Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: events through Jan. 20
Events through Thursday include exhibits, concerts, plays and more
'Where Now' is part of the exhibit 'Off-Kilter' by artist Leslie Nolan on display through Jan. 30 at the newly reopened Touchstone Gallery. (Image courtesy of Touchstone)
Friday, Jan. 14
DJ Joshua and TheNewGay present “Balls!” tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Velvet Lounge (915 U St., N.W.) featuring the debut DJ set of Steve Scarlata. There is no cover for this event. Drink specials include $3 Natty Boh and $4 kamikazes.
Gross National Product returns with “The Sound of Palin” at Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $20 and can be purchased at atlas arts.org.
Exposed Tattoo and Baller Inc., present the D.C. Tattoo Arts Expo starting today at the Crystal City Doubletree Hotel (300 Army Navy Drive) in Arlington with a VIP welcome party in the Sky Dome from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. The expo will continue through the weekend.
The Mid Atlantic Leather Weekend starts today at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Registration will be in the ballroom level foyer from 4 to 10:30 p.m. There will be an exhibit hall from 5 to 11 p.m. The opening reception will be in the Yorktown Ballroom from 9 to 11 p.m. with a cash bar and the MAL Bar Crawl will be from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Events will continue through Sunday.
Women in their Twenties will be meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
DJ Matheus, 5ive, Keep It Terror and Forever the Win will be at Jammin’ Java tonight at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at jamminjava.com.
Metropolitan Community Church of Washington’s fundraising team is hosting a bingo night tonight at 7 p.m. at the church (474 Ridge St., N.W.). The evening begins with four early bird games which costs $2 for four cards or $3 for eight cards. This is followed by 17 regular and special games which are packaged for as low as $25. There will be homemade refreshments available.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Jonathan Katz, co-curator of the “Hide/Seek” exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, will be giving a lecture today at the Foundry Gallery (1314 18th St., N.W.) titled “Artistic Representation of Gay Life.” This event is free and admittance is on a first-come, first-serve basis. One of Foundry’s current exhibits is a juried show titled “Celebrate Gay Marriage.”
Blowoff, a dance party featuring gay DJs Bob Mould and Richard Morel, will be at 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) tonight. Doors opens at 11:30 p.m. Attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at 930.com.
Bellflur, Mobius Strip, Archivists and Southern Problems will be performing at St. Stephen’s Church (1525 Newton St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. as part of “100 Shows for Haiti.” Tickets are $8 and the money raised will be split between two organizations, One Hundred for Haiti and Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees.
The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro, Md., hosts Rewind with DJ Jerrbear and special host, the Mirror Ball Lady tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Best decade costume will win a cash prize. There will be a $5 cover before 11 p.m. and an $8 cover after.
Bare celebrates its second anniversary tonight at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Admission is $25 for VIP and $10 for general.
Ziegfeld’s celebrates Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday with Leather and Lace tonight with the Ladies of Illusion performing at 11:15 p.m. There’s a $5 cover before 10:30 p.m. and $10 after.
Today starts the Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) “90 Years of New” free weekend today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The kick-off event will feature special art installations, art-inspired cake designs by some of D.C.’s top pastry chefs and complimentary champagne by FoodArts. The weekend continues Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Bach Sinfonia presents its annual chamber concert featuring Cut, Wind and Wire tonight at 8 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center (7995 Georgia Ave.) in Silver Spring. The program will include works by Francis Cuttinge, William McGibbon and others. Tickets range from $15 to $30 and can be purchased online at bachsinfonia.org or by calling 301.362.6525. There will be a free pre-concert discussion at 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 16
Family band In Layman Terms and singer Holly Montgomery will be performing at Jammin’ Java today at 1:30 p.m. as Montgomery releases her new CD. Tickets are $10 in advance and $13 same day and can be purchased at jamminjava.com.
Lace Lounge (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) presents “The Dream,” a MLK Pride celebration tonight from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cover is $5 before 10 p.m. and $10 after.
Today is the last day to see the exhibit “Side by Side: Oberlin’s Masterworks” at the Phillips collection (1600 21st St., N.W.)
This month for its Sunday School event, Pocket Gays is teaming up with WTF for the “Straightest.Sunday.Ever” at Local 16 (1602 U St., N.W.) today from 3 to 9 p.m. Aaron Riggins will be DJing from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be prizes including entrance to WTF at Town later tonight.
Monday, Jan. 17
The Starry Mountain Trio (Suzannah Park, Gideon Crevoshay and Avery Book) presents an eclectic mix of sacred and secular folk songs from the U.S., British Isles, Corsica, Republic of Georgia and honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. in song tonight at Church of the Holy City (1611 16th St., N.W.).
Tuesday, Jan. 18
Partners in Recovery will be having a facilitated discussion about addiction, recovery and relationships at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The GLBT Arts Consortium will be hosting a remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr., tonight at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church. This is a free event.
Wednesday, Jan. 19
Bookmen D.C., an informal group of men interested in gay literature, meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles Sumner School and Archives (1201 17th St., N.W.) to discuss “Persistent Voices: Poetry by Writers Lost to AIDS,” edited by David Groff and Philip Clark.” All are welcome.
