Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Oct. 14

Concerts, parties, support groups and more through Oct. 20

Published

14 years ago

October 13, 2011

The Martin Luther King Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for this weekend after being derailed by Hurricane Irene. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

TODAY (Friday)

The Latino GLBT History Project is hosting the sixth annual LGBT Heritage Reception tonight at the Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception, to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBT History Month, will feature a bilingual historical exhibition on Latino LGBT activism in D.C. over the last 30 years. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton speak. There is a suggested donation of $5.

NSO Pops present “Some Enchanted Evening: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein” tonight at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). The program includes songs like “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Shall We Dance?” and more. Tickets range from $20 to $85 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits, “Recent Paintings: Scapes,” featuring expressionistic paintings by Steve Alderton and “Clouded Leopard Labyrinth” which is a mixed media installation by Leslie Johnston, that will be on display through Oct. 30. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents “Booytlicious” a drag king show featuring Butch Kelly, Papa Woody, Busta Hymein, Ben N. Cider and Seymour Snatch. Lady DJ Beloved will be spinning. There is a $3 cover before 11 p.m. and $5 after.

Lesbian singer/songwriter Jeanne Mackey will be performing “Drop the Knight: A Memoir-in-Song” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave.). There is a suggested donation of $10 to $15.

Saturday, Oct. 15

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers will be working with the Neighborhood Farm Initiative today from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will be weeding, planting and digging at a site near the Fort Totten Metro. Directions to the lot and more information can be found online at burgundycrescent.org.

Busboys & Poets is having its monthly youth open mic tonight at 5 p.m. in the Cullen room at its 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.). The event will be co-hosted by Jonathan Tucket, a D.C. Youth Slam Team coach and Nichita Mason, a high school senior from Washington Math Science Technology High School. All people under 20 are encouraged to share their work. For more informaiton, e-mail [email protected].

Mixtape D.C. is tonight the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:15 a.m. Mixtape is a dance party for queer music lovers and their pals that features DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer playing an eclectic mix of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and anything else danceable. There is a $10 cover for this all ages event.

Green Lantern is hosting a black-and-white underwear party tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring WET lube wrestling and a best booty contest. DJ Ace D.C. will be providing music.

Comedian Paula Poundstone will be performing at the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria, tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, Oct. 16

Zoom Urban Lesbian Excursions is taking a trip to the 31st annual Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard (22200 Davis Mill Rd.) in Germantown today at 1 p.m. Entrance to the festival is $10 and includes various attractions. RSVP online at phatgirlchic.com/zoom as the fee will be collected at the festival.

The D.C. Ice Breakers, Burgundy Crescent Volunteers and The Gay District are having their first ever “Men’s Singles Party with Board Games” night at 4141 N. Henderson Rd., in Arlington from 6 to 9 p.m. This is a BYO party and no RSVP is required.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for today starting at 8 a.m. The ceremonial dedication will happen at 11 a.m. and President Barack Obama will deliver the dedication address. Some of the other program participants include D.C. mayor, Vincent Gray, Jennifer Holliday and Aretha Franklin.

Monday, Oct. 17

The Youth Working Group, a gathering of people who are committed to impacting the lives of D.C. area youth, will be meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) at 6 p.m. Capital Area AIDS Prevention Effort is also having its monthly meeting at the Center from 7 to 9 p.m.

WEAVE, a support group for LGBT survivors of intimate partner violence/abuse will be meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Lighthouse Center for Healing (5321 First Place, N.E.). For more information and to register, call 202-280-6391.

Gayyim D.C., a social group for Jewish GBT men, is organizing a group to see the film, “Mary Lou” at the Israeli Embassy tonight at 7:30 p.m. To RSVP, contact [email protected].

Tuesday, Oct.18

The Leukemia and Lymphona Society’s Team in Training is having a fundraiser at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight 5 p.m. Team in Training is a program that trains people to complete endurance events while raising money to fund blood cancer research and provide patient services for those battling the disease.

Cameron Mackintosh presents a new 25th anniversary production of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $155 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

The D.C. Ice Breakers will be having its monthly skate and social tonight. The group will be skating at Kettler Capitals Iceplex (627 N. Glebe Rd.) in Arlington from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m. then they’ll hit a local bar for a social hour. Skating is $8 and skate rentals are $3.

Busboys & Poets presents “Who does Kalup Linzy this he is?,” at its 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Linzy is a gender-bending performance artist whose low-fi productions feature self-styled heroines with references to soap operas, pop-music and tragic fame. This performance is in conjunction with the exhibit, “30 Americans” at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

The D.C. Log Cabin Republicans have their October general meeting tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Camden Roosevelt (2101 16th St., N.W.). This month will feature special guest, Don Blanchon, Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Health as he discusses the state of Whitman-Walker Health and the latest information about the AIDS Walk. For more information, visit dclogcabin.org.

