It’s time to deck the halls and light up the stage.
The Savannah Burlesque Festival is bringing performers both in-person and virtual to Club One, 1 Jefferson St., on Dec. 3 and 4.
The "Visionary Voices" showcase on Friday, Dec. 3 is sponsored by Starlandia Art Supply and kicks things off with a live show on the upstairs stage at Club One with a party and virtual show following downstairs.
While the producers at the Savannah Burlesque Festival are happy to return to the stage live, they also realize that in-person still isn’t possible for everyone.
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
“We wanted to do a hybrid show so that if there were performers still uncomfortable with traveling, they could still participate, and if there were people who still wanted to participate as an audience member, but were uncomfortable being in a public space, they could also participate,” said festival producer Rebel Vitale.
“It’s also a nod to how performers kept going through the pandemic because there were several virtual shows.”
During the Friday night watch party, a special brew, called Sur La Frange, will be unveiled by Moon River Brewing Company. The champagne IPA was created specifically for the festival and will be available both nights.
Saturday, Dec. 4 is the “Spectre Spectacular” live performance at Club One. It’s sponsored by House of Strut.
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
“Both shows are well-rounded. They're not necessarily themed at all. They're all variety performances. We have burlesque dancers. We have people who do burlesque and sing. We have burlesque dancers who do hoop dancing. And they range from classic to comedic as well.”
Some of the headliners for this year’s festival are Joshua Dean, the 2019 Mr. Exotic World, and Nox Falls, who was named to the 2018 Burlesque Hall of Fame.
There will also be classes throughout the day on Saturday at Gretchen Greene School of Dance, 1007 Bryan Woods Loop, that include beginner acrobatics, singing while performing, and how to include social justice into performances. Individual classes are $20 or $75 for a pass to the full class schedule.
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Burlesque Festival
“We’re excited to produce this festival. Burlesque is a lot of fun for the audience, and a festival like this is a chance for performers from across the country to meet each other and share inspiration,” said festival producer Jack N’ Thacox.
The festival passes are $10 for Friday’s virtual show, $20 for the live Friday show, and $30 for the live Saturday show. The full weekend pass is $45.
While the festival is organized by Jack and Rebel, they did stress that this is done as part of a huge collaboration with members of local burlesque troupes, Tied and Tasseled Cabaret and Savannah Sweet Tease.
In today’s strange world of digital and in-person performances, it takes a village to put on a burlesque festival.
For more information, go to SavannahBurlesqueFest.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: The Savannah Burlesque Festival returns both in-person and online
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