Happy Holidays, everybodies. Let's remain calm.

It's been a tough year. I won't pretend that it hasn't. All around me, 2009 has been full of deaths, illnesses, financial and emotional disappointments, and the resulting cloud of bad energy. But luckily for me, there were those few golden nuggets of the not-suck that keep the universe on its axis: Friends truly showed their friend-ish nature. After five years, Brett asked me to hang out with him forever and I said yes. Family was united. And I am almost at the completion of a run of three consecutive plays in a row...a first for me. Not so bad for a year of whose patron saint is most definitely ERIS.

SO, as a rejection letter I once got from a literary magazine said, ONWARD! One can learn a lot from rejection. Here's what's left for me this year:

There are five shows left of THE TENDERLOIN XMAS HUSTLER in the next four days! Get your tickets nowsville. You like musicals about prostitutes, right? It has been an honor to reprise my role from last year as Holly Berry -- chick with a dick. Come by and see the show. I may let you touch it.

The work I've been doing for your soon-to-be-favorite new magazine, Moholy Ground, has also been very rewarding. The first issue should hit in February. Look out for my article, "Is There Life Beyond Rent?"

Additionally, I've been updating my website. As I'm interested in so much stuff, it's a constant struggle for me to pare down things like my website -- both design and content wise. But I may have found the answer...categorize all of the junk that makes me look like I'm schizophrenic into the Dilettante category. Actor and Writer categories to remain more streamlined. Now to just apply that to life...

Ok, if you made it the end of this post...Merry Festivus!

After a long battle with renal failure, we had to say goodbye to Maggie. By far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. RIP Maggie Katzenberg, 2000 (?) - 2009.
Thank you so much, friends, for being there for me and Brett these past few days and for Maggie while she was alive.

I highly reccomend that you check out...
NEUROTIQUE
Films by Nara Denning
6 Neo-Silent Fantasies...and I'm in #1!



Journey with our Fearless Explorer into the carnivorous depths of the Feminine Mind! Here is where fantasy becomes reality -and women come easy. But BEWARE! Keeping them is another story. For within the womb of desire lurk MADNESS and the seeds of DREADFUL FOLLIES!

Fetish, Fear, & Folly! - all with an undercurrent of unsettled neurosis. These are the themes of the six-vignette feature "Neurotique". This is New Silent Film at its most dubious.

Buy the dvd here: http://naradenning.com/id6.html

Order prints from Nara Denning here:
naradenning.com/id11.html

Great review for Hold Me Closer Tiny Dionysus here in the San Francisco Bay Times!
There's only three shows left: tonight, tomorrow, and Sat!

Hurray! AND What's Next!

The Unbearable Lightness of Raya won the SF Fringe Festival Best Musical award!
Closing afternoon was September 19th, and I immediately started rehearsing for the next play...HOLD ME CLOSER, TINY DIONYSUS, written by Trixxie Carr and directed by Ben Randle!! More info on that soon! But I can tell you it runs from October 15 - 24th at Mama Calizo's Voice Factory San Francisco.

In the meantime...come on down to Annie's Social Club for Bombshell Betty Burlesque Bailout Show THIS Thursday, October 1 at 8pm. A night of comedic skits and dancing to benefit our local recently-laid-off/under-employed/out-of-work actors, dancers, comedians, musicians and performers of all kinds! With Fromagique Odessa Lil, your Mistress of Ceremonies, and special guest star Chalupa X! To know him is to love him.

IN OTHER NEWS: I'm also working on an article for a new print magazine, coming soon to a newspaper stand near you (if you live in the Bay Area). I'm writing about people who chose to live in non-traditional living spaces in the Bay Area. I've got some fascinating interviews underway. It reminds me of how lucky I am to know so many talented and determined people. One day I will live on that space ship.

The Unbearable Lightness of Raya ...The Raya Light Story



World Premieres at the San Francisco Fringe Festival!!

