Live burlesque parody The Empire Strips Back is now playing at the Alderaan Memorial Theatre (1944 Commercial St) in San Diego. The sensual Star Wars show has something for everyone, so if you haven’t made it a performance yet here’s five reasons why you definitely need to!
1. The Music
The performers in The Empire Strips Back dance to just about every genre of music you can imagine. Whether it’s sexy Tusken Raiders head-banging to System Of A Down or Twi’leks swinging their hips to Portishead, the playlist is one of the best things about this show.
You can check out the official playlist above, with artists like Nicki Minaj, Run-D.M.C., Bonnie Tyler, Gun N’ Roses, and Tenacious D! While some songs may be removed or added at any time, the setlist is always bound to get the crowd hyped up.
2. The Sets & Costumes
The Empire Strips Back’s showrunners didn’t simply cut some Stormtrooper Halloween costumes into crop-tops. You can expect movie-quality sets and outfits, complete with lightsabers, tauntauns, and your favorite characters like R2-D2, Jabba the Hutt, and C-3PO, and many more!
Though some characters—like Luke Skywalker and C-3PO—are a bit more feminine in this version of the Star Wars universe…
3. Who Doesn’t Love Burlesque?
Burlesque often features stripteases, but that’s not all there is to these variety shows. The dances range from twerking to ballet and everything in between. It’s also partly a comedy show with plenty of easter eggs thrown in for Star Wars fans. But even if you’re not into sci-fi, this show is still a blast for anyone who loves quality live entertainment.
4. The Merch
Every show is going to have merch, but the offerings at The Empire Strips Back really are worth checking out. Designed by Giant Panda King, the t-shirts and sexy calendars are stunning to look at. The coolest item by far is Wookierotica, a classy Playboy-style magazine set in the Star Wars universe. Check out all the merch here!
5. The Surprises
This last reason to see The Empire Strips Back is one you’ll have to discover for yourself. Trust us when we say there are some turns this show takes that will absolutely blow you away. There’s one number in particular involving the Death Star that we couldn’t stop laughing about. So find out for yourself and get your tickets to the fun, funny, and steamy Empire Strips Back!