Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Oct. 11-17
Parties, concerts, exhibits and more for the coming week
Friday, Oct. 11
The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival kicks off its 39th year at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut St., Gaithersburg, Md.,) today from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Festival continues through Sunday. Meet the jury selected artists and purchase their artwork including pottery, sculpture, home accessories, jewelry, fashion, furniture, photography and more. Sample gourmet food, listen to live music and participate in interactive children entertainment. Tickets are $8 online for adults and $10 at the door. Children under 12 are free. Free parking. For more information, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.
āLove Heals Homophobiaā screens at St. Marks Episcopal Church (301 A St., S.E.) tonight from 7-8 p.m. The film was made in response to the appeals made by countries where it is illegal to be LGBT. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
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 more information, visit towndc.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts āNational Coming Out Day Celebrationā today from 5-7 p.m. Decorate cupcakes, listen to music and more. For details, visit smyal.org.
Saturday, Oct. 12
Washington National Opera (WNO) honors Giuseppe Verdiās 200th birthday with a performance of āThe Force of Destiny,ā the tale of three lives on a path to ruin, beginning tonight at 7 p.m. and running through Oct. 26 at The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets range from $25-$300. For more details, visit kennedy-center.org.
The D.C. Center (1316 U St., N.W.) hosts free and confidential HIV testing from 4-7 p.m. today. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts adult entertainment stars Levi Karter, Jake Bass and Max Ryder tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. $3 drinks before 11 p.m. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Admission limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit towndc.com.
Acorns A Go-Go hosts its vegan fall festival today at the Roosevelt Center (131 Centerway, Greenbelt, Md.,) today from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Enjoy vegan food vendors, exhibitors and live music. Watch demonstrations including how to use acorns in vegan bread and cookies. Kids can participate in a hula hoop competition and activities at the Animal Rights Youth Booth. The mistress of ceremonies is āVegan Drag Queenā Honey LaBronx. For more details, visit facebook.com/acornsagogo.
A free screening of the documentary āFor the Bible Tells Me Soā is today at 11 a.m. at Mt. Pleasant Library (3160 16th Street, N.W.) hosted by Queers For Christ and Revive DMV: A Gathering of Queer Christian Women.
Sunday, Oct. 13
Club Bunns (606 W. Lexington St., Baltimore) hosts āBaltimore Black Pride Block Partyā today from 4-9 p.m. Cover TBA. For more details, visit facebook.com/n.g.a.clubbunns.
Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.,) celebrates its third anniversary with āPop Art Fun: Free Family Dayā from noon-4 p.m. today. The Andy Warhol-inspired day includes the interactive Warhol āSilver Cloudsā exhibit, pop art projects and a magic show. Baby Loves Disco hosts a dance party for all ages in the ballroom. Admission is free. For more details, visit artisphere.com.
Perryās (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly āSunday Drag Brunchā 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, Oct. 14
The D.C. Center Youth Working Group hosts its monthly meeting today at the D.C. Center (1316 U St., N.W.) from 6-7:30 p.m. The meeting focuses on positively impacting the lives of D.C. area youth. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us holds its 25th anniversary awards celebration āA Passion for Livingā featuring Jennifer Holliday this evening at Arena Stage (1101 6th St., S.W.) from 6-9 p.m. The event raises funds for Us Helping Usās prevention programs and recognizes individuals and businesses in their commitment to fight HIV/AIDS. Tickets are $150. For details, visit tickets.arenastage.org.
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, Oct. 15
Green Lantern (1335 Green Crt.. N.W.) hosts its āFUCK!T Packing Partyā this evening from 7-9 p.m. Bring friends or make new ones while packing safer-sex packets. Challenge yourself and your friends to see how many FUK!T packets you can pack in two hours. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Whitman-Walker Health offers free HIV testing in honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day today at Whitman-Walker Health Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center (1701 14th St., N.W.) 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Whitman-Walker Health Max Robinson Center (2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E.) from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Columbia Heights Fountain (1345 Park Rd., N.W.) from 3-6 p.m. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.
