Julie Atlas Muz

Julie Atlas Muz (born Julie Ann Muz on May 30, 1973) is a New York City-based performance artist, dancer, burlesque artist, stage director, and actress. In 2012, she married English actor Mat Fraser.

Julie Atlas Muz
Muz at the 2009 HOWL! Festival in New York City's East Village.
Born
Julie Ann Muz

(1973-05-30) May 30, 1973
Occupation(s)Performance artist, burlesque dancer, actress, stage director
SpouseMat Fraser (2012–present)
Websitehttp://www.julieatlasmuz.com

Muz is best known as a performer in the New York City burlesque scene and neo-burlesque revival. She was the crown holder of the 2006 Miss Exotic World and the 2006 Miss Coney Island pageants.[1] The New York Times calls her "the royalty of burlesque.[2]

Biography

Muz is a native of Detroit.[3] She attended Oberlin College and graduated with a degree in dance and history.[1]

Performance

In the 2000s, Muz had a routine gig as the head mermaid at the now-defunct NYC nightclub, The Coral Room, where she performed alongside live fish in 9,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. She extended her mermaid role at the 2005 Valencia Biennial where she swam in Europe’s largest saltwater tank.[4] Muz trained Kate Winslet for her mermaid scenes in John Turturro's 2006 film, Romance and Cigarettes.[3]

Muz was among the artists featured at the 2004 Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art. At the biennial, she and thirteen other cast members had performed her take on Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" which is inspired by the life and death of JonBenét Ramsey.

In January 2007, Muz, along with Kembra Pfahler curated a mixed media art exhibition titled, Womanizer, at the Deitch Projects. The show included works by E. V. Day, Breyer P-Orridge, Vaginal Davis and burlesque performer Bambi the Mermaid.[5] Muz's contribution was "Mr. Pussy", an exhibit of photos of her genitalia in various poses and props. The exhibit also featured video of "Mr. Pussy" greeting viewers with "welcome" in multiple languages.[6]

On 6 December 2017 Muz made her directorial debut with Jack and the Beanstalk, the first large-scale pantomime to be presented in New York for over a century, at the Playhouse Theater of the Henry Street Settlement. Adapted from the fairy tale of the same title by Mat Fraser, the production also starred Dirty Martini, Matt Roper, David Ilku and a cast of other downtown performers. Awarded the NYT Critic's Pick, the production closed on 23 December 2017 and enjoyed a revival the following year at the same theatre, running for three weeks during the 2018 holiday season. On 4 December 2021 a follow-up, Dick Rivington and The Cat, adapted from the traditional pantomime story of Dick Whittington, was presented by the pair.

References
  1. Ryzik, Melena. "A Woman of Many Parts, Some Exposed" "The New York Times, February 4, 2007."
  2. Sulcas, Roslyn. "A Fairy Tale Stripped to the Bones of Beastliness" "The New York Times, April 20, 2010."
  3. Julie Atlas Muz, Burlesque Star/Mermaid at Gothamist.com Archived 2009-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Phillips, Tony. Inside Downtown ’It Girl’ Julie Atlas Muz "Edge Boston, Jan 17, 2007"
  5. Womanizer at the Deitch Projects Archived 2010-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Robinson, Andrew C. Post-Gender Pandrogyny Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine "Gay City News, January 18, 2007"
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