Local
Controversial Ugandan play to be staged
First Ugandan play with openly gay character earned deportation for producer
Flag of Uganda (Image public domain)
In August 2012, one line from one play changed Ugandan history. The words “I’m gay” were uttered by the main character from “The River and the Mountain,” a play written by Beau Hopkins. In doing so, it became the first Ugandan play ever to have an openly gay character.
As a result, the producer of the play, David Cecil, was arrested for offending the Ministry of Ethics in Uganda. Cecil has since been released and the charges were dropped but he has been deported to his native U.K. as an “undesirable immigrant.”
Recently Keith Prosser, also British, was arrested for appearing in “The River and the Mountain” because the play exposed Uganda’s anti-gay policies. He is being held in a Kampala detention center.
Uganda is still trying to pass through its parliament an anti-homosexuality bill. This bill in its original form sought to punish those who were gay with the death penalty. One Member of Parliament has assured the public that the penalty has been decreased from death to life in prison, but the parliament has not made the revised bill available to the public to verify this. The measure has become informally known around the world as the “Kill the Gays” bill.
“The River and the Mountain” concerns a young man, Samson, who, in the process of exposing his corrupt boss, is suddenly elevated to a senior position in his firm. Emboldened by his new status (and slightly tipsy), Samson reveals to his best friend, Olu, that he is gay. From there the plot thickens, as Olu is preparing to become a pastor and is thus torn between keeping the hero’s secret safe or betraying him to further his own career. Meanwhile, Samson’s mother is determined to convert Samson to a heterosexual.
Though Samson’s sexuality is certainly important in this play, it is in fact merely one theme among many: corruption, justice, faith, friendship, family, betrayal and witchcraft.
University of Nebraska at Lincoln lecturer, Sarah Imes Borden, wants to shed light on this controversial piece of art while exposing the underlying social issues. Along with playwright Beau Hopkins, producer Dawn Marie Moe and fight director Ian Borden, Borden will be introducing this important work to audiences in the U.S. through a series of staged readings.
The readings, after a fundraising premiere in Lincoln, Neb., will be performed in several venues along the East Coast this March. They will feature a performance by one of the original Ugandan cast members and talkbacks held by Hopkins.
On March 21 at 8 p.m. the Spotlighters Theatre will host a reading. Admission is free; attendees encouraged to pay what they can. Donations at the event will be used to fund the project.
Borden, who used to live in Baltimore, played the role of Svetlanya in the Spotlighters production of “Chess” in 2004 giving this event a local connection. For more information, visit spotlighters.org.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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