Ember Ophelia Woody Oral History Interview, September 11, 2021

Interviewee: Ember Ophelia Woody
Interviewer: Laurie Kurutz
Interview Date: September 11, 2021
Location: Eugene, Oregon; interview conducted over Zoom
Duration: 0:25:51
 

Ember Ophelia Woody introduces herself as a Renaissance woman and a creative problem solver. One of her many jobs in the artistic realm is that of stagehand. She defines Burlesque as being on the fringe of performance art where it makes fun of society and people. She describes her style of Burlesque performance as making fun of popular things, politics, and even Burlesque itself. She states she loves the artistic freedom of the art form.

Ember describes her start in Burlesque in 2009 in Eugene, working with a troupe creating an original show performed at Sam Bond's Garage. She says her stage name has gone through several iterations. She developed her Burlesque career working with the Red Raven Follies and the Broadway Revue in Eugene. She continues to produce two shows a year, amongst her many other artistic endeavors.

Woody details the changes in the Eugene Burlesque scene over the past ten or so years. She goes on to describe performing in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, noting some differences between performing in Scotland and the United States.

Ember celebrates how Burlesque is empowering as it is centered in the realm of The Feminine. She states that Burlesque is inherently a force for social change because it is, by definition, inclusive. She wishes the general public would know that Burlesque is a free and safe performance art and environment.

Dublin Core

Title

Ember Ophelia Woody Oral History Interview, September 11, 2021

Description

Ember Ophelia Woody introduces herself as a Renaissance woman and a creative problem solver. One of her many jobs in the artistic realm is that of stagehand. She defines Burlesque as being on the fringe of performance art where it makes fun of society and people. She describes her style of Burlesque performance as making fun of popular things, politics, and even Burlesque itself. She states she loves the artistic freedom of the art form.

Ember describes her start in Burlesque in 2009 in Eugene, working with a troupe creating an original show performed at Sam Bond's Garage. She says her stage name has gone through several iterations. She developed her Burlesque career working with the Red Raven Follies and the Broadway Revue in Eugene. She continues to produce two shows a year, amongst her many other artistic endeavors.

Woody details the changes in the Eugene Burlesque scene over the past ten or so years. She goes on to describe performing in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, noting some differences between performing in Scotland and the United States.

Ember celebrates how Burlesque is empowering as it is centered in the realm of The Feminine. She states that Burlesque is inherently a force for social change because it is, by definition, inclusive. She wishes the general public would know that Burlesque is a free and safe performance art and environment.

Creator

Ember Ophelia Woody

Source

Oregon Burlesque Performers Oral History Collection (OH 49)

Publisher

Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries

Date

September 11, 2021

Contributor

Laurie Kurutz

Format

Born Digital Video

Language

English

Type

Oral History

Identifier

oh49-woody-ember-20210911

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Interviewer

Laurie Kurutz

Interviewee

Ember Ophelia Woody

Location

Eugene, Oregon; interview conducted over Zoom

Original Format

Born Digital Video

Duration

0:25:51

OHMS Object

Interview Format

video