Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Aug. 3
Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through Aug. 9
The Academy of Washington performs Sunday afternoon at Black Fox. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)
TODAY (Friday)
MiniSolos@Touchstone, an exhibition featuring the work of 38 artists, has its opening reception from 6-8:30 p.m. tonight at Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.). For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com or email HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected].
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts “8:BIT 1980s Dance Party” tonight from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Jay Von Teese spins ‘80s jams all night and a $3 drink special will be served. Admission is $5 and limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit phase1dc.com.
The HIV Working Group does outreach tonight at Town (2009 U St., N.W.) from 7-10 p.m. during Bear Happy Hour. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts a reading and reception for the book “Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality” from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight with contributing authors Joseph Ross and Regie Cabico. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay volunteer organization, help out at the Gondoliers operetta hosted by the GLBT Arts Consortium and CHAW tonight at 6:30 p.m. If interested, contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] and visit burgundycrescent.org for more information.
Saturday, Aug. 4
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts head/heart/soul: Black LGBT Poets Reading from 6:30-8 p.m. with poets Rashid Darden, Monica A. Hand, BuddahDesmond and Red Summer. The reading is part of the OutWrite LGBT Book Fair. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Rumba Latina party tonight with special performances and go-go dancers. Doors open at 10 p.m. and admission is free. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
The Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) hosts Hellmouth Happy Hour tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. One episode of the gay cult classic series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” screens and a drink special will be served. Admission is free. For details, visit blackcatdc.com.
Electric violinist David Schulman performs tonight with Eddie Jimenez on the congas at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 6-9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay community service organization, volunteer today at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) from 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m. Dog handlers are needed for an adoption event. For more details, visit burgundycescent.org and contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] if interested.
Sunday, Aug. 5
The Academy of Washington, a philanthropic drag troupe, perform today at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Admission is free. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts “The Birthday Party” tonight. Showtime is at 8 p.m. and admission is $6 before then. For more information, visit remingtonswdc.com.
Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St., N.W.) hosts A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk on Race) from 5-7 p.m. tonight. The discussion series provides community members the opportunity to speak openly and honestly about issues of race. For more information, visit busboysandpoets.com.
San Francisco-based rapper Aesop Rock performs tonight at the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 7 p.m. For more details, visit 930.com.
Monday, Aug. 6
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts Martini Monday tonight for guests 21 and over. Admission is free and $5 martinis will be served. Doors open at 10 p.m. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Jazz musician David Lighton performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Bingolicious, hosted by Maxine Blue and Tina Tuna, is at Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The drag show starts at 8 p.m. and guests can win prizes, enjoy free food and purchase drink specials. For details, visit remingtonswdc.com.
Tuesday, Aug. 7
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Flashback” retro dance party tonight with DJ Jason Royce. Hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s play all night. Doors open at 10 p.m. and there is no cover charge. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St., N.W.) hosts an open mic poetry reading tonight from 9-11 p.m. The event features a diverse array of performers including spoken word poets, musicians and more. For details, visit busboysandpoets.com.
Indie-folk trio Good Old War performs tonight at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) with Chris Kasper. Tickets are $15 and doors open at 8 p.m. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.
Wednesday, Aug. 8
The Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 115 F St., N.W. “Sweet Like Sugar,” a novel by Wayne Hoffman, will be discussed. For more details, visit biggaybookgroup.com or email HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected].
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts Jell-o wrestling tonight. $3 Miller Lights and Bourbon Gingers and $4 hornitos shots will be served. Doors open at 9 p.m. If interested in wrestling, bring a towel and change of clothes. For more details, visit phase1dc.com.
Thursday, Aug. 9
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. For details, visit phase1dc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly best package contest at midnight tonight with hosts Lena Lett and Ba’Naka. Admission is $3 and limited to guests 21 and over. $2 rail drinks will be served from 9-11 p.m. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay community service organization, volunteers today for Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.). Help with food preparation and chopping vegetables is needed. If interested, contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] and visit burgundycescent.org for more information.
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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