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TORONTO BURLESQUE FESTIVAL NORTHERN EXPOSURE 2008 READY FOR TAKE OFF! Art Opening/ Cocktail Hour Friday, July 11 The Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar and Art Bar 7-9 pm Cover - Suggested donation of $10 All Proceeds to Breast Cancer OPENING GALA FRIDAY, JULY 11 The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom 1214 Queen St. W. Toronto Doors at 9 pm Tickets - $30.00 THE BURLESQUE BALL SATURDAY, JULY 12 The Mod Club 722 College St. Doors at 6 pm Showtime at 7 pm Tickets - $35.00 SUNDAY TIKI BRUNCH SUNDAY, JULY 13 The Cadillac Lounge 1296 Queen St. W. Toronto Doors at 2:00 pm Tickets - $20 (show only; brunch is extra) WEEKEND PASSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR $80! Tickets available at T.O Tix www.totix.ca Rotate This 801 Queen St. W. Weekend Passes Saturday and Sunday single tickets Nearly Naked 920 Queen St. W. Saturday and Sunday single tickets The Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen St. W Weekend Passes and exclusive ticket agent for Friday Night Opening Gala. For additional information email

ABOUT THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE The Toronto Burlesque Festival Committee is spearheaded by members of Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque. Skin Tight Outta Sight has been in existence since 1998, making them one of the very first Burlesque Troupes in Toronto, and indeed, North America. They are recognized as one of Canada's pioneers in the Burlesque Revival. With nine years of sold-out shows under their sequined belts, this troupe bridges the gap between retro and revisionist with influences such as classical ballet, bump 'n grind, Motown and just plain Out There! Skin Tight Outta Sight has played an active role in fostering the local burlesque community, with the founding of the web-based Toronto Burlesque and Vaudeville Alliance (TBVA) in 2003. On the international stage, they have appeared for the New York Burlesque Festival, the Miss Exotic World Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, the Boston Burlesque Expo, the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, the Spiegel Show in Toronto, and the L.A. Rock 'n Roll Strip Show. To make Toronto's inaugural Burlesque Festival a reality, they have partnered with such luminaries in the alternative arts scene as Les Coquettes Nouveau Burlesque (of Toronto's Spiegel Show at Harbourfront, 2007), Coco Framboise of Boom Chika Boom, Miss Mitzy Cream, Mysterion the Mind Reader, Wolfman, Sketchy the Clown and Flarington King. Key Organizers from Skin Tight Outta Sight www.skintightouttasight.com SAUCI CALLA HORRA Producer and Performer with Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque in Toronto. She is her troupe's minxy mistress of disguises. One moment, she's a prima ballerina en pointe, the next she's their comely clown of comedy! With an Honours degree in Theatre and Psychology, Sauci is a social worker by day… burlesque vixen by night. Whether rising from a giant clamshell, pulling chili pepper lights out of her panties, or putting her ten plus years of ballet training to use, Sauci always enjoys performing, and it shows. She sees burlesque as a feminist statement, where women can reclaim their sexuality and power in an entertaining (and titillating!) way. Sauci has performed from coast to coast in Canada and the USA. She co-produces all Skin Tight Outta Sight shows with Tanya Cheex, and is the driving force behind the Toronto Burlesque and Vaudeville Alliance, a web-based forum for performers and their fans. TANYA CHEEX She's the blonde bombshell with the curves made for danger. TANYA CHEEX is one lethal combination of hip shakin' and heart breakin'! She staged her first "strip show" at the age of eight in her neighbor's backyard. Founder and Artistic Director of Skin Tight Outta Sight since 1998, Tanya's acts are full of surprises, incorporating giant feather fans, puppetry, pyrotechnics or even stripping out of a gorilla suit! She has taken her clothes off during all across Canada and the USA, at The Calgary Stampede, in NYC, Hollywood, Las Vegas and even in the Mojave Desert! HONEY B. HIND Ever since her debut, Honey B. Hind has stormed the Toronto burlesque scene! With her creative dance routines and professionalism, she is one of the most sought-after guest performers. Recently, she has facilitated local burlesque workshops with Skin Tight Outta Sight and abroad at the Boston Burlesque Expo. Honey first became involved with performing through the Windsor City Ballet Company at a young age. She graduated with a BFA in Acting and is a member in good standing with ACTRA. She has honed her performance skills as an actor and choreographer in Toronto for many years, and now applies these skills to the art of burlesque! Some of her favorite routines pay homage to the fabulous film stars of the 30s & 40s. Honey puts the Siren in Screen and the Harlot in Starlet, and everybody knows it took more than one man to change her name to Miss Honey B. Hind !!! Skin Tight Outta Sight. Photo by Paula Wilson. OTHER LOCAL PERFORMERS ON THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE LES COQUETTES NOUVEAU BURLESQUE LA MINOUCHE Since surviving theatre school, Catherine has tried a few careers on for size; actor, event coordinator, administrator, director, producer, talent agent, and costume designer. As co-founder and artistic director of Les Coquettes Nouveau Burlesque, she has