Profile: Scout, Actress/Comedienne/Burlesque Queen, NYC

Scout Durwood is awesome. She was one of my best friend's in New York, and still is now. We met when we  interned at the pro-sex, but more pro-crafting feminist magazine, Bust in 2007 (the less said about that place the better). 

While I've been pursuing a career in publishing, she's been making her way in the NY theatre and burlesque scene, which she discusses, along with her pageant career, below:

Hi Scout, tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do?

I am a NYC based actor and comedienne! I am a co-founder of Mighty Little Productions, a theatre company that you'll hear a little bit more about later. As a performer, I work everywhere from stand-up and burlesque to more mainstream theatre, film and television. My heart and soul are in what I like to call "soft core avant-guarde" meaning not "Legally Blonde" on Broadway, but not rolling around on the floor of the stage playing in yarn, either. I am originally from Kansas City, and love my hometown. I'm down to explore NYC, too, but I think my roots will always be somewhere with a yard in the Midwest.   

Tell us about Mighty Little.

Mighty Little is an award winning collaboration based theatre company dedicated to the production of original narrative work in the spirit of levity with an emphasis on social change. We believethat through collaboration we, as a collective, become bigger than the sum of our parts, and that comedy will change the world, not commerce. This summer, we will presented two full-length plays at festivals around New York City: Monroe Bound in the Midtown International Festival and V-Love at the Fresh Fruit Festival. We are also involved in the production of a number of video shorts as well as live sketch, variety and burlesque shows.

 
In an ideal world who would your dream collaborators be?

Wow. I'd love to talk to Gilda Radner about what she believes is the core of performance. So often now commedians, especially, go below the belt, which can be hilarious, but I have such a more profound respect for performers who find the laughs in a more heartfelt place. Which is all to say, I'm so over shock value. I'm going to against the anti-mainstream grain and say that I adore Jim Carrey, both as a funny guy and otherwise. I love physical comedy, and as annoying as some of his films have been, you have to give him some credit for being willing to go so far out on a limb. Roberto Benigni, love it. Long and lanky. Jane Wagner, and, of course, Penelope Cruz. I would like to collaborate with her as my wife. There's a burlesquer in New York, Julie Atlas Muz, who I think is really just amazing, as well. Envelope pushing without being cheap. That's very important to me.   

Will you take the show (the troupe) on the road? I still think Europe, and the Edinburgh Festival would benefit from some mighty belittling.

I could not agree with you more. We're deep in Mighty Little meetings right now deciding what we want to do next summer. This summer was a big one for us, so taking the show on the road seems very much like the next logical step. It didn't happen this year, but it's definitely yon the agenada for next. I'm planning on stopping by Edinbugh next year as a comic, so look out!   

Do you think working in New York, which is an incredibly diverse city, helps to foster creativity more than living in LA, where a lot of performers head straight after college?

LA is a whole different ball game. I've survived in New York with a manager and no agent (other than freelance) and been really happy with the work that has come my way. There is no way that would happen in LA. LA produces crappy film and TV like New York produces crappy theatre. I'd rather be a part of crappy theatre. At least then I only have to be naked when I want to be. Film and TV require a middle man that I'm not super excited about. As a performer, I'm much happier being very much in control of my final product. Most LA actors don't have that advantage. That said, Mighty Little produces a lot of sketch and viral video stuff. We even have a web series on the back burner that we're hoping to get on its feet somewhere in the next year. LA has its time and place, it's just not for me at the moment.   

"I've survived in New York with a manager and no agent (other than freelance) and been really happy with the work that has come my way. There is no way that would happen in LA."

A lot of actors head to the city when they finish school but it’s rare for someone to actually make it. You now run your own troupe, Mighty Little. Can you comment on the trajectory of your career, how did you get where you are today?

Making it in my twenties is a dream I gave up on, not because I'm untalented, but because it takes a lot of time, especially for a comedian, to develop the craft. I'm not saying I'd turn downa  role as Meryl Streep's daughter, because lord knows I wouldn't, but for me it's been a lot about finding the voice that I want to share, and that I believe will ultimately change the face of theatre, even if only in a very small way. You meet a handful of performers who "have it" and many more who don't. That only means so much. When I'm casting a project or looking for collaborators, I cast reliability over natural talent almost every time, so it's a balance. I'm enjoying taking my time in getting to the top and dedicating a lot of time to producing gritty New York theatre. 

Had I moved out to LA and focused on film and TV, I would be much richer and possibly more famous than I am now, but I would also be playing someone else's game. There are so many different kinds of performers. Some of the most talented performance artists I know have no commercial appeal whatsoever. They'll probably always struggle to pay the bills, but they're a helluva lot of fun to watch. And some of our biggest actors don't have a lot of inner monologue going on, if you know what I mean, but they do have that star quailty thing that makes them great on camera. For me, it's been way more work than I actually had to do. I'm at a point now where I've really relaxed into where I am, and am happy to take it one step at a time. The lesson to learn is not to be totally consumerd with producing your own work, and not to give into playing entirely according to someone else's rules. It's always compramise for me. I've given up some really great, more "commercial" opportunites to produce my own work, and that was what I really needed to do at the time, was develop myself as an artist. Now it's all about fewer projects and bigger projects. It feels really amazing to be at a place in my career where I can confidently say "no" to things.   

"LA produces crappy film and TV like New York produces crappy theatre. I'd rather be a part of crappy theatre. At least then I only have to be naked when I want to be. "

Tell us about some of the shitty jobs you’ve had to work along the way. Any real horror stories?

Oh, lordie. Interning at BUST magazine was a nightmare, so much so, that I started really not showing up after a while. On the wagon non-feminists who like to knit are not my cup of tea, let me tell you. The worst jobs are when there isn't any acknowledgement of the importance of my time. I may be a small potato, a tater tot, even, but I'm still a spud, and I deserve respect. 

