Raised by Wolfmanns

Audra is a writer, editor, actor, & filmmaker with an MFA from Mills College. She is the co-writer/director of the short film Souls of Splendor, which is about gay comic book fans in San Francisco. Audra is also known as Odessa Lil: Mistress of Ceremonies. Ever since she ran SpeakEasily, the first-ever weekly neo-burlesque show in Oakland back in 2004, Odessa Lil has been whipping audiences into shape all around the Bay. Catch her burlesque talk show SPEAKEASILY on YouTube!

5.20.2004

Pansies and Rough Guys

Bethanne just sent me the lyrics to this old Ruth Etting song about Taxi Dancers:

"Ten Cents a Dance"

Ten cents a dance, that's what they pay me
Gosh, how they weigh me down
Ten cents a dance, pansies and rough guys
Tough guys who tear my gown

Seven to midnight I hear drums
Loudly the saxophone blows
Trumpets are tearing my eardrums
Customers crush my toes

Sometimes I think I've found my hero
But it's a queer romance
All that you need is a ticket
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance!

Tonight Lisa and I are meeting about the upcoming plans for SpeakEasily! It's really coming together. Prepare to be astounded.
Thanks so much to everyone who has been sharing their ideas and references to bizarre entertainers of the Bay Area. Special thanks to Paul, Count Fink, Joe, Saul Goode, Indra, and of course Lisa ~ cultural revolutionary extrodinaire.