Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: events through Jan. 3

Concerts, exhibits, community gatherings and more for the week ahead

Published

14 years ago

December 27, 2012

TODAY (Friday, Dec. 28)

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts hosts “Meet Up With Art” this evening at 6 p.m. at the Best Café (200 N Blvd., Richmond). It’s a meet and greet to engage with newcomers to Richmond or the art scene. There are free tours, networking, cuisines from the café and half price drinks. For more information, visit vmfa.museum.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts “Dr. Who Happy Hour” tonight at 7. There will be one episode of Dr. Who and drink specials. Admission is free. For details, visit blackcatdc.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.

Town (2009 8^th 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.

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.

Saturday, Dec. 29

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts, “Hellmouth Happy Hour” where attendees watch one episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with drink specials. Cover is free and doors open at 7 p.m. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.

Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) hosts DJ Corey Craig and singer Adam Joseph tonight at 10 p.m. Both coming out of the clubs of New York, Craig’s work includes ’09 NYC Pier Dance and Joseph’s anthem “Faggoty Attention” raised him to fame in the clubs in 2007. Cover is $8 before 11 and $12 after. There are $3 drinks before 11. For details, visit towndc.com.

Sunday, Dec. 30

For those who unfortunately have to work on New Year’s Eve, the Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts the “Pre-Amateur Hour Happy Hour” tonight at 8. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.

Monday, Dec. 31

Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) holds its New Year’s Eve celebration tonight at 9 p.m. The Ladies of Town Drag Show begins at 10 p.m. and there is a main stage performance by the Dance Camp. Music is by DJ Escape. If attendees buy tickets in advance they will not have to wait in a long line. Tickets are $20 in advance and admission is $25 at the door. For more information, visit towndc.com.

Phase 1 (528 8^th St. SE) hosts its “Solid Gold: Women’s New Year’s Eve Party” tonight at 7 p.m. Hats, noise makers and other accoutrements will be provided. There will be a balloon drop and everyone receives complimentary champagne split. Music will be by DJ Jay Von Tease. Admission is $10. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., NW) sends 2012 out with a bang with pianist and vocalist Freddy Cole and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band for “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” tonight at 7 p.m. After the performance there will be festive dancing, a countdown and a ball drop in the grand foyer that will be included with the ticket. Tickets are $90. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

Tuesday, Jan. 1

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.

Wednesday, Jan. 2

Foundry Gallery (1314 18^th St., NW) presents “Earth Flowing Plane” by Edward Bear Miller opening at the gallery today at noon. The exhibition includes new oil paintings influenced by the D.C. landscape including Rock Creek Park and the Potomac River. This exhibition is free. For more information, visit foundrygallery.org.

Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay-literature group, discusses “God and Monsters” by Christopher Bram tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Tenleytown Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave., NW). Everyone is welcome. For more information, visit bookmendc.blogspot.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.

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets this evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8^th St., SE) for social bridge. A partner is not needed and everyone is welcome. For more information, visit lambdabridge.com.

Thursday, Jan. 3

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in conjunction with the Richmond Jazz Society hosts Jazz Café this evening at 6 p.m. at the Best Café (200 N Blvd., Richmond). The night will be filled with eclectic mix of jazz ensembles. Light food and drink will be available. Admission is free. For more information, visit vmfa.museum.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its gay men over 50 support group this evening at 6:30 p.m. 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) 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.

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Reggie White relishing first season as artistic director of Woolly Mammoth

First five shows a reminder that ‘pressure is a privilege’

Published

9 hours ago

August 2, 2026

Patrick Folliard

Reggie D. White (Photo by Ambe J. Williams)

Madly talented and preternaturally energetic, Reggie D. White, 38, is about to launch his first season as artistic director of D.C.’s boundary-pushing Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

White brings a lot to the job. As actor, playwright, and director, his varied resume includes a 2019 Broadway acting debut in Matthew López’s Tony Award–winning play “The Inheritance,” his semi-autobiographic play “Fremont Ave.” that opened to acclaim last season at Arena Stage, and a number of exciting regional directing credits.

