American burlesque as we know it today has evolved and changed over time. Coined in the 16th century as a literary or theatrical form that inverts form and content, burlesque was understood as a subset of parody that either elevates the mundane or vulgarizes the lofty. When Lydia Thompson and the British Blondes invaded the United States in 1868, the public understanding of burlesque transformed from simply a literary form to a performance style. This course will examine the three major historical periods of American burlesque: traditional burlesque, 1860’s – 1930’s; bump and grind, 1940’s – 1960’s, and the neo-burlesque movement, 1990’s and on. Rather than codify the defining characteristics and time periods of these three historical moments, we will seek to understand and trace how the definitions, conceptual preoccupations, and performance techniques of burlesque have changed over time. Special consideration will be given to understanding burlesque in relationship to other entertainment genres such as vaudeville, minstrelsy, early film, melodrama, and musical theatre. We will examine the history of burlesque from conceptual frameworks that may include: issues of domesticity; gender identity and gender bending; body image and the media; and kitsch and modernism. We will watch films that document burlesque; read early burlesque plays, reviews, biographies of major figures, and scholarly work about burlesque, theatre, and popular entertainment; attend neo-burlesque performances; and discuss the neo-burlesque and performance art movements with guest artists. (Theatre Studies B)