Arts & Entertainment
Airing dirty laundry
Well-crafted drama explores bubbling familial tension
‘Other Desert Cities’
Through May 26
Arena Stage
1101 6th Street, SE
$40-$85
202-488-3300
arenastage.org
Scott Drummond as Trip Wyeth in ‘Other Desert Cities’ at Arena Stage. (Photo by Scott Suchman, courtesy Arena)
In her 1991 tell all “The Way I See It,” presidential offspring Patti Davis rather scandalously opened up about her famous family.
Included in a litany of unsavory revelations was how growing up her mother Nancy Reagan frequently struck her. The slightest provocation, Patti wrote, resulted in a slap across the face — almost daily and sometimes with a hairbrush. It was her tightly wound mother’s way of maintaining control. At the time, Reagan reps denied all assertions.
With his latest play, “Other Desert Cities” (now playing at Arena Stage), gay playwright Jon Robin Baitz takes us into that spooky world of California’s Republican elite where appearances and loyalty trump all. Meet his characters Lyman and Polly Wyeth. Part of Ronald Reagan’s inner circle, they gave up show biz (he acted and she wrote screenplays with her sister Silda) for the political arena. Lyman was made an ambassador. Years later, removed from power, they live surrounded by photos from their heady past and pass sunny days playing tennis, sneaking cigarettes, towing the Republican line and polishing the legacy of their friends and mentors, Ron and Nancy.
Baitz’s play takes place at Christmas time in 2004 at the Wyeth’s Palm Springs home. They’re joined by their two surviving children — Trip, a TV producer, and Brook, a blocked novelist living on the East coast who struggles with severe depression. Polly’s alcoholic sister Silda, a little shaky and fresh out of rehab, rounds out the party. What should be a warm reunion devolves into an unhappy holiday when Brooke drops a bombshell — she’s written a new book. It’s a memoir dealing with her older brother Henry’s involvement with a radical anti-Vietnam War group and subsequent suicide. It also explores the idea that her parents abandoned Henry when he needed them most. Whether Brooke is interested in presenting truths or settling scores emerges as the hot yuletide topic.
Not surprisingly, the elderly Republican couple despises unwashed peaceniks, but it’s those smug lefties who really get to Polly. When she learns that prior to its fall release, Brooke’s book will be excerpted in an impending issue of The New Yorker, Polly becomes doubly enraged. Revealing secrets to these readers is too much. Brooke’s transgression is unforgivable; and her parents, Polly promises, will never feel the same toward her again. Lyman simply asks that Brooke wait until he and Polly are dead before she publishes.
Absorbing, witty and zinger-filled (directed at the unfashionably dressed and neocons alike), Baitz’s script is supported by smart staging and good design. Director Kyle Donnelly maintains intimacy in Arena’s big Fichlander theater in-the-round space (but unfortunately some dialogue is garbled when actors inevitably must turn their backs to sections of the audience); and Kate Edmund’s set — the expansive living room of a mid-century, desert showplace complete with faux stone bar and sunken circular fireplace — establishes the older Wyeth’s way of life at a glance.
Baitz’s play is further bolstered by a strong four-person cast, especially Helen Carey as Polly. Last season at Arena, Carey played Mary Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” and now she’s back as another complicated matriarch of yet another dysfunctional family. Her Polly is a scary amalgam — charming, driven, competitive and fiercely loyal. Carey superbly captures the dynamism. As Brooke, Emily Donahoe conveys sensitivity and her own brand of grit. And despite the ramrod posture and sharply delivered wisecracks, Martha Hackett imbues embittered Silda with a lot of vulnerability. She’s no match for her sister and she knows it.
Openly gay New York actor Scott Drummond is excellent as Brooke’s caring younger brother Trip, a likable athletic preppy with a porn addiction. Too young to have known his late brother or remember the drama surrounding his death, Trip is the family’s peacemaker.
Larry Bryggman’s Lyman is all bonhomie and surface affability. A former movie actor best remembered for his death scenes in cowboy and gangster pictures, Lyman doesn’t want drama off-screen. But in the end, it’s Lyman who makes the play’s boldest move.
Eventually, Patti Davis and the former First Lady buried the hatchet despite Davis’ memoir. Hopefully all is truly forgiven, but at least the mother and daughter sensibly agreed that happy family makes a better look than intergenerational feuding. And does art imitate life entirely at Arena? You have through the end of May to find out.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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.”
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