Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Dec. 20
Parties, exhibits, concerts and more through Dec. 27
Wynonna will be in the D.C. region Monday for a Christmas peformance at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club. (Photo by Kristin Barlowe)
Friday, Dec. 20
Gay District, a facilitated group discussion focused on building understanding of gay culture and personal identity for men ages 18 through 35, meets at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 8:30-9:30 p.m. For 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.
Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) holds a happy hour from 5-7:30 p.m. tonight with all drinks half price. Music begins at 11 p.m. Enjoy pool, video games and cards. Admission is $5 after 9 p.m. Must be 21 and over. For more details, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts free vodka Friday tonight from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Free rail vodka 11 p.m.-midnight. Two DJs on two floors. Cover is $10. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) provides free and confidential HIV testing drop-in hours today from 1-3 p.m. For more information, visit smyal.org.
A “holiday tango concert” with the Roberto Pomili Orchestra featuring Latin Grammy winner Raul Jaurena is tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club (7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda). Tickets are $35. Visit bethesdabluesjazz.com or call 240-330-4500 for tickets.
Saturday, Dec. 21
Some Souls Church, a variety show, presents “The Church Night Holiday Spectacular” tonight at Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) at 9 p.m. There will be music by Jonny Grave, a burlesque performance by Pria Puss and children’s comedy by Sara Armour. There is a dance party with music by rock group The North Country at the end of the performance. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m. Those volunteering will be paired with a dog on a leash to walk around and play with. Wear casual clothes. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) presents “Chord’s MTHR FCKN Pop Off,” a dance party countdown for top pop song of the year, at 10 p.m. tonight. The cover is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. Drinks are $3 before 11 p.m. The drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit towndc.com.
DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.) hosts “Peach Pit: 90s Dance Party” tonight from 10:30 p.m.-3 a.m. Mixtape’s DJ Matt Bailer spins ‘90s music. Cover is $5. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit dcnine.com.
Sunday, Dec. 22
Adventuring, an LGBT outdoors club, hosts a “Winter Solstice Poetry Hike” this morning at 10 a.m. to Maryland’s Sugarloaf Mountain. Meet at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station (10300 Rockville Pike., Bethesda, Md.) at 10 a.m. The hike is about seven miles and 1700 elevation gain. At the top of the mountain there will be a lunch and sharing of favorite poems in honor of the passing of another year. Bring a bag lunch, water, sturdy shoes, cash and a favorite poem to share. For details, visit adventuring.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.
Adventuring, an LGBT outdoors club, hosts a holiday party at 6338 Beryl Rd., Alexandria, Va. today from 4-8 p.m. Adventuring will provide a holiday ham and all non-food items. Guests are asked to bring a beverage to share plus one of the following: an appetizer, salad, hot dish or dessert. There will be a $5 collection at the door to support the Team D.C. Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit adventuring.org.
Monday, Dec. 23
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.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) holds a support group for gay black men to discuss topics that affect them today, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win prizes. Free to play. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Country legend Wynonna and The Big Noise bring their show “A Simpler Christmas” to Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club (7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets ($60-90) are available at bethesdabluesjazz.com or 240-330-4500.
Tuesday, Dec. 24
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers for the Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital holiday party (1100 Alabama Ave., S.E.) today from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteers will decorate, serve the buffet, carol and socialize with patients. Visitor orientation is at 9:30 a.m. and party starts at 10 a.m. There is a buffet lunch at noon. Wear something red and bring photo ID. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
The Mansion on O Street (2020 O St., N.W.) holds a Christmas Eve dessert buffet and annual Christmas Eve sale tonight from 7-10 p.m. Bring your own shopping bags. Tickets are $30. Reservations are required. For details, visit omansion.com/xmasdesserts.
Bachelor’s 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, Dec. 25
Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) holds Festival Holy Eucharist this morning at 11 a.m. There is a Christmas Day Service of Lessons and Carols today at 4 p.m. followed by an organ recital featuring organists Christopher Betts and Benjamin Straley at 5:15 p.m.
The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) has its Christmas Day breakfast and service this morning from 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. For more information visit washingtonparish.org.
Thursday, Dec. 26
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.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Beat the Clock Happy Hour” tonight from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Drink specials start at $2 and increase by a dollar each hour. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Photos
PHOTOS: Capital Stonewall Democrats 50th anniversary
D.C. LGBTQ political group celebrates milestone at Pepco Edison Place Gallery
The Capital Stonewall Democrats held a 50th anniversary celebration at Pepco Edison Place Gallery on Friday. Rayceen Pendarvis served as the emcee.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Theater
‘Inherit the Wind’ isn’t about science vs. religion, but the right to think
Holly Twyford on new role and importance of listening to different opinions
‘Inherit the Wind’
Through April 5
Arena Stage
1101 Sixth St., S.W.
Tickets start at $73
Arenastage.org
When “Inherit the Wind” premiered on Broadway in 1955 with a cast of 50, its fictional setting of Hillsboro, an obscure country town described as the buckle on the Bible Belt, was filled with townspeople. And now at Arena Stage, director Ryan Guzzo Purcell has somehow crowded Arena’s large Fichandler space with just 10 actors, five principals and a delightful ensemble of five playing multiple roles.
