*Please note: the years listed are the years I found instances of burlesque, exotic dancers, or go-go dancers (etc.) not years of the venue’s operation. I’ve found over 200 venues in Nebraska and many venues in Iowa. My research has primarily been focused in Nebraska. There is undoubtedly more venues in Iowa that I haven’t added to this list.

Nebraska

AK-SAR-BEN

Carnival; 1900, 1913
Den Shows; 1898, 1923, 1926, 1933, 1936, 1937
Empire Exposition; 1933, 1934

Alda

The Edge Nightclub; 2013

Alliance

Alliance Theatre; 1941, 1945
Band Carnival at Alliance Junior High; 1963
Buckaroo Club in Van Tassel, WY; 1962
The Wonder Bar; 1972
Nude Dancer at Carnival; 1934

Arlington

Washington County Fair; 1940

Auburn

Bennett Theatre; 1927
Lansing Theatre; 1892

Aurora

American Legion No. 40 Aurora Post; 1926

Beatrice

American Legion Club; 1982
Beatrice Theatre; 1934
Gatsby’s Lounge; 1980
Jansen Hotel Steak House; 1969
Opera House; 1890
Riverside Park; 1933
Saida Club; 1970
The Pub; 1980-1982
VFW Club; 1983

Bellevue

E.S.P. Lounge; 1975-1976
The Star Bar; 1980

Bennet

Witt’s Place; 1977

Broken Bow

Campbell Cafe; 1943

Central City (Grand Island Metro)

Wayne Neilson’s ‘Lincoln Manor’; 1971

Chadron

120 Bar; 1971
77 Bar; 1972
Elks Lodge of Chadron at the Pace Theatre; 1928
The Cave; 1971

Columbus

The Bunny Club at the Evans House; 1964-1972
Columbus Theatre; 1935
Galaxy Productions; 1973
Swan Theatre; 1933
Billroy’s Comedians Tent Theatre at 21st St. & 27th Ave. Show Grounds; 1938
Weavers Inn; 1973

Douglas County Fair

Girlie-Girl/Burlesque Shows; 1955, 1958, 1965

Dunbar

The Dun Bar; 1993

Fairbury

Bonham Theatre; 1926
Tenth Inning Club; 1982

Falls City

Rivoli Theatre; 1939-1940

Fremont

Alibi Lounge; 1970-1973
American Legion Fair; 1923
Billroy’s Comedians Tent Theatre; 1938
Boomers Lounge; 1991
El Coco Lounge; 1973
Empress Theatre; 1933, 1955
Jamie’s Gentleman’s Club (never opened); 2007
Lariat Club; 1971-2005
Leisure Lounge; 1971
Love Theatre; 1967
Tiki Lounge; 1974
Valley View; 1973

Goehner

My Place; 2005

Grand Island

Capitol Theatre; 1939
Central States Carnival at Municipal Ball Park; 1954
Erin’s Pub; 1979
Grand Island Street Fair; 1910
The Pier; 1937
VFW Club; 1969
Wayne Neilson’s Lincoln Manor in Central City; 1970
West Lawn Chicken Inn; 1935

Harrison

FFA Stag Show; 1935

Hartington

Lyric Theatre; 1934

Hastings

Harold’s Club; 1970
Rivoli Theatre; 1934

Hay Springs

Star Theatre; 1936

Holdrege

Holdrege Auditorium; 1921, 1935
Sun Theatre; 1934

Kearney

The Backlot; 1974-1976, 2000
Copperfield’s; 2000
Crescent Theatre; 1911
Fireside Inn; 1976, 1993
The Fort; 1943
Jammers Roadhouse; 2009
Kearney Opera House; 1920
The Roman Bar; 2009
S-Y Acorn Lounge; 1986
World Theatre; 1934