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets at 7:30 p.m, at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) across from Marine Barracks, for social bridge. No partner is needed. For more informaiton, visit lambdabridge.com and click on “Social Bridge in Washington.”

Thursday, Oct. 20

The D.C. Lambda Squares are having their club night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.). This week will be plus with class-level mainstream. For more information, visit dclambdasquares.org.

Country music star LeAnn Rimes will be giving a special acoustic show at Riot Act Comedy Theater (801 E St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. to benefit her charity, “StandUp for Kids” which helps homeless and underprivileged youth. Tickets range from $20 to $50 and can be purchased online at riotactcomedy.com.

Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

Published

37 minutes ago

May 25, 2025

Michael Key

Rayceen Pendarvis was the emcee of Silver Pride 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 Silver Pride Resource Fair and Tea Dance was held at the Eaton Hotel on Wednesday, May 21.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Out & About

Queer film festival comes to D.C.

DC/DOX to showcase LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers

Published

1 hour ago

May 25, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

DC/DOX film festival will take place in D.C. on June 12.

DC/DOX will host a film festival beginning on Thursday, June 12, at the Regal Gallery Place, Eaton Cinema, and the U.S. Navy Memorial Burke Theatre.

This festival will premier LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers. Each screening will be followed by in-person Q&As with the filmmakers.

For more details, visit dcdoxfest.com

Movies

Gay director on revealing the authentic Pee-wee Herman

New HBO doc positions Reubens as ‘groundbreaking’ performance artist

Published

2 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Susan Hornik

The HBO Original two-part documentary ‘PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF,’ directed by Matt Wolf), debuts Friday, May 23 (8 p.m.-11:20 p.m. ET/PT) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.)

In the new HBO two-part documentary, “Pee-wee as Himself,” director Matt Wolf gives viewers a never-before-seen look into the personal life of Paul Reubens, the comedic actor behind the much loved television persona, Pee-wee Herman.

Filmed before Reubens passed away in 2023 from cancer, Wolf and his creative team created the riveting documentary, interspersing several interviews, more than 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of personal photos.

Determined to set the record straight about what really happened, Reubens discussed his diverse influences, growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Fla., and his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts.

Ruebens joined the Groundlings improv group, where he created the charismatic Pee-wee Herman. He played the quirky character during the Saturday morning show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” and in numerous movies, like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big Top Pee-wee.” He also brought Pee-wee to Broadway, with “The Pee-wee Herman Show.”

To get an enigma such as Reubens to open up was no easy task for Wolf.

“I felt determined to get Paul to open up and to be his authentic self,” acknowledged Wolf at a recent press conference. “And I was being tested and I wanted to meet my match in a way so I didn’t feel frustrated or exhausted, I felt determined but I also, it was thrilling to go this deep. I’ve never been able, or I don’t know if I ever will, go this deep with another human being to interview them in an intimate way for over 40 hours.”

Wolf described the collaborative interview experience as a dream, “like we were in a bubble where time didn’t matter.” he also felt a deep connection to the material, having come of age watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to put words to it at the time, but I think it was my first encounter with art that I felt emotionally involved in,” noted Wolf.

“He continued: “I recognize that that show created a space for a certain kind of radical acceptance where creativity thrives. And as a gay filmmaker, I also recognize things like Pee-wee Herman marrying a bowl of fruit salad at a slumber party or dancing in high heels to the song, ‘Fever.’ That stuff spoke to me. So that was my connection to it.”

During the documentary, Reubens comes out as a gay man.

“Paul went into this process wanting to come out,” said Wolf. “That was a decision he had made. He was aware that I was a gay filmmaker and had made portraits of other gay artists. That was the work of mine he was attracted to, as I understood. And I wanted, as a younger person, to support him in that process, but he also was intensely sensitive that the film would overly emphasize that; or, focused entirely from the lens of sexuality when looking at his story.”

Their complicated dynamic had an aspect of “push and pull” between them.

“I think that generational difference was both a source of connection and affinity and tension. And I do think that the level to which Paul discusses his relationships and intimacy and vulnerability and the poignant decision he made to go back into the closet. I do have to believe to some extent he shared that because of our connection.”

Wolf hopes that the “Pee-wee as Himself” positions Reubens as one of the most “groundbreaking” performance artists of his generation who in a singular way broke through into mainstream pop culture.

“I know he transformed me. He transformed how I see the world and where I went as a creative person. And it’s so clear that I am not alone in that feeling. For me, it was fairly abstract. I couldn’t necessarily put words to it. I think people who grew up on Pee-wee or were big fans of Pee-wee, seeing the film, I hope, will help them tap into intangible and specific ways how transformative his work was for them. It really is a gift to revisit early seminal experiences you had and to see how they reverberate in you.”

He added: “So, to me, this isn’t so much about saying Paul Reubens is a genius. I mean, that’s overly idealizing and I don’t like hero worship. It’s more about understanding why many of us have connected to his work and understanding where he lives within a legacy of performance art, television, and also, broader pop culture.”