Friday, July 13, 2012

Male Exotic Dancers? Yes, I Did the Research Years Before "Magic Mike"


 I get raucous laughter whenever I talk about the research I did (2 years of it) before writing the play "El Bandido".  

     "El Bandido" is the prodigal son story about a young man secretly tormented by inner demons, making him the black sheep of his family, since these "demons" cause him to make one bad judgement call after anther.  After squandering all of his cash, he launches out into the world of male exotic dancing, to make a living.

 I was taught at the beginning of my writing career, never to write about anything I didn't know.  Write what you know, and if you don't know, do the research.  While taking public transportation, I was accosted by someone handing out very colorful postcard flyers.  Upon closer examination of the flyer, I realized that I was looking pictures of about six chocolate and caramel colored Adonises!  These drop-dead-gorgeous men possessed physiques brazenly adorned with protruding muscles.  I had never seen anything like it, and I was intrigued.  I stared at their faces, trying to see past their forced alluring expressions.  Who were these men, and was taking off their clothes a viable option for them?  I also thought if any of these questions could be answered, it would make for a very interesting story.  It never ceases to amaze me how stories find their way to me.

     The research I did - starting in 202 - was a story in itself.  Male exotic dancing, or male entertainment as insiders are calling it now, was beginning to emerge from the dark underbelly of society.  For a long time it was a hush-hush little vice that women shared strictly by word-of-mouth.   I went to every club, hall, or party - which was featuring a male exotic revue - that I could find.  I discovered that once you attended one of these events, the next event would find you.  When the organizers of the show realized why I was there, I was treated with the utmost of respect, and allowed to sit near the DJ, or bouncers, so that I would not be approached by any of the dancers.

     Allow me to say that these gentlemen could teach a lesson on showmanship to any entertainer. Each performer had his own personae down pat, with elaborate costumes and his own "walk-in" music to boot.  Their entrances were dramatic and painstakingly timed, stirring the women up who had been waiting for their favorite dancer.  It was a spectacle that I could respect, coming from a theater background.  These men were giving their audiences the same thing I gave my audiences...drama!  I was eager to interview everybody, from the bouncers to the scantily clad women who arrived with dollars in their hands.

     All of the male entertainers I interviewed were thoughtful, intelligent, and straight.  Most of them had a current girlfriend, or wife, accompanied by a house full of their own offspring.  All of them were dancing for the money...duh, right?  One dancer told me that if he knew about this when he was in college, paying tuition and book fees would've been much easier.  Another gentlemen got involved in the industry when he was no more than a teen.  Professional dancers ran in his family, and he loved all types of dance; tap, jazz, Hip Hop, you name it.  However, he was starting to get into trouble and he didn't want to go to jail, like so many of his acquaintances.  He found out, through a friend, that he could make all the money he wanted - legally - doing what he loved to do, while meeting all the pretty women his ego could handle.

     The variety of women I interviewed ran the entire spectrum of our society.  I couldn't say what type of women attend these shows because all types find themselves sliding dollar bills into loin cloths of these dancers.  I spoke to secretaries, managers, single moms, grandmothers, teachers, executives, and young women just emerging from their teens.  Each woman had her own reason for attending, none of them were ashamed.  They came through wearing the shortest skirts and dresses I've ever seen, with plunging necklines, barely concealing their nipples, topped off with fishnet stockings and platform heels.  I couldn't understand why women came dressed for a lover rather than a show.  One dancer explained it this way:  "I'm her fantasy.  Her imaginary lover.  I like it when they come dressed like that...just for me."  
The reasons why women paid good money to attend these revues are just as varied as the women themselves.
     "This is how I unwind."
     "I come here to get myself ready for my husband!"
     "My girlfriend has a crush on one of the dancers."
     "My husband is one of the dancers."
     "I came to see my favorite dancer!"
     And the list goes on. 

One of the more popular dancers explained to me that, "Ultimately, these ladies put everything aside to attend one of these events because they're in dire need of affection.  Their man's not showing them any affection at home.  The number one request I get...is for a hug."

Next week, I'll discuss what the female exotic dancers were like.  Yes, I had to see them perform as well, and it was a sad, but eye-opening experience.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING STAGE PRODUCTION OF "EL BANDIDO" JUST CALL 215.469.5373.  TO SEE THE TRAILER FOR "EL BANDIDO"  JUST GO TO:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52T9EafNW4I

You may also purchase tickets online: www.landmark.ticketleap.com/el-bandido.