Lincoln

Armadillo Lounge; 1981
Auto Club; 1928
Backstage Lounge; 1970
BJs Hideaway; 1977-1996
Black Coach; 1967-1969
Capitol Beach; 1946
Chamber of Commerce Stag Follies; 1940
Cheetahs; 2000
City of Lincoln- Recreation Department; 1968
Club Waldor; 1932
Cornhusker Hotel; 1930, 1933, 1966
Esquire Club; 1969
Foxy Lady; 1991
Fair Grounds; 1938
Funke’s Opera House; 1869, 1882
Governor’s Residence; 1921
Greater Orpheum Theatre; 1933, 1936-1937
Happy Hour Lounge; 1987
Hillcrest Country Club; 1966
Hollywood & Vine Theatres; 1976
JOYO Theatre; 1943-1949
Lincoln Post No. 3 American Legion & American Legion Auxiliary at the 40 & 8 Club; 1948
Liberty Theatre; 1919
Lincoln Hotel; 1921, 1922, 1929
Lincoln Theatre; 1909, 1933, 1936, 1940-1943, 1954
Lincoln Woman’s Club; 1926
Lyric Theatre; 1906, 1908
Mataya’s Babydolls; 2000
Morocco Lounge; 1973
Nebraska Theatre; 1940
Nebraska Showgirls Booking Agency; 1978
Night Before Lounge; 1978
Oliver Theatre; 1879, 1908-1916
Penthouse Lounge; 1969-1970
Pershing Auditorium; 1966
Peter McCue’s Niteclub; 1985
Rialto Theatre; 1923
Royal Grove; 1964
State Theatre; 1942-1945
Stuart Theatre; 1940, 1943
Sunset Party House; 1923, 1931, 1939-1948
Sweep Left Sports Club/Peter McCues Lounge; 1987-1990
Temple Theatre; 1917
The Turnpike; 1942
Theatre Guild; 1949
University of Nebraska, Lincoln – The Kosmet Klub; 1928, 1940
Varsity Theatre; 1943-1945, 1954
VFW at Aviation Post 1729; 1963
Viper Room/The Drunken Monkey; 2011
Wesleyan University – Alpha Kappa Delta; 1921
Witt’s Lounge; 1977
Y.M.C.A. Lincoln; 1932
Zoo Bar; 2011

Madison

Madison High School Auditorium; 1945

Morrill

Pep Club Athletic Banquet; 1960

Nebraska City

Booth Theatre; 1933
Overland Theatre; 1917
Wagon Wheel Niteclub; 1938

Nebraska State Fairs

Burlesque show/girlie show years: 1899, 1937, 1938, 1951-53, 1955, 1961, 1963-64, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1980
Complaints in newspapers that there was no burlesque/girlie show: 1954, 1962, 1965

Nebraska at the New York World’s Fair

1939 and 1940; Nebraska sent Rosita Royce (Lotus Marjorie Corrington) to perform her nude dance with doves at the New York World’s Fair. Learn more about Rosita Royce here.

Neligh

Riverside Park; 1953

Norfolk

Norfolk Auditorium; 1940
Norfolk Carnival; 1916

North Platte

Division 88, B. of L.E. presented the 52nd Annual May Party at the Jeffers Pavilion; 1934
Fireman’s Hall Stag Show; 1921
New Lloyd Opera House; 1908
Senior High School Auditorium ‘The Belle of Bagdad’ Operetta; 1934

O’Neill City

American Legion Auditorium – Farmer-Rancher Stag Party; 1948
Knights of Columbus Hall; 1921

