Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Oct. 21
Meetings, parties, concerts and more through Oct. 27
‘Music Madness,’ a painting by Julie Borden, is on display at Prudential Gallo in Rehoboth Beach, Del. (Image courtesy of Prudential)
TODAY (Friday)
LezGetTogether presents “Lesbian Attack” at Solly’s Tavern (1942 11th St., N.W.) tonight at 6 p.m. LezGetTogether is an online community for LGBT women in the D.C. metro area.
The Creative Alliance presents “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” staring Adam Cooley, tonight at 8 p.m. at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) in Baltimore. There will be another performance Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets for the general public are $20 and member’s tickets are $15. For more information, visit creativealliance.org.
Green Lantern’s (1335 Green Court, N.W.) Fahrenheit presents “Leche” tonight from 9 p.m to 3 a.m. featuring DJ Michael Brandon. There’s a $7 cover after 10 p.m. and free rail vodka upstairs from 10 to 11 p.m.
Gay/Bash!, a “queer night of rock and pop gems” with DJ Joshua is tonight at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.). This is a free event and doors open at 9:30 p.m.
The Belly Horror Show will be at Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com. Belly Horror is a Halloween-themed, fusion belly dance show with lesbian organizers. For more information, visit bellyhorror.com.
Lambda Divers has its monthly happy hour tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.). For more information on the group, visit lambdadivers.org.
Saturday, Oct. 22
D.C. Doulas for Choice Collective is hosting a benefit tonight at 5525 Illinois Ave., N.W., tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The event will feature DJ AlexDB and sweet, vegan-friendly treats. There is a $6 to $8 suggested donation. D.C. Doulas is a group that believes women seeking abortions deserve the same support a doula would provide during labor and birth. For more information, visit dcdoulasforchoice.wordpress.com.
Mixtape is taking over the Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) tonight for the official Metronomy/Class Actress afterparty starting at 10 p.m. The event is free with a ticket stub and $7 without one. Attendees must be 21 or older.
Drawing on the Andy Warhol exhibit “Headlines” at the National Gallery of Art, Busboys & Poets presents a modern take on Warhol’s “Electric Newspaper” tonight at 7 p.m. at its 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.). The event will look at today’s headlines and feature performance by Christylez Bacon, Head Roc, Kickrocks dance crew and more. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The movie “I Shot Andy Warhol” will be screened on Sunday at 8 p.m.
Team D.C.’s 2011 Champions Awards is tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the HRC Building (1640 Rhode Island, Ave., N.W.) with special guest Hudson Taylor. This year’s honorees are Town, Martin Espinoza of Stonewall Kickball, Chris Cormier and Brandon Waggoner of the D.C. Gay Flag Football League and Phil Piga and Tony Watkins of Anywhere Goes. The 2011 Team D.C. College Scholarship recipients are Jorge Acevedo, Nate Eckland and Justin Kanga. Tickets are $40 and are available for purchase online at teamdc.org. Tickets include buffet, dessert bar and an open bar.
Will Eastman’s dance party “Bliss” returns to U Street Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.) tonight with Chris Nitti. There is a $10 cover and attendees who are 18 to 20 must purchase tickets in advance. A portion of door proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ustreetmusichall.com.
Sunday, Oct. 23
Busboys & Poets presents “Borderlines: A Bilingual Spanish-English Open Mic” tonight at 5 p.m. in the Zinn room of its Hyattsville location (5331 Baltimore Ave., Suite 104) hosted by Henry Mills. This is the pilot run of the event. The sign-up sheet opens at 4 p.m.
Artist Julie Borden and musician Sydney Arzt are featured in an exhibit at Prudential Gallo (37230 Rehoboth Ave.) in Rehoboth Beach. The works will be on view through the month. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on Borden and Arzt, visit their websites, juleez.com and demusic.org.
Monday, Oct. 24
Spoken word artists Andrea Gibson will be performing poems from her latest book, “The Madness Vase” with Natalie E. Illum tonight at The Fridge (516 1/2 8th St., S.E.) at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com/event/205541.
D.C. Strokes is hosting a novice fundraiser, bachelor auction and raffle tonight at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) From 6 to 10 p.m., a $1 from every Nellie’s beer sold will go to D.C. Strokes and the novices will be racing each other on the erg machines on the deck. At 7 :30 p.m. at the auction begins and each bachelor or bachelorette comes with a dinner or activity package. Raffle tickets are $ and prizes include an iPad2. For more information, visit nelliesdc.com.
