Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: April 27
Parties, support groups, concerts and more through May 3
Sunday is the last chance to see ‘Spirit and Engima’ featuring ceramic sculptures by Bill Mould including ‘Morning’ and ‘String theory’ featuring works by Elena Tchernomazova at Touchstone Gallery. (Photo courtesy Touchstone Gallery)
TODAY (Friday)
D.C. Women4Women presents “Tryst,” a monthly professional lesbian happy hour, tonight at Topaz Bar (1733 N St., N.W.) from 7 to 10 p.m. with exclusive food and drink specials from 7 to 9 p.m.
Positive Force D.C. presents Trophy Wife, War on Women, Fell Types and Fires in a benefit concert for D.C. Trans Coalition tonight at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church (1525 Newton St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. There is a $5 suggested donation. For more information, visit dctranscoalition.wordpress.com
Beat City, a queer lounge night, is tonight at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room (1725 Columbia Rd., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Town’s (2009 8th St., N.W.) Bear Happy Hour presents “Bearaoke” tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. on the first floor, with mistress of ceremonies Tre. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists play Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 9 p.m. with Mary Christ and The Tender Thrill. Tickets are $15 and available online atblackcatdc.com.
The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) presents “Come Fly Away,” Twyla Tharp’s Broadway musical featuring Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits. Tickets range from $69 to $125 and are available online at kennedy-center.org.
Tonight is LGBT Night at ArtSpring (7014B Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park) from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit artspringsilverspring.com.
Saturday, April 28
Girlyman with Edie Carey plays the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available online at birchmere.com.
Bill Cosby performs at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $54.50 to $79.50 and are available online kennedy-center.org.
The D.C. Center Women present an evening at CulinAerie (1131 14th St., N.W.) tonight 6:30 p.m. Attendees will make warm asparagus salad, seared salmon with black pepper crust and a chocolate tart with espresso anglaise. Tickets are $85 each and $10 from each ticket goes to the D.C. Center. For more information, visit thedccenter.org orculinaerie.com.
Tom From Prague brings “Tainted Love: An International ‘80s Dance Party” at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. There is a $5 cover.
The stars of collegedudes.com, AJ Monroe and Devin Adams, perform live tonight as well as sign autographs and pose for photos at Town, (2009 8th St., N.W.). DJ Drew G will be spinning. Cover is $8 before 11 and $12 afterward. All attendees must be 21 or older. Doors open at 10 p.m.
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) presents Hellmouth Happy Hour where every week an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” will be screened and drink specials will be offered. This week the episode is “Living Conditions.” Doors open at 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 29
Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik play the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 and available online at birchmere.com.
Classically trained musicians Black Violin play the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) today at 1:30 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $18 and available online at kennedy-center.org.
Today’s the last day to see Touchstone Gallery’s (901 New York Ave., N.W.) exhibits “Spirit and Enigma” featuring ceramic sculptures by Bill Mould and “String theory” featuring works by Elena Tchernomazova. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.
Monday, April 30
Nickelback plays Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) tonight with Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $75 to $89.50 and are available online atticketmaster.com. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
Whitman-Walker Health is having a series of Community Conversations this year and the next Conversation is “Improving Health of LGBT Elders” tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete list of the series conversations, visit whitman-walker.org.
Tuesday, May 1
The Chesapeake Squares, a gay square dancing group, is having a mainstream-through-advanced club night tonight at the Waxter Center (1000 Cathedral St.) in Baltimore from 8 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit chesapeakesquares.org.
Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at FUK!T’s packing location, Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct., N.W.
Wednesday, May 2
Riot Act Comedy Theater’s (801 E St., N.W.) monthly gay and gay-friendly comedy show “Gay-larious” returns tonight at 8 p.m. with Lori Sommer, Emma Willmann, Sampson McCormick and co-founders Chris Doucette and Zach Toczynski. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at riotactcomedy.com.
Professionals in the City and the D.C. Center are hosting a speed dating event for lesbian and bisexual women at Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight. Attendees will date for about an hour and then be able to mingle with everyone. After the event, matches can be made online. Tickets are $30. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Thursday, May 3
Log Cabin Republicans holds its monthly happy hour at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the roof deck featuring a new drink, The Pink Elephant.
Phase 1 of Dupont (1415 22nd St., N.W.) presents “Jock U” a men’s college night hosted by Secrets. Doors open at 9 p.m. No cover before 11 p.m. with college ID.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Madonna announces release date for new album
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Comings & Goings
Trump budget targets ‘gender extremism’
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
