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.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
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’
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.
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Comings & Goings
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