Tuesday, Oct. 25
The Jewish Foundation for Group Homes presents “An Evening of Dancing with the Stars” tonight at the Music Center at Strathmore at 7 p.m. featuring Academy Award-winning actor Marlee Matlin, actor Gilles Marini with professional dancers Jonathan Roberts and Edyta Sliwinska. Tickets to this event are available through JFGH. For ticket information, call 240-283-6027 or email [email protected].
Wednesday, Oct. 26
Metropolitan Community Church of D.C. (474 Ridge St., N.W.) is hosting “Goblin Night,” an event for youth from teens to twenties tonight. There will be a Trick or Treat delivery from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and then a costume party from 8:30 to 11 p.m. For more information, visit mccdc.com.
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.
Green Lantern (1331 Green Court, N.W.) will host the weekly Poz D.C. happy hour upstairs from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Thursday, Oct. 27
Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) is having its monthly meeting tonight in the main room at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
D.C. Lambda Squares has its club night for plus and advanced dancers tonight from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.) with caller Bill Harrison. For more information, visit dclambdasquares.org.
HRC has its monthly community night tonight at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Washington Blade held the seventh annual Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC on Saturday, June 13.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
The 2026 Lost River Pride Festival was held on the scenic grounds of the Lost River Farmers Market in Lost City, W.Va. on Saturday, June 13. Headliner Tom Goss performed at the festival and gave a second performance at the nearby Guesthouse Lost River.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Books
David Archuleta on Mormon faith, ‘Idol,’ more in new book
Unique memoir details religious upbringing, coming out
‘Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself’
By David Archuleta
c.2026, Gallery Books
$29/290 pages
So just make up your mind already.
The decision is very much in your control – or, at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’ll be your future, your path, and seizing it may not just be necessary, but mandatory. It’s your life, and no one can live it for you. As in the new memoir “Devout” by David Archuleta, that goes for career and for love, too.
Born to parents who both had musical careers before they wed, David Archuleta remembers an early childhood growing up in a Hispanic Mormon community in Florida, where kin was always nearby. He was six when his parents moved the immediate family to Utah; the first thing he remembers about that is the snow, and how it was so cold, it burned.
Because music was in his blood, Archuleta grew up singing and dancing, often with his mother whom he calls “my rock.” It was his father, however, who encouraged him to perform; first, with a gentle push, then a shove toward a career Archuleta didn’t really want.
But he did want to make his father happy, so he went along with the contests, embarrassing meet-and-greets with stars, and uncomfortable introductions. Slowly, though, performing became more fun, and Archuleta made friends.
Meanwhile, back home, everything was breaking apart. A “family friend” whom Archuleta refuses to name accused his father of abuse. He was exonerated, but it affected the family’s closeness and they stopped being affectionate.
That was a painful backdrop to Archuleta’s soaring career, his appearances on Star Search, friendships with other rising stars, his runner-up spot on “American Idol,” tours, and recording contracts. His father kept pushing him.
But there was one thing missing.
Since he was a boy, Archuleta had known that he was attracted to men, but his Mormon faith taught him that that was unacceptable. Kissing, his abuelita said, was wrong. He tried hard to date girls, in the most chaste way. Anything past that was against God – and anything at all with a man was unthinkable.
Though it absolutely favors his personal life and dwells on it a bit too much, “Devout” strikes an otherwise nice balance between that, author David Archuleta’s career, his sexuality, and his faith. The latter two are loaded with controversy.
You don’t need to be Mormon to fully understand the faith part; Archuleta offers non-Mormons a brief education, so readers can see the importance of the Church’s teachings in his life and why he felt the need to abandon it as his understanding of his bisexuality grew. It’s emotionally raw and honest, but also so respectful that it almost bears re-reading. Such candor and the heart-on-his-sleeve tone you’ll sense are features in the entire book, alongside Archuleta’s family’s struggles and his learning to strike out alone.
It’s harmonious in more ways than one, and fans will be happy.
So, too, will anyone who wants a unique memoir with a dose of faith, or someone who’s an “American Idol”watcher. Find “Devout” and be sure to share. You won’t mind.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
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