Arts & Entertainment
Going Rogue
Mind-boggling array of multi-course meals available at N Street spot
Rogue 24 offers a bounty of unexpected culinary delights. (Photo courtesy Rogue 24)
Every once in a while every diner should spoil himself with a special meal and Rogue 24 (922 N Street NW) proves a great option for the adventurous diner who is looking for an extravagant night full of delicious bites.
Rogue 24 lets the diner sit back and enjoy everything the restaurant has to offer. You don’t even need to make those pesky decisions about what to eat or drink. Simply make a reservation, decide how many courses you want and leave the rest up to the staff.
They offer a couple options for diners. My husband Greg and I opted for the eight courses on the “Evolution Menu” but there were also 16- and 24-course options available. Chef RJ Cooper did inform me that the eight course Evolution Menu is “evolving” into a 16-course seating this fall but that they will also be offering a four-course Prix Fix Menu. The changes are based on feedback Cooper says.
We were seated and the hostess said she hoped we would enjoy our dining experience; the emphasis was clearly on “experience.” And what an experience it was. Rogue 24 is not for an immature palate or a closed mind. Sometimes the flavors on your plate are subtle, and sometimes they are bold, but each and every plate that makes its way out of the “kitchen in the round” — that is the centerpiece of this raw and open space — is rich and well thought out. Even if you have the most adventurous palate you may not like every plate, but that’s part of the journey. When speaking with Cooper he offered some advice for patrons dining at Rogue — “ Keep an open mind.”
Rogue 24 is like Cooper says, “completely out of the box.” We dined on a variety of dishes starting with snapper with red pepper that warmed the back of your throat, followed by a cool cucumber gazpacho, and then a pungent course of parmesan cheese with artichokes.
The pacific moonfish was rich and delectable with olives and a touch of citrus; an interesting plate of peaches in a mole sauce with heart of palm followed. I was then introduced to escargot, not a plate that I was terribly fond of but the potato foam that it was served with was exquisite.
My favorite savory dish of the evening was the braised and fried ox tail that was both chewy and crispy; a creative play on textures. Part of the joy of these courses was you didn’t know what would be arriving next; each course was a complete surprise. I asked Cooper which of these many courses was his favorite but he couldn’t answer, “Because that would be like having a favorite child,” which shows how much passion he has for his food.
The desserts began arriving, starting with the passion fruit with coconut meringue and white chocolate. This was followed by the sweet decadence of the triple chocolate mousse. The plate had white, dark and milk chocolate mousse and crumbles on it, and I scraped my plate clean. The final dish was a plate of homemade candies, chocolates and mini cookies.
Every plate throughout the meal was paired with a cocktail or wine and each beverage revealed nuances in each dish. When service was over we weren’t quite prepared to end the night, so Greg ordered a port that he insisted tasted like “liquid trail mix complete with M&Ms” and I had quite possibly the most dynamic drink ever in the form of a scotch (neat of course) from India called Amrut.
As we sat and savored our drinks we quietly reviewed the meal. The service was impeccable, well choreographed and thoughtful, and the plates consisted of bites we will be talking about for years to come whether we loved them or not. Every employee in the restaurant gives 100 percent of their attention to the patrons whether in the kitchen or on the floor. While no two experiences at Rogue 24 will be the same especially since the menu is constantly changing, it is a worthwhile adventure at least once. So, my recommendation is to save up some cash (it is an expensive meal), shed your inhibitions about food and experience all that Rogue 24 has to offer.
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
Theater
National tour of ‘Gatsby’ comes to National Theatre
Out actor Edward Staudenmayer talks playing the show’s gangster
‘The Great Gatsby’
May 12-24
The National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
$59-$196
Thenationaldc.com
Often dubbed “The Great American Novel” for its depiction of ambition and self-invention alongside the reversals of success, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” says it all in a fast read.
Set against the excesses and energy of the Roaring Twenties, “The Great Gatsby,” novel and now the same-titled hit Broadway musical with a jazz/pop original score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, tells the story of Nick Carraway and his friendship with Jay Gatsby, an enigmatic millionaire intent on reuniting with ex-lover, Daisy Buchanan.
