Arts & Entertainment

The Hayes gays

Plenty of queer energy among this year’s regional theater nominees

Published

14 years ago

February 28, 2012

theatreWashington's Victor Shargai, center, at the Helen Hayes Award nominations Monday night. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

A large showing of local theater folk and their supporters gathered Monday night to hear theatreWashington announce nominees for the 28th annual Helen Hayes Awards. Named for first the lady of the American theater, the prestigious awards are given to reward excellence in professional theater in the greater Washington area. Many gay theater professionals were among those nominated.

Standing shoulder to shoulder in the National Theatre’s chandeliered Helen Hayes Gallery (a native Washingtonian, Hayes saw her first play as a child in the landmark theater), the cheery crowd was welcomed by Victor Shargai, chairman of the board at theatreWashington (the newly named and improved group that sponsors the awards). Shargai, who is gay, first praised the vibrant local theater community and then quickly moved on to name Faction of Fools Theatre Company (Commedia dell’ Arte-focused) as recipient of The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. The late Aniello was an avid Washington theatergoer as well as Shargai’s longtime partner.

Next, theaterWashington’s hardworking president and CEO Linda Levy revealed the nominees (more than 150 in 26 categories). The lion’s share of the nominations went to the movement-based Synetic Theater’s wordless adaptation of Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” Resident musical productions that fared well included Signature’s “Hairspray,” and Signature Theatre 2ndStage’s “Pop!”(a tuneful tale of the Andy Warhol’s shooting). The most nominated resident plays were Woolly Mammoth’s “A Bright New Boise” by young gay playwright Sam Hunter, Studio’s “The Habit of Art” and Arena Stage’s “Ruined.” And the most nominated non-resident productions went to the Kennedy Center’s socially conscious dance fest “Billy Elliot” and the highly deserving “Uncle Vanya” featuring movie star Cate Blanchett.

Gay nominees included directors Serge Seiden and Eric Schaeffer for Adventure Theatre’s charming “Charlotte’s Web” and Signature’s fun “Hairspray,” respectively. Gay actors Philip Fletcher and Chris Dinolfo received nods for their supporting roles in Synetic’s “King Lear.” Outstanding lead actor nominations went to Michael Russotto (“A Bright New Boise”) and Tom Story who was nominated for his terrific take on Warhol in “Pop!” Talented gay musical directors Jon Kalbfleisch and Jay Crowder were nominated for “Hairspray” and Ford’s “Liberty Smith,” respectively. Michael J. Bobbitt received a choreography nomination for “Mirandy and Brother Wind” at Adventure Theatre where his is also artistic director.

Winners will be announced at the Helen Hayes Ceremony at the Warner Theatre on April 23.

For a complete list of nominees go to theatreWashington.org

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PHOTOS: Frederick Pride Festival

LGBTQ celebration held at Carroll Creek Park

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8 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Michael Key

A scene from the 2026 Frederick Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 13th annual Frederick Pride Festival was held at Carroll Creek Park in Frederick, Md. on Saturday, June 27.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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PHOTOS: Fredericksburg Pride March and Festival

LGBTQ celebration held in historic Virginia town

Published

1 day ago

June 29, 2026

Michael Key

A scene from the 2026 Fredericksburg Pride March. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The sixth annual Fredericksburg Pride March was held in downtown Fredericksburg, Va. on Saturday, June 27. Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chair Deuntay Diggs led the march alongside Fredericksburg City Council Member Jannan W. Holmes. The Fredericksburg Pride Festival took place at Riverfront Park after the march. Bree Fram was the featured speaker.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Egypt

Iran, Egypt play in World Cup ‘Pride Match’

FIFA allowed Pride flags inside Seattle stadium

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2026

Michael K. Lavers

(Screen capture via KOMO News/YouTube)

Iran and Egypt on Friday faced off during the World Cup’s “Pride Match” in Seattle.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt.

Friday’s match coincided with Pride weekend in Seattle. The Egyptian Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran both objected to playing in the “Pride Match.”

Egypt and Iran tied 1-1.

FIFA, for its part, allowed Pride flags inside the stadium during the match.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” a FIFA spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”

Human Rights Watch welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Pride flags inside the stadium. Outright International, a global LGBTQ and intersex rights group, distributed Pride flags in Seattle on Friday, which was Pride Match Day.

“Visibility matters,” said Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin. “Pride is now being celebrated in more than 100 countries, including this weekend in Seattle. For many LGBTIQ people, seeing a Pride flag in public is a reminder that they are not alone, and that their rights and dignity are recognized.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this year told Die Weltwoche, a Swiss magazine, that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup.”

“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city,” said Infantino. “But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”

Peter Tatchell, a long-time LGBTQ activist from the U.K. who is director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, was among those who traveled to Seattle for Friday’s match. Tatchell accused FIFA of not vetting World Cup teams — specifically Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Algeria — over whether they would allow gay players.

“FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility in the stands while failing to protect LGBT+ players on the pitch,” said Tatchell.