The 14th Annual Kansas City Burlesque Festival Performer Applications are now LIVE
Application deadline is Sunday, 2/22/26
KCBF14 dates: Fri. May 1st & Sat. May 2nd
Apply HERE
Late Night Stage Strut Fest Kick Off, Friday, May 1st, The Bird Comedy Theater:
Ultra steamy, super sultry, high-energy hoochi coo, the ultimate tease, satirical strut and much, much more come to life in this late night, sexy, flirty fun show!
Burlesque & Variety Extravaganza and The Classic Performer Competition, Saturday, May 2nd, The Folly Theater:
” Anything goes” to classic accompaniment, all happening on the historic Folly Theater stage, where Gypsy Rose Lee got her start, and Tempest Storm, along with many more Legends have performed!
The best, comedic, satiric, and scrumptious is variety and burlesque! Fire, Aerial, Acrobatic, Sideshow and MORE are prime for the first half of this extravagant show! For the second half of the show, it is time to bust out that classic solo you know will sweep Kansas City off its feet!
A handful of top competitors will be chosen to perform accompanied by our live jazz band. (No recorded music will be accepted for the competition). Our panel of judges will select the best performance and crown our 2026 Queen of the Kansas City Burlesque Festival.
Kansas City Burlesque Festival tickets - TBA 2026!
Let Us Entertain You!
Producer Madame MacKay
A Kansas City Burlesque Downtown Underground performer talks to The Kansas City Star newspaper about what it means to be a burlesque performer.
Burlesque Downtown Underground
Burlesque Downtown Underground is a professional modern burlesque company reveling in their 16th year of entertainment. BDU is proud to host the Kansas City Burlesque Festival and performs regular shows in and around Kansas City.
BDU is dedicated to the advancement of the worldwide burlesque revival by creating fun, classy, artful, high-performance tickle and tease, aimed to entertain Kansas City audiences and beyond. The company is comprised of professional actors, dancers, aerialists, contortionists, magicians, fire performers, and singers. Established in 2007, BDU is celebrating sixteen years of entertaining Kansas City audiences. BDU is the longest running burlesque company in Kansas City, with shows of a mix of performers and emcees which rotate with the company, showing off what they do best: combining performance with the art of tease!
What to expect at a show? Audiences will experience various styles of Burlesque including classic, neo, nerdlesque, and performance surprises. Singing, dancing, comedy, variety arts, with audience participation and more!
BDU wishes to thank Kansas City audiences for making Burlesque Downtown Underground Kansas City’s favorite burlesque shows.
Come out and see us!