This show started as a deadline. We needed a name for a show we were producing for the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, 2008. We chose “By the Seat of Our Panties”, and pretended to be surprised at how apropos the name turned out to be. 

The 2008 show was created in 18 days and featured three original songs, a lot of improv by our talented co-stars (Burgundy Brixx and The Purrfessor), and it ended with a giant, audience-wide pie fight. You know, as you do.

A couple of the songs just wouldn’t let us go.  The idea for a full-book musical caught hold in John Woods’ mind and he wrote an outline and a few more songs in Brooklyn during the summer of 2008.

In 2009, we re-mounted the show for the Burlesque Fest, this time with a luxurious 8 weeks of lead time - that’s 8 weeks to write the script, choreograph the numbers, and make all the costumes. No problem, right? My uncle’s got a barn.   The show sold out two over-capacity shows and despite torrential rain and nightmarish sound issues,  an amazing time was had by all.

From the choreography to the costumes to the sets, this show is a true creative collaboration. The amalgamation of the two companies for this project has been profoundly creative and rewarding. Every person involved has truly been “Humping the Dream.”

APRIL O’PEEL [HERSELF, CHOREOGRAPHER]

Since graduating from Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society's Becoming Burlesque program, this comic cutie has titillated audiences in dozens of venues across Vancouver and Canada. Her sexy silly ways have launched her onto a fast track into the hearts of the Vancouver burlesque community and audience. Recipient of the 2009 Vancouver International Burlesque Festival's award for Comedic and Satirical Brilliance, everyone's favourite blonde ball of fun has returned to scene of the crime to help guide new performers into the magical world of Burlesque by co-teaching the very same intensive where she first found her start. April is incredibly excited and humbled to be working alongside the Wet Spots and cast as choreographer.

CALAMITY KATE [HERSELF]

CASS KING [“SHINE MIONNE”,

CO-WRITER MUSIC AND LIBRETTO]

Cass King is a cabaret singer and writer. She is one of The Wet Spots, Vancouver's acclaimed musical comedy duo who recently won the 2009 "Best Cabaret" award at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia. An international touring artist, Cass has performed at the Olivier Award winning variety show La Clique in London's West End, Toronto's Massey Hall, and two stints at the Sydney Opera House.  SHINE is Cass' first effort at writing a musical, and she is thrilled to be working with the talented cast and crew of the Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society.

GEMMA ISAAC [“GRACE ANDERSON”]

Gemma is a native of Vancouver who studied and graduated at Studio 58, and the London Actors Equity Centre, in the UK. She’s just spent the last year producing and performing theatre for Parks Canada in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Favorite show credits: Esmeralda in Quasimodo (Boca Del Lupo), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond, Judith Marcuse’s Earth=Home, and Polya in Crime and Punishment (NeWorld). Other favorite roles: Princess Mulan, Mickey, Minnie, and, Donald for Disney Cruise Lines. Gemma is thrilled to be tapping her way back to burlesque and musical theatre in Shine: The Musical with an absolutely bootylicious cast and crew. www.gemmaisaac.com

JEN CRESSEY [DIRECTOR] 

Jen Cressey is an aerial silks artist, actor and director. Her favourite roles include a double-cast turn as Mrs. Alving and Regina in Ibsen’s  Ghosts and Dr. Kheal, a solo by Maria Irene Fornes. Jen is part of cabaret crew The Hot Toddy Girls, and half of finger puppet duo Mit Funf. She counts among her proudest moments a standing ovation she received from Paul Williams (composer of music for the Muppet Movie) for her tap dance number at a tribute show; directing the Wet Spots in their 2004 Fringe hit Sing Your Way to Better Sex; and her work as Performance Coordinator for Public Dreams Society’s Halloween juggernaut, Parade of the Lost Souls.

Jen is honoured and grateful to be working with this talented and twisted team.

JOHN WOODS [“JANITOR”,

CO-WRITER MUSIC AND LIBRETTO]

John Woods has been composing and performing for over twenty years. He began his career singing and playing guitar for punk and pop bands across Canada and England. In 2002 He formed the cabaret comedy duo The Wet Spots with Cass King. In 2003 The Wet Spots won a Georgia Straight Award for "Best Adult Entertainers". In 2004, they won Pick of the Fringe in Vancouver for their debut musical "Sing Your Way to Better Sex". In 2005 they won a Critic's Choice Award for their follow up "The Wet Spots' Big Ass Show". By 2006 the duo were performing at festivals around the world on the strength of their Youtube videos. The Wet Spots headlined at the Sydney Opera House in 2008 and again in 2009. On their latest tour of Australia they also netted the Best Cabaret Award at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. When not working for The Wet Spots John Woods sleeps.