I've quit or been fired (sometimes at the same time) from so many jobs--restaurants where they under pay you, bars where the boss is a jerk and a drug addict. I tend to hold a job for about a month or so before it doesn't work out. Now, though, I'm assisting a really fantastic director who works in more mainstream theatre than I tend to, and working in a cool performance space, so I may have finally found the right mix. And more and more of my income is starting to come from acting, which is the real dream. 

World's worst job, (aside from intern) is selling comedy tickets on the street. Anyone who tells you you have to do that is lying. LYING! No one should ever have to sell anything on the street. Even hookers should have a phone service. I believe that. I was a part time rollerblade instructor for three years. Some of those kids were horrible. Especially the rich ones. I totally understand their parents' need to medicate them. I needed medication to deal with them.   

Knowing what you do now, would you encourage people to pursue careers in theatre and performance? What advice would you give them?

There's no right way to do it, but the only way that gets you anywhere involves lots of work. Move your furnature often and talk to yourself while you do it. Find understanding roommates, and find friends who like to play. Other friends of mine who are performers and I like to jump around to sing-alongs, make balloon animals, play with sock puppets, stuff like that. You never know where inspiration is going to come from, but step one is taking your career seriously by taking yourself completely un-seriously. That and study. Performing is about consistancy, so no matter how good you are (and this is coming from someone who is DAMN good) you have to train yourself to do it again and again, especially on those days when you don't want to do it at all.   

Describe where you grew up. Was there are a strong theatre scene there? When did you develop an interest in performing?

I was always a performer. I had an alter ego as a child named "Princess Crystal." It's a bit of an actor's cliche, but performing is what I've always done. I briefly wanted to be a veternarian after I saw "National Velvet" with Elizabeth Taylor. Then I learned that sometimes animals die, and I was overwhelmed with grief and decided that a veternary practice was not in my future. I also wanted to be The President, but I think my political career is pretty much shot at this point. 

Then again, President Lady Scoutington has a ring to it. My hometown has some good theatre, but most of it is stuff that comes through on tour. We have a lot of great art galleries... that I almost never go to, but I hear so much about them! I wasn't a big child actor. I never wanted to be Jon Bennet. I think I always had an inkling that most of it was stupid. I still hate children's theatre.   

You’re from Kansas. The Midwest universally gets a bad rap, but definitely has its good sides too. Tell us your favourite things about home, what should people try and do on a trip there?

Augh! Bad rap! Never. BBQ! Kansas City isn't as obvious as New York, and it's more difficult without a car, but we have a lot of amazing BBQ places, galleries (that I don't go to) and museums (that I do go to.) There's an active political scene, and all of it is significantly less pretentious and substantially more affordable than New York. We have a good gay scene, too. It's an important measure of a city, the gays. If there are none, you know someone is lying, and if there are too many, they can get pretentious and stupid, like Chelsea. I loved having a yard and being able to ride my bike to my friend's houses and spending the summer at the local pool growing up. It's not a travel through kind of place. It's a stay a while and help us find wood for an illegal bonfire type of place.   

You attended a Christian High School, before going to Amherst. Can you say something about the effect that your education, which seems to have been very diverse, had on you personally and as a performer?

I did go to private school, but it wasn't Christian. It was just small and they let me do whatever I watend. And sometimes, they would try to tell me what to do, like go to class on time, or wear shoes in the halls, but I didn't always listen. Sometimes I did, and sometimes I was effectively forced to, but not usually. I graduated in a class of 42, and then went onto Amherst College with a graduating class of around 450. I'm big on small ponds, which explains why I live in New York City. Er... no it doesn't at all.   

Can you tell us about your college thesis? I seem to remember it was a performance piece, in the John Stewart mould…

I wrote a one woman show based on a survey I gave to a bunch of my classmates about sex and porn. Researching and composing the survey involved watching hours and hours of films that contained notable (and usually violent) sex scenes, as well as pornography. Then I took the results of the survey, and used it to inform my first solo show. It was kind of cool to have my thesis advisors watch me do a strip tease to an Emmimem song. The pannel recomended me for magna cum laude honors. On paper, my thesis was about representations of an intergender power hierarchy in sexual situations represented in mainstream media and pornography.   

You’re openly lesbian, and an ardent campaigner for women’s rights. Does feminism and social activism play a role in your performance and writing?

For sure. I think the feminist fire is one that will burn in me forever. I am of the belief that the best way to make something happen is to just live it. Better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission, I always say. In college I was borderline millitant on the feminist front, and I was a gross mergie lesbian who was always with my girlfriend and wore matching cargo shorts, which I realize is a little bit gross, but there you go. I like to think I've evolved past that stereotype. Still, I'm not going to ask anyone's permission to be or do anything. I just do it, and if someone gives me flack about it, I try to make a really pretty face, and more often than not, I get away with whatever I want. That works in airports, and accidentally stealing from K-Mart too.   

"I think the feminist fire is one that will burn in me forever. I am of the belief that the best way to make something happen is to just live it. [It's] better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

What are your causes?    

I've been working with the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault (www.svfreenyc.org) for the past few years, and I have to say, they are one of the most amazing groups I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We recently had a benefit with them called, "More Laugher. Less Rape" which was a huge success. Their big campeign this year is called "Project Envision" and it's all about envisioning a world without sexual violence. It's an amazing spin, really. Other volunteer hours go to SAVI, also in the sexual assault field. (http://www.mssm.edu/savi/) We get called in by New York and Queens hospitals when a survivor of sexual violence comes in to make sure s/he is aware of his/her rights, that the rape kit is done properly, and that we make all of the resources in the city for financial, legal, and emotional support known to the survivor. 

When we first met you were Miss Massachusetts (I think). Can you tell us about your pageant career? What other ‘crowns’ did you win?

