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Calendar: Jan. 28

Evens through Feb. 4

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'Common Ground' by Michele Cormier is part of the 'Color of Love' exhibition that will be on display from Feb. 4-27 at Touchstone Gallery on New York Ave. in Washington. (Image courtesy of Touchstone)

Friday, Jan. 28

The John Scofield and Joe Lovana Quartet will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane) in North Bethesda. Guitarist Scofield and saxophonist Lovano will be joined by drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Matt Penman. Tickets range from $35 to $65 and can be purchased online at strathmore.org.

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents “Return of the Divas” starring drag queens Stephanie Michaels, Ashley Bannks and Nicole James tonight at 10:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. and cover is $5 from 8 to 11 p.m. and $8 after.

The Best of D.C. Shorts film festival “Rewind,” starts today at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) with events going on in two theaters. Theater one will open with a wine reception at 6 p.m. to welcome the filmmakers, a showing of the festival directors’ favorites at 7 p.m., another wine reception at 8:30 p.m. and end with Best of D.C. Shorts 2010, part one at 9:30 p.m. Theater two will start with a showing of films from the past seven years which celebrate diversity at 7:30 and Best of D.C. Shorts part two at 10 p.m. The festival continues through Saturday. For more information, visit rewind.dcshorts.com.

Jens Praet’s first solo U.S. exhibition, “Fossilized,” is on display at Industry Gallery (1358 Florida Ave., N.E.). Praet’s work is created from shredded magazines and documents. He used shredded and recycled copies of Art in America, Capitol File, Details, Fast Company and Robb Report mixed with clear resin to create his art. The gallery is open from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit industrygallerydc.com.

Lace Lounge (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) presents Social Climax from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. with free drinks before 11:30 p.m. Attendees must be 21 or older and there is a $10 cover. For more information, visit lacedc.com.

DJ Lil’ E hosts Lady Gaga vs. Madonna vs. M.I.A. with Lems at Rams Head Live (20 Market Place) in Baltimore tonight at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ramsheadlive.com.

Saturday, Jan. 29

Special Agent Galactica returns with an all sung, live show, “The Only Gal in Town” tonight at 8 p.m. at Noi’s Nook in go mama go! (1809 14th St., N.W.). Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at ganymedearts.org or at the door. The show debuted on New Year’s Eve but is returning for an encore performance.

Suzanne Westenhoefer will be performing tonight at 8 p.m. at the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online at birchmere.com.

Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) presents “VIP (Video Interactive Playground)” tonight featuring DJ 45Z Music videos will e playing in the main room all night. Drag queen Kristina Kelly and her “Girls of Glamour” will perform at 11 p.m. Cover is $10 and attendees must be 18 or older.

Mautner Project presents its first meeting of SHE Circle, a wellness community by and for African-American lesbian and bisexual women, today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Metropolitan Community Church-D.C. (474 Ridge St., N.W.). For more information and to RSVP, e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

Shift, a gay-themed indie rock/electro/pop dance party, presents the Winter Blue Ball tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.). DJ vAnniety Kills will be spinning all night upstairs while DJ Shea Van Horn spins from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. down stairs and DJ Majr spins after him.

Merrifield Garden Center continues its series of free seminars today with three new topics. Mary Kirk Menefee, a landscape designer, will be at the Merrifield location (8104 Lee Highway) with a seminar on color and interest in winter gardens. Chuck Croft from the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society will be at the Fair Oaks location (12101 Lee Highway) in Fairfax, with a seminar on growing bonsai, and Regina Lanctot, a plant specialist, will be at the Gainesville location (6895 Wellington Rd.) talking about cacti, succulents and easy care houseplants.

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.

The 15th anniversary Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge is today at 8 a.m. at Sandy Point Beach (1100 E. College Parkway) in Annapolis. Many different events will be going on throughout the day, including DJ Pauly D of MTV’s Jersey Shore as the featured performing inside the Rams Head Ice Lounge from 12:30 to 4 p.m. For more information and the complete schedule of events, visit plungemd.com.

Sunday, Jan. 30

Buddha-Bar D.C. (455 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.) begins its weekly “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Sundays” tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Drink specials will include $6 signature cocktails and $5 mixed drinks.

