Arts & Entertainment
Calendar through June 27
Events, parties, concerts and more for the end of Pride month


Local gay singer/songwriter Tom Goss is shooting a video for his song āBearsā on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Town (2009 8th Street NW). Everyone who doesnāt mind being filmed is invited to attend. (Photo by Michael Key; courtesy Tom Goss Music)
Friday, June 21
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. There is no cover charge and admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com.
Aaron Meyers and the Black Fox Lounge Jazz Ensemble perform tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. The event is a fundraiser to benefit the Lupus Foundation of America. Cover is $10. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
The Silver Spring Library (8901 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) hosts a Latino LGBT Pride exhibit presented by the Latino GLBT History Project today from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The exhibit chronicles 20 years of Latino LGBT activism and will run through June 30. Visit latinoglbthistory.org for more information.
The Savoy Suites Hotel (2505 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) hosts a Brazilian live music show tonight from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Local singer and lyricist Cissa Paz will perform tracks from her debut album. For more details, visit cissapaz.com.
Saturday, June 22
DJ Brett Henrichsen spins tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.). In his first five years, Henrichsen has become an international sensation who headlines major circuit events from Ibiza to Sao Paolo. Doors open at 10 p.m., with $3 drinks served until 11. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over, and is $8 from 10-11 and $12 after 11. For details, visit towndc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts āBearracuda,ā the highest attended bear dance party in the U.S., tonight from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. āBearracudaā is held in 37 countries worldwide, with regular parties in San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, and frequent events in Sydney and Amsterdam. Admission is $7 before 10 p.m. and $10 for the rest of the night. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
Phase 1 (525 8th St. S.E.) hosts a āStop Light Partyā tonight at 9 p.m. Guests will be given bracelets at the door, with red meaning they are ātaken,ā yellow meaning they are ādown for whateverā and green meaning they are āsingle.ā Admission is $5 and limited to guests 21 and over. Visit phase1dc.com for more details.
Thirty local artists will display their work at the Easels in Frederick Grand Exhibition today from 1-6 p.m. at the Talley Recreation Center (121 North Bentz St., Frederick, Md.). Each artistās work captures the beauty of Frederick Countyās charming towns and mountainous landscapes. Admission is free. For more information, visit easelsinfrederick.org.
Sunday, June 23
The Bachelorās Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 9 p.m.-midnight. Cover is $3, and there will also be pool, video gaming systems and cards. For more information, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Perryās (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95 for an all-you-can-eat buffet. For details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
Special Agent Galactica performs tonight at Freddieās Beach Bar (555 23 St., Arlington, V.A.) at 7 p.m. Cover is $5. For more information, visit pinkhairedone.com.
Monday, June 24
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly āMondayās a Total Drag [Show]ā party tonight from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. An episode of RuPaulās Drag Race screens at 9, and then a live drag show will be featured. Admission is 18+ and free. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Tuesday, June 25
Paoloās Restaurant (1303 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) hosts an opening reception with local artists Leslie Nolan and Linda Bankerd for their exhibit, āBravissimo,ā from 6-8 p.m. tonight. Both artists have innovative, abstract styles that heavily use bold colors. For more information, visit leslienolan.com.
The Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts its weekly FUK!T Packing Party tonight from 7-9 p.m. For more details, visit thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.
D.C. Eagle (639 New York Ave., N.W.) hosts ā$2 Tuesdayā tonight from 4 p.m.-midnight this evening for the leather community. All domestic beer and rail drinks are $2. For details, visit dceagle.com.
Wednesday, June 26
Heist (1802 Jefferson Pl., N.W.) hosts its weekly open bar party tonight from 10-11 p.m. There is no cover charge and admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit heistdc.com or the Heist DC Facebook page.
The Bachelorās Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) hosts drag bingo during happy hour tonight from 5-7:30 p.m. All drinks are half price, and there will also be pool, video gaming systems and cards. Admission is free. For details, visit bachelorsmill.com.
The Connecting Rainbows Initiative provides an āLGBTQA Youth in Care Summitā today at the Washington Convention Center (801 Mt. Vernon Pl., N.W.). Activities include workshops for LGBT youth, families and professionals. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the summit ends at 5 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. Newcomers are welcome and reservations are not necessary. Call 703-407-6540 for more details.
Thursday, June 27
MOVA Lounge (2204 14th St., N.W.) hosts āGLBT College Nightā this evening, with a vodka open bar for guests who have a college ID from 9-10 p.m. Admission is free and 18 and up. Visit movalounge.com for more details.
The D.C. Black Theatre Festival is tonight from 7-9:30 p.m. at the Star Arts Center (1700 Kalorama Rd., N.W.). This year, the Brave Soul Collective presents, āSubject to Change,ā a series of theatrical pieces that tackle issues of sex, work, relationships and family in the black community. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) meet tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.). The organization works to reduce violence toward LGBT people through community outreach, education and monitoring legal cases to ensure the dignity of LGBT victims. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
The Lambda Sci-Fi Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 1425 S St., N.W. to discuss āAmong Others,ā by Jo Walton. Guests are encouraged to bring a snack and non-alcoholic drink to share. For more information, call 202-483-6369 or visit lambdascifi.org.
Whitman Walker Health provides four hours of free HIV testing today for National HIV Testing Day at Walgreens (1217 22nd St., N.W.) from 3-7 p.m. Visit whitman-walker.org for more details.
Local gay singer/songwriter Tom Goss is shooting a video for his song āBearsā tonight at 7 p.m. at Town (2009 8th Street NW). Local bears who donāt mind being filmed are invited to attend.
Books
From genteel British wealth to trans biker
Memoir āFrighten the Horsesā a long but essential read

