Vaudeville Nouveau: NEWS

Tony Award-Winner Irwin and members of Original, former and Broadway-Bound casts of HAIR, along with New York’s finest new vaudeville and burlesque acts, will perform live on Monday, October 27 at the Zipper Factory.

Stars of stage and screen will be participating in an evening of songs, scenes and vaudeville in a Very Special Edition of Vaudeville Nouveau, to benefit the WorkShop Theater Company on Monday, October 27, 2008, at The Zipper Factory. The Zipper Theater lobby bar will open at 6PM. The festivities will begin at 6:30 and the show will begin in the theater promptly at 7pm. Pre-Show entertainment will be provided by the “Rare and Ridiculous” Annie Leaboux.

At 7:00 p.m. a Special Edition of Vaudeville Nouveau, the WorkShop’s successful late-night variety show, now it’s its second year, will live up to its subtitle, “An Extravaganza of Burlesque Proportions”. Producer-creators Richard Kent Green and Nelson Lugo will host Bill Irwin, castmembers from both the original Broadway and current productions of HAIR, Vaudeville Nouveau’s own stars, beautiful burlesquer Rubie Fizz, Ravi The Scorpion Mystic and master juggler Sean Blue, along with the singing talents of WorkShop Company Artists Annie Chadwick, Gerrianne Raphael and Joanie Schumacher and actors of the WorkShop Theater Company in scenes from the three new plays of the WorkShop’s 2008/2009 15th Anniversary Season, all in the unique 250-seat Zipper Factory Theater.

After the show, join the performers and other supporters of the WorkShop Theater Company for a catered After Party in the Zipper Tavern, featuring an open wine & beer bar, dinner buffet, raffle and a special appearance by the Broken Pockets Band (The Devil & Billy Markham).

Further information and tickets for both events can be found on the TheaterMania website http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/xxxxxxx or by calling XXX-XXX-XXXX.

The Zipper Factory is located at 336 West 37th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in New York City.

About the WorkShop Theater Company - Founded in 1994 as The 42nd Street Workshop, the WorkShop Theater Company is home to 160 professional member playwrights, actors and directors. WorkShop writer-actor Natalie Mosco (HAIR – original cast) wrote and stars in A BRUSH WITH GEORGIA O’KEEFFE , which is currently playing at St. Luke’s Theater and will travel to Washington D.C. for a special performance at the Smithsonian Institute on November 1st. In the past 18 months, two other productions, originally developed at the WorkShop, went on to Off-Broadway runs: The Jazz Age, by Alan Knee and The Devil and Billy Markham, by Shel Silverstein. The WorkShop Theater Company's mission is to provide a creative home where playwrights, directors and actors can develop their projects with a supportive community of peers, from inspiration to finished production.

For more information, please visit http://www.workshoptheater.org or call (212) 695-4173, ext 6#.

Nelson Lugo, Rubie Fizz and Richard Kent Green, the producers of Vaudeville Nouveau (and hereafter referred to as “the Producers”), are pleased and proud to announce the first annual

CRYSTAL STILETTO AWARDS:
A NEW YORK BURLESQUE COMPETITION
Hello Dear Vaudeville Fans

Boy, do we have some exciting news to share with all of you!

We here at Vaudeville Nouveau are always looking for, and thinking about, creative ways to promote the variety-burlesque community. So, we've decided to host the first-annual "The Crystal Stiletto" Awards, a New York Burlesque Competition. We want it to be an industry-supported contest -- a completely encompassing, community event of the people, by the people, for the people - at least, all those who love the art of the tease. Burlesque Producers from all over NYC are being invited to nominate the best shimmy-shakers this town has to offer.

The plan is to start with a field of 18 terrific Big Apple Burly-Q performers, whittle that group down to 9 fabulous semi-finalists, then, through a series of three semi-finals and a grand night of finals, crown the city's favorite burlesque artist.

The first round of competition will be an "Invitational" on Sunday March 9 in the afternoon. By the end of the which, 9 semi-finalists will have been selected from the field of contestants. The next phase will be the Semi-Finals on Saturdays, April 19, May 17 and June 14. At each of these three shows, 3 of the semi-finalists will perform. One finalist will be chosen by the audience at the end of each show, leaving 3 finalists. Lastly, the Finals will be held on July 19, at a venue yet to be determined. The 3 finalists will perform in a special edition of Vaudeville Nouveau. A winner will be chosen by a panel of three industry professionals. That fortunate individual will be anointed Ms (or Mr.) New York Burlesque (complete with crown and sash) and receive the "Crystal Stiletto" trophy, a cash prize of not less than $400 and an invitation to perform (for pay) in the Vaudeville Nouveau Anniversary Show. First and second-place prizes will be awarded, but they are yet-to-be-determined.

