Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: events through Nov. 8
Ba’Naka (Dustin Schaad), this year’s winner for the third consecutive year in the Blade’s annual Best of Gay D.C. contest, is shown getting ready for a performance at Town in this photo from Michael Lang. It’s part of his exhibit ‘Drag Illusion’ on display at Touchstone Gallery all month. (Photo by Michael Lang, courtesy of Touchstone Gallery)
TODAY (Friday)
The opening reception of The Drag Illusion is at 6 p.m. today at Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., NW). The exhibit features a photo essay about drag queens and the illusion they create. It will run through Nov. 25. For details, visit touchstonegallery.com.
Phase 1 (528 8th St. SE) has its weekly dance party with DJ Jay Von Teese tonight starting at 7:30 p.m. Cover is $10. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.
Happy hour at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) is from 11-midnight tonight. Vodka is free for that hour. Visit cobaltdc.com for more information.
The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) is having its happy hour this evening starting at 5 p.m. All drinks are half off until 7:30 p.m. After 11 p.m., admission is $5. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.
Saturday, Nov. 3
The D.C./Maryland/Virginia Gay-Straight Alliance & LGBTQA Youth Conference is in School Without Walls Senior High School (2130 G St NW) today from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. The conference is for Gay-Straight Alliance club members and advisors.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St NW) is holding its first Center Global Meeting at noon today. The meetings focus on international LGBT issues, including the difficulties facing binational LGBT couples and how to help LGBT asylum seekers in the area. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Reel Affirmations Film Festival is having a two-for-one ticket deal today for the films “Welcome to New York” and “Gayby.” Tickets are $10. The films will be shown at the Goethe Institut (812 7th St NW) at 9 p.m. For more information, visit reelaffirmations.org.
The first Saturday of every month is Rumba night at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.). The night starts at 10 p.m. and features special performances, themes and gogo dancers. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
Willam, Detox and Vicky Vox, the drag queens behind the Chick-fil-A inspired song “Chow Down,” perform at Town Danceboutique (2009 8th St NW) tonight at 10:30 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. For more information, visit towndc.com.
Sunday, Nov. 4
The Reel Affirmations Film Festival is showing two trans-themed films back-to-back today, “Trans” and “Mathi(eu),” at the Carnegie Institution for Science (1530 P St NW) at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit reelaffirmations.org.
In the spirit of Halloween, the Washington Ballet’s final performance of “Dracula” is at 1:30 p.m. today at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St NW). Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit kennedy-center.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.
Monday, Nov. 5
The first Monday of every month is volunteer night at the D.C. Center (1318 U St NW). Socialize and enjoy pizza and a raffle while helping the community from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Justin Bieber plays the Verizon Center (601 F St NW) at 7 p.m. tonight. For tickets and information, visit ticketmaster.com.
Martini Monday at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) includes no cover and $5 martinis, starting at 10 p.m. tonight. Visit cobaltdc.com for more details.
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Election Day features races for president, 33 senate seats and all House seats as well as several gubernatorial and state legislature races, making this an important election year. Additionally, four states, including Maryland, have same-sex marriage initiatives on the ballot. If approved, Maryland’s Question 6 would give gay and lesbian couples the right to marry there. Polls are open in D.C. and Maryland from 7 a.m.-8 p.m and in Virginia from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) is hosting its weekly Flashback night with music from the ‘70s, ‘80 and the early ‘90s, starting at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Wednesday, Nov. 7
Smart Ass at Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St NW) features two trivia games starting at 8 and 9 p.m. Teams compete for reduced tabs and other prizes. For details, visit smartassdc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) holds its weekly Wednesday Karaoke night tonight.No cover. The night begins at 10 p.m. The nightly special is $5 Absolute and flavored Smirnoff. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., SE) for social bridge. Newcomers are welcome. For more information, visit lambdabridge.com.
The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) is hosting drag bingo starring Jasmine from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. tonight. Admission is free. For more information, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Thursday, Nov. 8
Outserve Military Night at Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St NW) has drink specials from 8 p.m. until closing with a military ID. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
The Dupont Circle branch of EagleBank (1228 Connecticut Ave NW) is sponsoring a networking event for the Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Camber of Commerce (CAGLCC). The event is free for CAGLCC members and $25 for non-members. For information and to pre-register, visit caglcc.org
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) is hosting 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.
The “freak folk” group CocoRosie plays the 9:30 Club (815 V St NW) at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20. For tickets and information, visit ticketfly.com.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Demonstrators disrupt OMB director hearing over PEPFAR
HIV/AIDS group NMAC is ‘destabilized’ and in financial crisis: sources
Madonna announces release date for new album
Senegalese court issues first conviction under new anti-LGBTQ law
An effort to increase the number of psychiatrists of color
Trump budget targets ‘gender extremism’
Comings & Goings
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
