Arts & Entertainment
Queery: John Moletress
The theater visionary answers 20 gay questions
John Moletress (Image courtesy the subject)
Local theater regulars know former actor John Moletress’s name. But like many creative types, he’s grown restless and is pursuing new artistic vistas. Last summer he started force/collision, an interdisciplinary performance ensemble based in Washington. It kicked off with a piece called “Collapsing Silence” at the Source Theatre. Next month his company will unveil “The Nautical Yards,” a 60-minute site-specific show at the Washington Navy Yard that will tell of two lovers separated by war and sea.
“I think it’s important that we create a large script between the arts and work more holistically,” the 34-year-old Pottsgrove, Pa., native says. “I’ve worked in traditional theater forms, been in lots of plays and musicals, but when we band together it opens up the door to explore different forums and takes us into the next generation of making art together.”
Moletress says some of the traditional forms feel somewhat exhausted to him.
“When you run out of a way to tell a story by speaking it, I think there are other ways to do it,” he says. “Like with dance … when you run out of words, there’s a certain collective memory our body has that we can share with movement. Our bodies become storehouses for our memories.”
Moletress studied acting in college, both in Allentown, Pa., and during graduate school at the University of Tennessee. He spent two years in London in the ‘90s studying acting and modern dance and worked in regional theaters around New York City where he lived in the early ‘00s. He came to Washington in 2008 after two years working as an artistic director at a company in Pennsylvania. In 2009, he started Factory 449, a Helen Hayes-winning project from which he’s since parted ways. Force/collision (force-collision.org) was started with a grant he got through Source Theatre.
Moletress lives in D.C.’s Navy Yard area and enjoys reading — “I have hundreds of books in my apartment” — and decoupage in his free time. (Photo courtesy Moletress)
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
Pretty much since high school. Before the Grindr phenomena, we had AOL chat rooms. It was a fun little platform for meeting other high school guys who were for the most part, not out. I can’ t say I really made the choice to come out, so much as outed myself with a crumpled up page ripped from an International Male catalogue I left in my pants pocket. My mother was doing laundry that day. I don’t think she was really surprised, given that my early obsessions included Cheryl Tiegs workout videos and musical theater.
Who’s your LGBT hero?
Christopher Isherwood.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Does my couch count? Honestly, wherever my friends are. I adore them.
Describe your dream wedding.
No, thank you. Although if I ever found myself wearing a white dress, I’d most likely be standing on a cliff somewhere on the Galway coast of Ireland, contemplating two choices.
What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?
Genocide and reconciliation. My friend, Erik Ehn, is a playwright who founded an annual conference to investigate theatre on this subject. He writes about collective trauma. I’ll be directing the premiere of his new play “Shape” which infuses the stories of blacks in 1900 Ambrose Park with the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.
What historical outcome would you change?
This is a challenging question. I believe we are where and who we are because of our histories. I would negotiate peace and dialogue before violence.
What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?
Manic Panic hair dye and Siouxsie Sioux on high school Sundays with like-minded outcasts.
On what do you insist?
Pausing and breathing. Oh, and Diet Pepsi.
What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?
@soulographiedesignmeetings at The New Schoolpic.twitter.com
If your life were a book, what would the title be?
I’d have to look to Jackie Collins for inspiration. Perhaps, “The World Is Full of Married Men” or “Lady Boss.”
If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?
Either run screaming or mount Tom Brady.
What do you believe in beyond the physical world?
Connectivity. Universal law. Energy and frequency. Love.
What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?
Persevere. Trust your instincts. If one door closes, open another.
What would you walk across hot coals for?
My friends. To have seen Velvet Underground perform live.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
I’m sure I pretty much fit all of them at one point or another. However, I wish we could all be more open to the possibilities of gender duality. Regardless of whether people think I swing more toward my feminine or my masculine side, nothing turns me off more than men who state they are “straight acting” when they like to play leap frog with other men.
What’ s your favorite LGBT movie?
“Mommie Dearest.” The gay man’ s guide to opera acting and OCD.
What’s the most overrated social custom?
Utensils.
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
Bjork’s Polar Music Prize. I wish I could be as brilliant as her.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
That I was going to live past 25. I certainly didn’t behave that way.
Why Washington?
