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One final theatrical prank

Cherry Red closes shop this weekend with raunch-fest ‘The Aristocrats’

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‘The Aristocrats’
Sat at 8:30 and 11 p.m.
Cherry Red Productions
Warehouse Theater
645 New York Ave N.W.
$30

Ian Allen, Cherry Red’s artistic director. He lives in New York but has continued working in Washington. (Photo by Isabel Sinistore; courtesy of Cherry Red)

 

After 16 years of making D.C. audiences laugh, wince and gag, Cherry Red Productions is calling it quits. Since its creation, the company has attracted a loyal following who appreciate an insane sensibility, late night performances and small venues (sometimes bars). For those reasons, and a vacillating oeuvre of dark and light plays with titles like “Thumbsucker” and “Cannibal Cheerleaders on Crack,” Cherry Red will be sorely missed.

“We knew that we couldn’t go on forever,” says Ian Allen, Cherry Red’s artistic director. “And now that we’re ending, we’re presented with the opportunity to go out on an unmistakable Cherry Red high. Of course that’s something we’d never pass up. It’s going to be awkward, insane and fun.”

The smutty swan song to which Allen alludes is titled “The Aristocrats.” Inspired by a joke about a showbiz family whose act includes incest, bestiality and murder, the play — written and directed by Allen (who’s gay) and longtime company member Kate Debelack — is rumored to truly go there. Unlike Paul Provenza’s same-titled 2005 documentary, which features comedians telling their own versions of the joke, Cherry Red’s interpretation calls for 40 of the company’s alumni to reenact the filthy gag onstage.

There will be no holding back, promises Allen. Cherry Red’s design teams and actors have developed a lot of skills over time. Past productions have required staging insane violence including scalping, projectile body fluids and all sorts of sex acts. No doubt, there’ll be lots of that. Also, Cherry Red’s website offers a sneak peek featuring an actor igniting a part of his anatomy that is ordinarily kept under wraps. If this is an indication of what’s in store, Cherry Red may be reaching new heights of raunchiness.

After less than two days of rehearsal, “The Aristocrats” will play for one night only (two performances) on Saturday at the Warehouse Theater. Proceeds benefit District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), a nonprofit organization that proved instrumental in the company’s early development.

“Cherry Red’s demise is bittersweet,” says Debelack who also teaches acting at Studio Theatre. “Honestly, there’s not a lot left for us to do, but I’ll still miss it. Collaborating on this final project with Ian has been so much fun. Where else will I be able to come up with so much ridiculousness and actually put it onstage?”

She credits the company with allowing her to let go and be bold onstage. And whether attacking a zombie cat or leading a bevy of mean teens in “Worm Girl” (one of my favorites), she has always taken her Cherry Red work seriously.

Cherry Red, says Allen, has always produced shows that speak first to the body and then to the mind. The goal is to elicit an immediate response: sexual arousal, disgust or fear. What’s unique about theater is that it’s always present; it can actually threaten audience members. Allen seamlessly references an example: “When we were doing ‘Dingleberries,’ it called for the actors to eat pooh. From the audience you could smell that it was chocolate — Snickers bars dipped in pudding to be exact — but the impression was still too much for some people and sent them running from the theater.”

“Cherry Red has never been anyone’s day job,” Allen says. “But our company members have always been a combination of experience and enthusiastic youth. We’ve lasted by the sheer indecent determination on the part of many people and now we’re done.”

Eight years ago Allen moved from Washington to New York where he is marketing director for the MCC Theater in the West Village. Since then he has happily made the trip south now and then to work on Cherry Red productions. Despite the company’s closing, Allen hopes to continue to be involved in interesting local projects.

“After all,” he says, “D.C. is where my friends are.”

 

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Arts & Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71

Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’

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(Photo courtesy of Pop TV)

Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.

O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.

In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.

In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”

Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.

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Calendar

Calendar: January 30-February 5

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, January 30

Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, January 31

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, February 1

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, February 2

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).

Tuesday, February 3

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected]

Wednesday, February 4

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, February 5

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale

Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions

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Pitchers is for sale at an undisclosed price. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.

 The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.

He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.” 

“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.

 “Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”

It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”

“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says. 

Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price. 

News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets   

In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.

The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.

The sales brochure can be accessed here.

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