After The Curtain Drops: Post-Show With Dita Von Teese + Pals

Some time between the moment when Gregory Arlt slung Dita’s extended, black stockinged leg above his neck and an hour or so before when the curtain dropped on the stage of the House of Blues in Hollywood, the group of us cozied up inside a tiny chamber at the back of the Foundation Room upstairs.

Champagne poured as lively as the praise to Dita, her manager and stage kahuna Melissa Dishell and the few featured performers of the current national touring show “Strip Strip Hooray” who managed to make it out from backstage following what must have been an exhausting yet exhilarating opening night “rehearsal” show.

Ever the perfectionist, Dita accepted the honeyed pats graciously but with the promise that it would all go smoother in future shows. There was this and that to be tweaked, she confided. I bet money that no one in the audience was the wiser: the show dazzled.

Dirty Martini, Murray Hill and Selene Luna offered their hellos before changing out of stage drag to folks such as costume designer-stylist Trish Summerville, fashion designer Corey Lynn Calter, drag star Sujan Amrull (a.k.a. Raja) and accessories designer Raven Kauffman. The star at that moment, however, was Miss Linda Honeyman, the always larger than life momma of our friend Shana. She accompanied her daughter clad in maribou and the spikiest rhinestone-trimmed heels. Now that’s a pin-up for the AARP!

Upstairs and inside our secret room, one of the night’s stars, Catherine D’Lish perched herself for a short spell on one of the two plush sofas. Also crammed on them or spilling off the shoulders were Dita’s dressage pal Erin Skold and her husband, the musician, Tim Skold; the Hurt’s super-charming Theo Hutchcraft; interior designer Stacia Dunnam; Swagger bassist Danielle Motor and performance artiste John Quale (a.k.a. Prince Poppycock).

The hostess held court until closing time, 2 a.m., when we all rose up en masse to head home. It was a wonderful way to end a wonderful night of friends watching friends perform their hearts out for our pleasure.