What do you get when you combine sugar, spice, and everything nice...with an extra bit of Chemical X? No, not the Powerpuff Girls(awesome, but less awesome than my interviewee). The product is a sassy, sexy, smart, business-savvy, kind-hearted, talented, bold, wise, and horror-loving, Kristina Lakey! From her work in not only giving to others through charity(and as an ASL interpreter), but also inspiring them to love and fearlessly own who they are, I consider her a a SUPERhero. I had the pleasure of meeting Kristina for the first time at DAYS OF THE DEAD Chicago in 2012 when I noticed her and her husband, Dan, walking around the convention hall dressed as "Amy Peterson" and "Peter Vincent" from the original Fright Night. Being that Fright Night is one of my favorite horror films of all time, I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a photo!
It was not long after the convention that I came across Kristina on Facebook and sent her a friend request. I'm glad she accepted because it gave me the opportunity to get to know her and all of the incredible work she does. Always fierce and always working hard, Kristina is one of the most influential people I know as well as the biggest Fright Night fan I have met(she has an amazingly chilling video of her signing to the film's "Come to Me").
Kristina is has been a founder, powerhouse, and the creative genius behind many things, including a burlesque troupe known as The Fischer Bodies and the Flint Zombie Walk, to name a few. I've had the honor of interviewing and getting to know many incredible people in the horror world and Kristina is by far one of the finest.
Kristina with William "Charley Brewster" Ragsdale. Photo Credit: RSII Photography1) Let's start out with the typical question to horror fans: when did you first become a fan?
This is a funny question because I can't remember it. I can't recall a time when I wasn't a horror fan. I grew up on horror films. When I was in Kindergarten I would race home from school every day and watch Beetlejuice until my Mom told me it was time for bed. She, my sister and myself would rent stacks and stacks of VHS tapes on the weekends and watch them, one after another. So I guess the answer to that is I've been a horror fan for literally as long as I can remember.
2) I don't even have to ask what films you love since I know you're a huge Fright Night fan! What is it about Fright Night that stood out to you?
It's true! I'm a Fright Night fanatic. Again, I was so young when I saw the film for the first time that I can't even remember how old I was. My mother saw it with some friends and came home and rented it for us. It must have been '89 or so, just a few years after it came out. Initially what attracted me to it? I can't recall. I do remember having a very inappropriate crush on Chris Sarandon (that may or may not linger today..). But the adult in me can now put words to why I love it so much.
First, the story captivated me. The idea that something awful was happening and nobody would believe the one person who knew it. I fell in love with each and every character and how complex they were and how they all fit together to tell the story. I was simply enamored of the special effects. Evil Ed's wolf transformation, the pencil in Jerry's hand - it all seemed so effortless and wonderful. Scary at times and gory at times but nothing over the top. Everything had it's place. I never went to bed as a kid being freaked out by Fright Night and I love that. I think that's my favorite part of the film. It isn't extreme gore or violence or sex. It's about a little bit of everything which, to me, creates a more realistic story.
Everyone who is in the arts has a moment they turned onto it and a reason. Fright Night was what got me interested in acting myself, in creating other worlds and in things like make-up and effects. Quite honestly I feel like I owe a lot to Fright Night.(1 and Part 2)
3) You're also the founder of The Fischer Bodies which performs Vaudeville-style theatre. From reading the description on Facebook, you're not only sexy, but powerful, sassy, and inspiring! Please tell us more about your performers, performances, and The Fischer Bodies as a whole!
The Fischer Bodies was something I started when I realized that I needed to learn to love myself. It was really that simple. I put out a call on Facebook to see if my other theatre friends felt the same way or would be interested and I got some positive response. That was three years ago! I can hardly believe it. We perform burlesque theatre, as I call it. We really do a wide variety of performance. Sometimes it's about putting on an entire show with a script we wrote from the ground up. Sometimes it's about putting a twist on an old favorite,as with our upcoming How Dr. Frank - N- Furter Stole X-Mas: A Rocky Horror X-Mas Show. Sometimes it's about doing classic 1940's style burlesque for private parties. But it is always, 100% about loving ourselves.
Our troupe consists of Nada Teezovich(founding member), Paige Turner(founding member), Dish Delish, Twiggy Boylust, Chaz Boner, Furvus Mendax and myself, Victoria NigthShade. We all serve several functions from costumes, to writer to music editor to anything you can think of that is required for the production of a show.
Our hallmark is dark and mysterious. We do a lot of horror themed burlesque as a few of us are tried and true horror buffs. We've even taken our shows on the road to different horror conventions, which is something we greatly enjoy. But we do love to throw humor in anywhere we can. Dish Delish and I have this great little number set to the Jaws theme music. Silly, campy, dark, mysterious, classic, positive and vibrant. I think those words describe who we are and what we do but honestly? You have to see it for yourself.
4) You do a lot, including the Flint Zombie Walk! What was the inspiration behind starting it? Tell us more about its awesomeness!