Inspired by the real-life Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s fictionalized work pits intellectual freedom against McCarthyism via the imagined trial of Bertram Cates (Noah Plomgren), a Tennessee educator charged with teaching evolution. Drawn into the fracas are big shot lawyers, defense attorney Henry Drummond (Billy Eugene Jones), and conservative prosecutor, Matthew Harrison Brady (Dakin Matthew). On hand to cover the closely watched story is wisecracking city slicker and Baltimore reporter E.K. Horneck (played by nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan).
Out actor Holly Twyford, a four-time Helen Hayes Award winner who has appeared in more than 80 Washington area plays, is part of the ensemble. In jeans and boots, she memorably plays Meeker, the bailiff at the Hillsboro courthouse and the jailer responsible for holding Cates in the days leading to his trial.
Twyford also plays Sillers, a slack jawed earnest employee at the local feed store who’s called to serve on the jury. And more importantly she plays Brady’s quietly strong wife Sarah whom he affectionately calls “Mother.”
When Twyford makes her memorable first entrance as Meeker, she’s wiping shaving cream from her face with a hand towel. With shades of Mayberry R.F.D., the jail is run casually. Meeker says Cates isn’t the criminal type, and he’s not.
“There’s a joke among actors,” says Twyford. “When an actor gets his shoes, they know who their character is. And it’s sort of true. When you put on boots, heels, or flip flops, there’s a different feeling, and you walk differently.”
Similarly, shares Twyford, it goes for clothes too: “When Mother slips a pink coat dress over her cowboy boots, dons a little hat and ties her scarf, or Meeker puts on his work shirt, I know where I am. And all of that is thanks to a remarkable wardrobe crew.
“Additionally, some of the ensemble characters are played broadly which is helpful to the actors and super identifying for the audience too.”
During intermission, an audience member loudly described the production as “a proper play” filled with beautifully written passages. And it’s true. Twyford agrees, adding “That’s all true, and it’s also been was fun for us to be a part of the Arena legacy as well. Arena took ‘Inherit the Wind’ to the Soviet Union in the early ‘70s when the respective governments did a cultural exchange. At the time, the iron curtain was very much in place, and they traveled with a play about a man with his own thoughts.”
When the ensemble was cast, actors didn’t know which tracts exactly they were going to play. “What came together was a cast, diverse in different ways. Some directors, including myself when I direct, are interested in assembling a cast that’s a good group. No time for egos. It’s more about who will make the best group to help me tell this story.”
At one point during rehearsal, ensemble members began to help one another with minor onstage costume changes, like jackets and hats: “We just started doing it and Ryan [Guzzo Purcell] picked up on it, saying things really began to come alive when we helped each other, so we went with that.”
“For me, it was reminiscent of ‘The Laramie Project’ [Ford’s Theatre in 2013] when we played five different parts and we’d help each other with a vest or jacket in a similar way. It worked so well then too,” says Twyford.
“Inherit the Wind” isn’t about science versus religion. It’s about the right to think, playwright Jerome Lawrrence has been quoted as saying. And it’s a quote that makes the play that much more relevant today.
Twford remembers a chat in a hair salon: “I was getting my hair cut and the woman next to me shared that she was tired of message plays. Understandably there are theater makers who believe that message plays are the point, while others think it’s all about entertainment. I feel like ‘Inherit the Wind’ sits in a nice place in the middle.”
She adds “the work is a creative way of showing different opinions and that, I think, is what we should be paying attention to right now. Clearly, it’s not right or wrong to express what you think.”
Out & About
‘How We Survived’ panel set for March 25
‘Living History’ discussion to be held at Spark Social
Friends of Dorothy Cafe will host “Part One, Living History: How We Survived,” will take place on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Spark Social House.
This event will be moderated by Abby Stuckrath, host of the “Queering the District” podcast. Panelists include: Earline Budd, activist, trans rights advocate; TJ Flavell of Go Gay DC; DC LGBTQ+ Center Board Member David Bissette; and Alexa Rodriguez, founder and executive director, Trans-Latinx DMV.
This event is part of a four-part storytelling series called “Living History,” which centers LGBTQ elders, activists, artists, and icons sharing their lived experiences and reflections with younger generations. The conversations explore themes like resilience, community organizing, chosen family, and the lessons earlier generations hope today’s LGBTQ+ and ally communities will carry forward.
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