Ha, ha. I was actually Miss Greater Holyoke, which was somewhat ironic because Holyoke, MA is a predominantly non-white area, so naturally a white girl should win the crown. The whole pageant thing started off as a joke with my dad. I got a letter in the mail announcing that I was a finalist in a pageant that I had never entered, and was elligable to win such awards as "Miss Photogenic" etc. He bet me that I couldn't win a pageant, so I did! I was Miss Kansas American Teen 2001 when I was 17. I got to go to Disneyworld and everything. Then, in college, a friend wanted to film a documentary about the pageant process, so I entered a local Miss Massachusetts contest, and won. I ended up top ten in the state. The documentary never happened, but I did score a cool evening gown. I competed once in New York again, but I didn't win, and then I aged out. I competed once in Miss USA, but that's a much cheesier pageant. This would be my last year to compete with them, and I'm thinking about it. I have a month to raise the money. I kind of really REALLY want to do it. We'll see.   

Did you face prejudice from other competitors for being openly gay?

I wasn't openly gay. I was openly ambiguous. Once we even had my girlfriend at the time crossdress and come to a banquet dinner thing as my boyfriend. No one ever asked questions. I think the idea was that if I ever won a big crown, I'd say something, but I never did, so we missed a good scandal. Who knows. This could be my year.   

The Burlesque scene in New York is dominated by performers who have attended the New York Burlesque Academy. Is the academy’s predominance harming the scene, and do you think it’s really possible to teach burlesque?

The Academy is run by Jo Boobs, and I've never really worked with them. There are "go to" moves in burlesque, and it can be helpful to have a grounding in them, but it can be equally valuable to come up with your own ways to, say, take off a glove. There are so many different kinds of burlesque, and some of it is really really boring. Some of it is amazing, and some of it is hilarious. Most of what I do is hilarious. I just can't take myself seriously when I'm trying to be sexy. Really, it's all about confidence, which has so been said before, but it's the truth. If the Academy can teach people that, then go for it. It all depends on what you're rying to do as a burlesquer. I do know that they're amazing at networking over there, and that's a huge piece of what getting booked as a burlesquer is, networking.   

Who’s Lady Scoutington? She seems to be gaining notoriety, the tramp.

Well, thank you very much. She's been around town, that's for sure. Lady Scoutignton is "a a bawdy burlesquer who spends most of her time on the lighter side of life. With the innocence of a child and the drinking habits of a priest, she brings love and laughs wherever she removes her clothes." She's getting popular as an mc, as well as a performer. I've been avoiding a lot of the main stream burlesque scene, mostly because Scout Durwood is often busy with stand-up, and Scout has priority over Lady Scoutington right now, but that all could change soon enough. I love a good opportunity to be naked. Mua, ha ha.   

Apart from Lady S, which acts are really worth seeing at the moment?

I absolutely love the Wau Wau sisters. I see them a lot, and never get enough of it. I'm really into circus stuff these days. I even bought a hula hoop. I recently met a young comic by the name of David Cope, and I think he is just hilarious. I'd love to work with him more. He's like the anti me. Really deadpan and serious.   

Profile: Jane, Trainee Lawyer, NY/Lon

Jane is training to be a lawyer. Educated in the UK, her training has allowed her to live in London, Hong Kong and New York, with more good things expected to come. Here she (very modestly) answers some questions about her career so far, and recommends a few places to go out in each city.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m 26, working in law. Am generally quite shy, but have a good group or friends who are like my family.

My family are very important to me too.

You grew up in Leamington Spa, a mid-sized town in the Midlands. How did it shape you?

It shaped me in that I really wanted to live in the city for a while. I have always grown up outside of the city, hence why I was so excited to go to London. Now I have the best of both worlds, the city life and can always go home for weekend to see greenery!

Since leaving school you’ve lived in London, Hong Kong and now New York. Do you feel like a city girl now? What would you say are the benefits of city life?

I definitely feel like a city girl; I absolutely love it. The benefits are that there is something for everyone there. In NY I have managed to find like-minded people who understand my interests/culture etc.

Recommend some places to visit when people are in New York, Hong and London.

New York : Clubs - Webster Hall, pictured right, random places in village http://websterhall.com/ .

Bars - Faces and Names in Times Square http://www.facesandnames.com/

Tourist spots – I love the Empire State building and the Chrysler, pictured above on the left.

Oh, and [Central] park, obviously.

For shopping, I prefer the outskirts of New York; the Pallisades, Jersey City etc.

Hong Kong: Clubs/Bars - random places in Lan Kwai Fong.

Restuarants – there’s a place in IFC, best Shanghai pork dumplings ever!

Tourist spots - Big Buddha, light show at TST.

Shopping - all the malls!

London: Clubs/bars – I’m old now so don’t go out much, but generally stick to The Big Note, 207 Upper Street, a lovely club just because it reminds me of good times.

Bar Bollywood , 34 Dover Street

Restos - Isis, 49- 50 Dover Street.

Blossom, Unit 1b City Point, http://www.blossomrestaurant.co.uk/index.html

Anywhere they should avoid?

Well, everyone told me to avoid the Bronx, but there are some nice areas. I don’t advise on any bad areas [but] obviously use your common sense!

Has world travel, and especially working abroad had an effect on you as a person? How?

Yes definitely, I have become more independent, especially in New York as [before moving here] I had never lived alone. I’m still not perfect, but much more independent than in London.

Do you have ambitions to live and work elsewhere in the world? Where?

I would love to try working in Japan, and perhaps India for a while.

Persevere. I’m not the most studious person but I have managed to secure [a] training contract so if I can do it, I’m pretty sure anyone can.

Does travel for its own sake inform your ambitions? Where would you like to visit and why?

I am liking travel [but] hit the travel bug late. I would like to go to Australia/NZ as well as Africa. Aiming to do so before starting [a] Training Contract.

The type of law you practice is quite specific. Can you tell us a bit about it?

I’m not practicing yet. At present, I would like to do either Commercial or Clinical Negligence; each has its own appeal.

How did you come to follow the career path you’re on?

I kinda fell into it. I thought I would try the law conversion [after graduating with a science degree] and then decided I liked it, so stuck with it. There has been an element of luck too though.

If all goes to plan, where do you want to be in ten years time? What will you be doing?

Personally, I would like to get married and settle etc. From a work level, would love to become Partner in a firm, but we shall see.

Knowing what you do now, what advice would you give to someone else who is considering a similar career?

Persevere. I’m not the most studious person but I have managed to secure [a] training contract so if I can do it, I’m pretty sure anyone can. Above: Lan Kwoi Fong, Hong Kong

How does your profession affect what your choice of clothing?

We have guidance unfortunately, and need to wear collars, smart clothes, etc., so generally [I wear] suits.

Outside of work, what do you like to do? Where will we find you?

I’m up for trying everything. I have become a lot more social here; just hanging out with friends. My mentality [towards] drink has changed. Don’t get me wrong; I like going out till late and feeling the freedom of drink, but also just going for walks along the river with a cup of coffee is just as fun for me.

Profile: Cathy, Dublin

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm 23 years old, from Dublin, and a recent university graduate. Currently I am working in a minimum wage job trying to save money to go away and travel early next year.

You have a strong sense of style, and always look great. How important is image to you?

I think that the importance of image to me is slightly contradictory. On the one hand I try to avoid placing too much importance on other people's image. On the other hand I know that I am acutely aware of my own image and conscious of how I project to other people.

Would you say it’s the same for most of your friends?

I think that most of my friends find image very important, and I believe that this is one of the reasons that a lot of people initially strike up a friendship... because they can recognise similar qualities in other people.

Growing up in Dublin were you always interested in clothes and make-up?

I was the ultimate tom-boy as a child, as a teenager I tried out the goth look and was interested in clothes and make-up in the sense that I tried to rebel against the "mainstream" (seems to laughable now...sooo glad I grew out of that!). It was more into my late-teens that i became really interested in fashions and trends.

Nothing beats some serious band-girl envy! If I go to a gig and there is a seriously energetic front-woman, I go home just wishing I could be onstage and look like them.

Dublin is a city that’s experienced rapid change over the past 15 years. Have you noticed a difference in what people are wearing/ aspire to wear?

I think Dublin people have really improved in the style-stakes. There is less of a label obsession (although I think this is a world-wide development) and people are much more into vintage looks and individual style. Dublin still has the problem of trying to be like London or Berlin style-wise. I think it is still waiting to find it's own niche.

Does living in the city influence what you wear? In what ways?

I'm definitely influenced by the city. (One obvious factor is the weather of course). I spend a lot of time hanging around and going for lunch etc. on weekends (like half the population of Dublin) and I think that a lot of new styles develop from people just wandering around and getting a feel for what other people are wearing day to day.

I always think of you as a huge music person. Do bands, and musicians, influence your look at all?

Nothing beats some serious band-girl envy! If I go to a gig and there is a seriously energetic front-woman, I go home just wishing I could be onstage and look like them. MayKay from Fight Like Apes (myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic, pictured above) is a good example. I also find myself being really influenced by male musicians and bands...some nights i want to look like david bowie, some nights I want to look like bob dylan.

Who has great style?

MayKay (Fight Like Apes), Steve Aoki, Karen O, of course, I also used to hate hate HATE Lady Gaga but i must admit that she is starting to grow on me (shudder!).

Any fashion and style tips for our readers?

Hmm... tips, well I think it's about time that plaited headbands were binned once and for all... they drive me mad. Also vest tops with floral mini skirts have been way too overdone. As far as positive tips go... I love drapey fabrics, love a completely overloaded top half (layer after layer), with opaque tights and big clunky wooden heels.

What should no wardrobe be without?

Flat black leather boots for those horrible winter mornings.

Profile: Ellia Bisker, Sweet Soubrette

Sweet Soubrette are my favourite band. Unlike the myriad of guitar-toting, new wave influenced boys we've seen from the city recently, Sweet Soubrette owe some of their style to the performance art and burlesque scenes that permeate New York's landscape, a lineage which allows them to look amazing and wax intelligent while conquering the music scene.

The band is fronted by non-cooler front woman, Ellia Bisker, who started taking on the world with just dark humour, clever wordplay, and her ukelele for company, before recruiting a backing band.

Bisker is known for her razor sharp and humorous lyrics, and for never, ever looking bad. Here she talks about music and style, before giving us the inside scoop on where to visit on a trip to New York.

Check out their website http://www.sweetsoubrette.com/ for more pictures and info.

Tell us about Sweet Soubrette, and a little bit about yourself.

Sweet Soubrette started in 2006, when I wanted a name for my ukulele singer/songwriter act (originally solo, now a band). A soubrette is a stock character from comic opera—it’s usually described as the flirtatious chambermaid—and on the vaudeville stage young women who played and sang were also often called soubrettes. It seemed in keeping with my act. Sweet Soubrette started with a theme of “doomed romance,” which is a great source of inspiration. But I've toned down the melodrama a bit since I started, and a lot of the material is more nuanced now. I describe the music as Regina Spektor meets the Magnetic Fields—folk-influenced indie pop with witty lyrics and some electronic production.

As for the woman behind the false eyelashes, I was an English literature major, have worked in a circus, in book publishing and in the nonprofit arts, and currently have a day job in the legal department of a music publisher.

You live in Brooklyn at the moment . Did you always live in New York? When did you develop an interest in music? Was it supported where you grew up?

