Burlesque 101

As early as 1858, Adah Isaacs Menken — the highest-paid actress of her day — would set the stage for what would become modern burlesque. Lydia Thompson and her import of British Blondes would soon follow, along with Michael Leavitt’s female minstrels. And all would perform at the Howard Athenaeum. In the late 1920s, as vaudeville pushed family theatre, burlesque performers started to remove clothing in a more provocative way. So came the birth of striptease, which would ultimately lead to the final curtain call at the Old Howard. Exhibit curator Duane Lucia will share video clips as he traces burlesque’s history and evolution.