In a word... This is going to be huge!

The Nomination Process Qualifications:
The “The Crystal Stiletto” Awards: a New York Burlesque Competition, is open to any person, male or female, who has performed (or will perform) strip-tease in the burlesque style at a New York City (including all five boroughs) venue (on or) prior to Saturday, February 16, 2008. Only producers of New York City burlesque presentations invited by the Producers may nominate artists to compete, though an effort will be made to discover and invite all who would qualify. Nominating producers (“nominators”) will receive four ballots, nominating one artist per ballot (“nominees”), for a total of up to four nominated artists. Any nominator who is a burlesque performer may nominate themselves and three other artists. Ballots will include a space for the names of both nominator and nominee and both names must appear on a ballot for it to be valid. (Please print clearly – we will be reading them for the first time in public!) Co-producers of Vaudeville Nouveau and their spouses and/or “significant others” are ineligible.

Nominations:
A specially-designated, locked ballot box, as well as ballots, will be available from 2/16 to 2/24 at pre-announced locations. Subject to change, they are:
• Saturday 2/16 – Vaudeville Nouveau
• Sunday 2/17 – Kitty Nights
• Monday 2/18 – Vaudeville Nouveau “Roadshow” @ Galapagos
• Tuesday 2/19 – Hosty Totsy
• Wednesday 2/20 – ???
• Thursday 2/21 – ???
• Friday 2/22 – Slipper Room
• Saturday 2/23 – Le Scandal
• Sunday 2/24 – Sweet and Nasty

A nominator need not be a host of, performer in, or paying customer at a show to deliver ballots. Nominators may deliver ballots until the beginning of the drawing. “Last call” will be given. If a nominator can’t make any of these shows, their ballots may be personally hand-delivered by the nominator - in a sealed envelope - before the show on the 24th to a Producer who agrees to deliver them. However, the Producers shall not be held liable for undelivered ballots.

The Drawing:
With the venue producer’s permission, a drawing will be held on Sunday 2/24 toward the end of, or after, their show. The box will be unlocked and ballots will be drawn one at a time. Only the names of the nominees will be announced (not the nominators’). Once the drawing begins, undelivered ballots will be disqualified. If a drawn name is repeated, another ballot will be drawn. Ballots will continue to be drawn until eighteen different nominees are chosen. Should a total of less than eighteen different artists be nominated, the contest will be run with the number that are. If a nominee’s name is announced and they aren’t in attendance, the nominee will be notified by the Producers. The eighteen nominees chosen will be invited to perform as contestants in the “The Crystal Stiletto” Awards. If less than eighteen nominees are available and interested in competing, the contest will be run with the number that are.


Competition Dates and Guidelines Sunday, March 9, 2008: “The Invitational” - 2:30pm to 5:30pm.
This round will be presented as three one-hour sets, back-to-back, with a short intermission between each set, on the Main Stage of the WorkShop Theater Company - 312 W. 36th Street, 4th floor, NYC - and hosted by the Producers. There is no fee to enter the competition and there will be no pay for competing. A nominal admission ($5 for one hour, $10 for all three) will be charged to attendees of the Invitational to help cover costs of the contest and prizes. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Each hour, six contestants will perform. At the end of the hour, the contestants who performed that hour will stand in a line on the stage and the audience will vote on each contestant individually, selecting three semi-finalists per hour, for a total of nine semi-finalists by the end of the afternoon. If, for any reason, a scheduled contestant cannot perform that afternoon, they forfeit their chance to compete.

April 19 – Semi-Final One: three of the semi-finalists will perform in Vaudeville Nouveau. One finalist will be selected at the end of the show, by audience vote.
May 17 – Semi-Final Two: three of the semi-finalists will perform in Vaudeville Nouveau. One finalist will be selected at the end of the show, by audience vote.
June 14 – Semi-Final Three: three of the semi-finalists will perform in Vaudeville Nouveau. One finalist will be selected at the end of the show, by audience vote.

Audience vote shall follow the same rules as at the Invitational. Which semi-finalists perform at which shows will be determined by the Producers, taking into account the semi-finalists’ schedules on a first-come-first-served basis. Switching with other semi-finalists who have not yet competed will be allowed, but once the schedule is established, the Producers reserve the right to disqualify any contestant because they are unable to perform, for any reason, at their scheduled Semi-Final.

