Arts & Entertainment
Calendar through September 12
Ana Matronic, Blondie in town, parties on tap for weekend
Friday, September 6
Friday, September 6Adodi, a same-gender-loving men’s group, hosts its bi-monthly potluck from 7-9 p.m. tonight at a member’s home in Burke, Va. For more information, email [email protected].
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly “So, You Think You’re A Drag Queen?” tonight at 10:30 p.m. The winner will earn $200 and is chosen by the audience. Cover is $10 all night for guests 18-20 and $5 for guests 21 and over before 11 p.m. For details, visit towndc.com.
OUT NVA hosts “Gay Night Out,”, a bar crawl on King Street for charity, starting at 6 p.m tonight. Begin the night at Rock-It Bar (1319 King St., Alexandria Va.) with a drag show and happy hour. Purchase a wristband for $10 to aid nurses going to Haiti and receive Purple Drink Specials at each bar. For more details, visit facebook.com/OUTNVa.
The District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th St., N.W.) hosts its annual “1460 Wallmountables” exhibition through Sunday. Almost 100 artists feature over 300 works on 2×2 foot spaces in a range of styles and media. For details, visit dcartscenter.org.
Whitman-Walker Health provides free HIV testing at Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) from 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. tonight. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Saturday, Sept. 7
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for a lost dog and cat rescue foundation at Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) from 11:45 a.m-3 p.m. today. For more details visit burgundycrescent.org.
Ana Matronic, Scissor Sister’s front woman and long time LGBT advocate, performs tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.). Doors open at 10 p.m. and cover charge is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com.
Adventuring, an LGBT outdoors group, hosts a hike through Paw Paw Tunnel near Cumberland today. The group meets at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station (10300 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md.) at 9 a.m., and then walks through the tunnel to the banks of the Potomac and back through the tunnel. Transportation and trip fees are $25. For more information, visit adventuring.org.
Phase 1 of Dupont (1415 22nd St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Booty Beach Ladies Dance Party” tonight. The winner of the party’s bikini and board shorts contest will receive cash and prizes. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5. For more details, visit phase1dc.com.
Sunday, Sept. 8
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the D.C. Central Kitchen (425 2nd St., N.W.) from 9 a.m.-noon. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Perry’s (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 more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
The Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance (AGLA) hosts an ice cream social and firehouse tour at Aurora Highlands Community Center (735 18th St., South, Arlington, Va.) from 3-6 p.m. today. Free for AGLA members. Non-AGLA members suggested donation is $10. Firehouse tour is from 3-3:30 p.m. For details, visit agla.org.
Monday, Sept. 9
Blondie performs with X at the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $43 and include exclusive new music download codes from Blondie. For details, visit 930.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k20jR3FwEIU
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.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Poker Face” poker game night at 8 p.m. Free to play. For details, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
Whitman-Walker Health provides free HIV testing at Giant (1535 Alabama Ave., S.E.) from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Trans Legal and Whitman-Walker Health host a name and gender change clinic at Whitman-Walker Health Services (1701 14th St., N.W.) from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. tonight. Meet one on one with an attorney to complete name and/or gender change documents. Pizza is provided. For more information call 202-939-7627.
D.C. Bi Women hosts its monthly meeting at the Dupont Italian Kitchen Restaurant (1837 17th St., N.W.) in the upstairs room from 7-9 p.m. tonight. All women welcome regardless orientation, partner preference or relationship status. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 1155 F St., N.W. Suite 200 to discuss “The Starboard Sea,” a powerful coming-of-age story by first-time novelist Amber Dermont. For details email [email protected].
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No reservations required and newcomers welcome. If you need a partner, call 703-407-6540.
The D.C. Center and Pros in the City host speed dating for gay professionals at Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) from 7-9 p.m. tonight. Dating begins at 7:20 p.m. and there is a cash bar. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) hosts a support group for black gay men living with HIV tonight from 7-9 p.m. For information, visit uhupil.org.
Thursday, Sept. 12
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today from 6-8 p.m. for Food and Friends near the Fort Totten Metro Station (Red and Green line). Parking also available. For more information visit burgundycrescent.org.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts “Women’s Leadership Institute” for LGBT women and their straight allies from 5-7 p.m. Discuss female sexuality, relationships and women’s rights. Ages 13-21. For details, visit smyal.org.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Ripped-Hot Body Contest” tonight from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Win up to $200 in prizes. $2 rail drinks from 9-11 p.m. Admission is 18 and up and is free.
Rude Boi Entertainment hosts “Tempted 2 Touch,” a ladies dance party, at Fab Lounge (2022 Florida Ave., N.W.). Doors open at 10 p.m. Drink specials $5 and vodka shots $3 all night. No cover charge. Admission limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit rudeboientertainment.wordpress.com.
