Arts & Entertainment
Gay-themed exhibit in Baltimore
Black Male Identity Project presents ‘Travelin’ Shoes.’

In affiliation with the Black Male Identity Project, the Fleckenstein Gallery (3316 Keswick Rd.) in Baltimore has a new exhibit, “Travelin’ Shoes” opening Wednesday with an artist reception from 5 to 9 p.m.
The exhibit features works by Kylis Winborne, Schroeder Cherry, and gay artist, Rams BrisueƱo, who portrays male and female figures in his work. Some are shown asexual and some with gender-bending qualities.
The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Nov. 5.
Theater
Trans performer, juggler premiering one-woman show

Circus of the Self
May 29-June 6
Spooky Action Theater
1810 16th St., N.W.
Pay-What-You-Can: May 2
All other performances: $35
Spookyaction.org
For Lucy Eden, tricks have proved a way into theater.
The Oakland, Calif.-based trans performer and juggler is premiering her one-woman show “Circus of the Selfā at Spooky Action Theater in conjunction with WorldPride.
Directed by Spooky Actionās artistic director Elizabeth Dinkova, the autobiographical busking show is a unique blend of circus and serious storytelling.
Juggler first met director several years ago in Atlanta. Eden explains, āShe was working at a theater down the street from the juggling club where I spent a lot of time. She needed people for a street fair. I agreed. Another collaboration soon followed.ā
Previously, Eden had worked mostly as a roaming performer at Atlanta corporate events and street style pre-game shows for the Braves: āThose environments were a good way to work on material, to learn what tricks make people stop their talking and turn their attention to me,ā she says.
Now based in Oakland, Calif., Eden, 40, has created a 77-minute-long one-woman show infused with burlesque, expert juggling, and a personal, sometimes difficult, story.
While she hesitates to say itās the obligation of all trans people to tell their stories, she says, āIn these times, if you get the opportunity, I believe you ought to take it.ā
Recently, she took a break from preparations, to talk life and showbiz.
BLADE: How exactly did you learn circus tricks?
EDEN: Iām autodidactic. I taught myself to juggle in the last semester of college. Things had gone wrong and I was looking for distraction. So, when I found a āthree ball learn to juggleā kit, I never looked back. That lead to advanced juggling, unicycling, and balancing objects on my face.
Things began to look up. Today, I try to resist everything in my life going back to circus tricks, it almost always does.
BLADE: It sounds almost preordained.
EDEN: For sure. It changed everything. Circus skills force you to face your own failure. When you drop a ball, you canāt convince yourself or the audience that it didnāt happen. Performing, like life, forces you to develop capacities to deal with internal and external failures.
It teaches us not take ourselves, societal rules, or the idea of whatās success too seriously.
BLADE: Juggling at a cocktail party to baring your past before a rapt audience must be quite a stretch.
EDEN: It is, but rather than making a dramatic leap, I leveraged the fun and draw of circus to engage people in a more difficult conversation.
BLADE: Spooky Actionās website warns about āfrank discussions of transphobia and mental health.ā
EDEN: Well yeah, I grew up in rural Georgia in the 1990s. You can only imagine. Trans is integral to my identity, and a hot button term right now. I think everyone sees and hears a lot of things about trans people that donāt in fact come from actual trans people.
A big part of why I wrote this show and brought it to D.C. is because I really want audiences to have as intimate and revealing look at me as a trans persona as I can give them. I think itās only through knowing that we can get beyond all the noise, misinformation, and fear mongering.
BLADE: Lately I hear a lot of artists bandying about the term āqueer joy.ā Woollyās website uses the term in describing aspects of your show. What does it mean to you?
EDEN: Itās an important thingfor us all to be focused on right now, but weāre in a place where joy is hard to access. So, to me, itās complex; itās an important yet nuanced pursuit.
BLADE: As a part of the vast and promising WorldPride (through June 8) entertainment lineup, what makes your show stand out?
