That spooky music indicates we're going to talk about something Halloween related, but instead of blood and guts and jump scares, we're talking about maybe some feather boas. I don't know AC's we're talking about burlesque. The show is called Nightmare on Strip Strip. That's hard to say right on Strip Street, Kelly, not there on Strip Street?
Say that about fourteen thousand times nine six. So yes, it's Nightmare on Strip Street here in Denver, of started in July going through November two.
Probably wait, it's been going on since July? Yes, how did I just hear about this?
Is it just as we're coming up to Halloween?
I think that's the case.
And I am out of the burlesque demos mostly, you know not you would be surprised, yea, when.
You come see the show, if we can get you to come see the show, you will be surprised by the variety of ages that we have there, a lot of couples, right, of.
Couples come for date night or what have you.
But yeah, this is the first city that we're doing this particular show in, right, and the production company is developing it here. So we started in mid July through August we sold out every show, so the producers decided to extend.
Us through November.
Second, so let me ask this question for anybody listening, because already I can feel the judge people and they're like, maybe you're.
Having strippers on that program.
And now, what is the difference between burlesk in a more graphic form of we called the Shoe Show here on the program that you the ladies are just wearing shoes.
What is the difference. The difference is that this is burlesque. It is much more choreographed directed. This is high level dancing. The dancers we have here today and the dancers in our show are elite athletes there. This is something you'll see in Vegas. This is not what you'll see at Shotgun Willie's. God bless everyone there. But this is not somebody who decides to just get up there and shake their hips.
Right.
This is highly choreographed, highly directed, highly elite dancing.
Well, we have.
Janie and Brandon in with us today, and I'm gonna start with Janie.
Janie, when you were.
Little, were you like, God, I want to be a burthless dancer when I grow up.
How did you get here? Not quite?
Hi? No, I've I've always wanted to be a dancer, but this sort of just like fell into my lap this year. So this is my first time doing a burlesque show. But it's a blast and I love it.
Did you have reservations at all like the concept of burlesque? What were your thoughts about it when when you found out about it? Where did you have any reservations at all?
Me?
Personally, No, I'm a very open book though I'm a heels dancer, so I'm used to like the sexy nature of the show. But yeah, not for me.
How about now, Brandon, Most people would not necessarily think a dude in a burlesque show? So what do you do in the show?
So the show is because it's a parody burlesque show, it has a.
Comedy asset to it.
Right, So on top of the comedy asset, there's a lot of I'm going to say, audience participation moments. And it's me and another dude. Okay, so we have a little skit where it's I don't want to give anything away, but it's an audience participation moment and it gets your blood flowing. It makes things a little spicy, I guess, But just as the ladies we have a little bur less moment.
We have, you know, a little bit of clothes taken off.
But it's the difference I would say with you know, a ship code what you're talking about, or is it's more sensual instead of like overtly you know what I mean? It's it's more like a classy way to like it's it's like a tease.
It's not like a poem in you face.
Well you got tease.
And I have to say Didavante is really I think we'll just call her the godmother of modern burlesque because she brought the art form back yes and has had such stunning success and she every And I have a few friends who are in burlesque troops in other places and they're like, ah.
Dita, you know so, but it's taken off.
It has there's a huge burlesque movement here in Denver. If you don't know about that right now, there are a lot of troops that are performing burlesque. Of course, the clockwork of Giabaret, it does an amazing job there. Ophelia's Den had used to host the National Burlesque competition. Denver is really really kind of a before this type of performance art right now.
Do you think it's because it allows you to sort of push the envelope without pushing it too far exactly?
I mean it's it's something that you can enjoy.
You can see the costumes, the spectacle.
The spectacle is the one at the production the little snippets that are online, and I was shocked at the production value.
Yes, I mean they're very impressive.
They are. That's why I'm saying this is a Vegas style show.
I mean we have I referenced to the splash Zone a little earlier, the very large champagne cup with a dancer in it.
You don't know, you have to understand, when I was a kid, I always wanted to like the Honeymoon in the Poconos, Sure, because I wanted to be in the champagne glass hot tubs. And there's just like some nostalgia there with the champagne glass that I have to admit to because I.
