Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Oct. 12

Parties, exhibits, concerts and more through Oct. 18

Published

14 years ago

October 11, 2012

A firefly metal that is part of the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival this weekend in Gaithersburg. (Photo courtesy Sugarloaf)

TODAY (Friday)

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. This event is for people 21 and older. There is no cover charge. For details, visit towndc.com.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema (555 11th St., NW) presents “How to Survive a Plague” tonight at 7. Attendees can get free vouchers at brownpapertickets.com. When free vouchers run out or for more information, visit landmarktheatres.com.

Women in their Twenties meets tonight at 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., NW). The group is for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and other interested women in Washington. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) is having 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 $10. The dance floor opens at 11 p.m. with DJ Tim-Nice and DJ Cameron. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Special Agent Galactica plays at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight from 6-9. Her guests tonight are performers from the Hope Operas, which is running on Mondays this month in Arlington (see below). Admission is free. For more information, visit pinkhairedone.com.

Phase 1 (528 8^th St. SE) has its weekly dance party with DJ Jay Von Teese tonight starting at 7:30. Cover is $10. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival begins today and runs through Sunday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg). Today and Saturday, the fair is open from 10 a.m.-6 pm. On Sunday, the fair runs until 5 p.m. The festival includes fashion, fine art, jewelry, glass and pottery. For details, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.

The Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival continues tonight at 9:20 pm at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring). Tickets start at $11 and a festival pass can be purchased for $125-$150. For more information, visit thespookymovie.com.

Saturday, Oct. 13

The Team D.C. 2012 Champions Awards Reception takes place at the HRC Equality Forum Hall (1127 Connecticut Ave., NW) tonight from 6-8 pm. The annual event celebrates local leaders and supporters of LGBT sports. Awards included are the MVP Award, the Trailblazer Award and the Community Support Award. For more information, visit teamdc.org.

Whitman-Walker offers HIV Testing at D.C. Center (1318 U St. NW) today from 4-7:30 pm. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Town (2009 8^th St., N.W) hosts Djs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer as they bring their party “Mixtape” tonight at 10. The cover is $8 before 11 pm and $12 after. For details, visit towndc.com.

Sunday, Oct. 14

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers this morning for D.C. Central Kitchen (425 2^nd St. NW) at 9 a.m. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

Founder and owner of Busboys and Poets, Andy Shallal, holds a discussion about how to affect social change through entrepreneurship today from 10:25-11:15 a.m. at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (6301 River Road, Bethesda). This event is free and open to everyone. For details, visit rruuc.org.

“Being Home,” an art exhibit by Patricia Tice, is being shown at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (6301 River Road) today from 3-5 p.m. This event is free and open to everybody. For more information, visit rruuc.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) holds its weekly Martini Sundays and Homowood Karaoke tonight. Karaoke starts at 10 p.m. and there is no charge for admission. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Lambda Sci-fi hosts its monthly meeting for science fiction, fantasy and horror fans today at 1425 S St. NW. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. and the social begins at 2. Attendees should bring a snack or a non-alcoholic beverage. For more information, visit lambdascifi.org.

Monday, Oct. 15

The Hope Operas continue tonight at 8 p.m. at the Comedy Spot on the third floor of the Ballston Mall (4238 Wilson Blvd. Arlington) as a series of original musicals and cliffhangers that run each Monday night this month. Founder Chris Griffin is gay as are several of the performers. Audience members get to vote for their favorite serial and money raised from the performances will go to a local charity. Performances are by local theater professionals. Tickets are $13 per show or $50 for the month. Find the group on Facebook for details.

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.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its HIV+ Newly Diagnosed Support Group tonight at 7. It is a confidential support group for anyone recently diagnosed with HIV and the group welcomes all genders and sexual orientations. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Tuesday, Oct. 16

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) hosts its Safer Sex Kit-packing program tonight from 7-10:30. The packing program is looking for more volunteers to help produce the kits because they say they are barely keeping up with demand. Admission is free and volunteers can just show up. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) hosts 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, Oct. 17

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 at the Dignity Center (721 8^th St., SE). A partner is not needed. For more information, visit lambdabridge.com.

