A STRIPPER WHO FOUND HERSELF IN THE MOST UNCONVENTIONAL WAY
Lamar, Missouri - Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a stripper?
In the 1970's, the Burlesque industry was thriving. Nudity and pornography was a public and political outrage. And people across the country were flocking to burlesque theaters to see Melissa St. John: The Upside Down Girl, A.K.A. Wild Star. Little did they know she was a single Mother, alone, on the road, with her two children in boarding schools in separate states. Over a 6 year period while traveling on a burlesque circuit across the country, she was searching for a way to come face to face with her true spirit. Through writing her innermost thoughts on paper, she found herself in the most unconventional way.
THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A MOTHER'S STORY, by Opal Dockery, is an inspirational, spiritual and autobiographical journal of a stripper's thoughts over a 6 year period in the 1970's. Her personal thoughts on single parenthood, spirituality, alternative lifestyle thinking, travel, the burlesque industry and family will inspire you, shock you and uplift you.
Asked about her book, Opal replied, "I was a stripper for approximately twenty-two years. This book contains a portion of intense thoughts I experienced during six years of this time, most of which I was on the road from 1971 to 1977. The source of my book is based on my feelings".
To promote the limited edition first printing of STRIPPER, Dixie Publishing is offering a huge discounted price to the public. Effective immediately, by purchasing the novel directly through the publisher, the buyers will receive the $39.00 novel for only $25.00 plus shipping and handling. By eliminating the middleman, readers will have access to the book before it reaches bookstores at a substantial savings, by emailing, calling or visiting the website to purchase THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER.
Opal Dockery is a writer, actress and speaker; and is presently available for speaking events. Star of the award-winning cult- following comedy short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA, Dockery is a former stripper for over 20 years, and has been a vegetarian/vegan for over 40 years. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Criminal Justice. Dockery is currently the subject of a feature film documentary THE OLD STRIPPER, directed by her real-life son, filmmaker Jack Truman.
Title: THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A MOTHER'S STORY Author: Opal Dockery First Printing 2009, Copyright 1997 Price: 39.00 ISBN: 0-9701769-0-2 182 Pages, Illustrations and News ArticlesInspirational/Spiritual/New Age/Alternative/Parenthood/Family Contact: Jack Truman, Dixie Productions, 417-398-2877 Email: trumanjack@hotmail.com Book Website: http://thoughtsofastripper.webs.com
Opal in the trailer for the upcoming feature film THE OLD STRIPPER:
Jack talking about his Mother's book THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A Mother's Story:
Contact: Jack Truman, Dixie Productions 417-398-2877 Midwest Office Email: trumanjack@hotmail.com Book Website: http://thoughtsofastripper.webs.com/ http://www.myspace.com/dixiefilms
A STRIPPER WHO FOUND HERSELF IN THE MOST UNCONVENTIONAL WAY
Lamar, Missouri - Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a stripper?
In the 1970's, the Burlesque industry was thriving. Nudity and pornography was a public and political outrage. And people across the country were flocking to burlesque theaters to see Melissa St. John: The Upside Down Girl. Little did they know she was a single Mother, alone, on the road, with her two children in boarding schools in separate states. Over a 6 year period while traveling on a burlesque circuit across the country, she was searching for a way to come face to face with her true spirit. Through writing her innermost thoughts on paper, she found herself in the most unconventional way.
THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A MOTHER'S STORY, by Opal Dockery, is an inspirational, spiritual and autobiographical journal of a stripper's thoughts over a 6 year period in the 1970's. Her personal thoughts on single parenthood, spirituality, alternative lifestyle thinking, travel, the burlesque industry and family will inspire you, shock you and uplift you.
Asked about her book, Opal replied, "I was a stripper for approximately twenty years. This book contains a portion of intense thoughts I experienced during six years of this time, most of which I was on the road from 1971 to 1977. The source of my book is based on my feelings".
Opal Dockery is a writer, actress and speaker. Star of the award-winning cult-following comedy short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA, Dockery is a former stripper for over 20 years, and has been a vegetarian for over 35 years. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Criminal Justice. Dockery is currently the subject of a feature film documentary THE OLD STRIPPER, directed by her real-life son, filmmaker Jack Truman.
Title: THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A MOTHER'S STORY Author: Opal Dockery Copyright 1997, First Printing 2009 Price: 39.00 ISBN: 0-9701769-0-2 182 Pages, Illustrations and News Articles Inspirational/Spiritual/New Age/Alternative/Parenthood/Family Contact: Jack Truman, Dixie Productions, 417-398-2877 Email: trumanjack@hotmail.com Book Website: http://thoughtsofastripper.webs.com/
I'm going to try to focus this week on promoting and working on my Mother Opal's new STRIPPER book THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A MOTHER'S STORY. I know this can tie in and work with my films....