I’m attracted to the sizzle of American politics. The Hill staffers are cute, too. I dated one for a while. Moreover, this IS a theater town and the resources here for my profession are overwhelming. Source Theatre/Cultural Development Corporation has played an integral part in getting my work seen. I owe a lot to them, especially Jenny McConnell Frederick.
Movies
‘Thelma and Louise’ remains landmark of unspoken queer rebellion
Celebrating iconic film 35 years after its release
Hard as it is to believe for those who were around when it happened, “Thelma and Louise” celebrates the 35th anniversary of its release this year.
Deeply popular with both critics and audiences at the time, its reputation continues to ride high; it’s a movie that manages to exist within a nexus of intersecting genres – the “buddy picture”, the “crime thriller,” the “action adventure,” the” “western,” the “neo-noir” – by blending them seamlessly into a crowd-pleasing wild ride of a story, all while delivering a powerful feminist message of outrage, defiance, and empowerment.
And no, “Thelma and Louise” is not a “queer movie” – but it feels like one.
That’s partly because It exists within another genre, too: “lesbian noir,” which blossomed in its wake with films like “Bound” (1996) and has re-emerged in recent films like “Love Lies Bleeding” (2024) and “Honey, Don’t” (2025) – but that also stretches back across decades into the days of old Hollywood, when coded queer characters were a regular fixture in the seedy film noir classics of their time, never overtly identified as such but obvious to spot for anyone savvy enough to read the subtext. That’s why “Thelma and Louise” resonated (and continues to resonate) with lesbian and bisexual audiences who see themselves reflected in its two lead characters, even if there is nothing queer about their relationship — on the surface at least.
Of course, that can be a sore subject; subtext might seem like a “cop-out” for those who long for more open representation for LGBTQ people on the screen – but it’s everything when it comes to recognizing the queerness of older movies (and a lot of newer ones, too), and just because something is not explicitly stated, that doesn’t mean it’s being hidden. After all, most good stories rely on the transcendent power of nuance, which always relies on subtext to shine through. And if any movie relies upon subtext, “Thelma and Louise” is certainly one of them. In its masterfully crafted narrative of a weekend “girl’s trip” that goes horribly wrong, a lot of the most important information is left unspoken.
Take Thelma (Geena Davis), to start with: a naive young housewife whose husband Darryl (Christopher McDonald) treats her like a possession, she blithely ignores his mediocrity and disregards – or at least, pretends to – his repressive tactics to control her, choosing instead to live in a tenuous illusion of “traditional” marriage dynamics; yet when her bestie Louise (Susan Sarandon) offers her a chance to escape for a weekend, she jumps at it – even if she has to skip the part where she asks his permission.
Louise (Susan Sarandon), a bit older and a lot more worldly, is a waitress who spends her days fending off the insults and advances of her male customers at the diner where she works; she sees Thelma’s situation clearly, and hopes that a temporary respite from Darryl will help her recognize the dead-end reality of her marriage. We understand this immediately, even though a direct word is never said about it, and she’s right, of course. They’ve barely even gotten on the road before Thelma’s longing for attention from someone other than her inadequate husband – a honky-tonk Lothario (Timothy Carhart) she meets in a roadhouse where they stop for drinks on the way out of town – leads to an attempted rape that is only prevented when Louise shoots the predator dead in the parking lot.
That killing is the catalyst that turns them into fugitives; as Louise rightly understands, there’s no evidence of sexual assault, just a dead body and a pair of runaway women, and the letter of the law is not on their side. But in truth, that fatal shot is fired not to save Thelma, who has already been freed from her would-be rapist’s clutches when it happens, but because Louise has traumatic memories – and a chip on her shoulder – over something that “happened in Texas,” years before. We never find out what it was that happened, and we don’t need to; our imaginations tell us all we need to know, just as we know that the killing, while it may have been cold-blooded murder, is a justifiable homicide all the same.
