Powerhouse of Burlesque.
Scholar of Striptease culture.
Dramaturg, critic, producer.
Known as the “Siren with the $7million smile,” Alyssa Kitt Hanley is the golden haired dream made of curves and cream.
She is a creative powerhouse of burlesque and a critical thinker of striptease culture. Beginning her career in Australia in 2007, she has been at the forefront of shaping the Neo-burlesque revival as an award-winning performer (Queen of Burlesque Burlesque Hall of Fame competitor 2017, 2022 and 2024 Tournament of Tease judge), teacher, journalist, dramaturg, producer (Mx Burlesque Australia) and Director of the Australian Burlesque Museum.
Currently undertaking her PhD in theatre and performance at City University New York’s Graduate Center, her research focuses on the politics of erotic performance, burlesque, disability and dance. She is proud “Disa-burly-teaser,” cancer survivor, and beauty activist championing facial difference. She is a faculty fellow at Social Practice CUNY and lectures in theatre history at Brooklyn College.
Unique, refined, and utterly unforgettable, Alyssa Kitt conjures dreamscapes that shimmer with sensual intelligence and cinematic allure.
Unique, refined, and utterly unforgettable, Alyssa Kitt conjures dreamscapes that shimmer with sensual intelligence and cinematic allure.
Unique, refined, and utterly unforgettable, Alyssa Kitt conjures dreamscapes that shimmer with sensual intelligence and cinematic allure.
Her scintillating, showstopping acts have sizzled across stages worldwide, from the Sydney Opera House and Enmore Theatre to the glittering cabarets of New York’s Broadway and Times Square music halls
Combining exquisite costuming, emotional storytelling, and commanding stagecraft, Kitt transforms burlesque into a visual and visceral art form — one that is as thoughtful as it is thrilling.
Heralded as one of the finest artists in contemporary burlesque, Kitt is a two-time Queen of Burlesque competitor at the Burlesque Hall of Fame, a Miss Burlesque Australia veteran, and recipient of numerous industry accolades, including The Golden Pastie “Elvis Award” for Best Snarl at the New York Burlesque Festival (2023). Ranked among the Top 50 Most Influential Burlesque Figures in the World by 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, her career spans international festival stages from Toronto and St. Louis to Vancouver and Chicago.
Beyond the spotlight, Kitt’s creative practice bridges performance, scholarship, and curation. She is Director of the Australian Burlesque Museum, producer of Feminist Fatale, and curator of the national touring exhibition Icons with the Australian Burlesque Festival. Currently based in New York City, she continues to merge artistic and academic worlds through fellowships and presentations at CUNY Graduate Center, the Segal Center, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Academic Publications:
Selected Public Writing:
Archer Magazine; 21st Century Burlesque; Noncompliant Quarterly; Whimn.com.au; Body & Soul, Laud Magazine; Adore Pin-Up
21st Century Burlesque Magazine
Archer Magazine
Adore Pinup
Editor and feature writer | 2015–2016
Trade Publications
Journalist Publications