Daily Dose — Broadway Talent featured at Queen City Burlesque Expo
By Ari Lord
From September 6th-9th, the 4th Annual Queen City Burlesque Expo is hitting the stage in Salmo, Castlegar and Nelson, with performers from Edmonton, Victoria, Vancouver, Quesnel, Seattle, and Georgia, alongside hard-working local talent.
Burlesque performer and producer Deja Louve, is the Expo organizer.
“The Queen City Burlesque Expo is my baby. My mandate is to hire a mix of both local and travelling artists, of various backgrounds, and artistic stylings” says Louve.
The Expo’s headliners are two Broadway actors, including L. Steven Taylor (SamsonNight) who plays Mufasa in The Lion King and his fiancée, Holly Butler (Margo Mayhem).
Off Broadway, the two are ‘Burlesque Royalty’ and the current title holders of the 2023 Burlesque Hall of Fame’s “Queen of Burlesque” (SamsonNight) and “Best Debut” (Margo Mayhem). Together, they also won “Best Duet” in 2022.
Louve saw the pair perform in Las Vegas and was hooked.
“I saw them perform and win at the 2022 Burlesque Hall of Fame, which is basically the Burlesque Oscars. I thought, ‘wow Nelson would love this.’ I immediately reached out and booked them.”
Louve was starstruck as she dreamed of being on Broadway since her mom took her there as a child.
Louve says there is much to look forward to at the Expo.
“On Friday night at the Royal, we will announce the first-ever Queen’s Choice Award. SamsonNight will select his favourite performance and award them. On Saturday night at the Capitol Theatre, the audience will vote on their favourite act of the night.”
SamsonNight and Margo are going to do all of their award winning acts on Saturday night, including their duet. Audiences can look forward to local headliner Mz. Iris Wilde, a social service worker by day. Louve explains:
“For over 15 years, Mz. Wilde has been an instructor, producer, choreographer and show presenter in Nelson. Her contribution to the Burlesque scene has been absolutely huge. I hire people not only because they’re excellent performers but also for who they are as people and what they do for the community. Her troupe, the Lady Luck Showgirls, is performing Saturday night.”
With the support of Columbia Basin Trust’s Mentorship Grant and the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance, SamsonNight and Margo Mayhem offer a 4-hour Mentorship opportunity on September 9th.
“SamsonNight will teach us some basic stage dance moves and choreography. The purpose of it is how to develop your funk. I love this class because, as a later developing artist myself, sometimes there’s a lot of doubt in what we have to bring to the table. SamsonNight is going to help bring that out in us,” says Louve.
The next class will be hosted by Margo Mayhem, often called the ‘muppet of Burlesque’ because she is so expressive with her face. (See #muppetmargo)
“She will teach us all the different ways we can use our face to express ourselves on stage. Then we’ll combine SamsonNight’s choreography with our face work so we’re amplifying our skill set,” says Louve. “I can’t wait. It’s very exciting.”
Louve was raised north of Timmons, Ontario, without opportunities for artistic expression.
“I grew up in a small town where all you got to do was play sports. And while I absolutely loved sports, my artistic heart was lacking. And so I think that’s why I have a drive to help bring art and entertainment and lessons to people,” she says.
Her upbringing set Louve on a trajectory of spreading the joy of Burlesque to small towns.
“The Queen City Burlesque Expo was created as an additional option to what was happening in Nelson. Nelson is an epicentre of art and talent, it’s so brilliant, and we’re so lucky to have it. I wanted to create an environment where locals and outside professionals could share space and grow together,” says Louve.
Also wishing to spread the joy of Burlesque entertainment everywhere, she started doing small shows in Creston, Salmo, and Castlegar, and they’ve been going well, while providing ongoing stage experience and employment to local talent.
In November, Louve will also be presenting two large shows, one at the Bailey Theatre in Trail, and at the Key City Theatre in Cranbrook, providing more opportunities for local artists.
Louve came to Burlesque a decade ago and in 2014 did her first performance. She has since performed across Canada, into the USA, and down to Panama, appearing in International Festivals, The Burlesque Hall of Fame, and industrial music tribute shows.
For her, the Vaudeville arts are about self-expression and celebration.
“There’s also a giant subculture of care and personal growth and looking out for each, building a network and helping make the world a better place. So if I can do that in all these areas and help cultivate community and togetherness through the art of strategically taking our clothes off, how much fun is that?” says Louve.
She brings her passion to the stage and to this event.
“It’s a labour of love in that I adore this scene and this art form. I adore performing, producing, and seeing the audience feel so exuberant. They are exhilarated and so full of joy, and when I see that, I feel like I’ve done my job,” says Louve.
The Expo has evolved since its inception, she explains.
“Every year, the project grows in capacity and talent. We’re constantly catering to our audience. There is room for all styles of Burlesque and all calibres of entertainment because all of it matters and takes us to a certain place. We want you to see yourself on that stage.”
The Expo offers a unique experience.
“The calibre of the entertainment at Queen City Burlesque Expo is off the charts. These performers coming to the Kootenays are professional entertainers who have years of experience on stage and who have mastered their crafts as travelling entertainers.”
For example, in addition to the headliners, the Emcee on Thursday night in Castlegar and Saturday night in Nelson is a professional actor, producer, and comedian from Seattle, Rebecca Mm Davis.
Louve is dedicated to fairly compensating all the performers she brings in.
“I cover all the expenses of the travelling performers for their transportation and lodging. I believe in fairly paying artists for the work that they do.”
The shows are scheduled for
- Salmo — at Salmo Hotel, September 6th
- Castlegar — at The Castle Theatre, September 7th
- Nelson — at Capitol Theatre, September 8th & 9th
Visit the Expo’s website for more information or sign up for the mentorship and purchase your tickets in advance here:
You can find Louve online:
Performer Deja Louve. — photo by Yanive Feiner Photography
