Mardi Gras is fast approaching! Though the official “Fat Tuesday” is February 12, parades start taking the Big Easy’s streets this coming Saturday, January 19. Therefore, in honor of the great city of New Orleans, this week on the Tuesday Tease, we are interviewing Ben Wisdom, co-producer of New Orleans-based burlesque troupe Slow Burn Burlesque.

New Orleans has a long history of burlesque, with Bourbon Street’s heyday spanning the mid-40s to the mid-60s. Even back then, New Orleans performers pushed the envelope of burlesque performance, with many dancers introducing props like giant champagne glasses and oyster shells. Grandiose clubs like the 500 Club and Stormy’s Casino Royale were decked out with luxurious décor, raised stages and theatrical lighting, bringing a higher production value to the art of burlesque, and all shows were, of course, set to a hot jazz soundtrack, the music that New Orleans birthed. In fact, legendary New Orleans saxophonist Sam Butera got his start in Bourbon Street burlesque clubs and Louis Prima’s brother Leon owned the 500 Club for many years.

While Bourbon Street has definitely changed, the burlesque flame is still alive and well in the Big Easy thanks to folks like Slow Burn Burlesque, The Dirty Dime Peepshow, The Storyville Starlets, Fleur de Tease, Freaksheaux To Geaux, Bustout Burlesque and the internationally recognized New Orleans Burlesque Festival. Plus, troupes like Slow Burn, while being a decidedly “neo-burlesque” troupe, pay tribute to New Orleans’ burlesque history by featuring live music and by re-visiting classic burlesque routines, albeit with a modern flair.

Ben Wisdom was kind enough to take some time out from his busy schedule to talk about Slow Burn, the New Orleans burlesque scene, their upcoming show “The Big Sleazy” (Friday, January 25 at the Howlin’ Wolf. Tickets available right over here) and to offer some advice to up-and-coming burlesque performers and emcees.

So, with out further ado, Mr. Ben Wisdom:
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