The Goodies - Asheville, NC

Mike Allen and Holiday Childress met in the glorious year of 1983 next to a hallway locker in their first year of junior high school. Michael wore leather pants, a studded leather belt, and football cleats to school in an attempt to look more like his idol Gene Simmons. Holiday grew up in England around and on loud Air Force bases and was encouraged to dress more conservatively. Holiday enjoyed the sounds of Hall and Oates. Mike loved Kiss. "want to be in a band?" was the first thing Mike said to Holiday. Mike had a band already going and could not honor Holiday's request to be the singer or the drummer, those positions were already filled. So reluctantly Holiday took up the guitar. The first practice was at Mike's parents house. Holiday's first guitar was a tennis racquet. Mike was really good at the plastic buckets he used for his drum set along with a snare, kick and hi hat his parents bought him for Christmas. MTV was new and the astronaut on the moon standing next to the mtv flag with that great guitar riff made being in a band look more exciting than playing baseball. Young Holiday turned his back on a career in baseball and followed Mike Allen to the dark side of rock and roll. Later, Mike, Holiday and Patrick brainstormed for a name and the Goodies were born in the summer of 1993. Some serious songwriting went on for the next year and the Goodies hit the road. Branching out of Atlanta, the Goodies discovered Asheville in 1995. WOW! "What a beautiful place" they thought. The Goodies relocated because they loved the town and the people they met. "The Greatest Hits" was recorded in 1997. Mike fell in love and moved back to Atlanta. Fellow musicians Chuck Lictenburger and Vic Stafford of Asheville joined the group and The Goodies toured harder and non stop. In 2000 The original Goodies played what was supposed to be a one time reunion. The chemistry was great. In 2001 the Goodies "postcard EP" was released and a few years later in 2004 The Goodies released an ambitious double live cd/dvd set. They really love what they do; the Goodies are family to each other. Holiday's song, "Pirates and Thieves" ,is making it's movie sountrack debut in the Sundance Film Festival, January 2008.The film is "Anywhere USA" directed by Chusy Haney-Jardine.

Producer's note: With their delicious dramatic flair, the group's power, popularity and theatrical stylings foreshadowed the Neo-Vaudeville Revival in all its saucy goodness.

Trixie Little and The Evil Hate Monkey - Baltimore, MD

Long ago in Charm City, before there was Trixie Little, there was Tiny T. Tiny T was born into a large circus family. Unfortunately, Tiny T was also orphaned at a young age after a terrible elephant tight rope accident. Things got worse for Tiny T when she was forced to live with her mean Uncle Tosso...The Knife Thrower...and his mean monkey, Muddles. Life with Tosso was hard. Until one day when Tosso's trailer was struck by a bolt of PINK LIGHTNING! This bolt of lightning killed Tosso immediately! And froze Tiny T at her prepubescent height, amplified her cuteness to heroic proportions, and imbued her with super-human spanking powers! Creating the sassy burlesque superstar that is Trixie Little! This same bolt of lighting had an effect on Muddles as well. Muddles had become terribly twisted under Tosso's tutelage. And the powerful electric shock turned an already mean circus monkey into The Evil Hate Monkey! Thusly juxtaposed, Trixie Little and The Evil Hate Monkey have been fighting, dancing, flipping and stripping for the opposing forces of good and evil, ever since.

Sneaky McFly, Master of Ceremonies - Asheville, NC

Sneaky McFly brings his versatile skills and hillarious hijinks to the Absfest stage as this year's Master of Ceromonies. Throughout his life, has made a name for himself in variety enertainment as a bicycle freestyle rider, a fire performer, magician, musician, juggler and a clown. Drawing on the arts of vaudeville, cabaret and circus sideshow, he has brought to life such memorable characters as THe Great Sneakoni and FLydini-Stage Hypnotist. He currently performs with Unifire Theatre and Seduction Sideshow Burlesque and has worked with Bootstraps Burlesque, Modern Gypsies Sideshow and Green Grass Jubilee as well as performing numerous solo gigs throughout the southeast.

Alyssum Pohl - Boston, MA

Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, Alyssum Pohl brings wit and joy to her performance. Alyssum is a contortionist and dancer, specializing in front bending and tribal style bellydance. While she lived in New England (2004-2008), she honed her own style of tribal bellydance by incorporating her contortion abilities and sharpening her isolations. She first realized her limberness when she was 7--she saw a picture of someone with their legs behind their head, went home and tried it successfully. She began taking yoga thereafter, but was always more flexible than the other yogis, and was amazed one day to see a short TV documentary on contortionists--she realized most of them had trainers! She has since worked with various renowned contortionist trainers to hone and tone her abilities.

