Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Sept. 30
Parties, meetings, concerts and more through Oct. 6
A reunited Bangles play the 9:30 Club Thursday. Tickets are $25 and were still available as of Blade press time. (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)
TODAY (Friday)
The Dubstep Dance Party featuring Andre Jetson at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave., E.) in Vienna, is tonight from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at jamminjava.com.
It’s Swing Night at Remington’s (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) tonight at 8 p.m. An intermediate West Coast Swing lesson will be taught from 8 to 9 p.m. by Michael Frank for $5, then the dance begins 9. For more information, visit reminstonswdc.com.
Jenny Owen Youngs will be performing at the Red Palace (1212 H St., N.E.) tonight with Hank and Cupcakes at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online at redpalacedc.com. Attendees must be 18 or older. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) is hosting Fahrenheit tonight from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. with music by DJ and producer, Twisted Dee. There is a $7 after 10 p.m.
Busboys & Poets will be hosting ASL open mic poetry tonight at 11 p.m. in the Langston Room at its 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.). Anyone with sign language knowledge may sign up to recite a poem or sign a song by e-mailing [email protected]. There is a $5 cover.
Saturday, Oct. 1
The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents “We Love the ‘80s” costume party with DJ Ryan W. Cover is $5 until 11 p.m. when it goes up to $8. No cover if in full costume. The best ‘80s costume contest will take place on the patio at midnight and the winner will get $100. Doors open at 9 p.m.
Deaf Queers of D.C. is hosting a “Last Chance” cookout today from noon to 5 p.m. at Rock Creek Park at Grove 9.
MTV’s “The Real World” is hosting an open casting call for the series 27th season today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.). Applicants must be 20 or older and appear between 20 and 24. Applicants are also asked to bring a recent photo of themselves that will not be returned and a photo ID. For more information, visit bunim-murray.com/rwcasting.
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) presents Hellmouth Happy Hour where every week an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” will be screened and drink specials will be offered. This week the episode is “I Only Have Eyes for You.”
Signature Theatre is hosting a post-show panel discussion, “30 Years is Enuf,” tonight at 8 through special arrangement with the Black Gay Men’s Network, Black AIDS Institute and Jane M. Saks to commemorate Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day. Tickets, which include a dance performance, discussion and meet-and-greet/booking-signing with author and star E. Patrick Johnson, are available at the Signature Box Office for $35 with code word, metro.
Sunday, Oct. 2
A new gay-welcoming Catholic church, St. Hedwig’s Old Catholic Church, has Mass today at 9 a.m. The church meets each Sunday morning at Palisades Community Church (5200 Cathedral Ave., N.W.) in Washington. The church, not affiliated with the Vatican, describes itself as one with “progressive Catholic values” that welcomes those “disaffected by mainstream traditions” and what some consider “politically distorted teachings of Christ” in other faith traditions. Bishop Michael Seneco, who’s gay, is the pastor. Visit sainthedwigs.org for more information. All are welcome.
Busboys & Poets is showing “I Shot Andy Warhol” tonight at 7 p.m. in the Zinn Room at its Hyattsville location (5331 Baltimore Ave., Suite 104) as its October Focus-In! Film of the Month. This is a free screening.
Cameron Mackintosh presents a new 25th anniversary production of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) today at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $155 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
Monday, Oct. 3
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is having its monthly volunteer night tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tonight’s activities could range from sorting through book donations, cleaning up around the center and taking inventory for Fuk!ts, as well as socializing. Pizza will provided.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) presents “Funkytown,” featuring music of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s by DJ Ed Bailey with performances by the Ladies of Town and The Dance Camp. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 afterwards. Attendees must be 21 or older.
The Red Palace (1212 H St., N.E.) is hosting the kick-off for the 2011-12 seasons for Theater Alliance and Rorschach Theatre tonight at 7 p.m. Theater Alliance performs at the H Street Playhouse and Rorschach has a new home at Atlas Performing Arts Center. Attendees must be 21 or older.
Tuesday, Oct. 4
Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Audra McDonald plays the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 8. Tickets range from $25 to $85 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
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, Oct. 5
Riot Act Comedy Theater’s (801 E St., N.W.) monthly gay and gay-friendly comedy show “Gay-larious” returns tonight at 8:30 p.m. with Lean Bonnema and Yamaneika. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at riotactcomedy.com.
Thursday, Oct. 6
The Bangles will be performing at 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) tonight. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at 930.com. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) and Tongue in You Ear present the Brother Tongue Poetry Workshop series. Tonight is the third in a series of four workshops led by Regie Cabico, a three time National Poetry Slam finalist who has appeared on two season of HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam.” All sessions will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 for all four sessions. For more information and to register, visit thedccenter.org.
