Dancers! Whiskey! Poetry Whores! Chicago! But now, wait no longer—come see if what they say is true!
You have heard the hushed whisperings of such goings-on at your local public house, or during an afternoon tea party with one of our fine city’s most respectable families, or perchance in a conversation between traders of commodity at the Union Station, truly a demonstration of your vast powers of auscultation!
11/09/2025
Once upon a time in Chicago...
Photo album thanks to photographers Beth Rooney: http://www.bethrooney.com and Mike Smith http://www.photographic-services-international.com/ :Don’t Miss the Chicago Poetry Bo****lo's last event of the year!Nov. 5, 2010: Scandalous, Bedizened Vice and Verse!To see this album restored and set to music : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvykwKIS_dA
07/25/2025
Behold the "Rowing-Bath" from 1916, the “newest contribution to the enjoyment of living” — https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/the-rowing-bath-1916?utm_content=buffer87d47&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
11/02/2024
Once upon a time https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.834610276603234&type=3
Something wicked this way comes…
The Poetry Bo****lo Celebrates Dia De Los Mu***os Nov. 1, 2014 from 8pm to Midnight in the upstairs lounge at Schubas.
Much thanks and love to Jana Blue Photography for this lovely photo album.
09/23/2024
Once Upon a Time in Chicago: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.292852857445648&type=3
Photo album thanks to photographer Beth Rooney: http://www.bethrooney.com :
The Poetry Bo****lo’s first all CHICAGO cast presents: SEEDS OF SIN: Burlesque Dancers! Whiskey! POETRY Wh**es! In the Foundation Room at the House of Blues. Friday, September 24th, 2010.
08/11/2024
Once upon time at Thalia Hall.
Chicago Poetry Bo****lo - Saints and Sinners
Aug. 6 2011
www.ChicagoPoetryBrothel.com
Next Show at Thalia Hall ! !
at Ristorante al Teatro, 1227 W 18th St, 8pm to Midnight
$5 if dressed Victorian. $10 if not.
.. ...
Join our poetry wh**es, performers, and fortune tellers as they burn up Chicago's historic Pilsen neighborhood once again. Indulge yourself in the intermperances of what the Chicago Sun-Times calls the "best literary wh******se in Chicago", as we celebrate Chicago's Saints & Sinners! Libations and comestibles will be available all night as well as private poetry readings.
Musical guests: Jeffrey Levin & the Sisters of Sin on Piano, and The White City Rippers! Special guest classic burlesque performer, Pearl Pistol—keeping the Victorian dream alive since 1890!
All the usual rogues will be there.... will you?
If you missed our previous show on April 30 at Thalia Hall, you missed a lot! Writers dressed in Victorian clothing reading lovelorn poetry in a bo****lo-style setting. A stage show of enough splendor to match the startling grandeur of the Thalia Hall itself — whiskey, vaudeville, dancers, fortune tellers, and of course Poetry Wh**es! — Cabaret singer-songwriter Sabrina Chap from N.Y.C., and our darling fairy dancer Lula Houp-Garou.
The Associated Press was there. Watch their video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9VGsb_3JWM
Poetry Bo****lo at the Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/article/241004
at Chicago Magazine: http://www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Seen-on-the-Scene/March-2011/Weekend-Photos-Chicago-Poetry-Brothel-at-the-House-of-Blues/
Want to see more? See you at the show!
03/15/2024
Once upon a time in March...
Drop everything! The Chicago Poetry Bo****lo Explores the Seamy Side of Poetry. Come for the most enjoyment you ever had in a bo****lo! A stage show of enough splendor to match the startling grandeur of the Foundation Room itself—floods of love-lorn poetry wh**es,... whiskey, vaudeville, dancers, fortune tellers— Pinch and Squeal out of Cleveland & Chicago's darling Lula Houp-Garou! Doors open at 8pm $5 if dressed Victorian $10 if not. Never been to a Chicago Poetry Bo****lo? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvykwKIS_dA BE THERE! Want to learn more about CHICAGO's poetry bo****lo? Check out Chicago poet and author Kathleen Rooney's essay at the Poetry Foundation --http://www.poetryfoundation.org/journal/article.html?id=241004
02/02/2024
Once Upon a Time in February...
Feb. 11, 2013 ~ Lundi Gras by the Chicago Poetry Bo****lo with photos by Jana Blue Photography ~ Thanks so much!
01/14/2024
This day in history: ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHICAGO
Photo album thanks to photographers Beth Rooney: http://www.bethrooney.com and Mike Smith http://www.photographic-services-international.com/ :
01/15/11 Dangerous Amusements at the House of Blues. The Brilliant Entrance to the Underworld Itself—Doors open at 8 pm.