Omaha

1512 Lounge; 1964-1974
33 Club; 1985, 1987
60 Club; 1936
76 West Dodge Drive-In Theatre; 1953, 1961
Academy of Music; 1879
AK-SAR-BEN Empire Exposition at AK-SAR-BEN Coliseum; 1933
AMVETS Club; 1946
Angelo’s Cocktail Lounge; 1947-1954
American Legion Lounge; 1952
Aviation Reserves Officer Club at the Rome Hotel; 1926
Bachelors III Lounge; 1971
Backdoor Lounge; 1985
Bell Hotel; 1955
Bittersweet Go Go Club; 1986-1987
Blackstone Theatre; 1944
Blondie’s Class Go Go Club; 1984
Body Shop Lounge; 1980
Bottoms Up Lounge; 1985
Boyd Theatre; 1890, 1909
Brandeis (RKO) Theatre; 1924, 1933-1934, 1949, 1952, 1958
Bunny Club at Diplomat Hotel (Lynn Russel); 1971
Bushes Underground; 1980
Cartiers; 2002
Caesar’s Palace; 1970-1971
Caesar’s West; 1969-1972
Capri Lounge; 1972
Carnation Ballroom; 1954-1958
Carnival in Omaha; 1930
CBC Enterprises; 1965
Cheetah Lounge; 1967-1977
Circle-C Bar; 1974
Cirino’s Lounge; 1966
City Auditorium Music Hall; 1955, 1961, 1964
Clover Leaf Club; 1935-1938
Club Harlem; 1936-1937
Club 15; 1987
Club Araby; 1932-1933
Club Omaha; 2018
Creighton University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon; 1975
Colony Club; 1960
Cotton Club; 1939
Dallow’s Hall; 1865
Deano’s Greek Village; 1976
Dime Eden Musee (Theatre); 1890
Diplomat Club; 1971
Douglas County Fair; 1965
Dundee Theatre; 1940, 1964
Elks Club; 1965
Entertainment Enterprises; 1971
Flamingo Show Palace; 1970-1971
Fontenelle Hotel; 1937, 1940
Gallery Lounge; 1965
Gayety Theatre; 1909-1928
Germania Hall; 1894
Gino’s; 1970
Goodfellas; 2014-2015
Green Door Lounge; 1971-72
Guys and Dolls Club; 1967-1971
Heet Lounge; 1973
Henshaw Cafe; 1920
Herald Square Theatre; 1906
Houseboat Party; 1925
Image 90 Lounge; 1970-1973
Inferno Lounge; 1976
Jabour Carnival and Circus Company at Courtiand Beach; 1903
K-VETS Club; 1955, 1956
Krug Theatre; 1907-1913
Lady Marmalade Productions; 1975
Larry’s Blossom C. Club; 1944
Leavenworth Hall; 1937
Lynn Russel’s Bunny Club; 1971
Maple Grove Tavern; 1936
Mickey’s No. 1 & No. 2; 1964-1980
Mickey’s Champagne A-Go-Go Room; 1965
Million Dollar Show Palace; 1991
Mr. Tease Go Go Club; 1986
Moon Theatre; 1920, 1926, 1929
Muse Theatre; 1959-1963
Music Box; 1940
Nasr’s Harem Lounge; 1965, 1973
Nebraska Music Hall; 1896
New Modern Club; 1934-1937
Night Moves Lounge; 1980
North Star Theatre; 1948
Off Beat Club; 1954-1964
Omaha Theatre; 1936, 1940, 1953
Omaha’s Variety Club; 1955
Only Chance Saloon; 1987
Orpheum Theatre; 1912, 1928, 1933-1939, 1942-1944, 1951, 1962
Palace Theatre; 1880
Paramount Theatre; 1929, 1934-35, 1940
Pee-Dee’s Supper Club; 1964-1971
Peony Park; 1937-1939
Peppermint Cave; 1962-1965
Plains Bar; 1953-1965
Races Nightclub; 1936-1938
Rainbow Post of the American Legion; 1965
Roam Inn; 1966
Rome Opry House; 1940
Romeo’s; 1971
Rose Blumpkin Theatre; 1929, 1934-1935, 1940
San Mortiz Lounge; 1971
Scottish Rite Cathedral – Christmas Pageant – Salome Act; 1924
Showgirls Unlimited; 1980
Sheraton Hotel; 1965
Silver Tap Room; 1962-1972
Skyview Drive In Theatre; 1973, 1985
State Theatre; 1933
Steven’s International House of Stars; 1971
Stork Club; 1942
Strand Theatre; 1921
Swingland Cafe; 1938
Trans-Mississippi Exposition; 1898
Town Theater; 1933-1944, 1952-1957
Trentino’s Pompeii Lounge; 1964
Trocadero Club; 1940
The Twenties; 1968-1969
Twins; 1971
University of Nebraska, Omaha; 1971
University of Omaha; 1914
Vagabond Lounge; 1971
Yano’s New Yorker; 1964-1965
World Theatre; 1929
Women’s Division of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; 1976

Papillion

Sarpy County Farm Stag Party; 1979

Pierce

Pierce Opera House; 1911

Rushville

Yankee Robinson Circus; 1917

Salem

Big Red “N” Club; 1978

Scottsbluff

Library Lounge; 1992-1994
Movie Theatre; 1958
Rustic Inn; 1938
Stable Club; 1951

Seward

Rivoli Theatre; 1933

Sidney

Fox Theatre; 1941
Sidney Street Fair; 1912

South Sioux City, NE & SD

Flamingo Inn; 1965
Jo’s Cocktail Lounge; 1964

Spalding

Idylhour Theatre; 1939

St. Paul

High School Auditorium – Music Department – ‘The Belle of Bagdad’ Operetta; 1933

Tamora

Tamora Athletic Club; 1911
Grand Theatre; 1911

Tecumseh

Chamber of Commerce; 1955

Valparaiso

Valparaiso Theatre; 1932

Waverly

Shakers, 1995-2017
Waverly Farms MiniMart & Restaurant; 1987

Wayne

Wayne State University – ‘The Belle of Bagdad’ Operetta; 1932
Wayne Women’s Club at the Community House; 1922

Wilbur

“Hawaiian Village” at Wilbur Carnival; 1935

Winslow

Cafe 77; 1998

York

Billroy’s Comedians Tent Theatre; 1938
York Auditorium – ‘The New Telephone Girl’; 1903

Iowa

Afton

Bert’s Pub & Grub; 2004

Algona

Algona Theatre; 1930

Ames

Dave’s Lounge; 1971
The Peanut Tree Night Club; 1972

Burlington

Capitol Paramount Theatre; 1929, 1936
Iowa Theatre; 1936
Rialto Theatre; 1937
Thornwood Garden & Ballroom; 1937

