Arts & Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez will star in NBC musical ‘Bye Bye Birdie Live’
pop star will play Rosie in new production


(Screenshot via YouTube)
Jennifer Lopez will be starring in NBC’s next holiday musical “Bye Bye Birdie Live,” Deadline reports.
Lopez will play Rosie, originally played on Broadway by Chita Rivera in 1960, and will be one of the musical’s executive producers. Tony-Award winner Harvey Fierstein is on board to write the script.
“Broadway musicals and films fueled my childhood and ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ was one of my favorites. I’m proud to be a part of the NBC family with Shades of Blue and I thought it would be a blast to take on one of their big live musicals,” Lopez said in a statement.
“Bye Bye Birdie” tells the story of music heartthrob Conrad Birdie who must give his one last kiss to a teenage girl living in Sweet Apple, Ohio before he is drafted into the army. The story was inspired by Elvis Pressley’s real life draft notice into the army in 1957.
The Broadway musical originally starred Dick Van Dyke as Albert Patterson alongside Rivera. It was adapted into a Golden Globe-nominated movie in 1963 with Janet Leigh as Rosie and Van Dyke reprising his role.
“Bye Bye Birdie Live” is scheduled to air in the 2017 holiday season.

2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)











a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.






The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)




















