Arts & Entertainment

Hayes’ gays

LGBT community well represented at annual D.C. theater awards

Published

14 years ago

April 24, 2012

Patrick Folliard

Michael Bobbitt accepting his award Monday night. (Photo courtesy theatreWashington)

Monday night’s 28th annual Helen Hayes Awards had many winners, but the evening’s first was playwright Marc Acito.

He won the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical for his “Birds of a Feather,” a comedy about a pair of gay penguins living together in New York’s Central Park. Acito, who is gay, thanked his own longtime partner who couldn’t make the event.

Next up, Michael Baron (also gay) won Outstanding Director Resident Musical for his work on “A Year with Frog and Toad” at Adventure Theatre. He thanked his partner whom he’d left at home in Oklahoma.

The absentee boyfriend trend soon ended. When topnotch musical director Jon Kalbfleisch was singled out of Outstanding Musical Direction in a Resident Musical, he happily thanked his date who was seated close to the stage.

Presented by theatreWashington, the Helen Hayes Awards was co-hosted by notable local actors Holly Twyford and Felicia Curry. (In recent years, there had been pairs of presenters but no designated emcee per se. The return to hosts is a fun correction). Twyford, who is gay, and Curry underwent a half-dozen glamorous costume changes and traded insider references and gossipy tidbits. It’s exactly what the raucous audience seemed to want. After all, the Helen Hayes Awards is primarily a celebration of all that is local theater.

Every April, the awards are handed out to reward excellence in Washington-area professional theater. During the 2011 season, 53 theatres produced 192 productions that met eligibility requirements in the Jan.-Dec. judging cycle. From these shows, 153 artists, productions and ensembles from 26 theatres were nominated for awards and from these nominees, a large pool of judges carefully selected the evening’s winners.

Longtime Helen Hayes (and now theatreWashington) honcho Victor Shargai presented the prestigious Helen Hayes Tribute (sponsored and awarded by philanthropist Jaylee Mead) to Kevin Spacey, in honor of the famous actor’s enduring career and advocacy for arts funding. A two-time Oscar winner (“American Beauty” and “The Usual Suspects.”), Spacey, who is rumored to be gay but opts not to publicly discuss his orientation, is also a man of the theater: He won a Tony for the in “Lost in Yonkers” in 1991 and most recently toured the world in a Sam Mendes’ production of “Richard III.” He has worked as a director, screenwriter, producer and singer and is artistic director at the Old Vic in London.

Spacey’s acceptance speech was the highlight of the night. In about 10 minutes or so, he dropped several F bombs, did a couple of spot-on impersonations, waxed nostalgic, advised on the importance of giving back and ultimately inspired a house full of theater folks to live their dreams.

The tribute included a short film on Spacey’s career, and — much to the audience’s surprise and delight — a warm videotaped message from Spacey friend and fan, President Bill Clinton. Past honorees include Derek Jacobi, James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, and the award’s namesake, Helen Hayes.

Other deserving winners included delightful newcomer Matthew Delorenzo. He was awarded Outstanding Supporting Actor Resident Musical for his portrayal of Warhol superstar Candy Darling in Studio Theatre 2ndStage’s “Pop!” Michael Bobbitt, Adventure Theatre’s gay artistic director accepted the prize for Outstanding Production Theatre for Young Audiences on behalf of his company’s charming production of “Charlotte’s Web,” staged by talented gay director Serge Seiden. The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theater Company (named in memory of Victor Shargai’s theater-loving, late partner) to Faction of Fools, a performance group rooted in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte style currently in residence at Gallaudet University.

With nearly 80 professional theatre companies, Greater Washington is second only to New York for the number of productions produced each year. Appropriately, the night ended with co-hosts Twyford and Curry melodically encouraging everyone to see more theater: “Who needs the real housewives?” they sang. “Medea’s the original one. Go see a show!”

Visit theatrewashington.org for a complete list of winners.

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FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Calendar

Calendar: May 1-7

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

4 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, May 1

Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Silver Diner Ballston. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

“Illusions The Drag Queen Show Washington, D.C.” will be at 7 p.m. at 2323 18th St., N.W. Come see this amazing D.C. drag show and laugh all night long while being amazed by the stellar performances in tribute to some of your old-time favorite classics as well as the latest pop favorites. Come see the likes of Madonna, Cher, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, Beyoncé, Pink, and many more. Tickets are $12.97 and are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, May 2

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11:00a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Drag Queen Sip and Paint Washington DC will be at 4 p.m. at Town Tavern DC. This event combines the joy of painting with the lively energy of a drag queen, offering an hour and a half of fun, creativity, and entertainment. Participants paint a canvas while enjoying cocktails, all under the guidance of a glamorous drag queen host. Tickets are $47.19 and are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, May 4

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Tuesday, May 5

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].

Wednesday, May 6

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more information, email [email protected].

Thursday, May 7

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Photos

PHOTOS: 90’s Flashback Drag Brunch

Logan Stone leads new show at Red Bear Brewing

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2026

Michael Key

The inaugural 90's Flahsback Drag Brunch was held at Red Bear Brewing Co. on Sunday, April 26. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The new monthly 90’s Flashback Drag Brunch premiered at Red Bear Brewing Co. on Sunday, April 26. Performers included Logan Stone, Tiffany D. Carter and Charlemagne Chateau.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Celebrity News

Madonna makes rare club appearance in West Hollywood

Gay icon brought ‘Confessions II’ to The Abbey

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

Alexander Rodriguez

Madonna takes the dance floor at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif., on April 25, 2026. (Los Angeles Blade photo)

A line of celebrities, “Drag Race” queens, influencers, media, and West Hollywood socialites lined the block around West Hollywood’s The Abbey, all clamoring to get into the invite-only celebration of owner Tristan Schukraft’s birthday. The rumor, which became verified gossip, was that Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself, would be taking the stage. Of course, the Blade had to be there.

With disco balls and Abbey statues covered in pink chiffon, it was clear. This party was a direct tie-in to Madonna’s much-anticipated “Confessions on A Dance Floor” album sequel, “Confessions II.” That night, the Abbey also unveiled its remodeled dance floor, a fitting collaboration.

The club was filled to capacity with a completely open bar, keeping the crowd liquored up. Go-go dancers in black leather collars and thongs lined the room, and celebrities that included Lilly Allen, Bebe Rexha, Tori Spelling, Julia Fox, Sam Asghari, Daniel Frenzese, Cynthia Bailey, Meredith Marks, Tom Daley, and more filled the VIP booths alongside World of Wonder personalities. It was a veritable who’s who of queer folk and allies.

The lights began to dim, the dance floor began to rumble, and Madonna graphics hit the screens. At around 1 am, it was time. Introduced by Addison Rae, Madonna grabbed the mic and started chanting, welcoming her “gays.” The venue resounded in thunderous chants of “freedom,” “mother,” and “bitch.”

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Madonna was not there to perform. She was there to dance. She took the stage for about 15 minutes, keeping the crowd going with her naughty and fun commentary. There is no list that needs to be provided on how Madonna’s career has become part of queer culture. Going back to her dance music roots and going back to her gay fans is smart.

Released in 2005 (yes, it has been that long), “Confessions on a Dance Floor” was an instant hit, with four singles from the album being released. The album’s lead single, “Hung Up,” topped the charts in 41 countries with Billboard calling it the most successful dance song of the decade. The album had hints of 60s and 70s flair, mixed in with dance music prevalent at that time. The music still dominates at queer clubs across the globe.

Madonna knows we need a little queer joy; she also knows that fans miss the Madonna we all knew and loved. With the nation in such turbulence, we all need some comfort, and going back to a time when we felt safer and had more to celebrate just feels good. For the new album release, she has even partnered with Grindr for a limited edition vinyl release and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

Her night at The Abbey presented snippets of her new music mixed in with some of her classics. The new material sounded good, sounded familiar in an exciting way, and shows that this diva has still got it.

“Confessions II” releases on July 3.