by Cara Russell
On Sunday evening, my roommate, another friend of mine, and I were heading out the door for the Burlesque show at Seaview Theater. When my roommate emerged from her bedroom, I took one look at her and said, “Wow! Is that how I should be dressed?” Two crystal chandeliers hung from her ears, her ruby red lips pursed, and her emerald green eyes ignited as she gave me the look of “Doi!” So I marched upstairs and slipped on a little black dress that had been hanging in my closet for months. She then made up my eyes in copper eye shadow, pounds of mascara and black liquid liner. “It’s too much!” I shrieked. “I’m going to stick out!” Wrong again.
Shortly after arriving at Seaview Theater, I quickly found that my cartoon eyes paled in comparison to all the islanders dressed in big wigs, tiny corsets, and not much else. The excited playful energy was intoxicating as we all buzzed in and out of the theater, buying glasses of wine, mingling with friends, and waiting for the show to begin.
It was an eclectic audience that filled the seats of the theater, with a few strong silent types standing in the back, holding up the walls of this sold-out show. I began to get excited, not only for the coming performance, but because this is the first time in twenty years that the Seaview Theater stage has been used for a live performance!
The show finally began, and hostess, Seattle’s Premiere Fancy Lady, Ben DeLaCreme nearly fell off the stage when she jumped out from behind the eggplant purple curtains. She was fabulous, and had the audience in her hands as she performed the perfectly-, intentionally-flawed “I’ve Never Been to Me.”
The Atomic Bombshells—made up by founder and artistic director Kitten LaRue, a stunning redhead, recently married to Lou Henry Hoover—are an adorable couple on stage, as they performed “Last Dance.”
The two blonde Bombshells were made up of Inga Ingenue, the girl with sharp sultry movements, dawned in a transparent golden gown, and a real 1960’s vibe, as well as Ruby Mimosa, the beautiful fair haired hula dancer, who can do wonderful things with her hips.
Lily Verlaine, the dark-haired temptress, pulled the audience in from the beginning as she danced with a bundle of roses covering her bits. One rose at a time, she removed them, teased the audience, as the air in the theater became sweet. By the end of the number we were all in love.
Hostess, Lady BenDeLaCreme expressed how welcomed they all felt when they drove into town and found rainbow flags everywhere. “The rainbow flag is a sign of diversity and peace,” said BenDeLaCreme.
Special guest Waxie Moon performed a tribute to Isadora Duncan, the mother of American modern dance. “The dance was conspired of simple modernized ballet elements,” said Waxie. The piece was performed to Beyonce’s “Halo,” as Waxie moved with masculinity and a feminine grace all at once.
Late the next morning I saw Waxie walking through town. He stopped and chatted with me. As we talked I noticed that he still had traces of glitter on his face. Hazard of the trade. He expressed how much he and the Bombshells enjoy Orcas Island, and how much they all look forward to coming back. “The crowds out here are super special, fun, and appreciative,” he said.
A big thank you to Show organizer Jared Lovejoy, The Outlook Inn, Smith & Speed Mercantile, and The Barnacle for hosting this year’s Burlesque by the Atomic Bombshells.
