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Calendar: April 29

Concerts, exhibits, plays and more through May 5

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Marcia's Coppel's 'I Have a Problem' is part of her new exhibit at Touchstone Gallery. An opening reception is schedule for May 6. (Image courtesy of Touchstone)

 

Today (Friday)

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) will be having an opening reception for an art display featuring works of Becca Kallem, tonight from 7 to 9 p.m.

Beat City, a rock ‘n’ roll lounge part for queer folks and their friends, will be tonight from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. upstairs at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room (1725 Columbia Rd., N.W.). All attendees must be 21 or older and there is no cover.

Caliente Grande: White Party is tonight at Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) starting at 9 p.m. DJ Michael Brandon will be spinning the Latin dance party in the main hall. There is a $10 cover charge. Attendees wearing white will be let in for free until 11 p.m. Attendees must be 18 to enter, 21 to drink.

D.C. Sentinels will be having its monthly happy hour at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 5 to 8 p.m.

Busboys & Poets will be hosting ASL open mic poetry tonight at 11 p.m. in the Langston Room at its 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.). Anyone with sign language knowledge may sign up to recite a poem or sign a song by e-mailing [email protected]. There is a $5 cover.

Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) is hosting a screening at 8 p.m. of “Break Ground,” which follows 40 teens from the D.C. Metro area that “limit themselves from experiencing relationships that could free them from their pasts.” Three additional screenings will be Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 30

The 15th annual Youth Pride Day will be celebrated today from noon to 5 p.m. at Dupont Circle. Following the festival will be the Infatuation Dance for those 21 and younger with DJ Keenan at U Street Music Hall (1115-A U St., N.W.) from 5 to 9:30 p.m. There is a $5 cover for the dance.

Dennis Miller will be at the Warner Theatre (1299 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $49.50 to $65 and can be purchased online at livenation.com.

Kylie Minogue brings her Aphrodite Tour to the Patriot Center (4500 Patriot Circle) in Fairfax tonight at 7 p.m. Town’s Ed Bailey will be the opening DJ on stage at the concert. Tickets range from $55 to $125 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com. Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) is hosting a “Aphterparty” at 10 p.m. There will be an $8 cover before 11 p.m. and $12 afterward. All attendees must be 21 or older.

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro is hosting “Starry Night: The Lodge Prom” tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is a $5 cover before 10:30 p.m. and $8 after. Prom royalty will be chosen at 11 p.m. The Frederick, Md., Rainbow GLBT Meetup Group will also be hosting a potluck dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. before the prom. Attendees to the dinner must RSVP to [email protected].

Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) presents Hellmouth Happy Hour where every week an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” will be screened and drink specials will be offered. This week the episode is “Nightmares.”

Irvine Contemporary is hosting an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. with the artist [dNASAb] for its newest exhibit, Dataklysmos, featuring multimedia sculptures. The exhibit will be on display through June 4.

Sunday, May 1

ZOOM Urban Lesbian Excursions presents Karaoke Idol tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. at Muzette Karaoke and Restaurant (2305 18th St., N.W.). Tickets are $15 and can be bought online at zoomexcursions.com.

Brendan Conway and Mila Naumova will be performing at the Church of the Holy City (1611 16th St., N.W.) today at 3:30 p.m. This is a free event.

Girls Rock! D.C. is hosting a volunteer kickoff event today at Hole in the Sky (2110 5th St., N.E.) from 3 to 5 p.m. The organization is looking for volunteers for camp week and year-round organizing. For more information, visit girlsrockdc.org.

Monday, May 2

There will be a public hearing on Bill 19-11: “Bullying and Intimidation Prevention Act of 2011” today from 10 a.m. to noon in room 120 of the John A. Wilson building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave.).

The D.C. Center’s (1318 U St., N.W.) monthly volunteer night is tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with activities such as sorting book donations, taking inventory and more. Also at the center will be the Youth Working Group meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Imperial Court of Washington, D.C. will be holding its meeting tonight at the Coldwell Banker building (1606 17th St., N.W.) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit imperialcourtdc.org.

