Arts & Entertainment

Calendar for March 19

Published

15 years ago

March 18, 2010

Friday, March 19

Gay District meets at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W., from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Gay District is a weekly, non-church affiliated discussion and social group for GBTQ men between 18 and 35. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Friday night Erev Shabbat Services are held 8:30-10 p.m. at the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. Services are followed by a social event. Please use the Q Street entrance.

St. Patrick’s Hangover bear party at Motley Bar above EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St., N.W., 6 p.m.-3 a.m. with host Tim Woody and DJ Jim Gade. There will be prizes, green beer and more.

Excursion at Fly Lounge: The Cherry Fund marks National Women’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day with a happy hour to benefit the Women’s Collective and their work. From 6:30-9:30 p.m., 1802 Jefferson Place, N.W. Tickets are $10 with comp admission for Fresh members and Cherry pass holders.

Brodeo: A DC Cowboys event, 10 p.m.-1 a.m. at Remingtons, 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. Proceeds benefit the DC Cowboys on their mission to provide free entertainment for HIV/AIDS charity organizations.

“Grease,” the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington presents a fully staged, all-male production of the Broadway musical at Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St., N.W. (See full story on page 28)

Saturday, March 20

Volunteer opportunity, 9 a.m.-noon, at the Capital Area Food Bank, 645 Taylor St., N.E. Volunteers will go through orientation, watch a short film then work will most likely involve sorting and packaging donated food.

Team DC Fashion Show at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St., N.W., 8 p.m.-3 a.m. $10 cover benefits Team DC college scholoarship. Models will have four clothing changes representing club wear, swimsuit, underwear and leather/sports/fetish. The model with the highest score wins $500, a professional photo shoot with Robert Mercer photography and becomes an automatic finalist to be considered for the 2011 Ripped Genes calendar.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network holds its annual national dinner featuring Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) at the National Building Museum, 401 F St., N.W. Tickets start at $250; reception at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:45 p.m. Visit sldn.org for information.

BARE-Military Style, presented by the Ladies of LURe at Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W. Fundraising event benefiting Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Come dressed in camo, war paint or just come out to show support. Doors at 10 p.m. (free admission with ticket from the SLDN National Dinner); 21 and up with ID. For more information visit sldn.org.

Misstallica, an all-girl tribute to Metallica, plays the 9:30 club, 815 V St., N.W. Doors at 8 p.m. For tickets, call 877-435-9849 or visit 930.com.

Oscar winning actress Mo’nique performs standup at DAR Constitution Hall, 18th & C streets, N.W., 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50; visit ticketmaster.com.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley shows off his biceps and his singing voice as O’Malley’s March plays the Recher Theatre, 512 York Rd., Towson, MD. Show is at 8 p.m.; tickets $20. For information, call 410-337-7178 or visit rechertheatre.com.

Sunday, March 21

Gay favorite “Hairspray” is performed at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Route 29 & Little Patuxent Parkway, 10:30 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $46; call 301-596-6161.

Nurse Jackie season two premiere party at Public Bar, 1214 B 18th St., N.W. Join HRC and Showtime for a screening of the Nurse Jackie season one finale and the season two premiere, followed by an after party. Buy tickets at hrc.org/nursejackiedc. General admission, $10 suggested donation; VIP tickets, $75 (includes two drink tickets and private VIP viewing area)

Monday, March 22

Whitman-Walker Clinic substance abuse support group at the Max Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Ave., SE, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Marc Maron, well-known comedic performer who has appeared on HBO, David Letterman and Comedy Central, hits the main stage at Black Cat, 1811 14th St., N.W., 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

Tuesday, March 23

Packing party at EFN Lounge/Motley Bar, 1318 9th St., N.W., from 7-8 p.m. Volunteers will assemble safer sex kits and enjoy drink specials.

Wednesday, March 24

Hollaback Transgender Support Group meets from 6:30-8 p.m. in the DC Center activity room. Hollaback is a program of the DC Community AIDS Network and meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The DC Center is located at 1810 14th St., N.W., convenient to the U Street/Cardozo Metro stop.

Secrets monthly amateur dancer contest night at the Ziegfeld’s/Secrets entertainment complex, 1824 Half Street, S.W., from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Participant sign-up starts at 10 p.m., contest begins at 11 p.m. First prize is $300 cash; hosted by Destiny B. Childs with music by DJ tim-e.

