At a bar in Los Angeles, burlesque dancer Jessabelle Thunder takes the stage to perform for a mostly white audience. She is the only Black performer on the lineup.
As she sashays and dances for the crowd, they’re polite, their subtle, respectful claps akin to those reserved for a golf tournament.
That is, except for one table tucked away in the corner where two women are enjoying their date night. Once Jessabelle took to the stage, the women erupted in applause, eagerly soaking in the representation of themselves they saw in the performer.
Mariah Kunkel, who was working at that bar, watching the show along with everyone immediately saw a need that had to be filled.
“I saw them (the couple) and thought to myself, ‘I want to be in a room that feels like that’”, Kunkel said.
Shortly after, she approached Thunder with the idea for Brown Sugar Burlesque, a pop-up show centered around celebrating women of color in an environment that is safe and representative of the type of show they would want to see.
As the idea evolved, they enlisted the help of heavy hitters in the bar industry, Paige Walwyn and Linda Douglas. With plenty of notable accolades between them, these bartenders have been instrumental in making sure that the essence of Brown Sugar Burlesque is reflected in the way cocktails are made and with which brands they choose to partner with.
Since its inception in 2023, the ladies of Brown Sugar Burlesque have made it clear that their shows are anything but pedestrian.
Performers are showered in dollar bills and R&B tunes fill the space while they move about the immaculate art deco bar at Checker Hall in Highland Park, the current home of Brown Sugar Burlesque.
“Performers come into this space knowing that the entire room is there to support them,” Kunkel said. “The energy that is shared is so special.”
The experience of the consumer is just as important. For every Brown Sugar popup, a guest bartender curates a cocktail menu for the night, keeping approachability in mind.
The cocktails are straightforward with minimal frills, taking on an approach that is centered around inclusivity and eliminating the intimidation factor that can sometimes come with ordering craft cocktails.
For the first Brown Sugar Burlesque show of the year on Feb. 18, Ebony Ziegler of Long Beach’s Wicked Wolf will be stepping behind the bar with a specially curated menu.
For one cocktail in particular, she’s taken inspiration from Toni Elling, the first-ever Black burlesque dancer.
“Being a part of Brown Sugar Burlesque is a very unique (and) wonderful experience,” Ziegler said. “I’m most looking forward to watching the performers exist in their creative element. Watching live performances is a gift to the human experience.”
In a short amount of time, Brown Sugar Burlesque has positioned itself as a destination, a place to be and be seen. It’s an opportunity for people to break from their norm.
Attendees show up dressed to impress and indulge in the experience of stepping out for a night of libations, entertainment and reveling in all that makes us beautiful.
The show has become just as much about celebrating the performers as it is about celebrating who comes to see it.
“This is something for us, by us,” Kunkel said. “Everyone’s invited….as long as they act right”.
Tickets have already sold out for their upcoming show on Feb. 18, but to keep tabs on when and where Brown Sugar Burlesque will be performing next, make sure to visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
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