Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: July 27

Parties, events and concerts through Aug. 2

Published

13 years ago

July 26, 2012

Erin Durkin

‘Calendar Setting’ by David Alfuth, a piece on display now at Touchstone Gallery. (Image courtesy Touchstone)

TODAY (Friday)

Khush DC, D.C.’s South Asian LGBT community group, presents “Queer India: Through a Play and Short Films” tonight at 7 at the SEIU Conference Center (1800 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.). The play is “Ek Madhavbaug” and two short films “Breaking Free” and “Night is Young.” Admission is free. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Whitman-Walker Health has HIV Testing at Town Danceboutique (2009 8^th St., N.W.) tonight from 8-midnight. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) has its happy hour tonight starting at 5 p.m. All drinks are half off until 7:30 p.m. After 9 p.m., admission is $15, and after 11 p.m. admission is $3. The party includes a pool, video gaming system and card tournaments. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Phase 1 (525 8^th St., SE) holds the benefit “Campocaro” in benefit for one of its regulars, Carolina Alcalde, who was injured in one of this month’s storms. Cover is $10 and there are $3 drink specials. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Special Agent Galactica continues her happy hour run at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave, NW) tonight at 6. Admission is free and features full food and drink menu. The music includes songs by Pat Benatar, Judy Garland, Stevie Nicks and Ray Stevens. For details, visit pinkhairedone.com.

Saturday, July 28

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for Food & Friends (219 Riggs Road, N.E.) at 8 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

Tonight is the last night to catch Beat on the Bard Theatre Company’s “Nevermind the Bollocks, Here’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Warehouse Theater(645 New York Ave., N.W.) at midnight. Tickets are $17. For more information, visit warehousetheater.com.

Town Danceboutique (2009 8^th St., N.W.) holds its “Dirty Pop” party with DJ Drew G tonight at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 and $12 after. Drinks are $3 before 11 pm. The drag show starts 10:30. For details, visit towndc.com.

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, NW) holds its “Tainted Love: ‘80s Dance Party” starting at 10 p.m. Cover is $5. For more information, visit greenlanterndc.com.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) presents “The Nighttime Adventure Society” tonight at 9. The musical group has been featured on NPR, Delta radio and in a commercial for Sally Hansen. Tickets are $10. For details, visit blackcatdc.com.

Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) opens at 5:30 this evening with a pool, video gaming systems and card tournaments. The dance floors open at 11 p.m. Admission is free until 9 p.m. and is $10 after. For more information, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Phase 1 (525 8^th St., SE) holds its party “Pop Rocks” with DJ LS tonight starting at 7. Cover is $10. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Sunday, July 29

Today is the last day to catch Touchstone Gallery’s (901 New York Ave., N.W.) two exhibits: “3D Collage the Adventure” by David Alfuth and “Being Affected” by Charles St. Charles. Alfuth’s artwork are surreal 3-D collages consisting of newspapers, cloth, pressed flowers and other flat objects. St. Charles’ exhibition portrays faces with various reactions to shared circumstances. The exhibit is free. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.

GLOE Youth & Family holds its third event in its LGBT Life Planning Series, which features experts to help navigate issues and laws LGBT people face at various stages of life, today at 2 at the Washington, D.C. JCC (1529 16^th St., N.W.). This event is focusing on family building, in which experts will discuss options for LGBT families interest in having children. This event is free but a $5 donation is suggested. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Monday, July 30

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its Martini Monday tonight at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge and martinis are $5. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) offers half price drinks all night long, a free pool and NFL, NBA and NCAA games will be on the flat screen TVs. Dance floor opens at 10. Admission is free. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Banana Café (500 8^th St., SE) has its open mic night from 7 p.m. to closing. Admission is free and there are $3 mojitos after 7:30 pm. For more information, visit bananacafedc.com.

Tuesday, July 31

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, NW) hosts the weekly Safer Sex Kit Packing Program tonight at 7-10:30 p.m. Currently, the program is producing 1,500 kits a week and organizers would like to double this output. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., N.W.) holds its Coming Out-Women support group tonight at 7 p.m. The group is free but registration is required. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) presents its Flashback dance night with DJ Jason Royce starting at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Wednesday, Aug. 1

Joseph’s House (1730 Lanier Place, NW), a community care for homeless men and women who are dying, hosts a free tour and breakfast this morning at 10:30 a.m. Attendees should RSVP by emailing [email protected] or by calling 202-328-9161. For more information, visit josephshouse.org.

Bookmen D.C., a men’s gay literature group, discusses Maureen F. McHugh’s science fiction novel “China Mountain Zhang” tonight at 7:30 at the Tenleytown Public Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.). It is a free event and all are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.

