Arts & Entertainment

Calendar for April 9

Published

15 years ago

April 8, 2010

Friday, April 9

Thank GLAAD it’s Friday from 7-9 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W.

Bachelor Auction at EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St., N.W., from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Complimentary Admission, must be 21+ to enter

Volunteers are needed for the Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s 20th Anniversary Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental. If you would like to volunteer, please e-mail [email protected]. CAGLCC will honor local leaders in the business community, including PR guru Cathy Renna, at the dinner. Tickets start at $180 for members. Silent auction begins at 6:30 p.m.; dinner and program start at 8 p.m. Visit caglcc.org for information.

The Julliard String Quartet plays at the Library of Congress at 8 p.m. in the Jefferson Building, ground floor, Coolidge Auditorium. Admission is free. Call 202- 707-5502 for further information.

Saturday, April 10

National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade 10 a.m. – noon, rain or shine. The parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, N.W.

The Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival is held 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 12th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

David Sedaris brings his comedy show to Baltimore’s Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., at 8 p.m. Tickets range $30-40; call 410-783-8000 for box office.

Metro DC PFLAG holds its 13th annual gala dinner at 6 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St., N.W. Tickets are $175; visit pflagdc.com for information. The evening will be emceed by Ann Gillespie and will feature an appearance by Mike Manning of MTV’s “Real World D.C.”

Sunday, April 11

Trans Town Hall Dinner from 2-5 p.m. at HIPS, 1309 Rhode Island Ave., N.E., 2B. For more information, visit dctranscoalition.org or call 202.557.1951.

The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center, 1803 Connecticut Ave., N.W., 2nd floor, conducts its Dharma for Kids and Families from 10-11 a.m. This class is a place families can go to learn together how to develop harmony, confidence and methods to calm minds. Kids are $4, parents $6 and suitable for ages 4-12. Visit meditation-dc.org for more information or contact the center at 202-986-2257 or [email protected].

Monday, April 12

Bears do Yoga. Classes begin at 6:15 p.m. in the DC Center Activity Room, 1810 14th St. N.W., and last for one hour. There is a suggested $5 donation. To RSVP, e-mail [email protected].

Volunteers are needed for Food and Friends. Volunteers will help with food preparation (chopping veggies) and packing groceries. If you are interested in volunteering, please e-mail [email protected]

Tuesday, April 13

DC Agenda is co-sponsoring a series of three financial seminars along with the DC Center and Equality Maryland. The free seminars are conducted by financial planner Joseph Kapp and will help answer financial questions related to same-sex marriage laws in D.C. and Maryland. The first is April 13 at 7 p.m., Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, 190 W. Ostend St., Suite 201, Baltimore.

Wednesday, April 14

The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center 1803 Conn. Ave. NW 2nd FL. conducts it’s General Program which provides an introduction to basic Buddhist view, meditation, and practice. Each class is self-contained. You can drop in at any point. Visit www.meditation-dc.org for more information or contact the center at 202-986-2257 or [email protected]

The second financial seminar sponsored by DC Agenda, the DC Center and Equality Maryland is held at 7 p.m. at the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, 8720 Georgia Ave., Ste. 303 (at Cameron St.), in Silver Spring, Md.

Thursday, April 15

Galactica and the Chocolate Factory. Ganymede Arts’ Special Agent Galactica will perform a two-set act at ACKC Cocoa Bar Café, 1529 14th St., N.W., from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free admission.

The third financial seminar sponsored by DC Agenda, the DC Center and Equality Maryland is held at 7 p.m. at 1330 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.

Team DC and Jacob Pring Events present: Jock-A-Thon at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St., N.W., from 8-11 p.m. (Gaming night will go until close.) Players representing several LGBT area recreational sports teams will be present to recruit, gain new supporters and network with the other sports teams. This event will also kick off the Team DC monthly Gaming Night at Town that will be held on every third Thursday each month. Entry is free from 8-9 p.m.; $5 after 9 p.m. with unlimited game play. 21+ to enter

CHERRY WEEKEND EVENTS

The Cherry Fund Presents: “Cherry Weekend: A Return to Tradition.” Some of the hottest DJs are in town this weekend for a series of parties for the annual Cherry Weekend. The Cherry Fund was incorporated in 1999 and has made more than $900,000 in grants to various community organizations, of which 95 percent comes from individual ticket sales.

This year’s VIP Event Pass is $125 and grants entry into all Cherry Weekend events, including the Deborah Cox show at Town. Tickets can also be purchased for individual events. Visit cherryfund.org for more information.

Passes will be available to purchase online. Visit boxofficetickets.com/cherry and click “Contributions” and make a $125 contribution. Print out your confirmation and bring it to the Welcome Center located at the DC Center, 1810 14th St., N.W., on Friday, April 9 from noon-9 p.m. Tickets for individual events will be sold at the door at the appropriate venue.

This weekend’s schedule of events for “Cherry Weekend: A Return to Tradition” is as follows:

Friday, April 9

• Bachelor Auction at EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St., N.W., 6:30-9:30 p.m. Complimentary Admission, must be 21+ to enter

• Night Party with DJ Alyson Calagna and opening/backroom DJ Jason Horswill at Apex, 1415 22nd St., N.W. from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Individual event ticket price is $12, 18+ to enter

Saturday, April 10

• Moody Mia (Moody’s birthday party) with DJ Joe Gauthreaux at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St., N.W. from 2-7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased separately through appropriate organization. 21+ to enter.

• Town presents Deborah Cox w/ DJ Ed Bailey (sanctioned event) at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St., N.W. from 9 p.m.-4 a.m. Individual event ticket price is $25; 21+ to enter.

Sunday, April 11

• Morning Party w/ DJ Susan Morabito at Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W., from 4:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Individual event ticket price is $15; 21+ to enter.

• Closing Party w/ DJ Abel, opening dj tim e at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St., N.W. from 8:30 p.m.- 2 a.m. Individual event ticket price is $20; 21+ to enter.

Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

Published

3 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

4 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

4 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.”