When you think about burlesque, you probably imagine scantily clad women, shiny brassieres, risque dancing, and maybe even that terrible movie Cher was in.
Your thoughts would be right on the mark, but a group of sultry Toledoans is looking to add charity to that list. T-Town Tassels is a burlesque troupe formed last January by Barry Aslinger that wants to make it sexy to give back. “Burlesque has a rich history in Toledo, and I thought it would be the perfect tool not only for artists to express themselves in a unique way, but also to help raise awareness about the Collingwood Arts Center,” said Aslinger.
Important art space
About a year ago, Aslinger was living in the Collingwood, a nonprofit, historic building devoted to the arts, and thought there was a lack of community awareness of how important the space is to the local art scene. “I really love the place. It’s been such an inspiration to myself and so many people I know that I feel obligated to give back since it’s given me so much.”
The shows put on by the troupe at the theater will give 50% of all proceeds directly to the CAC as a token of appreciation. It’s not just cash either; every member of the troupe has volunteered time working to clean the place up and doing smaller charity events to support their beloved theater.
Though Aslinger is the brains behind T-Town Tassels, its heart and soul is the women who got involved in the project and were willing to shake their money makers to get the ball rolling. Aslinger pounded pavement to assemble the right team. “I put ads out online, hit the streets with flyers, held auditions and found ladies with the right combination of sass, sexuality and caring. It’s crazy that none of the girls are trained dancers, but there’s so much talent that we’re still able to put together something spectacular.”
Personal expression
Each girl is given a time slot in the show to express themselves, with the overall experience lasting about two hours. You can expect to see aerial silk acrobats, drag kings/queens, off-the-wall stripteases, flamboyant costumes, as well as choreographed numbers with the entire cast.
Each show also will be oriented around a theme, the upcoming one being called Burlesque in Neon. Show-goers should expect bright colors, black lights, and even some “diablo-play” (fire stunts).
No matter what your expectations, T-Town Tassels is sure to offer up an exciting night of exotic and sensuous thrills that will titillate and satisfy while helping to preserve a piece of Toledo history.
Performances are scheduled at Toledo Pride (Aug. 22-24) and a variety of other venues. For details follow their Facebook page.