There’s more of that subtextual nuance throughout, from the perversely inspiring motivations of hitchhiking hustler J.D. (Brad Pitt, in the sex-on-a-stick performance that launched him on his trajectory to stardom), who takes advantage of Thelma’s gullibility to rob the heroines even as he teaches her the tactics that will soon launch them on their fateful ride-or-die fugitive adventure; to the self-serving “chivalry” of Louise’s erstwhile boyfriend (Michael Madsen) as he casts himself as the “martyr” in letting her go. And yes, even to the benignly sublimated patriarchal programming that drives police investigator Hal Slocumb (Harvey Keitel in an uncharacteristically empathetic role) to act as the would-be savior of these two “fallen” women, though they want no part of his well-meaning attempts to “rescue” them from the consequences of their choices. And when the two fugitives terrorize a piggish trucker (Marco St. John) before blowing up his big-rig tanker, nobody says – or needs to say – why it feels to them like the right thing to do; it simply IS the right thing, and we, as the audience, know it. What we have seen up to that point has placed us firmly on Thelma and Louise’s side already, and we’re as ready to watch the puerile patriarchy burn as they are.
None of this is spoken aloud, nor is it even alluded to, but it comes through, nonetheless. Chalk it up, if you like, to the power of cinema, especially in the hands of a versatile, stylish, and seasoned director like Ridley Scott, to communicate what is inherently beyond the power of words.
Thelma and Louise may not be “a couple,” but we can’t help but notice as their clothing evolves from frilly-femme to “butch” utilitarianism along the way, or how their connection to the men in their lives easily dissolves without fanfare. And by the time we reach the movie’s thrilling denouement, when all they have left is their commitment to simply stand up against all the things that have kept them feeling incomplete, unfulfilled, and unacceptable, it’s an achingly familiar feeling for any queer viewer who has experienced the same.
We all know what happens, so it’s no spoiler to say that, when they drive off into oblivion in the Grand Canyon, they choose freedom over life itself – and when they head over that cliff, fully embracing their fate as a feminist iteration of the Bonnie and Clyde brand of “noble” outlaws, they seal their fate with a kiss.
At that point, no explanation is needed. Their love for each other transcends anything they’ve felt with the inadequate men in their lives; and in that final freeze-frame moment, when they drive off the cliff and sail into oblivion, we like to think that their car – like Danny Zuko’s at the end of “Grease” – simply flies away into the bliss of an endless summer, and you can’t get any queerer than that.
Out & About
LGBTQ Military Happy Hour set for Sept. 15
In-person gathering to be held at Tom’s Watch Bar
Modern Military Association of America will host “Pride in Service: An LGBTQ+ Military Happy Hour” on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m. at Tom’s Watch Bar.
This in-person gathering is the perfect chance to connect, share stories, and celebrate the diversity within the military community. Come relax, meet fellow LGBTQ+ service members and allies, and enjoy a fun, supportive atmosphere. Don’t miss out on an evening full of pride, camaraderie, and good vibes. Visit Eventbrite for more details.
Friday, September 11
Go Gay DC will host “Out in DC LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena.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.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.
Saturday, September 12
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 LGBTQ+ Community Center will host screenings of “Princess Sparkles” and “Kiloran Bay” at 1:30 p.m. “Kiloran Bay” is a 13-minute musical short set amid the wild beauty of the Scottish Hebrides and the fierce joy of a wedding cèilidh. “Princess Sparkles” is about a girl who accidentally signs up to pet-sit a princess only to discover she’s actually a nippy, Fox News-watching pig. More details are available on the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s website.
Sunday, September 13
“Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. Come get served like a queen by a queen. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of amazing drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets are $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, September 14
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10:00a.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]).
Tuesday, September 15
Center Bi Pan+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, September 16
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.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host “Movement for Healing” at 3 p.m. This trauma- and yoga therapy–informed class is designed to help guests gently reconnect with their body and their breath. Through mindful movement, somatic awareness, and grounding practices, guests will explore how to release tension, increase mobility, and cultivate a deeper sense of safety and ease within. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, September 17
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm 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 LGBTQ+ Community Center’s website.
‘Thelma and Louise’ remains landmark of unspoken queer rebellion
Comings & Goings
LGBTQ Military Happy Hour set for Sept. 15
Calendar: September 11-17
Multi-billion-dollar 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to continue until 2090
Md. groups receive state grants to fight hate crimes
Nominate your favorites for the Blade’s 25th annual Best Of LGBTQ DC Awards
PHOTOS: SUNFESTIVAL
Gloria Steinem’s life of substance and consequence
