The Toronto Burlesque Festival is the debut of "Naked Girls Reading," which is the brain child of Frank Vivid, a Chicago photographer/writer. This is a change for burlesque because complete nudity isn't done. Vivid's wife, burlesque star Michelle L'amour, assisted in developing this idea and co-produces the show. The show usually consists of 4 or 5 readers who take 10 minute turns then concludes in a group reading of a common book.
The article argues that the women are more vulnerable because taking off their clothes is common to the entertainers, but reading is usually done in private is results in vulnerability. I'm not really sold on this. I mean I like reading as much as the next person, some would argue I like reading more than I like most people, and I personally have a strong avoidance to pants. I'm just not clear how this keeps with the burlesque traditions or if the skeptical of this is somehow damaging. This is a link to the article and the ladies' reading list.
