Quotes from the Cabaret
Notable conversations regarding my inaugural solo aerial performance this weekend-
Me: You said you thought it needed some bedazzling, so I did. See? Here, on the torso?
Monique (inspecting my leotard): Yeah… I think it needs more.
Me: But-
Monique: On the neck, and the arms.
Lindsay: Mmhmm.
Monique: I buy gems in bulk. If you don’t have time to do it, I can take it home.
Me: No, it’s ok. *sigh* I’ll get the glue back out tonight. I finally have the process down.
Monique: Don’t worry, in time you’ll come to love it.
***
Lindsay: OK, so the last thing I want to demo I’m going to do on Coco. Coco, come here and we’ll do some glitter lips on you.
Coco: OH MY GOD, GLITTER LIPS??! My mind is blown.
Me: No seriously, I love everything about this. Also, if I need to have a stage name, I think it’s going to be Glitter Lips.
***
Owner of the club we performed at, during rigging rehearsal, to my 15 year old son: Hey there, kid, can I get you something to drink? Red Bull? Sugarless Red Bull? Soda? Water? Vodka tonic?
Me: He’s kidding, Ben. You know you can’t have Red Bull.
Owner: Of course, of course. I’m kidding. But really, if you want to bring him back tonight for the show, you can. You’re his guardian, so it’s fine with me.
Me: Thank you, but he’s going to babysit the other kids.
Ben: Maybe I should come back. It would be a really good story to tell the kids at school.
Me: Uh, no.
Owner: OK, well it’s fine with me! I’m just saying.
***
Me, to Jason when he arrived at the club before the show: Hi! You’re here! I’m having a glass of wine. Right before I perform. Because… it’s who I am as a person.
Nic, sitting next to me at the table, applying flash tats to his perfectly sculpted torso: And I’m having a glass of wine, with a straw, before I perform. Because that’s who I am as a person.
***
Rebekah: Your makeup looks good.
Me: Thanks! I watched a lot of Youtube tutorials. And practiced a whole bunch.
Rebekah: Wait, you did it yourself?
Me: Yeah.
Rebekah: I totally thought Monique did it for you! It looks really good. Not terrible like when I did it for you that other time.
Me: …thanks…
Rebekah: You know I’m honest with you. I’m just saying it wasn’t great that time.
Me: I wouldn’t want it any other way.
***
Matt Finish, the MC of the show to the crowd: I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but burlesque and aerial performers make 10s of dollars a week. Sometimes, dozens. So if you like what you see, please feel encouraged to throw tips down on stage and our stage minion will gather them for our performers. They probably won’t appreciate it if you throw the money directly AT them. Unless it’s a 20. Then feel free to nail them in the forehead.
Some aren’t even ones! They liked me, they really liked me! At least 4 or 5 people!
***
Vis a Vee, boylesque performer, upstairs in the minuscule DJ booth-turned-dressing room: Does anyone have any safety pins? The problem with these tearaway pants is they just aren’t well constructed. And then they actually rip with they rip off.
***
Debbie, burlesque show virgin: Oh my god, did you see that?
Danielle: She was looking RIGHT AT YOU.
Debbie: I know, right?! She locked eyes with me! And I didn’t know what to do, so I just stared back. But then she held contact. AND THEN SHE KEPT HOLDING IT. I was dying!
Me: She’s really good, right? They told me she did a thing with her eyes.
Debbie: But she did it TO ME!