True NYC burlesque royalty, Miss Frankie Eleanor reflects on her “Nuyorican” roots, the enduring legacy of Coney Island and the upcoming Mx. Nobody finale. [Cover photo: Désirée De Sade]
Thotyssey: Miss Frankie, hello! So as Summer 2025 draws to a close, what have you felt about this season?
Miss Frankie Eleanor: Surprised, honestly. With the impending doom of political and economic stances right now, a lot of us in the nightlife industry were ready to brace for a slow season. It’s been unusually busy.
People are desperate for a good time! A few weeks ago you were part of Lydia Vengeance’s burlesque cast in a show out at Coney Island USA. There is something magically weird and wonderful about burlesque in Coney, right?
A thousand percent! When you get the opportunity to present your art on the Coney Island stage, you are stepping into a place of vibrant New York history — a beautiful, energetic space that welcomes the beautiful and strange. It feels like I have permission to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. And its audience is always ready with open hearts and minds to be entertained. And with that I have to say, “#SayNoToTheCasino” ~ Miss Coney Island ‘22
That was actually gonna be my next question! Some people unfamiliar with the neighborhood don’t understand why an area with seasonal tourism might want to reject the construction of a casino. Tell us what you think a casino would take away from that community.
My answer is coming for a Nuyorican (Puerto Rican, born and raised in NYC) with a mix of intuition, historical observations — and I’ll be honest, a little bias.
When you think of tourism here in New York, you do not think “casino.” You think food, architecture, museums, parks, the Wonder Wheel, live entertainment like Broadway, and the Coney Island Sideshow. When non-New Yorkers think about the history and what the media has fed them about a casino’s impact, they go to the Las Vegas mindset. No shade, but that’s in the middle of the desert. This is NYC! The Concrete Jungle.
We have generations of families that have roots in the Coney Island area, and small businesses that enrich the surrounding community and its residents. The casino will strip away the history of this land with a box that will take up practically three city blocks of coney attractions and business. Big box corporations have been for decades seeping into neighborhoods, tearing down character. Not my Coney!
Of course I couldn’t do a short answer! But if I must: this casino would take away character, local history, and hope for New Yorkers to keep some gems untainted. I can talk about this forever, but let’s put a pin in it.
Well said, and all should take note! Can you tell us a bit more your origin story?
Growing up in the 80’s in Spanish Harlem definitely had a part in my story. House, salsa, and hip hop music is a core memory. The genres were practically young in the world; it was such an innovative time for expression. Opulence and drama were the tone of daytime TV, horoscopes of Walter Mercado, and the fashion magazines my mom would collect. The community was tighter back then, and neighbors would meet under the LIRR tracks to play dominos, share food, and bring kids from the neighborhood together (yeah, free child care). For a young single mother raising two children on her own living on welfare, in hindsight [my mother] really did all she could to give us a life of love and magic on the corner of 116th and Park.
How did you ultimately discover burlesque, and what about that that artform drew you in?
I went to LPR randomly one night and walked into the “Legends Of Burlesque Calendar Show” presented by Tiny Twist Productions. Watching near-naked people gogo dancing in public, and everyone embracing all the bodies with money and smiles… “these are my people!” I thought. Then Jo “Boobs” Weldon came to the stage and did a chair act to a Led Zeppelin song. I was breathless to say the least. World Famous “BOB” says on the mic that she’s “the headmistress of The New York School Of Burlesque!” I screamed “OMG THERE’S A SCHHHOOOOLLLLLL!” I signed up for the four week course before the show was even over.
What are your numbers like, for the uninitiated? Is it more of a classic style of burlesque, or do you prefer more alternative genres?
I’m mostly classic burlesque… but I love to place it in a number of genres of music, from salsa to metal.
Burlesque requires a lot of body and sex positivity! Is that something that came naturally to you, or did you have to work on it over time?
