Burlesque News

World's biggest burlesque show by ravishing Dita Von Teese to hit Dallas

She is nothing less than ravishing.

Courtesy photo

The world's biggest burlesque show is touring the U.S. in 2023 and that includes a stop in Dallas: Glamorous burlesque queen Dita Von Teese will bring her Glamonatrix burlesque show to 19 cities across the U.S., kicking off on January 7 in Seattle, and stopping at Dallas' Majestic Theatre on January 20.

According to a release, Dallas will be one of three stops across Texas, also including the Paramount Theatre in Austin on January 22, and the Bayou Music Center in Houston on January 24.

The U.S. tour follows a 41-show overseas tour with stops in London, Monte Carlo, and Vienna.

Tickets go on sale at 10 am Friday, September 16 at Ticketmaster.com. Citi cardmembers have access to presale tickets beginning 11 am September 13 through 10 pm September 15 at www.citientertainment.com.

In addition to starring, Von Teese is also producer and director, and strives to elevate and modernize the typical 1940s typical burlesque show in an inspiring and uplifting way. That includes inclusive and multi-faceted casting, showcasing the talents of male, female, and gender-fluid performers from around the world to create a body-positive, celebratory show.

Hosted by Jonny McGovern ("Hey Qween!", "Go-Go for the Gold"), the Glamonatrix show includes extravagant production numbers from Dita and cast, including revered burlesque performers such as the legendary Dirty Martini, choreographer Alek Palinski, and Zelia Rose, one of the lead performers of Hamilton Australia.

Newcomers include Lana Kai Fox, Tosca Rivola, and Laszlo Major. Dita will be joined in select cities by special guests that include ballroom world champion Umario Diallo partnering Dita in a striptease Latin dance.

Costumes are by Jenny Packham, Mister Pearl, Alexis Mabille, and Catherine D’Lish, plus bespoke fetish footwear by Christian Louboutin, some on display as part of the Louboutin "L'Exhibition(iste)" in Monaco.

The tour dates are as follows:

January 7 – Seattle – Paramount Theatre
January 10 – Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
January 13-15 – San Francisco – Palace of Fine Arts
January 17 – Portland – Keller Auditorium
January 20 – Dallas – Majestic Theatre
January 22 – Austin – Paramount Theatre
January 24 – Houston – Bayou Music Center
January 27 – New Orleans – Orpheum Theatre
January 29 – Atlanta – Tabernacle
February 02 – Washington DC – Warner Theatre
February 4 – Toronto – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
February 7 – Montreal – Theatre Maisonneuve
February 09 – New York – Beacon Theatre
February 11 – Boston – Orpheum Theatre
February 14 – Chicago – Chicago Theatre
February 16 – Detroit – The Fillmore Detroit
February 18 – Louisville – The Louisville Palace
February 22 – El Cajon, California – The Magnolia
February 24 – Riverside, California – Fox Performing Arts Center

Von Teese is credited internationally with reviving burlesque, and setting a new benchmark for this great American art form with a sense of elegance, style and sophistication. She's written two books including New York Times bestseller Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour, considered requisite reading for pin-up, burlesque, and fashion fans, and is currently writing a third, Fashioning the Femme Totale. She also can be seen performing her iconic Champagne Glass act in the film Don’t Worry Darling.

concerts

Movie review

Nick Jonas steals song from Paul Rudd in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

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Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film