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Closing of Playbill Café deemed an ‘intermission’

Plan to move to nearby location

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About 200 people turned out Saturday night, Sept. 24, for a party at D.C.’s 1409 Playbill Café to celebrate the popular establishment’s 13-year run as a gathering place for theater goers, actors, and artists – many of whom are gay.

Co-owners Elsayed Mansour and Jeff DeMontier billed the event as a “New Beginnings” celebration for the café’s planned reopening in the near future following its scheduled closing on Sept. 30. Some of their longtime customers are calling the closing an “intermission.”

The two announced on their Facebook page that their current building at 1409 14th Street, N.W., in the heart of the city’s emerging theater and arts district, was slated to be demolished for a new condo development. Although the date for demolition of the building is uncertain, the two said their current interim lease was too expensive for them to continue to offer food and entertainment at a reasonable price to their loyal customers.

They are actively looking for a new building in a nearby location, Mansour and DeMontier said in Facebook postings.

1409 Playbill Café featured dining along with an “Open Mic” night and a Karaoke night. It also included a small theater that featured a wide variety of theatrical performances ranging from Shakespeare plays to Broadway shows, including the recent run of the Broadway musical “Naked Men Singing.”

“Jeff and I thank you all for a great turnout,” Mansour said in a Facebook posting this week. “As we promised, we will let everyone know our new location…Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for this great friendship.”

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Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden

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Former first lady Jill Biden and daughter, Ashley Biden attend the White House Pride celebration on June 26, 2024. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)

The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.

The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.

A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door. 

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District of Columbia

Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher

Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List

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Blade Publisher Lynne Brown is being honored by Curve magazine.

Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.

“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.

Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010. 

“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.   

“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.” 

Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers. 

Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”

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Rehoboth Beach

Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled

Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed

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Rehoboth’s Blue Moon has apparently been sold but the buyer has not been disclosed. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.

The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.

“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”

Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million. 

The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed. 

But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.

Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.” 

The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price. 

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