Starring:
Raya Light
Steven Satyricon
Trixxie Carr
Audra Wolfmann

Further Info: http://www.sffringe.org/fringe09/09plays/unbearable.html

SATURDAY Sept 12 10:00 PM
MONDAY Sept 14 7:00 PM
THURSDAY Sept 17 7:00 PM
SATURDAY Sept 19 4:00 PM
Length: 50 mins.
NOTE: These are not drag times. Shows start on time!!
The nature of the Fringe Festival is acts get 15 minutes to load in, an hour to perform, and 15 minutes to get out!!
So SHOWS START ON TIME, there is NO LATE SEATING and NO REFUNDS for late arrivals.

EXIT Stage Left
156 Eddy Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Ph: 415-931-1094

Tickets: $10 ($12 online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/76236 )
NOTE: 50 Seat House...50% of the tickets (25 seats) are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting 30 minutes before the show. CASH ONLY, limit 4 tickets per person.

Synopsis:
At a very young age, Raya Light was destined to be the greatest star that ever was. Well, at least in her mind! See Raya as a precocious 10 year old girl at her very first audition, foaming at the mouth for her first morsel of fame! Marvel at her meteoric rise from Tween Queen to Oscar winner! Fasten your seatbelts for a wild ride of coke lines, sex tapes, collagen lips and worst dressed lists ...Hooray for Hollywood indeed!
Leave your panties at home!
MUSICAL THEATER, MATURE CONTENT, COARSE LANGUAGE, NUDITY, NOT FOR CHILDREN

Written by:
Raya Light/Todd Alan Pickering

Directed by:
Todd Alan Pickering

Piano:
Todd Alan Pickering

Drums:
Dante Tolomei

Stage Manager:
L Ron Hubby

Sound:
Jason Hannan

Costumes:
Mr. David
Jose A Guzman Colon
Wigs:
Edie Modular
Jose A Guzman Colon

Poster Art:
Matthew Phipps Hines

Press Photo:
Jose A Guzman Colon

The East Bay Express Best of the East Bay Party was gargantufun!

So word on the street is that there was about 20,000 people at the Best of the East Bay Party at the Oakland Museum! It's amazing what a massive dose of art, performance, food, civic pride, and free admission can do!

I had an amazing experience being the main stage's "late nite" Mistress of Ceremonies...it was by far the nicest crowd of drunk folks I've ever encountered. Thank you to everyone who came out...especially those who couldn't get in! Yikes!

Amoeba's Kaitlin took some great pictures. View them here! And here's what I remember:

All I Want For My Birthday Is Mad Men...



I never do this kinda stuff, but the winner of this contest gets to be on Mad Men...my favorite show since Alf. So please vote for me at the link below. You can vote once a day! I got a late start...the whole thing ends on 8/11.
Tanx!
madmencastingcall.amctv.com/photos/view/3001

This Friday...
The East Bay Express Best of the East Bay Party!!
With late-nite host: Odessa Lil, Mistress of Ceremonies!

This event is FREE and AMAZING! There's going to be bands, comedy, dance, Lucha Libre wrestling, crafts, food...you name it! Oh yeah...and me, Odessa Lil!

Check out the program guide here to see who all is playing. There's a ton of entertainment on several different stages.

Friday, 8/7
5pm - Midnight
Oakland Museum of California

News?! Yeah, we got news...

It's been a busy couple of months, but who wants to hear about all that junk?!
Here's the important stuff:

Count Fink and I are officially engaged-ified!
Not sure what happens next...for now, this is quite a lot of excitement. Thanks to everyone for all of the kind wishes.

For those of you who like to see rings...here's the one he designed himself! I'm so proud of him! It is the awesome.



Besides all that, we're still working with the Hermetic Order of Arcana on the series of 13 old-time radio show styled podcasts. The recording of the 13th and final episode is next, so it should be up and ready sooner than later.

I've been working on a few random and assorted film projects including My Name is Khan, staring Shahrukh Khan -- also known as the Indian Tom Cruise! I went as an extra and was promoted to bartender. "Yeah, sure I have bartending skills." Har!