To start the week out, I came up with an idea at the house last night. Why not have a video blog online where I can let people people know and watch by video what I'm doing as a filmmaker, working on and thinking about? There's blogs like this that I write....I've got over 50 online social networks....and want people to know what Opal and I are working on....
Why not let people know by film?
Last night, I filmed my first video blog. I talked for a few minutes about what I'm working on...last week's World Premiere in Florida of my new comedy short FUCKIN' OLD BITCH, this last week's filming of my upcoming feature documentary THE OLD STRIPPER, and Mother's new STRIPPER book THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER. Here's the video on YouTube:
Hope you enjoy it!
I think this is a new way as a filmmaker to share with others how I try to make my movies and get my message out. I might start using video blogs as a tool to get my voice out there as an independent filmmaker....
I'll tell you...my head has been spinning.....there has just not been time to get some things done....
April has been one busy month....ever since Opal and I have rented this car the end of March, we've been going non-stop. April 1st, we arrived in Orlando at the Florida Film Festival. And since that first day in April, these first 15 days have been crazy....between our Florida trip, driving back here to Missouri, filming THE OLD STRIPPER across the country these last 2 weeks, traveling all over with the rental car, Mother's book, and more.....whew...
Opal and I have been filming a lot of THE OLD STRIPPER this last week. We got quite a bit of footage with Melissa in Florida, then footage on the road back coming back home in Tennessee and Kentucky. The camera went out and became defective in Kentucky; so when I got back home here last weekend, I went to a major retail store (won't mention the name for legal reasons), and bought a camera. I'm going to use it for 30 days, then return it to get my money back; that way, I'll have a free camera this next month to shoot footage for our feature film THE OLD STRIPPER.
And this last week, we've been shooting a lot of footage with this camera. Went to Kansas City Tuesday and got some good filming of Opal with Sam; a little footage downtown around the Folly Theater; footage yesterday of going to the book printer to get Opal's novel THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER ready for the first printing; and quite a bit of filming around home. A lot's going on with the shoot...we've been filming this documentary for about 3 years now, and going to Florida was like a shot in the arm to get the ball rolling more....we've got to try to shoot as much as we can before we return the rental car back to Springfield next week...
Got a big project going on with Opal' stripping novel THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER...with the meeting yesterday with the printer, things look good; and the first printing is a go....so I've got a lot to work on the same time, getting Mother's book ready to market and distribute; I think this is a a great connection. I really think her book and this feature film will work together, and will get out there together. With the film fan base we've created with these shorts, we already have a worldwide foundation base to market the book as a leadup to our upcoming feature film. I think all of this will come and work together....
Gotta go for now....and get a few things done online here at the library before heading to the auction....
The trailer for our upcoming feature THE OLD STRIPPER:
It's been a busy time. Haven't had the time or the resources since last Saturday to write a blog....but now I've got a few minutes, and will try to do an update.
This may be a little lengthy...I've got a lot to cover....but we'll see what time allows.
Since my last blog early Saturday at the Filmmaker Tent at the Florida Film Festival, a lot's been going on. Opal and I closed out the festival Saturday night with our sold-out premiere of FUCKIN' OLD BITCH...then went down to Northport to visit my sister Melissa and shoot some footage for 2 days for our new feature documentary THE OLD STRIPPER...then made the road trip back here to Missouri Tuesday and Wednesday, while shooting footage for THE OLD STRIPPER on the road in Tennessee and Kentucky....
We just got back to the shacks in Milford last night about 2 a.m.; it's Thursday afternoon, I'm back here at the library in Lamar, catching up on some long-awaited social networking, blogging, and more....it's been over a week since I've been able to do some things.
To be honest, I don't want to be back. I loved being in Florida. I loved Orlando. I loved the weather. I loved the fest and the people; and did not want to get back to this. But I have to be here, work with the tools I have, and keeping making my movies until I get the money to make a move.
Here, in a nutshell, is a daily notetaking journal of what I've been up to since last Saturday:
Saturday: went to a great awards brunch in the morning at the Enzian. Opal and I sat with Tom and Lauri from CHRONIC TOWN, and had a good time. Then after the filmmaker tent, went to a cool screening of 500 DAYS OF SUMMMER. After that, went to the Revel Party....awesome party...from there, Opal and I went to the World Premiere of our new comedy short FUCKIN' OLD BITCH at the Regal in Winter Park. A sold-out, awesome screening of our film in the Midnight Shorts block. After a cool Q&A, stopped by Tom & Jerry's for an appearance at the after party before going and crashing at the Days Inn.
