CONTACT:
Nicollette Daly
nicollette@burlesquehall.com
(520) 668-9500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BURLESQUE HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES LIVE FUNDRAISER AUCTION SERIES
Live fundraising auction to celebrate and sell all things burlesque in support the Burlesque Hall of Fame museum.
May 21, 2020 – WORLDWIDE – The Burlesque Hall of Fame (BHoF) museum, along with the incomparable emcees Jonny Porkpie and Blanche DeBris, hosts its first ever live auction series. The first auction will occur on Friday, June 5th, at 6:30 PDT through the online platform StreamYard. A second auction is planned for mid-summer.
It will be an evening of rare opportunities to bid on unique items and experiences including sparkly costume pieces, burlesque memorabilia and one-on-one sessions with the top burlesque performers in the world. This 90 minute live-streamed event will feature many special guests from the burlesque community including The World Famous *BOB*, Dirty Martini and Stephanie Blake. But it’s the items up for bid, including pieces owned, autographed or created by burlesque superstars such as Dita Von Teese, Kitten DeVille, TIGGER! and Melody Sweets that make this auction one of a kind.
All proceeds will support the museum as it navigates these challenging times. Located at 1027 Main Street in the heart of the Las Vegas arts district, the museum remains closed to the public as efforts to slow the pandemic continue. The auction will help bridge the financial gap while providing performers, friends and fans of burlesque with a fun-filled evening and chance to own a meaningful piece of burlesque history.
There are many reasons the museum is an important part of the national artistic landscape. “BHoF isn’t only about burlesque. Our history is shared with that of comedy, theater, dance, film, fashion, underground art, feminism, labor movements, the military and the USO, LGBTQIA communities and more,” notes Executive Director Dustin Wax. “Visitors will enjoy over-the-top costumes and props, rare photos of vintage performances, stories of celebrities and scandal, and of course, information on the art’s history.”
For auction news or to watch the livestream and bid on items, go to https://www.facebook.com/theburlesquehall/ at 6:30 pm PDT on June 5.
The hosts, burlesque icons themselves, are sure to make the auction an entertaining adventure, even if you don’t know much about burlesque, its history and its revival.
Jonny Porkpie, performer, writer, producer and emcee, is both the self-appointed “Burlesque Mayor of New York City” and a frequent candidate for “actual” mayor of NYC. He produces the Movers, Shakers, and Innovators showcase, and emceed both that and the Tournament of Tease alongside Blance DeBris. He is creator and emcee of the BQNY Theatrical (formerly Pinchbottom Burlesque), the “Best Burlesque” in New York according to New York Magazine and The Village Voice. He is currently hard at work on a sequel to his lurid pulp novel “The Corpse Wore Pasties.”
Blanche DeBris has been entertaining herself, and occasionally others, for more years than she can reliably count. “If America had a sweetheart, Blanche would be her well-meaning but less attractive best friend.” She is a featured emcee at the BHoF Weekender, the world’s premiere burlesque event. As a performer, her signature Rubber Duckie and her Sound of Music in Six Minutes acts have endeared her to audiences all over the world. In 2015 she premiered her Holiday Show “The Blanche DeBris Emergency Xmas Broadcast” to rave reviews and packed houses, at the Onyx Theatre in Las Vegas. Blanche teaches classes in emceeing and character/act development all over the country.
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About the Burlesque Hall of Fame
The Burlesque Hall of Fame is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving, celebrating and inspiring the art of burlesque. BHoF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Burlesque Hall of Fame is a member of the Nevada Museum Association, Western Museums Association, American Alliance of Museums, and holds a Bronze certificate in Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations from the American Association of State and Local History.