Young girls who have danced a little are attracted by the blazing light, gaiety and apparent happiness of the ‘parlor games’ which, in many instances, leads to their downfall. Young men have little idea just how wicked the sc****ly attired Poetry Wh**es are with their honeyed-up poems. There is no turning away now, join us for a night of dangerous amusements, poetry mad libs and charades. $5 if dressed Victorian. $10 if not.
Never been to a poetry bo****lo? Here is a taste of what you’ve been missing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvykwKIS_dA
07/16/2020
A Madam knows best:
Some clients of high-end Chicago brothel have ties to law enforcement, government: court filing Jessica Nesbitt, who allegedly ran the business, is balking at giving prosecutors her customers’ names, given their "positions of prestige in the community."
04/27/2020
This week in history :) Huzzah! A bo****lo at Thalia Hall.
Photos thanks to Beth Rooney http://www.bethrooney.com/ AND Mike Smith: http://www.photographic-services-international.com/
"Our true intent is all for your delight.
The Chicago Poetry Bo****lo Celebrates Chicago's Victorian past at historic Thalia Hall, 1227 W 18th St Chicago, 8pm-12am ($7 Valet and just blocks from the Pink Line)
Come for PRIVATE poetry readings with the poetry wh**es of "Chicago's best literary wh******se" according to the Sun-Times and see for yourself! http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/4014829-417/chicago-poetry-brothel-mixes-verse-burlesque-dancers-and-fortune-tellers.html
Enjoy delicacies by Ristorante Al Teatro: http://www.alteatro.us/index/pages/index.html
Make reservations for a full dinner before the show or enjoy the $10 fire roasted pizza special all night at the bar!
Don’t miss our beauty of burlesque Lula Houp-Garou & special guest, cabaret singer-songwriter & editor of the anthology Live Through This, Sabrina Chap from NYC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy5XhI7evgg --Sabrina on piano!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGPIhhkavUc ---Sabrina on Live Through This! A visceral look at the bizarre entanglement of destructive and creative forces, Live Through This is a collection of original stories, essays, artwork, and photography. It explores the use of art to survive abuse, in**st, madness and depression, and the often deep-seated impulse toward self-destruction including cutting, eating disorders, and addiction.
Come hungry, thirsty and ready for discussion and adventure! We're certain you'll want a tour of the historic theatre before renovation begins this August.
$5 if dressed Victorian $10 if not.
Visit http://www.chicagopoetrybrothel.com/ for more information.
10/22/2019
Something wicked this way comes…
The Poetry Bo****lo Celebrates Dia De Los Mu***os Nov. 1, 2014 from 8pm to Midnight in the upstairs lounge at Schubas.
Much thanks and love to Jana Blue Photography for this lovely photo album.
05/23/2019
Once Upon a Time at Thalia Hall - I was a madam.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/PoetryBo****lo/photos/?tab=album&album_id=299700540094213
Photos thanks to Beth Rooney http://www.bethrooney.com/ AND Mike Smith: http://www.photographic-services-international.com/
"Our true intent is all for your delight.
The Chicago Poetry Bo****lo Celebrates Chicago's Victorian past at historic Thalia Hall, 1227 W 18th St Chicago, 8pm-12am ($7 Valet and just blocks from the Pink Line)
Come for PRIVATE poetry readings with the poetry wh**es of "Chicago's best literary wh******se" according to the Sun-Times and see for yourself! http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/4014829-417/chicago-poetry-brothel-mixes-verse-burlesque-dancers-and-fortune-tellers.html
Enjoy delicacies by Ristorante Al Teatro: http://www.alteatro.us/index/pages/index.html
Make reservations for a full dinner before the show or enjoy the $10 fire roasted pizza special all night at the bar!
Don’t miss our beauty of burlesque Lula Houp-Garou & special guest, cabaret singer-songwriter & editor of the anthology Live Through This, Sabrina Chap from NYC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy5XhI7evgg --Sabrina on piano!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGPIhhkavUc ---Sabrina on Live Through This! A visceral look at the bizarre entanglement of destructive and creative forces, Live Through This is a collection of original stories, essays, artwork, and photography. It explores the use of art to survive abuse, in**st, madness and depression, and the often deep-seated impulse toward self-destruction including cutting, eating disorders, and addiction.
Come hungry, thirsty and ready for discussion and adventure! We're certain you'll want a tour of the historic theatre before renovation begins this August.
$5 if dressed Victorian $10 if not.
Visit http://www.chicagopoetrybrothel.com/ for more information.