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Kubrilesque: Or a Musical Parody with a Tease” is a parody of the films of Stanley Kubrick, executed chronologically and set to
music. The Girls of Cherry Kiss Burlesque are the dancers and actresses that show off a multitude of eccentric talents. As the creator of the
show, my infatuation with Stanley Kubrick and his films borders on obsession, making “Kubrilesque” a labor of love. Cherry Kiss Burlesque started
performing 6 years ago with small burlesque theme shows, including “Chicks in Space” and “Jungle Exotica.”
Fellow performer, Polly Peabody, and I knew we wanted to work on something bigger. Together, we came up with the idea of a Stanley Kubrick themed
show, and decided we would use our already existing shows to workshop some of the pieces that would ultimately be included in “Kubrilesque.”
| "The first attempts at creating pieces for the new show were a combination of smashing success and total disaster" -Crystal Swarovski
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The first attempts at creating pieces for the new show were a combination of a smashing success and a total disaster. First, we put
together a parody of Clockwork Orange, one that is no longer in “Kubrilesque.” It involved tap dancing statues and Droogies acting out a rape. After
the performance, I remember being very proud when a fellow producer told me, “You are taking it to the next level.” Unfortunately, the following piece,
a “Full Metal Jacket” parody was to be performed, and all the work was left up to me with a week until the show. It was overwhelming. Our cheap-looking
props and costumes cost me more money than we made at our shows. The performance ended up consisting of me being half naked tied to a giant bulls-eye
while cast members pretended to shoot at me and the dancers put on a bad cheerleading routine in army attire.
Needless to say, it failed royally.
Despite being advised against it, I decided to push forward and “Kubrilesque” went up in spring of 2008 as a burlesque review, for a two night run.
The Poubelle Twins joined the cast as sexy Grady Twins; Scarlett Letter performed a show stopping fan dance in the “Eye’s Wide Shut” parody, and the
ballerinas stripping out of monkey suits and performing a mock water ballet made the show a success. Some of the other pieces were hit or miss and the
“Clockwork Orange” parody was a mish mash of umbrellas spinning, pantomime, and tango gone wrong. At a photo shoot a week later, a photographer spoke
frankly to me about the show, not knowing that I was involved. While she said that she admired that we attempted to take a show to the next level, she
felt it wasn’t quite there yet. Her comment inspired me.
In the summer of 2008 we did our first “Kubrilesque” European tour. I had been on so many tours that I thought I could handle tour managing. What
was I thinking? The trouble started on the plane overseas where one of the very attractive dancers was bought numerous drinks from a questionable man.
He also may or may not have drugged her. By the time she got to the passport check, she no longer had her passport. Long story short, we wound up
needing to rent a car and drive six hours on the wrong side of the road to perform a show in 5 hours – and one performer short. That was day one of our
ten-day tour.
Luckily, the tour did get better: the shows went well and we made some amazing friends along the way, including FoxTrot India, a performer from
Australia who replaced our missing dancer on the tour.
Everything was great until we arrived in Amsterdam, where we started a bar fight when some guys stole Dolly Danger’s passport. Also in Holland, I
almost lost a dancer and my shirt when the train doors shut with dancer, Nancy, on the other side. We were both banging on either side of the doors
screaming when a homeless man pressed a button and the doors opened. Well, how was I to know how train doors work in the Netherlands? After two
passport dramas but only one lost performer, the tour ended in Estonia, where we were the first burlesque show to ever perform in the country;
they called us a sex parody show, which isn’t too far from the truth, I suppose.
After another year of rehearsing, we toured Europe again, this time with a larger cast and a full “Kubrilesque” show. This bump and grind show had some bumps along the way, but finally went off with a bang! We
had amazing reviews and sold the most tickets at the Prague Fringe festival. Needless to say, we were in a much better position in 09’ than in 08’,
and I had learned from my previous experiences, such as how to keep track of passports and avoid bar fights and drugged performers. Olivia
Bellafontaine was great in the role of a clown robber (a parody of The Killing), I performed a Gothic ballet number, while pulling streamers out of
my vagina, Honey Holiday took on the role of Alex in the Clockwork Orange parody, and we finally had a Clockwork Orange number that rocked! In
addition, I choreographed a number to Polly Peabody’s brilliant conception of Barry Lyndon, which will forever be a memorable part of the show and
a moment that never fails to get stunned laughs; a Victorian number with hoops skirts and all the trimmings, and dangling beneath each girl’s dress
a hairy pair of balls. 
I left Europe, this time feeling even more obsessed with Stanley Kubrick and my show. I began heavily researching Kubrick’s
films, interpretations of his films, other parodies of his films, even conspiracies surrounding Stanley Kubrick. I had found my inspiration in my
performers, women who became my muses and my best friends. I put the show on one final time in Hollywood, with a cast of 25 and a large Hollywood
audience. This time I added many hints of Kubrick-isms, not to mention more bells and whistles. The show now brags some original music and I am
working on an entire score with Shelly Lynn of the band Erocktica.The show has become a tribute, a parody, a musical, a showgirl show, a fetish
event, a burlesque show, and a cohesive piece of art. For me it has been a pocket-draining, tiring, obsessive work in progress. “Kubrilesque” has
also given me everlasting friendships and never-to-be-forgotten experiences. I feel blessed to be humored by the coolest chicks in the world. Truth
be told, they’re still humoring me… and asking when and where the next show will be. I hope to present the show in other parts of the USA. I am in
the process of writing more music, sewing more costumes, organizing more promotions, and casting more performers. You can count on one thing:
“Kubrilesque” will always be getting bigger and better. If you are interested in keeping up with Kubri-news, you can check it out at:
http://www.kubrilesque.com, as well as on Facebook, Myspace, and Youtube
pages that can all be found on the website. I hope that you see “Kubrilesque” and that when you do, it inspires you, makes you laugh, and disturbingly
turns you on -because then I know I’ve done my job.
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