The Smoky Mountain Burlesque Festival Brings Vintage Vaudeville Entertainment Back to Knoxville, Tennessee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Knoxville, TN – The Smoky Mountain Burlesque Festival (SMBF) will welcome world-class burlesque performers back to East Tennessee for four more days of glitter, glamour, and good old-fashioned fun in their second annual event. The festival, held September 14th - 17th at various venues throughout the city, intends to educate local audiences on the traditional American art-form of burlesque and its celebration of diversity and acceptance.
The festival will feature over 85 performers and instructors from 19 states, each hand-selected by the festival producers to represent their vision of burlesque and neo-fringe as a uniquely inclusive forms of performance-based entertainment. “I am so proud of this year's performance cast curation. Not only does it represent some of the best and brightest talent the national burlesque community has to offer, but also a vast variety of related fringe arts that are experiencing resurgence in performance communities across the country", said festival Executive Producer Siren Santina. "Our lineup includes everything from traditional burlesque to fringe fusion, with artists incorporating talents like hand balancing, hoop arts, aerials, live singing, and even trick jump-roping into their performances."
This year's efforts to include additional performance disciplines only serves to enhance the festival's existing devotion to diversity, with participants representing a variety of ages, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and body types. Santina summarized that point of view simply, saying "Burlesque is for everybody. Period."
This year's selection of festival headliners includes burlesque rock star Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA), The Burlesque Hall of Fame's 2014 "Miss Exotic World" Midnite Martini (Chicago, IL), and Burlesque Legend Gabriella Maze (Charleston, SC). Maze, known professionally as “The Body That Never Stops”, has been captivating audiences since the early 1970’s, with fans all over the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Also featured in the weekend of events are emcee Blanche DeBris (Las Vegas, NV), legend-in-the-making Gigi La Femme (Nashville, TN), nerdlesque cutie Lola LeSoleil (Atlanta, GA) and returning guest The Bishop of Burlesque (New York, NY).
Tickets to the SMBF performance showcases are now available and range in price from $10 (General Admission, Single Show) to $85 (VIP Premium Seating, Weekend Pass). Get more information and/or purchase tickets at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/tickets.
The weekend experience also includes an educational component with 36 classes and workshops available to festival attendees and the general public. Get more information and/or purchase passes at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/classes.
Learn more about the SMBF, including showcase and class details and biographies of featured performers, at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Knoxville, TN – The Smoky Mountain Burlesque Festival (SMBF) will welcome world-class burlesque performers back to East Tennessee for four more days of glitter, glamour, and good old-fashioned fun in their second annual event. The festival, held September 14th - 17th at various venues throughout the city, intends to educate local audiences on the traditional American art-form of burlesque and its celebration of diversity and acceptance.
The festival will feature over 85 performers and instructors from 19 states, each hand-selected by the festival producers to represent their vision of burlesque and neo-fringe as a uniquely inclusive forms of performance-based entertainment. “I am so proud of this year's performance cast curation. Not only does it represent some of the best and brightest talent the national burlesque community has to offer, but also a vast variety of related fringe arts that are experiencing resurgence in performance communities across the country", said festival Executive Producer Siren Santina. "Our lineup includes everything from traditional burlesque to fringe fusion, with artists incorporating talents like hand balancing, hoop arts, aerials, live singing, and even trick jump-roping into their performances."
This year's efforts to include additional performance disciplines only serves to enhance the festival's existing devotion to diversity, with participants representing a variety of ages, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and body types. Santina summarized that point of view simply, saying "Burlesque is for everybody. Period."
This year's selection of festival headliners includes burlesque rock star Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA), The Burlesque Hall of Fame's 2014 "Miss Exotic World" Midnite Martini (Chicago, IL), and Burlesque Legend Gabriella Maze (Charleston, SC). Maze, known professionally as “The Body That Never Stops”, has been captivating audiences since the early 1970’s, with fans all over the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Also featured in the weekend of events are emcee Blanche DeBris (Las Vegas, NV), legend-in-the-making Gigi La Femme (Nashville, TN), nerdlesque cutie Lola LeSoleil (Atlanta, GA) and returning guest The Bishop of Burlesque (New York, NY).
Tickets to the SMBF performance showcases are now available and range in price from $10 (General Admission, Single Show) to $85 (VIP Premium Seating, Weekend Pass). Get more information and/or purchase tickets at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/tickets.
The weekend experience also includes an educational component with 36 classes and workshops available to festival attendees and the general public. Get more information and/or purchase passes at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/classes.
Learn more about the SMBF, including showcase and class details and biographies of featured performers, at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Event Details:
SMOKY MOUNTAIN BURLESQUE FESTIVAL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Friday and Saturday, September 15th-16th, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Broadway Academy of Performing Arts
The festival experience is enhanced with two full days of hands-on learning, featuring 36 classes and workshops taught by headlining performers, featured guests from across the country, and local instructional talent. Classes are open to the general public and can be taken independently of the festival’s performance events.
