Vaudezilla Will Sizzle on the NPT Stage

The main stage at the National Pastime Theater is going to sizzle this Friday night when the highly acclaimed Chicago burlesque troupe known as Vaudezilla steps into the spotlight for the most daring and provocative show they have ever done. This new and original show created just for Naked July is called Urban Jungle, and it is a fast-paced journey into the hot world of the Windy City at night. In this stunning combination of burlesque and performance art, the talented and fearless Vaudezilla performers take us on an adventure filled with missed connections, public transportation foibles, and unforgettable experiences that befall a starving artist in the big city.

An Incredible and Unique Experience

Red Hot Annie is the director and producer of Urban Jungle, and she has given us a rare glimpse behind-the-scenes as she works with her cast on this bold new production. After a recent rehearsal, she reflected, “Last night, as I sat back and took in most of the 60 minute show,  I found myself so enveloped in the process each performer was using to build their act that afterward, I had to marvel at how incredible the universe is that each of these unique performers with their own special experiences, training, and vision had found their way into my studio to build something like this, and how lucky I am that I get to touch their lives in some way.” It is clear from her words that Urban Jungle is a special show—one that will take each performer to new heights and challenge each cast member to re-define the concept of burlesque with daring new performances. The full text of Red Hot Annie’s reflection on this experience as director can be found on her web site.

Help Vaudezilla Get Some New Mirrors
In addition to supporting these great Chicago burlesque performers by coming out to see their shows during the Naked July Festival, you can also help them in an important campaign they are now running to purchase new mirrors for their studio space where they rehearse and offer workshops.  They have posted a creative and satirical video on their web site to explain the need for these new mirrors, and their invitation to help includes this written explanation as well—“Because the primary goal of the space was (and is) to create a space where artists can flourish, we originally purchased the mirrors so the Vaudezilla ensemble would have something to reflect back their movement, so we could hone our movement & dance skills as necessary. Having more mirrors would allow us to not only fill our classes more effectively, but also build more extensive and developed group dance routines.” If you would like to contribute a little or a lot to this endeavor, just go to this secure web site and help the Vaudezilla cast members reach their goal!

There are five performances of the Urban Jungle scheduled for the next five Fridays at 10:00 pm. They highly recommend that you purchase tickets in advance to be sure that you have a seat—bring some friends and settle in for what is sure to be a sizzling and provocative evening of entertainment. Click here to go directly to the secure Brown Paper Tickets online site.