Ursula Undress - Atlanta, GA

It seems that after her hiatus from her long career of doing theatre in Texas, Ursula has finally heard the call of the Syrens. As one of the Syrens of the South's first graduating class of their ABC's and 123's of Burlesque Series in 2008 (performing as alter‐ego Chrystal Shawnda Leer), she did her homework and we soon found out that performing on the stage for a Syrens event came naturally to this black haired beauty.

Since then, she has performed in the bi‐monthly shows as well as performing in an opening set for Unknown Hinson. Her concept invokes high glamour and subtle humor peppered with sauciness. She is quickly becoming an audience favorite and the Syrens are proud to have added her to their performer roster.

Bootstraps Burlesque - Asheville, NC

The babes of Bootstraps Burlesque are the glittering dolls of Asheville. These wild dames have been bringing their tantalizing mix of early burlesque performance and modern dance to various venues around the South East since the winter of 2007. With a cast of pin up models, theater vixens, fetish performers, belly dancers, and a trick doggy named Lola, Bootstraps Burlesque is dedicated to bringing quality and sinsational glamour to the stage for your viewing pleasure. “Ladies and gentlemen, we bring everything from glossy- glamorous showgirl numbers to silly side-show shenanigans, and we do it because we love it!”~BB

Corky Bordeaux of Bootstraps ~The Muse of Bacchus - Asheville, NC

Corky Bordeaux is a founding member of Bootstraps Burlesque, the producer of Asheville’s Dr. Sketchy’s, an alternative pin-up model, part time actress, international play girl, and full time party aficionado. This girly girl has sauce to sling and loves every second of it. A true deviant with a taste for heart pumping adventure and raucous indulgence, Corky takes great pleasure in bringing your next dose of quivering excitement to the stage.

Renea 'le Roux - Atlanta, GA

Renea' Le Roux started performing burlesque in 2002 with Big City Burlesque in Atlanta Georgia. Early in her Burlesque career, she was billed as “Renea' of Hollywood”, for bringing the classic look and style of old Hollywood glamour to the stage. After moving to Los Angeles in 2003 Renea’ reinvented her persona, re-thought her costume styles and re-emerged as Renea’ Le Roux, The Southern Belle from Hell to bring old world southern charm to the stage and its meaning can be seen in her elaborate costumes and campy performances.
Renea' has many faces with a variety of hand sewn costumes to match. She finds inspiration in almost everything dealing with everyday life, but her greatest and most reaction provoking costumes are her vamped up modern take on historical costumes, ranging from the early 1700's through the Victorian era. Paying attention to every detail to create a truly unique costume experience for her audience to match her over the top performance style.
Currently, Renea’ markets her own line of custom corsets and custom Burlesque friendly costumes with a deep southern flair which gave her the nickname, “The Southern Belle from Hell”.
In 2008 after moving back to the “Dirty South” she teamed up with Syrens of the South productions as their official costume designer and headliner performer. She began performing with the Syrens at various Sci-Fi and Pirate conventions as well as continuing to perform on the burlesque stage, which turned into a constant schedule of events throughout the U.S. as the convention circuit embraced her performance and costuming talents. Her sewing talents have become legendary throughout the south as she has won numerous costuming awards. Renea' felt that she wanted to share her 100% self taught costuming knowledge with the burlesque community so she is currently involved in teaching a series of costume design and sewing classes as well as teaching newcomers to burlesque basic stage make-up and stage presence techniques with Syrens of the South.
Since winning the Viva Las Vegas burlesque competition in 2006 she has become one of the faces of Viva Las Vegas burlesque as she advises and aids in the production of the burlesque competition each year which has since become a major event on the burlesque calendar currently growing in number as well as branching off into a major burlesque show production.

Lady Di and the Asheville ASS-ettes - Asheville, NC

Lady Di is a founding member of Bootstraps Burlesque. English, elegant, refined and in an upper class all of her own. Primarily a dancer of many disciplines: bellydance, jazz, exotic dance, contact improvisation. Her unique dancewear designs have sexy star quality. She loves to teach the bump and grind and creative choreography to one and all. The Asheville ASS-ettes are the student girls currently eager to strut their stuff in shameless on-stage displays of feminine wiles!