Mijail Tumanov, 22, will be performing piano works by Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov today at 3:30 p.m. at the Church of the Holy City as part of its Music with Angels concert series. This is a free event.

Monday, Jan. 31

The Helen Hayes Awards presents “Showtunes and Cocktails” tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Jefferson’s Quill Bar (1200 16th St., N.W.) featuring pianist Glenn Pearson and guests from Washington stages. Admission is free and 20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to support the Awards.

Professionals in the City will be hosting a seated speed dating for bisexual and lesbian women tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. at Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) The event is $20 if purchased by 5 p.m. on Friday. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit prosinthecity.com.

Tuesday, Feb. 1

The Shakespeare Theatre Company presents “Cymbeline,” directed by Rebecca Bayla Taichman, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St., N.W.). Tickets range from $37 to $70 and can be purchased online at shakespearetheatre.org.

Robyn will be performing tonight with Diamond Rings and Natalia Kills at 8 p.m. at Rams Head Live (20 Market Place) in Baltimore. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by visiting ramsheadlive.com.

Wednesday, Feb. 2

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.

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival will be screening “Out in the Silence” tonight at 7 p.m. at the West End Cinema (2301 M St., N.W.) as part of the traveling festival. The filmmakers and LGBT Festival acting director Boris Dittrich will be present to answer questions. Tickets can be purchased at westendcinema.com and are $11 for adults, $9 for seniors and students and $8 for military.

Thursday, Feb. 3

“The Face of Illusion,” a drag show,  will be performed tonight at 10 p.m. at Alero Restaurant Columbia Heights (3345 14th St., N.W.).

The Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference features a queer reading, “3 Dollar Bill” tonight from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.). Some of the readers include Monica Carter, Reginald Harris, Charles Jensen, Eileen Myles and Justin Torres. Books will be available for purchase during intermission and after the event.

Friday, Feb. 4

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) is hosting an opening reception tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for its newest exhibit, “Color of Love” featuring 50 artists. The exhibit will be on display through Feb. 27.

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Theater

Talented pair of local queer actors tackles ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Ford’s production features terrific score

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Chani Wereley (Audrey) and Derrick D. Truby Jr. (Seymour) in the 2024 Ford’s Theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors. (Photo by Scott Suchman)

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ 
Through May 18
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th St., N.W.
$33-$95
Fords.org 

Ever since premiering off-Broadway in 1982, “Little Shop of Horrors” has drawn a devoted following of avid audiences as well as performers eager to act in the show. Now playing at Ford’s Theatre, the doo-wop, dark comedy features a terrific cast including a wildly talented pair of local queer actors who’ve longed to appear in the show since they were kids. 

Set in the urban 1960s, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s hit show with a terrific score follows the wacky rise of Seymour, a nebbishy florist in a Skid Row shop who changes his fortunes by unintentionally marketing an exotic, human eating plant.  

Chani Wereley, 28, who plays Seymour’s love interest Audrey, a hyper femme downtowner with an edge, has had her on eye the role for years. Wereley says, “Audrey’s been around the block more than once, but I approach her as a person who moves through the world with love and hope.”

The queer D.C. native adds, “On long trips to visit family in Canada or Florida, the first thing we’d do is pop a ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ video [film version] into the car’s VHS player. I’ve watched is so many times, I could quote the whole movie to you.”

After auditioning to play Audrey in director Kevin S. McAllister’s production at Ford’s, Wereley never thought she’d book the part, and when they said she got it, she cried.  

Similarly, Tobias A. Young, 34, the pansexual actor who voices the part of the bloodthirsty plant affectionately dubbed Audrey II, explains his intense interest in the work: “I started watching the film in ’86. Growing up as a little gay boy in Calvert County, Md., I wanted to be blonde Audrey [played by Ellen Green in the movie]. I didn’t know much about musicals at the time, but I was absorbed.” 

When asked by Ford’s to play the voracious plant Audrey II without auditioning, his reply was an unhesitant “yes.” 

