The Pink Box Burlesque, Tuscaloosa’s own Burlesque Troupe, will perform its annual masquerade show on Saturday at the Bama Theatre.
Saturday’s performance will include singing, live music, comedy and burlesque acts. Usually, the annual masquerade is a straightforward masquerade. However, this year’s performance theme is “Steampunk,” creating a fusion of styles that The Pink Box Burlesque’s mistress, Mama Dixie, describes as “a celebration of the Victorian era and all things dark and futuristic” and an “anachronistic combination” of the two styles.
The Pink Box Burlesque brings back the traditional variety show, complete with sketch comedy and standup performances. The troupe will be accompanied by a jazz quartet that includes an upright bass, drums and special guests on saxophone and guitar for Saturday’s performance.
In addition to bringing entertainment and vaudeville culture to Tuscaloosa, the troupe hopes to give an empowering message to the audience as well as the performers.
“The PBB’s mission is to celebrate diversity and empowerment – that everyone is sexy, fun and intelligent in their own way,” Mama Dixie said.
Pink Box performer Telsa Coil also described the experience of performing with the troupe as empowering.
“Our performers have control from the beginning of the process to the end: selecting the themes, building acts, creating costuming and sets, and, of course, the actual performance.”
The Pink Box Burlesque seeks to appeal to an audience as diverse as the show’s themes. According to Mama Dixie, audiences range from 18 to 90 years old and include men, women, conservatives, liberals, singles and married couples.
As the word “Burlesque” suggests, the show includes adult themes. You must be at least 18 to attend the show. Telsa Coil explains the age of admittance does not necessarily imply that the show includes unseemly material.
“Burlesque is adult entertainment,” Coil said. “That doesn’t mean that it’s inappropriate or illicit. It simply means that our shows are geared towards the grown-up crowd.”
The Pink Box Burlesque ensures “a riotous good time” with “some of the best variety entertainment in the Southeast.”
The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Ave. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., the band starts playing at 8:30 and the performance starts at 9. Tickets are available for $10 presale and $15 at the door. Proceeds from the show will benefit Limbs of Love, a non-profit organization benefitting amputees and providing prosthetic limbs for those in need.
