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.
Television
‘The Pitt’ stars discuss what season two gets right about queer representation
Noah Wyle and Taylor Dearden spoke with Blade in LA
As season two of “The Pitt” comes to a close this Thursday, stars Noah Wyle and Taylor Dearden are looking back on what this season got right about queer representation.
“There is some intentionality behind it, but it’s not necessarily for the representation to be anything other than human or ubiquitous to anyone that would come into an emergency room,” Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby, told the Los Angeles Blade at PaleyFest event in Los Angeles on April 12. “I know that we’ve done some storylines with some gay couples, and we did a storyline in season 1 where a woman comes in who’s cut her arm, who’s trans. But in both of those storylines, that wasn’t the point.”
Wyle continues, “In doing it that way, and not making a point of orientation being part of the problem that brings you to the emergency room, we have been told in feedback that that has been extremely revolutionary, almost, and extremely appreciated. But that’s true whether we do storylines with any kind of minority or a person with a disability. We try to have a cosmology of cast and representation on the show that’s indicative of what you find in Pittsburgh.”
Dearden, who plays Dr. Mel King, echoed Wyle’s sentiment: “I think constantly battling tropes is always important. It’s not a show about romance; it’s a show about real life and a shift in the ER. The more we represent everyday people going through everyday life, they just happen to be queer, they just happen to be trans, and making it not the plot, is putting everyone on equal playing [field]. You don’t have to have a big coming out scene.”
Queer representation on “The Pitt” is also notable through the actual actors themselves, including openly queer actor Supriya Ganesh, who plays Dr. Samira Mohan (who didn’t attend PaleyFest after the news that she is not returning for season three), and Amielynn Abellera, who plays Perlah Alawi.
“Doctors don’t put value judgments on who they treat,” Wyle concludes. “That’s not a luxury extended to them, and so that’s not part of our storytelling.”
The season two finale will air Thursday, April 16, on HBO Max, while season three has already been confirmed and is currently being written.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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