The Tom Davaron Social Bridge Club will meet at 7:30 tonight at the Dignity Center, 721 8th St., S.E., (across from Marine Barracks) for social bridge. No partner is needed. Visit lambdabridge.com and click on “Social Bridge in Washington” for more information.
Thursday, Jan. 20
DJ Chris Nitti will be a special guest at this month’s Maison at Napoleon Bistro and Lounge (1847 Columbus Rd., N.W.) tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Cosi Restaurant (1350 Connecticut Ave.) is hosting “Let’s get cozy …” for single women tonight from 5 to 8 p.m.
Washington Project for the Arts 2011 Experimental Media Series will be at the Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with an appearance by Paul D. Miller, also known as DJ Spooky.
The 2026 Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather competition was held at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill on Sunday. Seven contestants vied for the title and Gage Ryder was named the winner.
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Theater
Voiceless ‘Antony & Cleopatra’ a spectacle of operatic proportions
Synetic production pulls audience into grips of doomed lovers’ passion
‘Antony & Cleopatra’
Through Jan. 25
Synetic Theater at
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre
450 7th St., N.W.
Synetictheater.org
A spectacle of operatic proportions, Synetic Theater’s “Antony & Cleopatra” is performed entirely voiceless. An adaptation of the Bard’s original (a play bursting with wordplay, metaphors, and poetic language), the celebrated company’s production doesn’t flinch before the challenge.
Staged by Paata Tsikurishvili and choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili, this worthy remount is currently playing at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre, the same venue where it premiered 10 years ago. Much is changed, including players, but the usual inimitable Synectic energy and ingenuity remain intact.
As audiences file into the Klein, they’re met with a monumental pyramid bathed in mist on a dimly lit stage. As the lights rise, the struggle kicks off: Cleopatra (Irina Kavsadze) and brother Ptolemy (Natan-Maël Gray) are each vying for the crown of Egypt. Alas, he wins and she’s banished from Alexandria along with her ethereal black-clad sidekick Mardian (Stella Bunch); but as history tells us, Cleopatra soon makes a triumphant return rolled in a carpet.
Meanwhile, in the increasingly dangerous Rome, Caesar (memorably played by Tony Amante) is assassinated by a group of senators. Here, his legendary Ides of March murder is rather elegantly achieved by silver masked politicians, leaving the epic storytelling to focus on the titular lovers.
The fabled couple is intense. As the Roman general Antony, Vato Tsikurishvili comes across as equal parts warrior, careerist, and beguiled lover. And despite a dose of earthiness, it’s clear that Kavsadze’s Cleopatra was born to be queen.
Phil Charlwood’s scenic design along with Colin K. Bills’ lighting cleverly morph the huge pyramidic structure into the throne of Egypt, the Roman Senate, and most astonishingly as a battle galley crashing across the seas with Tsikurishvili’s Antony ferociously at the helm.
There are some less subtle suggestions of location and empire building in the form of outsized cardboard puzzle pieces depicting the Mediterranean and a royal throne broken into jagged halves, and the back-and-forth of missives.
Of course, going wordless has its challenges. Kindly, Synectic provides a compact synopsis of the story. I’d recommend coming early and studying that page. With changing locations, lots of who’s who, shifting alliances, numerous war skirmishes, and lack of dialogue, it helps to get a jump on plot and characters.
Erik Teague’s terrific costume design is not only inspired but also helpful. Crimson red, silver, and white say Rome; while all things Egyptian have a more exotic look with lots of gold and diaphanous veils, etc.
When Synetic’s voicelessness works, it’s masterful. Many hands create the magic: There’s the direction, choreography, design, and the outrageously committed, sinewy built players who bring it to life through movement, some acrobatics, and the remarkable sword dancing using (actual sparking sabers) while twirling to original music composed by Konstantine Lortkipanidze.
Amid the tumultuous relationships and frequent battling (fight choreography compliments of Ben Cunis), moments of whimsy and humor aren’t unwelcome. Ptolemy has a few clownish bits as Cleopatra’s lesser sibling. And Antony’s powerful rival Octavian (ageless out actor Philip Fletcher) engages in peppy propaganda featuring a faux Cleopatra (played by Maryam Najafzada) as a less than virtuous queen enthusiastically engaged in an all-out sex romp.
When Antony and Cleopatra reach their respective ends with sword and adder, it comes almost as a relief. They’ve been through so much. And from start to finish, without uttering a word, Kavsadze and Tsikurishvili share a chemistry that pulls the audience into the grips of the doomed lovers’ palpable passion.
Out & About
Love board games and looking for love?
Quirk Events will host “Board Game Speed Dating for Gay Men” on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at KBird DC.
Searching for a partner can be challenging. But board games are always fun. So what if you combined board games and finding a partner?
Picture this: You sit down for a night of games. A gaming concierge walks you through several games over the course of the night. You play classics you love and discover brand new games you’ve never heard of, playing each with a different group of fun singles. All while in a great establishment.
At the end of the night, you give your gaming concierge a list of the folks you met that you’d like to date and a list of those you met that you’d like to just hang out with as friends. If any two people put down the same name as each other in either column, then your gaming concierge will make sure you get each other’s e-mail address and you can coordinate a time to hang out.
Tickets cost $31.80 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
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