Happy holidays from The Burlesque Hall of Fame! 2011 may be drawing to an end, but the Burlesque Hall of Fame is pleased to report some exciting new beginnings. We’ve got lots of exciting news to share with you this month:

• Museum Update: Dustin M. Wax, our Curatorial Director, has been promoted to Interim Executive Director. Congratulations, Dustin!
• Save the Date: BHoF Weekend returns to The Orleans Hotel & Casino May 31-June 3, 2012. Performer applications and discounted room rates are now LIVE!
• Flyer Archive: We are now accepting submissions for our first-ever contemporary poster, flyer and postcard archive.
• HOLIDAY SALE! Check out our new Society6 shop–every print has been marked down for the holidays!
• And speaking of giving… Don’t forget BHoF when making your end-of-the-year charitable donations! It’s never too late to make a difference, so kindly consider becoming a Member, making a donation, or gifting something from our Wish List.
• Expanded hours, BHoF on The History Channel, and more!

As always, the Burlesque Hall of Fame is run almost exclusively by volunteers; people like you who are passionate about preserving the legacy of burlesque. We’re always open to creative ideas for fundraising, exhibitions, programming, and any other suggestions our constituency may have to help sustain and advancing this mission. If you have an idea you’d like to share, or if you’re going to be in Las Vegas and would like to lend a hand, please contact us… and don’t forget the easiest, most immediate way to show your support: sign up to become a member of the BHoF today.

 After 5 years as the BHoF’s Acting Executive Director, Laura Herbert is returning to civilian life. The day-to-day duties of running the museum and curating the collection will be assumed by Interim Executive Director, Dustin M. Wax. A distinguished museum professional, Dustin will continue to work closely with Laura, who will remain President of the BHoF’s Board of Directors.

Laura has written a letter explaining how this change signifies an important new phase in the Hall of Fame’s ongoing growth and development. Additional administrative announcements are soon to follow as Dustin settles into this new role (including improvements to both the BHoF and our annual fundraiser, BHoF Weekend), so stay tuned!

Save the Date! BHoF Weekend 2012, May 31- June 3** at The Orleans

Get out your calendars and make a big, lipstick-red circle around May 31-June 3, 2012 — the official dates for BHOF Weekend 2012. We are thrilled to be returning to the Orleans Hotel & Casino (and their big, beautiful showroom) once again, and look forward to seeing you at what promises to be yet another wild, wonderful weekend of community, conviviality, and of course, the fabulous performances, parties, and presentations that have made BHOF Weekend the world’s premier burlesque event.

Performer applications are NOW OPEN and we’ve made them shorter and easier than ever before. To reserve your room, call 1-800-675-3267 — be sure to mention our group booking ID (#A2HFC06) as rooms booked outside of the BHoF block cannot be assured the same low rates. For all the latest BHoF Weekend news as it develops, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/bhofweekend or Twitter at twitter.com.

**Don’t let the “May 31st” throw you! As usual, BHoF Weekend is still the first weekend in June (and the weekend after Memorial Day).

Call for Submissions: Neo-Burlesque Flyer Archive

Give us your flyers, your posters, your bundled artworks yearning to be saved! The BHoF Flyer Project is an ongoing effort to collect and preserve flyers, posters, postcards, and other promotional materials from the world of contemporary (“neo”) burlesque. Burlesque history is made every day–with every bump, grind, tassel twirl and flitter of a feathered fan. Today’s performances are the stuff of tomorrow’s history, and we want to make sure that history is preserved for future generations of burlesque performers, fans, and scholars to enjoy.

To participate, download and complete the Flyer Archive Form, which contains find all the technical & legal info necessary to participate, as well as the information we need to keep track of the collection over time. You can send as many pieces as you like, as often as you like–just please no more than one of any given design. Simply pop your submission(s) in the mail whenever you’re promoting a new show, or save up for awhile and send a whole bunch all at once. We’ll make sure whatever you send becomes part of the archive, ensuring your place is burlesque history!

BHoF Featured on The History Channel

Did you catch us on History Channel’s American Restoration? The episode, much of which was shot in and around the museum (including multiple segments featuring one of the BHoF’s most dedicated docents, Cha Cha Velour) showed Rick Dale and his crew restoring a ‘50s-era Peek-A-View machine. Our thanks to Rick, Ron and everyone at Leftfield Pictures, for making us look so good on film–and to Viva Las Vegas producer Tom Ingram, for so graciously “permanently loaning” the newly-restored Peek-A-View to us!

In case you’re curious why it’s not yet on display, the Peek-A-View is undergoing a few extra, post-filming tweaks at Rick’s Restorations, but will be back in the BHoF soon. And if you missed the episode when it originally aired (or just want to see it again), never fear: it’s available on iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, and Hulu Plus. Look for the episode called “Keep On Truckin’”.

Find the Perfect Gift for Your Burlesque Beloved!

We are now making selected images from our collection available as fine art prints, gallery wraps, and even iPhone cases. Visit our shop where you’ll find your favorite stars of classic burlesque — Blaze Starr, Lili St. Cyr, Candy Barr, and more — presented in beautiful, high-quality prints.

Wait, it gets EVEN BETTER! Now through December 20, we’ve taken $5-10 off every print in every size to make your holiday shopping even sparklier! Check it out today — we just know you’ll find something for every burlesque fan on your list, including YOU.

Expanded Hours: Now Open 5 days a Week

Thanks to our amazing crew of volunteers, we are now open every Wednesday through Sunday (except major holidays) from 12p-5p, with additional hours the First Friday (12p-10p) and Second Saturday (12p-9p) of every month.

The Burlesque Hall of Fame is located at 520 E Fremont, inside the Emergency Arts building at the corner of Fremont and Sixth Streets in historic Downtown Las Vegas. Please come by and visit us!

‘Tease the Season: Become a Member!

The Burlesque Hall of Fame is more than “just” a museum, it’s a legacy. For over 20 years, we’ve been at the epicenter of the burlesque revival, offering education and inspiration to a new generation of performers who will, one day, join the ranks of Little Egypt, Gypsy Rose Lee, Lili St. Cyr, Tempest Storm and so many others in the pantheon of Burlesque Superstars.

When you join the Burlesque Hall of Fame, you get the satisfaction of supporting the world’s only museum exclusively dedicated to the art, artifacts, and traditions of ecdysiasm (that’s fancy for strippin’). Member dues help us preserve, catalog, and share thousands of artifacts–from Sally Rand’s ivory-handled fans and Gypsy Rose Lee’s touring trunk to the programs, publicity photos, and personal scrapbooks of working burlesque performers from around the world. Your dues also help support the development of educational programs and materials, carrying the traditions of vintage burlesque from one generation to the next… and beyond.

Remember, we can’t spell “burlesque” with “U”. Please: become a member today. Our past–and future–is in your hands.