2019 has been a wonderful, magical year for me! It was a year filled with lots of fun, laughter and most importantly, LOVE! 2019 was the year I fell head over heels in love with my incredible partner, Flare, and we began our adventures together!
I worked hard this year at setting up the Dolly Shots Photography studio, but due to circumstances beyond my control I wasn’t able to open my new business or studio fully. (Goals for next year!) I did, however, have a plethora of wonderful shoots and had the chance to photograph some of my favourite performers! I witnessed two more amazing friends tie the knot with each other in a beautiful Jewish ceremony followed by a dance party complete with Drag Queens and the Time Warp! I also welcomed two new family members this year, the sweet and rotten kittens; Luna and Artemis!
This year was a trip, this whole decade was a trip! It’s been fun to look back on all the good times (and bad) and reminding myself how far I’ve come! Look out 2020, I’m coming for you!
Happy New Year!!
Photo by Teri GFlare and I at our first Pride togetherPerforming at PeepshowTO’s Marvel Show with Betty Quirk, Coco Framboise, Zilly Lilly, Charlie Quinn, Sevvy Skellington and Tits AhoyPhoto by Lunar ReplicantPerforming a tribute to Anna Karina at Ladies of Burlesque at the Royal’s viewing of Vivre Sa ViePinup Photo Safari in Las VegasToronto representing at the Burlesque Hall of Fame WeekenderPhoto by PhotolenaIn Las Vegas with Betty Quirk and Zilly LillyPhoto by Taeden Hall for Gloomth Bri and I watching Drag Kings at PrideMuskoka Pride after Nuit North with Flare, Brad Puddin, Bon Bon Bombay, Black Swan and Bianca Boom BoomLuna and ArtemisPerforming at the Toronto Burlesque Festival with Sevvy Skellington, Zilly Lilly, Betty Quirk and Charlie QuinnPhoto by Lunar ReplicantPerforming at Ladies of Burlesque at the Royal with Betty QuirkPerforming with Amplify ApparelIn Coney Island NY with FlareGo-Go Dancing as an Ewok at the PeepshowTO Takeover of Sinful SundaysPerforming at Rhapsody Blue’s show in Ottawa with FlarePhoto by Barefaced CreativePerforming with PeepshowTO at Yeti ConKicking back at Yeti Con with Charlie Quinn and NatashaEmma Frost at Yeti ConAt the beach with my babyPhoto by Teri G Modelling with Nymph SuicideCurtain Call at the Pop Night for the Toronto Burlesque FestivalAt the Big Apple with FlarePhoto by Lunar Replicant Modelling with NatashaCharlie Quinn and I in Waterloo being GremlinsPerforming with Charlie Quinn at PeepshowTO’s Trick or Tease ProductionPhoto by Lunar ReplicantThe cast of Drag King Decades, produced by FlareCelebrating Betty Quirk’s Birthday on a Party BusMy SweetheartPhoto by Teri G
The next PeepshowTO Production is right around the corner!
It’s time to get spooky at Trick or Tease!
Featuring Performances by…
Aviva the Mirage
Betty Quirk
Cara de Melo
Charlie Quinn
Dixon HD
Dolly Monroe
Dr. Orifice
Ivory
Força
Johleen
Leelando Mitchell
Maximum Capacity
Olive Von Topp
Quick Lewinsky
Sam Antics
Serpentina
Sevvy Skellington
Whiskey Rocks
Zilly Lilly
With Gogo by:
Nymph Suicide & Tits Ahoy
Hosted by Velvet Valhalla
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Date: Friday, October 11th 2019 (Doors at 8pm. Show at 9pm)
Venue: The Great Hall (1087 Queen St W, Toronto)
Individual Tickets:
$20 Early Bird (Only Until Friday, September 13th)
$25 General Admission Advance
$45 VIP Seating(Includes exclusive swag bag!)
$30 at the Door (Cash only for door tickets and merch)
I’m wading through the water this week trying to enjoy the last few moments of summer sun!
I have another dreamy photoset to share this week from my friends Khristianina and Katherine Bermudo. Khristianina of Barefaced Creative Photography did a fabulous job capturing the mood of the day as we shot at Scarborough Bluffs last summer. Enjoy!
I can’t believe summer is almost at it’s end! But the sun’s still out, and you know what that means… bum’s out!
This photoset is from my collaboration with the brilliant sister duo of Khristianina and Katherine Bermudo! Khristianina is the photographer behind Barefaced Creative and Katherine was the creative director behind this shoot. I’m so happy to share some more of our work together this week and I hope you enjoy!
This year I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender in Las Vegas! One of the excursions that I participated in was the Photo Safari in which models and photographers are bused around Vegas to shoot in fabulous locations. I had a blast at the Safari and was lucky enough to get some wonderful photos from the experience. Here are a few of my favourites!
Enjoy!
Photo by PhotolenaModelling with Vector Parallax. Photo by Rey AntonioPhoto by Maurice CavadaModelling with Mecav Kotobuki and Uno. Photo by Rey AntonioModelling with Zyra Lee Vanity. Photo by Rob RaymondPhoto by Edward DragoModelling with Vector Parallax. Photo by Edward DragoPhoto by PhotolenaModelling with Mecav Kotobuki and Uno. Photo by Lyle MariamPhoto by Jeremy MeyerPhoto by Charles ScottModelling with Vector Parallax. Photo by Rob RaymondPhoto by Photolena
Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of attending my very first Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender! For those who don’t know, BHOF is a weekend long convention celebrating everything Burlesque including the Tournament of Tease, a competition to crown that year’s burlesque royalty, and events that raise funds to support the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum and our Burlesque Legends.
