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tassel twirling techniques
Bound for So. Cali?
and teases to Portland for a
weekend of condensed the
There is no lovelier (or gayer) sum
atrical play from Aug. 26 to
mer tradition in Los Angeles than the
28.
annual Hollywood Bowl season. Packing
“Participants are going to
a picnic from Patina or Trader Joe’s and
learn a step-hy-step process
enjoying a concert under the stars and
for creating a burlesque rou
crisscrossing airplanes is a total joy—in
tine and learn about creating
fact, the most hotly contested element in
burlesque characters,” says
many an L.A. will or divorce settlement
Miss Indigo Blue. “I’m going
revolves around who gets to keep the
to teach students to take
bowl box seat season subscription.
those characters and place
Things are better than ever now
them in situations that are
that, thanks to last year’s umpteenth
naughty, tunny and titillating
renovation (the bowl has had more
and present those on stage.”
facelifts than Joan Collins), the music
The limited-capacity
actually sounds kinda like a live per
workshop includes character
formance. The new shell has brightened
Miss Indigo Blue will teach burlesque workshop students the tricks of the
development, costume and
and burnished the sound—especially for
trade Aug. 26 to 28.
prop tips, makeup and wig
pop and jazz and the occasional appear
secrets, and specialized
ances of the renowned Hollywood Bowl
instruction in burlesque dance moves. Students
and to the dismay of his minivan, Himan has
Orchestra—and the new lighting equipment
will perform their newly minted creations dur
relentlessly driven from town to town, spread
and video screens are vast improvements.
ing the graduation recital 8 p.m. Aug. 28 at
ing his sound and picking up fans in a most
This season has been a particularly gala
Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morrison St.
grassroots manner. They will attest that catch
one—and it’s only half over. Highlights so far
Miss Indigo Blue opened the Academy of
ing him live is the way to go.
have included the Stephen Sondheim 75th
Burlesque three years ago and teaches classes,
Despite Himan’s appearances at queer
Birthday Celebration, which served as a kind
mostly in Seattle, in a six-week format. She has
events and accolades from gay groups, his narra of Gay Lourdes to thousands of musical theater
taken her workshop on the road and overseas,
tive lyrics mysteriously use the “she” pronoun.
queens all over the West Coast. It was a fun
most recently teaching in London.
This, he explains, is an effort to make his music
evening—yes, Bernadette Peters was hoarse and
“I don’t know quite how I got this gift. 1 was
“relatable” and keeps his music from being
not all the stars were as starry as they could
put on the planet to teach women about their
“politically gay.” The results are found in these
have been—but it was worth it just to see
femininity and about their own empowerment,”
Angela Lansbury and
she says.
Len Cariou re-create
Although Miss Indigo Blue says the work
their roles as the origi
shop will be most beneficial to those who
nal Sweeney Todd and
already have a character, routine or concept in
Mrs. Lovett (with Ms.
mind, it is open to all levels, genders, abilities
Lansbury sounding
and persuasions. Students must be old enough
ready to attack
to enter a bar for the performance.
Broadway again in a
Miss Indigo Blue will also perform with
minute), hear Barbara
Mozzarella 8 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Egyptian
Cook do her un
Club, 3701 S.E. Division St., followed by a stu
surpassed version of
dent reception and social.
“Losing My Mind” or be
Workshop prices range from the rock-
devastated by Audra
bottom rate of $225 to a $320 package, which
McDonald’s searing
includes a commemorative packet with photos,
account of “Not a Day
a video, satin gloves, a feather boa and
Goes By.” And then
TwirlyGirl pasties with adhesive.
Barbra Streisand
To register, call 206-47-TWIRL, e-mail
deigned to come down
academy@twirlygirl.net or visit
among us mere mortals
www.missindigoblue.com /academy.html.
and lead the sold-out
—JRC From left, Mary Steele, Wendy McGinnis and Kiera O'Hara formed the
house in singing “Happy
jazz band Sweet Thunder in 1999.
Birthday” to a beaming
Steve Sondheim—it
Tall, Dark and handsome
lyrics for “White Horse”: “I’m waiting for my
was all very L.A.
With a chiseled, stark expression and a gui
man on white horse. She says, I’m waiting for
Later in the month there was a fun Roaring
tar slung over his broad shoulders, openly gay
my man on white horse.”
’20s evening with Ute Lemper doing Kurt
singer/songwriter Eric Himan is easy on the
File his albums next to other country-rock-
Weill and Kander and Ebb in her signature,
folk-blues-funk fusion experiments.
eyes.
übemeurotic fashion and Joel Grey proving
His voice has been described as “honeyed
Himan performs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at
that he still has a Hoofer’s panache (and
chamomile,” an accurate if not gooey compari
Mississippi Pizza Pub, 3552 N. Mississippi Ave.
remains the creepiest Emcee ever to grace the
son, and his sound has been likened to Ani
For more information visit
hellish Cabaret).
www.erichiman.com.
DiFranco.
Another evening, somewhat awkwardly
Dark Horse, Himan’s fourth album, was
—JRC titled The Great American Women Concert,
released on his own label,
showcased three mighty talents: the fabulous
Thumbcrown, named after the
soprano Deborah Voigt (unfortunately having a
crown tattoo on his thumb. The
rare off night), the divine jazz diva Dianne
disc features 11 songs from
Reeves channeling the spirit of Sarah Vaughan
Himan, all original with the
and, once again, the remarkable Barbara Ccxik
exception of his cover of Simply
sounding like a wise angel and showing us just
Red’s 1986 hit “Holding Back
what the art of singing is all about.
the Years.”
There is a wealth of music yet to come
The Pittsburgh resident con
before the season closes Sept. 25, with such
quered the coffee shop circuit
delights as the La Dolce Vita Italian music
around Penn State University
night, John Williams doing his John Williams
before touring Pride festivals
thing, Portland’s own Pink Martini, Luciano
nationwide. The summer of
Pavarotti, a Russian Fireworks Finale and a
2004 brought him on a promo
sing-along Rocky Horror Picture Show con
tional tour to 40 different
cert. The bowl is not only the largest outdixir
Borders stores from Fort
amphitheater in the United States, it is also the
Lauderdale, Fla., to Seattle and
only place where you will find Frank-n-Furter
back again.
on Monday night and Ludwig Van on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh singer/songwriter Eric Himan performs Aug. 24 at
For the past several years,
—Jon Kretzu JH
Mississippi Pizza Pub.
Go to Adorn
or go to Hell.
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