Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: April 15
Concerts, parties, support groups and more through April 21
Friday, April 15
D.C. Gurly Show presents Gurlies Gone Wild with special guests Duncan Deeply of D.C. Kings and Vixen Noir from San Francisco tonight at Phase 1 (636 8th St., S.E.) at 10:30 p.m. There is a $10 cover. All attendees must be 21 or older.
Hope Operas founder Chris Griffin and local “sideshow girl” Mab, just Mab are hosting a benefit performance and auction at Red Palace (1210 H St., N.E.) tonight at 9 p.m. They created Pastie-Aid, an emergency fund for burlesque, vaudeville and variety communities that are uninsured. For more information, visit redpalace.com.
The Center Arts Working Group will be meeting for the first time at the D.C. Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss ideas and plans for programs to be implemented at D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.). The group is dedicated to the enrichment of the LGBT community through art and all that it encompasses.
D.C. Women in Their Thirties will meet tonight at 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).
D.C. Cowboys will be hosting performing as part of Brodeo at Remingtons (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) tonight. Brodeo starts at 10 p.m. and the Cowboys will go on at midnight.
Siren returned to Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) with the Robyn Riot tonight at 10 with DJs Majr and Lemz and VJ Donna.
Caliente Grande is tonight at Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) starting at 9 p.m. DJ Michael Brandon will be spinning the Latin dance party in the main hall. There is a $10 cover charge. Attendees must be 18 to enter, 21 to drink.
Saturday, April 16
Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) is hosting “4square Swarm” today from 2 to 4 p.m. Everyone who checks in on Foursquare will get a free corn dog.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is having its first Friendly Visitor Training today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friendly Visitor is a volunteer-based program to provide elder members of the LGBT community with weekly visits from trained volunteers.
Metro D.C. PFLAG is holding its 14th annual gala and silent auction tonight at the Washington Plaza Hotel (10 Thomas Circle, N.W.). The auction opens at 6 p.m. and the dinner is at 7. Alison Arngri (Nellie from TV’s “Little House”) and Scott Nevins are the guests of honor.
Bare is hosting a Japan tsunami relief fundraiser tonight at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. with DJs Rosie and Keenan. Proceeds from the event and a raffle will go to American Red Cross. Prizes being raffled are two tickets to Uh Huh Her at 9:30 Club on May 2, a $25 Starbucks gift card and a $25 Best Buy gift card.
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) presents Hellmouth Happy Hour where every week an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” will be screened and drink specials will be offered. This week the episode is “I, Robot … You, Jane.”
Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) presents The Showdown: House vs. Hip Hop with DJs Melissa and Gigi battling it out. Kristina Kelly and Her Girls of Glamour will perform at 11 p.m. Doors open at 9. There is a $10 cover and all attendees must be 18 or older.
Mixtape D.C. is tonight the Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Mixtape is a dance party for queer music lovers and their pals that features DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer playing an eclectic mix of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and anything else danceable. There is a $5 cover for this 21-and-older event.
Sunday, April 17
Pocket Gays is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its monthly Sunday School event with Baby Baby Blowout today from 3 to 9 p.m. on the roof deck of Local 16 (1602 U St., N.W.) with DJ Madscience.
“Shear Madness,” a comedy whodunit, will be performed twice tonight at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab (2700 F St., N.W.) at 3 and 7 p.m. “Madness” takes place in present-day Georgetown, in the Shear Madness Hair Styling Salon. Tickets are $42. Visit kennedy-center.org for more information and to purchase tickets.
Michael Feinstein will be performing at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) in the concert hall tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $75 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
Monday, April 18
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.
BYT presents All City Happy Hour at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd.) in Arlington, tonight at 6 p.m. with drink specials, music and prizes including tickets to upcoming shows like Warped Tour and more. There is no cover for this event and all attendees must be 21 or older.
