Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Feb. 17
Concerts, parties, exhibits and more through Feb. 23
Romantic Italian pop singe Patrizio Buanne, who’s been comparied to Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble, plays Wolf Trap next week. Tickets are $32 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
TODAY (Friday)
Green Lantern (1335 Green Court) hosts Mama’s Trailer Park Dance Party tonight upstairs from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and “Pop Goes the World: International Dance Party,” starting at 10 p.m. with DJs Aaron Riggins, Della Volla and AVM. Cover is $5 for the Pop. For more information, visit greenlanterndc.com.
A quartet of Wolf Trap Opera Company alumni will be joining pianist Kim Witman tonight for a musical multimedia showcase, “America’s National Parks: Through the Artist’s Lens,” featuring the photography of Terre Jones, tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna) at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
The NiteCamp Dancers will be at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $10 all night for those 18 to 20 years old, $5 before 11 p.m. for those 21 and older and $10 afterward.
Red Eye Gravy Theatre Company presents a same-sex version of “Romeo and Juliet,” a benefit for the Trevor Project at the Fridge (516 1/2 8th St., S.E.), tonight at 8 p.m. This production will feature the title roles as a lesbian couple and the show will be followed by a discussion. The show will run through Feb. 18. Tickets are $20. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thefridgedc.com.
Lesbian comedian Judy Gold plays the Riot Act Comedy Theater (801 E St., N.W.) tonight at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $25 and can be purchased online atriotactcomedy.com She will also perform twice on Saturday.
D.C. Women in Their Thirties meets tonight at 8 p.m. at Remington’s (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.). Women in their Thirties is a group for lesbian, bi, trans and queer women in their 30s looking to build community.
Saturday, Feb. 18
The Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) has two events going on backstage today. First up is the free event Hellmouth Happy Hour featuring an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and drinks specials at 7 p.m. This week’s episode is “Bad Girls.” Then DJ lil’e takes over the space for her ‘80s Alt-Pop Dance night, Right Round. Tickets are $7 and doors open at 9:30 p.m.
Spunk-E Productions presents “Ink” at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring music by DJ T-one and a “Show Your Tats” contest.
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) presents “SeXXhibition: Through the Eyes of Deaf Women II” tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. The night, a fundraiser for the deaf lesbian community and Deaf Abused Women Network, will feature steamy ASL stories, ABC stories and performances by Nasty Moment, Buttalicious, Valentino, Silus and more. There is a $10 cover.
Team D.C. presents “Casino Night” tonight from 8 p.m. to midnight at Buffalo Billards (1330 19th St., N.W.). The event will feature poker and blackjack with dealers from D.C. various LGBT sports teams. There is a $10 entry for chips to play and food and drink specials all night. For more information, visit teamdc.org.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington has its second show of the season tonight with “The Kids Are All Right” at the Lisner Auditorium (730 21st St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. The show will feature the chorus as well as author and activist Candace Gingrich-Jones and the performing arts troupe, Dreams of Hope. Tickets range from $20 to $50. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit gmcw.org.
Sunday, Feb. 19
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.
Town’s (2009 8th St., N.W.) “WTF” dance party returns with the Magic edition tonight at 10 p.m. The night will feature drag queens, go go boys, performance artists, DJs, food and more. Cover is $5 and all attendees must be 21 or older.
Nice Jewish Girls is a local community, now over 200-strong, of LBTQ Jewish women 21 and older, from secular to orthodox, who meet up for recreational, social, charitable and religious community events. If you’re 45ish or older, join us for a chill dinner at Marrakesh (Silver Spring/GA Ave location) at 6pm. For more info and to RSVP, visit http://www.nicejewishgirlsdc.com/events/owj or email: [email protected].
Monday, Feb. 20
Busboys & Poets presents author Doron Petersan discussing and signing her book,“Sticky Fingers’ Sweets: 100 Super-Secret Vegan Recipes,” tonight at its 14th and V location (2021 14th St., N.W.) at 6:30 p.m. This is a free event.
The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) presents the National President’s Day Choral Festival today at 2 p.m. featuring performances of Howard Hanson’s “Song of Democracy,” John Rutter’s “Gloria” and more. This is a free event. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
Tuesday, Feb. 21
Riot Act Comedy Theater (801 E St., N.W.) presents its weekly trivia night hosted by Ashley Linder and Lauren Zoltick tonight at 8 p.m. in the upstairs bar. There is also a bonus question worth three extra points online at riotactcomedy.com.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) is celebrating Mardi Gras with DJ Chris Cox tonight starting at 10 p.m. There will also be live performances by Jessica Spaulding and the Dance Camp. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 afterward. All attendees must be 21 or older.