Sunday: Opal and I left the motel about 11 a.m.; headed down to the Enzian to tell everyone goodbye, but it was kinda like a ghost town at the Filmmaker Tent and the theater. After the visit, hit the road towards Tampa to see my sister Melissa and her daughter for a couple of days in Northport, south of Tampa, and to shoot footage for our new documentary THE OLD STRIPPER. My mind was blown on I-75 at Exit 260 @ 140 when I saw a huge confederate flag flying high over the interstate. Got to Melissa's around 4, then went and got a motel room checked in; after unloading the car, went back to visit Melissa and her daughter until midnight, then Opal and I went back to the motel and crashed.
Monday: Spent all day with Opal, Melissa and her daughter Alyssa. We left the motel around 7 a.m.; we couldn't keep the cat there. Got to Melissa's around 7:30, and she had to go to work at the beauty shop. While Melissa worked that morning, Opal and I spent the day with Alyssa....took her out to eat at Perkins, then took her to the beach, then got back to Melissa's around 2 p.m.; when Melissa got home, she gave me haircut, chopping off my 6 months of grown hair; then we took them out to eat at Sweet Tomatoes...love that place...when we got back to the house, spent about 3 hours later that night shooting footage for THE OLD STRIPPER...before conking out on the couch around 2 a.m.
Tuesday: This morning, before heading out from Melissa's for our road trip back home, read Slava's new Indiegogo interview in Orlando of our World Premier of FUCKIN' OLD BITCH last weekend in Orlando at http://www.indiegogo.com/blog ...it was great seeing the Indiegogo bunch there in Orlando...looking forward to working with them on THE OLD STRIPPER...Headed out from Melissa's about noon....hitting the road....stopped in Sarasota, went to the Siesta Key Beach to film some footage of Opal at the ocean for THE OLD STRIPPER....after shooting, there was no working wifi at the beach, so we headed out...tried the wifi in the parking lot while Opal went in Publix in Sarasota to buy some bread and take a piss...and after eating a great vegan ham sandwich in the Walgreens parking lot in Sarasota, hit the road for the road trip back to Missouri around 2:45 p.m.....got past Atlanta around 2 a.m....was in the room of the Motel 6 in Acworth, Georgia around 2:15...was wore out and zapped...no wifi connection....soaked in the tub then conked out...
Wednesday: Woke up in the motel room in Acworth around 8:30 a.m.; Opal went to the lobby to get us some coffee...there wasn't even enough coffee for one cup...this was about the most disappointing Motel 6 we ever stayed in...finally really woke up in the room around 10:30...after Opal's shower, we hit the road around 11 a.m....got past Chatanooga, Tennessee around noon...once we hit Tennessee, it really started bringing back the memories of military school as a child there in Baxter Springs....started shooting Tennessee footage of THE OLD STRIPPER, and got in Nashville around noon...through the day on the road trip, we shot quite a bit of footage of THE OLD STRIPPER in Tennessee and Kentucky...states where Melissa and I went to private schools while Mother was on the road dancing....after some shooting with my camera in Kentucky, my camera went out. And now it won't work. So it be some time, until I get another camera, to shoot more footage. But we got some good stuff...last night, crossed the Mississippi into the Missouri state line; got to Springfield around midnight; made a gas stop; then got to the shacks in Milford around 2 a.m.....
It's Thursday....I'm back home...after working out at the gym, came here to the library to get back to my routine after being gone for about a week and a half...I'm glad Opal and I had the chance to get away, finally go to Florida for one of our films, network, party, have fun and see Melissa and Alyssa, and shoot some footage for our feature film...I didn't want to come back....but sometimes, when you're a poor man, you have to do things you don't want to do....and make sacrifices...
Whew...that was a little lengthy...took some time...but I had to get it out there...glad I jotted down notes during the week....my memory's for shit anymore...
I'll tell you another thing....this week, not having access to wifi...not being able to spend time on the internet...with my daily routine, updating and social networks....was, simply put...frustrating, to say the least. I don't know how many people are out there, that keep up with us....but you get into your routine, and it's frustrating when you can't get things done....but I guess I have to try to learn more how to live with it...
It's good to know that there's a fan base, and audience out there for our film work....Orlando is living proof of that...one of the seeds we've planted around the world for our independent work....it's good to know that my independent voice is wanting to be heard....that makes it all worth it....
The trailer of our upcoming feature film THE OLD STRIPPER:
Opal and I are back here at the filmmaker tent at the Enzian...it's about 4:20...wanted to get on here and write something short and sweet before we start our evening things....
Yesterday and today have been busy with a lot of fun things....saw LIGHTBULB yesterday afternoon, then went to a great party at Will's on Mill, then felt too conked out for a midnight screening, so we headed back to the motel....
Lots going on today....went to a very good awards brunch here at the Enzian this morning....very cool...then stayed and watched 500 DAYS OF SUMMER....good film....Opal and I went back to the motel for lunch, had a great vegan ham sandwich lunch, then headed back here to the Enzian...
Here in about an hour going to the Revel party....then our Midnite Shorts premiere of FUCKIN' OLD BITCH....
