“The Duchess and The Stripper” — History in a G-String

By Ernest Kearney — Blaze Starr, stripper and paramour of Louisiana Governor Earl Long (brother of Huey), and Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor who shook the English monarchy to its foundation, shared in common Baltimore as a home town.

In his The Duchess and the Stripper, Playwright David Bosley envisions a meeting between these two women, who found their identities fused and lost within those of the powerful men with whom they had romances.

For Starr (Alli Miller), her association has ended with Long’s death, for Simpson (Blaire Chandler) pending death has brought an unwelcome revaluation of hers.

Directed by Ezra Buzzington, The Duchess and the Stripper is as sharp, fast and sexy as a “grind” number at the top of a burlesque bill. Miller and Chandler are excellent as the two historical notables as is Krista Conti as Starr’s younger sister who is all ga-ga by being in the presence of royalty.

Bosley’s script is well-studied and well-crafted, but the encounter between the two women brings no epiphany from their meeting other than that they met.   Still the performances and Buzzington’s direction provides an entertaining and tantalizing look at two amazing women who found themselves subordinated to footnotes by the Fringe Award-Gold Medal-The TVolutionchauvinism of their day.

 The Duchess and the Stripper achieves a TVO awarded, #HFF19

GOLD MEDAL


For More Information Go To: http://hff19.org/5693

Or Go To: www.theduchessandthestripper.com

For Updated Fringe Info: www.hollywoodfringe.org/


Written by

An award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note who has hoisted glasses with Orson Welles, been arrested on three continents and once beat up Charlie Manson. His first play, "Among the Vipers" was a semi-finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition and was featured in the Carnegie-Mellon Showcase of New Plays. It was produced at the NPT Theater in Ashland, Oregon and Los Angeles’ celebrated Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. His following play, “The Little Boy Who Loved Monsters” was produced at The Hollywood Actors Theater, where he earned praise from the Los Angeles Times for his “…inordinately creative writing.” The play went on to numerous other productions including Berlin’s The Black Theatre under the direction of Rainer Fassbinder who wrote in his program notes of Kearney, “He is a skilled playwright, but more importantly he is a dangerous one.” Ernest Kearney has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for among others The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist, three times, in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His work has been performed by Michael Dunn, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jack Colvin and Billy Bob Thornton, and to date, either as playwright or director, he has upwards of a hundred and thirty productions under his belt, including a few at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater as puppeteer. Kearney remains focused on his writing, as well as living happily ever after with his lovely wife Marlene. His stage reviews and social essays can be found at TheTVolution.com and workingauthor.com. Follow him on Facebook.

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