Girls just wanna have fun

Here's a recipe for people in touch with their feminine side: Combine feminine hijinx, handmade corsets, a really attractive drag queen and an eclectic assortment of estrogen-loving individuals and put them all under the Bumbershoot umbrella. The result will be a massive celebration of all things girlie.

Billed as "delicate debauchery and feminine frivolity," the Girlie Fun Show will grant Bumbershoot onlookers a glimpse into the world of, well, girlie fun during its gala Sept. 1 at the Seattle Center. The show will have free previews from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 before Bumbershoot starts.

"Girlie fun is positive, energetic and upbeat, with no political overtones," said Jess Van Nostrand, the show's managing director. "We asked the question: What does it mean to be girlie?"

The answer apparently intertwines elements of burlesque, fashion, music, visual art and cabaret to create a feminine festival like no other.

"The goal of the show is to create a showcase for the interpretation of feminine performance," Van Nostrand said. "We wanted to inject life into the Seattle arts community [with] a show of contemporary feminine expression."

According to Van Nostrand, the showevolved out of the creators' frustration over Seattle's art scene.

"The work of Erin [Norlin, the show's creator and a professional illustrator] could be described as girly fun," said Van Nostrand. "And there's no proper exhibit to display girlie art here."

Norlin and Van Nostrand took the project to LadyFest Seattle, an independent festival, where it caught on with artists and onlookers.

"[The show] is always bubbling in the back of our minds," Van Nostrand said. One night we were drinking wine and we're like, 'This is what it's like when girls are having fun!'"

One look at the eclectic show's lineup proves that the female experience is a diverse entity. From a pin-up 3-D peepshow to a display of lampshades made with vintage lingerie, the art and fashion creations vary from serious to weird to just plain girlie.

"Many of the artists are kick-ass," said Van Nostrand. "We're totally honored by some of the national artists who wanted to participate."

Despite the overwhelming theme of femininity, not all of the show's contributors are themselves girlie. Male contributors include Tom Bagley, whose comic-book-style screen prints glow in the dark, and Darrell Paul, a serious painter who explores female interactions of the mind and spirit.

Adding musical flavor to the mix is the Bethuram Collective, a highly acclaimed co-ed electronic band composed of current and former UW students.

"We're gonna bring lots of sweet flavor to the whole feminine frivolity of the Girlie Fun Show," said vocalist Didi Bethurum with a laugh. "We'll bring masculine feminity, if there's any such thing."

Even though this year's Bumbershoot marks only the second anniversary of the show, its creators already have big plans for their brainchild.

"The goal is to keep fresh, try out different venues," Van Nostrand said. "We love Seattle and would always want to do it here, but we also want to expand it to be a year-long project. We would love to take it to other cities."

The show kicks off its Sept. 1 opening-night gala with an expected attendance of 3,000. Sylvia Stayformore, voted "hottest drag queen of the moment" by Out Magazine for 2003, will bring her burlesque charm to the gala, serving as grand hostess of the event.

"She's not a catty, big scary drag queen," said Van Nostrand. "She's warm and friendly, perfect to welcome everyone."

According to Bethurum, the show isn't just for a female audience.

"I don't see [the show] as a show about women, for women," said Bethurum. "I see it as a show celebrating women, and everyone coming out to celebrate them."

When: Opens Aug. 31 with an opening gala on Sept. 1. The show plays through Bumbershoot.

Where: Seattle Center

Price: Free with Bumbershoot admission