Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: April 8

Parties, dances, support groups and more through April 14

Published

15 years ago

April 7, 2011

Friday, April 8

Women in Their Twenties, a social discussion and dinner group, will be meeting tonight from 8 to 9 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).

BYGays AllCity Happy Hour is tonight at U Street Music Hall (115A U St., N.W.) from 7 to 10 p.m. with a performance by Jessica 6 and DJs Bill Todd and Tight Fang. This is a free event.

The annual Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce awards dinner is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Park Hyatt Washington (1201 24^th St., N.W.).

DJ Seth Gold is spinning at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight with BacK2bACk providing music and videos downstairs. Doors open at 10 p.m. For attendees 21 and older, the cover is $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after. For attendees 18 to 20, the cover is $10 all night.

The Washington Ballet will be performing Le Corsaire, an adventure of “pirates, pashas and the slave girls who love them” at 8 p.m. in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets range from $20 to $125 and can be purchased online. For more information and to get tickets, visit kennedy-center.org.

Busboys and Poets presents “The 11th Hour” Poetry Slam hosted by “2Deep” The Poetess, tonight from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Langston Room at Busboy & Poets’ 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.). There will be two rounds of poetry and the audience will choose the winner. Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door.

Saturday, April 9

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 open at 11:30 p.m. Attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at 930.com.

Jacob Nathaniel Pring presents “Come Out of the Shadows,” tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.). Part of POZ D.C., this is a monthly party for those who are HIV positive.

Ten LGBT groups are co-hosting “Grandson of Mega Party Game Night” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Bailey’s Pub in the Ballston Common Mall (4238 Wilson Blvd.) in Arlington. You do not have to be a member of any of the groups to attend. This is a free event. For more information, visit dcicebreakers.com.

“Nine on the Ninth” open mic poetry presents Rachel Eliza Griffiths hosted by Poet in Residence Derrick Weston Brown at 9 p.m. in the Langston Room at Busboy & Poets’ 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.). Griffith’s newest collection of poetry, “The Requited Distance,” was just released in February. There is a suggested donation of $5 for admission.

D.C.’s Different Drummers will be performing its spring concert, “A Country Portrait,” tonight at 8 p.m. in the auditorium at the Columbia Heights Educational Center (3101 16th St., N.W.). Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. There will be another performance Sunday at 3 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit dcdd.org.

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers will serve as balloon wranglers in the National Cherry Blossom Parade today from 7:30 a.m. to noon on the National Mall. E-mail [email protected] if interested in volunteering.

The Polaroid Retrospective II, an ongoing exhibit dedicated to the world of Polaroid and instant film photography, is on display at the Lamont Bishop Gallery (1314 9th St., N.W.) from 7 to 11 p.m. A few of the artists included are Alan Campbell, Jati, and Jillian Pichocki.

Sunday, April 10

The fourth annual National Rainbow Seder is tonight at 5 p.m. at the Human Rights Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.). It will be led by Rabbi Toby Manewith of Congregation Bet Mishpachah. Tickets are $36 for general admission and $24 are DCJCC members, student, seniors and those with limited income. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit washingtondcjcc.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) is hosting an artist talk/coffee and cake today from 2 to 4 p.m. with Janet Wheeler and Mary D. Ott, whose exhibits, “Nests with a Twist” and “Grasses” respectively, are on display through May 1.

The D.C. Jazz Jam, a weekly jam free for both musicians and jazz lovers, is tonight from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Dahlak (1771 U St., N.W.).

Monday, April 11

The D.C. Lambda Squares is hosting an Intro to Modern Western Square Dancing and Open House Pizza Party tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Scott Hall at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.).

Bears do Yoga at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court N.W.) tonight at 6:30 p.m. Class lasts for an hour and serves as an introduction to yoga for people of all different body types and physical abilities. It’s taught by Michael Brazell. For more information, visit dccenter.org.

Tuesday, April 12

A fundraising Bingo event will be held at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to help Jason Clauson reach his fundraising commitment of $3,000 for the 10th annual AIDS/Lifecycle cycling tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles this summer.

The Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance will hold a membership meeting tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archive (1201 17th St., N.W.).

D.C. Bi Women is having its monthly meeting tonight from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the upstairs room of the Dupont Italian Kitchen.

Wednesday, April 13

Rainbow Response is holding its monthly meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 7 to 8 p.m.

Politics and Prose Bookstore (5015 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) is holding the first meeting of its newest book group, Lez Read, tonight from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the discount bookroom downstairs. The first group up for discussion is Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith.

Thursday. April 14

Washington Wetskins Water Polo is having a happy hour at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. $1 from every Nellie beer sold goes to the Wetskins. For more information on Washington Wetskins, visit wetskins.org.

There will be a town hall discussion on LGBT targeted hate crimes and bias crimes in Washington, D.C., tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the community room of the Frank Reeves Building (2000 14th St., N.W.) Representatives from GLLU, the Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs, Office of the Attorney General and community organizations including Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence are expected to be in attendance.

Photos

PHOTOS: Denali at Pitchers

‘Drag Race’ alum performs at Thirst Trap

Published

3 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Michael Key

Denali performs at the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show at Pitchers DC on April 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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’

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Baltimore Banner

Last year, Baltimore Center Stage refused to give up its DEI focus in the face of losing federal funding. They've tripled down. (Photo by Ulysses Muñoz of the Baltimore Banner)

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.

Books

Susan Lucci on love, loss, and ‘All My Children’

New book chronicles life of iconic soap star

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Blackstone Publishing)

‘La Lucci’
By Susan Lucci with Laura Morton
c.2026, Blackstone Publishing
$29.99/196 pages

They’re among the world’s greatest love stories.

You know them well: Marc Antony and Cleopatra. Abelard and Heloise. Phoebe and Langley. Cliff and Nina. Jesse and Angie, Opal and Palmer, Palmer and Daisy, Tad and Dixie. Now read “La Lucci” by Susan Lucci, with Laura Morton, and you might also think of Susan and Helmut.

When she was a very small girl, Susan Lucci loved to perform. Also when she was young, she learned that words have power. She vowed to use them for good for the rest of her life.

Her parents, she says, were supportive and her family, loving. Because of her Italian heritage, she was “ethnic looking” but Lucci’s mother was careful to point out dark-haired beauties on TV and elsewhere, giving Lucci a foundation of confidence.

That’s just one of the things for which Lucci says she’s grateful. In fact, she says, “Prayers of gratitude are how I begin and end each day.”

She is particularly grateful for becoming a mother to her two adult children, and to the doctors who saved her son’s life when he was a newborn.

Lucci writes about gratitude for her long career. She was a keystone character on TV’s “All My Children,” and she learned a lot from older actors on the show, and from Agnes Nixon, the creator of it. She says she still keeps in touch with many of her former costars.

She is thankful for her mother’s caretakers, who stepped in when dementia struck. Grateful for more doctors, who did heart-saving work when Lucci had a clogged artery. Grateful for friends, opportunities, life, grandchildren, and a career that continues.

And she’s grateful for the love she shared with her husband, Helmut Huber, who died nearly four years ago. Grateful for the chance to grieve, to heal, and to continue.

And yet, she says of her husband: “He was never timid, but I know he was afraid at the end, and that kills me down to my soul.”

“It’s been 15 years since Erica Kane and I parted ways,” says author Susan Lucci (with Laura Morton), and she says that people still approach her to confirm or deny rumors of the show’s resurrection. There’s still no answer to that here (sorry, fans), but what you’ll find inside “La Lucci” is still exceptionally generous.

If this book were just filled with stories, you’d like it just fine. If it was only about Lucci’s faith and her gratitude – words that happen to appear very frequently here – you’d still like reading it. But Lucci tells her stories of family, children and “All My Children,” while also offering help to couples who’ve endured miscarriage, women who’ve had heart problems, and widow(ers) who are spinning and need the kindness of someone who’s lived loss, too.

These are the other things you’ll find in “La Lucci,” in a voice you’ll hear in your head, if you spent your lunch hours glued to the TV back in the day. It’s a comfortable, fun read for fans. It’s a story you’ll love.

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