Arts & Entertainment
Calendar through April 18
A thought provoking play about Prop 8, film festivals, parties and more all week


Gay-themed movie ‘The Parade,’ screens at Filmfest D.C. on Friday. The movie follows a gay rights organizer as he links up with a prejudiced former soldier that he hires for security (Photo courtesy of Global Film Initiative).
Friday, April 12
Equality UUCF presents a one-night only staged reading of “8,” a play about California’s Proposition 8, tonight at 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (2709 Hunter Mill Rd., Oakton, Va.). Written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who is responsible for “Milk” and “J. Edgar,” chronicles the landmark trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The play pulls on actual court transcripts and first-hand interviews. Tickets are $10. Visit uucf.org for more information.
A trailer for the star-studded Hollywood reading of 8:
Special Agent Galactica returns with her happy hour show at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., NW) with LaTiDo alum pianist Zack Ford, Heather Nadolny, Christopher Harris, Alan Gendreau and Elizabeth Hallacy this evening at 6 p.m. Music includes pieces by Pat Benatar, Judy Garland, Stevie Nicks, Nancy Sinatra and Ray Stevens. Admission is free. For more information, visit pinkhairedone.com.
Filmfest D.C. continues tonight with the screening of the “The Parade” at the Avalon Theatre (5612 Connecticut Ave., NW) at 9:15 p.m. The film follows a gay-rights march organizer and the prejudiced former soldier that he hires to provide security for one the events. The film recently won the Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Tickets for this individual screening is $12. Attendees of the festival can buy individual tickets at each location’s box office, or they can purchase the Director’s Package, which is 10 tickets for $95, or the Weekday Package, which is four tickets for $39. For show times, locations and more information about the films, visit filmfestdc.org.
A trailer for The Parade:
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival returns to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut St., Gathersburg) today at 10 a.m. The festival features artists from around the country with their most recent works. It also offers seasonal and gourmet foods, including candies, chocolates, soups, artisan breads, jams, dips, syrups and olive oils. The celebration lasts until Sunday evening. Admission is $8 online and $10 at the door, and is good for all three days of the festival. For more information, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.
POZ hosts its invasion meet and greet at the Green Lantern (1335 Green Court NW) tonight at 7 p.m. POZ is an event for men who are HIV positive and for those who without hang ups on dating someone with HIV. There will be drink specials all night. Visit greenlanterndc.com or visit the POZ’s Facebook event for more information.
Phase 1 (1415 22nd St., NW) hosts the opening party for Fuego, featuring DJ Flowers from “RuPaul Drag Race” tonight at 9 p.m. Cover is $15. For details, visit phase1dupont.com.
Saturday, April 13
The Junior League of Northern Virginia hosts its eighth annual Strides for Success 5K Race and 1K Family Fun Run/Walk today at 8:30 a.m. at the Fairfax Corner Shopping Center (11950 Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax, Va.). The proceeds will benefit the organization’s mission to fight obesity in kids and promote healthy eating habits. The run is $30 for adults and $20 for children under age 10. The walk is $15 per person. Visit jlnv.org for details.
Town (2009 8th St., NW) hosts the eclectic dance party “Mixtape” with DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer tonight at 10:30 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. For details, visit towndc.com.
Burgundy Crescent volunteers this morning at Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., NE) at 8 a.m. Volunteers will help with food preparation and packing groceries. The shifts are limited to 10 per shift. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Sunday, April 14
Drag Salute to the Divas presents a drag performance of “The Color Purple Twisted,” a lip-synched play at the Howard Theatre (620 T Street, NW) at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6. The show is described as an “inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a women who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity.” Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Visit thehowardtheatre.com for details.
The Arlington Philharmonic presents a free performance at the Washington-Lee Auditorium (1301 N. Stafford St.) this afternoon at 3 p.m. The performance will feature the “Overture to Iphigeneia” in Aulis by Wagner, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat Major and the Brahms Symphony No.3 in F Major. For more information, visit arlingtonphilharmonic.org.
Lambda Sci-Fi meets today at 1:30 p.m. at 1425 S St., NW for its monthly social meeting. Attendees are asked to bring snacks or drinks. For more information, visit lambdascifi.org.
