Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: events through Dec. 9
Friday, Dec. 10
The International Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference continues today at the Mayflower Hotel (1127 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). To register for the conference, visit glli.org. The conference runs through Sunday.
RAW will be at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. with guest DJ Zack Rosen. Free entry before 11 p.m. with a $3 cover after. There will be an open bar from 10 to 11 p.m. Attendees must be 21 or older.
Gloss presents Ladies Night Holiday Party tonight at Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) with music by DJ Rosie in the main room and shows by D.C. Kings and the D.C. Gurly Show starting at midnight. There’s a $10 cover and attendees must be 18 or older.
The D.C. chapter of Ski Bums will be holding a happy hour at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. For more information visit ski-bums.org.
NOVA GL Professionals and D.C. Ice Breakers are co-hosting their annual holiday social tonight at Pinzimi Lounge in the Westin Arlington Gateway (801 N. Glebe Road) at 6 p.m. Business casual attire is suggested.
BrightestYoungThings presents “NEWSEUM: All Access, A Holiday Party” tonight from 8 to 11 p.m. The party will feature exclusive after-hours access to the Newseum, cash bar with cocktails and holiday treats provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering and the unveiling of a photo installation by BYT photographers. Tickets are $15 presale or $20 at the door. The Newseum is located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. For more information, visit brightestyoungthings.com.
Four Bitchin’ Babes will be at Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria, tonight at 7:30 p.m. The group has revolved through many members, but this showing will feature founding member Sally Fingerett as well as Debi Smith, Deirdre Flint and Nancy Moran.
Saturday, Dec. 4
Crack presents BudhaKwanzaRamFestivusXmaHanaSolstice tonight at 9 p.m. at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.). Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. There will be a repeat performance Sunday at 5 p.m. and tickets for that show are $8.
Gallery plan b (1530 14th St., N.W.) will be having an opening reception with the artists featured in it Year End Group Show tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. The show will run through Dec. 24. For more information, visit galleryplanb.com.
Zoom Urban Lesbian Excursions will be at All Fired Up (3413 Connecticut Ave.) today at 6 p.m. for its “Pick n’ Paint.” Cost of pottery ranges from $16 to $55 and it takes seven to 10 days to fire an item. A $5 donation to Martha’s Table is expected. Visit zoomexcursions.com for more information.
AGLA will be at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd.) in Arlingtong today shooting for Holiday Hugs and Kisses at 11 a.m. There will be video shoots at 11:30 a.m., noon, 12:30 and 1 p.m. There will be a safe observing space for those who do not want to appear in the video. For more information, visit agla.org.
City Gallery (804 H St., N.E.) will be having an opening reception for its new exhibit “Wally Szyndler: a retrospective” tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit citygallerydc.com.
Sunday, Dec. 5
Philip Clark, co-editor of “Persistent Voices: Poetry by Writers Lost to AIDS,” and local authors will be at an open door reading in celebration of the book today at 2 p.m. at the Writer’s Center (4508 Walsh St.) in Bethesda. This is a free event.
The D.C. Arts Center presents Cherry Red Productions’ “Wifeswappers,” written by Justin Tanner tonight at 3 p.m. The play follows a couple as they throw a sex party for the holidays. Tickets are $25 for general admission or $20 for groups of six or more and can be purchased online at cherryredproductions.com/tickets. The show continues through Dec. 18.
Monday, Dec. 6
Watch the New York Jets (9-2) take on the New England Patriots (9-2) for the second time this season in Foxboro, Mass., tonight at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.). The game starts at 8:30 p.m. Also tonight is Beat the Block Happy Hour and Poker Face.
The National Portrait Gallery is showing an exhibit that focuses on sexual differences in the making of modern American portraiture. “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture” is the first major museum exhibit of its kind. The museum is open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free.
Tuesday, Dec. 7
Holiday ornaments come to life in Cirque Dreams “Holidaze,” which opens tonight at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. Directed by Neil Goldberg, the show features about 30 artists performing.
Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at FUK!T’s new packing location Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct., N.W.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Blvd.” makes its Washington premiere tonight at Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave.) in Arlington at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are either $66.30 or $71.45 and can be purchased on ticketmaster.com. The show continues through Feb. 13.
Wednesday, Dec. 8
Rainbow Response will be holding its monthly meeting tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).
Better than Ezra brings its “Road to Mardi Gras” tour to the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 930.com.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company presents “A Girl’s Guide to Washington Politics” written and performed by the Second City, a comedy theater group from Chicago, which opens tonight with a pay-what-you-can performance at 8 p.m. Lines begin forming around 5 p.m. The show will run through Jan. 9. For more information, visit woollymammoth.net.
Thursday, Dec. 9
DCBiWomen will be having its monthly dinner at Café Luna (1633 P St., N.W.) tonight from 7 to 8 p.m For more information, visit dcbiwomen.org.
NSO Pops present Happy Holidays with Marvin Hamlisch conducting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). The program includes songs like “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid,” “O Holy Night” and more classic holiday music. Immediately following this performance is “More with Marvin!”
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington is hosting a piano bar open mic night at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight from 7 to 10 p.m.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Comings & Goings
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