Photo: Pam Smith
by Mia Phillips
Spookey steps onto the stage, blindfolded and dressed as a bejeweled bullfighter. He grabs a hula-hoop-sized ring dangling from the ceiling and weaves his body over and through it. Incrementally, he removes articles of clothing until he’s wearing next to nothing.
For many, burlesque evokes images of women like Gypsy Rose Lee draped in shimmering gold tassels and feather fans. Spookey’s approach, however, is vampy and gothic, inspired by his childhood love for Freddy Krueger. In the early 2000s, burlesque experienced a revival, and neo-burlesque emerged to broaden the burlesque spotlight and include more types of performers and performances. Originally, men were comedians, acrobats, and jugglers in the world of vaudeville burlesque. Now, performers like Spookey can don tassels, too.
During childhood, Spookey started gymnastics lessons, unknowingly preparing for his future career. Class time was spent stretching and bending over foam mats, training his body to contort like a malleable rubber band. Once a year, an exhibition was held for the students to present their routines. “The whole gym would stop what they’re doing and watch you,” says Spookey. “The exhibition turned me into an exhibitionist.”
Fifteen years ago, Spookey was pursuing his love of performing professionally. He was about to audition for a production of The Rocky Horror Show when the crew encouraged him to join their new burlesque show instead. He prepared his very first burlesque act for the producers and was offered a spot in the lineup. At first, he never considered integrating his gymnastics background into his burlesque performance, until one day he instinctively did a handstand on stage. “The audience went nuts,” says Spookey. “So I started doing more and more.”
Despite this initial good luck, three or four years into performing, Spookey was about to hang up the hoop and quit. He was feeling discouraged and taken advantage of—the venue he performed at was paying him less than the kid they hired to sweep the aisles. So, as a last-ditch effort, Spookey sent out emails to burlesque producers all over New York City and decided if no one responded, he would call it curtains on his career. He ended up receiving one reply. It was from a woman named Bonnie Dunn, the producer of Le Scandal, the longest-running neo-burlesque show in the city, and with her help, Spookey’s career was transformed. Spookey was added to the cast of her show. “She taught me everything I know about burlesque,” says Spookey.
Coming up in the New York scene was cut-throat at times. The pressure-chamber environment of the clubs he performed at only fueled his drive to be better. “I was very big on making a legacy,” says Spookey. Before every performance, he would set up a GoPro on stage to record his act, saving each show for his personal record. He also began to compile his homemade costume pieces: “I treat them as if they are going into a museum someday,” says Spookey. Before he left New York for Provincetown full-time, he was nominated for three Golden Pasties at the New York Burlesque Festival; he was also the first aerialist performer at the Laurie Beechman Theater.
While still working in New York, Spooky received an invitation to perform in Provincetown for three months in the ‘boylesque’ Starboys. Every week for those three months, Spooky would enter the stage and perform the same rehearsed choreography without deviation. “It was cool, but I was like,
‘I think we should do New York style here,” says Spookey. A few years later—when burlesque in Provincetown was no longer—Spookey was given the opportunity to produce his own show and bring burlesque back. That’s exactly what he did.
Currently in its fourth season, Spookey’s Helltown Burlesque adopts the New York burlesque show structure by featuring a rotating cast of acts so no two shows are ever the same. At first, Spookey would seek out performers to participate in his show, but over time, word has spread. “Now, I make an announcement that I’m casting, I get bombarded,” says Spookey. Despite increased interest, Spookey retains many of the original acts from previous seasons, such as performers Lady Maddness and Eric the Red. “We’re all year-round locals,” says Spookey. “So we all work on costume pieces together and collaborate.”
Pre-season production takes up most of Spookey’s off-season time. Every winter he comes up with three new acts, complete with handmade costumes, choreography, and a delicate blend of humor and sex appeal. “It’s like lightning in a bottle,” says Spookey. He grabs his bullfighter costume from the shelf in the green room and presents the pieces in stages—sort of like how he does on stage. First, a green jacket covered in rhinestones and lined with shimmering fabric. Then a pair of matching pants with zippers that go down the legs and a corset in the back. Lastly—the grand finale—a pouch that could double as a disco ball, bedazzled to look like the flag of Brazil.
Helltown Burlesque may be Spookey’s production, but he doesn’t want people to think it belongs solely to him. “It was important to name it after the town,” says Spookey. “I wanted it to be the town’s show.” Long-term, Spookey dreams of passing the show down to someone else who will continue the Helltown legacy and keep burlesque alive in Provincetown.
Spookey’s Helltown Burlesque is performed Fridays at 9 p.m. through September 11 at the Art House, 214 Commercial St., Provincetown. For tickets ($39.01 – $49.66) and information visit thearthouseptown.com or go to the box office, open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 1 – 9:30 p.m.
