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D.C. arts briefs: April 6

‘Alice in Wonderland’ ballet, Rehoboth Women’s FEST and more

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The Washington Ballet’s world premiere of Septime Webre’s ‘Alice (in Wonderland)’ starring Jonathan Jordan as the White Rabbit and Maki Onuki as Alice opens Thursday, with a preview on Wednesday. (Photo by Steve Vaccariello; courtesy Washington Ballet)

‘Alice’ ballet debuts at Kennedy Center

The Washington Ballet presents the world premiere of openly gay director Septime Webre’s “Alice (in Wonderland)” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with a preview on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

“Alice” starts with the real Alice (Alice Liddell) at home with her family and friend, Lewis Carroll. Webre brings in real people from Liddell’s life, masked as the characters in Carroll’s story. Her mother becomes the Queen of Hearts and her sisters become Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

The show runs through April 15.

Tickets range from $50 to $155 and can be purchased online at washingtonballet.org orkennedy-center.org.

LGBT content among Filmfest D.C. offerings

Filmfest D.C., the Washington International Film Festival, opens Thursday and runs through April 22. The festival will include two films with LGBT themes, “Leave It On the Dance Floor” and “Facing Mirrors.”

“Leave It On the Dance Floor” takes place in Los Angeles and tells the story of Brad, kicked out by his homophobic mother, as he enters of the world of “houses” like those from “Paris is Burning.” It will be shown on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. and April 14 at 9 p.m.

“Facing Mirrors” takes place in contemporary Tehran and tells the story of Rana, a woman driving her jailed husband’s taxi. She picks up a rich, pre-op transgender man on the run from an arranged marriage. It will be shown on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. and April 15 at 2:15 p.m.

Both films will be screened at the Naval Heritage Center (701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.).

Individual tickets are $11 for general admission. The Director’s Package, which includes 10 tickets, is $80 and the Weekday Package, which includes four tickets, is $33.

For more information, including a complete list of films and ticket information, visitfilmfestdc.org.

Team D.C. to hold sports mingling event

Team D.C. is having its annual Sportsfest at Room and Board Furniture (1840 14th St., NW.) on Thursday at 7 p.m.

This open house event will give attendees the opportunity to meet and talk to players representing nearly every LGBT sports group in the D.C. area, including D.C. Gay Flag Football League, Capital Area Rainbowlers Association, Washington Renegades, Washington Wetskins and more.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but $10 gets three drink tickets for the beer and vodka bar sponsored by Nellie’s.

Rehoboth Women’s FEST next weekend

CAMP Rehoboth has its Women’s FEST kicks off Thursday and runs through April 15.

The festival started as a one-day event for lesbians. Organizer and Rehoboth Beach lesbian Fay Jacobs says it’s the largest mid-Atlantic lesbian event drawing about 2,000 women each year. This year’s focus is entertainment.

Events will be held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center and other nearby sites. There will be a golf tournament, photo exhibit, workshops on sexuality and women’s health and receptions for several of the resort town’s restaurants and bars.

Among those featured this year are Col. Grethe Cammermeyer, whose coming out story in the military inspired a book and movie, comedians Suzanne Westenhoefer and Poppy Champlin, as well as singer Tret Fure.

Several authors, among them Sally Bellerose, one of this year’s Lambda Literary Award nominees, will be signing books at Proud Books on April 13 and doing additional readings from their books at the Convention Center on April 14.

Ticket prices vary, depending on level of participation but a Women’s FEST pass is available from CAMP Rehoboth for $60. This pass will allow access to most of the events.  To purchase tickets or to obtain more information, visit camprehoboth.com.

 

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Celebrity News

Madonna announces release date for new album

‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor

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Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.

Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit. 

The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”

“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”

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PHOTOS: Denali at Pitchers

‘Drag Race’ alum performs at Thirst Trap

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Denali performs at the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show at Pitchers DC on April 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Arts & Entertainment

In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI

‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’

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Last year, Baltimore Center Stage refused to give up its DEI focus in the face of losing federal funding. They've tripled down. (Photo by Ulysses Muñoz of the Baltimore Banner)

By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.

Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.

“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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