Arts & Entertainment
Arts news in brief
Radcliffe goes glam, last weekend for ice show, Fleming at the Kennedy Center and more
Radcliffe goes glam in new photo shoot
Still boyish at 21, Daniel Radcliffe may portray the teen wizard as more geeky than gonzo on the big screen as Harry Potter. But now you can see Radcliffe show off his inner wild man, going full wizard indeed to promote his upcoming film, the last of the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.”
Little Harry has grown up. Check out his cover photo shoot for the feature story “The Boy Magician Shape Shift,” in Dazed and Confused magazine. With festive face and body paint, at times grotesque, at other times glammed to the nines with feathers, Radcliffe is always sensual. He’s shown his wilder side before. A much-ballyhooed nude scene on stage at age 17 in Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play “Equus” happened in 2007 on London’s West End.
Next stop for Radcliffe is a planned 2011 revival of “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” in which he is reportedly seeking to re-sculpt his body, hoping for six-pack slimness for shirtless scenes as the musical’s window-washer.
He also sent a recent message to gay teens as a new spokesman for the Trevor Project, the LGBT youth crisis-prevention 24-hour hotline. Speaking of the recent rash of gay teen suicides, he said that “it has been heart-breaking for me (that) these young people were bullied and tormented by people that should have been their friends.”
(Photo courtesy of Gaylord National Resort)
Last weekend for ‘Grinch’ ice exhibit
This is the last weekend to see the impressive ice-sculpted show ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas” as it closes Sunday. Featuring the artistry of Chinese ice carvings, it’s housed in a special 15,000-square foot pavilion at the waterfront Gaylord National Harbor Resort. It’s near the Beltway at the Wilson Bridge, right across the Potomac River from Old Town Alexandria, and it closes Sunday.
This one is perfect for kids of all ages, an indoor wonderland just 9 degrees above zero inside. Parkas are handed out to keep warm. It features 10 scenes from the 1957 Dr. Seuss classic story of the “Whoville-hating” Grinch, carved from two million pounds of ice, as well as a complete exhibition of the actual storybook artwork and commercial-art illustrations by Theodor Seuss Geisel, the American writer and cartoonist who died in 1991. For tickets and times, go to wefrozethegrinch.com or call 301-965-4000.
From left, Austin Johnson as Fritz, Emily Whitworth as Louise and Dalles Tolentino as the Nutcracker in Synetic's 'Nutcracker,' which continues through Jan. 16. (Photo by Ulia Kriskovets; courtesy of Synetic)
Synetic’s ‘Nutcracker’ features original music
Equally kid-friendly is a striking new twist on this tinseled old favorite — the original E.T.A. Hoffman tale of the enchanted Nutcracker Prince who saves a young girl from a nightmare attack of scampering mice — given it by educator and director Lilia Slavova. This version, which runs through Jan. 16 at the Synetic Family Theater’s Crystal City stage, 1800 S. Bell St. in Arlington, is virtually non-stop action and filled with whimsy and wonder, magic and movement, bright fun and broad farce.
Slavova’s re-imagining is shorn of most of Tchaikovsky’s music from the ballet suite and in its stead music from Synetic in-house composer Konstantine Lortkipandize is heard along with Bach, Beethoven and Stravinsky. For acting and dancing, including credible Russian-style leg-kicks and break-dance stunts, pay special attention to cute 22-year-old Austin Johnson who plays “Fritz” as a goofy 9 year old full of mischief, and lithe and limber Dallas Tolentino as the Nutcracker Prince. Tickets at 800-494-8497 or synetictheater.org.
Katz to speak at Foundry on controversial exhibit
Then there’s visual art, including, of course, the art world’s breakthrough museum show, “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture.” As has been widely reported, this is a display of the depiction of same-sex attraction in American art from the 19th century to today. It closes at the National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F St N.W., on Feb 13.
