Get sacrilegious on Good Friday with vaudeville sideshow Freaksheaux to Geaux. The macabre troupe of performers is celebrating its third annual Resurrect-Aversary at 10 p.m. on April 18th at the AllWays Lounge.
Complete with burlesque, acrobatics and rapturous hellfire, Freaksheaux’s third Resurrect-Aversary is a shamelessly fun way to start off Easter weekend.
Freaksheaux to Geaux proprietress Judith Kali founded the group in 2011 out of a desire to create a sideshow with a distinct New Orleans flair. The Crescent City was already dripping with burlesque, but vaudeville was in dire need of a revival, Kali said.
“We’re trying to do a departure from most vaudeville shows that are purely centered on strip tease by including some more variety acts,” she said. “Freaksheaux is something I started to be challenging.”
Freaksheaux to Geaux’s debut performance fell on the night before Easter, prompting Kali to ironically name the show “the Resurrection.” Keeping with tradition, Freaksheaux celebrates its anniversary every April with the Resurrect-Aversary.
On the Freaksheaux stage, Kali assumes the alter ego of daring fire dancer Mistress Kali. The Mistress has performed with fire for 12 years, but she also is skilled in pole dancing, burlesque and lying on a bed of nails.
Among Freaksheaux’s other notable performers are Sam the Aquatic, Freaksheaux’s star contortionist and acrobat, and local darling Oops the Clown. The Resurrect-Aversary also features a live band and performers from around the country. This year’s special guests are Sidetracked, an award-winning comedic duo from Philadelphia that specialize in vaudeville-style storytelling and comedy.
Though Freaksheaux is a relatively new group, Kali said its eclectic cast of performers draws audiences from all ages.
“We definitely appeal to the 21-35 age range, but we have folks up into their 80s watching. It makes me really happy and proud,” Kali said.
Despite Freaksheaux to Geaux’s rapid growth, Kali is already developing new ideas to expand the local and regional vaudeville community. Freaksheaux to Geaux is heading out on the road to perform in regional festivals and events. The circus recently performed in San Antonio, TX, for a packed house. The concept of a new vaudeville festival is also brewing amongst Kali and her cohorts.
“I really want to bring a little piece of New Orleans out to other cities,” Kali said. “We are definitely doing more small tour events. We went from monthly to quarterly shows so we could work on more out-of-town shows.”
The Resurrect-Aversary is one of the last opportunities to see lurid circus Freaksheaux to Geaux before the troupe leaves on tour. General admission for this irreverent event costs $15 at the door.
Patrons can also purchase VIP tickets in advance to get “splash zone” seating and table service.
