Take Us Away, Oh, Goblin King, Mon Cherie Throws a LABYRINTH-themed Masquerade Ball at The Masquerade

Posted on: Jun 8th, 2012 By:
When a young Jennifer Connelly wishes that the goblins would take away her baby brother, she conjures up David Bowie in blonde ’80s mane, blue cape and exquisite pointy eye liner. “Go back to your room, play with your toys and costumes, forget about the baby ,” bids The Goblin King and then offers her a crystal, “not an ordinary gift for an ordinary girl that takes care of a screaming baby.” Thus starts LABYRINTH  (1986), Jim Henson’s second foray into fantasy with puppetry after THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982). The film, which now as an affectionate cult following fueled by lust for Bowie, is the inspiration for the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball Sat. June 9 in Heaven at The Masquerade by event planner extraordinaire Mon Cherie, grand mistress of  legendary Atlanta night club The Chamber, the Rockabilly Lounge, Va-Va-Voom Burlesque Show and lately Mad Lib-Ations Thursday nights at The Little Five Points Corner Tavern.
Mon Cherie kindly agreed to share a sneak preview of the fantastical festivities and also what else she has planned for the near future.
Why a Labyrinth Ball? 

The Labyrinth Masquerade Ball concept came from a conversation I had with Magenta Costly of The Modified Dolls.  When we met, we hit it off so well that we knew we wanted to “do something” together. Ever since I founded The Chamber, I enjoyed making people’s dreams come true and watching them beam with delight.  When I watched Magenta talk of her love of the movie and her dream of wanting to hold a masquerade ball, I said, “Let’s do it.”

Can you tell us a little more about what will be going on in terms of performers, decor, etc?
You can expect to see Flying Fairies, Goblin Kings and a Masquerade of debauchery. The performances will amaze – fire fans, aerial artists and sparks will fly with a grinder show. Belly dancers and a bit of burlesque to cap off the night.
How should attendees dress? Is it strictly fairy tale or all types of fantasy?
Since it is very important to me that everyone feels welcome at my events, I will never insist that people dress to theme, meaning nobody will be turned away at the door, if you are not in costume. That said, I hear the costuming that the guests are wearing will exceed all expectations of a true Masquerade Ball.

David Bowie as The Goblin King in LABYRINTH; Sony Pictures, 1986.

What types of masks are acceptable and what happens if someone shows up without a mask?

Also, in case guests have not found that perfect mask, I will have several mask vendors on hand, selling their wares – even have a few in the raffle.  So, I have decided to split the raffle and give away the masks early in the evening, so they can wear their prized masks for the event.
Will there be vendors and the usual Mon Cherie raffle? In other words, how much cash should we stash?
I have twice as many sponsors than I have ever had for this event.  So the prizes are twice as amazing, including Lux Deville handbags, Sacred Heart Tattoo, Jezebel Blue Hand-Crafted Jewelry and so much more.  To see the entire sponsor list follow this link to the event page:
What’s next for Mon Cherie Presents that you’d like to share?

There are a lot of changes in the Mon Cherie Camp.  I’m planning another Rockabilly Lounge for Sat. July 21, with Ghost Riders Car Club, and we are planning the next Chamber Reunion, as we speak. My most favorite new thing is Mad Lib-Ations, which we hold EVERY THURSDAY night at L5P Corner Tavern.  Where all my potty mouth friends get to mingle, network, play games and win fabulous prizes. To keep “A” Breast with my shenanigans,  feel free to visit my website at www.moncheriepresents.com.

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Really Retro: Lisa Stock Explores an Older, Darker Side of Fairy Tales in Her Play of Neil Gaiman’s SNOW, GLASS, APPLES

Posted on: Aug 22nd, 2011 By:

Carrie Anne Hunt as the Snow White Princess in Lisa Stock's play of Neil Gaiman's SNOW, GLASS, APPLES, which opens Aug. 24.