āFrighten the Horses: A Memoirā
By Oliver Radclyffe
c.2024, Roxane Books/Grove Atlantic
$28/352 pages
Finding your own way.
It’s a rite of passage for every young person, a necessity on the path toĀ adulthood. You might have had help with it. You might have listened to your heart alone on the quest to find your own way. And sometimes, as in the new memoir,Ā “Frighten the Horses” by Oliver Radclyffe,Ā you may have to findĀ yourselfĀ first.

If you had observed Oliver Radclyffe in a random diner a few years ago, you’d have seen a blonde, bubbly, but harried mother with four active children under age seven and a distracted husband. You probably wouldn’t have seen trouble, but it was there.
“Nicky,” as Radclyffe was known then, was simmering with something that was just coming to the forefront.
As a young child, Nicky’d been raised in comfort in a family steeped in genteel British wealth, attended a private all-girl’s school, and never wanted for anything. She left all that behind as a young adult, and embraced the biker lifestyle and everything it entailed. The problem now wasn’t that she missed her old ways; it was that she hated life as a wife and mother. Her dreams were filled with fantasies of “exactly who I was: a man on a motorbike, in love with a woman.”
But being a man? No, that wasn’t quite right.
It took every bit of courage she had to say she was gay, that she thought constantly about women, that she hated sex with men. When she told her husband, he was hurt but mostly unbothered, insisting that she tell absolutely no one. They could remain married and just go forward. Nothing had to change.
But everything had already changed for Nicky.
Once she decided finally to come out, she learned that friends had already suspected. Family was supportive. It would be OK. But as Nicky began to experiment with a newfound freedom to be with women, one thing became clear: having sex with a woman was better when she imagined doing it as a man.
In his opening chapter, author Oliver Radclyffe shares an anecdote about the confusion the father of Radclyffe’s son’s friend had when picking up the friend. Readers may feel the same sentiment.
Fortunately, “Frighten the Horses” gets better ā and it gets worse. Radclyffe’s story is riveting, told with a voice that’s distinct, sometimes poker-faced, but compelling; you’ll find yourself agreeing with every bit of his outrage and befuddlement with coming out in a way that feels right. When everything falls into place, it’s a relief for both author and reader.
And yet, it’s hard to get to this point because this memoir is just too long. It lags where you’ll wish it didnāt. It feels like being burrito-wrapped in a heavy-weighted blanket: You don’t necessarily want out, but you might get tired of being in it.
Still, it remains that this peek at transitioning, however painful, is essential reading for anyone who needs to understand how someone figures things out. If that’s you, then consider “Frighten the Horses” and find it.
Celebrity News
Is Karla SofĆa GascĆ³n’s apology too little, too late?
Netflix has removed transgender actress from Oscars campaign

