Seattlest Chats with the Cast of House of Thee UnHoly IV

Image.axd.jpeg In the mood for a show that falls more in the realm of the spectacular, the sensual and the over-the-top? Maybe something that shows a little skin? House of Thee UnHoly IV, playing this weekend at The Triple Door, could be just the thing.

Thirteen dancers, three singers and five musicians - under the producing prowess of The Swedish Housewife - give tribute to the psychedelic era of the 70's in a Broadway-level burlesque show. If you're looking for a date night that's a bit different and fun, this is something we highly recommend. The Triple Door's downstairs dinner theatre has a swanky nightclub feel, with a stocked menu and wine list. And if this show is anything like July's L'Edition Francaise Bastille Day-themed burlesque show (which is more than likely will be) we guarantee you'll have a good time.

We recently chatted up several of the show's cast. Read on to find out more about the fourth annual House of Thee UnHoly production, its crazy costumes and the performers' favorite 70's-era moments.

Who is (your stage name)?
Lily Verlaine: A classical dancer drawn to burlesque.
Waxie Moon: A gender-blending queer lady boylesque performance-art stripping sensation.
Lou Henry Hoover: A thoughtful, articulate dreamer ... In Houses of Thee UnHoly, Lou performs as his party-girl drag persona, Erika!
Inga Ingenue: "The Little Blonde Bomb", and an unexpected, ever-changing contradiction.
The Swedish Housewife: The Scintillating Scandinavian Smorgasbord and Peeler.

What is the most fabulous piece of costuming you'll be rocking for this show?
Lily Verlaine: Hmmm...my Mata Hari costume has raised many an eyebrow.
Waxie Moon: My tighty-whities.
Lou Henry Hoover: Oh man, check out the fish I wear on my head.
Inga Ingenue: Ha, I'm in my underwear for most of this show! My favorite, though, is my Viking costume--rawr!
The Swedish Housewife: It would have to be my "Groupie" costume that "It's Mark Mitchell" created for me. It's very patchwork psychedelic and it moves beautifully when I twirl in it. Very traditional use of a Burlesque costume actually, even though it is 70's in flavor, it harkens to the Cape Twirling of yore.

In your opinion, best single part of the show?
Lily Verlaine: I love the finale. The music is just gorgeous and there is an amazing palette of feathers and flesh.
Waxie Moon: The unbelievable band and vocalists, the giant spinning bed, and Leroi the Girlboy and Indigo Blue doing really really dirty things with lemons.
Lou Henry Hoover: The moment right before Polly Wood, Inga Ingenue and I crawl onstage at the top of the show. The combination of the music with the pre-show adrenaline rush...wow.
Inga Ingenue: Ooh do I have to choose just one? ... I think my favorite part of the show is Indigo & Leroi's "Lemonade" duet--it's just so damn dirty
The Swedish Housewife: I really can't say it changes every time I look at it. Every act is so unique, but I do love the finale! How can you go wrong with six "Fan" Dancers?!

How does IV compare with House of Thee UnHoly I, II & III?
Lily Verlaine: This will be the most polished and intuitive. We have all come to know one another very well over the years and respond very instinctively to one another.
Waxie Moon: The show just keeps getting better and better. And by "better", I mean dirtier and sexier :)
Lou Henry Hoover: This year is exciting because a lot of the cast has been working together on other projects for the past few years, so it’s cool to come back to this show together, knowing each other better as artists and performers.
Inga Ingenue: The show grows and morphs a bit every year, and gets better every time! We have almost the same cast as last year--I feel so privileged to work with all of them again!
The Swedish Housewife: The first one was a sketch of what IV has grown into, initially I wanted House of Thee UnHoly to be a yearly invitational much like Chi Chi Valenti's "Night of a Thousand Stevies" in NYC. After the first year I realized I wanted to dig deeper into developing this production as a full scale review. Each year we have refined the acts. I am very excited to have Sarah Rudinoff back singing this show as I prefer having more women singing. I have my eye on an amazing female guitarist in NYC if I continue producing this production. This year I have the perfect cast of dancers and I am thrilled about it!