World Projects Corporation presents the 2011 Washington, D.C. International Music Festival in the concert hall at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) featuring the Granite Bay High School Wind Ensemble, the Calle Mayor Middle School Wind Ensemble and the Virginia Tech Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
Tuesday, April 19
Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Glee” watch party tonight at 8 p.m. on the deck in the pub room.
Irvine Contemporary (1412 14th St., N.W.) presents “Image/Fame/Memory” an exhibit featuring photographs of well known muscians, artists, writers and actors by Curtis Knapp, Gerard Malanga, Billy Name, Kate Simon and Shepard Fairey’s collaborations with Name and Simon. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the exhibit will be on display through Saturday. For more information, visit irvinecontemporary.com.
Wednesday, April 20
The Tom Davaron Social Bridge Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner is needed. For more information, visit lambdabridge.com and click “Social Bridge in Washington, D.C.”
D.C. Ice Breakers hosts its monthly open skate tonight from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m. at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, on top of the Ballston Common Mall parking garage (627 N Glebe Rd.) in Arlington. After skating the group will hit a local bar for a social hour. Skating is $8 plus $3 for skate rental. For more information, visit dcicebreakers.com.
GLAA is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a reception tonight from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Hotel (10 Thomas Circle, N.W.). The group’s 2011 Distinguished Service Award will also be presented. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit glaa.org.
The 26th annual Mayor’s Arts Awards will be in the concert hall at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 6 p.m. hosted by Mayor Vincent C. Gray. This is a free event.
Thursday, April 21
Students, educators, community members, leaders and about 20 organizations will be coming together at the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) from noon to 2 p.m. for Bully Free D.C. to support inclusive safe schools in D.C.
The D.C. Preservation League is celebrating its 40th anniversary of historic preservation at the historic Wonder Bread Factory (641 S St., N.W.) at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $75 to $150 and can be purchased online at dcpreservation.org.
Wish Come Happen presents a Faggles to Faggles tournament at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) tonight from 8 to 11 p.m. Faggles to Faggles is a “queered-up” parody of the game Apples to Apples where players judge which cards are the most grotesque. Wish Come Happen is a fundraising collective committed to raising money for serious caused through engaging, absurd and interactive events and experiences. For more information, visit wishcomehappen.com.
E-mail calendar items to [email protected] two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specific events or those with LGBT participants. Recurring events must be re-submitted each time.
Celebrity News
Fashion icon Bob Mackie dead at 87
Designing legend to all the divas, gone but not forgotten
To those still reeling from the loss of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, we have another queer icon to add to the In Memoriam of 2026: Bob Mackie. A designer known for being extra, before that was even a thing, has left us with a legacy of looks and an indelible mark on fashion.
The news broke on his Instagram account Monday, Sept. 14, with the message:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today. He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a fashion and costume designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.” According to People magazine, he passed away in Palm Springs, Calif., due to pneumonia.
At 87, Mackie is the definitive designer for divas. Mackie has literally dressed them all, including Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, and even RuPaul. He’s dressed film and television icons like Raquel Welch, Lynda Carter, Goldie Hawn, and Jennifer Lopez. It’s not just female divas; he’s also done many of Elton John’s famous costumes as well as David Bowie’s.
His first major mark was drawing the first design of Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress. Next, he was an assistant to costume designer Ray Aghayan on “The Judy Garland Show.” The two would carry on a professional and romantic partnership for 50 years until Aghayan’s passing in 2011.
Mackie then went on to do all of the costumes for “The Carol Burnett Show,” creating an estimated 17,000 costumes for her show’s 11-year run. This gave him much critical acclaim and notoriety, making him a permanent fixture in the variety show market.
He became a frequent collaborator of Cher, having made her famous midriff-revealing Oscar gown, her “If I Could Turn Back Time” costume, and being her designer for her various television shows, including “The Sonny and Cher Show.” He even designed costumes for her Farewell Tour. The two are synonymous with him having lent his artistic sensibilities to give her a distinct look. Cher even said in 2024, “He helped me create a different me.”
