Awakeawakeawake...

I could probably blame the nap I took between 6 and 9 for this late night.

Oh, a yawn! That's good news. Yawns usually precede an hour or so before I'm actually pretty tired. Feeling restless, but not very interested in doing anything. Matt and Jamie are asleep in the next room and don't want to bother them with me on the trampoline... that would probably wipe me out.

I enjoyed my dinering with Regina and Dante. They came over to go over their next number for WE Burlesque. We go on live on the 8th at Wicked Faire. I am very happy with the setlist, the cast, and the progress made. Some stuff to work out still, but there will continue to be until we go on. Not stressing.

We have a good learning curve for burlesque; we are learning what works and learning what doesn't. I am learning to take the opinions of others and channel them into something better. Michael said something interesting about "Script Language" about a week ago... it's the number where Genevieve and I seduce Jordana. He said he thought it was depressing; it looked like we were draining the life out of her and that it was "anti-burlesque" (or something to that same token; something that did not fit into the pro-sex attitudes of burlesque). I thought about this. Y'know, I understand that. In context, in it's original form at a vampire event, it was less drain-the-life and more eat-the-little-girl. We did not change the format at the two later events we performed it at; it was out of context and suffered for it. We learned.

However, that said... "anti-burlesque" (the second time I write that, I am further certain that is my term and not Michael's) is interesting. I remember Sarah, when she performed with us, that she didn't think the material we were doing was "burlesque enough." This basically meant not brassy enough; not enough horns, not enough feather fans, and in her own words, too much emphasis on the lyrics of the songs. I get her point. I don't exactly agree, but I get her point. I know that Danielle has had similar thoughts, although she and Sarah have different opinions as how far burlesque can stretch in terms of sound; Danielle is a bit more liberal with the terms. And that's cool and all; Genevieve and I haven't made many bones about it: we aren't in the 1920's. We respect them, but there's SO MUCH MUSIC out there that make us want to tell a story or take off our clothes. Or both.

Michael commented on the subject matter of "Script Language"; I am proud alone that a number of ours was worth analyzing. It has occurred to me that our burlesque routines do involve a lot sex-positive material, if not precisely in the lyrics or context of the songs. In fact, a lot of our material has featured a number of shenanigans that aren't very positive: grifting (Madame Jinx), multiple murder ("If You Go Away"), extramarital affairs ("Lions Roar"), theft (the upcoming "Otto Titsling"), and materialism ("Rivolta Silenziosa").

I remember Genevieve being hesitant to premiere "Wicked Woman, Foolish Man" with Sarah and Regina because it featured a satirical D/S relationship because she was concerned it would be taken incorrectly by the audience, as if it was making fun of the culture or devaluing it by making it seem like the submissive is not in control of their destiny. In fact, her concerns turned out to be fair but inconsequential by the time it played. It's still one of our best numbers, and had Regina not played the submissive with such relish--truly enjoying the treatment she was receiving from Sarah--it would have definitely been taken differently. It was smart casting that matched the great song. Context was everything.

I know I like the darker side of our follies. I co-directed "Rivolta," which is on the surface a farce that features clowns removing clothes to reveal high society duds, but coupled with the lyrics, essentially about politics and "selling out." I perform "If You Go Away," where I murder 4 men in a row with increasing violence when contextually, they give me no reason to except an empty possibility of them leaving me. I admit, I am in something of a dark mood as of late. I think originally "Lions Roar" was going to end in death as well during very early plotting. I wanted to show the consequences; these are little fluffy morality tales, really. It's not just girls! girls! girls! taking it all off. One of our next numbers, set for Wicked Faire and starring Randi, features a plot similar to the original "Lions Roar": the lover shoots down the husband (he had it coming, it could be argued); but even then, doesn't Get The Girl. Waannh, waannh, waaaaaannhhh... Fooled you.

I want the balance. And it's through seeing how things go and audience reaction (they will Let You Know when they don't get it or don't want it) that we'll determine appropriate context.

Every day, Genevieve and I turn to each other and say "we should do a number to this song!" Eventually, we probably will! Already, our favorite upcoming number approaches politics again and is set for SalonCon '08.

As for the joyful gusto of the girls! girls! girls!--we've got plenty of that too coming up. Angie continues to amaze with her poise and gracious dedication, Dante and Regina have a number that is positively late night Cinemax, Jordana and I worked very hard on her first dance solo that shaped up to be a great tribal bit, and Sandy can grind like nobody's business. And I think Jeremy may very steal the entire show.

I am very proud of all of us for taking the risks. And glad for everyone else for saying anything about us, positive or negative--it all gets saved and keeps me going. It's important to note that Michael's comment spurred my writing, but he has been tremendously supportive in everything White Elephant does. In fact I believe his comment is additionally supportive, coaxing consistency.