Showbiz, baby _{by Alessia Belsito-Riera}

It has been 15 years since the release of Burlesque the movie; over a decade since Cher requested Wagon Wheel Watusi… are we any closer to knowing what it is?

Nope! But Velma Cherry [pictured] thinks we may finally find out at Burlesque The Movie (The Burlesque Show), a tribute to the iconic movie starring local and national talents from near and far at Whisky & Wood on the 3^rd of October.

A dazzling spectacle in the lush sanctuary perched high above the grit and the grime, the noise and the naughties of the city, this show features all the hits from the film performed live by real burlesque, draglesque, and vocal artists. Strutting their stuff on stage are headliners Shania Came and Tryst’n Oliver-Town, plus Robin Yablind, Ginger Velour, Diamante Doll, JoJo Bellini, Tenacious Venom, Lou Handsome, Aracella, and Victor Victorious.

With a legacy that stretches back over 100 years, I asked producer and host Velma Cherry what makes performers and audiences come back for more.

“Burlesque keeps evolving because every performer brings their own spin to it. We reach back into the history to learn the craft and then build something new from it that’s all our own,” she says. “That’s what keeps audiences coming back – the joy in the room, the energy exchange between the performers and the audience, and seeing something of themselves reflected on stage.”

Step into the world of sequins and stars at Burlesque The Movie (The Burlesque Show).