Carpenter

Unknown Bar had Male Exotic Dancers; 1996

Carter Lake

Apache Lounge; 1965-1966
Nite Life Lounge; 1976
Sassy Lady; 1987

Cedar Rapids

300 Steak Lounge; 1967
Academy Theatre; 1979
Cedar Rapids Drive In Movie Theater; 1955
Club Basix; 1979
Doylar’s; 1983
Flame Room’s Fox & Hounds Lounge; 1970
Hawkeye Downs Theater; 1958
Hayes Music Box; 1941
Iowa Theater; 1942, 1970
Marion Theater; 1945
Meeting Place; 1970-1971, 1979, 1982
Memorial Coliseum; 1948
Montrose Hotel and Motor Inn; 1968
Paramount Theater; 1936, 1956
Pleasers Entertainment; 2000
Polly’s Penthouse; 1971
Sip ‘N’ Stir; 1969-1971
State Theater; 1941, 1943
Thornwood Garden & Ballroom; 1937
Thunderbird Lounge; 1970
Twixt Town Drive In Movie Theater; 1971
Woody’s Show Club; 2016

Clarence

Unnamed Tavern; 1975

Council Bluffs

Bittersweet Lounge; 1975-1985
Blondie’s; 1984-1985
Bloom & Nixon’s Opera House; 1878-1879
Bluffs Legion Post; 1957
Bottoms Up Lounge; 1987
Burhop’s Opera House; 1872
Burtis Opera House; 1887
Capitol Theatre; 1932-1936
Council Bluffs Drive In Movie Theatre; 1951
Crest Theater; 1972-1977
Dancing Coliseum; 1932
Dohany’s Opera House; 1872-1876
Lusty Lady Lounge; 1976
Mickey’s Razzle Dazzle; 1987
Mississippi Valley Fair; 1949
Strand Theatre; 1932
Thrill-A-Friend; 1984
Tri-City Theatrical Exchange; 1945

Crescent

Crescent Ski Lodge; 1970

Davenport

American Theatre; 1918
Angela’s Exotic Dancers; 1988
Association Hall; 1879
Burtis Opera House; 1869-1914
Capitol Theatre; 1936
Chorus Line Nightclub; 1992-1993
Columbia Theatre; 1918
Dolls Unlimited; 1993
Garden Theatre; 1932, 1936-1937
KISSES Exotic Dancers; 1993
Masonic Temple Auditorium; 1932, 1939
Oates Burlesque Troupe; 1869-1870
Orpheum Theatre; 1934, 1936-1937
Sugar’s Dancers; 1993-1996
The Ultimate; 1988
Tuxedo’s Show Club; 1992-2019

Des Moines

Academy of Music; 1879
B.J.’s Lounge; 1984
Berchel Theatre; 1919, 1921, 1924
Blue Garter Club; 1965
Chris’ Tap on Main Street; 1993
Cole Circus; 1944
Des Moines Theatre; 1932
Garrick Theatre; 1924
Grand Opera House; 1871-1885
Ingersoll Dinner Theatre; 1985-86
Iowa State Fair; 1951, 1978
Lyceum Theatre; 1915
Moore’s Hall; 1871
Outer Edge Club; 2000
Paramount Theatre; 1936
President Theatre; 1936-37
Shrine Auditorium; 1938
Strand Theatre; 1928
Traveling Burlesque Troupe; 1936

Dubois

Ramshorn Inn; 1989

Dubuque

Local Theatre – Neryda the Snake Dancer; 1926

Glenwood

Playhouse Performing Arts Center; 1990+

Iowa City

Kennedy’s Lounge; 1969
University of Iowa, 1967

Iowa Falls

Juice Bar; 1996

Keokuk

Gibbon’s Opera House; 1868

Logan

Shirley’s Northside Bar; 1975

Marshalltown

Odeon Theatre; 1920

Mason City

Leon’s; 1965

Mingo

Back Forty Tavern; 1986

Moline

The Annex; 1972
Moline Theatre; 1912

Muscatine

Old’s Opera House; 1874-1876
Tremont Hall; 1873

Postville

Postville Theatre; 1930

Prairieburg

Prairie Lounge Tavern; 1981

Sidney

Sidney Rodeo; 1965

Sioux City

Academy of Music; 1871-1879
Club Majestic; 1937
Crazy Horse Gentleman’s Club Inc., 1997

Waterloo

Capitol Theatre; 1937
Iowa Theatre; 1937
Old Town Inn; 1971
Paramount Theatre; 1929
Riviera Theatre; 1928
Strand Theatre; 1941, 1945
The Whitehall Pub; 1971
Waterloo Theatre; 1920