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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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Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

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(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

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Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

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The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall. 

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts. 

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Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month 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.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Monday, June 16

“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 details, email [email protected]

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 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.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

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