Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: events through Nov. 11

Movies, plays, social groups and more

Published

15 years ago

November 3, 2010

Brent Sullivan’s 'Fag Life: A Conversation with Fred Phelps' will be performed twice Saturday in Arlington. Sullivan is a gay stand-up comic from New York who will explore gay culture by satirizing the outrageously offensive beliefs of the Kansas-based Baptist minister who preaches hate and damnation for gays. (Photo courtesy of Arlington Drafthouse)

Friday, Nov. 5

RAW will be holding its first anniversary tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) with resident DJs Bil Todd and Shea Van Horn plus guest DJ Mark Louque (FAGBASH, Provincetown). There’s a $5 cover after 11 p.m., it’s free before with an open bar from 10 to 11. Attendees must be 21 or older. For more information, visit RAWdc.com.

Zoom Urban Lesbian Excursions will be hosting “Lingerie Football League” tonight at 1st Mariner Arena (201 W. Baltimore St.) in Baltimore. Attendees can meet near the will call window at 8:30 p.m. and the game begins at 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit zoomexcursions.com.

Touchstone Gallery will be holding an opening reception for three exhibits today from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The exhibits include “Photos on the Loose,” photographs displayed for FotoWeek D.C. which runs through Nov. 14, “Folks Like Us,” abstract artwork by Paula B. Lantz, which runs through Nov. 28, and “Faces” by Charles St. Charles, which also runs through Nov. 28.

The Richard Montgomery High School Black Maskers Drama Club presents Moisés Kaufman’s “The Laramie Project,” a play based on interviews with residents of Laramie, Wyo., after the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, tonight at 7 p.m. in the Richard Montgomery Auditorium (250 Richard Montgomery Drive) in Rockville. Tickets may be purchased in advance at richardmontgomerydrama.ticketleap.net or at the door, and are $5 for students and $13 for adults.

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) will be holding an open mic night tonight from 7:30 to 10 p.m. hosted by Mike Brazell. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and participants must be signed up by 8. The event is free. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

The tour for “Girls to the Front: the True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution” a book by Sara Marcus, will be at St. Stephen’s Church (1525 Newton St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. with a reading, discussion with “Dance of Days” author Mark Andersen and musical guests Trophy Wife, Hey Girl, the Gift and War on Women.

The gay-helmed Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company will be performing works by Anna Sokolow in the Ina and Jack Kay Theatre in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. Tickets are $30 or $24 for subscribers, and can be purchased online at claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.

“Deaf in Pink: Three-Day Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego” will be showing as part of the third film screening for the World Deaf Cinema film festival from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. on the Gallaudet University campus, along with three other films. “Deaf in Pink” follows seven deaf women as they participate in the walk. It is nominated for Best Short and was directed and produced by out lesbian, Laura Harvey. Marlee Matlin, who had a role on “The L Word,” will be presented a lifetime achievement award at the festival. Tickets are $10 for a single screening and can be purchased at wdcg.gallaudet.edu. There are also packages for all the viewings as well as other events that coinicide with the festival.

Saturday, Nov. 6

Dr. Rebecca Dolinsky and Kim Sescoe of the Rainbow History Project will be moderating a panel at the D.C. Historical Studies Conference called “LGBT Religious and Spiritual Communities in the Greater Washington Area” from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives (1201 17th Street NW). Conference fees are $15 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors. Attendees may register and pay at the door. For more information visit historydc.org/events/historicalstudiesconference.aspx.

Underground Comedy presents a night of stand-up comedy with Hal Sparks, best known as Michael in Showtime’s “Queer as Folk,” and Finesse Mitchell from “Saturday Night Live,” tonight at 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. at the Forum in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. N.W.). For tickets and more information, call the box office at 202-547-1122 or visit ShakespeareTheatre.org.

