Burlesque often includes performers
who don't really (or rarely) perform burlesque, but their artistic
temperament places them happily burlesque-adjacent. I've seen all sorts
of variety artists on burlesque bills, and they're almost always a
welcome change of pace: aerial artists, performance artists, comedians,
slam poets, magicians, acrobats. But the most likely to make an
appearance in a show, or at least the shows I've seen, is a singer. And
you'll find few with a voice as good as Bourgeois Betty.
Betty is going to think I'm throwing shade, but she's one of my favorite personalities in burlesque, although, again, she rarely performs it. To see Bourgeois Betty perform is to witness the alchemy of whatever mood she's in interacting with whatever the crowd is like that night. If there's feedback on her mic, she's not going to ignore it, she's going to incorporate it. If a prop goes sideways, she might change her lyrics on the spot to acknowledge the flub. She often walks a performance tightrope, and, as such, you (and her) never quite know what you're going to get on any given night. I find her performing in the moment exhilarating and absolutely hilarious more often than not.
Betty has an interest in working more often as an emcee, and I hope she gets the opportunity. Thinking on your feet and working with whatever the crowd is giving you is an essential part of hosting, and Betty already does that in her acts, anyway.
Betty is a member of The Candybox Revue in Atlanta, GA and has won awards at the now-defunct Southern Fried Burlesque Festival. She also dressed as "Queeflejuice" on Halloween five years ago, and I'm insanely happy I got that accompanying picture with her.
Betty is going to think I'm throwing shade, but she's one of my favorite personalities in burlesque, although, again, she rarely performs it. To see Bourgeois Betty perform is to witness the alchemy of whatever mood she's in interacting with whatever the crowd is like that night. If there's feedback on her mic, she's not going to ignore it, she's going to incorporate it. If a prop goes sideways, she might change her lyrics on the spot to acknowledge the flub. She often walks a performance tightrope, and, as such, you (and her) never quite know what you're going to get on any given night. I find her performing in the moment exhilarating and absolutely hilarious more often than not.
Betty has an interest in working more often as an emcee, and I hope she gets the opportunity. Thinking on your feet and working with whatever the crowd is giving you is an essential part of hosting, and Betty already does that in her acts, anyway.
Betty is a member of The Candybox Revue in Atlanta, GA and has won awards at the now-defunct Southern Fried Burlesque Festival. She also dressed as "Queeflejuice" on Halloween five years ago, and I'm insanely happy I got that accompanying picture with her.
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