I was invited back for the 2nd Annual Burlesque Festival to perform at House of Blues in the Risque Soiree. It was a delight to perform at HOB again. Because of the venue with the general admission crowd on the floor, able to lean against the front of the stage, performing there makes me feel like a rock star. Even though I did classic burlesque, I could look out into the sea of faces and really connect with them. I grew up going to rock concerts, so it's a very spiritual feeling for me to perform on that stage.
Now that the show has passed, I can share something deeply personal. When I got off stage, I called my husband as requested in an earlier text message. Last year he listened in on the performance via cell phone, and this year he was scheduled to perform in LA and would be unable to listen in. When I called, he checked to be sure I didnt have curtain call before breaking the news to me that our 13 year-old dalmatian died that evening. She was old, but the news still hit me pretty hard. When I spoke to friends right after I got the news, I was a bit of a weepy wreck. I stayed out of the way of the few performers who hadn't performed so they could focus and not get sucked into my drama.
I don't bring this up for pity or sympathy but as a learning experience. As difficult as it was, my husband withheld some important but upsetting information from me so I could focus on my performance. He used his judgment and was correct in his handling. This is the kind of person you need on your own team - one who knows the appropriate time to give you unfortunate news on an important occasion.
I'll share photos from my performance as they become available. Thank you, New Orleans!
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