About Thorne

Thorne is a genderqueer, interdisciplinary burlesque artist and entertainer based out of Chicago. Getting their start in 2014 under the stage name Jimmie "The Boy Toy" Swagger, Thorne has traveled the globe performing, teaching, and producing. Thorne's performances are over-the-top and down right nasty, infusing acrobatics, musicality, and a playful cheekiness. Their known to give you a good prick, its Thorne!

Shows

Thorne has had the pleasure of performing in cities and venues all around the world including Chicago's House of Blue's and Museum of Contemporary Art and NYC's Stonewall!

Other shows include:

  • Bazuka Joe's Immoderates - Chicago
  • Unbridled at Untitled - Chicago
  • Members Only Burlesque - Times Square, NYC
  • House of Burlesque - House of Blues Chicago
  • #FACE with Shea Coulee - Hydrate Chicago
  • Clipper Cabaret - Chicago
  • FIVE Nightclub - Madison
  • Bordel - Chicago
  • GlitterGuild Burlesque at GenCon - Indianapolis, IN
  • Satanic Panic (including a duet with Tigger!) - McLean Ballroom Chicago
  • Newport Peak-easy - Newport Theater Chicago
  • Delirium - a Bohemian Caba-Rave - Newport Theater Chicago
  • Danger Damsels Burlesque - Grand Rapids Michigan
  • The Naughty Little Cabaret - Chicago
    • & more!

Festivals

Thorne has performed at many festivals around the world, most notably The Edmonton Burlesque Festival (Edmonton, CA), Vienna Boylesque Festival (Vienna, Austria) in 2016 Seattle Boylesque Festival, Wisconsin Burlesque Festival, and Ohio Burlesque Festival.

Production

Current productions by Thorne include Muse at the Newport Theater (Chi, IL), Greentown Follies at Three Brothers Theatre (Waukegan, IL), Booty Shoppe at Club Icon (Kenosha, WI), and a new series premiering in March 2024, Thirst Tease Thursdays at The Baton Show Lounge (Chicago, IL)

In 2015, Thorne started Boy Toy's Pocket Cabaret (BTPC), a male burlesque and variety revue. BTPC presented regular shows in many venues throughout Illinois including Chicago's Uptown Underground, Newport Theater, Mary's Attic, and a spin off of the show, Boytoy Chicago which was featured weekly at Hydrate NightClub on Chicago's infamous North Halsted in 2016. In 2015, P. NoNoire and Prima Vera also joined as both a co-producer of Boy Toy's Pocket Cabaret as well as the regular emcee and host. BTPC also traveled, doing a show in Rockford, IL at the Office Nightclub as well as headlining the dance pavilion at Milwaukee's Pride Festival in 2017, 2018, and 2019. BTPC boasted a cast of regular performers including Switch "The Boi" Wonder, Willy LaQueue, Tyler Hall, the Glamonster, and Duke LeSling as well as well known guest performers like RuPaul's Drag Race's The Vixen, Shea Coulee, Jade Sotomayor, and Monica Beverly Hillz. They also boast burlesque legends such as Tigger!, Bazuka Joe, Jeez Loueez, and Shimmy LaRoux!

In 2016, Thorne, P. NoNoire, and Whiskey Sixx opened Dauntless Entertainment Group, an entertainment company that went on to produce many events including Sinister: a night of Sanguine Ritual, Saveur Noire: a celebration of Black History Month, Muse: An all live musical variety cabaret, and they even co-produced Satanic Panic, an event that took place on Michigan Ave in Chicago's well known McLean Ballroom with other producers Red Rum and Angela Eva!

In 2019, Thorne co-produced the annual School of The Art Institute's fashion show and exhibition along Pamela Vanderlinde and Department Chair Katrin Schnabl at the Spertus Institute on Michigan Avenue. They also began the production of Muse, an all live music burlesque and variety show with producers Boobs Radley, Lucky Stiff, and Whimsy Stiff-Richards

In 2020, Thorne assisted in the Direction and Production of "The Great Depression" by well known performance artist and Director, Lucky Stiff, at Chicago's Prop Theater and the Museum of Contemporary Art

Other Productions Include:

  • Indulgence NYE 2020 - Newport Virtual Venue

In The Media

RecentAs Jimmie Swagger