Arts & Entertainment
Music of the season
Gay productions among upcoming holiday concerts and shows
Wolf Trap’s Holiday Sing-A-Long, featuring the U.S. Marine band and members of local choirs and vocal groups is Dec. 4. (Photo by Sam Kittner, courtesy Wolf Trap)
The holiday season has officially begun with Thanksgiving over and it’s time for holiday concerts and shows. Washington and the region have a rich bounty slated — you could go to concerts almost every night between now and Christmas and still not see everything.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington has its annual holiday concert, “Red & Greene,” for four performances from Dec. 16-18 at Lisner Auditorium (730 21st St., N.W.) featuring Ellen Greene, Broadway’s original Audrey from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Tickets range from $25 to $50 and can be purchased at gmcw.org.
The Gay Men’s Chorus will also be joining Metropolitan Community Church of Washington for its “Joy All Over the World” Christmas concert at Lincoln Theater on Dec. 3. Oleta Adams will make a special appearance. Orchestra seats are $30; balcony seats are $20. This is lesbian music minister Shirli Hughes’ swan song with the church. Go to mccdc.com for more information or ticketmaster.com for tickets.
Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd.) in Vienna has two holiday shows coming up. Starting Wednesday is Steve Solomon’s “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m Home for the Holidays.” Solomon uses impersonations to tell the story of a family reunion in his one-man show, the longest running one-man show in Broadway history. The show runs through Dec. 2. Tickets are $32 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
Dec. 4 brings Wolf Trap’s free annual holiday sing-a-long featuring Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs by choir and vocal groups and the United States Marine Band.
The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) has a bevy of different holiday performances and events coming up in December.
The American Ballet Theatre will be performing “The Nutcracker” from Dec. 8-11 featuring the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the Norwood Middle School Choir and the National Cathedral School Choir. Tickets range from $45 to $150.
The National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Halls, will be performing Handel’s “Messiah” starting Dec. 15. The show will run through Dec. 18 and tickets range from $20 to $85.
Before the Orchestra’s performance, the Kennedy Center will have Yvonne Caruthers give a comprehensive history of “Messiah” performances throughout the years in “Searching for the Real Messiah” on Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15.
Tickets for all Kennedy Center performances can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
The Cantate Chamber Singers will be giving their “Holiday in Venice” concert on Dec, 11 at St. Mark Episcopal Church (118 3rd St., S.E.) at 3 p.m.
If too much “Messiah”/”Nutcracker”-type traditionalism has you reaching for the eggnog, there are some less reverential offerings as well.
Gay filmmaker John Waters brings his eponymous Christmas show to the Birchmere on Dec. 18. Tickets are $45 at birchmere.com.
And the Kinsey Sicks, a “dragapella” beauty-shop quartet, are back in D.C. with their show “Oy Vey in a Manger” at Theater J (1529 16th St., N.W.) for four performances from Dec. 24-26. Tickets range from $25 to $65 and can be purchased online at theaterj.org.
The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra will be performing its holiday concert, “A Bohemian Christmas,” featuring holiday favorites re-imagined with a jazz bent, at The Mansion at Strathmore (10701 Rockville Pike) in North Bethesda on Dec. 18 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Grammy Award nominee Dave Koz, who’s gay, is coming to the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane) in North Bethesda on Dec. 5 for his Christmas tour with special guests Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler and Candy Dulfer. The concert will feature songs from Koz’s holiday albums. The concert begins at 8 p.m. and tickets range from $38 to $72.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will be performing “Holiday Cirque de la Symphonie” on Dec. 8 at the Music Center at 8 p.m. The concert will be performed on and above the stage.
The orchestra will also perform Handel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. featuring Edward Polochick and concert artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale.
Tickets for both Orchestra performances range from $28 to $88.
The National Philharmonic will also be performing Handel’s “Messiah” with two performances on Dec. 10 and 11 featuring Stan Engebretson conducting. Kids from 7 to 17 can attend this concert for free. Tickets range from $32 to $79. There will also be a free lecture before the concert on Dec. 10.
On Dec. 12, Pink Martini (featuring Thomas Lauderdale, who’s openly gay) will be performing at the Music Center at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $55 to $125 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com. All Strathmore tickets can be purchased online at Strathmore.org unless otherwise noted.
The BlackRock Center for the Arts (12901 Town Commons Drive) in Germantown will have the “Lift Every Voice: A Holiday Gospel Celebration” concert on Dec.3 at 8 p.m. featuring vocal performances by Solomon Howard, EXTOL and Nischka Higginbotham. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at blackrockcenter.org.
The Olney Theater (2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd.) has two holiday shows coming up in December. First up is “The Nutcracker” starting Dec. 9 and running through Dec. 24. This is the Olney Ballet Theatre’s 50th anniversary production of the show. And starting Dec. 14, Paul Morella returns to Olney with his performance of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas.” Tickets for all shows at Olney start at $26 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 301-924-3400.
The Christ Church Episcopal (118 N. Washington St.) in Alexandria has “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” on Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. The traditional service will feature hymns and anthems, including music by gay composters Joel Martinson, Richard Webster and David Ashley White. This is a free event, but an offering will be taken to benefit the music program at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School. A wine-and-cheese reception will follow the performance.
D.C. Different Drummers’ holiday concert is Dec. 11 at the Columbia Heights Education Campus Auditorium (3101 16th St., N.W.) at 3 p.m. The performance will include music from D.C. Swing!, the Capitol Pride Symphonic Band and several of the groups small ensembles, almost all of whom are LGBT. Tickets to the concert are $21 for adults and $11 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at dcdd.org.
Friday, March 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, March 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community 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.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].
Monday, March 30
“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 information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, March 31
Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, March 1
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. 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.
Thursday, April 2
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. 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.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.
Tickets can be secured via Resy.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
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