Arts & Entertainment
Theater with a ‘Twist’
Puppets and drag queens come to life on region’s spring stages

Drag artist Joey Arias in ‘Arias with a Twist,’ coming to Washington in April. (Photo by Steven Menedez)
Spring is more than daffodils and cherry blossoms in D.C. It’s also time for exciting and eclectic theater, much of which holds special interest for LGBT audiences. Here’s a sampling of what’s in store.
At the Shakespeare Theatre Company, gay artistic director Michael Kahn is giving himself a 25th anniversary treat — he’s directing Eugene O’Neil’s “Strange Interlude” (March 27-April 29), something he’s longed to do for a years. The famously difficult play about love and deception focuses on Nina Leeds who after her fiancé is killed in World War I, spends the remainder of her life searching (unsuccessfully) for happiness. The cast includes Broadway vets Francesca Faridany and Robert Stanton, and reliably superb local favorites Tana Hicken and Ted van Griethuysen.
Also at the Shakespeare is “Petrushka” (March 16-25) by acclaimed gay puppeteer Basil Twist. Based on the classic ballet in which dancers portray puppets come to life, Twist’s version uses actual puppets animated by nine puppeteers employing Czech and Japanese techniques to dance this tragic tale of ill-fated love. His visual magic is set against the backdrop of a specially created two-piano version of Stravinsky’s original ballet score. (shakespeartheatre.org)
There’s a citywide Twist festival of sorts happening this spring. His underwater, puppet show “Symphonie Fantastique” (March 29-32) is coming to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, followed by the Japanese-inspired “Dogugaeshi” (4/12-22) at the Studio Theatre. (claricesmithcenter.umd.edu; studiotheatre.org) And at Woolly Mammoth, he joins creative forces and takes a fantastic voyage with famed New York drag artist Joey Arias in “Arias with a Twist” (April 4-May 6). (woollymammoth.net)
The national tour of the Tony-winning revival of “The Normal Heart” (June 8-July 29) kicks off at Arena Stage. Written by Larry Kramer, the 1985 work is largely an autobiographical problem play dealing with hot button AIDS-related issues at the height of the crisis. Extraordinarily, this is first-ever local professional production. The D.C. run also coincides with the International AIDS Conference to be held in Washington in late July. (arenastage.org)
At Signature Theatre, gay artistic director Eric Schaeffer stages the premier production of “Brother Russia” (March 6-April 15), the musical story of a ragtag Russian theatrical company led by notorious mad monk Rasputin. Gay director Joe Calarco directs the Washington premiere of Yasmina Reza’s award-winning play “God of Carnage” (April 10-June 24), about two couples who totally lose it when they meet to discuss a playground fight between their sons. And Signature’s season ends with associate artistic director Matthew Gardiner (also gay) production of “Xanadu” (June 8-July 29), a campy musical sendup of Olivia Newton-John’s 1980 roller disco movie. (signature-theatre.org)
No Rules Theatre Company presents “Suicide Incorporated” (May 30-June 23), a “tragicomic story about a business that helps its customers to perfect their suicide notes, and the new employee who might have other motivations.” The production’s cast features gay actors Dylan Jackson, Adam Downs. Company co-founder Joshua Morgan, who is gay, directs. (norulestheatre.org)
Factory 449 presents “The Damned Things” (May 11-June 3), a modern day horror story of a woman imprisoned in a coffin-sized freezer by Lisa Hodsoll, Hunter Styles and Rick Hammerly, the company’s gay artistic producing director. (factory449.com) Hammerly is also playing a founding father in Ford’s Theatre’s production of the Broadway musical “1776” (March 9-May 19). (fordstheatre.org)
Local gay director John Moletress’ intriguingly named new companyforce/collision is premiering a large-scale dance/theater performance on the historic Washington Navy Yard titled “The Nautical Yards” (April 26-29). The 60-minute site-specific show chronicles the story of two lovers separated by war and sea. Moletress, who is staging the performance, says the production includes cross-dressing and gender playfulness. The company, he adds, maintains a gender-blind attitude toward casting and boats several lgbt performers in its core ensemble. (force-collison.org)
At MetroStage in Alexandria, gay actor and playwright Jay Alvarez will perform “Be Careful! The Sharks Will Eat You!” (April 4-22). The story of his family’s harrowing escape from Casto’s Cuba, Alvarez’s one man show is a tribute to his father. Also at MetroStage: “Lonely Planet” (May 10-June 17) by Steven Dietz. Set in the ‘80s, this two-person play (both gay) addresses the AIDS crisis with a nod to the Romanian and French absurdist Ionesco. (metrostage.org)
L’Enfant Café & Bar in Adams Morgan continues its bimonthly “Speakeasy.” Every other Sunday, the gay-owned café transforms into a cabaret where (for both dinner and late shows) New York drag performers sing — not lip sync — their hearts out. On March 11, Joey Arias (above-mentioned cabaret and drag performer) and his band fresh from a recent Carnegie Hall date, performs with original Scissor Sisters drummer Paddy Boom. And again on March 25, Arias is back for two more shows but this time with Peppermint, a hot young New York drag artist with a great voice. For April dates and specifics refer to Speakeasy’s website. (lenfant.com). Reservations are required.
Jeffrey Johnson’s popular pink-haired persona Galactica has a new ongoing gig. It’s a recurring happy hour show from 6-9 every second and fourth Friday of the month starting on March 23 at the very welcoming, gay-owned-and-run Black Fox in Dupont Circle. Galactica will both sing and lip sync (pinkhairedone.com).
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
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.
Sunday, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.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 (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
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.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. 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, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale
Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions
A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.
The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.
He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”
“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.
“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”
It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”
“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.
Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.
News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets
In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.
The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.
The sales brochure can be accessed here.
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