Thursday, March 25

Career development at the DC Center, 1810 14th St. N.W., 4:30–6:30 p.m., brings trained volunteer human resource professionals to offer support with job searches, interviews skills, resume writing and individual career goal counseling. For more information, contact the Center at 202-682-2245 or careerdevelopmentthedccenter.org.

Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

Published

6 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Michael Key

Rayceen Pendarvis was the emcee of Silver Pride 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 Silver Pride Resource Fair and Tea Dance was held at the Eaton Hotel on Wednesday, May 21.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Out & About

Queer film festival comes to D.C.

DC/DOX to showcase LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers

Published

7 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

DC/DOX film festival will take place in D.C. on June 12.

DC/DOX will host a film festival beginning on Thursday, June 12, at the Regal Gallery Place, Eaton Cinema, and the U.S. Navy Memorial Burke Theatre.

This festival will premier LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers. Each screening will be followed by in-person Q&As with the filmmakers.

For more details, visit dcdoxfest.com

Movies

Gay director on revealing the authentic Pee-wee Herman

New HBO doc positions Reubens as ‘groundbreaking’ performance artist

Published

7 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Susan Hornik

The HBO Original two-part documentary ‘PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF,’ directed by Matt Wolf), debuts Friday, May 23 (8 p.m.-11:20 p.m. ET/PT) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.)

In the new HBO two-part documentary, “Pee-wee as Himself,” director Matt Wolf gives viewers a never-before-seen look into the personal life of Paul Reubens, the comedic actor behind the much loved television persona, Pee-wee Herman.

Filmed before Reubens passed away in 2023 from cancer, Wolf and his creative team created the riveting documentary, interspersing several interviews, more than 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of personal photos.

Determined to set the record straight about what really happened, Reubens discussed his diverse influences, growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Fla., and his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts.

Ruebens joined the Groundlings improv group, where he created the charismatic Pee-wee Herman. He played the quirky character during the Saturday morning show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” and in numerous movies, like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big Top Pee-wee.” He also brought Pee-wee to Broadway, with “The Pee-wee Herman Show.”

To get an enigma such as Reubens to open up was no easy task for Wolf.

“I felt determined to get Paul to open up and to be his authentic self,” acknowledged Wolf at a recent press conference. “And I was being tested and I wanted to meet my match in a way so I didn’t feel frustrated or exhausted, I felt determined but I also, it was thrilling to go this deep. I’ve never been able, or I don’t know if I ever will, go this deep with another human being to interview them in an intimate way for over 40 hours.”

Wolf described the collaborative interview experience as a dream, “like we were in a bubble where time didn’t matter.” he also felt a deep connection to the material, having come of age watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to put words to it at the time, but I think it was my first encounter with art that I felt emotionally involved in,” noted Wolf.

“He continued: “I recognize that that show created a space for a certain kind of radical acceptance where creativity thrives. And as a gay filmmaker, I also recognize things like Pee-wee Herman marrying a bowl of fruit salad at a slumber party or dancing in high heels to the song, ‘Fever.’ That stuff spoke to me. So that was my connection to it.”

During the documentary, Reubens comes out as a gay man.

“Paul went into this process wanting to come out,” said Wolf. “That was a decision he had made. He was aware that I was a gay filmmaker and had made portraits of other gay artists. That was the work of mine he was attracted to, as I understood. And I wanted, as a younger person, to support him in that process, but he also was intensely sensitive that the film would overly emphasize that; or, focused entirely from the lens of sexuality when looking at his story.”

Their complicated dynamic had an aspect of “push and pull” between them.

“I think that generational difference was both a source of connection and affinity and tension. And I do think that the level to which Paul discusses his relationships and intimacy and vulnerability and the poignant decision he made to go back into the closet. I do have to believe to some extent he shared that because of our connection.”

Wolf hopes that the “Pee-wee as Himself” positions Reubens as one of the most “groundbreaking” performance artists of his generation who in a singular way broke through into mainstream pop culture.

“I know he transformed me. He transformed how I see the world and where I went as a creative person. And it’s so clear that I am not alone in that feeling. For me, it was fairly abstract. I couldn’t necessarily put words to it. I think people who grew up on Pee-wee or were big fans of Pee-wee, seeing the film, I hope, will help them tap into intangible and specific ways how transformative his work was for them. It really is a gift to revisit early seminal experiences you had and to see how they reverberate in you.”

He added: “So, to me, this isn’t so much about saying Paul Reubens is a genius. I mean, that’s overly idealizing and I don’t like hero worship. It’s more about understanding why many of us have connected to his work and understanding where he lives within a legacy of performance art, television, and also, broader pop culture.”