Performance Ensemble

Founding Producer/Director
Ms. Bea Haven, the Great Chicago Fire
A Chicago-based multimedia burlesque, performance and video artist, producer and teacher, Ms. Bea has performed her hilarious, smart and edgy burlesque acts with nearly every burlesque & performance art outfit in town. She has performed in every kind of venue (large and small) for audiences numbering from two (yes, two. Intimate!) to the thousands.  Bea packs her queer-positive, campy, woman-positive, body-type-inclusive messages into a sexy and hilarious performance art shows and pieces that are beloved by queer and straight audiences alike. Not merely a burlesque dancer with sexy moves, Bea combines multimedia and interdisciplinary elements to create performances, shows and salons that are memorable, moving and completely unique. Primarily, Bea is the founder of Girlie-Q Productions, Chicago’s first & only and the nation’s oldest queer burlesque ensemble.  Like a fine wine, Ms. Bea just gets better with time. She is among a very small group of Chicago burlesque performers with a long and solid resume stretching back nearly a decade. As a video, performance and fine artist, her work has been seen throughout the country. She holds an MFA in interdisciplinary arts and media (with a focus on performance and video/new media) from Columbia College Chicago.

Co-Producers
Scarlett DeVille, Hot! Hot! Hot!
Scarlett DeVille is a vixen deluxe hailing from Chicago.  When she is not performing onstage with Girlie-Q or wrangling performer, her primary interested are looking pretty, causing trouble and of course, dancing.  She is Girlie-Q’s rockabilly and classic burlesque dancer and her acts fuse gorgeous over-the-top costuming, classic themes, and gorgeous dance moves.  She is the co-producer in charge of booking.

Cruel Valentine, Chicago’s Own Community Chest &
Everyone’s Favorite Plaything.
Cruel Valentine has spent the past several years singing, acting and of course dancing her way across the country. She blends her training and experience in theatre and spoken word as well as vocal and instrumental music and dance to create arresting, multifaceted numbers. Flawlessly fusing jazz, hip-hop, tap, ballet, swing, poetry, song, and performance art, she never refuses any opportunity to “go there”, make a mess, or stretch the limits of her art forms. She performs regularly with many of Chicago’s top burlesque companies, produces her own shows and is a member of the Girlie-Q ensemble and the co-producer in charge of the Girlie-Q Burlesque School.

Candyland/Candy Cadaver
Chicago’s Undead Burly Queen
CandyLand has been performing in Chicago for 5 years. You may have seen her with the Chicago Boi & Gurl Toiz, and at Chicago and Milwaukee Pride’s 2007 and 2008, as well as IDKE 2009. She has also performed with Hot & Heavy Burlesque, Dummy Corps and at various venue’s around the city.  She has a soft spot in her heart for the grotesque and naughty, and loves to play dead. Although she is a science-geek by day, you may see this one transform into a Zombie Pin-up Girl at night…watch out, this redheaded burlesque bombshell bites! Candyland is producer of TNT, a queer Chicago multidisciplinary production company and is the co-producer of Girlie-Q in charge of PR and street team, which means that you will probably see her in full costume at a queer event very soon!

Ensemble Members
Ammunition, Fully Loaded
Ammunition is the co-founder and performance specialist for the pervettes of SS-Triple X. She has been gracing the stages of Chicago since 2006. She harnesses such talents onstage such as grinder acts, fire eating and breathing and body modification performance art. Merging unconventional with sexual magnetism, Ammunition leaves the audience hot in their seats! She holds monthly residencies performing at Cobra Lounge’s “Post Apocalyptic Burlesque” and 1901 Gallery’s “In the Dark”. When offstage, you can find Ammunition at your local Army Surplus purchasing grenades, gas masks, and shiny weapons.

Paul Backer
Paul is a graduate of Second City Conservatory, Brave New Workshop and Annoyance Improv and sketch comedy schools. He has a BFA in Acting and Directing from Mesa State College. He has been providing comedy (usually with his wife Susie as the comedy duo “Pusie”) for burlesque shows across the country since 2005.  He first performed with Girlie-Q as the “Fairy Craigster”, the patron saint of Craigslist, in our Delight Before Christmas Show, where his fondness for showing off his huge package was revealed.  During the development of the show, Paul and wife Susie (along with guest star Special K) wrote most of the dialogue and bits.  He recently played Nigel in Hot N’ Heavy’s Burlesque Tribute to Spinal Tap and will be gracing the stage as Walter in Vaudezilla’s “Rollin’ Outta Here, Naked: A Big Lebowski Burlesque” this fall. He just realized he should say something funny so……. amalgamated platypus Titticaca.  He is a member of the Girlie-Q ensemble.

Shajara, Fusion Bellydancer