New Burlesque Show Debuts at The Federal

Saturday night at the sees the arrival of Vixen's Vixens, a burlesque show that's heavy on the feathers and balloons but light on clothing.

There are three women lined up to dance—Vixen Magdelene, Scarlett Letter and Dolly Danger—and comedy will be provided by a vaudevillian skit show, Mr. Snapper and Buddy.

Magdalene told Patch that she is hoping to bring the show to North Hollywood on a regular basis. What sets it apart from other burlesque shows in Los Angeles, she said, is its classic appeal.

"It has a classy look, its a classy act," said Magdalene. "It has old school charm."

Fellow performer Scarlett Letter, said Magdalene, gathered a big following in the Boston burlesque scene before coming to Los Angeles. Dolly Danger performs in a costume of balloons, which get punctured over the course of her act. 

How much skin a burlesque performer is allowed to reveal, said Magdalene, depends on where they are performing. Generally speaking, she said, the performers "are allowed to get down to pasties, depending on the laws of the town."

Magdalene has been performing burlesque for five years.

"I always admired pinup art, the classic woman, and I saw it come to life in burlesque," she said. "It still has that innocence about it. We're not selling sex we’re selling entertainment, glitz and glamor."

She picked her stage name in honor of Mary Magdalene. 

"I chose the religious name because I'm Catholic and I wanted something that represented clean," she said. "A lot of the other girls choose to go in a different direction, and that's what makes it fun."

Vixen's Vixens, Federal Bar, 5303 Lankershim Boulevard. August 13. Doors open at 7 p.m, show starts at 7.30 p.m. For more information, click here.