Wednesday, Feb. 22
The Strathmore presents its artist in residence ellen cherry tonight at the Mansion (10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda) at 7:30 p.m. in the second of two performances. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online at strathmore.org.
Busboys & Poets presents Sparkle Open Mic Poetry, a queer-friendly reading series hosted by Regie Cabico and Danielle Evennou in the Cullen room of its 5th and K location (1025 5th St., N.W.) at 9 p.m. Wristbands are $4 and will be sold in the Global Exchange store beginning at 11 a.m.
The Ladies of Mova present “VanityGirl,” a weekly ladies night at Mova (2204 14th St., N.W.) with happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m. and various drink specials hosted by Nikisha.
Thursday, Feb. 23
Italian pop crooner Patrizio Buanne plays Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32 and can be purchased online at wolftrap.org.
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.
The Washington Ballet honoring choreographer Twyla Tharp is at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m., in a program showcasing her work spanning two decades. It will include performance of Tharp’s “Nine Sinatra Songs,” “Push Comes to Shove” and “Surfer at the Styx River.” Tickets range from $20 to $125 and can be purchased online atkennedy-center.org. The show will run through Feb. 26.
The 2026 Capital Pride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key, Robert Rapanut and Landon Shackelford)
Theater
‘Feeling Afraid’ explores life of a neurotic stand-up comic
Navigating sex, work, and possibly love in London
‘Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen’
Through July 12
Studio Theatre
1501 14th St., N.W.
$55-$102
Studiotheatre.org
Wordily yet rightly titled, solo show “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen” dives deeply into the world of a neurotic stand-up comic as he navigates sex, work, and possibly love in London.
Busy arranging hookups and dates on “The App,” the 36-year-old gay funnyman juggles a full dance card; still he’s never been in a romantic relationship. While he’s willing to give love a shot, he’s not pressed about it. As he says, he harbors no fear of dying alone.
Currently making its American premiere at Studio Theatre, this darkly humorous Edinburgh Fringe import features terrific out English actor Steven Webb as The Comedian who’s about to explore what it means to spend all his time with one man.
At Studio’s intimate Mead Theatre, Kat Heath’s minimal set says standard comedy club (fluorescent tube lighting, the mic with a long cord, a single stool backed by a rose-colored curtain), but gay playwright Marcelo Dos Santos has conjured something much more than a live comedy set.
Yes, The Comedian bounces onstage in his red Converse high tops, jeans, and pink shirt with a huge mouth emblazoned on the back, but he delivers more than jokes. At times hilariously self-deprecating, then dark, and occasionally a lesson on what makes standup work, this is a layered, well-acted piece.
With Webb (a keen caricaturist of types and voices) playing all the parts while conducting The Comedian’s hilariously frenetic interior monologue, “Feeling Afraid” takes us through a summer of love. It seems after six chaste dates with The American, our nervous hero has found Mr. Right. The American is earnest, smart, hesitant to initiate sex. He’s also well built with a beautiful smile. And strangely, he’s been medically advised not to laugh aloud.
The Comedian delights in the joys of new love: dates, first kisses, sex, and then suddenly spending all of his time with the adored. Visits to art galleries become fun. Eating home cooked meals followed by grim documentaries is a thing. The Comedian is beguiled as his own boyish figure fills out, but something isn’t right. He can’t entirely relax.
Along the way we meet the Aussie doctor, our protagonist’s longtime hookup; a young runner with some exceptional body parts; the random third in a failed threesome; grumpy working comics, male and female; and an ineffectual counselor.
Webb gives a lightning-fast performance that boggles the mind (in terms velocity and virtuosity). He can be impish, very impish. He’s nervous energy incarnate, flashing jazz hands, grimacing but handsome when still. He’s likeable, a necessity when delivering a hilariously rude joke just feet away from two stone-faced audience members. (Perhaps they were laughing on the inside? At any rate, they stayed through the end the show.)
Produced by the team behind Fringe hits “Fleabag” and “Baby Reindeer,” small stage works that were developed into major TV screen successes, “Feeling Afraid” is funny for sure, and it’s also highly confessional, sexually explicit, and raw.
Written by Dos Santos during COVID lockdown, the piece was a smash hit in the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe before finding further success in London. Its depiction of a youngish queer guy navigating the big city rings entirely true. Like so much Fringe stuff, the one-man show is delightfully lewd and standup inspired.
One little moan: the show closes cleverly but too abruptly with its star dashing offstage without sufficiently basking in the admiration and applause of his thoroughly chuffed audience.
They say third time’s a charm, and regarding “Feeling Afraid,” I’d agree. After two performance cancellations (first for laryngitis and the second involving faulty air conditioning on an especially muggy June evening), I made my third trek to Studio where I found both the actor and AC in very fine fettle. And truly, Webb’s work was more than worth the wait.
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