FELLOWSHIP OF THE BOOBS, THE EMPIRE BRINGS SEXY BACK and More Set for Gorilla Tango Burlesque, Fall 2012

Q: What arrives in the Fall, makes you snort with laughter, and has over 100 boobs?

A: The Gorilla Tango Burlesque Fall season lineup! As temperatures drop, the nerd-friendly crew at Gorilla Tango Burlesque is shaking (and shimmying) things up with a mix of new shows and old favorites.

“Fellowship of the Boobs: an LOTR, WoW, D&D, RPG Burlesque” promises to get Tolkien-lovers in the mood for the holiday release of The Hobbit by bringing the critically acclaimed fantasy-themed RPG-adventure show back for a limited 6-week run in September and October. With a mix of original cast members and "new boobs," this popular favorite immerses the audience in a burlesque-themed fantasy realm as they join the "Fellowship of the Boobs" on a quest for the Icosahedron of Destiny. More than just a Lord of the Rings spoof, Fellowship brings the audience along (as the fifth member of their party) on a pastie-filled romp filled with sly references to everything from Labyrinth to Game of Thrones.

In the mood for something a little more eerie? “Boobs of the Dead: A Walking Dead Burlesque” takes the stage in October as GTB's first new release since the August opening of Holy Bouncing Boobies: A Batman Burlesque in their new Skokie space. As the first new script seen in Bucktown since June, regular Gorilla Tango Burlesque fans are already snatching up tickets to this one-month-only spoof of the Zombie genre. Featuring a "burlesque zombie" epidemic and a harried CDC official who warns that "the infecTed May show no visible signs of boas, pasties or high heels for the first 6 hours of infection... while they appear perfectly normal and super sexy they remain dangerous, and citizens should watch for these subtle signs and remain at a safe distance," audience members won't need to be familiar with The Walking Dead graphic novels or TV series to enjoy the campy glitter-gore in store for October only.

November brings with it a little something for the space-opera crowd as GTB premiers their first ever burlesque sequel—“The Empire Brings Sexy Back: A Star Wars Burlesque Sequel”. Deviating from the movie plot more than a little, the show is introduced by a winking George Lucas who asks you to "spot the differences" in this "burlesque special edition" of the second Star Wars film. Told from the Empire's point of view, the audience will enjoy joining a press-junket guided by a stern-but-sexy Imperial Officer who provides a Lord-Vader-approved spin on the traditional tale. But don't worry! You'll still get to watch Luke and Yoda work out on Dagobah, experience Princess Leia's rousing speeches (and accompanying teases), and see Han Solo go in to Carbonite (to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody, no less).

Not sure what to pick? Catch Gorilla Tango's Geek Peeks: The Best of Gorilla Tango Burlesque, returning to the stage at 7:30pm on Fridays in October, and see select numbers from each show. But get tickets in advance-- their popular LivingSocial deal ends in October and most shows will sell out in advance to folks cashing-in their LivingSocial tickets at the last minute.

Of course, the beginning of the Fall season means the end of the Summer, so Gorilla Tango is saying goodbye to some of it's currently-running productions and putting them in to "glitter-stasis" in the "burlesque vault" for the foreseeable future. SuperBoobs: A Superhero Burlesque Adventure closed on September 15 after a successful 6-month run, and audiences can still catch Hooter Rangers: A Spicy Morphing Burlesque (a show whose original name had to be changed for legal reasons-- but lets' just say it features spandex-wearing ninjas fighting giant rubber monsters) through September 29 on Fridays at 9pm.

Also wrapping up in September is the $500 Gorilla Tango Burlesque Thing, a city-wide competition open to any ecdysiast willing to take it off for an audience vote. The last Preliminary Round will be held on Wed, Sept 19, and audiences can see the 6 finalists go "chest-to-chest" Wed, Sept 26 and vote to decide who will take home the $500 prize!

Known since October of 2010 for its unique scripted burlesque parodies, and voted "Best Burlesque Troupe" in the 2012 Chicago Reader's Readers' Poll, Gorilla Tango Burlesque presents a form of entertainment not to be found anywhere else in Chicago (or in the world, as far as we've found!). With a loyal and growing fanbase of both die-hard nerds and average joes (and janes!), the Fall season is sure to be a hit with GBT veteran audiences and new fans alike. Advance purchase is always recommended, as their shows often sell out in advance-- and remember to bring some singles (or big bills, if you want to make their night) for the tip jar-- each performance has a tip break or two cleverly integrated in to the show's plot. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.gorillatango.com or by calling 773-598-4549.

Boobs of the Dead: A Walking Dead Burlesque: Fridays at 9pm and Saturdays at 11:59pm with special Halloween night performance at 9PM (Oct Only)
The Empire Brings Sexy Back: A Star Wars Burlesque Sequel: Saturdays at 10:30pm (Opens Nov 3)
Fellowship of the Boobs: An LotR, D&D, WoW, RPG Burlesque Adventure: Saturdays at 10:30 (Sept 22 thru Oct 27)
Geek Peeks: The Best of Gorilla Tango Burlesque: Fridays at 7:30pm (Oct Only)
Holy Bouncing Boobies!: A Batman Burlesque: Saturdays at 9pm (Skokie location)
Hooter Rangers: A Spicy Morphing Burlesque: Fridays at 9pm (Thru Sept 28)
Temple of Boobs: An Indiana Jones Burlesque Fridays at 10:30pm

Over the past year and a half, Gorilla Tango Burlesque has gone from the debut of the surprise hit Boobs & Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque to a local burlesque/comedy powerhouse with literally thousands of audience members through the door to see unique burlesque parodies of everything from Star Wars (A Nude Hope: A Star Wars Burlesque) to Indiana Jones (Temple of Boobs: An Indiana Jones Burlesque) to fantasy films and RPGs (Fellowship of the Boobs: an LOTR, WoW, D&D, RPG Burlesque) -- and that's just a small selection of what they have available for-- as their slogan states-- "the Discerning Nerd." Look for GTB's Halloween themed burlesque show, 'Boobs of the Dead: A Walking Dead Burlesque' playing ONLY in October on Fridays at 9PM and Saturdays at 11:59PM (Special 10/31 9PM show.)

Gorilla Tango Theatre (GTT) provides year-round theatrical venues where audiences of all ages can consistently go to see a wide variety of talented artists. GTT exists to provide artists with an opportunity to produce their work in professional environment. GTT was created by Dan Abbate and boasts two venues: an 80-seat performance space in Bucktown and a 150-seat performance space in Skokie. GTT Bucktown is conveniently located at the intersection of Western and Milwaukee in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. Easily accessible by public transportation, GTT is steps away from the Western Blue Line stop and the #49 Western, #73 Armitage and #56 Milwaukee buses. Street parking is readily available. Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre is located in the heart of Downtown Skokie; street and lot parking available. With shows for all ages, all GTT performances are on a rating system, similar to the one used in movie theatres. GTT offers a variety of affordable beer and wine for purchase. Consult the website for show details, rating information, tickets, and more.

www.gorillatango.com – 773.598.4549
1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647
7924 Lincoln Ave. Skokie, IL 60077

Photo by Greg Inda; Pictured: Diva LaVida as Obi Wan Kenobi.

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