It was during a four-month 2025 run in Seoul, South Korea, that out actor Edward Staudenmayer first played the show’s heavy, Meyer Wolfsheim, a gangster who helped Gatsby make his murkily acquired fortune. As Meyer, Staudenmayer opens the second act with, appropriately enough, “Shady.”
Now three months into a year-long North American tour, the show is poised to enjoy a brief run at Washington’s National Theatre (5/12-5/24).
While putting on his eyeliner prior to a recent Wednesday matinee at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre, the upstate New York-based actor shared about Gatsby and a life in theater.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Despite your good looks and terrific voice, you’re rarely the leading the man. How is that?
EDWARD STAUDENMAYER: I’m definitely a character man. I’ve been painting lines on my face to play old men since I was in high school. I was the youngest freshman in college playing old Uncle Sorin [in Chekhov’s “The Seagull”].
There have been many villains. Some darker than others. Meyer Wolfsheim is a very bad guy, but he doesn’t haunt me once I’m offstage. I play a lot of pickleball.
BLADE: Is it true that like so many of Fitzgerald’s characters, Wolfsheim is famously based on someone the writer encountered in life.
STAUDENMEYER: That’s true, Wolfsheim is pretty much a direct portrayal of real-life mobster and 1919 World Series fixer [Arnold Rothstein].
BLADE: When did the 1925 novel first surface on your radar?
STAUDENMAYER: Like many of us, I was assigned “The Great Gatsby” in high school. It was short, and filled with sex and illicit activities. I thought it was great. Definitely wasn’t a Judy Blume novel.
Interestingly, the book wasn’t originally a huge a success for Fitzgerald, but because it was about war and having the girl at home, they gave it to GIs leaving for WWII. After returning, a lot of those guys went on the GI Bill and became English teachers. They assigned the book to their students.
BLADE The idea that the book’s first-person narrator, Nick Carraway, is gay and enamored with Jay Gatsby is long discussed among readers and scholars. Does the musical touch on that?
STAUDENMAYER: Yes, there’s conjecture about Jay and Nick, and it’s implied in our show. It’s also implied about Jordan Baker, Jay’s fleeting romantic interest. Ultimately, she’s a confirmed bachelor, and a professional golfer who only wears pants.
Our performers are really good. Josh Grasso who plays Nick is fantastic. I’ve had to stop watching him in his last scene; it’s not good for Meyer Wolfsheim to take his curtain call crying. Our Gatsby, Jake David Smith, is good too. He’s gorgeous like Superman and sings like an angel.
BLADE: Do you ever imagine backstory for your characters whose sexuality is undefined?
STAUDENMAYER: I do, but not with Wolfsheim. I don’t see it. I’m trying to be as butch as possible with this ruthless killer.
BLADE: Have you had to do that in your career?
STAUDENMAYER: For a long time, I wore a mask to hide my gayness. I worked hard on being believable, that I was into the girl or that I was a tough guy.
It’s a different world now, and it’s so refreshing to be around the younger actors today; they’re remarkably open and comfortable.
BLADE: What was your coming of age like?
STAUDENMAYER: I played high school football in Palm Springs [he chuckles, alluding to the arid gay mecca], and I was pretty good too. But much to the chagrin of my parents and coaches, I quit the team to act in our senior year play. My super butch dad played semi-pro football and he was an ex-cop. I’m named after him. While I didn’t become my dad, I’ve played him often on stage. He was a true Gaston [the bumptious rival in “Beauty and the Beast”]. And like Gaston, he used antlers in all his interior decorating.
BLADE: Did he live to see your success in theater?
STAUDENMAYER: He did. Life was challenging growing up but the last 10 years of his life we couldn’t get off the phone with each other [his voice catches with emotion]. He accepted me entirely, and we became very close.
BLADE: Looking ahead, is there a part you’d especially like to play?
STAUDENMAYER: Like all baritones I’d love to play Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd.” I’ve come close but it hasn’t happened yet. There’s still time.
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