Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Sept. 23
Parties, support groups, concerts and more through Sept. 29
‘Sentinel-I’ is one of the reliefs by Mary H. Lynch on display at Touchstone Gallery. (Image courtesy of Touchstone)
TODAY (Friday)
Beat City, a queer lounge night, is tonight at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room (1725 Columbia Rd., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. There is no cover for this 21-and-older event.
The Baltimore Improv Group will be performing at Creative Alliance at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) in Baltimore, tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 for the general public and $11 for members. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit creativealliance.org.
FYM presents Eighties Mayhem, an ‘80s dance party, tonight at Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) with DJs Steve EP, Missguided, Killa K and Krasty McNasty. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at blackcatdc.com.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) is having its weekly Bear Happy Hour tonight starting at 6 p.m. There is no cover for this 21 and older event.
Fahrenheit presents “Leche,” a new Latin night at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) featuring DJ Michael Brandon from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. This is a $7 cover after 10.
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits on display, “The Nature of Joy” featuring pastels by Lou Gagnon and “Off the Square” featuring canvas wall reliefs by Mary H. Lynch. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24
Raw, hosted by DJs Bil Todd and Shea Van Horn with special guest DJ Matt Bailer, will be at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. There will be an open bar from 10 to 11 p.m. There is a $7 cover. Attendees must be 21 or older.
D.C. VegFest is today at George Washington University at the University Yard from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is a free outdoor festival celebrating the best of everything vegetarian in and around the district. For more information, visit dcvegfest.com.
Today is the first of six square dancing classes being held by D.C. Lambda Squares from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break for lunch. The classes are $155. For more information, email [email protected].
The National Book Festival starts today from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the National Mall. Normally a one day event, organizers have added an extra day on Sunday from 1 to 5:30 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit loc.gove/bookfest.
Manila Luzon and Carmen Carrera from the last season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will be performing at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) during the regular drag show tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the show starts at 10:30. The cover is $8 until 11 and then $12. All attendees must be 21 or older.
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 “Killed by Death.”
Out singer/songwriter Melissa Ferrick plays the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria tonight at 7:30 p.m. with Ria Mae. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at birchmere.com.
Throwback presents “Knock Out,” a ‘90s dance party tonight at Grand Central (1001 N. Charles St.) in Baltimore. DJ Madscience and Grand’s own DJ Arturo will be spinning. Doors open at 10 p.m. and there is a $5 cover.
Hope D.C., a men’s HIV-positive social group, is celebrating its 23rd anniversary at a private residence in Arlington at 7 p.m. tonight. For more details call 202-466-5783 or visit hopedc.org/events.
Sunday, Sept. 25
Ziegfeld’s (1824 Half St., S.W.) is having its 2012 Miss Ziegfeld’s pageant tonight honoring Sue Nami, Miss Ziegfeld’s 2011, and a live performance by Jen Corey, Miss District of Columbia 2009. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) is having a closing party for its weekly Guil-Tea dance party today at 7 p.m. featuring free T-shirts.
Monday, Sept. 26
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is hosting an inter-generational dialogue between LGBT seniors and LGBT youth tonight starting at 6 p.m. For more information, email [email protected].
Teaching for Change’s Busboy’s & Poets is having an authors Joanne Smith, Meghan Huppuch and Mandy Van Deven to sign and discuss their new book, “Hey Shorty: A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and on the Streets” tonight at the 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.) at 6:30 p.m.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) now has beer pong every Monday from 8 p.m. to midnight upstairs featuring $8 pitchers and $2 drafts.
D.C. Different Drummers Capitol Pride Symphonic Band will rehearse tonight from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Reformation Lutheran Church, Capitol Hill (212 East Capitol St.). For more information, contact [email protected] or visit dcdd.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 27
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is having a special event tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. for Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day, honoring those who have been making a difference including author Justin B. Terry-Smith, Paul Kawata, executive director of the National Minority AIDS Council, and Jacob Pring.
Remington’s (639 Pennslyvania Ave., S.E.) is hosting D.C. Drag Idol tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. hosted by Raquel Savage Black. Admission is $5.
Wednesday, Sept. 28
D.C. Different Drummer’s D.C. Swing! group will rehearse tonight from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Reformation Lutheran Church, Capitol Hill (212 East Capitol St.). For more information, contact [email protected] or visit dcdd.org.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is tonight at Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar (1101 H St., N.E.) with The Machine and special guest DJs spinning alternative music and obscure dance tracks from the ‘80s tonight from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Attendees must be 21 or older for this cover-free event.
The Lambda Bridge Club is meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) across from Marine Barracks, for Duplicate Bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are welcome. If a partner is needed, visit lambdabridge.com.
Thursday, Sept. 29
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) and Tongue in You Ear present the Brother Tongue Poetry Workshop series. Tonight is the second in a series of four workshops led by Regie Cabico, a three time National Poetry Slam finalist who has appeared on two season of HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam.” All sessions will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 for all four sessions. For more information and to register, visit thedccenter.org.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) is hosting a book release part for Aaron Anson’s new book, “Mind Your Own Life,” tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information on Anson and his book, visit his site, aaronanson.com.