Just always looks so cool.
Yeah, the production values here are amazing. The costumes, the staging, the direction, the choreography, all of that brings so much higher level to all of this. Both of these these dancers are incredible. The heights that Brandon gets to is just amazing on this stage. So I highly encourage anyone who is a little bit hesitant because they're not sure about this type of situation.
Uh, this is.
Absolutely a very very very highly wonderful show. It's not you don't throw dollars on the stage, you don't touch any.
On the stage. What roles do you play in the show?
I play several. I'm leatherface. I played Jason.
Of course you were born to play I think so, I think you yeah?
And do you have the Jason music? Please tell me have the Jason music?
I know?
Is it copyrighted?
It's actually our music for this show is a highly curated, special set of music that ross the parody.
It's incredible, Okay, so incredible.
I also I am Jake saw What else do I.
Play in this show?
Are you still in a nun?
I'm a nun? Yes, pinhead? Yeah?
What else? I think that's all of them?
How did you?
They just looked at you and like, she can play everyone evil in this show?
A job? What can I say?
Yeah? Now, when you guys started working on this show, and I'll ask all three of you this, like, at any point did you say, well, This is kind of crazy.
Right, I mean, we're making a Halloween.
Show that's burlesque that's also funny, but it almost feels like a throwback to Vaudeville in a way, the kind of way you're describing it a little bit where it encompasses everything.
Yeah, I love burlesque personally, and I do a lot of theater around town. And so the thing that happened though, is that I worked with Empire Strips back when it was here last year. We're going to talk about that, and Wich is our Star Wars burlesque show. I loved it because I'm such a major Star Wars fan and it was such a good show. So when they called me to ask me to work this show, I said, this is the per follow up. This is just blow
my mind. I can't believe somebody thought of this. It's really good.
Now they're taking the show to other cities. Will you guys be going Are they going to recast in other cities or do you know how that word?
They're They're giving me the look like we do not know the answer. It's a way up there.
There is another cast in San Francisco. San Francisco is the next city. This show is going to In fact, it is in rehearsals right now.
Okay, okay, So I mean when you went back Brandon and you said to your friend.
Oh, I just got this cool job and I'm.
Working in this burletque show about all of the serial like murderers in the horror movies, and what does your friends say?
Well, I mean, I'm originally from New York City, right, so this.
Is kind of normal. It's not really out of the ordinary.
You know, I've been a professional dancer for like ten fifteen years, so I've been it look like you're.
Like fifteen years old. By the way, Thank you.
I just turned thirty one.
Oh, congratulations to you. Whatever skincare regime you're doing that. Keep up that good work. Thank you so much.
Yeah.
I mean it's when I explain everything, like because if you explain it separately, you're gonna.
Look at me like, what right do you so?
Halloween parody but also burlesque at the same time, like it it doesn't seem like it makes sense. And even when I like got hired for it, I was kind of thinking like that too, you know, I'm like, how is this.
Gonna How does it work? Yeah?
How does it work, How is it gonna look? How's it gonna like? How are they gonna put everything together? But then, honestly, like once we finally started getting into everything and like the show, after the first week of the shows, we were like, oh, okay, but don't you.
Love it when you see a plan come together? Like I've always loved the creative process and working with other people, especially when you kind of don't know how it's gonna turn out, and then all of a sudden you're part of it and you start to see it all gel and it's It's a very powerful experience to create an artistic endeavor from scratch.
It just is.
It's the best life. It really is.
I've seen the show fifty four times now and you're counting no, Well we are, yeah, yeah, And I love it every single time.
It's amazing.
And you should see the ladies go nuts for ghost Face and Mike Myers when Brandon and his compatriot Evan come out.
It is crazy.
Well's anything like women do at a mail strip review. I got to tell you, I am embarrassed for my gender when I see that kind of behavior is just shocking to me.
Mostly most of the time, people behave themselves, but I get to handle the ones who don't.
So yeah, let me ask you guys, because Kelly's talked extensively about this is an athletic group of performers.
