Stripper Energy

After decades of fighting abuse from San Diego’s vice squad and finally securing dancers’ rights, Kata Pierce-Morgan turned her “stripper energy” to a new creative outlet – producing shows for San Diego International Fringe Festival that tap into Les Girls history. Plus sex worker-activists turn to Fringe Festivals to use art to advocate for sex worker rights and to challenge stereotypes. In this chapter: Kata Pierce-Morgan, poet, activist, former dancer, current owner of Les Girls Theater Kate McGrew/Lady Grew, singer, activist, sex worker, Fringe artist Rachel Atlas, Fringe artist, activist, sex worker Kit Marsh, Fringe artist, sex worker Cherida Fraser, Fringe artist Credits: Beth Accomando, Producer/Host/Video editor Christopher Maue, Videographer/Lighting Designer Kurt Kohnen, Sound Designer Phil Nenna, Designer/Animator Sanns Dixon, Videographer Roland Lizarondo, Videographer Amy Fan and Gaby Moreno, Assistants David Washburn, Editor More information at kpbs.org/stripperenergy #strippers #adultentertainment #lesgirlstheater #sandiegohistory #vice #policeabuse #fighting back #sexworkers #fringefestivals #sandiegointernationalfringe #newzealandfringe #ireland #newzealand Explicit content.

How dare a stripper, a fringe woman, not stay silent and compliant as vice officers sexually harassed her ... and worse. And how dare Kata Pierce-Morgan challenge stereotypes and fight back? But Les Girls Theater had a history of fighting back starting with its owner James Morgan who spoke up against police abuse to a county Grand Jury in the hopes that the California Attorney General would crack down on the San Diego Police Department's Rat Pack. Kata was a midwestern Catholic girl who believed, like her late husband Jim, in not being a silent bystander. Even if you were a dancer at Les Girls. After all, Jim had won a groundbreaking victory over censorship in the late 1960s. But as the 60s became the 70s, Kata and her fellow dancers faced an onslaught of police raids, nude interrogations and coerced encounters. In this chapter: Kata Pierce-Morgan, poet, activist, former dancer, current owner of Les Girls Theater John Barriage, lawyer who represented James Morgan and Les Girls in 1980s Kate Yavenditti, lawyer and co-founder of the County's Task Force on Domestic Violence, also involved with WomenOccupySan Diego and the National Lawyers Guild. J.W. August, journalist Pepper, former dancer and cashier at Les Girls Theater Mel, current manager of Les Girls Theater Credits: Beth Accomando, Producer/Host Christopher Maue, Videographer/Lighting Designer Kurt Kohnen, Sound Designer Phil Nenna, Designer/Animator Sanns Dixon, Videographer Amy Fan and Gaby Moreno, Assistants David Washburn, Editor More information at kpbs.org/stripperenergy #strippers #adultentertainment #lesgirlstheater #sandiegohistory #1980s #vice #policeabuse Explicit content.

Kata Pierce’s life changed when she met James Morgan, a Texas Baptist Republican who challenged censorship and police abuse of power. Both Kata and Jim refused to be silent bystanders and that had consequences. Find out how a raid on Jim’s Left Bank establishment led to him opening Les Girls Theater and staging what was referred to as “The Censorship Play.” In this chapter: Kata Pierce-Morgan, poet, activist, former dancer, current owner of Les Girls Theater Bobbi Rogers, former dancer at Les Girls Theater and performer in “Let in All Hang Out” Pepper, former dancer and cashier at Les Girls Theater in the 1980s Sid Kassouf, former employee at Show Place James Morgan, original owner of Les Girls Theater, late husband of Kata Credits: Beth Accomando, Producer/Host Christopher Maue, Videographer/Lighting Designer Kurt Kohnen, Sound Designer Phil Nenna, Designer/Animator Sanns Dixon, Videographer Amy Fan and Gaby Moreno, Assistants Marc Biagi, actor reading James Morgan David Washburn, Editor More information at kpbs.org/stripperenergy #strippers #adultentertainment #lesgirlstheater #censorship #sandiegohistory #floatingcastle #nudiecutieexpress #navy #1970s Explicit content.

Join me under the neon glow of the historic Les Girls Theater for “Stripper Energy: Fighting Back from the Fringes.” Former dancer and current owner of Les Girls Theater, Kata Pierce-Morgan, provides unlimited access to a half century of archival material that uncovers a dark chapter of San Diego history from the 1970s and 80s. Kata has been turning chapters from her life and the history of Les Girls into politically charged performance art for San Diego International Fringe Festival. Her consistent theme has been, never be a silent bystander. This year she premieres “No Regrets,” a music and burlesque show set in the late 1960s when vice raided the Left Bank Nightclub, which was the precursor to Les Girls Theater. Prepare for sassy strippers, corrupt cops, and a fierce activism launched from the unlikely stage of a strip club. Explicit content. Links (not sure if you need links but I need them for KPBS web): San Diego International Fringe https://sdfringe.org/ No Regrets https://sdfringe.org/events/golden-corpse-presents-no-regrets/ Les Girls Theater https://www.lesgirlstheater.com/