Monday, April 15
The D.C. Chapter of the National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association and the Human Rights Campaign host a post-argument discussion about the two gay marriage cases recently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court tonight at 8 p.m. at the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Forum (1640 Rhode Island Ave., NW). Veteran attorneys with years of Supreme Court experience Walter Dellinger and Paul M. Smith will offer their insights while Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post and MSNBC will moderate.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., NW) holds coffee drop-in for the senior LGBT community today from 10 a.m.-noon. The Center will provide complimentary coffee and a community to chat with. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Bears do Yoga takes place this evening 6:30 p.m. as part of a series at the Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, NW). This is part of a basic yoga series that takes place every Monday and is open to people of varying body types and experience. There is no charge. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Tuesday, April 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.
Wednesday, April 17
Bookmen D.C., a men’s gay-literature group, meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. to discuss “The Lost Library: Gay Fiction Rediscovered” at the American Foreign Service Association (2101 E St., NW). All are welcome. For more information, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight for social bridge at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., SE). No partner is needed. Visit lambdabridge.com, for more information.
Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14th 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. Registration is required and attendees must call 202-797-3580 or email [email protected]. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.
Thursday, April 18
Whitman-Walker Health presents the annual Partner for Life to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin at its annual spring event “Be the Care” this evening at 6:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Ave., NW). The event marks the organization’s 20th year and raises fund for the large range of health care services provided. Tickets are $150. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.
Movies
‘Things Like This’ embraces formula and plus-size visibility
Enjoyable queer romcom challenges conventions of the genre

There’s a strange feeling of irony about a spring movie season stacked with queer romcoms – a genre that has felt conspicuously absent on the big screen since the disappointing reception met by the much-hyped “Bros” in 2022 – at a time when pushback against LGBTQ visibility is stronger than it’s been for 40 years.
Sure, part of the reason is the extended timeline required for filmmaking, which tells us, logically, that the numerous queer love stories hitting theaters this year – including the latest, the Manhattan-set indie “Things Like This,” which opened in limited theaters last weekend – began production long before the rapid cultural shift that has taken place in America since a certain convicted fraudster’s return to the White House.
That does not, however, make them any less welcome; on the contrary, they’re a refreshing assertion of queer existence that serves to counter-balance the hateful, politicized rhetoric that continues to bombard our community every day. In fact, the word “refreshing” is an apt description of “Things Like This,” which not only celebrates the validity – and joy – of queer love but does so in a story that disregards “Hollywood” convention in favor of a more authentic form of inclusion than we’re ever likely to see in a mainstream film
Written, starring, and directed by Max Talisman and set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, it’s the story of two gay men named Zack – Zack #1 (Talisman) is a plus-sized hopeful fantasy author with a plus-sized personality and a promising-but-unpublished first novel, and Zack #2 (Joey Pollari) an aspiring talent agent dead-ended as an assistant to his exploitative “queen-bee” boss (Cara Buono) – who meet at an event and are immediately attracted to each other. Though Zack #2 is resigned to his unsatisfying relationship with longtime partner Eric (Taylor Trensch), he impulsively agrees to a date the following night, beginning an on-again/off-again entanglement that causes both Zacks to re-examine the trajectories of their respective lives – and a lot of other heavy baggage – even as their tentative and unlikely romance feels more and more like the workings of fate.
Like most romcoms, it relies heavily on familiar tropes – adjusted for queerness, of course – and tends to balance its witty banter and starry-eyed sentiment with heart-tugging setbacks and crossed-wire conflicts, just to raise the stakes. The Zacks’ attempts at getting together are a series of “meet-cutes” that could almost be described as fractal, yet each of them seems to go painfully awry – mostly due to the very insecurities and self-doubts which make them perfect for each other. The main obstacle to their couplehood, however, doesn’t spring from these mishaps; it’s their own struggles with self-worth that stand in the way, somehow making theirs more of a quintessentially queer love story than the fact that both of them are men.