NEW to ABSfest this year, The Incendio Sideshow! - Asheville, NC

Before you enter the show undergo the outdoor entertainment. From 6-9pm, you can watch and play with the Incendio Sideshow. Featuring mistress of ceremonies the one and only Pantopon Rose accompinied by The Hellblinki Sextet. Countless featured performances and Interactive curiosities and oddities. Lunasea Theatre, Fierce Fusion BellyDance, Unifire , The Cripps Puppet Project, Monsieur McAllister Pinniped , Delphi Delray the Mermaid Oracle , The Lady Luck and Miss Fourtune Aracde, Astologist Stellastria, The Smoked Siren of Incenserity , Fourtuna Machicna Telleracae, Tatianna the Tatooed Temptress of Trance , The Trunk of Terror and many other installations and performances too unnatural to mention. Join us in the spectacle before the show. Welcome to the overflow.
For more Info, contact Daniella or Lotus, entersurpizes@gmail.com.Come see the shop downtown Asheville, Enter-Surprises on the corner of College and Lexington Daily 11-7(just in front of the old one) 11-7/ 7 days.
www.myspace.com/morethanmammal

The Cripps Walking Theatre Project - Asheville, NC

Often it is asked, "Mommy, is there someone in there?" The real question is, "How many are in there?" Housed in the stomach of the 'Head Cheese' are some crazy characters coming to grips with the reality of everyday life. Who would have thought the guts of a lumbering side show freak would be center stage for Clephus, a fuzzy tapeworm, Saphronia, his three armed love, The Doctor and Sandy to tackle such subjects as compost, water catchment, global warming and the nonsense typical of living in an intestinal tract. But It IS! Sometimes funny, often scary, always tangential The Cripps Walking Theatre Project proudly presents: Turtle Dove Tango.
Brought to you in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council Inc.

Rainbow Black & More Than Mammal Fashion Show - Asheville, NC

Rainbow Black Leather and Uniform Specializes in utilitarian survival clothing and accessories and combines fine design and pattern with the element of survival and battle. The patterns he uses have dated back to early drawings from when he was a kid, and to new inspirations of daily reactive genus. Garments and accessories are hand made, every piece one of a kind. Distinctive style, precision patterns and craft are the trademark of Rainbow Black. Each article is derived of many unique scrap and recycled materials, leather, mixed metals, fabric, vinyl and fake fur and other plush vintage pieces.
More than Mammal Reconstructed Clothing and Costumes is dedicated to the disappearing since 1999. Dedicated to the imagination, individual style and obsquire daily performance of uniquely cultured individuals, More than Mammal has been selling and costuming around the U.S. for quite a few years giving the fashion world a consiouss and dedicated oppertunity to re-invent it's self and the circus some generous donations of time and effort.. Offering clothing with purpose , identity and earth concious, reactive style. All costumes and print images are dedicated to the dissappearing of the elemnts , the inhabitants and emotions of this planet . More than Mammal uses all recycled and sustainable materials.
Come see the shop downtown Asheville, Enter-Surprises on the corner of College and Lexington Daily 11-7.www.RecycledCostumeShop.com

The Award-Winning Syrens of the South - HOTlanta, GA

The Atlanta-based burlesque production company Syrens of the South is fronted by the unparalleled duo of Katheirne Lashe and Talloolah Love. Their show is full of punch and a healthy helping of tease,with promises to be a frothy, fun and truly eye opening experience with many regulars as well as guest performers. Their performance for ABSFest is a tribute to the Evolution of Burlesque featuring Sadie Hawkins from Blastoff Burlesque, Renea'le Roux, Talloolah Love and Katherine Lashe.

Talloolah Love - HOTlanta, GA

Talloolah Love” is the Press Manager and Photograper and charities liaison for Syrens of the South. She is constantly networking with photographers, social groups and charities in order to bring the arts community of Atlanta together. She is the organizer for the Atlanta Burlesque and Cabaret club which just celebrated its one year anniversary. Her turn of phrase and passion for the arts has garnered the attention of numerous publications. Second only to her skills with people, her pen has continually earned great acclaim for the Syrens of the South.

Katherine Lashe - HOTlanta, GA

Katherine Lashe's Burlesque was opening for Dita von Teese in 2003. After her first foray into the world of glamor and glitz she became insatiable for the draw of the burlesque stage, and has performed steadily since August of 2004. These days, she performs in and produces shows regularly all over the country. Her performance pieces have their own style with her original blend of cute 1950's pin-up peppered with the fantastic flare of her more punk-rock roots. Miss Lashe has been featured in numerous publications including, but not exclusive to The Boston Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, and Bust Magazine just to name a few. Along with her performance and booking acumen, she is also a noted pin-up model. In March 2007 she was named Miss Pin-up Vixen, she was one of the Java Bachelor Pad Cuties in 2007 and was Honk-it-up.com's official pin-up for January AND April of 2008. Her illustrious performances in 2008 included the honor of being one of only six international competitors in the Miss Viva Las Vegas competition only to turn around and compete with Talloolah Love at Miss Exotic World and then performer in New York for the Coney Island Rockabilly Festival. She is known as the girl that puts the Cheese back in Cheese Cake, and the Southern Sin-Sation. There is no doubt that Katherine Lashe will leave her mark on the burlesque world with her fabulous productions, and attention to the finer details that make this Burlesque Revival go POW!!!