Bachelorās Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) offers all drinks half price tonight until 2 a.m. Enjoy pool, video games and cards. Admission is free. Must be 21 and over. For more details, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Queers for Christ, a young adult LGBT Christian group, has a happy hour this evening from 6:45-9 p.m. at Number Nine (1435 P Street, N.W.).
Bookmen D.C., an informal menās gay literature group, meets this evening at 7:30 p.m. at the American Foreign Service Association (2101 E Street, N.W.) to discuss āThe Lost Library: Gay Fiction Rediscovered,ā an anthology. All are welcome. Visit bookmendc.blogspot.com for details.
The National Symphony Orchestra presents organist Cameron Carpenter at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) in the concert hall at 8 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $15. For details, visit kennedy-center.org.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) this evening at 7:30 p.m. for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 1155 F St., N.W. Suite 200 at 7 p.m. to discuss āThe Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepardā by Stephen Jimenez. For details, email [email protected].
Thursday, Oct. 17
The Dance Theatre of Harlem performs the world premiere of its ballet āpast-carry-forwardā at the Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. Other performances include āGloriaā and āContested Space.ā Tickets range from $40-$75. For more information, visit shakespearetheatre.org.
Publick Playhouse presents āBailĆ© FolklĆ³rico de Bahiaā at 8 p.m. tonight. The dance blends Afro-Brazilian folk, samba reggae, African liturgical dance and capoeira. It includes dances from the days of slavery and dances that celebrate Carnival. Tickets are $20. For details, visit arts.pgparks.com.
Wear purple today to show support for LGBT youth and stand against bullying for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamationās (GLAAD) Spirit Day. Showcase your support on social media platforms using ā#spiritday.ā For more information, visit glaad.org/spiritday.
āMarriage Equality,ā a free seminar presented by the law firm of Gimmel, Weiman, Ersek, Blomberg & Lewis, is this evening at 7 p.m. at Hampton Inn (960 N. Frederick Ave.) in Gaithersburg, Md. Itās free to attend but a reservation is required as seating is limited. Local attorneys will speak about Marylandās same-sex marriage law and the repeal of key sections of DOMA and their effect on several LGBT issues such as marriage, adoption, custody and more. To make a reservation, call 301-840-8565 or visit gweblaw.com.
Friday, December 6
āCenter Aging Friday Tea Timeā will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Go Gay DC will host āFirst Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social in the Cityā at 7 p.m. at P.F. Changās. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, December 7
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Brunchā at 11 a.m. at Freddieās Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, December 8
Go Gay DC will host āLGBTQ+ Community Dinnerā at 6:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano Freddieās Beach Bar & Restaurant. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy an evening of Italian-style dining and conversation with other LGBTQ folk. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Monday, December 9
Center Aging: Monday Coffee & Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of their choice. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether youāre bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that youāre not 100% cis. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.Ā
Tuesday, December 10
Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].Ā
Wednesday, December 11
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking ā allowing participants to move away from being merely āapplicantsā toward being ācandidates.ā For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, December 12
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Communityās website.
Movies
Jolie delivers diva perfection as āMariaā
A fascinating film addressing matters of life and death
In todayās world, itās difficult to imagine that an opera singer could achieve the kind of international fame and popularity enjoyed by modern musical artists like Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift, yet that is exactly what Maria Callas did.
Possessed of a singular, inimitable, and often controversial vocal talent, she rose to the height of her profession and became a world-class artist, performing on international stages and moving within a circle that included the wealthiest, most influential and powerful people of her era. Her private life, which included a long-running affair with mega-rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and a reputation for temperament that matched or exceeded expectation for a diva of her stature, was the stuff of gossip columns, and her stature as an artist was such that any scandals that might have arisen there had little impact on her reputation for the millions of fans who adored her.