The weekend was packed full of events and I enjoyed many of them with my glamourous squad of Burly-Q Babes; Zyra Lee Vanity, Betty Quirk and Zilly Lilly! From the Photo Safari to the Sunday Pool Party to visiting the Burlesque Museum, the good times kept rolling and there was never a dull moment!
One of the highlights of the weekend was getting to see one of my dearest friends, Zilly Lilly, take the stage for the Movers, Shakers and Innovators showcase on Thursday Night to perform her legendary Beauty & The Beast Nerdlesque number. She certainly made our Canadian crew proud as she danced her way through a Disney Princess rendition of NIN’s Closer in front of a massive audience of her peers!
This weekend was truly inspirational to me. Seeing the Burlesque Legends, hearing their stories and learning about the history of the art form gave me a deeper respect for what we do. Being surrounded by the queerest, most passionate and innovative performers of our time was nothing short of breathtaking. I am coming off of this weekend with such a love and respect for this community and a sense of belonging in this crazy group of performing weirdos!
I hope you enjoy some fun photos from our crazy Vegas weekend!
It’s February and it feels like the winter will never end. Mountains of snow and ice are piled up in every corner, framing every sidewalk and path. Each step is delicate and calculated. Every movement is slow and steady. And I am dreaming of sandcastles…
Back in the summer of 2018 I shot some incredible photos with the magnificent team that is Khristianina and Katherine Bermudo. Sisters with an eye for design who work both independently and together to create wonderful imagery. Khristianina is the talented photographer behind Barefaced Creative and specializes in capturing moments, emotion and detail. Katherine is a phenomenal graphic artist and creative visionary who I have worked with many times and who designed this blog as well as my personal website www.missdollymonroe.com. The three of us together on a beach was the perfect combination to create something truly special!
I hope you enjoy this week’s photoset and I look forward to sharing the rest with you as the snow melts around us! Enjoy!
2018 has been a transitional year. It has been the uncomfortable growing stage in between leaving a past self behind and becoming a new creature. It has been hard and it has been a journey but ultimately it has been worth it.
The biggest change in my life this year was leaving my soul-sucking, 9-5 office job for a more creative career path. I have had some of my best photoshoots, both in front of and behind the camera and worked with a whole plethora of new and wonderful people! I made a fabulous new costume for one of my favourite performers, Laura Desiree. I celebrated the marriage of two of my dearest friends. I got a new, badass tattoo of my idol Tura Satana from my girl Suspiria! And to top off the whole year I move back into my apartment after nearly a year of extensive renovations!
I am now in the process of setting up Dolly Shots Studio for 2019 and I am so excited to share it with you! Stay tuned next year for lots more fabulous-ity and beauty!
Happy New Year!!
Photo by Jonathan Choi, Direction by Katherine BermudoMy third time seeing Hamilton in NYC for my Birthday with Sevvy and BettyChilling with my bae Leeland backstage at Sinful SundaysPhoto by Tyrone Islington PhotographyMeeting the incredible Miz Cracker in NYC was a dream! As was watching Betty lipsync for her life with Cracker cheering her on!Lord of the G-Strings was such a fun show!Galadriel at Lord of the G-Strings will forever be one of my favourite performancesPerforming at Fierce with these fierce ladies! Zilly Lilly, Charlie Quinn, Coco Frambois, and Betty QuirkThe Amplify Apparel team at the ROMEmma Frost photo by Tyrone IslingtonThe PeepshowTO crew at Yeti ConPhoto by Stacey NaglieWe rocked the house with our nerdy performances at Yeti Con!Photo by Teri GBackup dancing for my bb Leeland at Pride with all these hotties!My second Ru-Girl meeting of the year was with the stunning Aja at Pride!I always love being the PeepshowTO Poster Girl! Here I am rocking the Barbarella look, shot by Paul Hillier.The PeepshowTO Space show was a blast!Photo by Rebecca NorthcottIn the middle of this man-sandwich at the Toronto Burlesque Festival. I love Tucker and Newfoundlad!!Showing off our pantsuits by Betty Quirk at the Toronto Burlesque Festival!Taste of the Danforth is always part of my summer. Here I am with my sister Bri!Photo by Paul HillierA Cool Rider and a Cool Teacher backstage at Speakeasy at Revival with Charlie Quinn!My second performance with Amplify Apparel for a private eventGo-Go dancing as Alice at PeepshowTO was so much fun!Round one of my tattoo with Suspiria (stay tuned for the finished tat)Shooting the poster for Snailoween was also such an incredible experience, and the final result was amazing!!The Snailoween party with my gals!I love me some man-sandwiches ok… Comikonrad and The Last Son are such hunks!Go-Go dancing in the Reference Library Elevator at SnailoweenPhoto by Stacey Naglie
Behind the Scenes with Lunar ReplicantBeing glam at Amie and Kate’s wedding with LeelandPhoto by Taeden Hall for Gloomth
I was so thrilled to work with the fabulous Gloomth & The Cult of the Melancholy again to shoot this gorgeous red, velvet, Dracula’s Bride dress! This would be wonderful outfit to wear for your holiday parties this year so get yours today! Check out all the beautiful designs from Gloomth!
