TUCSON, AZ—The state’s largest burlesque festival, the Arizona Burlesque Festival, will return to Tucson October 15-17, with three nights of performances, classes and competitions, featuring Miss Exotic World first runner up of 2013, Sydni Deveraux, the 2015 international King of Burlesque, Matt Finish, and more than 30 burlesque performers. Performances will be held at The Screening Room on October 15, and at The Loft Cinema on October 16-17; workshops on the art and style of burlesque will be taught by festival performers at Pima Community College's West Campus. Tickets are $15 for Thursday, $25 for Friday or Saturday performances and weekend passes for all three nights are on an earlybird special for $45, while supplies last here, or by calling Brown Paper Tickets’ 24/7 event concierges at 800-838-3006.
“This year we are featuring the top male burlesque performer in the world in addition to an outstanding lineup of the best performers in the country,” said Fanny Galore, a co-producer of the three-day event.
The festival will kick off Thursday night at The Screening Room with “The Opening Night Spectacular.” The “Best Burlesque Competition” will take place at The Loft Cinema on Friday and will feature the nation's top performers competing for the Golden Cacti trophies awarded for Best Burlesque, Most Classic, Most Dazzling and Most Comedic. The “Saturday Night Showcase” is the grand finale for the weekend and takes place at The Loft Cinema. This show will feature an impressive roster of performers, including burlesque talent from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boulder and New York.
Festival organizers Fanny Galore, Matt Finish and Ida Tapper are burlesque stars in their own right. Fanny Galore has performed in festivals around the country including Phoenix, Flagstaff, Denver, St. Louis, Hollywood, San Francisco, Boston and Las Vegas. Hailing from Tucson, Matt Finish has only been performing for three years but has already become an internationally recognized performer, recently winning the title King of Burlesque at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender in 2015 and performing in featured spots in burlesque festivals in Albuquerque, Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas, Boston and Hollywood. Ida Tapper is known for her comedic and highly musical neo-burlesque and has performed regionally in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Hollywood, and Las Vegas. The three have been teamed up for the last three years as co-producers of Don’t Blink Burlesque, host of a monthly burlesque show featuring performers from around the country as well as local performers and troupe members.
More information on the festival and performers can be found here.
Pictured: Attendees at the 2014 Arizona Burlesque Festival.