The Flint Zombie Walk was something I started originally as a sort of PR stunt for Flint City Theatre. The Theatre does a lot of underground, strange plays and a Zombie Walk seemed like a good way to get some awareness of the group. We paired up with a charity and had about 75 Walkers that year. It started simply enough, just like that. The next year we had Kyra Schon from Night of the Living Dead as a celebrity guest and the event grew to about 200 Walkers. The third year we had Sharon Hill from Dawn of the Dead and we skyrocketed to 700 Walkers. I started taking things very seriously at that point. Each year we chose a charitable organization and Walk on their behalf. The event is run like a mini horror convention, featuring horror vendors, entertainment and celebrity guests. We've welcomed Ken Foree(Dawn of the Dead), Alex Vincent(Child's Play), William Ragsdale(Fright Night), John Tenney(Realm of the Weird), Jim Krut(Dawn of the Dead) and the others I listed above. I go to horror conventions a lot so seeing these people isn't a new concept to me. But to see the patrons of my event get to meet their horror idols? It's just the best thing I can think of. On top of that we get to give back!
The sixth annual Flint Zombie Walk will take place on October 4th and you can check out www.flintzombiewalk.com for the low down.
5) Quite the entrepreneur! What is some of the best advice you've heard or lessons that you have learned in your time as a successful business woman, entertainer, and horror lover?
I suppose you can call me an entrepreneur if you consider my payment is experience and fulfillment. Working with lots of different types of people can be a challenge because everyone has different needs and wants and points of view. The first and best thing? Not everyone has to be your friend. And that's okay. Not everyone is good for you. You aren't good for everyone. And that's okay, too. If that's the case don't force what shouldn't be. Find the people that you work well with and develop a bond wherein you trust them and hold them accountable but you're also strong enough to move on alone if things don't work out. Be willing to look at your own shortcomings and recognize your own flaws.
The most important thing I can think of is be kind and be genuine. Allow what you're doing to come from your heart and from your passions. Be positive! Use social media to your advantage but don't bog it down with everything awful going on in your life. Save that for your tried and true friends. Keep it light and positive and allow people to become attracted to your work because they can see your happiness. Even if they don't share your exact interestes they will find your demeanor lovely. It's a great way to make connections and a great way to be happy!
6) You're certainly one of the most inspirational women in the world of horror. You're determined, smart, fearless, and caring so I wonder... who or what inspires you?
Wow! What a compliment. That's so sweet of you to say. My inspirations come from gentle, good hearted people. ( I think that's why I like you so much, Diandra. ) My Mother, my husband, my daughter and my close friends. The people that I hold close are those who have found a way to navigate life while being kind. Aside from human beings, a lot of my inspiration comes from this great need that I have to constantly express myself. It's a blessing and a curse. It won't really allow me to stop any of the work that I do. But it also allows me to experience things in a way that only an artist does. A lot of the inspiration that lives in that well comes from horror films. Maybe that's why I love horror so much after all. It allows me to be the exact opposite of what I am in a very safe way, without risking anything. *light bulb moment*
Photo Credit: RSII Photography
7) What is your proudest achievement and your greatest goal?
If we're strictly talking about my work in horror my proudest achievement would have to be the growing success of the Flint Zombie Walk and the connections I've made with my own favorite horror celebrities as a result. It always starts out as a business deal and ends with the guests and I being real friends. We hang out when we're in one another's towns, call each other on the phone, have get togethers whenever time permits. I've been able to cross over from being a fan to a friend and that means a lot to me. Their work, my fan-girl-geek-ness, it's all irrelevant because they've ended up being fantastic humans that I'd want to know anyway. And I feel lucky that they care to know me back.
My secret goal that I haven't told anyone until this moment? To be on the other side of the signing table. Not necessarily for film but for the work I'm already doing. To travel to conventions with my burlesque show and bring horror fans real horror burlesque and to have those people as excited to meet me as I am to meet them. Or maybe it's because I did land a role somewhere that meant something to somebody or because of my modeling or...or...or....it almost doesn't matter. If I do what I love and someone else wants to hang with me because they love it to? It's the ultimate fandom experience.
8) Any future projects? I know they'll be worth keeping an eye out for.
I'm always working on burlesque shows so you can keep up to date there by searching for The Fischer Bodies on Facebook or by visiting www.thefischerbodies.com.
The 6th Annual Flint Zombie Walk will take place in October and you can find out more by finding us on Facebook or visiting us at www.flintzombiewalk.com.
Miss Dish Delish and I have a horror blog you can check out at http://babesinhorrorland.blogspot.com/.
And coming soon I'll be starting work on a very special project that I can't really talk about at the moment. It's still in it's beginning stages of development but it does involve some modeling and lovely ladies and some hardcore fan girls!
The Fischer Bodies as Masquerade of the Red Death
(Left to right) Victoria NightShade, Dish Delish, Nada Teezovich
Photo Credit: Brian Ingersoll
I thank Kristina for giving of her time to answer these questions and hope that you will check out her work! "Oh, you're so COOL, [Kristina]!" No, really, you are!
Here is the video of "Come to Me" that I mentioned earlier....check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxQ999S9Rq8
Also, here is Kristina performing a burlesque tribute to Fight Night at Mad Monster Party.