The show’s co-curator Jonathan Katz, director of the doctoral program in visual studies at the State University of Buffalo, will discuss the firestorm over the recent political intervention in the exhibit to force the removal of the video “A Fire in the Belly,” at D.C.’s Foundry Gallery, 1314 18th St. N.W., Saturday Jan 15 at 4 p.m. Attendance at the lecture is free.
Transformer Gallery began showing the censored video after its removal from the show. Also there is a special exhibit there from through Jan. 30 to celebrate D.C.’s historic passage last year of the same-sex marriage law. The show features a juried selection from an “open call” for entries for visual representations of the theme of gay marriage. One of the artists featured is Bill Travis, a photographer of male nudes and art historian who recently moved to D.C. from New York City and whose show “Bodyscapes” just ended its own run at the D.C. Center on Jan 5. The reception for the show’s opening is tonight from 6 to 8.
Opera legend Renee Fleming plays the Kennedy Center this weekend. (Photo by Andrew Eccles)
Opera diva Fleming in recital this weekend
Grand opera’s sumptuous soprano celebrated by critics for her “creamy, generous tone” is expected to be as gorgeous as ever vocally when she appears in a Kennedy Center Concert Hall recital at 8 p.m. Saturday – a Washington Performing Arts Society (WPAS) event. Tickets at $47 to $125 are available through wpas.org or 202-785-WPAS.
Known as “the people’s diva,” Fleming sets the bar high for opera and lieder with such signature roles as the Countess Almaviva in Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro” and Desdemona in Verdi’s “Otello.” Fleming also stars on Jan. 31 in another of her great roles, as Violetta in Verdi’s “La traviata,” when “Opera in Cinema” kicks off its new season, now presented at D.C.’s new West End Cinema. Tickets for $20 are at www.westendcinema.com.
‘Seasons’ suites to be heard at Cathedral
Just when cold winter releases its latest icy grip comes a vision from Vivaldi that there are indeed four seasons, celebrated in a centerpiece selection of three masterworks by the Shakespeare Library’s Folger Consort — in concert tonight and Saturday night in the majestic nave of Washington National Cathedral, located at Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, N.W.
Violinist Julie Andrijeski leads the baroque orchestra in the classic Vivaldi “Four Seasons” and also 17th century English composer Christopher Simpson’s fantasia suites for strings, “The Seasons.”
Rounding out the concert is the atmospheric music for John Cage’s 1947 ballet “The Seasons” — arranged for baroque instruments. American-born Cage, a composer and artist whose romantic partner for most of his life was dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham, died in 1992 at age 78.
Get tickets from $30 at folger.edu/consort or 202-544-7077. Robert Aubry Davis also leads a free pre-concert discussion with Folger Consort artistic directors and musicians tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the cathedral’s Tower auditorium.
Out & About
Plan your wedding the LGBTQ way
Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo scheduled for Sunday
Rainbow Wedding Network will host “Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo” on Sunday, March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Guests can meet and mingle with a curated selection of LGBTQ-welcoming wedding professionals from across the region, each ready to help bring your vision to life, and spend a beautiful afternoon exploring everything they need to create a celebration that reflects them.
There will be a relaxed, self-guided look at the Watergate’s spaces and amenities, savor signature cocktails and delicious tasting samples, and connect with other couples who are on the same journey.
Visit Eventbrite to reserve a spot.
Friday, February 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga and Drag Bingo will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour Meetup” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, February 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black lesbian. You do not need to be a member of the Beta Kappa Chapter or the Beta Phi Omega Sorority in order to join, but they do ask that you either identify as a lesbian or are questioning that aspect of your identity.Send an email to [email protected] to receive the zoom link.
Sunday, March 1
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, March 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, March 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, March 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more information, email [email protected].
