The Underwear Academy 8/1

Dear Constant Reader,

This was our second on-line show and we tried a few experiments, some successful, some not.

The first was that the show was themed around a TV series. We’re all big fans of The Umbrella Academy and were so excited when the announcement for season 2 dropped. And thus The Underwear Academy was born.

One of the things we loved about the first season was the killer soundtrack. Everyone chose songs that spoke to them and created acts around them, not necessarily Umbrella Academy-themed. Just two of the acts used other music, but they were thematically related.

The second thing that was new and different was that we figured because we weren’t pretending to be on a stage, or even all in the same place, we’d have some fun with the videos and explore the options of editing. Scratch handled all the editing (and some of the filming), except for one act.

The last and hardest new thing was that some of this show was broadcast live. We used a program called StreamYard, which worked like a dream in a couple of tests, but, of course, was all kinds of problematic when it came to showtime. I think some of the issues have been figured out. I think…

And here’s how The Underwear Academy went…

One of the lessons we learned from our first on-line show was not to start on the dot of eight, like we would with a show with an in-person audience. So this show opened with a countdown timer and then another countdown, more in character. Scratch was hosting live between each act as well as running all the tech.

Opening Credits

Ava Fox: Good Morning Little School Girl (Johnny Lang)
This was the first number that didn’t use a song from the show. It had Ava in a schoolgirl outfit, completely with rhinestoned umbrella patch on her blazer and UA mask, performing in a ruined classroom (did I mention we got a green screen?).

Betty Blaize: Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (They Might Be Giants)
Our first live act! Betty performed direct from her living room!
One of her earliest stripteases was done to this song, but she’s upgraded the costume quite a bit since then. Her gorgeous outfit started its life as a wedding outfit she bought in Hyderabad, India and modified into a burlesque costume.

Devastasia: Stormy Weather (Emmy Raver-Lampman)
Despite the stormy weather, Devastasia has her usual sunny smile as she teases with a parasol (back lace, of course) amid her plants and skulls. I was really excited to see this one as Devastasia hasn’t been able to come to rehearsal and has been working with Scratch remotely. This video was edited by Dave D’anranjo.

Anita Stagename: Don’t Stop Me Now
Anita sang and accompanied herself on the keyboard in front of an appropriately apocalyptic background. I think this was the PMJ arrangement of the song.

Mina Murray: Never Tear Us Apart (Paloma Faith)
This was one of the acts that both used music from the show *and* was directly inspired by it. I loved the song, but had no idea what to do with it. Scratch, looking in my closet, suggested I dress as The Handler. I’m pleased to say it all came together after that. I did have to buy a wig, fingerless gloves, and red Pleasers, but everything else — dress, lingerie, all accessories — came from my wardrobe. I did have to modify the dress to put in pockets to hold my sunglasses and cigarette case (which I ended up stashing in my bra instead). Scratch provided the briefcase.

We shot this on three locations at The Manor so I could “time travel” between them. I may have a reputation for always looking cool and collected and I hope that came through because it was 95 degrees at 11 o’clock at night. We did minimal takes of each scene so nobody died. The last scene was a single take, so I hope it looked good!

Lady Marin Era and Penny Rain: Happy Together (Gerard Way (feat. Ray Toro))
Our apprentices in a duet! Betty Blaize created this adorable choreography with umbrellas for the two of them. Marin and Penny worked really hard on this and it’s certainly not easy performing a duet by yourself, as they did on film.

Scratch: Magic
I know it was a card trick, but at this point I was no longer watching the show.

Boobdini: Burlesque Deck commercial
Our good friend Lili VonSchtupp (aka Boobdini) has a great new project, The Burlesque Deck, available now! 26 gorgeous performers in 54 fabulous poses on playing cards! You should get one and play with yourself!

Ava Fox: Mad About You (Hooverphonic)
Ava, dressed simply in thigh-highs and a man’s shirt, shows up her sultry dance abilities and acrobatic floorwork skills. Beautiful and powerful.

There was a technical issue with this file so that it didn’t upload properly. Scratch figured ended up doing a screen share later in the show, but it was supposed to go here. I’m glad he managed to make it work because it would have been a terrible shame to leave it out.

Anita Stagename: Dancing in the Moonlight
This song showcases Anita’s beautiful voice so well. I wasn’t waiting the show at this point, so I don’t know if she had another great background.

Betty Blaize: Kill of the Night (Gin Wigmore)
I believe this song was everyone’s second choice song, but only Betty managed to pull it off. She drew upon her many years of training in both martial arts and dance to create this menacing choreography.

Mina Murray: Heroes (Pete Gabriel)
This was the other song that wasn’t actually used in the show*. It seems thematic though. As much as I love the Bowie original, the Gabriel version is so hauntingly anguished. I was so nervous, like I haven’t been in years, maybe decades, to perform this live. I think it came out okay though.

At about noon (with the show launching at 8pm), Scratch said “I think you should wear a mask”, by which he meant the current style, not a superhero mask. I dashed to my sewing room and made one, realized it wouldn’t show up well on video, and made another one. Then practiced the act while wearing it.

*It was used in Stranger Things though…

Ava Fox, Betty Blaize, Devastasia, Devora Darling, Evie Sphinx, Mina Murray, Scratch: I Think We’re Alone Now (Tiffany)
One of the great things about filming remotely is that some of our far-flung troupe members could participate! We were so happy to have Evie and D.D. performing with us again (Brigitte is out on maternity leave right now).

This act was probably the most inspired by the show, or really, the second season teaser. All of us created an act to “I Think We’re Alone Now” somewhere in our respective houses, which Scratch then intercut together. For the final section we had a unison choreography (again created by Betty) and all six of us appeared on the screen together, yet separate.

I filmed my scenes in the bathtub and it worked out that you only actually see my face once. Betty writhed on her kitchen island, Ava sauntered down creepiest hallway ever, while Devastasia was in the conservatory with a watering can. Evie was moving boxes into an empty room and D.D. looked a bit like the Creepy Doll in her rocking chair.

Closing credits with bloopers and bonus post-credit scene

This was a huge amount of work, but also a lot of fun along the way. I’m sorry that technology conspired to give our audience a less smooth broadcast than we expected. I think all the videos came out beautifully. We might present an encore performance, but that would require reshooting Scratch’s hosting bits and we’ve got some other projects on the immediate horizon that are going to take a lot of our time.

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