I've lived in Brooklyn for about six years now and I love it here. I'm a rare New York native—I grew in Manhattan and then in New Rochelle, a nearby suburb. I have friends living nearby from practically every era of my life. My interest in music started basically at birth—my parents are not musicians themselves but are lifelong music lovers, so I grew up on a cocktail of Bob Dylan, the Beatles, folk songs, and show tunes from South Pacific to Andrew Lloyd Webber. I highly recommend this combination to parents wishing to raise songwriter children, incidentally. My dad collected old stereo equipment at garage sales, and by the time I was in high school you could play music in almost every room of the house. I took piano lessons and sang in the school chorus, even went to music camp one summer. So I was always steeped in music, but I didn't start making it myself until more recently.

Why the Ukulele? It seemed quite an unlikely instrument but then a couple of years ago a whole group of hip, sexy people picked them up all at once.

Why, thank you! I like to think I'm a hip, sexy ukulele player. But it is weird—the uke has become wildly popular over the past few years and I couldn't really say why. These things seem to go in waves. In my case I got it as a gift from someone I had recently met, practically a stranger. It arrived in the mail—it was really out of the blue. But I started teaching myself to play, using online chord charts to figure out how to cover Magnetic Fields songs and then writing my own. I found the bright tone was a nice accompaniment to my voice, and the uke really lends itself to writing—it’s portable, the chords are simple, it doesn't take long to become reasonably skilled, it's fun to play, plus it looks so adorable. It gave me something a little different as a singer/songwriter (I mean really, who needs another guitarist?), and it opened doors to some very cool uke-specific opportunities—I got to play in the Paris Uke Fest last year, for instance! Plus, when you carry it around, people talk to you. It's good for making friends.

Is there a Ukulele scene? Or do ukulele players, particularly girls with ukes, just fit in to the whole NY scene, which is full of musicians and performance artists?

Yes to both! Definitely you can play the uke in the context of the general NY scene, and I know a bunch of performers who play uke in their acts but who I never see at uke-specific events. Playing the uke is still unusual enough that you stand out, mainly in a good way, though many people don't seem to understand it's a real instrument, not just a toy. But there's also a lively community of ukulele players in NY--so much so that during the 2008 NY Uke Fest there was a competing weekend-long ukulele event with completely different performers, and both were well attended. The monthly Ukulele Cabaret, hosted by the duo Sonic Uke, has been at the center of the scene for a long time. You see a huge range of material and styles, including some crazy performers doing ridiculous acts in costume, and it's tremendously fun. You can see some of those shows archived at http://www.ukuleledisco.com/.

How does having an alter ego in the form of Sweet Soubrette affect you? Is it like being a super-hero; you can do more when you’re in costume?




In my Sweet Soubrette persona,
I am a glamorous and mysterious creature, seductive and sophisticated



It's a great comfort in my ordinary life to remember that I have this other existence where I'm a femme fatale spotlighted against red velvet—as opposed to my usual activities of, say, buying groceries, spilling coffee on my new skirt, or carrying heavy bags up the subway stairs. As Sweet Soubrette I am larger than life, I command the audience and I flirt shamelessly from the stage. The alter ego also sets me apart and creates a little respectful distance in men who might otherwise get too familar. I'm working on my new record right now, “Days and Nights,” which also recalls that split personality, day and night. For the album artwork I’m thinking of using two photographs, on the front all glammed out as Sweet Soubrette, and on the back in my street clothes somewhere really mundane, like the laundromat.

Where can our readers catch a Sweet Soubrette show soon?

I'm organizing a "Paris Uke Fest in Brooklyn" on October 8 at my favorite venue in Brooklyn, the Jalopy Theatre (http://www.jalopy.biz/). It's going to feature Brooklyn uke players who have performed in the Paris Uke Fest, the Paris Uke Fest organizer himself, and some other local uke players, and will include everything from fun novelty songs to experimental music to doomed love songs to 1920s French jazz. Some of my favorite uke players are in it and I invite everyone in town to come check it out! Readers can also sign up for my mailing list at http://www.sweetsoubrette.com/, and please don’t hesitate to befriend me out on facebook (www.facebook.com/elliabisker) or myspace (www.myspace.com/elliabisker).

Does music influence your look? In what ways?

When I'm offstage, music doesn't influence my look all that much. I really do seem stick to the double life/alter ago thing. I think mostly I reserve my style energy for the stage and keep it pretty simple otherwise.

How important is presentation when you’re on-stage? Is there a certain way you want to look when you perform?

Presentation is a very close second to the music, in my opinion—the function of being onstage is that everyone is looking at you, so you should give them something to look at!

My experience working with the circus really influenced my feelings about this—razzle-dazzle is a big part of the package, it's what makes it a show.

So I tell my band what to wear, generally suits for the gents and something dressy for the ladies. My violinist doesn't like to dress up at all but she humors me wonderfully. As for me I've toned it down some over the past couple of years—when I started performing there was a lot more costume going on, and sometimes I still do that, flowers and feathers, sequins and fishnets—but I'm trying to set a tone that's more rock star than cabaret now, so I'm keeping the retro stuff to a minimum. But I never perform without my sparkly false eyelashes. I get the kind with rhinestones built in for maximum glamour.

Do you buy special clothes to perform in? Where do they come from?

I do in theory have special show clothes, but I usually like them so much that I end up wearing them offstage as much as I can get away with. I have a collection of great dresses that come from a variety of places—thrift shops, local designers, grandma's attic, hand-me-downs...I'm always looking for a good dress. I need some more sparkly glamorous things. I have a good friend, Kelli Rae Powell (http://www.kelliraepowell.com/) who is also a local ukulele chanteuse and we have a date to go dress shopping together sometime soon. The Brooklyn vintage stores won’t know what hit them.

Have New York and Brooklyn influenced you, in terms of your personal interests and look?