What is your athletic routine? What do you mean by that? You do just dance to word? No, don't get me wrong, They just dance.
If you're dancing eight hours a day, that is a tremendous amount of exercise.
But do you have other things that you do to keep in shape?
Oh? Yeah, I mean I'm a personal trainer, so I strength train all the things. I also teach dance. You can speak on like gymnastics.
Yeah, I go to the gym every day. I look small, but licks of deceiving, you know. And I'm a former gymnast that was a competitive gymnast all the way.
Up until I was sixteen seventeen.
So and also the other male dancer is a former, like huge competitive cheerleader.
Will still. Yeah, we tumble a lot in.
Their show too, and we break dance and we do all those type of things. So it's just a lot of athletic dancing. Like and with this is you think bur lesque, you think subtle movement.
You just soft. These these girls are full out.
Yeah, like they're dancing super full out with a giant heavy mask on and not no vision.
I don't wind Issu has a question for you guys. Yes, So while ninety of guys that they're going, oh bue less shit, I can't wait to go to Blessed. Even Dave Fraser was mocking o, everybody's gonna help in time. No, no, no, Now, I'm the ten percent of guys that are here for the amazing kickstart to my Halloween horror genre season. So can you guys pitch to me how satisfying this will
be in terms of the entire horror genre? And like you mentioned, all the different characters you play will how satisfied will that be for me in that room?
Well, you will never see Freddy or Jason or Mike Myers or ghost Face in the same way. Again, everyone else you ever see dressed as those characters will seem like complete posers. So not he's my ages language there, But yeah, Freddy is in the huge champagne cup. Oh my god, that's incredible. Leather Face, which she referenced, is pretty amazing. We have the slash street boys do you performing, which is a highlight for me personally, my favorite.
We're going to have to double back, actually because I ask twice, not triple back.
Splash Zone.
These people, these people that are getting tickets, you're surely will be saying on VIP.
What what are we? What are we talking about? Here? Was splash Zone.
It's not a huge splash like you get it water World. Our dancer, we have two dancers that do that particular scene. They will slop a little bit out of the cup if you are in the front row of champagne glass. Chagne glass, okay, so if you're in the front row of the VIP uh, we usually tell our customers to pull their drinks back a little bit top on that the rest of the theater that you're not going to get it. You're just going to see those vi P people get a little sprinkle.
I just had someone on the text line ask what.
Ages are appropriate hair? It is an eighteen and overshow okay? We do We do ask that only eighteen and upcome. We do have a bar, so the bar will card you, but eighteen and over up to gosh, I don't know. I had a lady who was like celebrating her eighty six birthday.
Ye a lot of be like her when I grow up to eighty six.
Wheeled in the wheelchair and she had the best time.
Of that is well, you know what, in eighty six, you just don't care anymore, do you. You're just like I got zero blanks to give.
I'm just.
Person right there. So let's real quick before we run out of time. Let's talk about Empire Strips Bash sure, which is coming uh next year, next to next year's performance that. I looked at a bunch of videos on that. That is crazy.
The accuracy of Java the hut.
Alone is incredible, So tell me a little bit about that one.
Java is an amazing, amazing set piece that is worked by several of our crew. He sings to Biggie Well, Princess Leah dances in.
The gold bikini.
Okay, so this is like every nerds fantasy on the stage. Yeah, It's like I'm totally seeing that next year.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And for the ladies, Hans Solo and Shabaka do some really amazing scenes.
I love that, you know, taking something like horror movies or taking something like Star Wars and turning it into something that's a little ridiculous and over the top, but it sort of acknowledges like, okay, nerds, we have this for you now.
In a weird way. So are you guys going to try and participate in that one as well?
Yeah?
I mean, have you you're been a professional dancer for fifteen years?
What other roles?
What other shows have you done that you would put on par.
In terms of how much you've enjoyed it? That's a good question.
Yeah, yeah, really, Jadie, you can go well he's thinking, I mean, I can answer for myself please, In terms of enjoyment, this has been my favorite I think show I've ever done.
Just the cast, the crew, the house, everyone there.
