“Dirty Martini and the New Burlesque,” a film by Gary Beeber, with a live performance to follow
WHERE: Neon Movies, 130 E. Fifth St., Dayton
WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18
TICKETS: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
MORE INFO: (937) 222-7469 or www.ten-in-oneproductions.com
DAYTON — Gary Beeber met “Dirty Martini” through an acquaintance of an acquaintance and was immediately captivated.
“She was nothing like” what the Dayton native says he had anticipated. “She was well spoken, very bright and she was large. I expected that as a burlesque performer she would be something like a Las Vegas showgirl.”
Most importantly, he said, “she was an artist.”
She’s the focus of his new feature-length documentary, “Dirty Martini and the New Burlesque,” which Beeber will screen Nov. 18 at the Neon Movies in Dayton, followed by a live show featuring Dayton burlesque performer Champagne Stock and Columbus stars Viva Valezz, Pandora Foxx and Nina Cherry.
He has already shown it at festivals in Seattle, Dallas, Toronto and New York, where he lives.
The film has drawn him into the neo-burlesque orbit so completely that he is now producing a live show in New York’s theater district, “Burlesque on Broadway.” It opens Dec. 6.
“These are not pole dancers,” said Beeber, who grew up in North Dayton, attended Fairview High School and Miami University “about a hundred years ago,” then left for New York. “I wanted to work in design and be an artist,” he said.
He worked for many years as a photographer. His work is in the corporate collection of Goldman Sachs, Pfizer Pharmaceutical in New York and many others.
One of his first films, the video documentary short “Bally-Master” (2007), documented the weird genius of Scott Baker, master of ceremonies on the Bally stage at Coney Island’s freak show, “Sideshow by the Seashore.”
Through Baker, he met burlesque performer Bambi the Mermaid, who introduced him to Dirty Martini.
“She is trained in modern dance. Most of the people in new burlesque started out in performance art or in dance. This is not your father’s burlesque,” Beeber said. “It’s very big right now. It’s the new punk rock.”
Dirty Martini’s size and her comfort with that are part of the attraction, “Seeing her is empowering,” Beeber said.
The film also includes interviews with and footage of other burlesque stars, current and past.
J.N. Urbanski, who covers New York burlesque for the examiner.com, wrote that Beeber’s film “is a candid and poignant revelation of the love, passion, trials and challenges of the performers.” Neo-burlesque, she said is ‘literally a variety show with bare bosoms.’”
After the film and show at the Neon, which will include a talk with the audience, Beeber will repeat the presentation and performance at the Wall Street Nightclub in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 20.
“This isn’t for kids, but they don’t do anything pornographic. It’s for anybody,” Beeber said.
CONTACT this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@coxohio.com.
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