Category: 1950s-1960s
-
Mickey Sparano’s A-Go-Go Empire | Omaha, NE
At the height of Omaha’s nightlife boom, Mickey Sparano built an A-Go-Go empire that drew an eclectic roster of performers.… Read more.
-
History of Angelo’s Cocktail Lounge and the Di Giacomo Venues in Omaha, NE
Angelo’s Cocktail Lounge began its life at 1017 South 10th Street, operating by the early 1950s in the heart of… Read more.
-
The Legacy of the Dreamland Theatre in Tulsa
The Dreamland Theatre stood at the heart of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, a community built through Black entrepreneurship, mutual support, and… Read more.
-
Burlesque in Davenport, IA | Part 2
During the 1960s through the 1990s, Davenport stood at the heart of a thriving erotic‑entertainment circuit in the Quad Cities.… Read more.
-
History of Burlesque in Council Bluffs, IA
Council Bluffs has always been a city of crossroads — a place where travelers, traders, and dreamers converged along the… Read more.
-
Iretha “Pepper Pot” Tucker
Born in 1926 in Kansas City, Missouri, Iretha Tucker—née Greer—was a firecracker on stage and a force in midcentury Black… Read more.
-
The Ebony Dancers of Kansas City
In the heart of Kansas City’s vibrant Black entertainment scene, a dazzling troupe emerged in 1950 that blended rhythm, spectacle,… Read more.
-
Jayne Mansfield: A Bombshell in Burlesque
Jayne Mansfield didn’t grace the stage of Minsky’s or twirl pasties under marquee lights, yet her influence on burlesque—and vice… Read more.
-
Burlesque in Falls City, NE
Long before Falls City became known for quiet streets and prairie charm, it played host to a livelier, more provocative… Read more.
-
Lestra La Monte
In the world of mid-century burlesque and drag performance, few figures were as visually arresting and artistically daring as Lestra… Read more.
-
Maya Angelou: The Calypso Dancer
Long before the world knew her as a poet, memoirist, and civil rights champion, Maya Angelou was a nightclub performer.… Read more.
-
Yvonne De Carlo AKA Lily Munster
Before she became a household name as Lily Munster, Yvonne De Carlo was a determined young woman chasing dreams from… Read more.
-
Aquatease & the Oyster Girl
We’ve covered the fan dancers of the 1930s and 40s but I’m here to dive into another performance art that… Read more.
-
Burlesque in Chadron, NE
Nestled in the Nebraska Panhandle, Chadron’s performance history is anything but provincial. Beginning in the late 1800s, the town’s opera… Read more.
-
Buckaroo Burlesque in Van Tassel, WY
The Buckaroo Club — also known as the Buckaroo Bar or Buckaroo Nite Club — was once a lively fixture… Read more.
-
Lola Falana: Showbiz Trailblazer
Lola Falana was a force of nature, transforming every stage she touched into a showcase of glamour, grit, and brilliance.… Read more.