AND of course there was Sailor Billy and Odessa Lil's appearance at PRIDE 2009 at the Amoeba booth! It also happened to be the hottest day is San Francisco history (so I decided) and the sunburns were brutal. But it was SO fun while it lasted. I think these pictures say it all:


MORE PIX HERE.

AND here's what's on the horizon!

Odessa Lil to host the East Bay Express BEST OF THE EAST BAY PARTY!
That's right! I'm the late-nite host on the main stage.
Check it out at the Oakland Museum on August 7th!
Odessa Lil on the East Bay Express BEST OF THE EAST BAY PARTY blog!
This should be a great party with tons of bands, performers, art, food, and LUCHA LIBRE! Seriously!!

I'll post some more when I can stand hearing myself blabber on more...I gotta go watch some Miss Marples on PBS or something.

It's a PAJAMA PARTY!

Tuesday, June 9th

The Elbo Room
647 Valencia St (Near 17th)
San Francisco, CA

$8
Door 9:00 PM
Show 9:15 PM

THREE HUGE SETS!
Performers:
-Bombshell Betty
-Red Velvet
-Tiger Von Claus
-The AMAZING Coconuts
-Peggy Pistolwhip
-Penny Paperback
-Dia Bolique
-Burlesqueteers
-Fromagettes
-and MORE

Hosted By:
-Odessa Lil

Fromagique:
-Bombshell Betty
-Patina DeCopper
-Ezekiel Sudonimo
-Rusty 2.0
-Randy Johnson
-Jimi Jat

Randy Johnson’s Fromagique will be teaming up with Bombshell Betty and her Burlesqueteers, her Fromagettes, and the Elbo Room in what looks like it will become a regular relationship. The theme for this show will be PAJAMA PARTY.

Audience members are encouraged to dress the part! Bring your PJ's, Lingerie, Smoking Jackets, slippers, Stuffed Animals, and your "Well Fluffed Pillows". Whatever that means!

www.bombshellbetty.net
www.myspace.com/fromagique

Why am I always the Lesbian knife-fighter?

This Friday May 29th!

Doors @7, Show @ 8. $5.

As part of the Magic Bus film series...

it's Hershel Gordon Lewis' masterdreck Blast-Off Girls (1967), the only rawk and roll movie to feature Colonel Sanders. Seriously.

ALSO: The Game (1966) , a Canadian Sex Ed Film that hits closer to home than anything you've seen and is 100% garage rawk to the max. This one has it all, a truly overlooked gem on 16mm from the private collection of Jon Bastian.

BUT THAT's NOT ALL:
Stay for live renditions of the hits from Blast-Off Girls performed by local "celebrities." Or do I mean: "performed" by "local" "celebrities." ???

One more thing!

Just found this nice review of several burlesque shows in the Bay Area. Odessa Lil has a number of quotes!

http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/arts/012810.html

The tail end of the performance included an ensemble dance with the recently
graduated Burlesqueteers. "They're like Mouseketeers only they don't cry
when you tell them to take their clothes off," said Emcee Lil'.

har har.

What else is happening?

Brett and I have been recording a series of "radio plays" with the amazing folks of The Hermetic Order of Arcana. Not sure when those will be ready, but brace yourself for a thrilling set of 13 retro-futuristic tales full of intrigue and the supernatural. More on that one day soon!

I (Odessa Lil, I mean...) hosted the Big Top Magazine one year anniversary show Saturday at Julie's Supper Club. All kinds of indie circus acts, including a man named Chris Dunn who juggled some very sharp knives. Nicely done. Oh Carney Folk!

And the week prior was the awesome De Young Warhol Live party. I got to lay around on the magic couch as Nico and even introduce Amoeba SF's resident Velvet Underground band Nihilist Outlook and Grace. There's nothing like watching toddlers dance to "Heroin" and "Sister Ray." It was a real honor to be part of a De Young function! Here's to more KLASSY gigs! Yeehaw!

