Arts & Entertainment
A new ‘Phase’
Oldest lesbian bar in the country settles into new Dupont Circle location
From left, Phase 1 owner Alan Carroll, Steve Dellerba and Phase Manager Angela Lombardi at the bar's new Dupont Circle location. The original Phase remains in Eastern Market. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
Lesbian bar Phase 1 has been just steps from the Eastern Market Metro stop since it opened in 1970, but as of Friday night, there will be a second location in Dupont Circle.
Apex closed its doors in July without advance notice. Owner Glen Thompson, who also owns the nearby gay bar Omega, sold Apex to Alan Carroll, the owner of the D.C. gay clubs Ziegfelds/Secrets and the lesbian club Phase 1. This weekend, Carroll opens a new club in the Apex building at 22nd and P streets, N.W., that will cater to a mostly lesbian clientele.
The club will open in the space that formerly housed Badlands and Apex with a refinished dance floor, updated sound system, new lights and bright pink paint on the walls in the back.
It has been a long-term goal of Carroll’s to open a larger venue, according to Angela Lombardi, longtime manager of the original Phase 1, and with Apex closing, it just seemed right.
“A lot of lesbians live in Northwest and it’s a popular gay part of town,” Lombardi says of the Dupont area.
The new location will feature much more space than the original and is being touted as the East Coast’s largest lesbian bar.
Size isn’t the only difference between the two locations. The vibe will be a little different too.
“Phase 1 … is the kind of place where you can sit down and have a conversation with the bartender,” Lombardi says of the vibe. “Phase 1 Dupont, we’re going to be more super-high volume, louder music, more dancing and just straight-up partying as opposed to just chilling … like at old school Phase.”
The grand opening weekend will feature a lineup of DJs including DJs Rosie and Natty Boom on Friday and DJs Ri-Mix and Joshua on Saturday.
The club will most likely have rotating DJs with a possible regular DJ in the back bar once it finds its footing.
“We want to keep people interested and have a bunch of variety,” Lombardi says. “We’re going to try to do some more indie queer stuff and some more off-the-wall events in that back bar too.”
They are also working on getting the D.C. Kings and the D.C. Gurly Show performing at the new location.
“All the people that have supported us at the old Phase … we would love for them to come to the new venue,” Lombardi says of the performance groups.
They might have some monthly events, but for the most part, the club will only be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
One new weekly event is already planned. Steve Dellerba, longtime manager and one of the part owners of Ziegfeld’s/Secrets, which Carroll owns as well, will be running Jock U, an event that will cater to men.
“It will be open to everybody, but it is a men’s night,” Dellerba says. “With the club being predominately for women the other night, we wanted one night geared toward the men and give something back to them.”
The weekly event will feature a rotation of DJs including Randy White, DJ Wess, Joey O and more and the bartenders will be wearing athletic attire such as wrestling, football and soccer gear.
For the kickoff party on Thursday, DJ Steven Henderson from Chicago will be in the main room and there will be an amateur DJ competition in the video room, the winner of which will win a free night at Secrets on the main floor.
“We wanted to find some new talent,” Dellerba says. “We had … a lot of guys coming out who wanted to play so we said, why don’t we just let everyone play a little bit and we’ll see who’s the best.”
The night will also feature go-go boys, Absolut shot boys and a few special surprises throughout the night.
The kickoff will be sponsored by Universal Gear, Absolut, Red Bull and Cherry 2012.
For the most part, Phase’s Jell-O wrestling events will remain at the original location, except during Pride season.
“It was so insane this year at the old location, that we probably will take it to the new location,” Lombardi says.
The new location will probably bring some changes to PhaseFest, the bar’s annual indie queer music fest, this year as well.
The first night will most likely stay at the original location but then Friday and Saturday night will be at Dupont.
“We’re kind of already talking about it,” Lombardi says. “Having such a higher capacity venue really opens up the door to having some really big names. It should give us a lot more wiggle room and more options to really see how big we can take it this year.”
Like the original, the Dupont location will be a 21-and-older club.
“I feel their pain,” Lombardi says of the younger lesbians without their own place to party. “I know that Apex successfully did it, but it’s just not something [Carroll] really wants to take on.”
Lombardi will be co-managing the new location with Dellerba and says she will miss the original location.
“I’ve been there for seven years,” Lombardi says. “Basically, everyone who works there is my family on some level. I like being behind the bar. It’s going to be kind of weird and different managing a club of this size.”
The Dupont location doesn’t mean she won’t be at the original Phase. Lombardi will still be found there every Thursday night and on Sundays for special events.
“Those two days back … are gonna keep me grounded,” she says.
The Miss Gay Western Maryland pageant was held at The Lodge in Boonsboro, Md. on Friday, May 1. Maria R. Posa was crowned the winner with Aura Fixation named first alternate. Both winners are qualified to compete in the 2026 Miss Gay Maryland America pageant.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
A reign defined by commitment and human impact
Nicole Murray Ramirez defined era in International Imperial Court System
Writing about the reign of Nicole Murray Ramirez and the close leadership of King Father Terry Sidie requires far more than listing achievements, because what has been built over these years cannot be reduced to titles, ceremonies, or public recognition. It must be understood as the result of a sustained vision rooted in service, memory, solidarity, and the real ability to build bridges within and beyond the LGBTQ community.
At this point, looking back and assessing this period means acknowledging that this was not just another chapter in the history of the International Imperial Court System. It was a time shaped by far-reaching initiatives, a clear commitment to concrete causes, and a style of leadership that moved confidently between symbolic representation and public action. In that context, Nicole Murray Ramirez’s announcement that her reign will conclude in February 2027, along with the coronation of the person who will assume the throne as the new Queen Mother of the Americas, should not be read simply as the end of an era, but as a moment to fully recognize what has been built while also understanding that a new chapter is about to begin.
