Dorothy is all grown up in a Wizard of OZ-inspired burlesque show written and directed by Langley's Cameron Fatkin.

Ruby Red is a hybrid musical that mixes traditional musical theatre with the tantalizing sexiness of traditional burlesque. It starts today (Friday) at the Performing Arts Lodge Theatre in Vancouver.

Despite the show including some familiar names - Dorothy, the Wizard, the Wicked Witch of the West - this isn't a tale for the little ones. While there is no nudity, the whole point of burlesque is innuendo and the women in the cast strip down to pasties. (Those who aren't old enough to remember pasties might want to ask their grandparents.)

Fatkin recommends only those aged 16-plus join the audience.

It was his own experience as an audience member recently that brought about Ruby Red.

"I was very inspired by the shows I saw when I was in Las Vegas earlier this year," Fatkin said. "However, as people came on board and we began to write the script, it became less of a traditional burlesque show and more of a burlesque-inspired musical. We have turned the Wizard of OZ on its head," Fatkin said.

Ironically the Frank Baum story that inspired Fatkin's show was a childhood favourite of the young Langley man.

"I felt that the character of Dorothy could be presented as a modern girl, learning about sexuality and being comfortable in her own skin, something that a lot of people go through," he said.

Fatkin grew up in Langley, graduating from Walnut Grove Secondary in 2007 and heading off to film school at Capilano University.

"Previously, I had worked on and appeared in many shows, including Aida and Fiddler on the Roof," Fatkin explained. "For the past few years, I have been going to school, studying film, while working in the film industry. However, I missed the theatre, and I felt it was time to direct my own show."

Inspired by his trip to Las Vegas, he started writing this spring and is staging the show only months later with the troupe rehearsing at his alma mater, WGSS, where his father Kevin is a teacher.

"I researched what it would take to put something of this calibre on in Vancouver, then I assembled a wonderful and dedicated team and we began to work," Fatkin said. "One thing that changed exponentially was that the show became less of a straight, traditional burlesque show, and more of a neo-burlesque-inspired, full-blown musical revue."

The 7:30 p.m. revue runs Oct. 1-3 and 5-10 in the theatres on the third floor at 581 Cardero St. Tickets, $15 apiece, are available at www.ticketstonight.ca.

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com