The Fabulous Funcie Femmes are a group of performers who bring a modern take to a specific kind of vintage entertainment: Burlesque.
The Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Muncie’s burlesque troupe, was founded at a Mexican restaurant.
Stephanie Hutchison had just finished a burlesque class at her dance studio, and was celebrating with the other women in the class and their instructor Darci McWilliams, otherwise known by her burlesque name, Pepper Mills.
The women talked over their margaritas and tacos, reliving the excitement of the class and talking about the future. It was here that they decided they needed to take their passion for burlesque to the next level.
The Fabulous Funcie Femmes are a group of performers who bring a modern take to a specific kind of vintage entertainment, burlesque.
Burlesque is a form of theatrical entertainment that features parody and typically consists of comic skits. Sometimes, it also features a chorus line or striptease, according to the New World Encyclopedia.
Burlesque was introduced in the 19th century as a mix of adult entertainment, performance art, and satire. It was originally featured in music hall entertainment and vaudeville, according to New World Encyclopedia.
Stephanie, otherwise known by her stage name as Margot Lugosi, started her burlesque journey in the studio she owned with her mother, Studio Exhale. Margot started teaching burlesque-based workout and dance classes.
Minx Le Mew, another member of the Funcie Femmes who got her start in Margot’s dance studio, has a background in costume designing and has done pinups for years. She wanted to do burlesque because for her, it was a natural progression of what she was already doing. She loved the glitz and glam, body positivity, and the community as a whole. She wanted to be a part of it, but there was no outlet for it.
That is until she caught wind of the burlesque classes that were being offered at Studio Exhale. She didn’t hesitate to sign up. After meeting Margot, the two instantly clicked, so she decided to drag Lady J, her friend, to the classes. It didn’t take much convincing to get her to join. On top of liking pinup style, Lady J has multiple sclerosis and wanted to exercise, so it was a no-brainer for Minx to introduce her to Margot and the burlesque class.
One day, Pepper Mills did a workshop for their class. It was then that the group of women decided they wanted to perform burlesque seriously.
They mentioned the idea to Pepper, a performer herself, and asked for her help. After that class, the four women and Pepper Mills talked over a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa at Casa Del Sol, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Muncie. The rest was history.
Pepper said she thought the women could really do it and thought they had “talent and style,” so she offered to book them in her next show. She urged the group of women that they would be the first ever burlesque troupe in Muncie. It was February 2016, and her next show was in May.
They received their big break in May of 2016, when they were invited to perform in PEEP!, which was created by fellow burlesque performer Pepper Mills. PEEP! was the first burlesque show they performed in together and their first show as individuals. The only previous experience they each had were the classes at Margot’s studio.
The women had their burlesque names picked and started the development of their characters months before PEEP! began, but the show helped them further develop their characters and grow into the women they are today.
“We were all so nervous. But I remember getting on the stage and as we were doing the number, the nerves turned to a high and then it was over,” says Minx. “We had been bitten by the burlesque bug and I knew then most of us would make this happen for real.”
After a revolving door of people joining and quitting, the burlesque troupe now consists of Margot Lugosi, Minx Le Mew, Lady J, Bettie Nuggs, Greta Glee, Dolores Daze, and Kiki LeRoux.
The group has troupe “kittens,” who act as assistants to the main performers. The kittens are made up of Alysin Marchere, who is “head kitten,” Mischief McQueen, and Sparky Andersyn, who also acts as the stage manager and emcee. The kittens set up props, do all the pickup, conduct intermission games, raffle off tickets, and sometimes even help out with a performance.
Besides the performers and kittens, there are other members of the Funcie Femmes team who work to make sure the show goes perfectly. Sound is courtesy of DJ Mecca. The host and additional emcee is Count Funkenstein. The head photographer is Cameron Grubbs. The self dubbed ‘Fabulous Funcie Femmes historian’ is Nathan Prang, Lady J’s husband. The man in charge of their merch table is ‘Merch Table Brad,’ Margot Lugosi’s significant other.
“It’s kind of funny how we all have our own personas and our characters, but really I think we are that person inside,” says Minx. “It’s just, your persona is the way you can bring that other side out. I’m Minx, but Minx is that side that I want to be all the time. A couple times a month or once a month, I get to show everybody who is inside.”
Burlesque is about being in control and only doing what the performer is willing to do, Bettie says.
“[Burlesque] is 110% feminist. You are not going to find a burlesque dancer that is not a feminist. It’s a very powerful thing you can do. You’re in control. You get out there and you take off what you want to take off and you do what you want to do. You’re sharing it with other people,” Bettie says.
The troupe is not only known for their burlesque skills, but also their generosity within the community.
The Fabulous Funcie Femmes do a great deal of charity work. Lady J hosts an annual Orange Ball, which is a benefit for Multiple Sclerosis in Indiana. The ladies also do the Star Follies, which is a benefit for the Muncie Civic Theater, and Hot Rods for Hunger, which benefits hunger relief and poverty alleviation programs in East Central Indiana. The troupe also performs at events within the community, like the annual Old Washington Street Festival and this year’s Muncie Pride.
“I joke we are strippers with hearts, but we really do want to get out into the community and help more and bring a light to what we do, an education,” Minx says. “I just think there is some enrichment that we can bring just as people and performers that Muncie probably needs.”
Studio Exhale has since been closed down, but this was where Margot Lugosi, Minx Le Mew, Lady J, and Tantra Mankiller created their group and left their fabulous mark on Muncie.