Video for Greenpoint, the song that won Ellia the Mizz Greenpoint Pageant in 2008

As a native, it's hard to separate out my personal preferences from the local culture. But I wear a lot of black, I like to accentuate the fact that I'm long and lanky, I love a hot pair of boots...so I suspect that when transplanted to other places I'm pretty easy to peg as a New Yorker. I don't think of myself as particularly fashion-conscious but there's definitely an unconscious attention to my look that I don't realize I have until I go to other places that aren't as style-obsessed.

Who and what would you say are your main style influences?

My boyfriend would tell you Pippi Longstocking, but he's wrong, wrong, wrong! I'd prefer to think of the movie stars of the 30s and 40s as an influence—I like to look like your sexy grandma in knee-length skirts and low heels, hair up in bobby pins. Just a little retro, though, not like I'm in a period piece. I also like a sort of pared-down gothy thing—dark tight jeans and a little black sweater, smoky eye makeup. But I'll admit to a certain circus-influenced tendency to mix and match patterns, stripes with polka dots with leopard print. That might be where the Pippi Longstocking thing comes from.

Give our readers some style advice. What should no wardrobe and make-up bag be without?

False eyelashes: instant glamour! No, seriously, my make-up bag short list is a good quality eyeliner and lipstick, adequate mascara and eye shadow, and loose powder and liquid foundation for complexion emergencies. A pencil sharpener and nail clipper/file are essential—bobby pins, too. And make sure you always have a compact mirror because you never know where you're going to have to get ready to look good (i.e. bar bathroom). As for the wardrobe, you need jeans that make you look hot and a good pair of boots. Splurge on the boots and then get them re-heeled and soled every year and they'll last forever.

And what should they definitely be without.

Steer clear of disposable clothes—anything you won't be caught dead wearing next season. Go classic instead, so you can mix and match with the same pieces for ages. And for heaven's sake stay away from things that don't flatter your shape, no matter how trendy they are! For instance I don't know a single person who looks good in those terrible high-waisted shorts I saw all the hipster college girls wearing in Williamsburg all summer. If you pick things that complement your own build, you will always look good.

Do you think that living in New York, which is incredibly diverse, helps foster creativity?

[In New York] it's the sheer density of creative people—you can't throw a rock without hitting someone who's working on a cool project.

Absolutely. It's the sheer density of creative people—you can't throw a rock without hitting someone who's working on a cool project. I've gotten involved in so many artistic endeavors simply through meeting someone randomly, or knowing them in some completely unrelated way. There's no need to advertise, you just go about your business—go to parties, hang out with your colleagues, talk to people in coffee shops, go see your friends perform. You get invited to participate in things, and you have a huge pool of people who could be amazing resources. I don't know how I'd get anything done anywhere else.

Who, apart from you, should we be listening to right now?

I recently discovered Melody Gardot and she's amazing. Erin Regan and Chris Garneau are two local songwriters I think are incredibly talented. I love quirky little Joanna Newsom with a passion. PJ Harvey is always doing something new and interesting. I've been listening lately to a lot of my favorites from 10 years ago though. Liz Phair's records (before she sold out) never get old.

Apart from work and music, what do you like to do? How do you spend your time?

I spend most of my free time with my boyfriend, who also happens to be my producer, so our free time tends to be a mix of work and play. But I'm pretty domestic—I like to cook and bake and crochet, and I love not having to get on the subway to do things. My ideal weekend might involve going to the neighborhood farmer’s market, a potluck brunch at someone's house, dress shopping, and getting drinks at a local bar before going to see a friend perform in their own show. Oh, and I just recently started taking dance lessons! The class is called “Absolute Beginner Hip Hop,” and I'm terrible but it's really fun.

Where, ideally, do you see yourself in ten years time?

Basically I want to have it all: a happy home life and adventure, fame and intimacy, art and quality of life, love and a successful creative life and a career I feel passionate about. I think about having kids too (I think this is a function of having just turned 30). So if I had my way, in ten years I'd be married or living with someone I love, with a kid or two and a cat or a dog, living in a nice apartment in Brooklyn with friends nearby, earning enough from my music to live on without a day job, and making music I love and that the fans love. I'd like to be touring too, but not all the time. And I want to be able to pay my band enough to tour with me instead of taking other gigs, including flying out my violinist for shows when she finally gives into her true nature and moves out west and out of the big city. Also, by then I plan to be an amazing dancer.

Finally, recommend a few places (shops, bars, etc) that people shouldn’t miss when they’re in the city.

Greenpoint's Alter (http://www.alterbrooklyn.blogspot.com/) and Dalaga (www.myspace.com/dalaganyc) for clothes by up and coming young local designers.

Williamsburg's Dumont and Diner for amazing food.
http://www.dumontrestaurant.com/
http://www.dinernyc.com/

Pete's Candy Store is a great Williamsburg bar with lovely backyard seating, great music and fun events like spelling bees and trivia nights.
http://www.petescandystore.com/

I already mentioned Jalopy in Red Hook but it deserves another plug.
http://www.jalopy.biz/

Kashkaval and Locanda Verdefor amazing food in Manhattan.
http://www.kashkavalfoods.com/
http://www.thegreenwichhotel.com/restaurant

Habana Outpost in Fort Greene to experience multicultural Brooklyn at its finest. www.myspace.com/habanaoutpost

Ricky's is a very fun cosmetics chain that caters to drag queens and has the most fun hair and makeup products ever.
http://www.rickys-nyc.com/

For the health conscious, Yoga to the People offers pay-what-you-want yoga classes in a few locations around the city.
http://www.yogatothepeople.com/

And if you're feeling adventurous and aren't shy about hanging out naked with your girlfriends, you must check out NY Spa Castle , a gigantic Korean bathhouse complex in the farthest reaches of Flushing, Queens. Enjoy!
http://www.nyspacastle.com/

Profile: Emily, part 3, Work

Emily, while nannying in Scotland.

