We recently connected with Franky Dynamite and have shared our conversation below.

Franky, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

More a series of projects. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, local entertainment and the businesses which enabled it to thrive were devastated. While all of us at The Flamingo Revue hoped that the shutdown would be short-lived, by April of 2020, it was clear that it wouldn’t be. We shifted to online productions. Normally, with a burlesque show, a venue’s ASCAP/BMI licenses cover the fees necessary to allow us to perform acts to the music we love. The rules are vastly different when it comes to streaming acts which includes that music over the internet. Ultimately, we concluded that if we were going to ask people to pay to see our art, we couldn’t in good conscience steal the art of others in order to create our own shows, specifically the music we utilized. Instead, we partnered with musicians here in Charlotte, as well as other independent artists across the state, region, and nation, to ensure that we were featuring music legally, but in such a way that also helped the musicians. Every show included links to where our audience could purchase the music used to create our acts.

As the shutdown dragged on, however, we knew that we wanted to do something to support our local venues here in Charlotte. We partnered with four venues which have featured burlesque here, went into those venues while they were still closed, and filmed acts for a production called A Night On the Town. 100% of our proceeds from that show went to those venues to aid them in their efforts to survive while the state mandated they remain closed for business.

This period in The Flamingo Revue’s history was meaningful to me because it showed me the character of the performers in The Flamingo Revue and other entertainers here in Charlotte. These are artists who understand that art isn’t just about creating. It’s about giving back and showing respect. I’m proud of these performers for selflessly offering their talents, time, and money to support noble causes within our community. And I’m proud of them for showing that even throughout one of the darkest times in our history, we could still find ways to come together to support one another and our community.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was first introduced to burlesque through an ex-girlfriend in 2009. I mostly stuck to the audience, though over the next ten years, I would occasionally find myself writing and co-emceeing shows. An incredible performer from Knoxville, TN, Hellcat Harlowe, went so far to refer to me as a “co-producer” when talking to others (though I fully maintain that I didn’t do anywhere near enough to merit that title). By 2018, however, the burlesque community in Charlotte centered around one individual who had proven over the years to be a legitimate danger to performers. It was Hellcat Harlowe who suggested that I had the knowledge and ability to create a show. So I did.

Myself and some friends did our very first show, The Flamingo Revue, on April 6, 2019. The entire purpose behind it was a group of friends coming together in a manner that is safe for all. We found the process of putting that show together exciting, so much so that we decided The Flamingo Revue should become a troupe. We never just wanted to be a group of people that simply associate when we have shows. We wanted to become a family, a collective of artists who support one another, who share the same values and the same vision, who believe in the virtue of giving back, who believe that burlesque can and should be welcoming and opening to everyone who wishes to be a part of it.

I certainly can’t speak to the camaraderie that other troupes or entertainment collectives experience, so I don’t want to suggest that what we in The Flamingo Revue share is different from others. I can only hope that other groups share even half of what we’re able to experience because those bonds are a shot of adrenaline straight to an artist’s heart. In one another, these performers find affirmation that they are valid and that their art is valid. They know they have a place. They know that they are respected and loved. All of us in The Flamingo Revue recognize just how empowering burlesque can be, and we believe that everyone should have access to that. Burlesque is power, and without diversity, without equality, without inclusivity, it’s meaningless. We all share the belief that one can’t create great art without first being a good person. It’s that principle that drives us in everything we do.

As for what sets us apart…we tend to have a lot more flamingo paraphernalia lurking around than you’ll find at other shows.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Go see a show. Visit a gallery exhibit. Buy a record. Tell your friends, tell your family. If you love something, help it grow by telling someone else. Let them experience it, too. Embracing art and embracing artists allows both to endure.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I never had any aspirations on becoming a burlesque producer or emcee. It all happened purely by happenstance. I loved seeing what my friends created. The most rewarding aspect of what I do in The Flamingo Revue is knowing that people I respect and admire have a platform and a place, a SAFE platform and a SAFE place, to create and share their art. They’re afforded room to grow. They know that what we want to see on stage is THEM, so nothing is off the table. Over the past three and a half years, I’ve been able to see new performers grow into talented entertainers. I’ve seen burlesque veterans take the leap to producing shows of their own. I’ve seen artists who have been in this industry for years actively seek to take part in crafting a path for those only just taking their first steps in burlesque. I’ve always said that I’m the least important member of this troupe. The rest of the Flock…just being able to play a role in what they continue to achieve is the most rewarding aspect of what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.flamingorevue.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/flamingorevue
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/flamingorevue
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/theflamingorevue

Image Credits
Rick Dingwall (1, 2, 4, 8), Josh Faggart (6), Lisa Margolis (5, 7), Joseph Bodkin (9), Ron Tencati (3)