EDEN: Itās fun. I wrote “Circus of the Selfā with a queer audience in mind. I spend a lot of time and creative energy performing for a general audience. I want this to be different. As far as I know, thereās nothing quite like my show out there.
There are a lot of shows that are a combination of storytelling and circus parts but they tend to be surface level entertainment. I think of this as more standup with circus layered on; itās modeled after queer comedians like Hannah Gadsby and Tig Notaro whose work is driven more by personality than jokes.
I have tried to write a show for a queer audience. It has all the things I need to see for myself but never have.
Movies
āThings Like Thisā embraces formula and plus-size visibility
Enjoyable queer romcom challenges conventions of the genre

Thereās a strange feeling of irony about a spring movie season stacked with queer romcoms ā a genre that has felt conspicuously absent on the big screen since the disappointing reception met by the much-hyped āBrosā in 2022 ā at a time when pushback against LGBTQ visibility is stronger than itās been for 40 years.
Sure, part of the reason is the extended timeline required for filmmaking, which tells us, logically, that the numerous queer love stories hitting theaters this year ā including the latest, the Manhattan-set indie āThings Like This,ā which opened in limited theaters last weekend ā began production long before the rapid cultural shift that has taken place in America since a certain convicted fraudsterās return to the White House.
That does not, however, make them any less welcome; on the contrary, theyāre a refreshing assertion of queer existence that serves to counter-balance the hateful, politicized rhetoric that continues to bombard our community every day. In fact, the word ārefreshingā is an apt description of āThings Like This,ā which not only celebrates the validity ā and joy ā of queer love but does so in a story that disregards āHollywoodā convention in favor of a more authentic form of inclusion than weāre ever likely to see in a mainstream film
Written, starring, and directed by Max Talisman and set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, itās the story of two gay men named Zack ā Zack #1 (Talisman) is a plus-sized hopeful fantasy author with a plus-sized personality and a promising-but-unpublished first novel, and Zack #2 (Joey Pollari) an aspiring talent agent dead-ended as an assistant to his exploitative āqueen-beeā boss (Cara Buono) ā who meet at an event and are immediately attracted to each other. Though Zack #2 is resigned to his unsatisfying relationship with longtime partner Eric (Taylor Trensch), he impulsively agrees to a date the following night, beginning an on-again/off-again entanglement that causes both Zacks to re-examine the trajectories of their respective lives ā and a lot of other heavy baggage ā even as their tentative and unlikely romance feels more and more like the workings of fate.
Like most romcoms, it relies heavily on familiar tropes ā adjusted for queerness, of course ā and tends to balance its witty banter and starry-eyed sentiment with heart-tugging setbacks and crossed-wire conflicts, just to raise the stakes. The Zacksā attempts at getting together are a series of āmeet-cutesā that could almost be described as fractal, yet each of them seems to go painfully awry ā mostly due to the very insecurities and self-doubts which make them perfect for each other. The main obstacle to their couplehood, however, doesnāt spring from these mishaps; itās their own struggles with self-worth that stand in the way, somehow making theirs more of a quintessentially queer love story than the fact that both of them are men.
All that introspection ā relatable as it may be ā can be a downer without active energy to stir things up, but fortunately for āThings Like This,ā there are the inevitable BFFs and extended circle of friends and family that can help to get the fun back on track. Each Zack has his own support team backing him up, from a feisty āwork wifeā (Jackie Cruz, āOrange is the New Blackā) to a straight best friend (Charlie Tahan, āOzarkā) to a wise and loving grandma (veteran scene-stealer Barbara Barrie, āBreaking Awayā and countless vintage TV shows) ā that fuels the story throughout, providing the necessary catalysts to prod its two neurotic protagonists into taking action when they canāt quite get there themselves.