Emily teaches. Teaching is a job that is entirely beyond me; I was woman-handled into babysitting for next door's six year old this weekend, and am full of renewed appreciation for anyone who enters the profession. In addition to teaching middle schoolers - that's junior high school, or children between age 11 and 14, their most horrifying age- Emily also took on the challenge of teaching special needs children in the Montessori system, one that's not yet entirely geared to the age group. I asked, why? why? why?

Tell us about your job. What do you do? What does it involve in practical terms?

I am a Montessori middle school teacher. I enjoy this method because it affords me the opportunity to teach realistic skills and get to know each learner on their terms. It is a method that encourages individuality and interest based study. It is hoped that students of this type of school will think like scientists and be great questioners with insatiable curiosities. I also work a great deal with special needs. This ranges from mental disabilities to physical needs.

Did you always want to teach?

My passions have always been in education. I will certainly have to admit my perception of teaching has shifted and my passion and desire to advocate for learners has become more prevalent and significant as I have gotten older and more resolute in my position and self-awareness.

Can you tell us about your education and career path? I know you were a nanny in Scotland before becoming a teacher.

I went to Indiana University. I studied elementary education with an emphasis on health and wellness. Then I started some graduate level courses in cultural education and entered an immersion program. I actually taught for two years before taking time off to go nanny in Scotland. I wanted a chance to travel and Scotland seemed like a beautiful place. Everything fell into place once I arrived and found the farm where I lived. I had taken a week to jaunt to Amsterdam and was checking my email in a café when I saw a note from my director asking if I would be willing to come back and take my old classroom. It seemed fitting, so I returned. This is the third year back.

You’ve chosen a relatively unusual career path. You teach in a Montessori High School- there aren’t many around- but you also teach special needs. Firstly, can you explain to those of us who aren’t familiar, what the principles of Montessori education are? How do the teaching methods differ from the education many of us may have had in High School?

Maria Montessori pictured with some of the children from La Case de Bambini

Well, it is slightly complicated to explain because it has taken on so many faces. Montessori classrooms look different across the US and across the world. Different organizations have tweaked them to fit all varieties of molds. Maria Montessori was the first woman to become a doctor in Italy. She began by studying the brain. She worked mostly with children and noticed a great deal about special needs children. Her first school, La Case de Bambini was in the slums of Rome, and began as an experiment in 1907.

She helped to transform the way the children learned, and wanted to make things practical and exciting. She encouraged questions and created a set of materials to show physical reasoning behind concepts. She empowered the learners to respect themselves and their environments. Her son Mario helped to perpetuate the method and they spread the concept across Europe and the world.

Learners are put in to three year cycles; 3-6 years, 6-9 years, etc., this helps the learners become teachers of one another and offers the instructor the opportunity to have full understanding of interests and abilities. Because the original process only went up to 12 years old, the high school concept is a work in progress. Some guidelines have been laid down, but it’s difficult to work around the rigid state and national standards and still provide a self-empowering, practical based curriculum.

We allow our students to create their own courses based off of the standards. They are responsible for their learning and curriculum. This helps to ensure that they base their learning on their individual interests. It takes a massive amount of planning and double-checking.

Why did you want to teach Montessori, rather than mainstream education?

I appreciate the integrity the Montessori system provides the learners. It helps to keep my own ego in check because I am not the “say all.” I am able to help kids tap into their interests and look at the world from many different angles rather than having to adhere to the strict regulations that the state and school boards put on the traditional teachers.

And why become a special needs teacher? Do you think Montessori education is more effective for students with special needs?

I have known since high school that I enjoyed working with special needs. When I was in college I started a branch of swimming in the Special Olympics in my town. I find that people with special needs bring out my patience and help me to look at different perspectives. I find their honesty and triumphs endearing.

And finally, and most unfathomably to me, why High Schoolers? It seems like such a difficult age to teach.

Ahhhhh. If I could only bottle their uncensored hormones, I could make a million. I love their ability to be so blunt. The drama that exudes from their every move puts my life into perspective.

Do you have ambitions to live and work outside of the US again? Where would you go, and why?

Yes. I am open to going pretty much anywhere. I would love to study international schools as a curriculum project. As far as just travel, I next hope to do the Inca Trail in Peru—need to be a bit more physically fit first though. I would also love to travel to the Greek Isles, then ferry over to Turkey… all the possibilities.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time? Can you imagine staying in the same field in the long-term? If not, what are your other career goals?

Honestly, ten years seems like an eternity. I have a certain feeling that I will remain in the education field in some capacity. I don’t hope to be still a classroom teacher, as I hope I have other things to contribute. I would love to work writing legislation to shift the way we test kids in the US. I would like to be on the forefront of changing expectations of what school has to be, and I would enjoy writing curriculum that would be based on a more global and cultural view.

Outside of work, how do you spend your time?

Well, work takes up a lot of life. In addition to being a teacher, I work at my family’s pawnshop, and am the head coach for a local swim team. I love to plan travels, head to the woods, or find a place to boat. I love to dance and, dare I say, drink beer.

Profile: Emily, parts 1 and 2, Travelling Homegirl

I love a girl who drinks, thinks and travels.

Emily is my newest friend. We met in New York this Summer, promptly decamped to The Beauty Bar, and bonded over beer, doomed romance, our mutual love of travel and how all the best girls are fag hags.

Parts 1 and 2 of her interview are about her life in the artsy, southern cities of New Albany and Louisville, and her time spent travelling the world.

Part 1: Travelling

Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up in a little town called Jeffersonville, Indiana. This is located in the very south if Indiana and is a river town. From my childhood house, I could look across the Ohio River into Louisville, Kentucky, home of the infamous Kentucky Derby. At age 14, my family moved about an hour west to a small town of less than 2000. There they purchased 50 acres, which of course included no neighbors. This certainly formed me as a young teenager. It fed my angst, but in the end instilled my love for nature.

Ladies' Day at the Kentucky Derby

You’ve travelled extensively, and lived in places quite different from Jeffersonville. How influential has travel been on you?

