life has been a complete whirlwind as of late.......bookings, constant choreo, marketing, traveling....and it is wonderfully exhausting. 
     Sadly, I lost my Uncle a few days ago, and just now returned from saying my farewells. He had been sick (we were all expecting that he might be taken from us soon), but I didn't think it would affect me like this. I spent time with my family, and I loved seeing them and celebrating his life, but when I got to the airport to return home, I started to lose it. I was so emotional. Not just the due to the loss of my Uncle, I think I was at peace with that, but more an awareness of the amazing gift I have been given in the form of my life....
     I have been asking myself  'has my life improved by associating with those around me?',  as well as 'has knowing me improved the lives of those I care about?' A great deal of re-evaluating has taken place in a very short period of time, but I feel it has always been bubbling just below the surface.
     Life is good.