Susan Burnstine, a Los Angeles photographer, will have a solo exhibit at Morton Fine Art (1781 Florida Ave., N.W.) open today and it will run through Nov. 13. MFA will host an artist talk with her today at 2 p.m. For more information, visit mortonfineart.com.

D.C.’s Different Drummers will be holding its 30th anniversary Concert, “Triumphs & Reflections” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus Auditorium (3101 16th St., N.W.) with performances by DCDD Marching Band, DC Swing!, Capitol Pride Winds, Capitol Pride Symphonic Band, and small ensembles. Tickets are $20 from band members, at the door or at the group’s online box office. For more information or to purchase tickets in advance, visit dcdd.org.

Brent Sullivan’s “Fag Life: A Conversation with Fred Phelps” is tonight at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. at the Dome at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Boulevard) in Arlington. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance at faglife.eventbrite.com/ or at the box office starting one hour before showtime.

Sunday, Nov. 7

Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance will hold its 10th annual Veterans Day Memorial Service in conjunction with Servicemembers Legal Defense Network at 2 p.m. at the Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) at the gravesite of Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, one of the first to challenge America’s ban on open service in the armed forces.

Monday, Nov. 8

A “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”-themed photo exhibit by Los Angeles photographer Jeff Sheng opens today at Human Rights Campaign headquarters (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) and runs through Wednesday. Sheng will be present today at noon to meet visitors who can view the exhibit between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday. Sheng shot the photos of discharged servicemembers over a two-year, cross-country span.

Towson University will be holding a panel on social media etiquette tonight at 5:30 p.m. in room 310 of Stephens Hall. The panel will feature social media experts who will discuss proper social media etiquette and offer “do” and “don’t” advice. This is a free event.

Tuesday, Nov. 9

Daniel Phoenix Singh of the gay-helmed Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company Dance Company will be leading a workshop on hand gestures and how they are used in modern dance today at 5:30 p.m. in the theatre rehearsal room (3732) in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. The workshop is free and open to everyone.

Photos

PHOTOS: ‘ICE Out For Good’ Sunday protests

Northern Virginia demonstrations among nationwide protest

Published

1 hour ago

January 12, 2026

Michael Key

A demonstrator holds a sign with the photo of Renee Nicole Good. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

“ICE Out For Good” demonstrations were held in the Northern Virginia municipalities of Haymarket, Annandale and Arlington, among others, on Sunday, Jan. 12.

Nearly 1,200 similar actions were scheduled nationwide over the weekend, according to a statement from organizers.

Demonstrations in D.C. against ICE included a protest march on Friday and a march around the White House on Saturday.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

*Picketers stand along James Madison Highway near Heathcode Blvd. just outside of Haymarket, Va. on Sunday, Jan. 11.*

View on Threads

*Demonstrators in the ‘ICE Out For Good’ protests hold signs on an overpass over the Capital Beltway in Annandale, Va. on Jan. 11.*

View on Threads

*Demonstrators participating in the ICE Out For Good protests stand along Mount Vernon Ave. in Alexandria, Va.* on Jan. 11.

Theater

Ford’s ‘First Look’ festival showcases three new productions

A chance to enjoy historical dramas for free before they’re completed

Published

11 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Patrick Folliard

José Carrasquillo, director of Artistic Programming at Ford's Theatre (Photo by Paolo Andres Montenegro)

The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look – 2026
Jan. 16 & 17
Ford’s Theatre
511 Tenth St., N.W.
FREE
Fords.org

When Ford’s Theatre debuted its new plays festival, “A First Look,” in 2023, it was unclear whether people would come for the staged readings.

“Before the pandemic if you announced the reading of a play, 12 people might show up,” says José Carrasquillo, director of artistic programming at Ford’s Theatre. “Since then, we’ve experienced comparatively massive turnout. Maybe because it’s cheap, or because of the very newness of the works.”

This year’s fourth edition showcases readings of three pieces currently in varied stages of development. The free, two-day festival offers audiences a chance to encounter historical dramas long before they’re completed and fully produced. None are finished, nor have they been read publicly. And befitting the venue’s provenance, the works are steeped in history.

