A Guide to getting booked in town
(posted with permission by the author, Hot Tawdry)

My tits out to anyone that has the guts to audition, send in booking emails and put their art out there. There is a lot of talent in Chicago (some of the best in the world) so at first if you don’t succeed get your booty to class, get back to the rehearsal studio (or your apartment with that one mirror), consult with someone to help you up your wardrobe and look game, network, offer to work the door/ kitten, be kind, and try again. My goal in writing this is to shed some light on what producers are looking for and how to go about submitting to your local shows. I feel this is good advice for most shows local or otherwise. 

In no particular order a business of show approach to getting booked.

1. Do your research!

Research what burlesque shows are happening in your area. Visit their facebook pages, websites, instagram feeds. Find out what kind of show they are (Nerdy, Classic, Live band, intimate, neo etc.)Find out who produces the show. Do your research on that producer. Find out more about the cast members who work on the show, note their look, what kind of acts they do etc.  Find out about the venue and what the crowd is generally like at that venue. There is a difference between storefront theater burlesque and burlesque in a swanky downtown bar.

2. Know your brand.

You are not meant for all burlesque shows and that's ok.  Know your brand, know your strengths, know what you bring to the table and accept that it might not be right for a certain show. Send your submissions accordingly. If the show is high glam classic burlesque send in your classic stuff.  Pick a few target shows that you love and you want to be a part of. Make a goal list of shows and figure out if your style can be adapted to that show. 

3. Go see a show!

This applies more to newer performers. Through your online research you can develop a list of shows that you are drawn towards/ you think you would be a good fit for. Go see the show and introduce yourself afterwards to the cast and the producer. If you haven’t developed your stage persona yet check out a variety of shows and see what you like best. A lot of producers will offer discount tickets, free tickets or the option to kitten for the show (get paid to watch burlesque, network and show that you are professional).

4. Understand the production.

Most higher paying shows (especially in Chicago) a producer is curating for a venue or corporation. The venue (the client) has hired the producer to curate a show that is in line with their brand, their audience and their vision. The producer needs to keep this in mind and cast accordingly.  They are paying us to do a job and we need to do that job the best or we will be replaced. Producers who work in storefront theaters or cut of the door type scenarios take the financial risk/ reward on themselves and generally can create a show that fits their vision first and not the venues. At the end of the day producers take risks and want to book performers who alleviate some of that risk. 

5. Submit yo’self!

• Timing 
  • Know that while it is a-ok to reach out last minute, you will have the best results if you reach out 3 months in advance for bookings. Remember to follow up with the producer as the gig nears, especially if you are out of town.
• Write it out! 
  • Make sure you personalize the email!  “Hello, I would like to be in your show” will not get you anywhere. I know myself and several other producers will dismiss a submission if the sender hasn’t  put in any effort of acknowledging our name or what shows they are submitting for.
  • Introduce yourself, add if we have met anywhere, give a quick bio about your performance background, training and shows you have done. Personalize why you would be good for my show ex. “I attended your show last month and loved how much audience interaction there was. I have worked at The RenFaire for 5 years and have extensive crowd work experience”.
  • Include performers or producers to vouch for you. Ex “SoandSo McGee recommended I reach out to you”. If I love SoandSo and trust their judgement it gives you a little leg up. Just like you would include references on a resume it doesn’t hurt to include references that can vouch for your professionalism, attitude, and performance. Make sure you connect with anyone you said will vouch for you to ensure they actually will, should the producer reach out.
  • If you have a resume attach it. If not include a brief rundown of where you’ve performed, taken classes and other relative experience (dance, improv, theater etc.) 

• Video killed the radio star
  • Burlesque is all about the visual. We need to see a video of you performing. Video can absolutely be filmed in your living room or studio but, a live show is preferred as we want to see how you work in the moment and with the audience. I don’t care about the quality but, Make sure you can hear the music in your video .
  • Make sure links are easily accessible. Include numbers that are specific to the show you want to be cast in. You can add others to show your repertoire (or link me to view others) but, make it easy for me to watch the videos I should cast you for. I’m looking to see if your costumes, hair and make-up are polished. I’m looking for how you move and how you tell a story visually.  Are you engaging? Are you fun to watch? Do you have stage presence? Do you have musicality?

• Photos, social media and websites
  • Attach some photos of you, links to your socials and your website. Make yourself a simple click away!

6. Rejection.

If you don’t get accepted right away don’t be discouraged. Use the time to see more shows, study more video, practice more, take a dance class. Ask the producer for feedback if you want it and offer to pay them for their time (or offer a trade) if they go in depth.  If asked, I try and give performers some quick feedback over email. For in depth act critique I like to book private lessons with the performer and work one on one with them in person. Also, rejection letters aren't always possible, especially with smaller productions. Please understand that if you don't hear back, it is not a reflection of your value as a performer, it may have just come down to having to prioritize other parts of the production.

7. Acceptance

Hooray! The producer has booked you for their show! Here’s how to keep getting booked.

• Get your music and tech in on time. Make sure your music is in Mp3 format and is of  high quality audio. Label your music with: Performer name_song title.
• READ THE WHOLE EMAIL. Chances are the producer has written out answers to your questions and contacting them to ask those questions an hour before call isn’t the best.
• Promote!
• Show up on time. Show up ready to work. Leave your baggage at the door and be aware of the energy you bring into the room. Your attitude backstage is just as important as your performance on stage. Be respectful of your cast and crew, the venue and yourself.  Try and keep your mess contained and clean up after yourself before you leave. 
• Be responsible. Don’t arrive under the influence and unable to work. Don’t get too drunk that you make a scene.
• Tip. If you drink or eat make sure you tip. 
• Style points. Not a deal breaker but, a plus- Mingle with the crowd, schmooze, hustle for tips, take photos, sell your merch during or after the show. We are in the entertainment industry which is hugely intertwined with customer service. It goes a long way to make a connection with audience members. They are more likely to come back to that show/ come see you at other shows.  From my experience I’ve gotten a lot of work from the connections I’ve made talking to audience members. I understand that this is not for everyone. If you have the spoons say Hi to a few folks after. 

8. Above all: Be kind and put forth some sparkle into the world. 

(Thanks for reading! The above was posted with permission by the author, Hot Tawdry. Check her out!)