All that introspection – relatable as it may be – can be a downer without active energy to stir things up, but fortunately for “Things Like This,” there are the inevitable BFFs and extended circle of friends and family that can help to get the fun back on track. Each Zack has his own support team backing him up, from a feisty “work wife” (Jackie Cruz, “Orange is the New Black”) to a straight best friend (Charlie Tahan, “Ozark”) to a wise and loving grandma (veteran scene-stealer Barbara Barrie, “Breaking Away” and countless vintage TV shows) – that fuels the story throughout, providing the necessary catalysts to prod its two neurotic protagonists into taking action when they can’t quite get there themselves.
To be sure, Talisman’s movie – his feature film debut as a writer and director – doesn’t escape the usual pitfalls of the romcom genre. There’s an overall sense of “wish fulfillment fantasy” that makes some of its biggest moments seem a bit too good to be true, and there are probably two or three complications too many as it approaches its presumed happy ending; in addition, while it helps to drive the inner conflict for Zack #2’s character arc, throwing a homophobic and unsupportive dad (Eric Roberts) into the mix feels a bit tired, though it’s hard to deny that such family relationships continue to create dysfunction for queer people no matter how many times they’re called out in the movies – which means that it’s still necessary, regrettably, to include them in our stories.
And in truth, “calling out” toxic tropes – the ones that reflect society’s negative assumptions and perpetuate them through imitation – is part of Talisman’s agenda in “Things Like This,” which devotes its very first scene to shutting down any objections from “fat shamers” who might decry the movie’s “opposites attract” scenario as unbelievable. Indeed, he has revealed in interviews that he developed the movie for himself because of the scarcity of meaningful roles for plus-sized actors, and his desire to erase such conventional prejudices extends in every direction within his big-hearted final product.
Even so, there’s no chip-on-the-shoulder attitude to sour the movie’s spirit; what helps us get over its sometimes excessive flourishes of idealized positivity is that it’s genuinely funny. The dialogue is loaded with zingers that keep the mood light, and even the tensest scenes are laced with humor, none of which feels forced. For this, kudos go to Talisman’s screenplay, of course, but also to the acting – including his own. He’s eminently likable onscreen, with wisecracks that land every time and an underlying good cheer that makes his appeal even more visible; crucially, his chemistry with Pollari – who also manages to maintain a lightness of being at his core no matter how far his Zack descends into uncertainty – isn’t just convincing; it’s enviable.
Cruz is the movie’s “ace in the hole” MVP as Zack #2’s under-appreciated but fiercely loyal bestie, and Buono’s hilariously icy turn as his “boss from hell” makes for some of the film’s most memorable scenes. Likewise, Tahan, along with Margaret Berkowitz and Danny Chavarriaga, flesh out Zack #1’s friend group with a real sense of camaraderie that should be recognizable to anyone who’s ever been part of an eclectic crew of misfits. Trensch’s comedic “ickiness” as Zack #2’s soon-to-be-ex makes his scenes a standout; and besides bigger-name “ringers” Roberts and Barrie (whose single scene is the emotional climax of the movie), there’s also a spotlight-grabbing turn by Diane Salinger (iconic as Francophile dreamer Simone in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”) as the owner of a queer bar where the Zacks go on one of their dates.
With all that enthusiasm and a momentum driven by a sense of DIY empowerment, it’s hard to be anything but appreciative of “Things Like This,” no matter how much some of us might cringe at its more unbelievable romcom devices. After all, it’s as much a “feel-good” movie as it is a love story, and the fact that we actually do feel good when the final credits role is more than enough to earn it our hearty recommendation.

Friday, May 23
“Center Aging Monthly Luncheon and Yoga” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. For more details, email [email protected].
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity and/or expression. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, May 24
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Black Lesbian Mixer will be at 11 a.m. on Zoom. This is a support group dedicated to the joys of being a Black lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].
Sunday, May 25
“The Queen’s Table: A Women’s Empowerment Brunch” will be at 11 a.m. at Zooz. This event will celebrate queer women’s strength. For more details visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 26
“Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 27
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know you’re not 100 percent cis — this is your group. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This support group is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Wednesday, May 28
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, May 29
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fairer with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
Photos
PHOTOS: Helen Hayes Awards
Gay Men’s Chorus, local drag artists have featured performance at ceremony

The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.
A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.
The annual awards ceremony honors achievement in D.C.-area theater productions and is produced by Theatre Washington.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

























