Living in the Victorian Era was an interesting time in history, but there were some definite drawbacks that Dorothea Phelan will show in her "Victorian Clothing From The Outside In" or "The Victorian Strip" at the Ojai Valley Museum on Sunday, September 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Have you ever wondered what the Victorian women wore under those gowns with the long sleeves and high collars? Even more puzzling...why did they wear those undergarments especially when the weather was very warm? Here is your chance to find out what "didn't meet the eye" in a very informative and entertaining way. Dorothea Phelan, as Mrs. Horace Swazey and her "maid", Dotty Wheeler, as Phoebe, will educate (they call it edutainment) the audience about Victorian clothing of the late 1800s and present a spoof on the revealing removal of the layers of clothing worn at that time. This production comes to Ojai, courtesy of The Ventura County Museum of History and Art Speakers' Bureau. The very first performance of "The Victorian Strip" was at the Ojai Valley Museum when it was at the previous fire station on Montgomery Street. "Lots of men turned out because they thought it was going to be a real striptease," Dorothea remarked.

Dorothea Phelan was born in Nevada and grew up in an old mining and ranching community. She has always loved history and is a collector of antiques. Dorothea, retired from the field of special education twelve years ago, is the mother of three grown children, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of one. A Ventura County Museum of History and Art Docent for nine years, Dorothea is past President of the Docent Council. She has lived in Ventura County for 27 years.

Dotty Wheeler, having a lifelong love of history, has been a Docent at The Ventura County Museum of History and Art for three years. She retired as a trust officer with Wells Fargo Bank four years ago. Dotty, her husband, Robert "Flash" Wheeler and their red poodle, Poo Bear, live on a 40' trawler in Ventura Harbor. She is the mother of three grown children and grandmother of nine. She has lived in Ventura County for thirty-three years.

After the presentation by Dorothea and Dotty, the audience will enjoy a "Victorian Tea" by Andi Bloom, former owner of Tottenham Court, and the museum's events committee chaired by Jane Weirick, member of the Board of Trustees. The bill of fare will be the same delicacies that the community enjoyed at Tottenham Court. During the tea, the winning "Magic Carpet" raffle tickets will be drawn by Dorothea and Dotty. Prizes have been donated by local artists, businesses and friends of the museum. Proceeds will go to defray the cost of new carpeting for the museum galleries, library and offices. Reservations, which are $10.00 per person, for the "Victorian Clothing From The Outside In" and the Victorian Tea may be made by calling the museum office at 640-1390 and paying by Visa or Mastercard or by mailing a check to the Ojai Valley Museum, P.O. Box 204, Ojai, CA 93024 as soon as possible; seating is limited.

Sunday, September 28 is the last day of the "Smart and Sassy:Artistic Historic Women of Ojai" exhibit. The museum's hours are Thursdays and Fridays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturdays, 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for students, ages 6-18, and admittance is free for children 6 years old and younger. The museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue.