Pinchbottom is where burlesque meets theater, buys it a drink, and takes it to bed. It is both the name of a production company which produces themed & scripted burlesque shows in New York City, and the title under which its two creators -- Nasty Canasta and Jonny Porkpie -- perform as a duet. Each Pinchbottom show centers around a different theme, linking together striptease and variety acts from top performers with a topical narrative... and, believe it or not, a plot. And a script.

Pinchbottom produced its first themed burlesque event on Saturday, July 30, 2004, at the now-defunct midtown bar Siberia. Inspired by the name of the venue, the show was called COLD WAR BURLESQUE and -- though the marketing materials claimed that "of all the burlesque you've ever seen, this is the Glasnost!" -- it rempresented an extremely embryonic version of what Pinchbottom shows would eventually become. This was followed by a movie-themed show at Galapagos ("Burlesque Goes to the Movies," which would later evolve into the slightly more cleverly-named FILM STRIP), but the company didn't fully embrace its distinctive mix of theater, burlesque, theme, and script until two years later, when a revered off-off-Broadway theater gave Pinchbottom the opportunity to experiment with the concept of a theatrical plotted striptease show on a monthly basis...

In April 2006, Pinchbottom began the relationship with downtown theater mainstay Collective:Unconscious that would lead to the development of its most celebrated shows. A company devoted to supporting emerging artists and new work, C:U was looking for a burlesque show to fill out the programming at its new venue. Tom Keenan was intrigued by the challenge Pinchbottom presented to itself in its proposal, to develop a new show each month based around an original theme. "The ecdysiastical possibilities" -- claims the proposal, bombastically -- "are endless." The first edition of Pinchbottom's Sub:Conscious (BLASPHEMY!) played around with then-common neo-burlesque show structure but didn't veer far from it. But by the second show -- the science-fiction themed NAKED PLANET, the formula was in place that would bring Pinchbottom to the attention of the burlesque community, New York City, and beyond. Since April 2006, Pinchbottom has produced a show every month (with a few re-runs added in between), presenting its first two-night run in April 2007 and expanding to two nights in July of that year. June 2008 saw the last show ever performed at the 279 Church Street space. The next month, Pinchbottom's Sub:Conscious celebrated two firsts: the first-ever three-night run, and (as a result of a sewage leak in the basement) the first-ever performance of Pinchbottom's Sub:Conscious away from its home of 2.25 years, moving around the corner to perform at The Flea.

In addition to Collective:Unconscious and The Flea, Pinchbottom has produced themed shows at fantastic venues throughout the NorthEast, such as Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach (PinchbottomLand Burlesque Theme Park and The 25th Annual Miss Pinchbottom 1983 Pageant), Galapagos Artspace (Professor Pinchy's Heated Debates Series: Art vs. Commerce, USA vs. The World, Men vs. Women), Southpaw (The Burlesque Alliance's Brooklyn Burlesque Blitz, USOh! Show, Bikini Blowout at Burlesque Beach, and Novemberfest), as part of the undergroundzero festival, and in the Woolworth Building (at the Dorothy Parker Bathtub Gin Ball). As we look for a new monthly home for Pinchbottom's Sub:Conscious, Pinchbottom will perform at some of the hottest venues in town in fall 2008, including Corio (Devilish), SpiegelWorld @ Fulton Fish Market (Pretençión), and more to be announced. Outside the big apple, Pinchbottom has produced shows at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ (The Shore Thing, produced in association with Casino O'Fortune), and The Beehive in Boston, MA.

Between April 2006 and June 2008, Pinchbottom premiered 22 brand-new shows at Collective:Unconscious' 279 Church Street venue. These shows became one of the foremost enablers of original world-premiere acts, inspiring performers to break new ground and create new material – in that time, over 150 acts debuted at (or were developed specifically for) the shows. Burlesque is the laboratory of contemporary live performance; Pinchbottom shows are the room in that lab where some of the most dangerous experiments are conducted.

Pinchbottom was named "Best Burlesque" in New York Magazine's Best of New York issue, and called "The best burlesque show in town" by The Village Voice. A a duet, Pinchbottom was the first-ever winner of the "Most Innovative" award at the Burlesque Hall of Fame's Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas. Nasty Canasta is the reigning "Cheese Queen of Coney Island" and well as the winner of the Golden Pastie awards for "Performer to Look Out for in 2007", "Best Use of Non-Traditional Items as Pasties" and -- way back in the day -- "Hottest Newcomer".

Pinchbottom shows are hosted by Nasty Canasta & Jonny Porkpie, joined by top talent from New York City and across the country, including AJ Silver, Albert Cadabra, Amber Ray, Angie Pontani, Anita Cookie, Ariel Levine, Bambi the Mermaid, Bastard Keith, Belle-Morte Baudelaire, Bonnie Dunn, Bunny Love, Chris McDaniel, Clams Casino, Clarke Westfield, Creamy Stevens, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Delirium Tremens, Devilicia, Dirty Daddy, Dirty Martini, Doc Wasabassco, Doctor Lukki, Donny Vomit, Evil Hate Monkey, Evil Petting Ron, Gal Friday, GiGi La Femme, Harvest Moon, Heidi Von Haught, Howlin' Vic, Jo Boobs, Julie Atlas Muz, Lady Rigel, Legs Malone, Little Brooklyn, Lola Pearl, Miss Astrid, Miss Saturn, Miss Tickle, Movie Star, Naughtia Nice, Neil O'Fortune, Nelson Lugo, Peekaboo Pointe, Pontani Sisters, Pookie Patootie, Precious Little, Remy Vicious, Roja Rouge, Rose Wood, Ruby the Wonder Dog, Ruby Valentine, Sapphire Jones, Scarlet Sinclair, Schaffer the Darklord, Scott Rayow, Scotty the Blue Bunny, The Zog, Tigger!, Trixie Little, Velocity Chyaldd, Veronika Sweet, World Famous *Bob*, Zero Boy, and more.