Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: August 19
Dozens of events this weekend and in the coming week to keep you very busy!
Today
“American Idol’s” top 11 contestants are making at stop in D.C. at the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $65 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.
Zenith Gallery presents “Character of Chevy Chase” at the Chevy Chase Pavilion (5335 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) featuring works by Kim Abraham, Harmon Biddle, Deborah Brisker Burk, Lou Kaplan, Carol Gellner Levin and Joan Samworth. The gallery, on the second floor, is open from noon to 6 p.m.
Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., N.W.) presents “Pop!” a musical murder-mystery by Maggie-Kate Coleman and Anna K. Jacobs which peeks inside the artistic revelry of Andy Warhol’s infamous Factory, today at 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $50 and can be purchased online. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit studiotheatre.org.
Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave.) in Arlington presents “The Marcy and Zina Show” starring Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich as part of its 2011-2012 cabaret series tonight at 8:30 p.m. There will be another performance Saturday at the same time. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online by visiting signature-theatre.org.
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits on display, MiniSolos@Touchstone, which features the work of 37 area artists and a small companion show, Summer Sampler, which features works by the gallery’s members, which will run through Aug. 27. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 20
Brightest Young Things is teaming up with BYGays for fashion camp today from noon to 8 p.m. at the Capitol Skyline Hotel (10 I St., S.W.) with DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer. There is a $15 cover.
Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) is celebrating its fifth anniversary and Mixtape is taking over both floors to throw its closing party tonight from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. with guest DJS vANNIEty Kills and Cale. There is a $7 cover or $5 with a BYGays Pool Party wristband. Attendees must be 21 or older.
There will be two performances of the Olney Theatre Center’s (3001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd.) production of “Grease” directed by Bobby Smith today at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets range from $26 to $49 and can be purchased online at olneytheatre.org. The show has been extended to run through Sept. 4.
Sydney Theatre Company returns with an exclusive U.S. engagement of Andrew Upton’s tragicomedy “Uncle Vanya” starring Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett, today at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets range from $59 to $135 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
DJ Theresa, who plays the bongos live as she spins, will be playing at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at 10 p.m. with Wess providing music and video downstairs. There is a $8 cover from 10 to 11 p.m. which then goes up to $12. All attendees must be 21 or older.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers help with Books Plus, the nonprofit library store at MLK Jr. Memorial D.C. Public Library (901 G St., N.W.) today. Volunteers will be unpacking boxes, selecting interesting titles and sorting them by category on book carts. Volunteers will get special pricing and dibs on books they would like to purchase. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Sunday, Aug. 21
The Beach Boys will be performing at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd.) in Vienna today at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $38 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
The musical “Wicked” will be performed at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) today at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. “Wicked” tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, before Dorothy landed in Oz. Tickets range from $37 to $250 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org, though mostly only the pricier tickets remain available.
Monday, Aug. 22
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.).
Tuesday, Aug. 23
Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.).
Maryland’s first gay legislator, Sen. Rich Madaleno, will be at Nellie’s tonight for a friend, host and sponsor reception to help pass same-sex marriage in Maryland at 7 p.m. followed by drag bingo from 8 to 10 p.m. For more information and to donate, visit actblue.com/page/richmadaleno.
Wednesday, Aug. 24
Busboys & Poets is having its monthly book club at its Shirlington location (4251 South Campbell Ave.) in Arlington tonight at 7 p.m. The group will be discussing Alice Walker’s “The Chicken Chronicles.”
Green Lantern (1331 Green Court, N.W.) will host the weekly Poz D.C. happy hour upstairs from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Train and Maroon 5 will be performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Parkway) in Columbia, Md., tonight. Tickets range from $40.50 to $75.50 and can be purchased online at merriweathermusic.com. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 25
The Temptations and The Four Tops will be performing at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd.) in Vienna, Va., tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $22 to $38 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) is having its monthly meeting tonight in the main room at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will be opening for Del Shores’ “Sordid Confessions” tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) at 9 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and can be purchased online at delshores.com.
