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THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE

Blame it on Baz Luhrmann. Even though L.A. dance troupe the Pussycat Dolls had been high-kickin' at the Viper Room since 1996, it wasn't until after Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge and the "Lady Marmalade" music video brought burlesque back Into the spotlight that the Dolls moved to the Roxy and became the hottest ticket in L.A. Billed as an ode to the pinup girl, the show--featuring 25 dancers, many from music videos and tours--drew much of its audience from the Hollywood hot list. So too its roster of guest performers, which included real, live pinup girls such as Christina Aguilera, Carmen Electra and Gwen Stefani. Cheeky and sexy, rowdy and rambunctious, the Dolls will be back in L.A. in the fall, before starting a seven-city tour in February. Here, actress--and proud Pussycat Doll--Christina Applegate, talks to the show's creator (and her former roommate) dancer-choreographer Robin Antin.

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE: For those who don't know yet, Robin, what is a Pussycat Doll?

Are they strippers-

ROBIN ANTIN: --No!

CA: Because people think that.

RA: People love to think that. When you say, "I'm a dancer," people go, Oh, really?" But a Pussycat Doll is professionally trained-from ballet, jazz and tap to ballroom dancing and gymnastics. And a Pussycat Doll is someone who has the right attitude--she's sexy, she's funny, she has a sense of humor, she's smart, she's really hot. [laughs] Maybe skinny, maybe not so skinny.

CA: Can you talk about the evolution of the Pussycat Dolls?

RA: Sure. As a professional dancer, I had always wanted to create my own style, so I pulled together four or five of my girlfriends who were awesome dancers and we'd do these little showcases in Hollywood at places like the House of Blues. After a while I wanted to do the show at a club that was more intimate-and it was you, actually, who had the idea to take it to the Viper Room. When we were rehearsing, Johnny [Depp] came in and he was like, "This is so cool. This is why I opened the Viper Room, for this vibe." He asked us to perform there on a weekly basis.

CA: Can you describe the show's vibe?

RA: I wanted to do something that was nonstop fun--music, dancing and singing--from the second you walk in the door until the time you leave. You walk in and there are girls hanging off swings, talking to the audience, flirting with guys. They're gum-chewing, wacky girls who are sexy but campy and have a sense of humor. The audience freaks out because there're these incredibly hot girls coming through the audience, dancing and playing. I remember, as a little girl, my brother going to see The Rocky Horror Show. He came home and told me how Tim Curry came up through the audience. I always remembered how cool that was.

CA: Who else inspired you?

RA: The old pioneers of film dance like Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. And I'm really inspired by Bob Fosse--his films like Cabaret [1972] and Sweet Charity [1969]. Everything from the costuming to the makeup to what his dancers were doing physically and as actors mattered with Fosse. I really identified with that.

CA: Your costumes are so unique. How did you come up with the concept?

RA: I've always loved the idea of a little frilly panty with garters and boots. I grew up sewing, so in the beginning I made all the costumes.

CA: It's kind of '30s.

RA: Yeah, it sort of goes from the '30s through to the '60s, but it always has that twist, that rock 'n' roll edge. I just think it's so sexy. It's sort of a lot of clothing--but not. [laughs]

CA: But it's classy enough that you don't remember that you're half-naked onstage. You feel sort of powerful and wonderful in these costumes.

RA: Exactly. It's about being comfortable with being sexy and flirtatious and not taking it too seriously--because it's not serious. I don't want to say we're making fun of strippers, because that's not nice, but we're really having fun with it. Back in the days of burlesque there was so much fun to the tease, which is much more exciting than something trying so hard to be sexy.

CA: And now all these stars are knocking down the door to be in the show. How did you get the celebrities involved?

RA: Well, let's start with you, since you're such a star. [Apple gate laughs] Even when it was just a couple of dance numbers, you knew that it was something that you wanted to be a part of. Gwen Stefani also came to see a show at the Viper Room and she just loved it. Immediately, she was like, 'Oh, my God, this is exactly what I've always wanted to do!" So we got her in the show and she was--

CA: Amazing. And Christina Aguilera...

RA: The same thing. Christina came down the night that Gwen was in it and immediately wanted to do it. Then there was Nikka Costa, Brittany Murphy, Charlize Theron

CA: And, of course your headliner, Miss Carmen Electra.

RA: Yes, Carmen. I really owe a lot to her. Everywhere she goes, she talks about the Pussycat Dolls. And she comes to every rehearsal on time, like you.