We get along so well.
It's been such a good experience.
I think it's kind of got to be hard to be upset or angry or or anything other than kind of joyful doing this kind of stuff, you know what I mean?
Yeah, that's absolutely the case. And so all our patrons are so happy. They enjoy it so much, and there's just nothing better in this world than given joy to people.
I put a link on the blog of where you can go buy your tickets.
It is running until Wehn Kelly.
November okay, true Halloween week, definitely.
There you go, two men slapping bubbly liquid all over me.
Take my money now, So that's the sister, you got that going for you? There you go anyway.
Okay, you guys have apparently agreed to play out the day.
Do you know what you're getting into?
Not a cluse?
Okay, everyone los time, So if you lose today, don't worry about it. You may not lose, but most people lose on the first time.
It goes like this, we do we do five what is it?
Five?
We do Dad Joke of the Day. You don't have to do anything but laugh or grown. Then we do a word of the Day where you have to guess, usually badly, what the definition of a hard word is. And then we do Trivia Question of the Day, Trivia question, and then we do Jeopardy Category of the Day. Okay, it starts like this, though, and now it's time for the most exciting segment on the radio.
Guy in the world, Kelly Knows.
Okay, what is our dad joke of the day? Please, Anthony, respect.
People who wear glasses.
They paid money to see you.
Ah, thank you you. Word of the day.
Please, We're gonna pretend like that never happens.
No, we can.
It's a noun noun, pigeon, pigeon, not the bird p I, D G I N pigeon.
Does that?
Does that?
How you mean pigeonholes? Somebody?
No, pigeon is a language like pigeon is a mix of multiple languages in Hawaii?
Is that it putting something pictures?
Like slang in Hawaii.
A simplified language system used between speakers of different languages.
There you go.
I'm just saying I feel it.
Speaking of Hawaii, today's trivia question, what is the official state fish of Hawaii?
Oh?
The long one.
That's the crazy long one, that long like thirty letter name.
I don't know about that. I thought it was like the ono or something. I think it's Oh no.
You are correct, right, yeah, yep, let's hear it.
It is the Huma Huma new ku kula power.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's of course the scientific name.
Don't why at this rec also called the reef triggerfish. Oh so there you go, trigger fish. Yes, yes, exactly. Okay, this is not works you guys. If you know the answer, shout out your name and then you have to answer in the form of a question like they do on Jeopardy.
Have you ever seen Jeopardy?
Janey's looking skeptical, Pat, I'm sorry, okay, no problem, face.
I wanted you knew what was going on. Okay.
I am going to wait until the end of the question. I normally don't, but I am because you're new and I want to be kind.
So here we go.
What is our Jeopardy category? I would never ever cater a category to guess. Absolutely never. The category is at the end of the scary movie. Oh oh, now you just name the movie.
This is Ripley, last Survivor.
Kelly, Kelly, I said it too soon? Kelly, though alien? Correct?
What is?
But I'm going to tell you anyway. Excuse me.
I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner manby What.
Is Silence of the Lands?
Is?
Correct? Yeah?
One?
Two? Freddy's coming for your Brandon. What is the nightmare? Now? I'm sure I used to hate the water.
I can't imagine why I used to.
Hate the water. I can't imagine why. I have no idea. I'm not a scary movie person, is Josh? I don't know.
I was thinking Jason.
Shark.
So there you go.
This one's tough. Excuse me. I don't mean to bother you, but are you Paul Sheldon? I just want to tell you I'm your number one fan.
That is the movie with what's the.
Score right now?
Is that?
Dang it?
What is misery time? We're going to do a tiebreaker, Let's say Saveebreaker. Let's go with blah blah blah blah. These are all terrible. Oh my gosh, these are awful. Okay, let's go with alliteration. Okay, it's when a term paper is supposed to be submitted or a baby is expected to be born.
Mandy, what is a du date? That is correct? And that's okay?
Val really really good.
Effort, you guys, good effort. Okay, thank you so much. Everybody go see Nightmare on Strip Street. I've put the information about how to buy tickets on the blog at Mandy's blog dot com.