The all-boy burlesque troupe to perform a weekly variety series on Park West stage
Chicago, IL -
What Prohibition "permanently" put down, modern media not only fully resuscitated some 70 years later, but also took the revival of American Burlesque from seedy night-club obscurity to current pop-culture sensation. The contemporary and mainstream progression of which ultimately lending itself to "a new kind of naughty"--a more tolerant interpretation which no longer restricts the genre to just caricatured classics, cabaret and scantily-clad saubrettes but now may also include the erotic theatrics of an all-male minstrels "boy-"lesque, like f the Chicago-based Stage Door Johnnies (SDJ): "Jett Adore," "Bazuka Joe" and "Ray Gunn."
However, SDJ—named after the vernacular term attributed to the men known for waiting outside the stage door in hopes to interact with exiting female performers post show--sets itself apart from most other male troupes in its objective to reveal the trio as the true male counterpart to classic burlesque.
"A lot of [male burlesque productions] are designed as to be a spoof, or a comedy," Jett Adoreb explains. "They're just fooling around and being silly, and not expressing any real sex appeal. Our production," he adds, "is playful but also legitimate, macho and sexy."
And perhaps due to the legitimacy of SDJ's sexy machismo, the troupe has quickly become one of the hottest ticket in the glamour striptease industry, with bookings taking them Las Vegas, NYC, Montreal, Toronto, Windsor, Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans, St. Louis and Los Angeles—all within the two years since the troupe was founded.
"We've been very blessed, "Jett Adore says. "We all the that the male groups would have to fight to be respected in the industry, but it's pleasantly surprising to see how much [the male groups] have been embraced."
Following SDJ's recent induction to the Las Vegas Burlesque Hall of Fame—where they held the title of "World's Best Burlesque Group 2011—the troupe is embarking on, what Jett Adore refers to as, "our biggest endeavor to date."
Debuting its November 2011 run at the Park West Theater, "The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" features 90 minutes of male burlesque with a showcase that includes both solo and group stripteases, as well as guest female guest headliners from throughout the U.S., music, comedy, circus acts and dance.
"And it's never the same show twice," Jett Adore boasts, explaining how the show's line up and performances will vary from week to week a la installments in ongoing variety-show series.
Prior to the show's official debut at the Park West Theatre, "The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" has been booked for an early-December performance in New Orleans with long-term expectations geared towards national tours and bookings in Australia's capital city.
"The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" premieres Wednesday, November 9, at the Park West Theatre, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL 60614. Doors open at 7pm with a live pre-show; Show starts at 8pm; $20 general admission.
www.TheStageDoorJohnnies.com
Related: View the Stage Door Johnnies' pictorial
by photographer Anthony Meade
However, SDJ—named after the vernacular term attributed to the men known for waiting outside the stage door in hopes to interact with exiting female performers post show--sets itself apart from most other male troupes in its objective to reveal the trio as the true male counterpart to classic burlesque.
"A lot of [male burlesque productions] are designed as to be a spoof, or a comedy," Jett Adoreb explains. "They're just fooling around and being silly, and not expressing any real sex appeal. Our production," he adds, "is playful but also legitimate, macho and sexy."
And perhaps due to the legitimacy of SDJ's sexy machismo, the troupe has quickly become one of the hottest ticket in the glamour striptease industry, with bookings taking them Las Vegas, NYC, Montreal, Toronto, Windsor, Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans, St. Louis and Los Angeles—all within the two years since the troupe was founded.
"We've been very blessed, "Jett Adore says. "We all the that the male groups would have to fight to be respected in the industry, but it's pleasantly surprising to see how much [the male groups] have been embraced."
Following SDJ's recent induction to the Las Vegas Burlesque Hall of Fame—where they held the title of "World's Best Burlesque Group 2011—the troupe is embarking on, what Jett Adore refers to as, "our biggest endeavor to date."
Debuting its November 2011 run at the Park West Theater, "The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" features 90 minutes of male burlesque with a showcase that includes both solo and group stripteases, as well as guest female guest headliners from throughout the U.S., music, comedy, circus acts and dance.
"And it's never the same show twice," Jett Adore boasts, explaining how the show's line up and performances will vary from week to week a la installments in ongoing variety-show series.
Prior to the show's official debut at the Park West Theatre, "The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" has been booked for an early-December performance in New Orleans with long-term expectations geared towards national tours and bookings in Australia's capital city.
"The Stage Door Johnnies Show!" premieres Wednesday, November 9, at the Park West Theatre, 322 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL 60614. Doors open at 7pm with a live pre-show; Show starts at 8pm; $20 general admission.
www.TheStageDoorJohnnies.com
Related: View the Stage Door Johnnies' pictorial
by photographer Anthony Meade
