09/11/2025
On paper, 2024 was a monumental year for the Naughty Menagerie. We secured a 6-month residency with a dream venue, sold out repeated shows, worked with over 40 performers and artists, and welcomed hundreds of new patrons to the world of burlesque. We also interviewed people we love and admire about burlesque in the DMV for a documentary set to debut in early 2026.
2025 has been our year of incubation, and deep rest, as well as BTS conjuration of exciting new work, costumes, and projects. We secured another grant to put the finishing touches on a documentary detailing the world of burlesque as art form, sacred space, political tool, and mode of resistance. We can’t wait to share more about it with our collaborators Maki Roll and Billy Causey.
Sedusa:
Personally, I’ve realized that burlesque is an energetic and alive passion—one I can escape to and feel seen in. It’s a safe space, but also a challenging space that reminds me of my own internal power and prowess. However, it is not my calling. The level of energy I was pouring into the art form wasn’t sustainable for me as a human out of character. I run a thriving design studio in Baltimore that takes up a large part of my time and energy. And As we move forward, I’m engaging with this art form in ways that honor both my love for it and my life outside of it.
Rosie:
What a year 2025 has been so far! It’s been an interesting year – for better and definitely for worse. Since injuring my ankle back in October 2024, I have been taking a slight step back from performing and producing to focus on healing. I have been making a smooth recovery and have even entered my final semester of grad school this fall — I’m expecting to earn my Master’s Degree in December. I’m looking forward to celebrating that milestone as well as celebrating the release of the documentary. Hoping to return to producing shows in 2026, so stay tuned!
Photo credit of Sedusa: Lee Cochran
Photo credit of Rosie Beret:
