Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: July 13

Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through July 19

Published

12 years ago

July 12, 2012

TODAY (Friday)

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bearaoke, a masculine karaoke event, tonight for guests 21 and over. Bear happy hour starts at 6 p.m. and karaoke is from 7-10. Tickets are free. For more details, visit towndc.com.

‘The Wizard of Oz’ will be screened with live accompaniment at Wolf Trap on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Wolf Trap)

Phase 1 (525 8^th St., S.E.) hosts a dance party with DJ Jay Von Teese tonight for guests 21 and over from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts Lady Lenore’s “A-List Party” with DJ Redd Foxx tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Admission is $10. For details, visit remingtonswdc.com.

“Stopgap,” a play by Danielle Mohlman that confronts heteronormativity in definitions of family, premiers tonight as part of the Capital Fringe Festival at 8:45 p.m. at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church (900 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.). For more information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit capitalfringe.org.

Rockwell’s Universal SeXbots (R.U.X.) is a play written by Maurice Martin and directed by Sun King Davis that premiers tonight at 8:15 p.m. at the Warehouse Theater (645 New York Ave., N.W.) as part of the Capital Fringe Festival. The play is about a businessman who strives to build the ultimate sex robot. Tickets can be purchased online at capitalfringe.org.

Saturday, July 14

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Mixtape dance party tonight. Voted “DC’s Best Gay Dance Party” by Washingtonian Magazine, Mixtape features electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and other dance music. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the drag show starts at 10:30. Tickets are $8 from 10-11 and $12 after 11, and $3 drinks are served till 11. For details, visit towndc.com.

Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts a “Pop Rocks” party with DJ LS tonight for guests 21 and over from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Best Coast, a surf-rock inspired indie music duo, play tonight at the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.). Doors open at 8 p.m. For more details, visit 930.com.

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts Rumba, a Latin music night with special performances and go-go dancers, this evening at 10 p.m. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts “Moon/Bounce Dancing Affair,” a high-energy dance party with hip-hop, ‘90s pop and house music, at 9:30 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $7 and are available at the door. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.

“The Wizard of Oz” screens tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) at 8:30 p.m. The National Symphony Orchestra will play the full score of the film live. Tickets range from $20-52. For more details, visit wolftrap.org.

Sunday, July 15

Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts “The ‘70s Party” tonight. Performances start at 8 p.m. and tickets are $6 before then. For more information, visit remingtonswdc.com.

Monday, July 16

La-Ti-Do DC, a musical theater and spoken word performance produced by Regie Cabico and DonMike Mendoza, is tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8-10 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes one house drink. For more details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Busboys and Poets (4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, V.A.) has a poetry open mic night hosted by Rebecca Dupas this evening from 8-10 p.m. Wristbands for admission can be purchased online at midnight prior to the event from busboysandpoets.com.

Tuesday, July 17

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts “Flashback,” a retro dance party, tonight with DJ Jason Royce from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Dance jams from the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s play all night. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.

Wilco, a beloved alternative rock group, play tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, V.A.) at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $35-45. For details, visit wolftrap.org.

Whitman-Walker Health offers HIV testing at Miriam’s Kitchen (2120 West Virginia Ave., N.E.) from 4-6 p.m. today. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., N.W.) hosts a support group for women on coming out tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. The group is open to women regardless of age or experience in the coming out process. Registration is required. Contact [email protected] if interested and visit whitman-walker.org for more details.

Wednesday, July 18

The Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) hosts speed dating for gay women in their 30s and 40s tonight from 7-9 p.m. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Ethan Foote, a folk-rock musician, performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Busboys and Poets (4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, Va.) hosts an organic happy hour today from 4-7 p.m. The event features $5 glasses of organic wine, $8 eco-cocktails and $2 off select beers. For details, visit busboysandpoets.com.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., N.W.) hosts an HIV+ newly diagnosed support group tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. Registration is required, and the group is open to all genders and sexual orientations. Contact [email protected] if interested and visit whitman-walker.org for more information.

Thursday, July 19

Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. for guests 21 and over. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly best package contest at midnight tonight with DJ MadScience and DJ Sean Morris. Admission is $3 and limited to guests 21 and over. $2 rail drinks will be served from 9-11 p.m. Visit cobaltdc.com for details.

“The Normal Heart,” a Tony Award-winning play about HIV/AIDS within the gay community directed by George C. Wolfe, shows tonight at Arena Stage (1101 6^th St., S.W.) from 8-11 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at arenastage.org.

Jon Sandler, an alternative rock musician, performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8-11 p.m. Admission is $7. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Arena Stage (1101 6^th St., S.W.) features “The Music Man” dinner cruise tonight. Tickets include one seat aboard the Odyssey Cruise Line, an all-inclusive three-course meal and a seat at “The Music Man” show immediately following the cruise. Tickets are $147 for regular theater seating and $178 for premium theater seating. Call 202-488-4380 to book tickets and visit arenastage.org for more details.

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.