Glitter. Feminism. Jazz Hands: World Premiere of a Feminist One-Woman Burlesque Show

Today, Curtains Cabaret, Silicon Valley's theatrical burlesque company, announces its May 6th production at the Dragon Theatre in Redwood City: DeeDee Queen's How Lovely to be a Woman: a Feminist One-Woman Burlesque Musical.

Hot on the heels of its successful workshop at Feinstein's/54 Below, How Lovely to be a Woman will be making its full premiere in California. Written, directed, produced, and starred in by Bay Area burlesque dancer and faux drag queen DeeDee Queen, How Lovely to be a Woman is a glitter filled roller coaster ride through one female experience, which will appeal to feminists (and allies), burlesque and variety fans, and theatre lovers alike.

"Have you ever noticed how many Broadway songs there are about why it's great to be a woman -- and how all of them were written by white men?" asked Queen. "That was the original concept for the show. It's since grown into a look at social conditioning, sex, leaning in and leaning out, body image, and motherhood -- with glitter, pasties, and Broadway musicals, of course."

In 2010, DeeDee Queen dropped out of Columbia University's Theatre MFA program after relapsing with anorexia. She sacrificed her passion for playwriting, dramaturgy, and theatre production to commit to recovery -- and later became a recovery coach, hosting a popular podcast on recovery, body image, and intersectional feminism called Finding Our Hunger. How Lovely to be a Woman is her love letter to all humans who struggle to live up to the demands of performing "woman," and a playful and comedic takedown of mansplaining, calorie counting, mommy issues, and more.

Queen is one half of the production team of Curtains Cabaret. With burlesque and belly dancer, aerialist, and fire artist Scarlet Conte, they produce full theatrical burlesque shows, such as last year's Variety on the High Seas, and traditional burlesque and variety shows, like December's Oy Humbug. They also recently raised over $1000 for Planned Parenthood with Legislate This! South Bay, and will be producing several more shows at the Dragon Theatre this year.

In addition to the one-woman show, audience members will be treated to a pre-show, featuring burlesque acts by other Bay Area performers, including Rosie Reigns, Lexy Lemondrop, and others. The show will also be accompanied by Bay Area pianist Nichole Boaz.

The show will take place Saturday, May 6, 2017 at the Dragon Theatre (2120 Broadway, Redwood City, CA 94063). Doors are at 7:30 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. General admission tickets are $10 - $15 with $20 premium seating tickets available in advance. Tickets are available at howlovely.bpt.me. The facebook event with information, updates, and photos is at performingwoman.com/lovelyCA.

To learn more about the show, watch a preview, or donate to the fundraiser, please visit performingwoman.com/lovely.

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