Who from the cast have you collaborated with most often, and why?
Lily Verlaine: Hmmm...I've worked with many of the performers as collaborators, but probably the deepest with Waxie. He is hands-down my favorite person to set choreography on, and also has taught me so much about how to collaborate without trying to dominate.
Waxie Moon: I collaborate extensively with Inga Ingenue and Lou Henry Hoover. Together we have a company called "Dance Belt". We teach and perform well known dances from the pop culture lexicon.
Lou Henry Hoover: Waxie Moon, Inga Ingenue and I work together as Dance Belt, a pop trio that teaches at Century Ballroom and perform music video inspired dance routines.
Inga Ingenue: Waxie Moon, Lou Henry Hoover and I collaborate constantly as part of our troupe, DANCE BELT ... we're like family. Lou Henry and I have nicknamed the "Dazed and Confused" number our "DANCE BELT Incest" act ;)
The Swedish Housewife: It would be an equal balance of Waxie Moon, Lily Verlaine and Indigo Blue. Though we are very different artistically we share a lot of common ground that I feel compliments each others artistic strengths.

First time working with anyone from the cast?
Lily Verlaine: No, I think I've worked with everyone.
Waxie Moon: All of us have worked together before on this show. No newbies this year.
Lou Henry Hoover: I don’t think there’s any newbies in the cast this year!
Inga Ingenue: We've all worked together before, so this year's show feels especially comfortable and solid.
The Swedish Housewife: This year we have four new musicians, Darren Loucas, Andy Stoller, Ryan Burns and Paul Fisher. I am really excited about their level of musicianship and professionalism. The rest of the cast have all been part of this production, but not every year. This is my favorite year for dancer and singer combination.

Is there an event or cultural icon which embodies the 1970's for you?
Lily Verlaine: The moment at which Mick Jagger and David Bowie went to bed together. I know that this could be an unsubstantiated rumor, but I love the idea so much...two gods of rock just ravaging one another. Phew...
Waxie Moon: A light up dance floor (like in Saturday Night Fever) feels super fab and 70's to me. More disco than Rock and Roll. But I was definitely a gay disco boy. In a perfect world, we'd have one of those to dance on. Next year perhaps?
Lou Henry Hoover: It’s gotta be Bowie for me. I love the glamorous androgyny, the spectacle layered with the absolute non-spectacle, the invented persona revealing an intimate truth.
Inga Ingenue: Debbie Harry ... the embodiment of blonde punk glamour.
The Swedish Housewife: For Rock and Roll - Led Zeppelin Live at Royal Albert Hall, 1970.

What other projects are you working on right now?
Lily Verlaine: This is the time of year when I turn my attention to Land of The Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker. We have booked between 22 and 25 shows this season and I couldn't be happier!
Waxie Moon: I just finished filming a feature-length fictional film (directed by Wes Hurley) called "Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel". That's how I spent my summer vacation. Boy does my brain hurt. Salacious details will be forthcoming.
Lou Henry Hoover: My biggest current project is The Cherdonna and Lou Show’s It’s a Salon!, running Fridays and Saturdays October 1 through 16 at Century Ballroom’s East Hall, details as follows:
Century Ballroom will present The Cherdonna and Lou Show in It?s a Salon!, an intimate affair with Seattle (sort of) celebs Cherdonna and Lou. The drag-dance duo hosts an evening of one-way conversations about art, party games, and supernatural moments. Cherdonna is excited to share her new salami recipe, Lou will talk politics, and the twosome will perform their new hit noise band single, Close Your Eyes. It's drag! It's contemporary dance! It's a Salon!
Inga Ingenue: So many things!! DANCE BELT just started a Lady Gaga choreography class series for The Century Ballroom; I'm currently co-teaching Burlesque 101 for The Academy of Burlesque with Waxie & Indigo; next month I'll be in Lily Verlaine & Jasper McCann's "Burlesque Alice in Wonderland" in Olympia; in November we start rehearsals for "Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker"; and in January I'll be the lead instructor for a Burlesque 101 session, for the very first time! ... busy, busy, busy!
The Swedish Housewife: Ricki Mason, Nick Garrison, Michael Musburger and I are working on "Wham ! Bam ! Glitter ! Glam ! to debut in March at The Triple Door. That and the rest of my season "The Gilded Stage" at The Triple Door and "Thee Wild Herring Cabaret" at West Hall.