The new school year is just underway, but it’s already prom season at the Village Theatre.
But it’s a decidedly different prom – for adults (21 and over) – with Taboo Prom, Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m., hosted by Taboo Burlesque, at Village Theatre, 2113 E. 11th St., Village of East Davenport. The troupe did their first show in June 2021 at the Village.
Usually performing about four shows per year, they have a core group of about 18 performers, headed by founder Karen Westmoreland, who performs as Kinky Taboo.
The Taboo Prom will not be a burlesque performance, but a more traditional dance and relaxed hang-out, she said Thursday.
People don’t have to come to Taboo Prom as a couple, but just to have fun. “We’ll all be taking selfies together,” Westmoreland said. “It’s like prom, but a grown-up version. We’re all nice to each other. We’re going to have a good, relaxed time. We’re all gonna cheer for whoever is royalty.”
“It’s basically prom for adults – it’s not a show at all,” Westmoreland said. The $35 ticket will get you a glass of Champagne, hors d’oeuvres, a raffle ticket for a chance to be prom king or queen, and stylish photos from Honey and Ether Photography.
There will be a photo set created on stage, for people to pose, and the edited photos will be sent digitally later, Westmoreland said. Rock Island-based Honey and Ether has taken many photos for Taboo and other burlesque troupes.
“There are a lot of people who didn’t go to prom, or didn’t like their prom, and it was high school,” she said.
“We’re past that pressure where it’s the best years of our lives; now we just get to have fun with it,” Village Theatre general manager Matt Moody said. “Back then, the stakes were so high for prom. Now, it’s just an opportunity to dress up and have a good time.”
The music will be provided by Jessica Klockau (Mistress Morningstar in the troupe), who does lights and sound for Taboo shows. The troupe has a playlist that’s “ridiculously empowering for women,” Westmoreland said, noting several songs by female rappers like Qveen Herby.
“There’s this whole new genre of empowering women,” she said.
Taboo’s style is classic burlesque, Westmoreland said. “Under that, they can pretty much do whatever they want,” she said, noting a number of members are witches.
The Village Theatre has a rack of formal dresses from the former Special Effects Fashion Boutique (3126 Avenue of the Cities, Moline) that closed over the summer, and people can come in and get one for free.
New performers
Taboo Burlesque has added three new performers, after Taboo had their first burlesque academy, which started last April at the Village. There were 15 in the class, that met most Sundays.
The students did their own show in June at the Village. “We just wanted to share what we’ve done with people,” Westmoreland said.
“Doing a whole burlesque academy, putting on a show, teaching people A to Z is a lot – in addition to both of us have full-time jobs,” she said. “It’s kind of consuming. I was doing workshops for the first year. A lot of times, people will want to learn our group routines.”
One of the performers, Lady Gotcha, does her routine on roller skates (she’s also a member of the Quad City Rollers). She’s taught the academy, which will be every other year, Westmoreland said.
“The amount of vulnerability that students and new performers have, it’s inspiring to me. I love it,” she said. In the academy, women did not have to take off a certain amount of their costume, since some people aren’t ready for that.
“There’s no pressure,” Westmoreland said. Individual routines are all different, based on the person. “There’s only so many moves, to try and keep it fresh and exciting.”
During shows, there are often standing ovations and most shows sell out, which is gratifying, she said.
Creating a burlesque character and personality is both healing and revealing, Westmoreland (who joined Bottoms Up Burlesque a decade ago) said.
Needs at 114-year-old theater
The Village Theatre is the former 1909 Turner Hall, with the stage dating from 1925.
In early 2021, the roof went critically bad, and started leaking, Moody said. That spring, they tore off six inches of asphalt and replaced the roof. Moody wants to convert the balcony into office space, storage and space for sound and lights, create a new box office near the entrance, and renovate the downstairs green room for performers.
“They’re giving us a big boost by holding an event strictly for our repairs, maintenance and improvements,” he said of Taboo Burlesque.
The current floor was exposed in 2019 after taking out old carpeting, with the old Turner Hall of East Davenport logo on the former basketball court. “That was still there and we’re keeping that,” Moody said.
There’s not a fundraising goal for Sept. 8. The Village often has hosted fundraising events for other nonprofits, like the Humane Society of Scott County.
The theater has hosted 35 shows and events so far this year, including the Aug. 27 Eclectic Market (the next one is Oct. 1). Others have included benefits for people affected by the Davenport apartment building collapse, and for Moody’s friend Becky Wren who’s dealing with cancer.
Taboo will have their next show Oct. 13-14 at the Village. Prenzie Players produced their first production in nearly four years (“Much Ado About Nothing”) in early August 2023 at the Village, and they will have a joint fundraiser for the two groups this coming January.
Reservations must be made for Taboo Prom by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, available HERE.
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