“Dirt,” by Bryony Lavery, opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Studio Theatre (1501 14^th, St. NW). The play chronicles people’s relationships and how they can make a mess of them. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit studiotheatre.org.

Thursday, Oct. 18

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its gay men over 50 support group this evening at 6:30 pm. The group is for gay men entering a new phase of life. Registration is required to attend. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) hosts 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.

Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV Testing this evening at Miriam’s Kitchen (2120 West Virginia Ave., NE) beginning at 4 p.m. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Photos

PHOTOS: Vitamin C at JR.’s

Live drag show follows ‘Drag Race All Stars’ viewing party

Published

3 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Landon Shackelford

Brooke N Hymen performs at JR.'s at the Vitamin C drag show on Friday. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

JR.’s Bar held a “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” watch party followed by a live drag show on Friday, July 17. The Vitamin C weekly drag show was hosted by Citrine with performers Brooke N Hyman and Rosie Beret.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

Photos

PHOTOS: Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival

LGBTQ celebration held at convention center

Published

6 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Daniel Truitt

A scene from the 2026 Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The 2026 Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival was held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 18.

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)

Books

Liza’s book a tale that’s better than most celebrity memoirs

‘Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!’ dishes on marriages, heartbreak

Published

7 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Grand Central)

‘Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! My Memoir’
By Liza Minnelli, as told to Michael Feinstein
c.2026, Grand Central
$36/ 421 pages

Twenty feet In front of you, and you can’t see a thing.

Even the closest faces are in shadow – lit, but not quite enough for you to see for sure what the people there are thinking. Still, you can hear them, their gasps, their laughter, and applause. Such is life, on-stage. Now read “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! My Memoir” by Liza Minnelli, as told to Michael Feinstein, and read about it beyond the spotlight.

Almost from the moment she was born, Liza Minnelli was famous.

It was inevitable: her mother was Judy Garland. Her father was director Vincente Minnelli. Her godparents were Hollywood glitterati, her neighbors were famous, her playmates would be famous someday, too.

But her life wasn’t all starlight and happiness.

She made her stage debut as a toddler. She became her “mother’s caretaker” at age 13.

At 16, she had a growing career of her own – one that her mother tried to stop. But, she says, “In her own way, Mama was wonderful to me. Try understanding – she was my mother, not a movie star…. I knew her as the person who loved me and always would.”

At 19, Minnelli was working, happy, and madly in love with the man who’d become her first husband, and life was wonderful – until she came home one day to find him in their bed with another man. Before they were divorced, she lost her beloved mother, and became “engaged” to two other men simultaneously, neither of which made it to the altar with her.

She married her second husband, the son of one of her mother’s former co-stars, in 1974 but her love affairs and addictions led to a second divorce.

Her third husband was a stage manager.

She doesn’t have much good to say about her fourth, and last, husband.

Overall, she says, “You gotta play the comedy for all it’s worth and leave ‘em laughing. Even when your heart is breaking.”

Are you expecting bluntness, sass, or attitude here? Good, because that’s what you get inside “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” It’s strong on honesty and don’t-give-a-flip. It’s wonderfully edited, so it moves fast. It’s eye-opening and funny and a pleasant surprise for a first, and only (so far), memoir.

Even better, author Liza Minnelli (with best friend, Michael Feinstein) is really quite candid and nicely gossipy, starting from the beginning. There are some Hollywood folks, in fact, who are feeling edgy because of what’s inside this book and the secrets spilled. Minnelli and Feinstein seemed to have fun telling her story, and they comfortably lure readers in.

That’s not to say that it’s all a cabaret. Minnelli tells about her addictions and recoveries, her marriages and why she wed two gay men, and the losses she endured, including miscarriages, deaths, and broken relationships. The bad balances well with the good for a tale that’s several notches above most celebrity memoirs. “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” is, in fact, a real joy to read, a genuine bright spot.

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