The latest in the scandal involving “Emilia PerĆ©z”ās trans star and Best Actress nominee Karla SofĆa GascĆ³n is Netflix deciding to part ways with her even after her public apology and statement regarding not withdrawing from the nomination.
āI have been labeled a racist and I need to be clear that I am not. I feel like Iāve been judged, sentenced, crucified, and stoned without a fair trial and without an option to defend myself,ā said GascĆ³n in an interview with CNN en EspaƱol.Ā
According to Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has cut GascĆ³n out of the campaign for the Oscars. This move comes even after GascĆ³n issued an apology through a statement on her social media and in an interview with CNN en EspaƱol. On Thursday she was set to be seated with co-star Selena Gomez, Zoe SaldaƱa and the filmās writer-director, Jacques Audiard for the AFI Awards luncheon ā a gathering at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. On Friday, she was set to attend the Critics Choice Awards. On Saturday, she was set to serve as presenter at the Producers Guild Awards, which happen to be going on at the same time as the Directors Guild Awards. According to THR, she will not be attending the events.
The Spaniard actress found herself at the center of controversy surrounding the Netflix original being nominated for 13 Oscars after freelance culture writer Sarah Hagi uncovered the actress’s stream of consciousness on display on X, formerly Twitter. Hagi found tweets from as far back as 2020, revealing GascĆ³n’s views on Muslims, George Floyd, China, and vaccines.
In her hour-long interview with CNN en EspaƱol, she defended her position on the issue stating that she feels that she was unfairly targeted, while not being given the opportunity to defend the position she stood behind while writing those tweets.
She goes on to say that she āsupports the Black Lives Matter movement obviouslyā and that the tweets about George Floyd āwere taken out of context.ā In the interview, she goes on to say she was highlighting the hypocrisy of humanity in that moment in history. According to GascĆ³n, what she noticed during that time was that only after Floydās death did people care about him, but prior to his death, they did not help him or care about his struggles.
āI do not identify with any political party and I have my own opinions about issues that might have been one thing in the past, but have now shifted because I have learned many things about respect, love and with the spiritual practice of Buddhism,ā said GascĆ³n.
In the interview, she also pulls the “I have a friend whoās Black, so Iām not racist,ā card by saying she has a very close family friend who is Muslim, in response to the line of questioning about her being Islamophobic and only through very heavy discussions with her, has GascĆ³n truly come to understand the implications of her words against the culture and religion, as well as theĀ differences between the cultures.Ā
“Emilia PerĆ©z” was already facing an upward battle to gain popularity, as it was a French production about MĆ©xico. Audiences criticized the film for various reasons and yet, it was still nominated for Best Picture, Critics Choice Award for Best Picture, Academy Award for Best Directing, and many others.
GascĆ³n deleted her X account shortly after the tweets were discovered and is now facing the cold shoulder from Netflix. Variety and THR, reported that the streaming giant is no longer directly communicating with GascĆ³n ā only through representatives.
Whether or not this is a witch hunt for a trans actress at the height of her career, GascĆ³n now has first-hand experience in dealing with what it means to misuse a platform by sharing her views on issues she said herself, she did not understand.
Out & About
Camp Rehoboth Theatre Company kicks off new season
Poetry jam to be followed by ‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’

CAMP Rehoboth Theatre Company will kick off its 2025 season with its first-ever poetry jam followed by a full-stage production of ā5 Lesbians Eating a Quicheā on Friday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth’s Elkins-Archibald Atrium.
CAMP Rehoboth Poetry Jam Poets / Performers include: Debbie Bricker, Kari Ebert, Shelley Blue Grabel, Lavance John, Vanita Leatherwood, Syd Linders, Ellie Maher, Jane Miller, Gwen Osborne, Coco Silveira, Guillermo Silverira, Laura Unruh, Paul Unruh, and Sherri Wright.
ā5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche,ā which will run from March 7-9 debuted at CAMP Rehoboth in fall of 2022, and features returning cast members Karen Laitman, Kelly Sheridan, Gwen Osborne, Darcy Vollero, and Shelley Kingsbury, and is directed by Teri Seaton. The absurdist comedy follows the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein having their annual quiche breakfast in 1956. Winner of the 2012 NYC International Fringe Festival as Best Overall Production, ā5 Lesbians Eating A Quicheā is a tasty recipe of hysterical laughs, sexual innuendos, unsuccessful repressions, and delicious discoveries. For more information, visit CAMP Rehobothās website.
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