Miss Cherry Delight, "America's one and only Burlesque Confection" - Coney Island, NY

She may make you chubby, but she won't make you fat! Born and raised in Coney Island, USA, Miss Cherry Delight tours with many east coast sideshows and is a regular performer with Washington DC's Cheeky Monkey Sideshow, Accidental Circus and Coney's own Burlesque At The Beach! A multi-faceted musical, classic and contemporary performer, Miss Cherry is one of the most innovative, adorable and delicious divas in the burlesque/sideshow world today. "One of the funniest burlesque performers out there!" -Scott Baker

Dr. Flambee - Asheville, NC

Dr. Flambee (aka Draven Arcane) has been a serious swordfighter for ten years and has taught swashbuckling at ABSfest and other events for several years. He also juggles and eats fire, ran a martial arts academy for many years, and performs the rare and delightfully painful act known as the Flaming Bed of Nails.

Mystic Oracle - Atlanta, GA

Oracle's passion for life has taken her in many directions: from as far north as Alaska to as far south as Antarctica - from the deserts of Arizona to the lush lands of Georgia. Her path has also included many hats - Model, Computer Animator, Lighting Director, Dancer, and Business Owner.
Bellydancing since 2000, Oracle spent her primary studies with Ramona, Zuhra, and Zi'ah. In 2002 Oracle became a principal dancer for Zuhra's "Flowers of the Orient" and began performing throughout the Southeast. In 2004 Oracle, along with Fatina and Liora, created "Dance of the Fates", a Tribal Fusion troupe focusing primarily on modern fusion.
As Director of “Jahara Phoenix” Oracle has expanded her company vision, understanding the delicate relationship between audience and dancer. Her most valuable distinction is her ability to communicate a special connection and commitment to this beautiful art form through her movement and stage presence.

The Mezmer Society - Asheville, NC

The Mezmer Society was founded in the Autumn of 2007 and fits loosely within the Tribal Fusion genre. Some of the elements that are fused include belly dance, cabaret performance, Romany music, foppish occultism, unapologetically pretentious Belle Epoque café living, goodwill, bad behavior, misappropriated pop songs, and the horribly misguided notion that it's possible to squeeze an entire Balkan brass band into one accordion.

DeLacey Santini - Asheville, NC

A stunning bellydance soloist and a rising fusion star, DeLacey's performances are sensual, technically complex, athletic, and polished. She has performed live with Beats Antique and The Mezmer Society, and opened for the Yard Dogs Traveling Road Show with Knoxville's Gypsy Hands Dance Troupe. She performs frequently as a guest of the regional Burlesque community, and is a member of the Bandit Queens of Bellydance, Baraka Mundi. She also sings, designs costumes, and teaches bellydance.

Salome Cabaret - Knoxville, TN

Salomé Cabaret is a burlesque and vaudeville collaboration anchored by permanent cast members The Fister Sisters. This closeknit family is made up of Siren Santina, Kisa von Teasa and Bette Noire, as well as brother-Fister Big Gay Phil, who --let's face it-- is just as much a sister as the rest of them. Each of the Fister children, being the most talented and entertaining orphans available, was handpicked by Mamma Fister and invited to join a clan inspired by Josephine Baker's famous "Rainbow Tribe". Since childhood the Fister family has shared a passion for music, dance, and comedy and in 2006 they decided to put all their ta-ta's in one basket and take it to the vaudeville stage. During their extensive travel they found welcome additions to the Fister Family and, combined with these new additions, formed Salomé Cabaret.

Eternal Favorites, Darlings of Old Fashioned Parlor Music & Acrobatics, Old Horsey - Asheville, NC

One day, Sayde and Sparrow were hanging out in North Carolina, perhaps talking on the telephone, perhaps waiting for other bandmates to show up to Tricerabottoms practice, maybe eating ice cream, when Sayde said to sparrow, "hey, want to move to california and go to circus school?" "that sounds like an adventure" Sparrow replied. two years, several cross country moves and a baby later, sadye says to sparrow, "hey, have you met this lady Gabo? She's pretty swell... and, boy, can she ever sing!" and the rest is history, or at least the recreation of it. with three part harmonies on both old songs and new, acrobatics and good old fashioned fun, these ladies are ready to rock you socks off.

