When the Slipper Room, a beacon in the New York burlesque scene, shut its doors in 2010, supposedly for a renovation, downtown denizens wrung their hands, lamenting, “There goes the Lower East Side.” It would be, they assumed, replaced by condos or some anodyne macaron store. But the Slipper Room did finally reopen last fall, offering burlesque and comedy shows in a larger, three-story building. The acts are just as blue as before. On a recent night, a performer named Gal Friday, who wore little more than a string of red sequins around her waist, gyrated to a rock classic, “Shortnin’ Bread,” and picked up a dollar bill without the aid of her hands. (more at nytimes.com)

Photograph: Francine Daveta

But it’s not as though people are just twiddling their thumbs waiting for Output to open. Take the Lower East Side’s Slipper Room, for instance. The cozy theater and brainchild of co-owner James Habacker helped bring the burlesque and variety scene to the forefront of Gotham nightlife when it opened in 1999. The room shut down for renovations in 2010, and after more than two years, we were beginning to think that “renovation” was code for “permanently closed.” But, rebuilt from the ground up, the beautifully expanded and rejiggered spot (with new lights, better sound, a mezzanine and a gorgeous atmosphere) reopened in October and has regained its status as burly-Q central.

We’re featured in todays Wall Street Journal. 

Our exile is over!  After two years, the Slipper Room is finally re-opening it’s doors, and I know you’re gonna love the changes we’ve made.  Our new theatre features a jewel-box proscenium stage with the same intimate feel as the old Slip, but with state of the art lighting, sound, and rigging.  The room is warm and inviting like the old Slip, but it now has a balcony and good sight lines for all of our audience.

A lot has changed in the scene in the past two years.  There are lots of new performers who have appeared in the time we’ve been shut.  Many of the people who cut their chops at the SlipperRoom have taken their art to another level.  We’re excited to give the talent all around us a place to shine.  The new Slipper Room is New York’s Palace of Variety.  Come celebrate with us!

Mel Frye’s Pre Existing Condition, The Slipper Room NYC from The Slipper Room on Vimeo.