Tush Burlesque will bring the love for its Valentine’s show at the Capitol Theater

Tush Burlesque’s annual Valentine’s Day-themed show, set for Saturday, features a contortionist, pole dancing, and the devil as a special guest.

The devil, who’ll dance with the appropriately named Bettie Beelzebubb, will be portrayed by a 7-foot marionette. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fear.

“In the past, this act has caused some audience members to leave the theater and others to stand up and cheer,” said Beelzebubb, also known as Lesli Baker of Olympia.

Don’t say you weren’t warned. But what does the devil have to do with Valentine’s Day?

“My dance with the devil is my own personal favorite love story,” said Beelzebubb, who bills herself as “Satan’s Little Sweetheart.”

Beelzebubb — who admits she’ll soon be 50 — is the only Tush founding member who’s still dancing with the 10-year-old troupe.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” she told The Olympian, then added, “I’m the only one stubborn enough to stick it out.” (She is known for her sarcasm, as well as what she describes as “an appreciation for the weird.”)

The other current members of the cooperative troupe are Beretta Bristol (Gillian Smee), whose past acts include murdering Marie Antoinette; Valerie Veils (Amber Poulliot), who last Valentine’s Day played a jilted, cake-smashing bride; and Sly Violet (Kymberly Zyl), whose work draws on her background as a fire dancer, belly dancer, choreographer and aerialist.

Valentine’s Day might not seem a natural time for burlesque, although this year’s “A Day Late and a Dollar Short” is themed around missed connections, and 2019’s February offering was called “Pity Party.”

But over the years, the Tushies (that’s what they call themselves) have discovered that Valentine’s Day shows are particularly popular.

“It’s one of our biggest shows of the year,” said Violet of Olympia, who joined the troupe six years ago.

“Burlesque itself is romantic,” she said. “It’s sexy, it’s playful, it’s funny, it’s all of it. I feel like Valentine’s Day really fits.”

It’s also the kind of entertainment suitable for a date — or not.

“A lot of people are looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day weekend,” Beelzebubb said. “It’s an amazing night to bring a date, if you have a partner, or a best friend.

“Maybe you just want to take yourself on a date and come see a sexy show,” she added. “Some people are by themselves on Valentine’s Day, and we want to show them love.”

If that last bit conjures up unsavory images of the creepy kind of strip show you see in the movies, think again: Those Valentine-free people enjoying the show Saturday night might well be women.

“A large portion of our fan base is women,” Beelzebubb said. “Since the #MeToo movement, we’ve become even more empowered in what we do on stage, and our audience members have felt more inspired and more empowered to cheer that spirit of freedom.”

“I love it,” Violet added. “Women cheering women on.”

Tush Burlesque: ‘A Day Late and a Dollar Short’

• What: Olympia-based Tush Burlesque celebrates the season of romance Saturday with what the troupe calls “a belated Valentine.” On the bill along with Tush’s own Bettie Beelzebubb, Beretta Bristol, Valerie Veils and Sly Violet are Olympia’s Papaya Magic, contortionist Alexandria Ostrem, pole dancers Jane Air, Sandria Dore, Karmen Sutra and Al Lykya, and emcee Rebecca Mm Davis.
• When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, with doors opening at 7 p.m.
• Where: Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia
• Tickets: Available only online at olympiafilmsociety.org/tush-burlesque-feb/, they’re $20-$30 in advance, $25-$35 on the day of the show.
• More information: olympiafilmsociety.org/tush-burlesque-feb/, tushburlesque.com