Novelist Alice Walker will be discussing and signing her new book “The Chicken Chronicles, A Memoir” tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Busboys & Poets 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.).

Tuesday, May 3

“Shear Madness,” a comedy whodunit, will be performed twice tonight at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab (2700 F St., N.W.) at 5 and 8 p.m. “Madness” takes place in present-day Georgetown, in the Shear Madness Hair Styling Salon. Tickets are $42. Visit kennedy-center.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Wednesday, May 4

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two new exhibits opening today, Marcia Coppel’s “Life Is Too Serious” featuring paintings of people talking in cafes and parks inspired by Mexico and Harvey Kupferberg’s “Infrared: The Invisible Light” featuring black and white photographs. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Gallery plan b (1530 14th St., N.W.) has three exhibits featuring with paintings by Greg Minah, works on paper by Mars Tokyo and works in gold leaf by Andrew Wapinski. The gallery is open from noon to 7 p.m. and the works will be on display through May 15.

Thursday, May 5

Tonight is Team D.C. Night at the musical comedy, “National Pastime” at Keegan Theater (1742 Church St., N.W.). Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online. The theater is donating $10 from every ticket is Team D.C. For more information, visit teamdc.org.

ABBA – The Concert will be performed at Pier Six Pavilion (731 Eastern Ave.) in Baltimore, tonight at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $75 and can be purchased online at piersixpavilion.com.

E-mail calendar items to [email protected] two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specific events or those with LGBT participants. Recurring events must be re-submitted each time.

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Theater

Talented pair of local queer actors tackles ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Ford’s production features terrific score

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Chani Wereley (Audrey) and Derrick D. Truby Jr. (Seymour) in the 2024 Ford’s Theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors. (Photo by Scott Suchman)

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ 
Through May 18
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th St., N.W.
$33-$95
Fords.org 

Ever since premiering off-Broadway in 1982, “Little Shop of Horrors” has drawn a devoted following of avid audiences as well as performers eager to act in the show. Now playing at Ford’s Theatre, the doo-wop, dark comedy features a terrific cast including a wildly talented pair of local queer actors who’ve longed to appear in the show since they were kids. 

Set in the urban 1960s, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s hit show with a terrific score follows the wacky rise of Seymour, a nebbishy florist in a Skid Row shop who changes his fortunes by unintentionally marketing an exotic, human eating plant.  

Chani Wereley, 28, who plays Seymour’s love interest Audrey, a hyper femme downtowner with an edge, has had her on eye the role for years. Wereley says, “Audrey’s been around the block more than once, but I approach her as a person who moves through the world with love and hope.”

The queer D.C. native adds, “On long trips to visit family in Canada or Florida, the first thing we’d do is pop a ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ video [film version] into the car’s VHS player. I’ve watched is so many times, I could quote the whole movie to you.”

After auditioning to play Audrey in director Kevin S. McAllister’s production at Ford’s, Wereley never thought she’d book the part, and when they said she got it, she cried.  

Similarly, Tobias A. Young, 34, the pansexual actor who voices the part of the bloodthirsty plant affectionately dubbed Audrey II, explains his intense interest in the work: “I started watching the film in ’86. Growing up as a little gay boy in Calvert County, Md., I wanted to be blonde Audrey [played by Ellen Green in the movie]. I didn’t know much about musicals at the time, but I was absorbed.” 

When asked by Ford’s to play the voracious plant Audrey II without auditioning, his reply was an unhesitant “yes.” 

Voicing a role requires Young to sing from backstage in a black box rigged with monitors and a mixing board. He says, “people ask if I’m singing from inside of the ever-growing, scary plant. No, I’m not, and that’s fine. But let’s face it, actors love to be seen on stage, but I don’t feel entirely unseen as Audrey II.”

He’s worked hard and successfully with formidable puppeteers Ryan Sellers and Jay Frisby to bring parts of himself to the carnivorous plant — his sassiness, own movements, and even a tilt of his head; their efforts have drawn the actual Young into the show. 

