A Note from Irene
The Greek myths and classical Greek eras we explore this evening are heckin’ old. As such, most of the information we in the modern day have is heavily filtered through multiple biased sources, over thousands of years. As such, this evening is an homage, and meant to offend neither any deities, nor any living members of modern Greek culture. We are here to play around in the mess that has been made of antiquity, and perhaps tell a story or two of our own while we’re here. Be not frightened of the weird, the esoteric, or the incomprehensible this evening- let the Gods in, and be blessed.
Many thanks to all the dancers to day who brought their training, their artistry, and their fuckery to this stage. Huge thanks to the staff at Kickbutt, especially Dan, for always hosting us so excellently. Our show staff — Aly, Ernie, Nell, Dylan, and Dave, and our kittens Villanelle, Ravenna, and Stormy September— keep us from slipping in a pile of dimly lit glitter, and we are supremely grateful. And a great many thanks to Jeff Hinkle, who loaned us his years of experience and unearthed some plausible greek chorus structures for us to play with, and to Trevor Bissel, our guest MC voice for the evening, and to Harley Brimstone, who is a hell of a pinch-hitter.
Thank you all for spending this November evening with us, and we hope to see you in new adventures next year!
— Irene Straddler
Program
ACT I
Irene Straddler - Dionysian Worshipper
MK Ultra - Underworld Persephone
Cimmeria Steel - Siren
Harley Brimstone - Charon
ACT II
Ruby Lamb - Hecate
Dev Developpe - Pygmalion’s Statue
Lilith Allure - Nyx
Blaise Ricin - Eros
Shelbi Aiona - Echidna
There will be a brief intermission between acts.
No strobe effects are used in this show.
COVID-19 SAFETY
All performers and staff are fully vaccinated.
Please keep your mask on except when eating or drinking, and be respectful of everyone's preferences regarding hugs and social distancing.
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A Letter from Irene
Program
Tipping Information
Performers
Character Introductions
Drink Specials
Newsletter Signup
Thank You & Staff Credits
Puzzle
Tips
We appreciate your support! 🖤 All tips are evenly divided between the performers. We also accept cash tips at the ticketing table.
Tip via Paypal · @velvetnox
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Tip via CashApp · $velvetnoxproductions
Starring
Blaise Ricin
Blaise Ricin is an internationally lauded actor and dancer. Starting in the classical world, he was attracted to the beauty and artistic autonomy burlesque provides. He is the cofounder of the Toxic Twins, one of the Conjurers of Malum Malus, and a proud company member of Shrewd Productions and The VORTEX Repertory Theatre. He also regularly performs with Brown Burlesque and is an instructor with Sass N Strut.
Photo by Brian Keyes
Cimmeria Steel
Cimmeria Steel, the sword-wielding sorceress! This theatrical performer creates spells that include pole dance, swords, fire, fusion dance, and singing, and she aims to cause as much lusty mischief as possible. When she's not imparting her dark knowledge to her pole students, Cimmeria is often found on the stages of Austin as a performer with Velvet Nox, Ivory Moth Productions, and Geekgasm Revue.
Photo by Brian Keyes
Dev Developpe
Dev Developpe is a Theatrical Fusion performer who specializes in over-the-top costuming and character acts. Her work incorporates modern dance, Waving, Go-go, and occasionally strip-tease. She can be found rolling around any dance floor that will have her, from Vegas to Portland.
Photo by Brian Keyes
Harley Brimstone
Harley Brimstone (she/her) is an Austin-based secular satanic witch, performer, and entrepreneur. She has studied dance at Minx + Muse and the Austin Academy of Burlesque as well as many other studios in Austin. She is a former co-founder of Velvet Nox Productions (not a current producer) and present creator at Haus of Brimstone, developing wearable horns & accessories. She is delighted to be performing with Velvet Nox again and thanks Irene for having her!
Photo by The Vinyl Lens
Irene Straddler
Irene Straddler has spent her life messing around in any dance field that will have her. She keeps trying to cram extra plot and symbolism into her pieces in the hope that the chaotic incoherence will pass as artistry. She is also the producer of Velvet Nox Productions, which hopefully you have heard of.
Photo by Dave Idemoto
Lilith Allure
Lilith Allure hails from another realm. She is a blend of playful charm, raw intensity, and untamed sexuality. When she isn't casting spells over her audiences, she can be found dancing naked around bonfires and on poles, conjuring artistic creations, training her pet dragons, or teaching classes in Austin and Houston. In the words of Nikita Gill, "she wears strength and darkness equally well, the girl has always been half goddess and half Hell.”
Photo by Becky Plexco
MK ULtra
MK Ultra is a time-traveling tiny dancer, pseudo-contortionist, human blockhead, part-time beefcake, and chronic clown with bones of rubber and buns of steel. MK has regularly performed with Velvet Nox and Boner Bizarre, and now you can also find them flexing virtually across weird stretches of the internet landscape.
Photo by Brian Keyes
Ruby Lamb
Miss Ruby Lamb of The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue, Texas’ longest continuously-running burlesque troupe, is part glitter-storm-cotton-candy-tumbleweeds and part succubus-warrior. She’s soft as scarves and wicked as wool, and she’s seen frequently on and off stage at Austin burlesque events, drag shows, festivals, and benefits. A Satan’s Cheerleader, producer, model and theatrical reader, hers is a daily art/life practice cultivated over 23 strange years.
Photo by Ruby Lamb
Shelbi Aiona
Shelbi is an artist, pole performer, and instructor who's been fortunate to perform and work with groups like Boner Bizarre, United Pole Artists, Butter & Filth, International PoleCon, Twisted Movement, and Velvet Nox Productions. She is the owner of Black Box Creative, Austin's newest and dopest pole and creative creation studio. She's cultivated a signature dark and sludgy style that drips with carnality and oozes hedonism.
Photo by @foxfire7
Character Introductions
Dionysian Worshipper
Female followers of Dionysus were known as the maenades. They were promiscuous, frenetic, and supposedly tore the flesh off their lovers during sex. Though information about this enthusiastic cult is sparse, Dionysus was often associated with wine, and one of his symbols were the amphorae, or double handled cups, that wine was often served in.
Siren
The original Greek sirens were actually half-birds, half-women, and not half-fish, as modern lore demands. They would cling to the cliffs on the sides of islands and sing their enchanting songs to passing ships, and other classic siren things.
Underworld Persephone
Persephone was the Goddess of Spring until she was kidnapped by Hades, tricked into eating a pomegranate, and condemned through Greek Fruit Logic to spend half of each year in the underworld with Hades instead of on the surface. Our story begins as Persephone, newly aware of her predicament, contemplates the dark new world she lives in.
Charon
Charon rowed the boat that took recently deceased souls from the entryway of the underworld into the deeper reaches, where they took their final rest. His boat traversed the River Styx, a frightening boundary that kept the living out of the underworld, and the dead in it, because those who touched or drank of that river would lose all memory and sense of self. Charon’s boat was the only safe way for the dead to cross, but he demanded a fee of one silver obol or other equivalent coin to pay passage… thus many dead were buried with a coin in their mouth, to ensure that Charon found his necessary payment.
Hecate
The Goddess Hecate was the goddess of crossroads, sorcery, keys, and magic. She was accompanied by dogs, and traversed the upperworld and netherworld equally.
Pygmalion’s Statue
Pygmalion was a sculptor who hated all women. One day out of loneliness, he carved the “perfect woman” out of ivory, and then proceeded to get very freaky with her. He placed jewels on her neck, laid her upon soft pillows, kissed her stone lips, and engaged in other risqué activities with her lifeless stone form. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, saw this and was like “oh, that’s cute!” and brought the statue to life so that Pygmalion could have her as a real, breathing, “perfect” wife. But our story begins after that ‘happy’ ending, when a relationship built on expectations of perfection and obedience crumbles as it inevitably must. Pygmalion’s perfect wife has been cast aside, and now sits in some dreary courtyard museum, no longer serving the fate the gods had in mind for her….
Nyx
The Goddess Nyx was one of the most ancient of the gods, and was believed by some to literally shape the night sky and place the stars in their celestial spheres.
Eros
Eros, the God of Love, could shoot arrows that made any victim instantly and hopelessly in love with whoever they looked at first. He was commanded to make the mortal Psyche fall in love with some hideous beast, but instead, was struck by his own arrow, and Eros fell in love with Psyche instead. The two were married, but Psyche was forbidden from seeing Eros, to punish the two for the botched arrow. After many months, Psyche is tricked into looking at Eros, and Eros is taken away from her, never to meet again. Our story begins as Eros mourns his love….
Echidna
The Goddess Echidna was a half-snake, half woman deity who was feared by gods and mortals alike, for she crushed all who trespassed in her cavernous lair without remorse.
Thank You!
To our performers, audience, staff, sponsors, and venue. You make our dreams possible.
🖤
Special Thanks
Chorus - Harley Brimstone · Irene Straddler · Lilith Allure
Chorus / Emcee Coordinator - Jeff Hinkle
Emcee (Voiceover) - Trevor Bissell
Kittens - Ravenna · Stormy September · Villanelle
Lighting - Aly Redland
Photography - Dave Idemoto
Program Design - Harley Brimstone
Sound Technician - Ernie Basaldua
Staff - Dylan Yorrick · Patrick
Videography - Nellilography
Dan, Alyssa, & the Crew at Kick Butt Coffee
Puzzle
Interactive Version (do not trust the word breaks on mobile)
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Return to Top
A Letter from Irene
Program
Tipping Information
Performers
Character Introductions
Drink Specials
Newsletter Signup
Thank You & Staff Credits
Puzzle