Arts & Entertainment

Calendar for April 16

Published

15 years ago

April 15, 2010

Friday, April 16

Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network sponsors its annual national Day of Silence at thousands of schools to raise awareness about anti-LGBT bullying. Visit dayofsilence.org for information.

Premiere of “Back Room” at Motley Bar (upstairs at EFN Lounge), 1318 9th St. N.W., from 11 p.m.-3 a.m.. It’s unexpected, underground and uninhibited. It’s a nod toward the old, with an eye toward the new.

Trailer Park Dance Party every Friday upstairs at the Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct., N.W., starting at 9 p.m. The Trailer Park Dance Party features the one and only “Mama” and A-Ron.the.DJ

Insult comic Lisa “the Queen of Mean” Lampanelli performs at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore at 8 p.m. Call 410-783-8000 for tickets, which cost $36.75.

The Whitman-Walker Clinic HIV Mobile Testing Unit will be at Club Fuego, 1818 New York Ave., NE, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

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

Friday Night Erev Shabbat Services, 8:30-10 p.m., Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. Friday Night Services are followed by an Oneg Social. Please use the Q Street entrance.

Saturday, April 17

DJs Matt Bailer and Shea Van Horn present MIXTAPE at The Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. N.E., from 10:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Note: Party starts at 10:30 this month.) $5 Cover. 21 and over. Specials: $5 Red Bull Vodka & $3 Miller Lite

One Trans Show: The MANgina Monologues Starring Riki Wilchins from 9-10 p.m. Cost: $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Visit http://www.washingtondcjcc.org/ for more info.

EQUALICON: FROM MARCH TO MOVEMENT, Mid-Atlantic LGBTQI Activist and Educational Conference, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., All Souls Church (2835 16th St. at Harvard Street, N.W.). Brought to you by Full Equality Now DC, free with suggested $10 donation. Presentations and workshops to include Grassroots Organizing for Full Equality, Civil Rights History, Transgender Politics, International LGBTQ Rights, Students Fight Back, Direct Action and Civil Disobedience, and National/Local Legislative Updates. Social mixer, held nearby, starts at 5:30 p.m. For more info or to register, go to FENDC.org or call 202-290-7078.

Philip Doyle & DJ Hector present: Fuego Reincarnated at Club Fuego,1818 New York Ave, N.E., from 10:30 p.m.-3 a.m.

Jell-O Wrestling returns to EFN Lounge, 1318 9th St. N.W. Anyone can enter the tournament. Win cash and prizes or just roll around with hot boys in your underwear. The wrestling starts at 9 p.m.

R&B soul singer Angie Stone plays the Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore, at 8 p.m. Tickets range $27-57; call 410-685-5086. On Sunday, Stone takes her show to the Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va. Call 703-549-7500 for tickets.

Join the DC Cowboys starting at 10 p.m. at the Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court, N.W., for their fun, sexy, late-night “After Dark Party” featuring shirtless Cowboys, live underwear auction, free giveaways, Jell-O shooters, and more.

Capital Pride Winds and Concert Band performs at 8 p.m. (and Sunday at 3 p.m.) at the Cafritz Auditorium at Bell Multicultural High School, 16th and Irving, N.W. (two blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro). The program, Shades of Blue will include Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with guest pianist AnnaMaria Mattolla, Grainger’s “Children’s March” as well as Frank Ticheli’s “Amazing Grace” and “Blue Shades”. Tickets $20 adults/$10 students and senior citizens; tickets available at the door or online at dcdd.org.

Sunday, April 18

The Victory Fund holds its 10th annual Champagne Brunch to celebrate the accomplishments of LGBT elected officials. This year’s event features lesbian Houston Mayor Annise Parker, gay Rep. Barney Frank and includes a tribute to gay D.C. Council member David Catania. Tickets $150, 11 a.m. at the Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Event is sold out; e-mail [email protected] to be added to the waiting list.

DC Ice Breakers Men’s Singles Party w/Co-Host Burgundy Crescent Volunteers at ACKC Cocoa Bar, 1529C 14th St., N.W. (next to Universal Gear). Mark your calendars for this special event as the DC Ice Breakers team up with Burgundy Crescent Volunteers for a social event just for the single guys. Meet single men from DC Ice Breakers and Burgundy Crescent Volunteers from 6-8 p.m. RSVP through the DC Ice Breakers (or Burgundy Crescent Volunteers) Facebook page, or just show up.

Monday, April 19

The DC Center, 1810 14th St. N.W., Washington, D.C., invites bears and their allies to join in for Bears do Yoga from 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Tuesday, April 20

Drag Bingo at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., hosted by Shi-Queeta Lee, starting at 8 p.m. Free to play, lots of cool prizes.

Wednesday, April 21

Capital Pride Interfaith Service planning meeting, 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 I St., S.W.

The Tom Davaron Social Bridge Club will meet at 7:30 p.m., at the Dignity Center 721 8th St., S.E. (across from Marine Barracks). No partner needed. Visit lambdabridge.com; click “Social Bridge in Washington, DC”

POZ Wednesdays from 8 p.m.-12 a.m., upstairs at the Green Lantern, 1331 Green Ct., N.W. DJs C-Dubz, Keith Hoffman, Jason Horswill & T-N-T Music Factory rotate. $3 Grey Goose from 9-11p.m.

Thursday, April 22

The DC Center will screen Lydia Douglas’ 1998 documentary “Nappy” at 7 p.m. The film tells the story of 14 black women and girls who choose to stop straightening their hair and “go natural.” “Nappy” explores the often complex relationship between black women and Western ideals of beauty. The screening is free and open to everyone. The DC Center is located at 1810 14th St., N.W.

GLOV will hold its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the DC Center, 1810 14th St., N.W. The group’s regular meeting time going forward will be the fourth Thursday of each month. The primary mission of Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence is to work to reduce violence against LGBT people. For more information, e-mail infoglovdc.org.

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.”