Both Wereley and Young possess gorgeous, emotive voices as evidenced by Wereley’s striking rendition of Audrey’s “Suddenly Seymour,” and Young’s soulful “Feed Me (Git It).” Additionally, both actors are also big on queer representation in theater. 

When her young pals were listening to Britney Spears, Wereley was dancing to retro tunes like “Mashed Potato Time,” and her favorite song to this day, the Shirelle’s girl group anthem “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” As Audrey, Wereley eschews the character’s usual platinum hair for a bouncy brunette, cherry-streaked wig, tight pencil skirts, swing coats, and her very own half-sleeve tattoo. 

“It’s important for people to see themselves on stage,” she says. “Seeing me or someone like me is inherently interesting. Being that person on Instagram or with the institution, cast, or audiences is meaningful. It’s important.”

In 2011, a couple years after finishing high school, Young landed a part in “Dream Girls” at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, and he’s been working professionally ever since. Growing up, he didn’t see a lot of himself – Black and queer – on social media. He now wants to be open and honest for those out there who might not feel seen, he says

An introvert who lets everything loose on the stage, Young says, “theater is a safe space for queer people. That’s the first place we feel safe, particularly in school. And this is why we need theaters in schools, now more than ever.”

He adds, “What’s great about Ford’s is its surprises, especially when they switch up casting. It’s meaningful to see the shows you love, but why not see them with a twist? Using unexpected actors and incorporating queer people just makes it that much better.”

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Nightlife

D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL returns

Electropop group resurfaces at Trade on March 30

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CTRL is back after a six-year absence.

Finger lasers, confetti cannons, drag shows, photo booths, throwback tunes, and a touch nerdy: after a long break, D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL is throwing its first party in six years.

Born in an Eritrean restaurant more than a decade ago, this longstanding gay nightlife electropop group is resurfacing with a comeback event at Trade on March 30.

Gay DJs Adam Koussari-Amin, Jeff Prior, Devon Trotter, and Brett Andreisen hosted the first CTRL party at now-closed restaurant Dahlak, on the corner of 18th and U Streets. After a year of hosting pop-ups in that restaurant’s dining room, they upgraded down 18th Street to now-closed gay club Cobalt. There, the parties grew: drag shows, a pop-up photo booth from David Claypool, and quirky activations like throwing hot dogs into print-outs of Putin’s mouth. Their productions grew as well, like producing the now-defunct Brightest Young Gays (BYG) Pride events at Wonderbread Factory and Union Market and the ‘Get Wet’ pool party with David Brown’s Otter Crossing at the Capitol Skyline Hotel.

CTRL wasn’t done. The group received its biggest stage yet after a call from Ed Bailey, the owner of now-closed gay club Town, as well as current gay bars Number 9 and Trade. At Town, the opportunity “allowed our creativity to flourish with even bigger performances, bigger photo experiences, crazier hand-outs, and the same electropop dance vibes our fans had come to know us for,” says Koussari-Amin.

CTRL pressed pause when Town shut down, which “was a huge loss to the LGBTQIA+ community and D.C. nightlife in general,” says Koussari-Amin. After that, it hosted an occasional spinoff called QWERTY. Post-pandemic, Koussari-Amin has spent a few nights solo as DJ at Trade and other venues.

After connecting with Jesse Jackson, the Trade general manager, as well as with Bailey, who agreed to host the inaugural event, Koussari-Amin was determined to shift CTRL back to life.

However, getting the old band back together proved to be a challenge. While the rest of the group have either left Washington, D.C., or are pursuing other projects, Koussari-Amin received their blessing to stay on and find new members. 

“When it came to finding new partners, both DJ Dez [Desmond Jordan] and DJ Lemz [Steve Lemmerman] were obvious choices,” he says, noting that “they also have distinct styles and interests.” Dez has a residency at Pitchers and Kiki as well as pop-ups, and Lemz throws events like Sleaze and BENT.