To be sure, Talismanās movie ā his feature film debut as a writer and director ā doesnāt escape the usual pitfalls of the romcom genre. Thereās an overall sense of āwish fulfillment fantasyā that makes some of its biggest moments seem a bit too good to be true, and there are probably two or three complications too many as it approaches its presumed happy ending; in addition, while it helps to drive the inner conflict for Zack #2ās character arc, throwing a homophobic and unsupportive dad (Eric Roberts) into the mix feels a bit tired, though itās hard to deny that such family relationships continue to create dysfunction for queer people no matter how many times theyāre called out in the movies ā which means that itās still necessary, regrettably, to include them in our stories.
And in truth, ācalling outā toxic tropes ā the ones that reflect societyās negative assumptions and perpetuate them through imitation ā is part of Talismanās agenda in āThings Like This,ā which devotes its very first scene to shutting down any objections from āfat shamersā who might decry the movieās āopposites attractā scenario as unbelievable. Indeed, he has revealed in interviews that he developed the movie for himself because of the scarcity of meaningful roles for plus-sized actors, and his desire to erase such conventional prejudices extends in every direction within his big-hearted final product.
Even so, thereās no chip-on-the-shoulder attitude to sour the movieās spirit; what helps us get over its sometimes excessive flourishes of idealized positivity is that itās genuinely funny. The dialogue is loaded with zingers that keep the mood light, and even the tensest scenes are laced with humor, none of which feels forced. For this, kudos go to Talismanās screenplay, of course, but also to the acting ā including his own. Heās eminently likable onscreen, with wisecracks that land every time and an underlying good cheer that makes his appeal even more visible; crucially, his chemistry with Pollari ā who also manages to maintain a lightness of being at his core no matter how far his Zack descends into uncertainty ā isnāt just convincing; itās enviable.
Cruz is the movieās āace in the holeā MVP as Zack #2ās under-appreciated but fiercely loyal bestie, and Buonoās hilariously icy turn as his āboss from hellā makes for some of the filmās most memorable scenes. Likewise, Tahan, along with Margaret Berkowitz and Danny Chavarriaga, flesh out Zack #1ās friend group with a real sense of camaraderie that should be recognizable to anyone whoās ever been part of an eclectic crew of misfits. Trenschās comedic āickinessā as Zack #2ās soon-to-be-ex makes his scenes a standout; and besides bigger-name āringersā Roberts and Barrie (whose single scene is the emotional climax of the movie), thereās also a spotlight-grabbing turn by Diane Salinger (iconic as Francophile dreamer Simone in āPee-Weeās Big Adventureā) as the owner of a queer bar where the Zacks go on one of their dates.
With all that enthusiasm and a momentum driven by a sense of DIY empowerment, it’s hard to be anything but appreciative of āThings Like This,ā no matter how much some of us might cringe at its more unbelievable romcom devices. After all, itās as much a āfeel-goodā movie as it is a love story, and the fact that we actually do feel good when the final credits role is more than enough to earn it our hearty recommendation.

Friday, May 23
āCenter Aging Monthly Luncheon and Yogaā will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity and/or expression. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Happy Hourā at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. 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.Ā
Saturday, May 24
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Brunchā at 11 a.m. at Freddieās Beach Bar and 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.
Black Lesbian Mixer will be at 11 a.m. on Zoom. This is a support group dedicated to the joys of being a Black lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Sunday, May 25
āThe Queenās Table: A Womenās Empowerment Brunchā will be at 11 a.m. at Zooz. This event will celebrate queer womenās strength. For more details visit Eventbrite.Ā
Monday, May 26
āCenter Aging Monday Coffee and Conversationā 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].Ā
Tuesday, May 27
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether youāre bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know youāre not 100 percent cis ā this is your group. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.Ā
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This support group is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more details, visit the groupās Facebook.Ā
Wednesday, May 28
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 ā allowing participants to move away from being merely āapplicantsā toward being ācandidates.ā For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, May 29
The DC Centerās Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fairer with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. 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.Ā
Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityās website.
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