Fierce Fusion - SC

Fierce Fusion is an Augusta GA based fusion bellydance trio specializing in fire and sword dance. Their unique style of bellydance blends traditional and modern dance styles with creative music choice and dramatic costuming. For more information, visit their website www.fiercefusion.com

Guerilla Divas - Atlanta, GA

Guerrilla Aerial is a versatile group of performers specializing in lyra (aerial hoop), tissu (silks), and trapeze. With a repertoire of acts as well as capabilities to provide background entertainment with ambient performance.
Darcy DeVine is a whole lot of fun. That’s what you really want to know, right? She’s an aerialist and dancer from Atlanta, Georgia. She learned the finer side of playing around in the air from Carrie Heller, Lauren Taglialatella, Maryann Hart and Nancy Neyhart at Carrie’s Circus Arts Institute. Now you can find Darcy hanging out there pretty often, and if you’re lucky, she’ll teach you something Most people think Darcy’s a pretty good performer; they’ve called her ‘fiery,’ ‘funny,’ ‘playful,’ ‘seductive,’ and ‘passionate’ (some ladies across the pond even called her ‘cheeky’). One thing’s for sure though: whether its in the air or on the ground, Darcy DeVine will show you something you’ve never seen before - and you’re going to love it.

Honestly guys, for Darcy and Sadie, it was love at first sight. They met, fell in love, eloped in Vegas and started popping out hilarious aerial acts in 2008. Along with Nancy Neyhart they can be seen (sometimes) as Guerrilla Aerial. They live happily in Decatur, GA with their beautiful Lyra and Trapeze.

James "Bond" Julien & The Double "Oh Sexy" Girls - Asheville, NC

Jim Julien is a performance artist as well as a co-director of the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. His interests have focused on history, contemporary art of all kinds, bad movies, worse cartoons and too much coffee. Jim had his first Bond moment watching "Thunderball" as an impressionable child, let his life be a lesson to all on how things can go terribly, terribly askew.

The Double "Oh Sexy" Girls are Ohia and Aeon Manning.
Ohia is known throughout Asheville and the world as a powerful graphic designer and fierce bellydancing diva. The driving force behind this vivacious vixen, making the rest of the world as stylish, beautiful and full of life as she is. But don't let this dapper dame fool you, undercover she is deadily with a blade and has taken out more than her fair share of vile villains.

Aeon Manning really is an espionage agent for Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and often poses as a performer in various local venues around Asheville. But forget you heard that.

MelMacPink - Hendersonville, NC

MelMacPink began performing with fire and the blacklight genre in 2000. She has studied and taught yoga as well, developing the fitness, strength and flexibility that have supported her artistic journey as a hoopdancer. Now the director of Asheville Hoops, she teaches and performs full time, working with children, teen and adult populations. She has been perforrming burlesque for five years and has recently founded a troupe to do ensemble hooping work.

Shitz & Gigglz - Asheville, NC

WATCH OUT!!!

Smokin' McQueen - Perth, Australia

Smokin' McQueen has been performing his own unique, sexy, and comedic version of burlesque for over two years. He has 'taken it off' in a multitude of burlesque and variety shows across the United States and Australia and was featured on Season 3 of 'America's Got Talent'. For more information on Smokin' McQueen, the tobacco states favorite boy, check out his website: www.smokinmcqueen.com

Blast-Off Burlesque - Atlanta, GA

Atlanta's Blast-Off Burlesque is a collective of neo-burlesque performers, who revel in the traditional vaudeville splendor of the show, spiced with just enough modern edge. Founded in 2006, Blast-Off Burlesque has joined forces with emerging and established talent from across the country. In addition to its integral role in the monthly Silver Scream Spook Show, Blast-Off Burlesque makes regular appearances in Atlanta and around the Southeast. Blast-Off cofounder Dickie Van Dyke has been named SoVo Editors’ Choice for Best Drag King, and Dickie was voted second place, Readers’ Choice in its Best of Gay Atlanta 2008 awards. For more information about Blast-Off Burlesque, including upcoming show dates and performer profiles, visit www.blastoffburlesque.com.

Libravado Sisters - Asheville, NC

The Libravado Sisters are an aerial dance performance group based out of Asheville, NC. Specializing in aerial silks, sling, lyra, single point trapeze, doubles trapeze, fire performance, bellydance, acrobalance and aerial burlesque, these sizzling sisters are sure to spice up any event. Their unique style of Aerial Dance combines theater, sensuality, and humor bringing a fresh energy to this daring art form.