Even now, nearly 50 years after her untimely death (she was only 53) in 1977, her name is still spoken with reverence among those who belong to the still-potent ācult of personalityā that made her an object of near-worship, and even if youāre not an opera fan, a listen to any of the magnificent recordings she left as her legacy is enough to help you understand why. Not only did the woman have a gift for singing, she had a way of inhabiting the music she sang so completely that it seemed to belong solely to her, as if it came fully formed into the world through her own being, no matter how many other great vocalists had sung it before.
Yet the Callas we meet in Pablo Larrainās āMaria,ā a speculative biographical fantasia about the final week in the divaās tumultuous life that premiered in competition for the prestigious āGolden Lionā award at the 2024 Venice film festival and drops on Netflix Dec. 13 following a limited theatrical release, is but a comparative shadow of that once-renowned formidable persona. Her health failing, her voice diminished, and her mind drifting between morose contemplation of her decline and drug-addled delusions of returning to her former glory, she holds a reclusive and tenuous dominion over her Paris apartment, engaged in a power struggle with her overprotective house servants and stubbornly ignoring doctorās orders by pushing herself to regain the transcendent voice that had brought her success, fame, and a personal power that had helped her endure the traumas of a childhood in the Axis-occupied Greece of World War II.
Thatās just on the surface, however. As rendered by Angelina Jolie in a career-topping performance, the Callas of āMariaā feels fully worthy of the still-imperious demeanor she wields against the world. Far from surrendering to the tragic downward spiral into which she has become entangled, she shines from within with a courageous ā which is not the same thing as āfearlessā ā sense of self that infuses her seemingly desperate efforts to reclaim her former glory (for herself, at least, if not for public approval) and makes her story a tale of self-actualization rather than the tragic ādance with deathā it might appear to be through a surface perspective.
After all, in Larrainās vision (and the exquisitely nuanced screenplay by Steven Knight), Callas is seeking not to recapture her fame and fortune ā those are hers for life, already ā but to reclaim her voice. As plainly shown by the life told in bold strokes via the flashbacks interwoven throughout the film, music has been the means for Callas to overcome the oppression of men and assert personal power over her own life. From the fascist soldiers to whom she was “pimped out” in her youth by her mother to the coarse-but-doting plutocrats that have attempted to āpossessā her in adulthood, she has maintained agency over them all through the gift of her vocal talent. Now, with full knowledge and acceptance that the final chapter of her life is being written, she has chosen to hold the pen firmly in her hand, asserting ownership over her own life by composing the end of its narrative for herself. Itās an unconventional path that she chooses, but how many truly great spirits ever settle for being conventional?
Whether or not she was ultimately victorious in this goal ā either in her real life or in Larrainās imagined rendering of it ā might be something viewers have to decide for themselves. Itās hardly the point, however; what āMariaā conveys, more than any definitive truth about its legendary subject, is a suggestion that what matters is the fight, not the winning of it, and that perhaps the āwinā is in the fight itself. Beyond that, it finds a metaphor in the divaās willing descent into hallucinatory fantasy for engaging in a direct relationship with that part of our own nature that feels divine ā one which manifests itself in our lives through many forms, be it a character in a centuries-old opera, an imagined collaboration with the long-dead composer who created it, or a fresh-faced TV interviewer (who may or not be real) with a knack for asking the questions you donāt want to answer.
The element that has sparked the most buzz about Larrainās film, of course, is the work of its star. Jolie, who trained to sing opera for seven months in preparation for the role (though she lip-syncs to recordings of the real Callas in flashbacks of the divaās career highlights, it is her own voice we hear when she sings in the āpresent-dayā scenes), doubtless brings some of her own experience to the table as a successful woman whose artistic triumphs always seem less important in the public eye than her personal relationships with men.
If so, it works beyond expectation, resulting in an old-school Hollywood star turn that dazzles us with its commitment to finding a human truth behind the veneer of glamour and moves us with the raw, unfiltered emotion she masterfully underplays throughout. Oscar talk is cheap, this early in āAwards Season,ā but look for this performance to be a hot contender for a nod, and perhaps even a win.
