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.
Music & Concerts
New dance single pays tribute to Town Danceboutique
Local musicians pen āTownā in honor of shuttered club

The closing of the LGBTQ nightclub Town Danceboutique in the summer of 2017 was heartbreaking to local musician Bryce Bowyn. He and his Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter friend Lexie Martin decided to honor its legacy in their new single, āTown.ā
For Bowyn, who moved to the District about a decade ago to attend school at American University, the memories he has from Town Danceboutique are endless. And when it closed, it was a massive loss to Bowyn and many others.
āIt was such a cool space,ā Bowyn said. āIt was just disappointing to see a place that brought so many people together become part of the landscape again.ā The building Town Danceboutique used to be housed in is now home to upscale apartments and a CVS.
Town Danceboutique was a formative place for Bowyn and Martin, and it was Bowynās first experience in an open and accepting LGBTQ environment. His favorite memories at the club were always on Halloween, he said. Patrons, including Bowyn, would go all out with their costumes to look their very best.
Bowyn and Martin met while they were both in the musical theater program at American University. Despite their years-long friendship, āTownā is the first song they have written together. They sat down over FaceTime and got to work. It was Martinās idea to pay homage to Town Danceboutique, and the song follows the story of pre-gaming, going out, and hitting the dance floor.
But the single also serves as a hype song for going out in any city, at any place.
āIt was important to me for the song to remain relatable and accessible,ā Bowyn said. āSo the whole foundation of the chorus, āLet’s go to town,ā can either mean Town Danceboutique, or painting the town red and having the night of your life.ā
Bowyn started writing and producing his own music in 2018. He released an EP titled āA Rosy Retrospectā in 2022, and most recently released a single āA Bridge Burned Downā in June. His music is inspired by late 2000s pop and ā80s synthpop, influenced by stars like Madonna and Charli XCX. Lexie Martin released her self-titled EP in 2019 and most recently came out with her single āSUPERPOWERā in 2021.
Bowyn has been a lifelong pop music enthusiast. He distinctly remembers watching Britney Spears perform āOops!ā¦I Did It Againā at the MTV Video Music Awards when he was a kid and thinking āThat was what I wanted and what I was set to do in life.ā
āMy heart was always with pop music,ā Bowyn said.
āTownā is available now for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.
Movies
Bernal shines as real-life gay wrestler in āCassandroā
A polished, engaging film about a real-life figure that carries message of hope