Voicing a role requires Young to sing from backstage in a black box rigged with monitors and a mixing board. He says, “people ask if I’m singing from inside of the ever-growing, scary plant. No, I’m not, and that’s fine. But let’s face it, actors love to be seen on stage, but I don’t feel entirely unseen as Audrey II.”

He’s worked hard and successfully with formidable puppeteers Ryan Sellers and Jay Frisby to bring parts of himself to the carnivorous plant — his sassiness, own movements, and even a tilt of his head; their efforts have drawn the actual Young into the show. 

Both Wereley and Young possess gorgeous, emotive voices as evidenced by Wereley’s striking rendition of Audrey’s “Suddenly Seymour,” and Young’s soulful “Feed Me (Git It).” Additionally, both actors are also big on queer representation in theater. 

When her young pals were listening to Britney Spears, Wereley was dancing to retro tunes like “Mashed Potato Time,” and her favorite song to this day, the Shirelle’s girl group anthem “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” As Audrey, Wereley eschews the character’s usual platinum hair for a bouncy brunette, cherry-streaked wig, tight pencil skirts, swing coats, and her very own half-sleeve tattoo. 

“It’s important for people to see themselves on stage,” she says. “Seeing me or someone like me is inherently interesting. Being that person on Instagram or with the institution, cast, or audiences is meaningful. It’s important.”

In 2011, a couple years after finishing high school, Young landed a part in “Dream Girls” at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, and he’s been working professionally ever since. Growing up, he didn’t see a lot of himself – Black and queer – on social media. He now wants to be open and honest for those out there who might not feel seen, he says

An introvert who lets everything loose on the stage, Young says, “theater is a safe space for queer people. That’s the first place we feel safe, particularly in school. And this is why we need theaters in schools, now more than ever.”

He adds, “What’s great about Ford’s is its surprises, especially when they switch up casting. It’s meaningful to see the shows you love, but why not see them with a twist? Using unexpected actors and incorporating queer people just makes it that much better.”

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Nightlife

D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL returns

Electropop group resurfaces at Trade on March 30

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CTRL is back after a six-year absence.

Finger lasers, confetti cannons, drag shows, photo booths, throwback tunes, and a touch nerdy: after a long break, D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL is throwing its first party in six years.

Born in an Eritrean restaurant more than a decade ago, this longstanding gay nightlife electropop group is resurfacing with a comeback event at Trade on March 30.

Gay DJs Adam Koussari-Amin, Jeff Prior, Devon Trotter, and Brett Andreisen hosted the first CTRL party at now-closed restaurant Dahlak, on the corner of 18th and U Streets. After a year of hosting pop-ups in that restaurant’s dining room, they upgraded down 18th Street to now-closed gay club Cobalt. There, the parties grew: drag shows, a pop-up photo booth from David Claypool, and quirky activations like throwing hot dogs into print-outs of Putin’s mouth. Their productions grew as well, like producing the now-defunct Brightest Young Gays (BYG) Pride events at Wonderbread Factory and Union Market and the ‘Get Wet’ pool party with David Brown’s Otter Crossing at the Capitol Skyline Hotel.

CTRL wasn’t done. The group received its biggest stage yet after a call from Ed Bailey, the owner of now-closed gay club Town, as well as current gay bars Number 9 and Trade. At Town, the opportunity “allowed our creativity to flourish with even bigger performances, bigger photo experiences, crazier hand-outs, and the same electropop dance vibes our fans had come to know us for,” says Koussari-Amin.

CTRL pressed pause when Town shut down, which “was a huge loss to the LGBTQIA+ community and D.C. nightlife in general,” says Koussari-Amin. After that, it hosted an occasional spinoff called QWERTY. Post-pandemic, Koussari-Amin has spent a few nights solo as DJ at Trade and other venues.

After connecting with Jesse Jackson, the Trade general manager, as well as with Bailey, who agreed to host the inaugural event, Koussari-Amin was determined to shift CTRL back to life.

However, getting the old band back together proved to be a challenge. While the rest of the group have either left Washington, D.C., or are pursuing other projects, Koussari-Amin received their blessing to stay on and find new members. 

“When it came to finding new partners, both DJ Dez [Desmond Jordan] and DJ Lemz [Steve Lemmerman] were obvious choices,” he says, noting that “they also have distinct styles and interests.” Dez has a residency at Pitchers and Kiki as well as pop-ups, and Lemz throws events like Sleaze and BENT.