The festival kicks off with “Springs” by playwright Jeanne Sakata and directed by Jessica Kubzansky. Commissioned by The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions, it’s the both epic and personal story of Sakata’s Japanese American family including her grandfather’s experience in an internment camp.

“Sakata’s immigrant grandfather was an exceptionally skilled farmer who helped to stave off starvation in the camp. Still, he never gave up on the idea that he belonged in America. It’s very much a story of today,” says Carrasquillo.

Unlike “Springs,” the festival’s two other works weren’t commissioned by Ford’s. But they both fit the history brief and likely will benefit from the exposure and workshopping.

“Providence Spring,” by California based playwright Richard Helesen and directed by Holly Twyford, portrays Clara Barton (played by local favorite Erin Weaver) as a hero beyond the Red Cross whose then-radical initiatives included cataloguing the Civil War dead, many pulled from mass graves.

Directed by Reginald L. Douglas, “Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest” explores a slice from the life of the legendary civil rights activist and longtime congressman. With book and lyrics by Psalmayene 24 and music by Kokayi this collaboratively staged reading between Ford’s and Mosaic Theater is slated to premiere fully produced at Mosaic as a 90-minute musical in the spring of 2026.

“When I was hired at Ford’s in 2018, we began discussing hiring writers who do historical drama,” says Carrasquillo. “Our intention was resolute, but we didn’t do it right away. It took getting through the pandemic to revisit the idea.”

At the same time, the racial reckoning spurred Ford’s to hire playwrights of color to tell stories that had previously been forgotten or ignored.

For Carrasquillo, who is gay, the impulse to commission was crystalized when he saw the film “Hidden Figures,” a true story about “three brilliant African-American women — at NASA during the Space Race, overcoming racial and gender discrimination to make crucial contributions to America’s spaceflight success.” He says, “the film floored me. How many stories like this are there that we don’t know about?”

One of the festival’s happiest experiences, he adds, was the commission of playwright Chess Jakobs’s “The American Five” and its subsequent success. It’s the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and his inner circle, including Bayard Rustin (MLK’s brilliant, unsung gay adviser) leading up to the 1963 March on Washington. The play later premiered fully produced in Ford’s 2025 season.

Increasingly, the readings at Ford’s have become popular with both artists and audiences.

At Ford’s, Carrasquillo wears many hats. In addition to selecting plays and organizing workshops, he serves as an in-house dramaturg for some of the nascent works. But he’s not alone. Also helming the festival are senior artistic advisor Sheldon Epps, and The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions advisor Sydné Mahone.

Because the plays are in development, comments from directors, dramaturgs, and the audience are considered and may become part of the playwrights’ rewrites and changes. If and when the play resurfaces fully produced, audience members might find their suggestion in the completed work.

Is this year’s festival queer influenced? Yes, both by those involved and the topics explored.

Carrasquillo explains, “While Sakata’s “Springs” is primarily about immigration, its message is relevant to the queer community. Civil rights are being taken away from us. We need this playwright’s story to know what has happened and what can happen to any of us.

“Many of Ford’s legacy commissions underscore the importance of civil rights in our country and that’s important to all of us. Queer and not queer.”

Bars & Parties

Mid-Atlantic Leather kicks off this week

Parties, contests, vendor expo and more planned for annual gathering

Published

11 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

A scene from the 2025 Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather competition. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend will begin on Thursday, Jan 15.

This is an annual three-day event in Washington, D.C., for the leather, kink, and LGBTQ+ communities, featuring parties, vendors, and contests.

There will be an opening night event hosted the evening of Thursday, Jan. 15. Full package and three-day pass pickup will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Hyatt Capitol B. There will also be “Kinetic Dance Party” at 10 p.m. at District Eagle.

For more details, visit MAL’s website.