Arts & Entertainment
Calendar through September 19
Mixtape celebrates 5 years, Street Corner Symphony plays and more this week
Last year’s 17th Street Festival in the heart of D.C.’s gayborhood. This year’s event is slated for Saturday on this week’s D.C. LGBT events calendar. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
D.C. LGBT Events Calendar: Friday, September 13
Skyline Indie Film Festival (Winchester, Va.,) screens “Tennessee Queer,” a quirky comedy about a man’s struggle to change his small town, tonight from 8:15-11 p.m. Tickets are $12.50. For more information, visit skylineindiefilmfest.org.
The Howard Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) hosts “MIXTAPE: 5 Year Anniversary Party” tonight at 10:30 p.m. DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer play a mixture of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco and more. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit thehowardtheatre.com.
Special Agent Galactica performs with The Hummingbirds for its Happy Hour Show at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) this evening from 6-9 p.m. No cover. For details, visit pinkhairedone.com.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets hosts its fourth annual 17th Street Festival (17th St., N.W.) today from noon-6 p.m. The festival includes the best of Dupont Circle’s entertainment, art, food, shopping and more. For more information, visit 17thstreetfestival.org.
Team D.C. hosts “United Night Out” at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (2400 East Capitol St., S.E.) at 4 p.m. today. Enjoy the Pregame Tailgate Party hosted by the Federal Triangles Soccer Club with burgers, hot dogs and bring your own sides. After, watch the D.C. United vs. L.A. Galaxy game. Tickets are $30. For details, visit unitednightout.com.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its new “Saturday Brunch” at 11 a.m. Guests can enjoy one free mimosa with their meal. For more details, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Street Corner Symphony, contemporary acapella group and runner-ups on “The Sing-Off,” perform at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. E Vienna, Va.) tonight at 7 and 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $18 and VIP tickets are $20. For details, visit jamminjava.com.
Sunday, Sept. 15
U Street Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.) hosts Baby Loves Disco, a family friendly dance party, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. today. Bring the kids for dancing, face painting and temporary tattoos. Cash bar with snacks and juice boxes. Tickets $15 per person or four tickets for $55. For more information, visit babylovesdisco.com.
The President Woodrow Wilson House holds its 28th annual Kalorama House and Embassy Tour from noon- 5 p.m. today. Tour the historic buildings in the Kalorama neighborhood including the Ambassador of Austria’s residence and the Andrew Mellon Building. A pre-tour brunch is at the Mansion on O Street (2020 O St., N.W.). Tour tickets are $35 in advance and brunch and tour tickets are $75 in advance. For more information, visit woodrowwilsonhouse.org/events.
The OASIS Dance Company presents its third annual benefit gala “The Resurrection of Fashion” at the THEARC Theater (1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The gala benefits LGBT youth and includes a runway and award show. Cocktail reception begins at 6:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 and VIP tickets are $50. For more details, visit oasisdanceco.com.
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.
Monday, Sept. 16
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.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts its free and confidential HIV testing drop-in hours from 3-5 p.m. today. For more details, visit smyal.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) hosts a discussion group for black gay men tonight from 7-9 p.m. Discuss topics and share opinions on topics that matter to the community. For information, visit uhupil.org.
Men’s Circle for gay/bi/trans/questioning men holds its discussion group tonight from 7-9:30 p.m. at 914 N. St., N.W. It’s free. For details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, Sept. 17
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers to pack safer sex kits at The Green Lantern (1335 Green Court N.W.) from 7-10:30 p.m. tonight. For more information visit burgundycrescent.org.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts its weekly Rap Group today from 5-6:30 p.m. Come talk about the stress of school, jobs, family, friends and anything else in the support group. For more details, visit smyal.org.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Anne Arundel Community College (101 College Pkwy., Arnold, Md.) hosts its fall film series “LGBT Themes and Issues” today at 11 a.m. in the Careers Center Building Room 344. Today’s film screening is “Fagbug,” the journey of a woman who leads a nationwide gay rights campaign after being vandalized with anti-gay hate speech. The film series continues through Nov. 18. For more information, visit aacc.edu/women.
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) hosts its “Out on the Hill Leadership Summit” today through Sept. 22. Join hundreds of the nation’s black LGBT activists, leaders, elected officials and more to participate in social action for advancement in LGBT equality. Registration begins at 8 a.m. today. For more details, visit nbjc.org.
Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, meets tonight at the American Foreign Service Association (2101 E St., N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. The discussion is on selections from “Seminal: The Anthology of Canada’s Gay Male Poets.” For more information, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) at 7:30 p.m. for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
The Latino GLBT History Project has a community celebration this evening from 6:30-8 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Library (3160 16th Street, N.W.) as it celebrates the opening of a month-long photo exhibit on Latino/a LGBT heroes. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the community. Details at latinoglbthistory.org.