I'm here at the Filmmaker Tent at the Enzian, checking a couple of our social networks, and posting a couple of updates since I was online yesterday....
Lots going on....just came back to the theater after Opal and I checked into the Days Inn...went down to the local health food store and ate lunch at the cafe by the Regal....sipping on a beer here in the tent and in about 30 minutes going in the theater to see LIGHTBULB....
Since yesterday afternoon, quite a bit going on...here's a taste:
After leaving the tent yesterday, Opal and I went to see LEAVING BARSTOW...good film...Opal loved it. Then went to the VIP Party, met a few people, and got to know Chris at Cinetic....then went to at later screening at the Regal of CHRONIC TOWN...very good film. After the screening, got to know the filmmakers Tom and Lauri...very cool people. Then went back to the room before heading out for a late night, and ended up crashing.
Today's starting out good. Went to a distribution forum this morning and met some cool people: got to talk to Chris a little more, and Liz from our online distributor of PHONE SEX GRANDMA, B-Side Entertainment. Looking forward to working with them more to generate some revenue for that film. Then saw Slava with Indiegogo, and a couple other people....before heading to check in at the days inn...
Gonna wind this down for now...get ready for the screening and party tonight at Will's...and come back here to write more tomorrow....
Don't really have time right now to write about yesterday too much....but just wanted to take a minute and write a line or 2 to have a daily blog on our Florida trip for the World Premiere of our new 3 minute film FUCKIN' OLD BITCH here at the festival...
Orlando is nice. Haven't been here for several years. Love this weather...
Opal and I are sitting right now here at the Filmmaker Tent here at the Enzian. Sipping on a beer....with the laptop here. Didn't have time to get down here to see THE GARDEN in time....but will go to the Regal here in a couple of hours to see LEAVING BARSTOW later this afternoon before the VIP party tonight....
Opal and I got here in Orlando around 5 p.m. yesterday....checked into the Motel 6, came down here to the Enzian, met Matthew, Annalyn and Shannon, drank a couple of beers in the tent, took a tour of the Enzian, then went to the Filmmaker party. Afterwards went to an after night special filmmaker screening of a 3-D porn film...
Well...it's early morning, I'm up and awake here in a Motel 6 in Tifton, Georgia....about 90 miles north of the Florida State Line....and Opal's conked out in a bed beside me...Patches is hiding under the sheets behind the laptop here while I'm typing...and I've got to go take a shit really quick...
I'm back...that was a really good shit.
It feels really good to be back on the road. It's the first time I've had a chance to be on the road since we took the road trip last year to Park City for THE OUTHOUSE at Slamdance. Being on the road makes me want to make a move...who knows? We'll see what happens in Orlando this week....
I'm going to try to write a blog every day on this trip....whether it's short or lengthy...just at least a few lines to try to get on a writing routine online here....
Yesterday was something....over 1000 miles driven on the road trip yesterday alone. Here's a quick breakdown of what happened yesterday:
We woke up in Milford about 2:30 a.m.; brewed the coffee for the themos, and left Milford at 3:15 a.m.
My eyes were really hurting. I'm not an early morning person. Opal had to start driving.
30 miles on our way, on a country road...around 4 a.m....Patches threw up and shit in the pet cage. It was really stinking up the car. So we had to drive about 20 more miles with the shit smell, until we got to a truck stop a little before Springfield. Opal hosed out and wiped down the pet cage at the truck stop while I held Patches and wiped her down, taking the shit and vomit off of her.
When we got to Springfield, we gassed up, got a little groceries at the Wal-mart Supercenter, drove through the McDick's drive thru for some coffee for the road (the thermos was already drank by this time), and hit the road again around 5:30 a.m.
Around 7 a.m., Opal started really zapping out; so I took over. I started playing Wille's Super Hits CD to keep me company on the road.
We hit Memphis around 1 p.m.; got on 78 to Tupelo (same at Lamar Avenue)....hmmm...it seemed like we never left Lamar!
Got to Birmingham around 5 p.m.....looked pretty rough....I was zapping....so we stopped at a Pilot truck stop for Opal to take over...cops were all over that truck stop, and they were looking at us funny too...
Got through Montgomery around 7 p.m.....that town was looking pretty spooky....
Then went for about 150 miles on back country roads....
Finally got to I-75 here in Tifton, Georgia around 1 a.m. last night....Opal got the Motel 6 room....and we were beat to hell by the time we got in the room! Slept good....
A thousand miles behind us yesterday....and right now, we're about 200-300 miles from Orlando. We should be getting there by 4 or 5. I'll make notes of the drive, take some more pics of us on the way, then when we get there, we might check into the room first, then head over to the fest. We'll see.
Glad I was able to take the time to write all of this today! Will try to be back tomorrow!
Looking forward to getting to the Florida Film Festival today....
