Rust Belt Burlesque traces the history of burlesque in Cleveland from the 1800s to the present, while also telling the story of Bella Sin, a Mexican immigrant who largely drove Northeast Ohio’s burlesque comeback. Over 100 color photos provide a peek into the raucous Ohio Burlesque Festival that packs the Beachland Ballroom every year.
Erin O'Brien's eclectic features and essays have appeared in a host of national and local publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Plain Dealer, and others. She is also the author of The Irish Hungarian Guide to the Domestic Arts.
Bob Perkoski is a Cleveland-based freelance photographer, managing photographer for FreshWater Cleveland, and the official photographer for Cleveland Burlesque. His work is featured in two other books, LGBTQ Cleveland and Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology. Find him at www.perkoski.com.
"This is no eat-your-vegetables history book. Scholarship and entertainment go hand in hand to make the most of a fun, racy topic. O'Brien does a brilliant job of illuminating the past and introducing readers to the the current crop of entertainers, and Perkoski's photos knock it out of the park."
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