Summary: “Why not make pasties out of glitter-covered infant bottle nipples?” Burlesque performer and producer Gina Woods aka Gina Louise and her husband director and corporate communications expert David Mann balancing art and practicality. David talks about his work sharing communication tools and skills with Lawyers and sales people. He talks about how he uses the tools of theater and applies them to whatever work his clients are engaged in. And how he’s worked to find creative fulfillment in that work to see it as something more than just a job. Gina talks about incorporating humor in her burlesque shows and how rare it is to find an art form that incorporates sexuality, glamour, and slapstick comedy. She talks about the ability to address gender inequality and body norms through burlesque. And how it’s a performance style that can lend itself to themes and storytelling. “Some people start out thinking “I came here for the boobies,” and what do you know these people are funny and intelligent” They talk about having two sons and the resulting 20-minute cycle of happily playing together and then fighting with each other. David talks about the burdens placed on an older brother that are simply unavoidable. “The most concentrated theater performance part of my life was the five years before we had kids” David shares how his early work as a writer was largely shaped by stealing plots, and sometimes full scenes, from Encyclopedia Brown books. And about his first big break on stage as an elementary student portraying a midget. David also talks about having a degree in speech and yet feeling surprised to find himself working almost entirely in communication fields. Gina talks about studying ballet, modern dance, and gymnastics but really wanting to become a mixture of Cher and Carol Burnett. She talks about being a performer as a child but finding her desire to perform fulfilled for a long time by being a classroom teacher. And not even trying out burlesque until she was in her mid-30s. “I know everybody says it changes your life, but I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, it’ll be fine”
