Sweet Louise’s Burly Character Building Guide

Crafting Your Stage Persona

You are more than welcome to create numbers and perform not having done any character work, but ultimately that means your performances will be decidedly more 2 dimensional also known as:

flat…and boring.

Boring is unacceptable.

Here’s why: You are fabulous. And since YOU are fabulous, that means your stage persona, being kin to you –  could not possibly be boring.

It’s entirely possible you have no idea how fabulous you are. Which means you have untold treasures to discover when creating your stage persona!

Even if you never performed before, “can’t dance” or other excuses you are fully capable of plugging into your imagination and crafting up the single most awesome craftiest project ever: building your stage persona.

If you are a seasoned or blossoming performer – this stuff isn’t just for the newbies! Teaching a class on character building this week I learned fabulous new things about Louise.

Here’s the good news:

You don’t have to have all the answers all at once. 

You can build this persona piece by delicious piece. Each new revelation will lead you to information you never knew you knew about your burly character. Maybe it’s a bit of costuming, a song or maybe a name, your favorite color or your beautiful hands/eyes/hair/lips/derriere…inspire you.

Let’s play.

We are jumping  right to ASPECTS and skipping the first two boxes (unless of course you’ve got yerself a Burly-Q name and tag line. In which case fill it right in.) But if you are new – and you haven’t got your clever, sassy, evocative moniker yet, never fear! It’s gonna jump all over you any minute now.

The grid below is from my Character Building Guide – which I call your:

Elevator Schpiel:

(yeah, yeah it says intro, I’m changing it to schpiel.)

So let’s say you’ve gone to the Burlesque Hall of Fame, or BurlyCon or your local BurlyQ show and you want to talk about what it is you do. (Assume you get to skip the part about “What burlesque is.”)

With answers to these questions…

you’ll have a Shabang! Wow! Elevator schpiel crafted for your fabulous self.

 ASPECTS:

What the heck is an aspect? Aspects are descriptive, no… EVOCATIVE words about your character.

I hereby appoint you the PRESIDENT of  your own fan club!Here’s your card:

(or “Mr. Fabulous” as the case may be)

You’re the one who attends every show.

You reserved your ticket ahead of time and sit front row center.

You wait after the show to chat with this fabulous creature and delight in introducing your new friends to them.

Okay, take a breath. Right now. Part your lips – iiinhale…exhale

Now…

Take a moment to adore this burly personality as only the President of their fan club can…

get all doe eyed,

think blushy thoughts,

fall in love and say…

“She’s just… so… sooo ________.” 

That’s an aspect. What ever you put in that blank – that’s an aspect.

Three of Sweet Louise’s aspects are: Glamorous, Awkward, & Sparkly

How do I know if I have the right aspects?

Here are a few clues you’ve got it right:

• It makes you giggle or better yet…snort.
• It makes you blush.
• You feel scared it might be true.
• You can’t hold back, “YES!”
• You sigh out loud in a voice reserved for only for your lover or your batteries.

 If the words you picked are too mundane or just plain not right you’ll have a distinct feeling of:

“Meh” “Naww”  or “Maybe that’s it” 

Just erase it and move on. No hemming and hawing. 

Unless!!! you want to erase it because it scares or titillates you.

Then leave it.

Because I said so. Leave it for at least 15 minutes.

Move on to something else and if at some point you are sure it’s wrong because it’s UNINSPIRING then erase it.

If it just makes you a little nervous in your grey matter and tingly in your pink bits then keep it. (That’s a sure sign you’re on to something)

Play With These Aspects

How do they inform the story you tell yourself about this divinely, fabulous entity?

Try them on the same why you’d try a new pair of shoes…or a costume. How do they make you walk? Move? Sing? Dance?

Go. Put some music on and PLAY.

Mwah!

~ Sweet Louise

(Sweet Louise - emphasis on the "Awkward" aspect) 2010 photo by Paul Andrews

Next up for Character Creation: Celebrity Mash Up!

Memorial Day

Sweet Louise as Rosie the Riveter, photo by Russ Matthews

Today I wish…

blessings on all those who know the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform.

Blessings to all who love those service members proudly and fiercely.

Blessings to those who cope with the loss of their loved ones and the fear of loosing their loved ones.

Blessings to the veterans who’s friends have given the ultimate sacrifice.

And blessings to those brave souls who’s duty has called them away from us for ever.