For most Americans, any knowledge of the Mexican wrestling style known as lucha libre is probably limited to what they gleaned from the 2006 Jack Black comedy āNacho Libre,ā which (it should go without saying) is not a movie that anyone should consider āfactual.ā
Now another movie about the subject has arrived, and this time itās not an anything-for-a-laugh fantasy but a biopic about a real luchador who rose to international fame in the 1980s and remains one of the most celebrated and popular figures in Mexican professional wrestling to this day.
The luchador in question is SaĆŗl ArmendĆ”riz ā better known to his fans as āCassandroā ā and the eponymously titled movie about his ascendency begins streaming on Amazon Prime Video Sept. 22 after a limited theatrical release on Sept. 15.
Directed by Roger Ross Williams (who may not be a household name but has the distinction of being the first Black director to win an Oscar, thanks to the 2009 win of his āMusic by Prudenceā for Best Documentary Short), āCassandroā stars Gael GarcĆa Bernal ā a longtime ally who became a queer fan-favorite thanks to his work in films like āY tu mamĆ” tambiĆ©nā and āBad Educationā ā as the openly gay ArmendĆ”riz and tells the story of his rise to fame in direct defiance of the culturally reinforced homophobia that permeated the professional environment of his field. Set in the 1980s, it follows the future superstar from the early days of his career, tracing his steps as he forges a path to success as an exótico ā a wrestler who assumes a flamboyant persona based in queer (and largely homophobic) stereotypes ā while simultaneously rising above the stigma of his sexuality and his impoverished upbringing to become a pioneering force in LGBTQ+ acceptance within the deeply traditional Latino culture to which he belonged.
Like most biopics, it also focuses on the personal: much of the filmās first half is dominated by the relationship between ArmendĆ”riz and his mother, Yocasta (Perla De La Rosa), a professional āgood-time girlā whose acceptance of his queer identity is absolute yet tempered by her fear for his well-being. There is also a long-running thread about his desire for approval from his father ā a married man with a ālegitimateā family in which he is decidedly not included ā and the pattern in his personal life of repeating that same dynamic in romantic relationships with lovers like closeted big-name luchador āEl Comandanteā (RaĆŗl Castillo) and an apparently fluid but firmly āon the DLā associate named Felipe (Benito Antonio MartĆnez Ocasio, aka Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny for those unfamiliar with his ārealā name) who clearly meets more than just his need for a reliable supplier of cocaine ā it is the ā80s, after all ā while maintaining a strict-if-not-quite-convincing āno homoā stance.
Ultimately, though, as presented by first-time narrative feature director Williams (who co-wrote the screenplay with David Teague after previously covering ArmendĆ”rizā story in the 2016 documentary short āThe Man Without a Maskā), āCassandroā is driven by a narrative about overcoming and reclaiming the pejorative cultural tropes around queer sexuality and turning them on their ear as a means toward fully inhabiting queer identity. Blessed with a relatively supportive mother ā a plainly-implied career sex worker who is depicted as much as a kindred spirit as she is a maternal figure ā and comfortable enough in his own skin to flaunt his ādevianceā in the public eye, the filmās version of ArmendĆ”riz moves through a clearly defined arc toward self-acceptance on his own terms.
Much of this is mirrored, of course, in the tale of his accelerated rise to stardom, in which he wins the hearts of lucha libre fans enough to subvert the accepted formula that the exótico is always the loser, and reinforced by the ways in which he responds to the various long-term relationships in his life ā some nurturing, some toxic ā as his career trajectory helps him to recognize his own worth. In this way, āCassandroā becomes a true-life tale of queer affirmation, the saga of a person who overcomes hardline traditional expectations and deep-rooted social prejudice to use his own queer identity as an avenue to personal empowerment.
That, of course, is exactly what it sets out to be: itās an unabashedly pro-queer narrative that brings the highest level of professional artistry into the mix, using it to convey that subtle blend of aloof observation and emotional engagement that can sometimes win viewersā hearts and minds.
In recognition of that artistry, the foremost acknowledgement must go to Bernal, who turns in a career-highlight performance as both ArmendĆ”riz and his over-the-top titular alter-ego, which requires an impressive display of physicality in addition to keen emotional intelligence. The actor is more than capable on both fronts, and while it would frankly be nice to see one of our queer heroes portrayed in a mainstream film by an actual queer actor, itās hard to complain when the actor is someone like Bernal, who finds within his own lived experience the authenticity to make it all ring true. Kudos are also deserved for both De La Rosa, who establishes an emotional core to the story that endures even after she leaves it, and openly-queer actor Roberta Colindrez as the trainer (and friend) that helps āCassandroā conquer the world of professional lucha libre wrestling by literally flipping the script.
Still, though there is clearly a heartfelt desire to inspire behind the movieās portrayal of its heroās unlikely rise to glory, āCassandroā doesnāt quite deliver the kind of unequivocal āfeel-goodā validation for which it aims. Thereās something rote about the story as itās told to us; ArmendĆ”rizā success seems a foregone conclusion, and his personal struggles ā though impeccably acted and depicted with sincerity ā feel somehow manufactured for the sake of a desired emotional response. Thereās a sense of āHollywoodā about the filmās approach, a deliberate framing of the material which makes this real-life success story seem much too easy, its subjectās struggles too much like tropes to deliver the kind of authentic satisfaction the movie clearly aims for. Built on familiar formula, it all feels a little too predictable to ring true ā especially for a saga centered in such a messy, wild-and-wooly environment as professional lucha libre. Yes, it inspires, but much of that is accomplished by playing to sentiment, by what seems a deliberate effort toward building and reaffirming a legend rather than revealing the real human experience behind it, and many details of Armendarizā real story are left out ā a suicide attempt, a struggle with substance abuse, even the origin of his iconic stage name as a tribute to a brothel-keeper of whom he was fond ā that might have made for a less-sanitized and much more interesting story.
Such quibbles, however, are probably a moot point for most viewers; while āCassandroā might feel a little too hollow to satisfy completely, itās a polished, entertaining, and engaging film about a real-life figure that should ā and does ā carry a message of hope and transcendence for queer audiences.
Why would we ever complain about that?
Sports
Celebrating sports history: DC Gay Flag Footballās 25th season
Head of Districtās premier league says itās āgroovinā to its silver anniversary

