On Friday, Oct. 30, Sebastopol will see the needle drop—as well as a fair amount of clothing.
Thotty’s Naughty Revue—a burlesque extravaganza—is joining forces with Wax Poetic, the vinyl-centered listening lounge in the lobby of the Main Street Theater, for an evening of Halloween revelry replete with a vinyl soundtrack. What begins as a stage show will continue as a party, with the music spinning long after the last performer takes a bow.
“We’re gonna party,” promised burlesque performer and producer Thotty McNaughty during a recent appearance on The Drive on 95.5 FM with Wax Poetic’s co-owner, Daniel Spicka.
McNaughty, a founding board member of The Phoenix Dancers, produces the monthly revue featuring a changing lineup of Sonoma County performers and touring talent. Meanwhile, Spicka has been involved in the music industry since the late 1990s and wanted somewhere to share his vinyl collection and enthusiasm for DJ culture. He found it at the corner of North Main and Bodega Avenue.
Spicka and fellow co-owner Tashina Lemons opened Wax Poetic in July at 104 N. Main St.—the site of the Main Street Theater—making an unlikely destination of the venue’s lobby. Spicka said he passes the building regularly on coffee runs and eventually looked through its windows with fresh eyes.
“That lobby looks like it could be really cool,” he recalled. The result is a membership-oriented listening room rather than, say, a conventional bar. Records play over a high-end sound system, and members can attend listening sessions and other music-centered gatherings.
“I didn’t wanna have a bar. I wanted to have a music clubhouse,” Spicka noted.
That approach found a natural partner in McNaughty’s revue. Previously, theatergoers would admire the lobby without necessarily knowing what was happening there. A collaborative trial in September gave audiences a chance to linger before the show, mingle during intermission and stay afterward.
“I actually just like to meet everybody and talk to everybody,” McNaughty said. Instead of hustling people out after the finale, the partnership gives that post-show energy somewhere to go.
The Oct. 30 evening begins when doors open at 7, with music and time to socialize. The burlesque show runs from 7:30 to 9pm, followed by a Halloween dance party and costume contest with prizes. Food and drinks are planned.
Performers bring their own music for their stage routines. Wax Poetic handles the soundtrack before the show, during intermission and afterward, leaving Spicka room to read the room rather than choreograph the entire night.
“It’s just vibes,” McNaughty said with a knowing laugh, describing the musical collaboration. “But also it’s trust too.”
The October lineup includes Mimic Velour, Harry Sass, Velvet Thorn, Christy Belladonna, Dahlia Foxx, Natasha Nightmare and Anita Tension, along with the Amplify Chair Troupe.
For McNaughty, the revue isn’t only about giving established performers a spotlight. It also creates opportunities for emerging dancers, emcees and people learning what happens behind the curtain. For Spicka, the audience presents another opportunity.
As he said, “At the end of a burlesque show, everyone is very ready to dance and get down.”
Thotty’s Naughty Revue with Wax Poetic is Friday, Oct. 30, at Main Street Theater, 104 N. Main St., Sebastopol. Doors open at 7pm, the show runs 7:30–9pm, and a Halloween party follows. Tickets start at $30. Details: thottymcnaughty.com/thottys-naughty-revue.