SNOW WHITE has a reputation for being a cheery story about a cute princess and seven mostly affable dwarves, but the only time I ever hid my eyes in a movie as a child was when the evil stepmother queen transforms herself into a hideous wicked witch in the Walt Disney version. Trust author Neil Gaiman (SANDMAN, AMERICAN GODS) to cleverly latch onto the darker side of that familiar tale and consider that mere jealousy might not be sufficient motive to drive the queen to murder by poisoned apple. And maybe the prince wasn’t exactly your normal kind of hero either. “I was reading Neil Philip‘s [PENGUIN BOOK OF] ENGLISH FOLKTALES, and a rereading of a version of SNOW WHITE made me stop and wonder what kind of person she was, and what kind of person sees a dead girl in a glass coffin and wants to keep her…,” Neil said in an email last week when asked what led him to write the short story, SNOW, GLASS, APPLES. Now Snow White’s white skin, blood-red lips and coffin-sleeping take on a new meaning with disturbing erotic implications, and the queen becomes a protagonist with a difficult moral choice.

Lisa Stock. Photo credit: Jaclyn Cook.

Originally published as a benefit book for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in 1994, SNOW, GLASS, APPLES captured the imagination of so many readers that it was reprinted in two anthologies—TWICE BITTEN: LOVE IN VEIN II (1997), edited by Poppy Z. Brite, and Neil’s own collection SMOKE AND MIRRORS (1998). One of those readers was Lisa Stock, who like the storytellers of old, had her own thoughts about taking the tale in a new direction from page to stage. Through a few mutual friends, the then-New York-based writer/director for theater and film politely asked Neil nicely for a chance to have some fun with his story of bloodlust and mistrust. Charmed by her vision, the idea of seeing his creation come to life and the fact that all proceeds would benefit charity (East Atlanta Community Association), he granted her wish. “I love live theatre,” Neil said. “There’s a magic you cannot get from anything else when it’s good.”

While this real-life fairy tale so far may seem more CINDERELLA, it’s Atlanta audiences that really are the lucky ones. SNOW, GLASS, APPLES has its world premiere here Wed. Aug. 24 through Sun. Aug. 28 in the unusual venue of the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, re-envisioned by Lisa as a dreamlike Spring Fair. Artists and photographers also will have a chance to draw and photograph cast members in costume and preview the phantasmagoric sets during a Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Atlanta field trip on Mon. Aug. 22. Performances are rated “R” for simulated violence and adult themes, but a special family-friendly show will be held Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.

ATLRetro recently caught up with Lisa to find out more about what drew her to the dark story, crafting a truly unique audience experience, why it’s the perfect fit for a Dr. Sketchy and a little about her other mythic projects, including the upcoming independent feature film TITANIA.

For those unfamiliar with Neil Gaiman’s SNOW, GLASS, APPLES, without giving away too much, how is it different from the Disney version of SNOW WHITE we grew up with? And more like the original darker versions that date back to Medieval times?
For me, Neil Gaiman’s version reflects the earliest forms of the tale, some [of which] trace back to the myth of Persephone (eating pomegranate seeds and falling into a half-life in the Underworld). The tales were originally much darker in nature and true morality tales. SNOW, GLASS, APPLES for me is just that—a cautionary tale about trusting or mistrusting your instincts. It’s also about self-preservation in a brutal world, and how you deal with the choices that have been handed to you. Our protagonist doesn’t get saved and have all that’s hers by birthright returned to her. She makes her own decisions—for better or worse—and goes out to protect, on her own, what she holds dear.

How did you discover SNOW, GLASS, APPLES and what drew you personally to the story?
I discovered SNOW, GLASS, APPLES through a haunting illustration by Sarah Coleman of the princess that led me back to Neil’s story. I love new perspectives on old tales and those that speak to human instincts. Instincts are such a basic, fundamental part of being human, and yet we often ignore them. The Queen does that in this tale; I’ve done that more times than I can count. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve been defeated. We all have. And I think this short story brings out a side of us we may not want to own up to—it talks about fear and failure, but also responsibility and integrity. Though Neil has made the Queen the protagonist, she hasn’t lost any of her edge or her darkness. Instead, with the perspective in her corner, we recognize that in ourselves.

I also love all the visual reminders of her fear in the story: the vampiric princess who keeps coming back to life, the princess’ heart strung above her bed, the forest folk disappearing, nothing is as it seems, reminders to look deeper. Think about it. What are you afraid of? It takes up a lot of your time and space. That’s our nature. And in Neil’s story, the Queen goes out to do something about her fear; whether she’s successful or not, she tries to survive it. Was it the right thing to do or not—that’s for each of us to decide.

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