Yet even if sheās the main attraction, āMariaā boasts plenty of excellence all around, from a superb supporting cast to the luminous cinematography of Edward Lachman, which bathes the movieās sumptuous interiors in a palette of stained-glass colors to conjure the bittersweet nostalgia for a beautiful world as it slips away into oblivion. Knightās intelligent script, crafted with the literary eloquence of a play, explores multiple facets of the divaās life, while using it as a springboard into a meditation on loss, letting go, and embracing our own mortality even as we strive to touch the immortal. Finally, though, itās Larrainās direction that ties it all together, crafting a visually gorgeous, palpably intimate film that nevertheless delves deeply into some of the grandest aspects of our existence.
For opera lovers, of course, itās a must-see. For the rest of us, itās still a fascinating and deeply affecting film, addressing matters of life and death as vast as the ones that drove the timeless musical masterworks in which Callas made her name.
So you looked at the calendar the other day and ā eeeek!
The holidays are almost here and youāre not ready. Out of ideas for gifts? How about a book?
Is there an activist for justice on your gift list? Then they’ll be happy to open “Morningside: The 1979 Greensboro Massacre and the Struggle for an American City’s Soul” by Aran Shetterly (Amistad, $28.99), It’s a story of the Klan, white supremacy, racial conflict, and how it fits in with what’s going on in America today. Pair it with “Sidney Poitier: The Great Speeches of an Icon Who Moved Us Forward” complied by Joanna Poitier, edited by John Malahy (Running Press, $29). Bonus: This inspiring book is packed with photos.
Fiction for the LGBTQ Reader
If there’s someone on your gift list who’d enjoy a coming-of-age story, “Shae” by Mesha Maren (Algonquin Books, $28.00) is a good choice to give. It’s a boy-meets-girl tale, but when a pregnancy happens, it spurs bigger changes in their lives than just parenthood.
If a fun little rom-com is what your giftee loves to read, then look for “We Could Be Heroes” by Philip Ellis (Putnam, $20). It’s a light tale of a chance encounter and a friendship that starts out small and becomes pretty super. You might want to wrap it up with “Love and Hot Chicken” by Mary Liza Hartong (Wm. Morrow, $30), a sweet, funny story of two Tennessee women, a chicken shack, and amour.
If your giftee loves rom-coms, there are a bunch to choose from this season. Consider “The Ride of Her Life” by Jennifer Dugan (Avon, $17.99), a girl-meets-girl novel of a new ranch-owning horsey-girl and the farrier who disagrees with her ranching ideas.
Nonfiction for the LGBTQ Reader
The person on your gift list who loves memoirs will devour “Cactus Country” by Zoe Bossiere (Abrams Press, $27.00), the story of an 11-year-old and a new start in which everyone sees him as the boy he is. But life as a trans boy isn’t easy in the beautiful area he’s come to embrace, and neither are the people who surround him. Wrap it up with “The Long Hallway” by Richard Scott Larson (University of Wisconsin Press, $21.95), a memoir of a boy who identifies with a movie monster who helps him see that hiding parts of himself can help him come to terms with who he is.
For the trans man or woman on your gift list, look for “The Last Time I Wore a Dress” by Dylan Scholinski and Jane Meredith Adams (Penguin Publishing), a story of abuse, bullying, mental anguish, and a happy ending. This book was first published more than 25 years ago but now has a new, satisfying and joyful ending. Wrap it up with “Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found” by Nikkya Hargrove, the tale of a love, responsibility, and more love.
If your giftee is exploring their sexuality, “Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America” by Rebecca L. Davis (Norton, $35) might be a welcome gift. Have we come a long way, in understanding people’s sexuality? Yes and no ā your giftee may have ideas about that.
