Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Dec. 2

Parties, events, concerts and more through Dec. 8

Published

12 years ago

December 1, 2011

‘The Sound of Music’ is one of a series of mixed media sculptures in the exhibit ‘Eclipsed by the Cloud: the Detritus of Obsolescent Technology’ by Rima Schulkind at Touchstone Gallery. (Image courtesy Touchstone)

TODAY (Friday)

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is holding its monthly open mic night tonight from 8 to 10 p.m., featuring guest J.T. Bullock, a poet, writer and aspiring teller of stories. Bullock’s been featured at Sparkle and Capturing Fire and is working on a one-man show which debuted as a work in progress at the Wooly Mammoth Theater. The event is hosted by Mike Brazell.

“The A List Show” is tonight at Remingtons (639 Pennslyvania Ave.) at 11:30 p.m. hosted by Miss Remingtons Brandonna DuPri with special guest Stasha Sanchez and MC Tony “And I Thank You” Nelson.

LezGetTogether.com presents “Lez Have a Gay ‘Ol Time” tonight from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Science Club (1136 19th St., N.W.) featuring trivia, an ugly holiday sweater contest, raffles and more. There’s a $4 cover with a $2 discount for wearing an ugly holiday sweater and entering the contest and a $1 discount for wearing a Santa hat, Rudolph nose, antlers or mustache.

Red Fridays presents Will Eastman’s birthday party with Cosmo Baker, Sam Burns, Chris Nitti and Lxsx Frxnk tonight at U Street Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.) at 10 p.m. This event is free for attendees 21 and older. Attendees from 18 to 20 must purchase tickets in advance for $10 at ustreetmusichall.com.

Baltimore filmmaker Matt Porterfield presents Andy Warhol’s “Chelsea Girls” tonight at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) in Baltimore at 7 p.m. Presented in split screen with alternating soundtracks and alternation between black and white and color photography, the film follows the lives of several young women who lived at the Hotel Chelsea. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $7 for Creative Alliance members. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit creativelliance.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) is having an opening reception tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for its newest exhibits “Eclipsed by the Cloud: the Detritus of Obsolescent Technology” featuring totems created with obsolete technology by Rima Schulkind and “Small Treasures” featuring artworks small in size and price by a wide array of artists. For more information on either exhibit, visit touchstonegallery.com.

Saturday, Dec. 3

The D.C. Trans Coalition is having its annual community forum today at 12:30 p.m. at the Columbia Heights Community Center (1480 Girard St., N.W.). There will be food, drink and a limited number of transportation vouchers and door prizes. For more information, visitdctranscoalition.org.

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 “Homecoming.”

It’s the last day to view the exhibit “Above the Radar II” at The Fridge (516 1/2 8th St., S.E.) featuring 100 pieces from more than 40 artists. The Fridge is open from noon to 8 p.m. For more information, visit thefridgedc.com.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will be performing Handel’s “Messiah” tonight at the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane) in North Bethesda at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $28 to $88 and can be purchased online at bsomusic.org.

Lambda Squares, D.C.’s LGBT square dancing group, is having a community dance tonight at the Francis Scott Key Middle School (910 Schindler Dr.) in Silver Spring from 7 to 10 p.m. with caller Butch Adams. There’s a $10 entrance fee. The theme this year is Proud Mary. For more information, visit dclambdasquares.org.

Crack presents “Crack High: A School-Themed Variety Show” tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 9 p.m. All attendees must be 21 or older. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday at 6 p.m. Tickets to this show are $8.

Sunday, Dec. 4

Creative Alliance presents “Merry Mart” hosted by Jen Menkhaus and Allison Fomich today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) in Baltimore. The show will feature clothing, handbags, felt accessories, ceramics and more by crafters from Charm City Craft Mafia, the Baltimore Etsy Street Team and more. This is a free event. For more information visit the Merry Mart blog and merrymartbaltimore.blogspot.com.

The Logan Circle Community Association is having its 33rd annual Logan Circle Holiday House Tour today from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with more than a dozen properties opened for self guided tours. Check-in at Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., N.W.) to get a tour guide. There will also be a reception from 3 to 5:30 at the theater. Advance tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at logancircle.org. Same day tickets are $30 and can be purchased at Studio Theatre.

Monday, Dec. 5

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is having its monthly volunteer night tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tonight’s activities could range from sorting through book donations, cleaning up around the center and taking inventory for Fuk!ts, as well as socializing. Pizza will provided.

WEAVE, a support group for LGBT survivors of intimate partner violence/abuse, meets from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Lighthouse Center for Healing (5321 First Place, N.E.). For more information and to register, call 202-280-6391.

Tuesday, Dec. 6

Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) is celebrating the end of the year with a happy hour and appreciation tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Duplex Diner (2004 18th St., N.W.). Proceeds from drink sales will benefit the organization. For more information, visitglovdc.org.

Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) presents its “Glee” watch party tonight at 8 p.m. on the deck in the pub room.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

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The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) presents the 38th annual “Merry TubaChristmas!” today at 6 p.m. Founded by Harvey Phillips, the concert features tuba, sousaphone and euphonium players from around D.C. playing traditional Christmas music. This is a free performance.

Riot Act Comedy Theater’s (801 E St., N.W.) monthly gay and gay-friendly comedy show “Gay-larious” returns tonight at 8:30 p.m. with Adam Lehman and co-founders Chris Doucette and Zach Toczynski. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online atriotactcomedy.com.

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club is meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.), across from the Marine barracks, for social bridge. No partner is needed. For more information, visit lambdabridge.com and click on “Social Bridge in Washington.”

Thursday, Dec. 8

The American Ballet Theatre performs “The Nutcracker” tonight at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $150 and can be purchased online atkennedy-center.org.

Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) is hosting a fundraiser for Jack Evans, Councilmember for Ward 2, to be reelected in 2012 tonight at 7 p.m. Also a Nellie’s is the Washington Wetskins Water Polo Happy Hour from 5 to 8 p.m., during which $1 from every Nellie beer sold goes toward the team.

Photos

PHOTOS: Night of Champions

Team DC holds annual awards gala

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

Michael Key

Team DC President Miguel Ayala speaks at the 2024 Night of Champions Awards on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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)

Photos

PHOTOS: National Cannabis Festival

Annual event draws thousands to RFK

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

Michael Key

Growers show their strains at The National Cannabis Festival on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo 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

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2024

Patrick Folliard

Adil Mansoor in ‘Amm(i)gone’ at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. (Photo by Kitoko Chargois)

‘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.