By Kween Kandi

Stage Kitten: The combination art of being a kitten & stage hand (usually) for a burlesque show.

Kitten: Pet persona that is taken over by a person for their enjoyment & pleasure, often with a submissive undertone.

Duties: Being cute & adorable while causing just enough mischief that time passes & the show can begin the next act. This includes picking up money, clothing, and props from the previous act, setting up for the next act, interacting with and distracting the audience.

Photo of Kween Kandi by Gina Barbara

How/When did you start stage kittening?

I made my debut as a stage kitten at Lilith: A Ladies Night, an all-female-produced burlesque show that happens here in Las Vegas. I wanted to be a part of the show but wasn’t ready to step into my burly shoes just yet. Stage kittening was my way into the world so that I could be surrounded by those people & start seeing burlesque in its many forms.

How does this differ from being just a stagehand?

Stagehands are usually seen & not heard in shows; They make quick entrances & exits to quickly set up the show. There is usually no crowd interaction. They wear very basic clothing, no makeup; nothing to stand out or draw attention to themselves. Stage kittens love attention, and we want to be a part of the show. We are going to set up and bring a performance along with it to make it more engaging.

Why the kitten persona?

I enjoy pet play & being a kitten. To me, a kitten is a very feminine, playful pet persona & when I am in it, I feel more playful and want people to engage with me the same way. My playfulness can range from being a little flirty to being mischievous, but overall, I just want to have fun.

What helps bring about your kitten persona?

Ears! Ears are so important to my kitten persona; if I don’t have them on, I feel incomplete. I also love wearing a collar, but it’s not absolutely necessary the way my ears are. As far as clothing goes, I love playing around with my outfits. If there is a theme, I build my outfit off of that first and add accessories. Kittening has allowed me to expand on my style & bring out a side of myself that I didn’t realize I had.

What mischief do you get into?

There is so much to get into with the right crowd. They enjoy watching me mess with the host as well as fellow audience members. I might untie their shoes, scare them by crawling under their chairs, or tickling their feet as I pick up money. I also love playing with the props as I pick them up. I will dance with the stringy things or tease my fellow stage kitten, but my favorite thing is putting all the money on the floor into a giant pile & making it rain. The crowd says do it, and the host says don’t. It’s a great time. Sometimes, I will even bring my own toys out onto the stage to play with until I get shooed away.

How did this change your perspective of pet play?

When I originally found BDSM, I didn’t realize that many aspects of it could be taken out of the bedroom. I knew that kinks were shared online, but that still felt pretty anonymous unless you knew the person behind the screen’s name. I had adopted my kitten persona long before I’d made my debut as a performer. I didn’t realize that I could bring the two together. Some people might think I’m acting, but it is a complete mindset switch for me. It made pet play a lot more exciting & inspired growth within my kitten persona. It doesn’t always have to be serious and/or sexy; it can be fun & silly.

What do you love about performing?

I am being authentic & that is creating an experience for someone else. I enjoy interacting with people in the audience & having such a unique role in the show’s production. Being a stage kitten is fun & silly and helps the transition from act to act. I feel just as involved in the show as any of the performers. I come up with bits & pranks to pull on stage & even have theme music.

What would you like to see in the future?

It would be great to see more stage kittens (or a variation of them) at shows. I know that pet play isn’t something that a lot of people understand, so the concept of taking a stagehand & giving them more personality/presence in the show. It is a great way to ensure that every aspect of a show is entertaining & keeps the audience’s attention. It can be that first step into performing for someone who is new; or a nice relaxing gig for someone who is seasoned & used to more rehearsed roles. It adds an element of participation from the crowd in a way they might not be expecting. Stage kittens can also help keep unruly crowd members from disrupting shows, as we are the guardians of the performers.

What would you say to someone looking to start their journey into performing?

One of the biggest tips that I can give any performer is to commit to the bit! Whatever your act, persona, etc, make it feel as natural as possible. The more natural it feels to you, the more real it will look to the audience. Get comfortable with being on stage and having eyes on you. Things that you do privately can seem scary out in the open without practice. When it comes to creating a persona, there is no right or wrong way to do it. Take joy & pride in the process of its creation; it’s a part of you.

Stage photos courtesy of Kandi Kween

This article was originally published in the second issue of PROUD & Kinky Magazine. You may read it in its original format here.

Advertisement