Arts & Entertainment

Calendar for July 16

Friday, July 16, to Thursday, July 22

Published

15 years ago

July 15, 2010

Friday, July 16

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

Queer Pulp For the Girls and Bois at Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St., N.W., is tonight at 9. No cover charge, 21 and over to enter.

Kylie Minogue CD Release Party tonight at Ultrabar, 911 F St., N.W. at 9 p.m. Minogue returns with her highly anticipated new album. There will be giveaways including CDs, posters, vouchers and more. 18 and over to enter. Visit popnightlife.com for more information.

DC Cowboys present “Brodeo” tonight at Remington’s, 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be country/western and disco/club music, live performances, giveaways, Jell-O shots, an auction and lots of sexy Cowboys.

Experience Silver Starr Art Studios LLC’s Ninth Annual Exhibition featuring Fred Budin’s Flag Series and Jay Hayden’s live R&B melodies at L’Eclat de Verre, 3336 M St., N.W. at 7 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $5, benefiting WVSA Arts Connection.

Saturday, July 17

Charity Cornhole Tournament at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., at 1 p.m. 75 percent of the proceeds will benefit the “Remembering Nikki Yoder” scholarship at Montrose High School in Montrose, Pa. You can pre-register by e-mailing [email protected] and include team name, participant names, and contact phone. Registration is $25 for a team or $15 for individuals. There will be cash prizes, door prizes and drink specials.

Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers as they prune the sucker branches of the National Cherry Trees around the Tidal Basin from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the Tidal Basin parking lot. For the fifth year in a row, BCV has been asked by the National Park Service to return to the Jefferson Memorial Tidal Basin for the annual Cherry Tree Pruning activity. Fifteen volunteers are needed for each shift.

Star Wars: In Concert, the unique multimedia event featuring music from all six of John Williams’ epic Star Wars scores, plays at the Verizon Center at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $35, $55 and $75 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. With live narration by Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), the production features a full symphony orchestra and choir, accompanied by specially edited footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, high-definition LED super-screen.

Wolf Trap presents An Evening with Idina Menzel and Marvin Hamlisch at the Filene Center at 8:15 p.m. Menzel—the Tony Award-winning “Elphaba” from Wicked—joins award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch for a one-night-only special engagement with the National Symphony Orchestra. Repertoire will include songs from Rent, Wicked, and Idina Menzel’s new album I Stand. Tickets range from $20 to $52 and can be purchased at wolftrap.org.

REMIX & A2Z Events present Al Sura’s 2010 White Attire Affair, “The Garden of Envy” at Longview Gallery, 1234 9th St., N.W., from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. VIP tickets are $125 and include a VIP reception with an open bar, live entertainment by Tamika Jones, and entrance to the official after-party. General admission is $75 and includes an open bar, live entertainment by Bry’NT, and discounted entrance to the official after party.

DJ Hector Fonseca spins at Town, 2009 8th St., N.W. Fonseca holds residencies at some of the most popular venues worldwide, and recently released two new music compilations. Doors open at 10 p.m. A drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. There will be music and videos downstairs by Wess. $8 cover before 11 p.m. and $12 after. 21 and over to enter.

Sunday, July 18

Ladies Kickball on the Mall at 3 p.m. between the National Museum of History and Smithsonian Castle. Join Zoom as they play kickball on the mall. Even if you don’t play you’re welcome to come and watch the fun from the sidelines; look for the purple balloons to locate the group. In case of inclement weather the event will be rescheduled for the following Sunday at the same time.

Monday, July 19

The GLB Youth Support Group will meet at the GW Center Clinic, 1922 F St., N.W., Suite 103, at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 20

Vans Warped Tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion starting at 11 a.m. featuring Reel Big Fish, Face to Face, Pennywise, Alkaline Trio, Andrew W.K, We the Kings, and many more. Vans Warped Tour is a “punk rock summer camp” on wheels where music, athletes and lifestyles co-mingle and thrive in an atmosphere dedicated to music fans of punk, alternative, hip-hop, ska, pop punk, electronica, alternative rock, emo, hardcore and more. Tickets are $32.75 until the day of the show when they go up to $40. Visit merriweathermusic.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits tonight from 7-9 p.m. at EFN Lounge, on 9th Street between O and N streets.

Wednesday, July 21

Yappy Hour: Happy Hour for Dogs at Larry’s Lounge, 1836 18th St., N.W., is today from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring drink specials and giveaways.

DC Gurly Show at Phase 1, 525 8th St., S.E., at 10 p.m. Drink specials will include $3 PBR and $4 Jager shots. There is a $5 cover.

Thursday, July 22

Atlas Performing Arts Center presents Summer Film Series: Gay 101 showing 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” starring Barbara Parkins and Patty Duke at the Paul Sprenger Theatre, 1333 H St., N.E., at 8 p.m. Buy tickets at atlasarts.org or at the box office one hour prior to the movie.

Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

Published

1 hour 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

2 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

2 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.”