One of the most defining aspects of this reign has been its understanding that visibility alone is not enough. Visibility matters, but it only becomes meaningful when it leads to action, support, and measurable change. That has been a consistent strength of the work led by Nicole Murray Ramirez alongside key figures such as Terry Sidie.
The Jose Nicole Terry Scholarship and Educational Fund reflects that commitment. Reaching $400,000 is significant, but what matters most is what that represents in terms of opportunity and access.
This leadership also prioritized historical memory through initiatives like the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall Inn and the recognition of Jose Julio Sarria.
Efforts such as the Harvey Milk postage stamp, the USNS Harvey Milk, and multiple recognitions for Sarria reflect a sustained commitment to public recognition and justice.
International outreach, financial support to global causes, advocacy for transgender communities, and engagement with organizations beyond national borders further define this period.
The expansion into Canada and the opening of a new chapter that includes Puerto Rico highlight the evolving nature of this leadership. The upcoming June coronation marks an important step in that direction.
Acknowledging that the reign was not perfect does not weaken its legacy. It reinforces its authenticity.
This was not an individual effort. It was collective work supported by a broad network.
As the transition toward Feb. 5, 2027, continues, what remains is a legacy built on action, commitment, and responsibility.
Theater
Diverse cast tackles ‘Aguardiente’ at GALA Hispanic Theatre
Best friends rediscover their Caribbean heritage in new musical
‘Aguardiente: Where Magic Transcends Borders’
Through May 24
GALA Hispanic Theatre
3333 14th St., N.W.
$25–$65
Galatheatre.org
(surtitles in English and Spanish)
With its latest musical offering “Aguardiente: Where Magic Transcends Borders,” GALA Hispanic Theatre has cast its net wide in gathering a blend of talent including the production’s diverse 18-person cast.
Commissioned by GALA, the spanking new musical is about best friends Alberto and Alejandro (two New York writers from Puerto Rico and Colombia respectively). Together, within a short timeline under unrelenting pressure, they struggle to write the project musical of their dreams.
Along the way, the friends rediscover their Caribbean heritage through cumbia, bomba, currulao, and the magical realism of García Márquez.
Offstage, the work has been created by Luis Salgado (book), and Daniel Alejandro Gutiérrez (music), also respectively from Puerto Rico and Colombia. Multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning Salgado is directing and choreographing the GALA production.
In the role of Alejandro, out actor Sebastián Treviño is making his GALA debut opposite Samuel Garnica who plays librettist Alberto. Alejandro is the music composer who doesn’t come from a musical background. He’s simply a lover of Latin music.
Is Alejandro recognizably similar to Gutiérrez?
“Oh yeah,” says Treviño, 36. “Like Gutiérrez, Alejandro doesn’t necessarily follow musical theater rules and etiquette, and it’s his uniqueness that brings a spark to their partnership.
“I got to know him and Luis [Salgado] while touring with ‘On Your Feet!’ in 2022. You really get to know people by spending endless hours together on a bus.”
Language and voice are intertwined for Treviño, and fortunately for the amiable New York-based actor, he enjoys the challenge of a new way of speaking. To play Alejandro, it helps to sound Colombian.
As a native of Monterrey, Mexico, Spanish and Mexican dialects are Treviño’s first languages. He attended American school starting in kindergarten, consequently acquiring flawless English; and because his mother is Colombian, he is familiar with that accent too.
GALA Spanish speaking patrons can be a tough crowd. For instance, when a Mexican actor is playing a Cuban character, they know at once. And while they may embrace the performance and the production, there sometimes remains a niggling dislike for what feels a vocal inaccuracy.
“Since I’ve arrived in D.C., I’ve been practicing my Colombian accent at restaurants and other places. When a Spanish speaking server asks if I’m from Colombia, I know I’m doing something right.”
“Aguardiente” (translates as “Firewater”) is composed of several layers of reality. He explains: “First it’s us creating the show, the work, and all of those pressures and limitations that the industry places on Latino centered projects; and then there’s the fantasy layer.”
A talented tenor, his lengthy bio includes Mexico City (“Wicked,” “Rent”), Off Broadway (“Kowalski”) and North American national tours (“On Your Feet!”).
He says his “Aguardiente” solo specifically feels like ‘80s Latin rock. Also, he enjoys a fun medley number where they’re playing around with “Tropipop” (Colombian pop), classic Broadway sounds, and there’s even a Beatles moment.
In this show, we meet two determined friends, one is holding an American passport because he’s Puerto Rican, while the other, a Colombian, struggles to secure a visa.
“It’s not a stretch for me to relate to that. I’m here on a working visa, so I know all about the stress and costs that comes with that,” says Treviño.
“So much reflects their own story. That includes the setbacks and obstacles faced when trying to build something from very little, and writing about themes that aren’t considered mainstream to white American audiences.”
At just eight years old, Treviño saw “A Chorus Line” at Mont Tecnológico de Monterrey, the same college that he’d later attend. He remembers, “Seated in the second row, the young actors were rock stars to me. When I asked my father who loved the arts if one day I could perform onstage, he said yes, instantly his son’s new dream.”
Looking forward, is there a role he yearns to play? Treviño ponders the trite query with some seriousness before answering “I think it’s yet to be written.”
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Diverse cast tackles ‘Aguardiente’ at GALA Hispanic Theatre