found a home for all those hats, as well as an excuse for her love of vintage lingerie and beautiful people. Les Coquettes Nouveau Burlesque is a sensational ensemble inspired by the dance hall tradition of the Folies Bergere, the turn of the century Parisian revue that celebrated the beauty of the female form in dancing and song. Les Coquettes represent the earliest days of burlesque when drama and sensuality were enhanced by what audiences were never allowed to see, creating an electric, imaginative atmosphere where each performer has trained in multiple disciplines including acting, singing and dance. La Minouche and Les Coquettes have graced the stages of last summers spectacular Spiegeltent, private and corporate venues, some of Toronto's hottest lounges, as well as internationally recognized theatrical venues. www.lescoquettes.com COCO FRAMBOISE Oh, she's a dish all right. Known for her apple bottom and her saucy glance, you never quite know what she will serve up! Coco is a founding headliner of The Voulez-Vous Peepshow known for its stunning luxury acts and large signature props. To her solo endeavour – The Coco Framboise Show – she has added Coco's Bonbons, a saucy foursome performing choreography inspired by Hollywood's Golden Age. Featured on several TV programs as a special guest instructor, Coco Framboise is also the creative mind behind BOOM Chika BOOM burlesque classes. This breakthrough program has evolved to be Toronto's most extensive burlesque curriculum. www.boomchikaboom.ca MISS MITZY CREAM Toronto's burlesque sweetheart! She has performed with many local artists such as Skin Tight Outta Sight and Mysterion The Mind Reader, as well as performing on the international stage with such renowned troupes as Lili's Burlesque Revue in Minneapolis and the SophistiKittens in New Orleans. She founded Toronto burlesque troupe, The Harlettes, and now produces a regular "Kitten Revue." Since she started dancing five years ago, Mitzy has built a repertoire of nearly three dozen routines, many of which feature her amazing tassel-twirling. In 2004, she took part in The New York Burlesque Festival and won 1st runner up in the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Festival. Just this year, she was awarded the "Legends" Favorite Award for the Boston Burlesque Expo. Mitzy and her troupe continue their successful tours across Canada and will be touring the United Kingdom in the fall of 2008. Miss Mitzy Cream is a world-class performer and is guaranteed to delight audiences for years to come! www.missmitzycream.com MYSTERION THE MIND READER Independently working as a mentalist in Canada for the past four years. A Toronto based rookie at first, Mysterion learned quickly how to successfully promote live stage shows and is now one of the city's leading acts. In this short time, he has appeared as a feature on over thirty television programs including Showcase's hit Kenny Vs Spenny, and The Mancow Show in Chicago. Additionally, the Mysterion Show has been the focus of several feature articles in The Toronto Star, SUN, and The National Post, as well as tons of clips and photos in the Toronto weeklies. Mysterion's professionalism in entertaining has allowed him to access doors to a varied client list, from corporate events to vaudeville stage, to street performing and film cameos. www.mysterionthemindreader.com WOLFMAN Longtime co-hort of Mysterion the Mind Reader. The two bonded after Mysterion promised to build Wolfman a bride (something he STILL hasn't done) and took him out partying at a local hirsute ladies night. Wolfman's role in Mysterion's shows is ever-changing and unclear, but as long as he gets paid in blueberries, he's happy. FLARINGTON KING A version of the infamous Drag King Flare. Flare has been an active Drag King, Boi-lesque Producer and Performer for ten years in the city of Toronto. He has also worked with the Great Big International Drag King Show in Washington DC, Toronto Pride, The Scandelles, and created the Drag King Film Festival. In 2007, Flare was crowned Mr. Goodhandy, the first Drag King and Trans-male pageant in Toronto. Flarington is very excited to bring his dandy expressions to the first ever Toronto Burlesque Festival. www.flaringtonking.com SKETCHY THE CLOWN (Dave MacKay) is a Toronto based performer, producer and director. Dave produces the Toronto Festival of Clowns and the clown and circus themed Lunacy Cabaret shows. This summer he will be producing "Ignite," a circus show in a giant dome at Wasaga Beach. He was the director for the cross Canada Fringe tour of "Miss April Day's School for Burgeoning Young Strippers," and the clown plays, "Primal Broads" and "Omie Finds His Way." Dave has appeared in theatrical shows in the Toronto Fringe Festival, New Ideas Festival, Slaw Festival, Kindness Festival and Hamilton Fringe Festival. Film appearances include several shorts for the Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival, the movie "Big Babies," as well as the TV show, "History's Courtroom." Dave is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory Program and has studied clown and bouffon with Mike Kennard, Neil Muscot and Adam Lazarus. Dave has performed as Sketchy the Clown at burlesque shows with The Shameless Dames, Skin Tight Outta Sight and Mysterion the Mind Reader as well as performing at several Toronto Burlesque Vaudeville Alliance charity fundraisers. Dave is the webmaster for www.TorontoClown.com the website for theatrical clowning in Toronto.