What started when gay football fans got together in the 1990s to play their favorite sport is now a D.C. institution with 270 players in 20 teams spread over three fields, playing in both fall and spring.
āGet off the bench,ā shouts the slogan on the leagueās website. āGet in the game!ā
The D.C. Gay Flag Football League turns 25 years old this month and is considered not only the premier league of its kind in the District, but is recognized across the country for its players, organization, and spirit.
āThe way we run our league and the way we compete make us stand out relative to the rest,ā DCGFFL Commissioner Logan Dawson told the Washington Blade.
For those who donāt know flag football from any other kind, the difference is easy to spot: Thereās no contact allowed. As the rules say, āThat includes tackling, diving, blocking, and screening. Instead, players wear flags that hang along their sides by a belt. To ātackleā the person in possession of the ball, the opposing team needs to pull one or both of their flags off.ā There are a lot more rules, but thatās the one that really sets it apart from tackle football.
The sport itself dates back to World War II and its origins have been traced to Fort Meade, Md.
Whatās the secret to the leagueās longevity? āI think we attract and hold on to great athletes who are highly competitive, not only on the field, but also, in our professional and personal lives,ā he said. Dawson, 32, plays flag football as well as manages the league. Heās currently single, but says his first love is the weather.
āI knew in second grade that I wanted to be a meteorologist,ā said Dawson, who moved to the District to be a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
A prolific swimmer since high school, he came out as he started grad school at Purdue University in Indiana in 2012. In an op-ed appearing in Outsports in 2014, Dawson wrote about competing in his first Gay Games in Cleveland along with a group of other gay swimmers from Colorado, and left that experience determined to join a gay sports league.Ā
He found it in the fall of 2018 in the DCGFFL, the same year the leagueās Generals team won Gay Games XVIII. The league supports up to five travel teams, which take part in annual tournaments nationwide. It also hosts a summer tournament each year in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
āThere’s a good amount of participation by people who played in the league from the very early days,ā Dawson said. āI think we’re just in the sweet spot, where we have a lot of the original participants, a lot of new players, and weāre just kind of grooving right now.ā
The first group gathered at Francis Field near Dupont Circle in 1994. Three years later, another group formed to play just steps from the Washington Monument Mall. They came together in 1998 to form what is now the DCGFFL.
āFor the majority of those seasons, we mainly had one division that played that was co-ed,ā said Dawson. āThis is our second season that weāve had a Womens+ Division made up of [cisgender] women, trans and nonbinary individuals.ā The Womens+ teams are called the Senators.
Jayme Fuglesten is director of the Womens+ Division and has played in the league in most seasons since 2011.
āThe DCGFFL has been a major part of my adult life,ā she says. āI came out while playing in the league in no small part because of the love and support of this community.ā
Why does she think the league has been such a success to have lasted 25 years?
āI think the league has been so successful because of its focus on inclusion and community,ā she says. āI remember being so surprised in my early years when JJ and so many others would just come right up to me, hug me, and welcome me. And that really hasn’t changed in the 20+ seasons I’ve been around. It also continues to grow and respond to the needs and desires of our players. One example of that is the new Womens+ division, which gives an additional space for people who identify as womens+ to play and cultivate stronger relationships.ā

Next month, the DCGFF will send both Generals and Senators to Gay Bowl XXIII in Seattle. āThatās going to be the first time weāre going to have two Womens+ teams at the Gay Bowl,ā Dawson told the Blade. āItās reflective of the new generation of the league.ā
Earlier generations had trouble attracting new players. As the Blade reported in 2019, what had been a steady number of 20 to 22 teams dropped dramatically to 14, its lowest roster since 2011. The leagueās leadership turned it around with new recruiting events, new sponsors, changes in their social event locations, changes to their player draft and a change of venue for league play beyond Carter Barron fields in Rock Creek Park in Northwest Washington.
Brentwood Hamilton Park in Northeast Washington is now home to the recreation division and Randall Field south of the Capitol is the leagueās third venue.
Just like every facet of society, from coast to coast, what happened next hit the league hard. āCOVID happened in spring of 2020,ā recalled Dawson. āEverything shut down, and we did not play for what amounted to three full seasons for a year and a half.ā
But once the world emerged from quarantine and lockdowns, flag football players started flocking to the DCGFFL. āWeāve had probably over 150 new players join our league in the last two years,ā he said.
One thing is certain, said Dawson: Despite the name, not everyone who plays in the gay flag football league is LGBTQ+.
āIt’s a really great community. Thereās a straight couple thatās married and will be soon having a child in the next month or so,ā Dawson said. āThey met playing in the league, just like weāve had gay couples who meet in the league and eventually get married and have children.ā
Prominent among the leagueās many sponsors is the NFL hometown team, the Washington Commanders. āThey are highly supportive of us, not just financially, but also publicly supporting what we are, and our mission,ā Dawson said.
This current NFL season is the first since 2021 without an out gay player on the gridiron. Thatās when Carl Nassib became the first active pro football player to come out as gay.Ā

While Dawson said, āIām sure there are more out thereā who have not yet come out, Nassibās retirement makes this anniversary of the DCGFFL even more significant.
āItās unfortunate people still feel they cannot be out while theyāre playing and doing what they love, but thatās the reason why something like the D.C. Gay Flag Football League is so important,ā he said. āTo show that there are gay and trans athletes who exist and love playing sports.ā
The league plans to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a dance party and silent auction at Penn Social on Saturday, Sept. 23 starting at 8 p.m. Check the website for ticket information.
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