Biography
Did your giftee spend a childhood immersed in books about growing up? If so, they’ll cherish those memories when they read “The Genius of Judy” by Rachelle Bergstein (One Signal Publishers, $28.99). This biography fills readers in on who Judy Blume was, why she wrote the novels she penned, and how her stories fit in with today’s adolescence, feminism, current events, and literature. Wrap it up with this great biography: “Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters” by Susan Page (Simon & Schuster $30). It’s the story of Walters, her times, and her impressive works.
If your giftee is riled by this yearās politics and feminism, then they’ll love reading “A Well-Trained Wife” by Tia Levings (St. Martin’s Press, $30). It’s the story of Levings’s life as a wife in a Christian patriarchy-based marriage, the submissiveness, the expectations, and her ultimate resistance. The right kind of giftee will love this book completely.
The British history lover on your list will absolutely want “The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV” by Helen Castor (Avid Reader Press, $35). This book takes a deep dive into history, the lives of two cousins, and a shocking assumption to the throne. Pair it with a bookmark and “Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England’s Greatest Warrior King” by Dan Jones (Viking, $35), a book about the life and times of this English king in the fifteenth century.
For the person on your gift list who loves music, “How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music” edited by Alison Fensterstock (HarperOne, $40) is exactly the right gift. It’s a look at female musicians from the 1920s to more recent years, from country music to hip hop to guitar players and beyond. Wrap it up with “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine” by Daniel J. Levitin (Norton, $32.50), a book about music and how it contributes to healing and well-being.
“Friendly Fire: A Fractured Memoir” by Paul Rousseau (Harper Horizon, $29.99) may be the exact right gift for anyone who loves a unique memoir. Just before he graduated from college, Rousseau was shot in the head accidentally. How he survived, both physically and in the friendship with the man who shot him is the basis of this very well-done book.
The science-minded person on your gift list will be happy to have “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science” by Dava Sobel (Atlantic Monthly Press, $30). Chances are, your giftee knows exactly who Madame Curie was, but do they know about the women who came after her in the laboratory. This book tells the tale in an engaging, interesting way.
For your fashionista who loves make-up, “Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire” by Stacy A. Cordery (Viking, $35) could be the best gift beneath the tree this year. It’s a sweeping story of a businesswoman, glamour maven, revolutionary, visionary, her work, her times, and the controversy she lit.
And donāt forget queer icon Cherās new book, āCher, The Memoir Part One,ā filled with no-nonsense anecdotes about her rocky rise to fame. Fellow queer icon RuPaul also published his biography earlier this year, āThe House of Hidden Meanings: A Memoir.ā
Politics
Was your giftee dismayed at the political landscape for the past few years? Then “Good Reasonable People” by Keith Payne (Viking, $29.00) should be the book you wrap up to give. There is a way back to unity and away from polarization, Payne says, and with an explanation of the psychology and behind it, it’s do-able.
Be sure you know where your giftee’s politics lie if you wrap up “The MAGA Diaries” by Tina Nguyen (One Signal Publishers, $28.00). Nguyen cut her teeth in the conservative movement, though she never felt entirely comfortable there. Eventually, she needed to get out; how she did it is a story the right giftee will love.
The person on your list who’s mourning the end of the political season, will be happy to get “The Handy Civics Answer Book: How to Be a Good Citizen” by David L. Hudson, Jr. J.D. (Visible Ink Press, $29.99). It’s a large, heavy book about our American documents, the Amendments they should know about, what it means to be a “good citizen,” and more.
Remember the Reagan years? For your giftee that does, too, “Dear Mom and Dad” by Patti Davis (Liveright, $27.99) will be a great gift to unwrap. Davis, of course, was the Reagansā daughter, and this love letter to family and country is perfectly appropriate this year.Ā
Here’s a political issue your activist will want to know more about: “The Stolen Wealth of Slavery: A Case for Reparations” by David Montero (Legacy Lit, $29). Part history, part business, part eye-opener, this book is one of the better looks at this controversial subject.
Season’s readings!
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