THE SCRUFFY CITY SHOWCASE presented by Salomé Cabaret
Thursday, September 14th, 8:00 PM | Scruffy City Hall
The first of four performance showcases presented at the festival features a mix of both regional and national entertainers hand-picked to whet your appetite for the weekend to come. The showcase is hosted by Harry Dixon (Athens, GA) and will be followed by a "Moonshine Mixer" cocktail meet and greet on the Scruffy City Hall "Scrooftop".
THE BURLESQUE BARNBURNER presented by La Photographie
Friday, September 15th, 8:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The second of four performance showcases presented at the festival will demonstrate diverse interpretations of the striptease archetype, ranging from the traditional to the unexpected, performed mostly by artists from the surrounding states. This showcase features regional headliner Gigi La Femme (Nashville, TN) and is hosted by local emcee power duo Big Gay James and Rhoda Dairyheir.
THE LATE NIGHT NERDLESQUE REVUE presented by Tease Salon
Friday, September 15th, 11:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The third of four performance showcases presented at the festival is an exciting new addition to the available entertainment offerings, focusing on burlesque inspired by pop culture and "nerd" fandom. See striptease talent disguised as your favorite characters from Harry Potter, Nintendo, Saturday Night Live, and Star Wars, just to name a few. This showcase features returning headliner Lola LeSoleil (Atlanta, GA) and is hosted by creative jack-of-all-trades Avery Wolf (Atlanta, GA) as Severus Snape.
ROCKY TOPLESS presented by Turtle Creek Coffee
Saturday, September 16th, 10:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The final performance showcase of the weekend features a line-up of nationally-known, award-winning performers covering a wide spectrum of talents and styles. This world-class cast includes world-class headliners Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA) and Midnite Martini (Chicago, IL), and burlesque legend Gabriella Maze (Charleston, SC). The showcase is hosted by Blanche DeBris (LasVegas, NV).
SMOKY MOUNTAIN BURLESQUE FESTIVAL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Friday and Saturday, September 15th-16th, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Broadway Academy of Performing Arts
The festival experience is enhanced with two full days of hands-on learning, featuring 36 classes and workshops taught by headlining performers, featured guests from across the country, and local instructional talent. Classes are open to the general public and can be taken independently of the festival’s performance events.
THE SCRUFFY CITY SHOWCASE presented by Salomé Cabaret
Thursday, September 14th, 8:00 PM | Scruffy City Hall
The first of four performance showcases presented at the festival features a mix of both regional and national entertainers hand-picked to whet your appetite for the weekend to come. The showcase is hosted by Harry Dixon (Athens, GA) and will be followed by a "Moonshine Mixer" cocktail meet and greet on the Scruffy City Hall "Scrooftop".
THE BURLESQUE BARNBURNER presented by La Photographie
Friday, September 15th, 8:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The second of four performance showcases presented at the festival will demonstrate diverse interpretations of the striptease archetype, ranging from the traditional to the unexpected, performed mostly by artists from the surrounding states. This showcase features regional headliner Gigi La Femme (Nashville, TN) and is hosted by local emcee power duo Big Gay James and Rhoda Dairyheir.
THE LATE NIGHT NERDLESQUE REVUE presented by Tease Salon
Friday, September 15th, 11:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The third of four performance showcases presented at the festival is an exciting new addition to the available entertainment offerings, focusing on burlesque inspired by pop culture and "nerd" fandom. See striptease talent disguised as your favorite characters from Harry Potter, Nintendo, Saturday Night Live, and Star Wars, just to name a few. This showcase features returning headliner Lola LeSoleil (Atlanta, GA) and is hosted by creative jack-of-all-trades Avery Wolf (Atlanta, GA) as Severus Snape.
ROCKY TOPLESS presented by Turtle Creek Coffee
Saturday, September 16th, 10:00 PM |The Concourse at The International
The final performance showcase of the weekend features a line-up of nationally-known, award-winning performers covering a wide spectrum of talents and styles. This world-class cast includes world-class headliners Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA) and Midnite Martini (Chicago, IL), and burlesque legend Gabriella Maze (Charleston, SC). The showcase is hosted by Blanche DeBris (LasVegas, NV).
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Please direct all media inquiries to the following contacts:
smokymountainburlesquefest@gmail.com
865.406.2492 | John Camp
865.748.4013 | Kerissa King
Press materials are available at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/press-materials
Please direct all media inquiries to the following contacts:
smokymountainburlesquefest@gmail.com
865.406.2492 | John Camp
865.748.4013 | Kerissa King
Press materials are available at www.smokymountainburlesquefest.com/press-materials
DOWNLOADABLE FILES
Additional images available upon request. Email smokymountainburlesquefest@gmail.com for more information.
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Smoky Mountain Burlesque Festival Logo
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Headliner: Burlesque Legend, Gabriella Maze (Charleston, SC)
Photo by Photolena 
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Headliner: Gigi La Femme (Nashville, TN)
Photo by La Photographie 
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Headliner: Iva Handfull (Seattle, WA)
Photo by Jules Doyle Photography 
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Headliner: Lola LeSoleil (Atlanta, GA)
Photo by Marc Turnley 
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Headliner: Midnite Martini (Chicago, IL)
Photo by La Photographie 
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