A longtime admirer of Woolly, the out theater-maker was selected from a pool of candidates before receiving the offer last November and starting work in January. His season of five world premieres kicks off with gay playwright Steve Yockey’s “Venus” (Sept. 9-Oct. 4), a darkly funny study of modern relationships told through two lesbians looking back on their first encounter.

White was introduced to Woolly Mammoth as a pre-law student at Cal State Hayward in the San Francisco Bay Area, long before he foresaw a life in the arts. “As part of a random theater history course, I was assigned to write a paper on a counterculture company called Woolly Mammoth,” he recalls “Strange name. I was like what the hell is that?”

Nineteen-year-old White was intrigued. Research acquainted him with Howard Shalwitz who co-founded Woolly in 1980, and the company’s commitment to living playwrights and new work. He also learned how theater could be used as a tool for difficult conversations and shape the way people thought about social issues by employing imagination and rigor.

“Never in a million years did young me envision that one day I’d be Woolly’s third artistic director in its 46-year history,” says White. “It’s kind of serendipitously insane.”

WASHINGTON BLADE: Was there a moment when the enormity of the job hit you?

REGGIE D. WHITE: After I’d signed my contract and finished all the paperwork, I got my keys and sat in the theater by myself in the dark and thought about what an incredible honor it is to be trusted with what happens in this beautiful space [in D.C.’s Penn Quarter]. I might have cried. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remember it’s real.

BLADE: Are you curating the upcoming 2026–2027 season?

WHITE: Yes, I am. It’s very rare that an incoming artistic director gets to program their first season, but I was lucky in terms of time. After being hired late last year, I asked Woolly’s managing director Kimberly E. Douglas, if she thought it would be crazy if I programmed the season. She warned me it would be hard.

I invoked tennis legend Billie Jean King’s maxim “pressure is a privilege” and got to work.

These plays [dubbed White’s “first five”] represent both the kind of theater that Woolly can do really well and speak directly to my voice as curator and how I want to contribute to the larger theatrical conversation in the DMV.

Getting here has meant a lot of late nights. But I knew the juice would be worth the squeeze.

BLADE: As a queer artistic director, what makes you unique?

WHITE: When I was playing in “Inheritance” on Broadway, after a performance, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayer came backstage to meet the cast. She spoke about how her lens on the world as a Puerto Rican woman shapes her decisions. Similarly, because I’m a queer Black man I see through a lens that shapes my work.

I know I’m not the only queer artistic director in town. For me, it influences how I make editorial decisions. Out of this season’s five plays there are explicitly queer characters in four [“Venus,” “Chanukkah Spectacular,” “Ten Grand,” and “Love I Awethu Further”] and I’m directing two [“Venus,” “Ten Grand”].

BLADE: Will we see familiar faces?

WHITE: Every show this season will feature a Woolly Mammoth company member in its cast. Our company also includes designers and directors who we’ll include. I’m invested in continuing to provide a showcase for their work.

BLADE: How do you think queer audiences will receive the season?

WHITE: Very well, I think. For queer people who’ve had to navigate the world subversively and solve problems in unique ways, I think it will be especially interesting. I find theater a potent place for questions.

Like all artistic directors. I’ll show up for the job in my own way. I’m just excited that I’ve been invited to bring the fullness of myself to the role.

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Annual LGBTQ celebration held in Dutch city during World Pride

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August 1, 2026

Michael Key and Michael K. Lavers

A scene from the 2026 Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key are on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10.

AMSTERDAM — The 2026 Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade was held on Saturday, Aug. 1.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Michael K. Lavers)

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PHOTOS: Lambda Legal in the Pines

Fundraiser held at ‘Normal Heart’ house

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Guest photographer

A scene from the 'Lambda Legal in the Pines' fundraiser on July 25. (Photo by Santiago Felipe)

The LGBTQ organization Lambda Legal held its annual “Lambda Legal in the Pines” fundraiser on Saturday, July 25. The event was held at a house on Fire Island featured in Ryan Murphy’s 2014 HBO film, “The Normal Heart.”

Organizers say over $500,000 was raised to support Lambda Legal’s national litigation and advocacy work.

(Photos by Santiago Felipe)