Thursday, Sept. 19
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 the 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 D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Poly Discussion Group at 7 p.m. this evening. People of all ages are invited to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. This event is for new comers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today through Sept. 22 for the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance at the Sheraton Silver Spring Hotel (8777 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md.) For more information visit burgundycrescent.org or sexualfreedomsummit.org.
Team DC, the umbrella organization for LGBTQ-friendly sports teams and leagues in the D.C. area, held its annual Night of Champions Awards Gala on Saturday, April 20 at the Hilton National Mall. The organization gave out scholarships to area LGBTQ student athletes as well as awards to the Different Drummers, Kelly Laczko of Duplex Diner, Stacy Smith of the Edmund Burke School, Bryan Frank of Triout, JC Adams of DCG Basketball and the DC Gay Flag Football League.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2024 National Cannabis Festival was held at the Fields at RFK Stadium on April 19-20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering the @NatlCannaFest at RFK Stadium for @WashBlade . Stop by the LGBTQ+ booth and pick up a paper if you are here. pic.twitter.com/is7hnsaPns
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) April 20, 2024
Theater
‘Amm(i)gone’ explores family, queerness, and faith
A ‘fully autobiographical’ work from out artist Adil Mansoor
‘Amm(i)gone’
Thorough May 12
Woolly Mammoth Theatre
641 D St., N.W.
$60-$70
Woollymammoth.net
“Fully and utterly autobiographical.” That’s how Adil Mansoor describes “Amm(i)gone,” his one-man work currently playing at Woolly Mammoth Theatre.
Both created and performed by out artist Mansoor, it’s his story about inviting his Pakistani mother to translate Sophocles’s Greek tragedy “Antigone” into Urdu. Throughout the journey, there’s an exploration of family, queerness, and faith,as well as references to teachings from the Quran, and audio conversations with his Muslim mother.
Mansoor, 38, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and is now based in Pittsburgh where he’s a busy theater maker. He’s also the founding member of Pittsburgh’s Hatch Arts Collective and the former artistic director of Dreams of Hope, an LGBTQ youth arts organization.
WASHINGTON BLADE: What spurred you to create “Amm(i)gone”?
ADIL MANSOOR: I was reading a translation of “Antigone” a few years back and found myself emotionally overwhelmed. A Theban princess buries her brother knowing it will cost her, her own life. It’s about a person for whom all aspirations are in the afterlife. And what does that do to the living when all of your hopes and dreams have to be reserved for the afterlife?
I found grant funding to pay my mom to do the translation. I wanted to engage in learning. I wanted to share theater but especially this ancient tragedy. My mother appreciated the characters were struggling between loving one another and their beliefs.
BLADE: Are you more director than actor?
MANSOOR: I’m primarily a director with an MFA in directing from Carnegie Mellon. I wrote, directed, and performed in this show, and had been working on it for four years. I’ve done different versions including Zoom. Woolly’s is a new production with the same team who’ve been involved since the beginning.
I love solo performance. I’ve produced and now teach solo performance and believe in its power. And I definitely lean toward “performance” and I haven’t “acted” since I was in college. I feel good on stage. I was a tour guide and do a lot of public speaking. I enjoy the attention.
BLADE: Describe your mom.
MANSOOR: My mom is a wonderfully devout Muslim, single mother, social worker who discovered my queerness on Google. And she prays for me.
She and I are similar, the way we look at things, the way we laugh. But different too. And those are among the questions I ask in this show. Our relationship is both beautiful and complicated.
BLADE: So, you weren’t exactly hiding your sexuality?
MANSOOR: In my mid-20s, I took time to talk with friends about our being queer with relation to our careers. My sexuality is essential to the work. As the artistic director at Dreams of Hope, part of the work was to model what it means to be public. If I’m in a room with queer and trans teenagers, part of what I’m doing is modeling queer adulthood. The way they see me in the world is part of what I’m putting out there. And I want that to be expansive and full.
So much of my work involves fundraising and being a face in schools. Being out is about making safe space for queer young folks.
BLADE: Have you encountered much Islamophobia?
MANSOOR: When 9/11 happened, I was a sophomore in high school, so yes. I faced a lot then and now. I’ve been egged on the street in the last four months. I see it in the classroom. It shows up in all sorts of ways.
BLADE: What prompted you to lead your creative life in Pittsburgh?
MANSOOR: I’ve been here for 14 years. I breathe with ease in Pittsburgh. The hills and the valleys and the rust of the city do something to me. It’s beautiful, it’ affordable, and there is support for local artists. There’s a lot of opportunity.
Still, the plan was to move to New York in September of 2020 but that was cancelled. Then the pandemic showed me that I could live in Pittsburgh and still have a nationally viable career.
BLADE: What are you trying to achieve with “Amm(i)gone”?
MANSOOR: What I’m sharing in the show is so very specific but I hear people from other backgrounds say I totally see my mom in that. My partner is Catholic and we share so much in relation to this.
I hope the work is embracing the fullness of queerness and how means so many things. And I hope the show makes audiences want to call their parents or squeeze their partners.
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