Team DC, the umbrella organization for LGBTQ-friendly sports teams and leagues in the D.C. area, held its annual Night of Champions Awards Gala on Saturday, April 20 at the Hilton National Mall. The organization gave out scholarships to area LGBTQ student athletes as well as awards to the Different Drummers, Kelly Laczko of Duplex Diner, Stacy Smith of the Edmund Burke School, Bryan Frank of Triout, JC Adams of DCG Basketball and the DC Gay Flag Football League.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2024 National Cannabis Festival was held at the Fields at RFK Stadium on April 19-20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering the @NatlCannaFest at RFK Stadium for @WashBlade . Stop by the LGBTQ+ booth and pick up a paper if you are here. pic.twitter.com/is7hnsaPns
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) April 20, 2024
Theater
‘Amm(i)gone’ explores family, queerness, and faith
A ‘fully autobiographical’ work from out artist Adil Mansoor
‘Amm(i)gone’
Thorough May 12
Woolly Mammoth Theatre
641 D St., N.W.
$60-$70
Woollymammoth.net
“Fully and utterly autobiographical.” That’s how Adil Mansoor describes “Amm(i)gone,” his one-man work currently playing at Woolly Mammoth Theatre.
Both created and performed by out artist Mansoor, it’s his story about inviting his Pakistani mother to translate Sophocles’s Greek tragedy “Antigone” into Urdu. Throughout the journey, there’s an exploration of family, queerness, and faith,as well as references to teachings from the Quran, and audio conversations with his Muslim mother.
Mansoor, 38, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and is now based in Pittsburgh where he’s a busy theater maker. He’s also the founding member of Pittsburgh’s Hatch Arts Collective and the former artistic director of Dreams of Hope, an LGBTQ youth arts organization.
WASHINGTON BLADE: What spurred you to create “Amm(i)gone”?
ADIL MANSOOR: I was reading a translation of “Antigone” a few years back and found myself emotionally overwhelmed. A Theban princess buries her brother knowing it will cost her, her own life. It’s about a person for whom all aspirations are in the afterlife. And what does that do to the living when all of your hopes and dreams have to be reserved for the afterlife?
I found grant funding to pay my mom to do the translation. I wanted to engage in learning. I wanted to share theater but especially this ancient tragedy. My mother appreciated the characters were struggling between loving one another and their beliefs.
BLADE: Are you more director than actor?
MANSOOR: I’m primarily a director with an MFA in directing from Carnegie Mellon. I wrote, directed, and performed in this show, and had been working on it for four years. I’ve done different versions including Zoom. Woolly’s is a new production with the same team who’ve been involved since the beginning.
I love solo performance. I’ve produced and now teach solo performance and believe in its power. And I definitely lean toward “performance” and I haven’t “acted” since I was in college. I feel good on stage. I was a tour guide and do a lot of public speaking. I enjoy the attention.
BLADE: Describe your mom.
MANSOOR: My mom is a wonderfully devout Muslim, single mother, social worker who discovered my queerness on Google. And she prays for me.
She and I are similar, the way we look at things, the way we laugh. But different too. And those are among the questions I ask in this show. Our relationship is both beautiful and complicated.
BLADE: So, you weren’t exactly hiding your sexuality?
MANSOOR: In my mid-20s, I took time to talk with friends about our being queer with relation to our careers. My sexuality is essential to the work. As the artistic director at Dreams of Hope, part of the work was to model what it means to be public. If I’m in a room with queer and trans teenagers, part of what I’m doing is modeling queer adulthood. The way they see me in the world is part of what I’m putting out there. And I want that to be expansive and full.
So much of my work involves fundraising and being a face in schools. Being out is about making safe space for queer young folks.
BLADE: Have you encountered much Islamophobia?
MANSOOR: When 9/11 happened, I was a sophomore in high school, so yes. I faced a lot then and now. I’ve been egged on the street in the last four months. I see it in the classroom. It shows up in all sorts of ways.
BLADE: What prompted you to lead your creative life in Pittsburgh?
MANSOOR: I’ve been here for 14 years. I breathe with ease in Pittsburgh. The hills and the valleys and the rust of the city do something to me. It’s beautiful, it’ affordable, and there is support for local artists. There’s a lot of opportunity.
Still, the plan was to move to New York in September of 2020 but that was cancelled. Then the pandemic showed me that I could live in Pittsburgh and still have a nationally viable career.
BLADE: What are you trying to achieve with “Amm(i)gone”?
MANSOOR: What I’m sharing in the show is so very specific but I hear people from other backgrounds say I totally see my mom in that. My partner is Catholic and we share so much in relation to this.
I hope the work is embracing the fullness of queerness and how means so many things. And I hope the show makes audiences want to call their parents or squeeze their partners.
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