KERI HORTON [“FERAL”]

Keri was raised in Edmonton where she began taking dance classes at age 5. She would continue to train, compete and eventually instruct in various disciplines as well as shake her pom poms for a few years with the Edmonton Eskimos Cheer Team. After moving out West and receiving her Diploma in Acting, Keri has kept herself busy with many a film and theatre project. In 2006, while acting as Choreographer for a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, she had the pleasure of meeting many of the Chickens and eventually being introduced to the fabulous world of burlesque. She is very honored and delighted to be spinning tassles with this fantastically talented team. Enjoy!

MELODY MANGLER

[CHOREOGRAPHER, MAY 2009 PRODUCTION]

Winner of the 2009 “Best Debut” title at Las Vegas’ “Superbowl of Burlesque”, the Miss Exotic World pageant, this triple threat, tattooed fireball is guaranteed to tickle your funny boner! She gyrates and back bends like a carnival queen, then glides and smiles like a showgirl, serene.As artistic director, choreographer, writer and head costumer for Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society, Melody strives for an MGM quality with a John Waters style. With over 5 years of burlesque experience, she takes great pleasure in converting women into confident, empowered exhibitionists in Screaming Chicken’s ‘Becoming Burlesque’ two month intensive training program. She is constantly  inspired by spectacle and ever so titillated by the bizarre.  www.screamingchicken.net

MICHAEL SMITH [“RICHARD SUIT”]

Michael is thrilled to be working with The Wet Spots and Screaming Chicken for the first time. He has previously shared the stage with Sam, as actors, in Tariq Leslie's Vancouver production of Brecht's 'Life Of Galileo'. Other favourite stage roles have included Giovanni in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore', Oliver Davenport in David Edgar's 'Pentecost' and Waitwell in 'The Way of the World'. Michael studied theatre at Dawson College in his hometown of Montreal.

NOELLE PION (LULU VON DOOZY)

Noelle Pion is lucky enough to have been born into a creative family, who have always encouraged her natural talents and tendencies...  so it's all their fault!  She studied Jazz at VCC under Juno-Nominee, Kate Hammett-Vaughan; competed in the Vancouver Poetry Slam Finals; wrote/performed a comedy spot for CBC Radio's “Out of the Blue”; sang the National Anthem for the Canucks three times; and appeared in a couple of commercials.  A three year veteran of “Tony 'n Tina's Wedding”, Miss Noelle is currently collaborating with “Kane/Taylor Explosion”, belting out a hard-bopping tribute to Cole Porter (www.kanetaylorexplosion.com).  Some of Noelle's most inspiring and formative writing/performing collaborations have been with Cass King, so you can imagine how excited she is to be working with her again, as well as an entire cast and crew of ridiculously talented peeps... and how delighted this Big Bad Voodoo Mama is to have the chance to play the stereotype busting, busty babe... Lulu Von Doozy!

NORM ELMORE [EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SCREAMING CHICKEN THEATRICAL SOCIETY]

SAM DULMAGE [CO-WRITER LIBRETTO, DIRECTOR, MAY 2009 PRODUCTION] is an award-winning scriptwriter and actor.  His produced writing output includes a dozen short films, three plays, a video game, a six-episode sitcom, and several hours of sketch comedy with “The Legend Of Bonefish” and “Long Hard Comedy Rocket”. His solo one-act musical “The Broken Gospel of Edward Gray” earned Audience Choice at Theatre Under The Gun. He is thrilled and honoured to be collaborating with The Wet Spots and the Screaming Chickens. “SHINE” is his third original musical.

SISTER MADLY [HERSELF]

TEDDY SMOOTH [“FRANKIE AVID”]

The host of "CabaRadio with Teddy Smooth" on citr 101.9fm and the DJ of Kitty Nights, New York Style Cabaret, Teddy Smooth is a classic entertainer. His combination a slick, smooth style and laugh out loud antics have quickly rocketed Teddy into Sass-dom, a combination of Sassiness and Stardom. Often seen teamed up with sultry  ladies, Teddy Smooth is the Boylesque Casanova who leaves it all on stage. Teddy Smooth, his performances renowned! His reputation...legendary!

FAIRLITH HARVEY  [“ASSISTANT”]

Fairlith is completely titillated about performing with Screaming Chicken and wearing pasties in public. Shine will be her first show in Vancouver, since returning from her sojourn in New York City. Most recently she played Columbia and the Usherette in Rocky Horror and one of the ensemble in Miracle on 34th Street, both Off-Broadway. Other favourite credits include Snoopy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Marty in Grease, Jeanie in Hair, and a camel in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Her coolest acting experience to date was getting to play the role Patricia Quinn originated in The Rocky Horror Show while Patricia Quinn watched and swayed alarmingly in her chair. She enjoys ice cream, walking on the beach, and being able to put 'actor' as her profession on her tax forms.