Montauk Pioneer - July 24, 2009 - Burlesque In Montauk

Last summer, when Sugar Shack Burlesque decided to bring its New York City-based show out to Sole East in Montauk, producer and performer Runaround Sue wasn't quite sure what to expect.

After all, those who don't understand what burlesque is tend to incorrectly associate it with stripping, rather than its artistry, vaudeville roots and the sense of community it fosters amongst performers. But, right from the very beginning, the girls were surprised by the positive feedback they received from locals and vacationers alike, said Runaround Sue.

Hanging fliers promoting their show around Montauk, quite often the people they encountered were more excited and curious than judgmental. And this was reflected by the number of people who came to check out what Sugar Shack had to offer on Saturday nights. Only once, while hanging a flier in a local store, did one of the dancers receive any negative feedback when she was approached by a woman who said, "I just want you to know that I do not support what you're doing," Runaround Sue said. "But in general everyone has been very positive and supportive. Not everyone is always going to be happy." Initially, the girls were scheduled to perform in Montauk only once a month. But by the end of the summer, due to the show's overwhelming popularity, Sugar Shack was on the East End every Saturday night and the dancers were pleasantly surprised to learn they could pack the dining room at Sole East even when performing in the area so frequently.

Now, the troupe is looking forward to returning to the East End this summer. Instead of weekly, however, shows will be held only on July 25, August 22 and September 5. So make sure you don't miss them.

And this summer, the shows will be bigger and better than ever, promised Runaround Sue. "Once a month, we're going to have a huge blowout," she said. "It's going to be a bigger and more polished show than last year." The show is being moved from the dining area to the outdoor patio by the pool. So there's no need to worry about exceeding capacity, which is always a possibility due to how popular the shows have been.

The venue is hard at work constructing a platform that will fit over the pool that will serve as the show's stage. Runaround Sue hopes to incorporate the pool into Sugar Shack's act. "I've been thinking about doing synchronized swimming," she said. "Maybe at curtain call we'll all end up in the pool swimming. I don't know yet."

Also, while last summer's dancers and performers were definitely top notch, she said, this year you can expect to see some of burlesque's best. "They're going to blow Montauk out of the water," she said. Performers include favorites from last summer, including Legs Malone, but also Gal Friday, who is Miss Coney Island, and Bunny Love and Miss Tickle, who recently performer at Life Ball, held in Vienna.

These performers - both the dancers as well as the sideshow performers who serve as the hosts - have become an artistic family, Runaround Sue said. They feed off each other and support each other, and, she hopes, in the future will collaborate with one another in group numbers.

"And I love traveling with these guys," she said. "You can't imagine what it's like to travel on the Long Island Rail Road with a group of burlesque dancers and a magician."

Her favorite moment came, however, on when she and sideshow performer Donnie Vomit were traveling to Bermuda for a show she had produced. At the airport check-in, customs searched her bag. "They opened up my bag and glitter blew up in their faces, covering them head to toe," she said. They opened Donnie Vomit's bag to find a sword. To ease their fears and prove it was part of his act, he hammered a nail up his nose. "We won them over with that. They were totally on our side. We left them glittery and waving at us."

Runaround Sue, from Virginia, originally got her start studying theater in Richmond. Her love of the stage, as well as how liberating burlesque seemed, is what initially attracted her to it, and "something internally clicked" when she first started attending shows.

Now, she continues to expand her burlesque "empire." As well as producing shows in New York City and Montauk, she also brings the scene up to the Berkshires, as well as Richmond.

And Runaround Sue doesn't plan on stopping there. Her dream is to one day find a permanent home for Sugar Shack. Her ideal location is an historic theater in Richmond.

She also hopes to see the scene continue to grow, and in the tradition of vaudeville, see a circuit of venues for burlesque troupes to travel to and book shows at emerge. With regular venues in several states, Sugar Shack is paving the way for such a circuit, and she hopes to find even more venues in other locations to house burlesque shows.

For more information about the upcoming Sugar Shack Burlesque shows at Sole East, go to myspace.com/sugarshackburlesque or sugarshackburlesque.blogspot.com. Shows start at 10 p.m. on July 25, August 22 and September 5.

"They're going to blow Montauk out of the water," she said. Performers include favorites from last summer, including Legs Malone, but also Gal Friday, who is Miss Coney Island, and Bunny Love and Miss Tickle, who recently performer at Life Ball, held in Vienna.

"And I love traveling with these guys," she said. "You can't imagine what it's like to travel on the Long Island Rail Road with a group of burlesque dancers and a magician."