New Venue For Burgeoning Burlesque Gameshow

NEW ORLEANS, August 21, 2015 — Something new is coming to The Dragon’s Den bar in the Marigny every Tuesday night. And it involves audience members handcuffed to burlesque dancers.

For more than a month now, “The Vice Is Right,” an entrancing new form of entertainment created by local burlesque luminary Xena Zeit-Geist, has been wowing longtime fans of burlesque as well as newcomers to the art.

So far, nobody has complained about the experience.

Dancers are pitted against each other, and each performer is given an audience member to serve as their champion.

“I wanted to do something new...put a novel spin on what I already enjoy: erotic dance,” Zeit-Geist laughs as she explains. “I wanted to bring the audience into the fun, the excitement, of burlesque. And it’s been even more successful than I thought possible.”

Dozens of guests have come to see—and take part in—the show, which is a parody of daytime television game shows. Zeit-Geist’s burlesque troupe, The Society of Sin, has already made successful forays into blending kitsch, fandom, and sexy striptease: Their productions have included sendups of the Harry Potter franchise, Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying games, Star Wars, as well as cult cartoon favorite, “Archer.”

Zeit-Geist’s eyes light up as she recalls the highlights of the initial run of the show: “It’s been absolutely wild; the audience participants have driven the show into territory I would never have even thought would work. They are...well, they’re crazy. They just go insane, and it’s so much fun, for everyone involved—performers and audience alike. We’ve had erotic storytime, showgirl Communion, and one woman even used a voodoo duck to punish all her friends from up on stage.”

Voodoo duck?

“Yes. A voodoo duck,” Zeit-Geist nods.

The Vice is Right is moving to Dragon’s Den (435 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans) every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m., beginning September 1, 2015.

Tickets are $10 the night of the performance, and each ticket comes with a chance to be a contestant on the show; contestants compete for prizes donated from the show’s sponsors and from the troupe itself (such as tickets to other Society of Sin events and a chance to be pulled on stage and dance with the show’s entire cast).

Advance tickets are also available online at the discounted price of $8

Lying, cheating, and bribery are encouraged throughout the show.

“We wanted to create a true vaudeville experience, and we think we’ve captured that,” says Zeit-Geist. “It’s a little bit homage, a little bit subversive, and very adult.”

“The Vice Is Right” features a rotating cast of burlesque performers, including Xena Zeit-Geist, Queenie O’Hart, Charlotte Treuse, Cherry Bombshell, Stevie Poundcake, Darling Darla James, Remy Dee, Danger Rockwell, Azazel von Satan, and more. The show is hosted by Ben Malisow.