Don Gomez, an Iraq war veteran and spokesman for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America writes:

(Read the full article here: Memorial Day for a New Generation)

“…it would be nice to see #MemorialDay trending on Twitter and have it mean something more than an excuse for a marathon Call of Duty session, or a cheap way to promote a product, or an opportunity to rent a beach house and burn through a cooler of Miller Lite. Memorial Day should not be a holiday by veterans for veterans. It is a holiday for all Americans, and we should be proud and unafraid of being sentimental. It doesn’t matter how we remember, it only matters that we don’t forget.”

He served two tours in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division in 2003 and 2005. You can follow him on Twitter @dongomezjr.

Not all veterans die on the battlefield.

Far too many bring the war home with them and take their own lives.

If you are a veteran who is contemplating suicide or if you know a veteran who is depressed – confidentially contact the National Veteran Suicide Hotline at:

Dial 1-800-273-8255 (TALK), Veterans Press 1 to talk to someone NOW.

Today is a day to remember.

Today is a day to connect.

Today is a gift.

Today…

Enjoy your picnic!

Enjoy your family!

Enjoy the day off!

or quiet/busy/noisy time…

what ever this Memorial Day brings you because, as my own beloved veteran said from Afghanistan this morning: 

“(Memorial Day) *was* designed to provide all of those fun things– and those who gave their lives are the ones who provided it.”

Sparkly Blessings y’all,

Mwah,

~ Sweet Louise

February 1954, Marilyn Monroe Enertaining U.S. Troops - Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

P.S. Tomorrow’s blog: Do you know your Burly-Q Elevator Intro?

Build Your Character: It’s Just What the Dr. Ordered

Tomorrow I’m teaching a brand spanking new workshop,  Burlescology: Character Building.  It’s entirely possible that by the time it’s done my version of  “Your Burly Info Sheet” will look a great deal like a 4E D&D Character Sheet. Just sayin’. It’s entirely possible.

Charmion (1875 - 1949), vaudeville strongwoman and trapeze artist

Building Character.

It’s good for you, like Malt-o-Meal, Wheaties or Kale Chips…but better. In my book, performing in and of it self is character building. For me. But it’s not ME me the audience has come to see – it’s Sweet Louise. Likewise, if you are performing publicly your general audience didn’t come to see You, you. They came to see fabulous burly-q you.

Tomorrow’s class is all about #8 below.

I came by the following words of wisdom from the amazing Dr. Lucky via Annie Cherry when I sat in on one

Dr. Lucky photo by Dale Rio

of her classes a few years back. They were printed on pink paper and when I distribute them in my class they are always on pink paper. That’s the way Dr. Lucky wants it and I agree it’s better that way. With no further ado:

Dr. Lucky’s Top 10 Tips for Budding Burlesque Babes

So you wanna be a burlesque babe? Take the following with a grain of salt; I offer these tips to make your future performances seamless, enjoyable, and productive! Enjoy and I hope to see you under the bright lights!
1. Respect Your Predecessors
Always acknowledge those that have helped pave the path that you now find yourself on. You haven’t invented anything. Everything has been done before. Which is both liberating and challenging. The history of burlesque spans over 150 years while the circus arts go back, well, let’s just say WAY before that. Which leads me to 2…
2. Do Your Research
See shows, read books, watch movies. Subscribe to listservs dedicated to the scene. Surf the net, watch videos on YouTube, and be a myspace whore. Know the major players in the scene. Your humility will enable you to learn an amazing wealth of knowledge from experienced performers. Which will help you avoid 3…
3. Don’t Copy Others
Inspiration is one thing. Stealing (or borrowing heavily which is basically stealing) a signature move or concept is another. No one owns the fan dance at this point but you should avoid copying something you’ve seen before (which, if you haven’t seen anything, see point 2, you are clueless). And if you are recreating a classic, simply attribute the original as inspiration. Dirty Martini makes it very clear that certain numbers are inspired by her predecessors (see point 1). She acknowledges these as “tributes” (and the person who originated the idea) and always inserts her own “original idea.” Make sure you are making an original contribution and not simply copying. Which leads me to 4…
4. Don’t Use the Stripper CD (“Striptease Classics”)
Many pick this CD up to start and everyone is tired of hearing the same fucking songs over and over again. One suggestion, borrowed from Julie Atlas Muz’ advice to my students at NYU in the past (see point 3), is to pick a song you love. A song that you can listen to over and over (and over) again. Simple as that. Of course, you may use the stripper CD if you are making fun of it. In which case, if you are making fun of it, anything goes! Burlesque is, after all, largely (though not wholly) about parody. Which segues, quite nicely, I do say so myself, into 5…
5. Avoid Cliché Archetypes
There’s a fine line between cliché and clever. As a general rule, if you can buy the concept of your act from a plastic bag at Target during Halloween (i.e. kitty cat, naughty nurse, dirty school girl/teacher, angel, devil, housewife) you may either want to consider: 1) coming up with another archetype or 2) work the fuck out of it in an unexpected way or make fun of it (see tip 4). Most burlesque numbers use archetypes of some type but after seeing 6 housewife numbers in a night, the audience may grow tired. Even if you do 2 (i.e., work the fuck out of it/make fun of it [in which case anything goes]), you will still want to avoid, at all costs, 6…
6. Your Underwear is Not A Costume
I cannot stress this enough. This is not a Victoria Secret runway or a Pussycat Dolls Show. If you want to do a sexy strip down to your panties stay at home. Clothes in your closet, no matter how fabulous, are not enough for the stage and require bejeweling, bedazzling, and general whoring out. Which as a concept and a lifestyle cannot be separated from 7…
7. Do Not be Pedestrian
People are paying to see you perform. Entertain them at all times and at all costs. From the moment you walk into a space until the moment you leave, you are performing a personae. No one wants to hear about your shitty day job or how early you have to get up in the morning (unless, of course, you’re going on tour or flying to Paris). Which, once you’ve mastered, is inextricably linked to 8…
8. Build Your Character
You does not equal Your Stage Personae. Make up stories. Invent origins, biographies, performance history. Lie all the time. (And I mean ALL THE TIME.) Pretend you are way more fabulous than you are. Eventually, you’ll start to believe it and so will others. But be aware that you do not forget rule 9…
9. Being Fabulous Does Not Mean Being a Diva: Make It Work
Turn mistakes into new choreography; no one will know something wasn’t planned unless you tell them. Throwing tantrums backstage, complaining about the sound or space or [fill in the blank] is annoying. Fellow performers are your allies. Save the catty crap for close friends. Do not talk shit or complain. Commiserating is one thing; making an entire show about you, you, you! is another. Which leads me to the 10th but not final tip…
10. Practice. Practice. Practice.
You will probably suck for awhile and until you become a veteran performer, you may be able to pull it off despite your greenness by practicing. Maybe sometimes you will get lucky but practicing is an even better strategy. That means practicing with music, full costume, and choreography from beginning to end until you are ready to puke or are really, really bored. Control props and costumes; don’t let them control you. Which leads me to the three final basics of all performance which, though they may be dreadfully obvious, are worth restating: 1) have fun; 2) be in the moment; and 3) smile!
Oh, and one more bonus tip for those ready to take on the word of our savior, our Lady Luck, the Patron Saint of Glamour, MORE = MORE and LESS = LESS. Once you recognize the power of those simple but provocative equations, excess and glamour will rule your life. Amen.

[1] © 2007 by Dr. Lucky. Must be printed on Pink Paper.

And that m’dears is some fine advice. Burly pearls of wisdom to live by!

Mwah!

~ Sweet Louise

This Little Light of mine….I’m gonna shine it like a mega giant glamour girl Batlight!

” To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest. ” Author Unknown 

Tomorrow is a brand, spankin’, new workshop at the Sweet Louise Conservatory of Burlesque.

I’m EXCITED.

Burlescology: Light Up the Stage: We’ll be learning the look, the glamour, the attitude to shine brighter than any spotlight.

So get ready y’all tomorrow the glamour girl bat lights are going to be shining so bright the sun will turn in early.

P.S.

Tonight catch me at Crosstown Station guest performing with the one and only Clownvis!

Tomorrow swing by America Now and Here for a special edition of Dr. Sketchy’s with me as Rosie the Riveter!

Burlescology: Movement 1 & 2 Tonight! Glamour and Glow!

This morning I was chatting with Crimson Sugar and cooing over the two new classes tonight and she asked what we’d be doing…

I said…in a nutshell we’ll be sweating while we get our glamour on.

She said no, no!  Don’t you remember?

Ladies do not sweat, they GLOW!

So – Tonight:

GLAMOUR AND GLOW!  (I’m such a sucker for alliteration)

Movement 1: Long, Languid and Lean: increase grace, stamina and range of motion

Movement 2: Grace and Strength – Tone and Tempt: increase endurance, balance and core strength

There are a few spots left in both the movement classes and a scant few in the Sunday workshops. Join us on this wild and gorgeous burly ride. Check the May Schedule here and contact me to reserve your spot.

And if it doesn’t work out this time, fear not…there will be more Burlescology in the future!

xoxo

~ Sweet Louise