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Calendar: Nov. 25

Plays, support groups, club meetings and more through Dec. 1

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Alex Mills and Natalie Berk in Synetic Theater’s ‘Romeo and Juliette,’ which will be performed tonight in Arlington. (Photo by Graeme B. Shaw; courtesy of Synetic)

TODAY

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) and Pop-Up Vintage have partnered up for a special Black Friday sale today from noon to 5 p.m. Pop-Up is a monthly vintage clothing, art, books and houseware shop. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents the Royal Rumble: Battle of the Drag Queens Jello Wrestling. All contestants will walk the runway and have 30 seconds to impress the crowd to win Best Wrestling Costume then there will be a series of wrestling matches. Contestants get in without a cover and get a $20 bar tab. For more information on signing up, contact [email protected] Doors open at 9 p.m.

Busboys & Poets will be having an American Sign Language open mic night 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 by e-mailing [email protected]. There is a $5 admission at the door.

The Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane) in North Bethesda presents classic albums live with “The Beatles Abbey Road.” The show brings musicians together for live performances of classic rock albums.

Synetic Theater (2788 S. Arlington Mill Drive) in Arlington continues its Speak No More: The Silent Shakespeare Festival with the return of “Romeo and Juliet” opening tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $55 and can be purchased online at synetictheater.org.

Saturday, Nov. 26

Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave.) in Arlington presents its production of “Hairspray” starring Robert Aubry Davis and Carolyn Cole today at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets range from $62 to $67 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

Greenbelt Arts Center (123 Centerway) presents “Alice in Wonderland” tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 for general admission and $14 for students, seniors and military. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit greenbeltartscenter.org.

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 “Beauty and the Beasts.”

The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents DJ Ryan W Backtracks Retro tonight from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring music from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and now. There’s a $3 cover before 11 p.m. and $5 after with $5 “Refreshers” drink specials all night.

The National Symphony Orchestra Pops presents “An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole” featuring Grammy Award-winning guitarist/vocalist George Benson and conductors Randy Waldman and Steven Reineke tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $85 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd.) in Vienna presents local pianist John Eaton for “Indiana on Our Minds” featuring the music of Cole Porter and Hoagy Carmichael tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.

Sunday, Nov. 27

National Theatre (1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) presents the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys” today at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $36.50 to $276.50 and can be purchased online at jerseyboysinfo.com.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits on display, one is an all-member show and the other is “The Privileged Series” by Anthony Dortch. This is the last day of the exhibit. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.

Monday, Nov. 28

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.

Author Andrew Skerritt will be at Busboys & Poets 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.) to discuss his new book, “Ashamed to Die: Silence, Denial, and the AIDS Epidemic in the South.” This event is free and open to everyone.

Tuesday, Nov. 29

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is hosting a foster parent information night tonight at 7 p.m. There will be people who are foster parents, who have recently finished the application process and people from the Latin American Youth Center about how to become a foster parent. The event will have a special focus on being a foster parent for older, LGBT youth. For more information, thedccenter.org.

Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at FUK!T’s packing location, Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct., N.W.

Wednesday, Nov. 30

Singer Robin Thicke plays the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) at 7 tonight. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online a 930.com.

The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) across from Marine Barracks, for duplicate bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are welcome. If a partner is needed, visit lambdabridge.com.

Thursday, Dec. 1

Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) holds 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.

Capital Splats, an LGBT racquetball group, is having its happy hour tonight at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit capitalsplats.org.

The Lambda Sci-Fi Book Group meets today at 1425 S St., N.W. This month’s book is the anthology “Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy” edited by Ellen Datlow. Attendees are asked to bring a snack and/or non-alcoholic drink to share. For more information, email [email protected], [email protected] or visit the group’s website lambdascifi.org.

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Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

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(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

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Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

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The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall. 

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts. 

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Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. 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

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & 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.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Monday, June 16

“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” 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]

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

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 — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

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