There was a time, when the art of burlesque was very hot in Buffalo – much earlier than Chippewa’s seedy days. Eventually the art of burlesque died in Buffalo, only to be resurrected by The Stripteasers during the reign of Roxy’s. For those lucky enough to make it to one of The Stripteasers’ shows, they fondly remember the pomp and circumstance, and the troupe’s witty-yet-sultry bravado. When Roxy’s closed its doors, burlesque took a big hit – the art form had gone out with a bang.
What people didn’t realize at the time, was that the mere presence of The Stripteasers had ignited enough risqué imaginations, that the movement continued on. It turns out that while the bar closed, The Stripteasers were far from finished. In recent weeks I have been hearing more and more about The Stripteasers, and the group’s bawdy routines. From the Golden Days of Roxy’s, where they made their home, to the decision to take the show on the road, The Stripteasers have been resilient in their pursuit to bring burlesque to places that you might not expect.
“As far as our days after Roxy’s, I would say we as a troupe are still thriving and having fun,” says Jamie Doktor, one of the original Stripteasers. “We do reminisce often on the old days because that’s where we started. We are just so grateful that we had that opportunity. Those were amazing days because we started and grew to be what we are today. Today we are strong, professional, and so incredibly tight as a troupe. I can’t imagine not being a Stripteaser. I’ll be doing this until I die, and it all started at Roxy’s!”
Today, The Stripteasers are mixing it up, by introducing their craft to a broader audience. The act has gone from performing at the same place at the same time, to making appearances at multiple venues throughout the city.
“We are at Nietzsche’s every Tuesday night with Joe Donahue from The Albrights,” Jamie notes. “The show starts at 10:30pm. We are also at Hot Mama’s Canteen every 3rd Saturday of the month. The show starts at midnight. We have a bunch of other shows coming up in the next few months as well. We will be posting them up on our Facebook page – The Stripteasers Buffalo.”
If you just can’t wait to get your fix of The Stripteasers, then you can catch them this evening during The Infringement Festival (see Facebook event). Otherwise you just might just run into Buffalo’s Bar Top Lovelies, when you least expect it. One thing is for sure – these gals have made a strong impact on Buffalo’s late night theatrical scene, by producing harmless racy skits in front of hundreds of fans who continue to get a kick out of the troupe’s ever playful stage show.