Wow, I could certainly never begin to calculate the influences that travel has had on me. Through my many experiences, I feel that I have become culturally aware and tolerant. I am able to identify with others better and also relate my travel skills (communication/ adaptability) to predicaments that arise in both my personal and professional life. It has ignited many interests and also is a constant reminder of the beautiful world that I am so fortunate to live in.

Can you describe some of your foreign adventures?

I have been [to] many places in the US, which is often like visiting a foreign country as many of the customs vary so significantly from region to region. As far as foreign adventures, Mayan Ruins in Mexico, camping in the rain forest in Costa Rica, wax museums in Canada, teaching 14 year olds in New Zealand, with Maori speaking lessons on the side, close up kangaroos in the Blue Mountains in Australia, tenting through the Serengeti in Kenya and Tanzania, dipping in the North sea off the coast of Malmo, Sweden, the sex museum in Copenhagen, Denmark, hiking in Genoa, Italy, working on an organic farm and nannying in St. Andrew’s, Scotland, Christmas in Paris, a London run through, a night on a house boat in Amsterdam, and a haggling venture in the Dominican Republic.

Any horror stories?

I have encountered several touchy situations, including an ex-convict who taught me how to kill a man with my bare hands should I ever need to.

Ok, I have encountered several touchy situations, including car repair out of an ex-convicts garage, where he taught me how to kill a man with my bare hands if I ever needed to. However, the most fearful moment in my life happened in a small Appalachian town that bordered Kentucky and West Virginia. If you have ever seen the movie Deliverance, you can clearly see the town. I was driving back with a girlfriend from a woman’s rights march in Washington DC. It was quite late and the highway was fairly empty. Suddenly a light flashed on the dash and the car lost steering power. Luckily, we were close to an exit, we put the car in neutral and drifted into a gas station which simultaneously signified the next alcoholic awareness meeting and gave the sale on Budweiser.

Anyhow, I walked in looking for someone to help me find a garage, or tow truck. The toothless girl behind the counter said she knew just the guy, Cathair. Apparently he was the town mechanic and had his own tow truck. We were waiting in the parking lot when he arrived. His large frame was covered in white hair, which he explained he dyed to make it look more like cat hair. Despite our utter fear, we had no choice but to get in the truck with this man. He drove us through windy back roads telling stories that made me fear for my life, before suddenly pulling off the road into a garage of sorts.

He closed the big door and in the garage there were three other men in their early twenties, holding crowbars and looking as if they were working on cars. At any rate, I chatted carelessly while shooting pictures in case someone found me dead; they would know the culprit. Cathair then pulls out a bag of marijuana and begins to roll a joint. At this point my stomach feels like it might actually come out of my body. After some time and convincing, he agrees to take us to the local motel. It looked like the hotel in Psycho. He calls the gentleman who owns the place, and he comes from his house on the hill overlooking the property. (This should let you know that we are the only people staying at the motel).

The owner had slicked back hair and gold rings on every finger. We agreed upon a price and were put up in a room. I remember locking the door in the hope that I was finally safe. Then it occurred to me that, of course, they have the keys. I also noticed that this was the only hotel room I have ever been in that is without a phone. While nothing actually happened I could sincerely feel the edge of death at every turn. Needless to say, it was one of the worst slept evenings of my life. These botchy details could not begin to describe the utter horror of that night.

What advice would you give to people who are about to embark on their gap years, or round the world trips?

Don’t make too strict an agenda, it only disappoints, and get to know the locals as much as possible.

Part 2: Homegirl

You live in New Albany, in the glorious state of Indiana, again now. Make some recommendations for visitors.

New Albany is pretty small. We have some amazing microbreweries though, and I am about 10 minutes from Louisville, Kentucky. There are some delightful stores where things are handmade. It’s on the river, so the regular water activities apply. We have several stops on the Underground Railroad, which was an escape line for southern slaves to the north during the civil war. We also have several waterfront mansions that are supposedly haunted that you can tour. In the fall we boast Harvest Homecoming, which is the trash-fest of the Century, complete with airbrush shirts, endless rides, and more fried food than one could ever dream.

Tell us about Louisville, I know you love it there. Can you make any similar recommendations for first-time visitors?

I would say most people from Louisville fall irreversibly in love with it.

Thunder Over Louisville

It is fairly small, about 1 million people, but has all the offerings of a mid-sized city. The people are nothing but friendly and I never feel uncomfortable going into someplace new. The highlight of the year is, of course, the Kentucky Derby and its surrounding festivals. Thunder over Louisville is the biggest firework display in the country and it always kicks off the month long celebration. The music and art scene are budding but abundant. There are many local bands and venues to see both local art and music. We have lots of locally owned grocery shops and stores. There are plenty of free things to take advantage of as well. It’s easy to travel in and out of and there are green spaces all over the place.

As far as first time visitors, you have to see the [baseball] bat factory. This is where all Louisville Sluggers [a famous brand of baseball bat- Ed] are made. This will of course motivate you to venture to the baseball park and take in a game. The racetrack is a no-brainer. The museum is fascinating and a day of betting is genius! Fourth Street Live is a series of bars and restaurants that tend to cater to a bit more uppity [read: snobby- Ed] crowd, but is great for people watching. Then head to Bardstown Road for local shops and live musicians. Cumberland Brewery is a definite stop to quench your thirst in the unrelenting humidity.

For those interested in Bourbon-and, really, aren’t we all?- head to the Makers Mark distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. This is nearby and will assuredly take the whole afternoon. To top it off, take a sail on the Belle of Louisville, which is an old fashioned steam boat which sails up and down the river. There are a plethora of other exciting venues to indulge in so my strong recommendation is to pick up one of the two free local newsletters, found in most shops, “The LEO” and “Velocity.” Either will tell you every venue in town, what’s happening each day of the week, and how much it costs.