"Nico" and "Lou":

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the Magic Bus film night last Thursday! Yes, we've got video of...

A reunion of survinvg Grapes for Bubblegum/Cartoon Rock Night at the Magic Bus Film Night, San Francisco, CA. 4.30.09. With author David Smay:



and of course...the pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99806556@N00/sets/72157617573115560/



Thanks to Indra, Sherry, Brett, and Jon!

TONIGHT>>>

Odessa Lil to MC...WANDERLUST:



http://www.bigtopmagazine.com/

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, Roll up, Roll up, ROLL UP! Big Top Magazine is celebrating the One Year Anniversary of it's existence in this beautiful world by throwing an INCREDIBLE celebration for you, an event that is sure to astound and amaze!

Awe Inspiring Performances, Bands to get Your Body Moving, Deliciously Sexy Belly Dancers to make you Squirm With Delight, and SO MUCH MORE! Click on the "READ MORE" for performer details, raffle prizes, and advance ticket info!

Hand Selected Vendors will bring you their best, incredible prizes offered in an amazing Raffle,and delightful surprises around every corner - this is without question going to be an evening that you do NOT want to miss, and one you will talk about for months and months to come!

FIRST 60 ADVANCE TICKETS SOLD WILL RECEIVE A FREE RAFFLE TICKET (a $5 value), & we're putting together some GREAT prizes for you, to start being announced soon!

PROUDLY FEATURING, FOR YOUR IMMENSE DELIGHT:::

Ariellah
City Circus
Barry Syska & The Fantasy Orchestra
UNMATA
Dreamtime Circus
GOOFERMAN
Angela Mae
Isa Shisha

This is not only an event to celebrate that Big Top Magazine has made it through the year and is still charging ahead with even more passion, ideas, & special treats to bring you in the future, but...

Your Big Top Founder, Ringmaster, & Vagabond Extraordinairre - kSea flux - is putting his beloved city of San Francisco in the rear view just a few short weeks after the event & heading out in the official Big Top Motor Home to bounce around the country, bringing you Big Top Magazine from the road! I'll be performing, putting on shows, & finding incredible people, interviews & stories from the travels along the way! The Wanderlust has been hitting me hard the past few months, and so this will also be a benefit to help make this dream happen! There's a lot I need to do to make what has been my home for the past few months road-worthy, & while I will do much of the actual work myself, some I can't- & that's where the raffle & benefit come in. Help me hit the road!

THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT, and & want to make sure you make it - so PLEASE BUY YOUR TICKETS ASAP!

THIS THURSDAY!
4/30/09...



You never know who might be a Sour Grapes Bunch!!!

I Was a Paramount Usherette (for Pixar) last Saturday!

One really ought to have a few of these costumes around. You never know when you'll need it.

THIS FRIDAY!!
4/24/09

I'll be Nico again! Come by and say hi. The other Factory look-a-likes are really quite good!

Burlesquercise Turns 5 Years Old!
Fundraising for an injured performer!
Odessa Lil to MC!
See this show!!
4/02/09

I can't believe Bombshell Betty's Burlesquercise is turning five! I've been at everyone of those anniversary shows, either as an MC or performer, and every moment was truly an honor. I always say, Betty does this world a great service...she creates new burlesque dancers and that means more pasties and g-strings for everyone. Please come out to this show and show your support, not only for the the institution, but also for an injured performer!

Read all about it below (from Betty)...and here's the Facebook invite, if you are so inclined:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/ical/event.php?eid=59015928710

Free Catering! Raffles!

Plus more burlesque in one night than you'll see almost anywhere in the Bay Area!