July 19 – The Finals: will be presented at a venue yet to be determined. The three finalists will perform in a special edition of Vaudeville Nouveau. The winner of the “The Crystal Stiletto” Awards will be determined by a panel of three industry professionals, judging in four categories: Personal Presentation (costume, hair & make-up, etc.) Creativity (uniqueness, daring), Showmanship (poise and execution) and Sex Appeal (they’re on their own here). The judges, with no discussion between them, will rank the finalists on a scale from one to five (five being the best possible score). The judges will give their findings to the Producers, who will then determine the finalist with the highest score. In the event of any ties, a final determination will be made by the Producers. The winner will be crowned Ms (or Mr.) Big Apple Burlesque (with a crown and sash) and receive the “Crystal Stiletto” trophy, a cash prize of not less than $400 and an invitation to perform (for pay) in the Vaudeville Nouveau Anniversary Show. First and second-place prizes will be awarded, but they are yet-to-be-determined. In the event the winner is not available to perform at the Vaudeville Nouveau Anniversary Show, the invitation will pass to the first-place winner; failing that, the second-place winner, then the Producers’ choice of semi-finalists.

After decades of plying their wares in dive bars and seedy back-alley clubs, vaudeville is back and making a triumphant return to its classic venue: The Stage!
Bringing vaudeville into the light for a whole new generation, Richard Kent Green and Nelson Lugo, in association with the WorkShop Theater Company, proudly present “VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU an Extravaganza of Burlesque Proportions”. VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU is a brand new monthly late-night variety show that will feature a rotating cast of musicians, jugglers, freaks, illusionists, ecdysiasts, escapists, sideshow artists, comedians, ventriloquists and a whole lot more! With its ever-changing line-up of guest artists, VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU strives to present the most unique and entertaining novelty acts available. Every show is jam packed with side-splitting comedy, jaw dropping stunts, rocking music and scantily-clad burlesque beauties. Served up with tongues firmly planted in cheek, one never knows what new and strange acts will appear on the VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU stage. But one thing is certain, it will be amusing, amazing and unforgettable.

Essentially the brainchild of three warped minds, VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU is a collaboration between actor/songwriter Richard Kent Green (richardkentgreen.com), actor/magician/sideshow artist Nelson Lugo (nelsonlugo.com) and the bubbly burlesque artist Rubie Fizz (rubiefizz.com). These three burgeoning vaudeville impresarios created this show as a benefit for the Workshop Theater Company. Featuring acts such as: The Sultry - RunAround Sue, The Rappist - Schaffer The Darklord and The Human Floor – Pete Tino. As a result of these extraordinarily successful shows, VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU is becoming an ongoing monthly event, scheduled to run once a month on Saturday the ‘teenth. As a mnemonic reminder, VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU will perform on Saturdays which have dates ending in “teenth” (13th, 14th, …19th). Performance times will vary, as VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU will take place on the Main Stage of the WorkShop Theater Company after regularly scheduled performances. Tickets are only 15 dollars, beer and wine are served, and the first drink is FREE. Dates, times and talent line-up information can all be accessed online at either VaudevilleNouveau.com or at workshoptheater.org

The WorkShop Theater Company, whose members developed, wrote and produced the Academy-Award-winning film, “Finding Neverland,” is the official stage of VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU. As a result of opening its doors to this zany ‘old timey’ dog and pony show; blockheads, freaks and ukulele players now have a stage to call home. Richard Kent Green is a Producing Director at the Workshop Theater Company, where he has been a member, actor and director for over five years. Nelson Lugo joined the WorkShop in 2005 as an actor in the acclaimed production of “Raisins Not Virgins” on the WorkShop Main Stage. He continues to delight audiences all over NYC as a guest host of various burlesque shows and as the host of VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU.

The Workshop Theater Company is located at 312 West 36th Street (just West of 8th Avenue) on the fourth floor. Nearby subways include the A, C, E, N, R, W and 1, 2 & 3 trains. Both Port Authority Bus Terminal and Pennsylvania Station are mere blocks away. One can get information on all events at the Workshop Theater Company by checking the website, signing up for the WorkShop’s weekly email blast, “What’s UP at the WorkShop”, or by calling the WorkShop at 212-695-4173 (4#).

VAUDEVILLE NOUVEAU will continue to benefit the WorkShop Theater Company and its commitment to the development of new works for the American stage.

Hello dear vaudeville fan and welcome to the official website of Vaudeville Nouveau.

We have exciting news... Vaudeville Nouveau now has "ONLINE TICKETING"!! That's right, no more having to call to reserve your seat -- no more worrying if you'll be able to snag a ticket at the box office. Now you can purchase your ticket from the comfort of your own computer. All you have to do is click on to the calendar page and then click the link that takes you straight to the ticketing page.

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You can also go to www.theatermania.com and do a search for Vaudeville Nouveau.

Also, don't forget to sign-up for our monthly newsletter "The Vaudeville Circuit", your one-stop-shop for all your vaudeville needs. There you will find information on our up coming shows, a little history, some jokes and even an honest-to-goodness contest with real prizes. You can sign up right on our website!