Body and sex positivity definitely got me through the door. But like all things, it ebbs and flows. Some days you feel like an untouchable goddess, and others you’re picking yourself apart to nothing. Consistency does require lots of work, especially in the relationship with your head, heart, and body. It does make a difference in the presentation. I just remind myself every day that I’m the kind of woman I will go to war for. Whether against trolls or myself, I will always fight for my right to be love and spread love.
Have you had an all time favorite or burlesque moment in your career, or a top few?
Definitely a few. But I will talk about two. Number one, my burlesque debut. After my classes at The New York School of Burlesque, they hold a student showcase. After my performance, I was embraced by so many people around me; I never had so much attention in my life. I was in ecstasy. But one woman in the back had a stern face in the crowd. I initially thought, “Oh no! My first negative critic!” I approached her and asked if she was okay and enjoyed the show… only to have her break down crying, thanking me for what I did on stage. “I never knew someone that looks like me can do what you just did in stage. I won’t even take my clothes off in front of a mirror at home.” Prior to that moment, I had no idea what I was going to do after the student showcase. I assumed it would just be go back to my everyday. But after that moment, I knew I couldn’t stop there. This was bigger than me, and I had a purpose here.
And number two: during my earlier part of my burlesque journey, I did not see shows for LatinX performers… and even in our own language. To this day, the masses — to no fault of their own — think Latin burlesque is just Carmen Miranda and JLo bodies. We are so much more complex than that, with so many facets. Butter Pecan Burlesque in 2017 was NYC’s only all LatinX and Hispanic burlesque revue. I created this to teach the audience that Latin burlesque is so much more than fruit hats and ruffles, and to teach my performers that it was our right — we have permission to perform in the Spanish language and to our music, and we had a place in burlesque history.
Such an important legacy! Do you think you’ve seen the art and business of burlesque change in many ways since you started?
There is definitely some change that I’ve noticed. I love seeing how burlesque artists are exploring the many beautiful ways that this genre of art can be expressed tailored to their own beat. And I love that the history of burlesque is so accessible these days. It delights me that you can see what other parts of the world are doing in this art form. It’s inspirational, but also a great way to make sure you are not replicating someone else’s art.
Some changes that I don’t see that I wish would happen, from a business standpoint: I wish more venue owners and “artistic directors” put more effort in diversifying their casts. Most high end places / productions are in their delulu that in order to make money and have an attractive show, everyone has to look the same. That’s boring, in my eyes. There is something about when you see a show, and you see a version of yourself on stage… we are mirrors for our audience. We reflect back to them the beauty that is within.
This week, you will be back hosting just such a showcase of diversity at the popular burlesque venue in the LES, Nurse Bettie! You currently host a residency there.
Every Wednesday and Thursday at Nurse Bettie, audience members can expect entertainment that is intimate and inclusive. The show removes the fourth wall, and provides an immersive experience that dazzles the senses and tickles not just their fancy, but their funny bone, too.
Looking ahead to Friday, September 5 — you’ll be judging the Mx. Nobody finale at Red Eye. That’s gonna be an amazing show! I’m sure you’ve judged competitions and pageants before, right?
This is my second time judging a competition.
As a former Miss Coney Island, what would you like to see on that stage?
Art that truly represents the performer. Don’t go in to win. Go in to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and grow as an artist. Not for the audience, but for yourself.
What else is coming up for you?
Right now, the focus is my residency at Nurse Bettie. But I’m always freelancing all over the tristate area.
And finally: what’s your best advice for a newbie who is considering giving burlesque a try?
Be unapologetically you. Yes, be inspired by the greats or your idols, but don’t replicate their aesthetic. Support your local burlesque scene. Go to the shows; watch and learn, because there is a booking for everybody… but not everybody is meant for the same booking. Restrain from going bankrupt for your art off the bat. Keep learning about your place in the scene, and the history of burlesque.
Great wisdom across the board! Thanks, Miss Frankie!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Miss Frankie Eleanor’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram and LinkTree.
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