 “It seemed important to come back to the nightlife table with an experience that could complement all the amazing experiences that have even built up since CTRL threw its last event at Town. Bringing back both the DJ collective and the CTRL event with Dez and Lemz means new voices, perspectives, sounds, and excitement.”

“CTRL is an opportunity for the community to come together, enjoy music, drinks, and good vibes,” adds Jordan, noting that for him, it’s an event that celebrates queer identity.

And after months of planning, CTRL will kick off its monthly party series at Trade on March 30 for the first gig after its glow-up.

The trio says that its core inspiration “is driven by the indie and electropop favorites of new and old, like Goldfrapp, Ava Max, Charli XCX, … We’re also all huge fans of slut and trash pop music like Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Cupcakke,” as well as pop diva remixes, new bops, and songs that reside inside and far beyond the expanse of Top 40.

CTRL is also bringing back its activations that complement the tunes. Summer Camp is set for drag performances, David Claypool is back with his photo booth, and Koussari-Amin promises “to have all sorts of weird and wacky handouts like we used to.”

After the March premiere, April’s party is “CTRLella”, a Coachella send-up. Future events will feature various different themes, and they plan to throw a party during Capital Pride; they’re also looking to be a central part of Trade’s expansion into the adjacent space.

 Koussari-Amin says that “the event’s signature experience [is] a lynchpin in connecting D.C.’s expanding generations of queer folks, giving everyone a safe space to let loose and feel a rush no matter who they are.” 

For his part, Bailey continues to support CTRL and its collective intention, expressing its essential nature as a party for partiers by partiers. “CTRL is the kind of party that represents what people want. It’s just a real party by real people that just want to hear good music and dance with their friends.”

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Celebrity News

HRC releases ‘Queer Renaissance Syllabus’

Beyoncé’s hit album inspired curriculum

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Beyoncé performs at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., on Aug. 6, 2023. The Human Rights Campaign has released a curriculum that her "Renaissance" album inspired. (Washington Blade photo by Isabelle Kravis)

In a move aimed at celebrating the beauty, brilliance and resilience of the LGBTQ community, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” that Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album inspired. 

Curated by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall and Chauna Lawson of the HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, the syllabus includes a variety of academic articles, essays, films and other media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies. Each piece is directly inspired by the tracks on Beyoncé’s Billboard 200-topping dance album, “Renaissance.”

Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance” stands as a cultural milestone, celebrating the Black queer roots of dance music while shedding light on overlooked Black queer artists. Inspired by her late-Uncle Johnny, the album not only garnered critical acclaim but also shed light on the often marginalized contributions of Black queer artists. Winning four Grammys and yielding chart-topping hits like “Break My Soul” and “Cuff It,” the album sparked discussions about economic impact and cultural representation.

Amid its success, legislative challenges arose, with Florida and Texas enacting bans on DEI initiatives in public colleges. Recognizing the album’s transformative potential, HRC developed the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” to leverage its impact for education and activism.

Tailored for educators, youth-serving professionals, DEI practitioners, higher education leaders and admirers of Beyoncé’s artistry, the syllabus aims to encourage meaningful discussions, enrich lesson plans, and explore innovative ways to honor the vibrancy and significance of LGBTQ individuals and their culture.

With six themes anchoring the syllabus, ranging from “intersectionality and inclusivity” to “social justice and activism,” it provides a comprehensive exploration of various facets of LGBTQ experiences and expressions. Fan-favorite tracks from the album are paired with scholarly readings, offering insights into empowerment, self-acceptance and the transformative power of artistic expression. The syllabus also reinforces HRC’s efforts to highlight, amplify and re-center Black and queer voices.

By providing links to articles, books, podcasts and interviews, each associated with a song from the album, it celebrates the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Black queer community.

The concluding section of the syllabus includes Beyoncé’s tribute to O’Shea Sibley, a young Black queer person who was murdered in Brooklyn, N.Y., last July while voguing to “Renaissance” songs at a gas station. HRC also includes a statement that condemns hate crimes.

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