Thursday, Aug. 2

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for GLBT Arts Consortium and CHAW’s presentation of Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta “The Gondoliers” tonight at 6:30 p.m. Duties include box office, concessions and ushering. The performance is at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7^th St., S.E.). For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) presents its weekly Best Package Contest tonight at 9 p.m. There is a $3 cover and there are $2 vodka drinks. Participants in the contest can win $200 in cash prizes. The event is hosted by Lena Lett and music by DJ Chord, DJ Madscience, and DJ Sean Morris. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Theater

‘We Are Gathered’ a powerful contemplation of queer equality

Arena production dives fearlessly into many facets of same-sex connection

Published

4 days ago

May 31, 2025

Patrick Folliard

Nic Ashe (Free) and Kyle Beltran in ‘We Are Gathered.’ (Photo by T Charles Erickson Photography)

‘We Are Gathered’
Through June 15
Arena Stage
1101 Sixth St., S.W.
$70-$110
Arenastage.org

Aptly billed as a queer love story, Tarell Alvin McCraney’s terrific new play “We Are Gathered” (now at Arena Stage) dives deeply and fearlessly into the many facets of a same-sex connection and all that goes with it.

McCraney’s tale of two gay men’s romance unfolds entertainingly over two acts. Wallace Tre (Kyle Beltran), a tense architect, and his younger partner Free (Nic Ashe), a campy and fun-loving musician with a deep sense of quiet and peace are contemplating marriage after five years together, but one of the two isn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of imminent matrimony.

At 14, Wallace Tre (nicknamed Dubs) first learned about gay cruising via renowned British playwright Caryl Churchill’s seminal work “Cloud Nine.” It was an intoxicating introduction that led Dubs to an exciting world of sex and risk.

Soon after, a nearby park became a thrilling constant in his life. It remains a source of excitement, fun, danger, and fulfillment. The local cruising zone is also a constant in McCraney’s play.

One memorable evening, Dubs experienced a special night in the woods, a shadowy hour filled with exhilaration and surprise. That’s when Dubs unpredictably learned something he’d never felt before. That night in the park, he met and fell madly in love with Free.

In addition to being a talented playwright, McCraney is the Academy Award-winning Black and queer screenwriter of “Moonlight,” the 2016 film. He’s happy to be a part of WorldPride 2025, and grateful to Arena for making space for his play on its stage. McCraney says he wrote “We Are Gathered” as a contemplation of queer marriage and the right for same-sex couples, like opposite-sex couples, to marry anywhere in the United States.

For Dubs, it’s important that Free speak openly about how they met in the park. He’d like Free to share the details of their coming together with his supportive grandparents, Pop Pop (Craig Wallace) and Mama Jae (out actor Jade Jones). As far as they know, their grandson met Dubs at a lovely gathering with a nice crowd assembled under a swanky canopy. When in truth it was a park busy with horny guys cruising beneath a canopy of leafy verdure.

Understandably, Free is more than a tad embarrassed to reveal that he enjoyed al fresco sex with Dubs prior to knowing his boyfriend’s name. Clearly, in retrospect, both feel that their initial meeting is a source of discomfort, tinged with awkwardness.

There is a lot more to “We Are Gathered” than cruising. Dubs and Free are ardently liked by friends and family. Both are attractive and smart. Yet, they’re different. Free is quite easy going while Dubs is, at times, pricklier.

While Free is part of a happy family, Dubs’s people aren’t entirely easy. He grew up with a strung-out mother and a cold father (Kevin Mambo). Yet, his sister Punkin (Nikolle Salter), an astronaut, is very caring and close to him. While she doesn’t necessarily like “the gay stuff,” she very much wants to live in a world where there’s room for her gay brother.

Adeptly directed by Kent Gash, the production is memorable, and it’s not his first collaboration with McCraney. Ten years ago, Gash, who’s Black and queer, staged McCraney’s “Choir Boys” at Studio Theatre, another well-written and finely staged work.

“We Are Gathered” is performed in the round in Arena’s cavernous Fichandler Stage. The space is both a forest and various rooms created by designer Jason Sherwood and lighting designer Adam Honoré. It’s a world created by elevating a circular platform surrounded by charming street lamps both hanging overhead and lining the perimeter.

Ultimately, what takes place in “We Are Gathered” is a party, and something even more; it’s a paean to marriage, and a call to a sacrament.

Out & About

Justice-centered theater production comes to D.C.

Mexican Cultural Institute to host ‘La Golondrina’

Published

4 days ago

May 31, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

(Poster via Mexican Cultural Institute)

The Mexican Cultural Institute will host “La Golondrina” on Friday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at its location on 2829 16th St. NW.

“La Golondrina” is a theater production that aims to elevate the conversation around hate crimes and the urgent need for dialogue and healing. It is also a powerful and deeply moving story that brings to the stage the emotional legacy of the Pulse nightclub shooting. The play explores that tragedy through an intimate encounter between two characters, Amelia (Luz Nicolás) and Ramón (Victor), whose connection unveils grief, love, and the enduring shadow of homophobia.

Tickets for this event are available on the Cultural Institute’s website.

Out & About

Celebrate Pride with a thoughtful book club

Second edition of ‘Books and Wine’ held at Urban Grape DC

Published

4 days ago

May 31, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

(Photo by gOrlica/Bigstock)

Meet the World Image Solutions will host the second edition of “Books and Wine” on Thursday, June 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Urban Grape DC, a Black- and woman-owned winery in Washington, D.C.

The featured authors are: Beautiful Lawson, Chanele Ramos, and Pamela Coleman. All will read from works that reflect love, resilience, and queer identity across genres. For more details, visit Eventbrite.