Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: April 22
Concerts, exhibits, support groups and more through April 28
'Wide Grass' by Mary D. Ott is part of her 'Grasses' exhibit at Touchstone Gallery on display through May 1.
Friday, April 22
April is country month and The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro, is celebrating with line dancing along with its usual karaoke with DJ Christy from Brown Entertainment Group tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There’s a $5 cover after 10 p.m.
Baltimore’s Gilded Lily burlesque will be performing “I dream of Bettie: A Burlesque Tribute to the Queen of Pinup” at The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria tonight at 7:30 p.m.
DJ Lil’ E is hosting a Lady Gaga vs. Madonna vs. Rihanna dance party at Rams Head Live (20 Market Place) in Baltimore. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online at ramsheadlive.com.
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.
The New Gay presents Homo/Sonic with DJ Natty Boom Boom at Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. This is an all ages party and there is a $10 cover.
Tonight is the last night to see Gross National Product’s “State of DisUnion” at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) at 8 p.m. The show features a condensed version of the group’s last show, “The Sound of Palin.”
Saturday, April 23
The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro, presents ”Fever: the underwear party” tonight at 9 p.m. with an open refresher bar at for those in undies from 9 to 10 p.m. There’s a $5 cover before 11 p.m. and $8 afterward. Visit thelodgemd.com for more information and dress code.
Pocket Gays presents DJ Lemz from Baltimore, Menya from New York City and Sherell Rowe at Velvet Lounge (915 U St., N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. There will be a $5 cover.
Apex presents Easter with a Twist tonight. There will be an Easter bunny walking around the club passing out candy and Easter eggs hidden with surprises in each one. DJ Melissa from Philly will be spinning in the main room at midnight and Kristina Kelly and The Girls of Glamour will be performing at 11 p.m. There is a $10 cover and all attendees must e 18 or older.
Every fourth Saturday of the month, Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) is hosting Jocks vs. Jocks from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cover is $5 if wearing sports attire, $7 if not. There’s a trophy and cash prizes for the winning team.
Today is the last day to see the exhibit “Image/Fame/Memory” an exhibit featuring photographs of well known musicians, artists, writers and actors by Curtis Knapp, Gerard Malanga, Billy Name, Kate Simon and Shepard Fairey’s collaborations with Name and Simon at Irvine Contemporary (1412 14th St., N.W.). 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.
Sunday, April 24
Gallery plan b has three exhibits featuring with paintings by Greg Minah, works on paper by Mars Tokyo and works in gold leaf by Andrew Wapinski. The gallery is open from 1 to 5 p.m. and the works will be on display through May 15.
“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.
Monday, April 25
SAGE Metro D.C. is holding its monthly meeting tonight from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., 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 26
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.).
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.
Wednesday, April 27
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits on display, Janet Wheeler’s “Nest with a Twist” and Mary D. Ott’s “Grasses” which will be up through May 1. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 28
The OutWrite Author Series presents Brock Thompson reading from his book, “The Un-Natural State: Arkansas and the Queer South” at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Caregivers Connect, a support group for those caring for someone with HIV/AIDS is meeting today at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center (1701 14th St., N.W.) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This is a confidential group and will run for 10 sessions. For more information, call Jessica Moss at 202-797-3580.
National Youth Advocacy Coalition is hosting a happy hour at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) to support LGBT youth, tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. A dollar from every Nellie’s beer will go toward the cause. People can also donate $10 by texting ACTIVIST to 85944.
Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) is having its monthly meeting tonight in the main room at the D.C. Center from 7 to 8 p.m.
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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