The second annual east coast tour of black lesbian poets, Revival, returns to D.C. today featuring Love the poet, Solrose and t’ai freedom ford with special guest, Bettina Judd at Lighthouse D.C. (5016 9th St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at cereusarts.eventbrite.com.
Photos
PHOTOS: Capital Pride Festival and Concert
Annual LGBTQ celebration held on Pennsylvania Ave.
The 2026 Capital Pride Festival was held on Pennsylvania Ave. on Sunday, June 21.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Landon Shackelford)
The 2026 Capital Pride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key, Robert Rapanut and Landon Shackelford)
Theater
‘Feeling Afraid’ explores life of a neurotic stand-up comic
Navigating sex, work, and possibly love in London
‘Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen’
Through July 12
Studio Theatre
1501 14th St., N.W.
$55-$102
Studiotheatre.org
Wordily yet rightly titled, solo show “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen” dives deeply into the world of a neurotic stand-up comic as he navigates sex, work, and possibly love in London.
Busy arranging hookups and dates on “The App,” the 36-year-old gay funnyman juggles a full dance card; still he’s never been in a romantic relationship. While he’s willing to give love a shot, he’s not pressed about it. As he says, he harbors no fear of dying alone.
Currently making its American premiere at Studio Theatre, this darkly humorous Edinburgh Fringe import features terrific out English actor Steven Webb as The Comedian who’s about to explore what it means to spend all his time with one man.
At Studio’s intimate Mead Theatre, Kat Heath’s minimal set says standard comedy club (fluorescent tube lighting, the mic with a long cord, a single stool backed by a rose-colored curtain), but gay playwright Marcelo Dos Santos has conjured something much more than a live comedy set.
Yes, The Comedian bounces onstage in his red Converse high tops, jeans, and pink shirt with a huge mouth emblazoned on the back, but he delivers more than jokes. At times hilariously self-deprecating, then dark, and occasionally a lesson on what makes standup work, this is a layered, well-acted piece.
With Webb (a keen caricaturist of types and voices) playing all the parts while conducting The Comedian’s hilariously frenetic interior monologue, “Feeling Afraid” takes us through a summer of love. It seems after six chaste dates with The American, our nervous hero has found Mr. Right. The American is earnest, smart, hesitant to initiate sex. He’s also well built with a beautiful smile. And strangely, he’s been medically advised not to laugh aloud.
The Comedian delights in the joys of new love: dates, first kisses, sex, and then suddenly spending all of his time with the adored. Visits to art galleries become fun. Eating home cooked meals followed by grim documentaries is a thing. The Comedian is beguiled as his own boyish figure fills out, but something isn’t right. He can’t entirely relax.
Along the way we meet the Aussie doctor, our protagonist’s longtime hookup; a young runner with some exceptional body parts; the random third in a failed threesome; grumpy working comics, male and female; and an ineffectual counselor.
Webb gives a lightning-fast performance that boggles the mind (in terms velocity and virtuosity). He can be impish, very impish. He’s nervous energy incarnate, flashing jazz hands, grimacing but handsome when still. He’s likeable, a necessity when delivering a hilariously rude joke just feet away from two stone-faced audience members. (Perhaps they were laughing on the inside? At any rate, they stayed through the end the show.)
Produced by the team behind Fringe hits “Fleabag” and “Baby Reindeer,” small stage works that were developed into major TV screen successes, “Feeling Afraid” is funny for sure, and it’s also highly confessional, sexually explicit, and raw.
Written by Dos Santos during COVID lockdown, the piece was a smash hit in the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe before finding further success in London. Its depiction of a youngish queer guy navigating the big city rings entirely true. Like so much Fringe stuff, the one-man show is delightfully lewd and standup inspired.
One little moan: the show closes cleverly but too abruptly with its star dashing offstage without sufficiently basking in the admiration and applause of his thoroughly chuffed audience.
They say third time’s a charm, and regarding “Feeling Afraid,” I’d agree. After two performance cancellations (first for laryngitis and the second involving faulty air conditioning on an especially muggy June evening), I made my third trek to Studio where I found both the actor and AC in very fine fettle. And truly, Webb’s work was more than worth the wait.
PHOTOS: Capital Pride Festival and Concert
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign
Capital Pride draws tens of thousands to D.C.
Abelardo de la Espriella elected Colombia’s next president
US no longer refuge for LGBTQ refugees
40 defining moments in LGBTQ pop culture history
Queer candidates, allies on the ballot in Md. primary
America’s founders sought ‘justice.’ That fight never ends.
Corporate LGBTQ Pride 2026 on life support