April 2nd 2009
Doors 8, show 9:15 - Midnight
Annie's Social Club
917 Folsom St (At 5th) in SoMa
$10 (larger donations also accepted)21+ w/ ID
http://www.anniessocialclub.com/
(415) 974-1585

We all know there is no a group health plan or even worker's comp. for burlesque performers. So what happens when one of us gets injured at a performance and can't even work in any capacity for several months? If you said, "Move home to Mama!", you would usually be right. Stella Lane from Dames of Glory (Stage name Ruby Lee Rouge) is in need of help for mounting hospital bills due to an injury she got while back stage at a show. Come have fun, watch sassy performances, enjoy complimentary delicious snacks and win great prizes - all for a great cause!
. . . . And while you're at it . . . .
Bombshell Betty has been teaching professional burlesque dancers and hobbiests in the SF Bay Area for 5 years. She has taught THOUSANDS of ladies how to shimmy and shake their way on stage or just that special someone at home. Betty opened her own dedicated burlesque studio in March of '07 on her third anniversary and shows no signs of slowing down! Come out to and help her celebrate her 5th anniversary with three hours of burlesque!

Burlesque Performances by:- Bombshell Betty- Betty's Burlesqueteers- Sneak-A-Peek Sally- Red Velvet- The Amazing Coconuts- Bootsy La Rue- Holly Highbeams- The Fromagettes- Original Sin Burlesque- Ruby Lee Rouge (AKA Stella)- Eve Devlin- Melicious- Lola Pop- More TBA

Randy Johnson's Fromagique:- Bombshell Betty (Vocals and Hotchicoo)- Michelle Pliner (Vocals)- Patina DeCopper (Trumpet)- Ezekiel Suedonimo (Clarinet)- Rusty 2.0 (Trombone)- Randy Johnson (Bari Sax)- Jimi Jat (Drums)

MC:-Odessa Lil' will be our (THWACK!) mistress of ceremonies!

Catering lovingly provided >>FREE OF CHARGE<< (Donations accepted to benefit Stella) by Thyme To Eat Cafe & Catering

Vendors include:-Bombshell Betty Dance (And Randy's Pasties)-Dames of Glory (Buy direct from the beneficiary)-Original Sin Undies-Lovecraft-Toxique Boutique Accessories
All of the vendors will be donating prizes for a raffle to be held throughout the evening.

On top of a % of the door and all the tips for the catering, all money collected in the raffle will go to Stella.

This Wedsday, January 28th:

It's time for Haute House Burlesque!

Sit back and relax in comfortable theater seating while sipping your wine and enjoying the hilarious and delightful acts from your favorite burlesque troupe, the Burlesqueteers! This is one fun, rolicking lineup including everything from political themes (in indirect celebration of our new president) to clown burlesque to murder and mayhem. It's a whole lot of fun for every taste!

Featuring burlesque performances by:

Bombshell Betty

Red Velvet

Holly Highbeems

The Amazing Coconuts
Peggy Pistolwhip

Holly Highbeams

Red Velvet

Bootsy la Rue

La Evolvera

And this month's debut performances include:
Double Dare's solo debut

Bourbon Lee's chorus dancing debut

Most acts this month will be performed to live accompaniment by

Fromagique, Bombshell Betty's and Randy Johnson's new burlesque band,

with guest vocals by Michelle Pliner!

http://www.myspace.com/fromagique

Hosted by Odessa Lil, your *thwack!* Mistress of Ceremonies

Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm
$15 at the door

$12 in advance (Will Call only).

Presale tickets are available until noon on the day of the show.

Order your tickets today: http://www.bombshellbetty.net/shows.html

Stagewerx Theater
533 Sutter St. @ Powell Street
San Francisco

http://www.stagewerx.org/

January 14th...that's this Weds!!!

Barbary Coast Burlesque Presents...
"Dreaming of Hot Summer Sizzle"

With our Host, Odessa Lil

Starring

Kiss Me Kate
Honey Le Bang
Dottie Lux
Honey Lawless
Bunny Pistol

And Just added..
Queen of Carnaval SF, Kellita!!

All of this sizzling entertainment for just $5.00!!

January 14th
Show at 8pm
Annies Social Club
917 Folsom St @ 5th
SF