By Hannah Schwab
Randy Bouche and his traveling troupe are changing the definition of burlesque.
"When people think 'burlesque,' they think erotic," he says. "We have a very sexy, fun edge, but we aren't offensive. Our goal is to entertain, not shock, the audience."
Bouche is no stranger to the stage. He's been making the rounds in the theater and club circuit, performing solo acts since the late 1980s and traveling the country with his one-man show – an act full of comedy, song-and-dance, puppet work and celebrity impersonations. He's been Barbra Streisand, Peg Bundy, Pee-wee Herman and the Church Lady from "Saturday Night Live." Bouche's work earned him the Outstanding Talent Award for his puppetry in the 1991 National Miss USA Gay competition.
"The solo act was a lot of fun," Bouche says. "But there were so many (skits) I wanted to do that would have worked better with a group."
And so "Chez Bouche: A Dance-Comedy Revue" was born.
The end product of a year's worth of brainstorming and planning, this fun-filled comedy-variety show features updated versions of acts from Bouche's one-man show and new acts that incorporate his talented cast. Think sketch comedy – but with dance numbers, puppetry and a little magic.
"It sounds weird, but it's like a contemporary vaudeville, and the crowds love it," he says.
Bouche debuted his new act in November 2010 to a cheering crowd, and a "tremendous" response. The troupe is touring the Midwest, entertaining bar and theater crowds in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. They'll stop in Michigan on June 10 at Stiletto's in Inkster. He is working closely with club owner Alana Faulk to promote the show.
"Previously, Stiletto's hosted a burlesque show that was pretty raunchy," Bouche says. "It offended the regulars. So we have been working to revamp the advertising to show everyone we are fun and sexy without crossing that line."
New acts have been added to the lineup based on the individual talents his new crew brings to the stage. "We have a girl who looks a lot like Nicole Kidman," he says. "So we dress her up like the character from 'Moulin Rouge' and she sings 'Sparkling Diamonds.'"
Whether it's a Nicole Kidman look-alike or a vaudevillian puppeteer, the acts draw cheers and applause.
"Lady Gaga is one of our most popular acts. 'Telephone' is a song the crowd can sing along to and the puppet that fills in for Beyonce adds a comedic twist.
"Adam and Eve is another staple for us. We have Adam, Eve, God and the serpent act out a skit, but them we redo it with a little twist. The actors come back out on stage and we ask the audience what the scene would have been like if Adam was gay and Eve was a lesbian."
While his acts involve a lot of stage makeup and characters in drag, Bouche doesn't limit his venues to just straight bars or gay clubs. He will perform anywhere with a stage.
"Our acts are not solely about 'gay' or 'straight,'" Bouche says. "We have guys in drag and have gay skits, but it is mostly about the comedic aspect."
And, you know, Lady Gaga.
