Arts & Entertainment

‘Patriot’ missile

Kathleen Turner plays Molly Ivins in Arena season kick-off

Published

13 years ago

August 23, 2012

‘Red Hot Patriot’
Aug. 23-Oct. 28
Arena Stage
1101 Sixth Street, S.W.
Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle
$79-$109 at various performances

Kathleen Turner as Molly Ivins in the 2010 Philadelphia Theatre Company production of ‘Red Hot Patriot: the Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins.’ The show opened this week in Washington at Arena Stage where it plays through Oct. 28. (Photo by Mark Garvin via Arena)

It’s a very hot day in Missouri.

“Oh God, some of the hottest weather I’ve ever experienced,” says Kathleen Turner by phone from her mother’s house where she’s enjoying a mid-summer visit.

Mom’s doing “swell” and Turner is too, she says. The rheumatoid arthritis that’s plagued her off and on for years is under control and she feels great.

“I’m in remission and off the medication,” she says in her trademark throaty growl of a voice. “Which is lovely. The medication is life saving, but it’s nice not to have to take it every day, I do confess.”

They’ve been to the movies. Turner saw “The Intouchables” and “loved it.”

“I laughed out loud — I don’t often do that.”

This morning she filled the bird feeders and notices a hummingbird enjoying the flavored water she put out as we chat.

It’s the calm before a busy fall when we talked two weeks ago. This week she opened in Washington for a two-month-plus run of “Red Hot Patriot: the Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins,” a 75-minute, one-woman show Turner first read at Arena in 2009 before playing it in Philadelphia in 2010 and again in January and February at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. It’s Turner’s first appearance at Arena in more than 30 years. She last played at the storied company in a 1981 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the same year she catapulted to national stardom in the film “Body Heat.”

Turner says she enjoys returning to the material, a tribute of sorts to the late Texan liberal newspaper columnist of the title.

“Every time I’ve gone back to a piece, whether it’s ‘Virginia Woolf’ or ‘High’ or this, it’s gotten cleaner. Clearer. There’s less fuss over the emotionalism of building the character and the production. It gets toned down, just clearer, sharper. I love going back to a piece.”

Ivins, a syndicated political columnist who died at age 62 in 2007 of breast cancer, has added relevance this election year, Turner says. Twin sisters Margaret Engel and Allison Engel wrote the piece using Ivins’ writings, interviews and speeches and interviews with her friends and colleagues.

“I really want to have Molly in Washington just before the election,” Turner says. “We need Molly here and Arena said they’d take us.”

Director David Esbjornson — he’s straight but says he’s an “honorary” gay for having directed so much gay-themed theater like “Angels in America” and two pieces by Larry Kramer — agrees.

“I think [‘Patriot’] has more to say now than it did before,” he says. “I think people right now are really desperate to hear Molly’s voice and they will really love spending an evening listening to her words and thinking about what she had to say.”

Esbjornson, who also did the show in Austin, Texas, without Turner (Barbara Chisholm played Ivins there), says Ivins “fought for the common man, the person who doesn’t have all the advantages financially and otherwise.”

Turner, who met Ivins, says the role was an easy choice. “Our positions are very much the same,” she says.

“It’s kind of a personality piece, very intimate. It’s really me talking to the audience directly, there’s nobody else up there. So it creates a real storytelling exercise kind of like combining acting and public speaking. It’s a wonderful mix and it surely suits me. … And the response has just been incredible. I’d come off in L.A. and be like, ‘What just happened?’ I was flabbergasted.”

Turner says the character couldn’t be more different from another legendary figure she played about 10 years ago in another one-woman show — Tallulah Bankhead.

“Tallulah was a real broken woman, terribly flawed,” Turner says. “Molly was no saint, but she didn’t have any false ideals. Her commitment to country and her knowledge and political savvy were just extraordinary. Tallulah was so self involved.”

Turner indulges a few quick questions about her craft before we part.

Having met Ivins was helpful, but not necessary — “I’m an actor, I don’t imitate. This is my interpretation.”

Of her increasingly theater-heavy oeuvre, Turner is fine with it, except that it “pays so poorly, which is a damn shame.” She loves the “extraordinary magic” of it, though.

Learning lines is always a physical thing for her — she never does it sitting down. It starts with “roping together” thoughts and links in the script.

Esbjornson says the show shifts and surprises in a way that keeps it tight, despite the lean mechanics.

“You never let people settle in fully and feel they know where this is going,” he says.

Turner arrives for an 8 p.m. curtain about 6 and does vocal warm-ups. Vocal stamina over a run is not a problem, “unless you get sick, then that’s a whole other thing.”

After a performance, Turner is low-key. She’s usually back to her apartment cooking or watching TV. “You get tired of eating out all the time,” she says. “And I’m a very good cook.”

The legendary actress is especially insightful on her gay sensibility, which she doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge.

“I don’t take myself so seriously,” she says. “I have a ‘fuck you’ attitude and I think gay people like that.”

Up Next

Calendar: Aug. 24

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FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

Published

7 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.

Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month 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.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Monday, June 16

“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 details, email [email protected].

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook.

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 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.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website.

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.