Mackie has left his mark on fashion with a distinct style of glamorous, over-the-top looks. He received the monikers the “Sultan of Sequins,” the “Rajah of Rhinestones,” and the “Guru of Glitter” for challenging the line between costume and fashion with lots of fringe, flash, and over-the-top eye-catching elements. He’s managed to retain a presence not just in entertainment but in the fashion industry for decades. Most recently, one of his outfits was a major plot point for the final season of “Hacks.”
Mackie has received his share of awards and acknowledgments. In addition to dressing many people for the Oscars, he received three nominations, including dressing Diana Ross for “Lady Sings the Blues.” He won a Tony Award for “The Cher Show.” He won nine Emmy Awards and received 30 nominations for his prolific television work.
Luckily, Mackie’s life was celebrated before his passing, receiving various Lifetime achievement awards including the Geoffrey Beene CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award, being honored by the Television Hall of Fame, and receiving “RuPaul’s Drag Race”‘s Giving Us Life-time Achievement Award. He was the first guest judge on the popular series.
It’s clear that not only was Mackie talented, he was magical. He gave a bit of stardust to countless celebrities, luminaries, and public figures with looks that not only defied expectations but managed to be truly spectacular. He’s part of the glitz we think of when we think of Hollywood, and while often elaborate costumes, the shrewd fashion sense and elegance cannot be denied. Mackie will be missed, but his work lives on in the countless pieces still in circulation and forever captured on film and in media.
The 29th annual SMYAL Fall Brunch was held at the Marriott Marquis on Sunday, Sept. 13.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Books
Dolly Parton biography puts her hardships into context
‘Ain’t Nobody’s Fool’ a highly researched tome not to be missed
‘Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton’
By Martha Ackmann
c.2026, St. Martin’s Press
$30/304 pages
Not too bright.
That’s what people once thought about you. Your language didn’t conform, you had your own sense of style, and you were ignorant about modern things and places and foods. But you were no dummy. You were different, and you had a secret: as in the new biography, “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton” by Martha Ackmann, you knew exactly where you were going.
When Avie Lee Owens and Lee Parton first married, they had the very basics: “two knives, two forks, two spoons, a skillet, a butcher knife, and an old iron kettle.” He was 17; she was 15. Babies came quick. The fourth one was named Dolly, after two great-aunts.
Almost from the time she could walk, Dolly sang. Before she was old enough to attend school, she wrote poetry, and she’d begun to notice rhythms and beats she could make with her fingers. As a schoolchild, she created her own musical instruments out of scraps, and she was eager to perform whenever anyone asked her – and they asked often, because Dolly Parton was a nice girl, and her sense of humor conveyed a warmth that drew people in.
Growing up in the Tennessee mountains, Parton was independent, shunning marriage and child-raising, instead focusing on a dream of being a star. By the time she was in high school, she’d had a regular gig on local television but she recognized that there were few opportunities for fame in the mountains, so she left for Nashville the day after high school graduation, with the snickers of naysayers ringing in her ears.
She stayed with an aunt and uncle there, and she beat the streets, dined on grocery store samples to get by, and missed her family and friends. And they worried about her, but they knew nothing would derail her plans. They knew Dolly would be fine.
As a friend said, “’She had her head on pretty good.’”
Chances are that if you’ve listened to music any time in the last 60 years, you’ve heard Dolly Parton through her words or her music or both. Now you need to learn more about her, and “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” is where to do it.
Here’s a biography that grabs you on the first page with the tiniest bit of family tree, but not so much that you get bored with it. Author Martha Ackmann writes about Dolly Parton’s early life, putting hardships and experiences in context, both personally and historically. There are name-drops, but not overly so, as Ackmann takes you through Parton’s career, her heartbreaks, her marriage, and her years with Porter Wagoner, in detail but not dramatically embellished or outrageously told. It’s a biography that’s just right, sourced well and written with a fresh take that, like its subject, tells a good story.
Fans, of course, will want this highly researched book but music lovers of any age or type will eat it up. That means you, so use up that Christmas gift certificate. “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” just shines.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
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