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Baltimore arts briefs: Feb. 3

‘Sunrize: the Musical,’ Disney on Ice and more

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Musical revue showcases songs of the ‘50s

“Smokey Joe’s Café” is playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Baltimore (5625 O’Donnell St.) now through Mar. 18, featuring songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

The show, a musical revue taking place in the ‘50s, features an ensemble cast singing pop standards like “Hound Dog,” “Stand By Me” and many more.

Tickets range from $52.50 to $50.50 for adults and are $36.50 for children 12 and younger. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit todbysdinnertheatre.com.

Broadway satire event Saturday

Sunrize Highway will give her take on Broadway and more in a one-night-only performance at the Theatre Project.

The Theatre Project (45 West Preston St.) in Baltimore presents “Sunrize: The Musical” from Iron Crow Theatre Company on Saturday at 8 p.m. with a special reception on stage following the show.

Sunrize Highway is the creation of Iron Crow member Joseph Ritsche, and is a “loving” satire of contemporary musical theater divas.

The musical features renditions from Broadway and more as well as whimsical reflections, advice tales and showbiz stories.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at theatreproject.org.

Disney magic comes to life

“Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic” opens Wednesday at 1st Mariner Arena (201 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore) at 7:30 p.m.

The show will feature 65 of Disney’s characters from 18 stories including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio, many of the Disney princesses and more. These characters will bring to life moments from movies such as “The Lion King,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles” and many more.

Tickets range from $14 to $56 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

Reggae revolution

The Creative Alliance at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) is screening the movie “Holding On to Jah: The Genesis of a Revolution” for its Baltimore premiere on Saturday at 6 p.m.

A Reggae soundtrack featuring music from Bob Marley and more, sets the history and struggle of the Rastafarians and all Jamaicans, to music. The film includes interviews with some of Reggae’s greatest singers and musicians. This documentary tells the story of the merging of the Rasta ideology with music.

Following the film at is a dinner at 7:30 p.m. and a dance party to celebrate what would be Bob Marley’s birthday at 9 p.m.

Tickets to the screening or party only are $10 for general admission and $5 for CA members. Those who want to attend both events can for only $5 more. Dinner is sold separately.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit creativealliance.org.

 

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Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

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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)

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Out & About

Queer film festival comes to D.C.

DC/DOX to showcase LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers

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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

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Movies

Gay director on revealing the authentic Pee-wee Herman

New HBO doc positions Reubens as ‘groundbreaking’ performance artist

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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.”

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