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Baltimore arts briefs: March 9

‘Blackouts’ author on book tour, Hippo drag show and more

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Author Mark Brennan Rosenberg finishes his visit to the area on a 45-city book tour with a stop in Baltimore. (Photo courtesy Rosenberg)

‘Blackouts’ author plans regional book tour

Openly gay author Mark Brennan Rosenberg brings his 45-city book tour to Baltimore with a visit to The Book Escape (805 Light St.) on March 15 at 5 p.m.

Rosenberg’s tour is to promote his first book, “Blackouts and Breakdowns,” as well as his second book, “Eating My Feelings,” slated for release on April 19.

“Blackouts” includes 11 short stories exploring Rosenberg’s once excessive drinking and the struggles he faced when becoming sober. “Eating” includes 16 essays about his time in fat camp, high school and more.

Rosenberg will also have appearances University of Maryland Bookstore on March 12, Duplex 18 & U on March 13 and Towson University on March 14.

Hippo hosts glam drag show

Josie & the PussyCats presents “A Baltimore BLAST Show” on Friday at Club Hippo (1 West Eager St.).

The show will feature Jada, first alternate to Miss Gay Baltimore; Josie Foster, a promoter for Miss Gay Baltimore; Chi Chi Ray Colby, Miss Gay Maryland America; Sue Nami, former Miss Gay Maryland; and more.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased by calling 410-274-7118.

Doors open at 10 p.m.

Also at Club Hippo, DJ Jason Royce will be spinning on Saturday.

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Heading ‘Into the Woods’

Center Stage (700 N. Calvert St.) presents “Night Out: Into the Woods,” Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s retelling of Grimm classics directed by Mark Lamos on March 13 at 6:30 p.m.

“Into the Woods” follows familiar folktale figures such as Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood and more as they try to get home before dark. Danielle Ferland, who originated the role of Red on Broadway, returns to the production as the baker’s wife.

The Tuesday before opening night, “Night Out” is an evening of theater and cocktails designed for the LGBT community.

Tickets range from $10 to $45 and can be purchased online at centerstage.org. “Into the Woods” will run through April 15.

Mink Stole, others at the Patterson

Creative Alliance presents Erin Markey, the Degenerettes, Lexie Mountain and a guest appearance by Mink Stole on Friday at the Patterson (3134 Eastern Ave.) at 8 p.m.

Markey is a long-time member of the queer performance cabaret, the Charm City Kitty Club. She’ll be performing a variety of things, including excerpts from her newest solo musical project, “The Dardy Family Home Movies by Stephen Sondheim by Erin Markey.”

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for CA members.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit creativealliance.org.

 

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Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

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Rayceen Pendarvis was the emcee of Silver Pride 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 Silver Pride Resource Fair and Tea Dance was held at the Eaton Hotel on Wednesday, May 21.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Out & About

Queer film festival comes to D.C.

DC/DOX to showcase LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers

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DC/DOX film festival will take place in D.C. on June 12.

DC/DOX will host a film festival beginning on Thursday, June 12, at the Regal Gallery Place, Eaton Cinema, and the U.S. Navy Memorial Burke Theatre. 

This festival will premier LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers. Each screening will be followed by in-person Q&As with the filmmakers. 

For more details, visit dcdoxfest.com

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Movies

Gay director on revealing the authentic Pee-wee Herman

New HBO doc positions Reubens as ‘groundbreaking’ performance artist

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The HBO Original two-part documentary ‘PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF,’ directed by Matt Wolf), debuts Friday, May 23 (8 p.m.-11:20 p.m. ET/PT) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.)

In the new HBO two-part documentary, “Pee-wee as Himself,” director Matt Wolf gives viewers a never-before-seen look into the personal life of Paul Reubens, the comedic actor behind the much loved television persona, Pee-wee Herman. 

Filmed before Reubens passed away in 2023 from cancer, Wolf and his creative team created the riveting documentary, interspersing several interviews, more than 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of personal photos.

Determined to set the record straight about what really happened, Reubens discussed his diverse influences, growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Fla., and his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts. 

Ruebens joined the Groundlings improv group, where he created the charismatic Pee-wee Herman. He played the quirky character during the Saturday morning show, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” and in numerous movies, like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Big Top Pee-wee.” He also brought Pee-wee to Broadway, with “The Pee-wee Herman Show.”

To get an enigma such as Reubens to open up was no easy task for Wolf.

“I felt determined to get Paul to open up and to be his authentic self,” acknowledged Wolf at a recent press conference. “And I was being tested and I wanted to meet my match in a way so I didn’t feel frustrated or exhausted, I felt determined but I also, it was thrilling to go this deep. I’ve never been able, or I don’t know if I ever will, go this deep with another human being to interview them in an intimate way for over 40 hours.”

Wolf described the collaborative interview experience as a dream, “like we were in a bubble where time didn’t matter.” he also felt a deep connection to the material, having come of age watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to put words to it at the time, but I think it was my first encounter with art that I felt emotionally involved in,” noted Wolf.

“He continued: “I recognize that that show created a space for a certain kind of radical acceptance where creativity thrives. And as a gay filmmaker, I also recognize things like Pee-wee Herman marrying a bowl of fruit salad at a slumber party or dancing in high heels to the song, ‘Fever.’ That stuff spoke to me. So that was my connection to it.”

During the documentary, Reubens comes out as a gay man.

“Paul went into this process wanting to come out,” said Wolf. “That was a decision he had made. He was aware that I was a gay filmmaker and had made portraits of other gay artists. That was the work of mine he was attracted to, as I understood. And I wanted, as a younger person, to support him in that process, but he also was intensely sensitive that the film would overly emphasize that; or, focused entirely from the lens of sexuality when looking at his story.”

Their complicated dynamic had an aspect of “push and pull” between them. 

“I think that generational difference was both a source of connection and affinity and tension. And I do think that the level to which Paul discusses his relationships and intimacy and vulnerability and the poignant decision he made to go back into the closet. I do have to believe to some extent he shared that because of our connection.”   

Wolf hopes that the “Pee-wee as Himself” positions Reubens as one of the most “groundbreaking” performance artists of his generation who in a singular way broke through into mainstream pop culture.

“I know he transformed me. He transformed how I see the world and where I went as a creative person. And it’s so clear that I am not alone in that feeling. For me, it was fairly abstract. I couldn’t necessarily put words to it. I think people who grew up on Pee-wee or were big fans of Pee-wee, seeing the film, I hope, will help them tap into intangible and specific ways how transformative his work was for them. It really is a gift to revisit early seminal experiences you had and to see how they reverberate in you.” 

He added: “So, to me, this isn’t so much about saying Paul Reubens is a genius. I mean, that’s overly idealizing and I don’t like hero worship. It’s more about understanding why many of us have connected to his work and understanding where he lives within a legacy of performance art, television, and also, broader pop culture.”

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