Since the show began its residency at The Nines last February, Thomasen has sat front-row at every performance. Her short, bright pink hair and quirky graphic T-shirts — which she matches with her accompanying husband and friends —are quick identifiers for those on and off the stage. At the age of 68, Thomasen also stands out for being decades beyond the burlesque show’s average demographic.
But Thomasen’s age does little to define her. When she’s not cheering on her Uptown girls at The Nines, she's taking them to grab drinks at Louie Louie’s Dueling Piano Bar down the street. Despite being decades younger, Joy says she’s had to turn down Thomasen’s late-night invitations because she’s the one who’s already retired at home to her bed.
“You just don't see a lot of people who are her age coming out to our shows and showing so much enthusiasm,” Joy says. “I mean, she's brought us gifts, she’ll make stuff for us. She's brought us bracelets, for Christmas she made us all little self-care bags. She's just the sweetest, most vivacious person and she's so supportive and fun at every show.”
Dallasites who have yet to encounter Thomasen and her agelessness will get a special chance to see it in person on The Nines’ stage. In April, Thomasen, aka “Juicy Jan,” will celebrate her 69th birthday by making her burlesque debut with Uptown Revue.
“I have such a good relationship with them [Uptown Revue], and I’m so excited they’re having me up there with them,” Thomasen says. “I even announced what I was going to do for my birthday to the audience back in January, and they were all so supportive and excited for me. And I’m excited to show them all what I’m going to do.”
A child of the '70s, Thomasen has long requested a special disco-themed night to highlight her favorite era. It wasn’t until last fall that she realized she could do more than cheer the women on from the crowd — she could join them onstage.
Thomasen says this decision was unlike something her younger self would've done. She was a quiet and shy girl who normally kept to herself, but as she nears her 70s, she’s been more open to “jumping at every opportunity to enjoy life.”
“If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I would have ever done any of this I would have told you no,” Thomasen says. “It's like I can tell that I have changed so much as the older I get. I want to enjoy my life now while I can because I really truly don't know what might happen. So I'm just going to embrace it in all the ways I can.”
As the members of Uptown Revue have gotten to know Thomasen, they’ve welcomed her into their unique group of supportive women, something Joy says is essential to the way Uptown Revue functions. Since announcing her wish to be onstage, Thomasen says she has received the same amount of support and praise as any Uptown Revue performer would, which has further strengthened her connection with the group of women she considers to be her friends and daughters. And like any Uptown Revue performer, Joy hopes the audience gets to see another “uniquely different type of woman” being brought to life onstage at Juicy Jan’s debut.
“I’m excited to see what Jan’s performance does for other people in the audience who are approaching her age or afraid of getting older,” Joy says. “They’re going to see her up there, and I expect them to see themselves and think, ‘Shit, if she can do it, why am I holding back in areas of my life?’”
Joy says she and others at Uptown Revue know just how hard it can be to get up on that stage. It’s hard to be vulnerable by any measure onstage, no matter the performance type or style. Seeing Thomasen work up the courage to do it for the first time has been exciting and inspiring for all of them. More than anything, Joy says she just hopes Thomasen can feel some of the power of the spotlight and her own vulnerability during her performance, and that it continues to stay with her offstage.
Thomasen says she’s similarly been inspired by the women of Uptown Revue. She considers the entire cast to be made up of “real women.” In her eyes, they’ve never been afraid to show their true selves on stage, whether in terms of comedy, sensuality or simply natural talent. Seeing such a variety of women with different ages, body types and personalities and getting support from each of them is what drove her to finally decide to make her way to center stage.
The soon-to-be-birthday-girl wants her performance to inspire others who are young, old and everything in between. Through her own journey as a late-stage performer, Thomasen wants others to know that age doesn’t matter at any stage in life. What really matters is taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves along the way, as there is always something to learn from trying something new. Despite a few lingering nerves, Thomasen says she’s as eager as ever to stand under the spotlight and show others that anyone can find a new sense of empowerment at any point in their life.
“I keep thinking there’s so many women out there who are nervous like I was, like I still kind of am, and it reminds me that I need to show them and myself that you need to go out and enjoy life,” Thomasen says. “Don’t be afraid of your size or your age or anything. You just need to live your life the way you can, the way you want to.”“I’m going to show that I can do whatever I want and be whatever I want.” – Jan Thomasen
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While she has not yet finalized her entire routine, Thomasen already has an idea of what she wants to express onstage. She won’t be fully stripping down — she’s invited too many of her friends and coworkers to be immodest — but her act will embody a unique message of its own. With the help of Donna Summers’ “Last Dance,” an inflatable Ken doll and some moves she’s learned from her year-long visits to Uptown Revue, Thomasen hopes to convey the sense of youthful spirit she’s discovered within herself over the recent years.
“I’m going to show that I can do whatever I want and be whatever I want,” Thomasen says.
Juicy Jan’s debut may mean a lot of different things to different people, but ultimately it’s really all about the birthday girl herself, who’s counting on performing for a sold-out crowd. After her big onstage strut, the mature party animal says she’s already planning to grab a post-performance drink or two to celebrate. And like any good performer, Thomasen is reminding folks that tips are greatly appreciated.
“I tell everybody, my friends, people at work, ‘Y’all bring y’all’s money, y’all bring y’all’s dollars, y’all’s fifties. I take Venmo, I take Cash App,’” Thomasen says. “It’s going to be a great night for everyone and a great birthday for me. That night will be all about everyone just having a good time, and I can’t wait.”
Juicy Jan will take The Nines’ stage at 2911 Main St. on April 26. Tickets can be found at uptownrevue.com.
