Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: July 13

Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through July 19

Published

13 years ago

July 12, 2012

TODAY (Friday)

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bearaoke, a masculine karaoke event, tonight for guests 21 and over. Bear happy hour starts at 6 p.m. and karaoke is from 7-10. Tickets are free. For more details, visit towndc.com.

‘The Wizard of Oz’ will be screened with live accompaniment at Wolf Trap on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Wolf Trap)

Phase 1 (525 8^th St., S.E.) hosts a dance party with DJ Jay Von Teese tonight for guests 21 and over from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts Lady Lenore’s “A-List Party” with DJ Redd Foxx tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Admission is $10. For details, visit remingtonswdc.com.

“Stopgap,” a play by Danielle Mohlman that confronts heteronormativity in definitions of family, premiers tonight as part of the Capital Fringe Festival at 8:45 p.m. at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church (900 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.). For more information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit capitalfringe.org.

Rockwell’s Universal SeXbots (R.U.X.) is a play written by Maurice Martin and directed by Sun King Davis that premiers tonight at 8:15 p.m. at the Warehouse Theater (645 New York Ave., N.W.) as part of the Capital Fringe Festival. The play is about a businessman who strives to build the ultimate sex robot. Tickets can be purchased online at capitalfringe.org.

Saturday, July 14

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Mixtape dance party tonight. Voted “DC’s Best Gay Dance Party” by Washingtonian Magazine, Mixtape features electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and other dance music. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the drag show starts at 10:30. Tickets are $8 from 10-11 and $12 after 11, and $3 drinks are served till 11. For details, visit towndc.com.

Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts a “Pop Rocks” party with DJ LS tonight for guests 21 and over from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Best Coast, a surf-rock inspired indie music duo, play tonight at the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.). Doors open at 8 p.m. For more details, visit 930.com.

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts Rumba, a Latin music night with special performances and go-go dancers, this evening at 10 p.m. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts “Moon/Bounce Dancing Affair,” a high-energy dance party with hip-hop, ‘90s pop and house music, at 9:30 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $7 and are available at the door. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.

“The Wizard of Oz” screens tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) at 8:30 p.m. The National Symphony Orchestra will play the full score of the film live. Tickets range from $20-52. For more details, visit wolftrap.org.

Sunday, July 15

Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts “The ‘70s Party” tonight. Performances start at 8 p.m. and tickets are $6 before then. For more information, visit remingtonswdc.com.

Monday, July 16

La-Ti-Do DC, a musical theater and spoken word performance produced by Regie Cabico and DonMike Mendoza, is tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8-10 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes one house drink. For more details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Busboys and Poets (4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, V.A.) has a poetry open mic night hosted by Rebecca Dupas this evening from 8-10 p.m. Wristbands for admission can be purchased online at midnight prior to the event from busboysandpoets.com.

Tuesday, July 17

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts “Flashback,” a retro dance party, tonight with DJ Jason Royce from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Dance jams from the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s play all night. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.

Wilco, a beloved alternative rock group, play tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, V.A.) at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $35-45. For details, visit wolftrap.org.

Whitman-Walker Health offers HIV testing at Miriam’s Kitchen (2120 West Virginia Ave., N.E.) from 4-6 p.m. today. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., N.W.) hosts a support group for women on coming out tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. The group is open to women regardless of age or experience in the coming out process. Registration is required. Contact [email protected] if interested and visit whitman-walker.org for more details.

Wednesday, July 18

The Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) hosts speed dating for gay women in their 30s and 40s tonight from 7-9 p.m. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Ethan Foote, a folk-rock musician, performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Busboys and Poets (4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, Va.) hosts an organic happy hour today from 4-7 p.m. The event features $5 glasses of organic wine, $8 eco-cocktails and $2 off select beers. For details, visit busboysandpoets.com.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., N.W.) hosts an HIV+ newly diagnosed support group tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. Registration is required, and the group is open to all genders and sexual orientations. Contact [email protected] if interested and visit whitman-walker.org for more information.

Thursday, July 19

Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. for guests 21 and over. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Cobalt (1638 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly best package contest at midnight tonight with DJ MadScience and DJ Sean Morris. Admission is $3 and limited to guests 21 and over. $2 rail drinks will be served from 9-11 p.m. Visit cobaltdc.com for details.

“The Normal Heart,” a Tony Award-winning play about HIV/AIDS within the gay community directed by George C. Wolfe, shows tonight at Arena Stage (1101 6^th St., S.W.) from 8-11 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at arenastage.org.

Jon Sandler, an alternative rock musician, performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8-11 p.m. Admission is $7. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.

Arena Stage (1101 6^th St., S.W.) features “The Music Man” dinner cruise tonight. Tickets include one seat aboard the Odyssey Cruise Line, an all-inclusive three-course meal and a seat at “The Music Man” show immediately following the cruise. Tickets are $147 for regular theater seating and $178 for premium theater seating. Call 202-488-4380 to book tickets and visit arenastage.org for more details.

Photos

PHOTOS: Silver Pride

Rayceen Pendarvis serves as emcee

Published

4 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Michael Key

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)

Out & About

Queer film festival comes to D.C.

DC/DOX to showcase LGBTQ documentaries made by LGBTQ filmmakers

Published

4 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

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

Movies

Gay director on revealing the authentic Pee-wee Herman

New HBO doc positions Reubens as ‘groundbreaking’ performance artist

Published

5 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Susan Hornik

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.”