Thursday, March 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Transmission DC breathes new life into a storied sound space
A fresh home for boundary-pushing culture on H Street
Late last year, phoenix-style, a fresh home for boundary-pushing culture arose on the H Street corridor. Transmission DC – a queer, trans, and POC-owned, operated, and centered community-focused venue – powered on in the former home to the Rock & Roll Hotel (famously, not a hotel, but very much rock & roll). Transmission (1353 H St., N.E.) arrives secure in its mandate – or even birthright – to provide a place to celebrate creativity and music through a lens of inclusivity and respect.
Transmission’s team brings experience, but also representation. Owners/partners Kabir Khanna (who is also programming director), Katii B, Ellie McDyre, and Kelli Kerrigan together previously managed 618 productions, a venue in Chinatown, crafting “some of D.C.’s freakiest parties, raves, and mosh pits” they note.
They packed up operations last fall to a space curated specifically for D.C.’s underground music and culture scene, building their efforts in Chinatown to bring in more fans in queer and POC circles.
Transmission, Khanna points out, is built on DIY values. In the music scene, DIY means that promoters and organizers – often disconnected from the mainstream and part of marginalized communities – build shows and programs collaboratively, but independently from institutions, supporting each other as smaller, independent venues close. Here, Transmission aims to ensure that those putting together these underground inclusive shows have a more permanent and stable home, can have access to resources, and can provide more sustainable income to artists. “We’re trying to get more people to support and enjoy the music, and also give artists and organizers within the DIY community more structure and a larger cut,” says Khanna.
Khanna also notes that Transmission operates “under the principles of safety, inclusivity, and respect.” McDyre added that even at venues that claim inclusivity, that statement might not take place in practice. We’re “not just pitting up a rainbow flag,” says McDyre, but as some of the owners are trans and POC, audiences can see themselves reflected at the top.
Much like the DIY nature of the music community, the Transmission owners brought a DIY ethos to turning around their space.
In March 2020 – the height of COVID lockdowns – Rock & Roll Hotel suddenly shuttered, though not due to the pandemic; instead, the venue claimed that decreasing sales and increasing competition led to the closure. For 14 years, it was the central spot for cheap beer and lesser-known and celebrated acts. The space stood vacant for more than five years, until Transmission turned the power back on.
“When we got into the space, it was effectively abandoned for years,” says Khanna. “There was a ton of mold, and paint primer covering all surfaces. It was nearly falling apart.” Khanna noted that many music venues like this one, regardless of how well it was maintained, “get the shit kicked out of it,” given the nature of shows. The team called in mold removal contractors, ripped up most of the floorboards, and started fresh.
Transmission’s first floor is styled as a stripped-down black box: the better to take in the music. “It’s minimal on purpose to act as a canvas for set design and music,” without a specific aesthetic, says Khanna. Moving upstairs, the second floor has been opened up, removing some walls, and now has a larger dance area than the first floor. Beyond the first two performance levels, and a holdover from Rock & Roll Hotel, is the rooftop. Though without a stage, the rooftop space is filled with murals splashed across the walls, with a full bar. Transmission’s current capacity is 496, but the team is looking to grow that number. Transmission will also leverage the full kitchen that Rock & Roll Hotel operated, bringing in Third Hand Kitchen to offer a variety of food, including vegan and vegetarian options.
Khanna pointed out an upcoming show reflective of Transmission’s inclusive ethos: Black Techo Matters on Feb. 27. The event is set to be “a dynamic, collaborative night of underground electronic music celebrating Black History Month.” Khanna says that techno came from Black music origins, and this event will celebrate this genesis with a host of artists, including DJ Stingray 313, Carlos Souffront, and Femanyst.
ACLU sues Kansas over law invalidating trans residents’ IDs
After layoffs at Advocate, parent company acquires ‘Them’ from Conde Nast
Spring into sold
Plan your wedding the LGBTQ way
Calendar: February 27-March 5
Rob Jetten becomes first gay Dutch prime minister
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes medal at Olympics
New book profiles LGBTQ Ukrainians, documents war experiences
PHOTOS: Queen of Hearts