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)
Theater
A hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger full of ‘elegant kink’
Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan stars as Duke Orsino
‘Twelfth Night’
Through June 22
Folger Theatre
201 East Capitol St., S.E.
$20-$84
Folger.edu
Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan (they/them)loves tapping into the multitudes within.
Currently Keegan plays the melancholic Duke Orsino in Folger Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night.” Director Mei Ann Teo describes the production as “sexy, hilarious, and devastating” and full of “elegant kink.”
Washington-based, Keegan enjoys a busy and celebrated career. Her vast biography includes Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actress) and Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive, both at Round House Theatre; Diana Son’s Stop Kiss directedby Holly Twyford for No Rules Theatre Company; and Contractions at Studio Theatre, to name just a few.
In addition to acting, Keegan works as a polyamory and ethical non-monogamy life and relationship coach, an area of interest that grew out of personal exploration. For them, coaching seems to work hand in hand with acting.
WASHINGTON BLADE: You’re playing the lovesick Orsino in Twelfth Night. How did that come about?
ALYSSA KEEGAN: The director was looking to cast a group of actors with diverse identities; throughout auditions, there were no constraints regarding anyone’s assigned sex at birth. It was really a free for all.
BLADE: What’s your approach to the fetching, cod-piece clad nobleman?
KEEGAN: Offstage I identify as completely nonbinary; I love riding in this neutral middle space. But I also love cosplay. The ability to do that in the play gives me permission to dive completely into maleness.
So, when I made that decision to play Orsino as a bio male, suddenly the part really cracked open for me. I began looking for clues about his thoughts and opinions about things like his past relationships and his decision not to date older women.
Underneath his mask of bravura and sexuality, and his firmness of feelings, he’s quite lonely and has never really felt loved. It makes sense to me why his love for Olivia is so misguided and why he might fall in love with the Cesario/Viola character.
BLADE: As an actor, do you ever risk taking on the feelings of your characters?
KEEGAN: Prior to my mental health education, yes, and that could be toxic for me. I’ve since learned that the nervous system can’t tell the difference between real emotional distress and a that of a fully embodied character.
So, I created and share the Empowered Performer Project. [a holistic approach to performance that emphasizes the mental and emotional well-being of performing artists]. It utilizes somatic tools that help enormously when stepping into a character.
BLADE: Has changing the way you work affected your performances?
KEEGAN: I think I’m much better now. I used to have nearly debilitating stage fright. I’d spend all day dreading going onstage. I thought that was just part of the job. Now, I’ve learned to talk to my body. Prior to a performance, I can now spend my offstage time calmly gardening, working with my mental health clients, or playing with my kid. I’m just present in my life in a different way.
BLADE: Is Orsino your first time playing a male role?
KEEGAN: No. In fact, the very first time I played a male role was at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Va. I played Hipolito in Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy.
As Hipolito, I felt utterly male in the moment, so much so that I had audience members see me later after the show and they were surprised that I was female. They thought I was a young guy in the role. There’s something very powerful in that.
BLADE: Do you have a favorite part? Male or female?
KEEGAN: That’s tough but I think it’s Maggie the Cat. I played the hyper-female Maggie in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Round House. In the first act she didn’t stop talking for 51 minutes opposite Gregory Wooddell as Brick who barely had to speak. That lift was probably the heaviest I’ve ever been asked to do in acting.
BLADE: What about Folger’s Twelfth Night might be especially appealing to queer audiences?
KEEGAN: First and foremost is presentation. 99% of the cast identify as queer in some way.
The approach to Shakespeare’s text is one of the most bold and playful that I have ever seen. It’s unabashedly queer. The actors are here to celebrate and be loud and colorful and to advocate. It’s a powerful production, especially to do so close to the Capitol building, and that’s not lost on any of us.
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A hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger full of ‘elegant kink’