The 2026 Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather competition was held at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill on Sunday. Seven contestants vied for the title and Gage Ryder was named the winner.
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Theater
Voiceless ‘Antony & Cleopatra’ a spectacle of operatic proportions
Synetic production pulls audience into grips of doomed lovers’ passion
‘Antony & Cleopatra’
Through Jan. 25
Synetic Theater at
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre
450 7th St., N.W.
Synetictheater.org
A spectacle of operatic proportions, Synetic Theater’s “Antony & Cleopatra” is performed entirely voiceless. An adaptation of the Bard’s original (a play bursting with wordplay, metaphors, and poetic language), the celebrated company’s production doesn’t flinch before the challenge.
Staged by Paata Tsikurishvili and choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili, this worthy remount is currently playing at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre, the same venue where it premiered 10 years ago. Much is changed, including players, but the usual inimitable Synectic energy and ingenuity remain intact.
As audiences file into the Klein, they’re met with a monumental pyramid bathed in mist on a dimly lit stage. As the lights rise, the struggle kicks off: Cleopatra (Irina Kavsadze) and brother Ptolemy (Natan-Maël Gray) are each vying for the crown of Egypt. Alas, he wins and she’s banished from Alexandria along with her ethereal black-clad sidekick Mardian (Stella Bunch); but as history tells us, Cleopatra soon makes a triumphant return rolled in a carpet.
Meanwhile, in the increasingly dangerous Rome, Caesar (memorably played by Tony Amante) is assassinated by a group of senators. Here, his legendary Ides of March murder is rather elegantly achieved by silver masked politicians, leaving the epic storytelling to focus on the titular lovers.
The fabled couple is intense. As the Roman general Antony, Vato Tsikurishvili comes across as equal parts warrior, careerist, and beguiled lover. And despite a dose of earthiness, it’s clear that Kavsadze’s Cleopatra was born to be queen.
Phil Charlwood’s scenic design along with Colin K. Bills’ lighting cleverly morph the huge pyramidic structure into the throne of Egypt, the Roman Senate, and most astonishingly as a battle galley crashing across the seas with Tsikurishvili’s Antony ferociously at the helm.
There are some less subtle suggestions of location and empire building in the form of outsized cardboard puzzle pieces depicting the Mediterranean and a royal throne broken into jagged halves, and the back-and-forth of missives.
Of course, going wordless has its challenges. Kindly, Synectic provides a compact synopsis of the story. I’d recommend coming early and studying that page. With changing locations, lots of who’s who, shifting alliances, numerous war skirmishes, and lack of dialogue, it helps to get a jump on plot and characters.
Erik Teague’s terrific costume design is not only inspired but also helpful. Crimson red, silver, and white say Rome; while all things Egyptian have a more exotic look with lots of gold and diaphanous veils, etc.
When Synetic’s voicelessness works, it’s masterful. Many hands create the magic: There’s the direction, choreography, design, and the outrageously committed, sinewy built players who bring it to life through movement, some acrobatics, and the remarkable sword dancing using (actual sparking sabers) while twirling to original music composed by Konstantine Lortkipanidze.
Amid the tumultuous relationships and frequent battling (fight choreography compliments of Ben Cunis), moments of whimsy and humor aren’t unwelcome. Ptolemy has a few clownish bits as Cleopatra’s lesser sibling. And Antony’s powerful rival Octavian (ageless out actor Philip Fletcher) engages in peppy propaganda featuring a faux Cleopatra (played by Maryam Najafzada) as a less than virtuous queen enthusiastically engaged in an all-out sex romp.
When Antony and Cleopatra reach their respective ends with sword and adder, it comes almost as a relief. They’ve been through so much. And from start to finish, without uttering a word, Kavsadze and Tsikurishvili share a chemistry that pulls the audience into the grips of the doomed lovers’ palpable passion.
Out & About
Love board games and looking for love?
Quirk Events will host “Board Game Speed Dating for Gay Men” on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at KBird DC.
Searching for a partner can be challenging. But board games are always fun. So what if you combined board games and finding a partner?
Picture this: You sit down for a night of games. A gaming concierge walks you through several games over the course of the night. You play classics you love and discover brand new games you’ve never heard of, playing each with a different group of fun singles. All while in a great establishment.
At the end of the night, you give your gaming concierge a list of the folks you met that you’d like to date and a list of those you met that you’d like to just hang out with as friends. If any two people put down the same name as each other in either column, then your gaming concierge will make sure you get each other’s e-mail address and you can coordinate a time to hang out.
Tickets cost $31.80 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
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Comings & Goings
D.C.’s annual MLK Peace Walk and Parade set for Jan. 19
Capitals to host 10th annual Pride night
