Q & A SMACKDOWN with ANDREW GORZALSKI of MONDO LUCHA
By Tea Krulos
Photos by Black Sheep Photography
The First Mondo Lucha took place last fall, and watching was like having your senses slammed onto a sweaty mat. A misfit crew of masked luchador wrestlers, circus performers, a house band (this show the band is Maritime), and tantalizing burlesque dancers gave the audience the wow wow wee, and left everyone hungry for more.
TCD caught up with Mondo Lucha co-producer and promoter Andrew Gorzalski to ask him about the second Mondo Lucha this Saturday, April 25 at Turner Hall Ballroom.
TCD: How did the idea for Mondo Lucha come about?
Andrew Gorzalski: The idea was born when Jay Gilkay (the other Mondo Lucha promoter) and I were chatting about trying to bring back seedy, “lower” culture things like wrestling, burlesque and vaudeville, and presenting them in a way that would be a great throwback and be accessible to a contemporary audience. We’re both big cheerleaders for Milwaukee, and we always take offense to the defeatist attitude you see sometimes; “Nothing ever happens in Milwaukee, this city sucks, etc.”
We kind of take that and use it to drive our show. This is a show for Milwaukee, and by Milwaukeeans. It’s a great, great city, and we hope Mondo Lucha continues to grow as another positive, homegrown institution.
TCD: What are some of the wrestling match ups you’re excited about this time? Can we expect to see a return of the terrible KGBeast?
AG: Jeez,where do we start? This show features five great bouts throughout the night with our high flyin’ stable of luchadors. The Tag team belts will be up for grabs in the main event which will be pretty crazy, a new talent named “El Negro Yeti” is part of that. It will be pretty non-stop.
Yes, the Russian K.G.Beast is back! He’s teaming with his manager and Hollywood agent P.A.T.H. to take on a tag team comprised of Romaniac and Terror Lapinski from the Brewcity Bruisers. A lot is on the line in this one. If the ladies pin the resident bad guys, the Russian and P.A.T.H. have to leave Mondo Lucha for life. If the Brewcity Bruisers lose, one of the ladies will have to get married to the K.G. Beast ! We may see a wedding at Mondo Lucha. Stay tuned.
TCD: What are some new acts this time around the audience can expect to see?
AG: We have a great lineup of talent. The amazing Lola Van Ella and Gravity Plays Favorites are back for a return visit after standing ovations last September to a packed Turner Hall. Joining them in the burlesque lineup are Tomahawk Tassels, Sturdy Gurlesque, and Gogo McGregor. All of these burlesque performers are some of the best in the world at what they do and are true national stars of the burlesque scene. Also, Clownvis Presley, “The King of Clowns,” will be on hand. He’s the one and only clown/Elvis impersonator and he brings the house down wherever he goes.
TCD: Any last words to your audience or potential audience?
AG: Come on out on Saturday, we’d love to have you. Our city and culture is what we make it, and this is a really weird and cool opportunity to add to all that goes on in Milwaukee.
Mondo Lucha will smack down on Saturday, April 25 at Turner Hall Ballroom. Check out more at the Mondo Lucha MySpace page!