 “It seemed important to come back to the nightlife table with an experience that could complement all the amazing experiences that have even built up since CTRL threw its last event at Town. Bringing back both the DJ collective and the CTRL event with Dez and Lemz means new voices, perspectives, sounds, and excitement.”

“CTRL is an opportunity for the community to come together, enjoy music, drinks, and good vibes,” adds Jordan, noting that for him, it’s an event that celebrates queer identity.

And after months of planning, CTRL will kick off its monthly party series at Trade on March 30 for the first gig after its glow-up.

The trio says that its core inspiration “is driven by the indie and electropop favorites of new and old, like Goldfrapp, Ava Max, Charli XCX, … We’re also all huge fans of slut and trash pop music like Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Cupcakke,” as well as pop diva remixes, new bops, and songs that reside inside and far beyond the expanse of Top 40.

CTRL is also bringing back its activations that complement the tunes. Summer Camp is set for drag performances, David Claypool is back with his photo booth, and Koussari-Amin promises “to have all sorts of weird and wacky handouts like we used to.”

After the March premiere, April’s party is “CTRLella”, a Coachella send-up. Future events will feature various different themes, and they plan to throw a party during Capital Pride; they’re also looking to be a central part of Trade’s expansion into the adjacent space.

 Koussari-Amin says that “the event’s signature experience [is] a lynchpin in connecting D.C.’s expanding generations of queer folks, giving everyone a safe space to let loose and feel a rush no matter who they are.” 

For his part, Bailey continues to support CTRL and its collective intention, expressing its essential nature as a party for partiers by partiers. “CTRL is the kind of party that represents what people want. It’s just a real party by real people that just want to hear good music and dance with their friends.”

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Celebrity News

HRC releases ‘Queer Renaissance Syllabus’

Beyoncé’s hit album inspired curriculum

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Beyoncé performs at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., on Aug. 6, 2023. The Human Rights Campaign has released a curriculum that her "Renaissance" album inspired. (Washington Blade photo by Isabelle Kravis)

In a move aimed at celebrating the beauty, brilliance and resilience of the LGBTQ community, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” that Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album inspired. 

Curated by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall and Chauna Lawson of the HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, the syllabus includes a variety of academic articles, essays, films and other media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies. Each piece is directly inspired by the tracks on Beyoncé’s Billboard 200-topping dance album, “Renaissance.”

Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance” stands as a cultural milestone, celebrating the Black queer roots of dance music while shedding light on overlooked Black queer artists. Inspired by her late-Uncle Johnny, the album not only garnered critical acclaim but also shed light on the often marginalized contributions of Black queer artists. Winning four Grammys and yielding chart-topping hits like “Break My Soul” and “Cuff It,” the album sparked discussions about economic impact and cultural representation.

Amid its success, legislative challenges arose, with Florida and Texas enacting bans on DEI initiatives in public colleges. Recognizing the album’s transformative potential, HRC developed the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” to leverage its impact for education and activism.

Tailored for educators, youth-serving professionals, DEI practitioners, higher education leaders and admirers of Beyoncé’s artistry, the syllabus aims to encourage meaningful discussions, enrich lesson plans, and explore innovative ways to honor the vibrancy and significance of LGBTQ individuals and their culture.

With six themes anchoring the syllabus, ranging from “intersectionality and inclusivity” to “social justice and activism,” it provides a comprehensive exploration of various facets of LGBTQ experiences and expressions. Fan-favorite tracks from the album are paired with scholarly readings, offering insights into empowerment, self-acceptance and the transformative power of artistic expression. The syllabus also reinforces HRC’s efforts to highlight, amplify and re-center Black and queer voices.

By providing links to articles, books, podcasts and interviews, each associated with a song from the album, it celebrates the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Black queer community.

The concluding section of the syllabus includes Beyoncé’s tribute to O’Shea Sibley, a young Black queer person who was murdered in Brooklyn, N.Y., last July while voguing to “Renaissance” songs at a gas station. HRC also includes a statement that condemns hate crimes.

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