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Calendar: events through Jan. 16

Parties, support groups, concerts and more for the coming week

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Caroline Thorington, BlackRock, lithograph, gay news, Washington Blade
Caroline Thorington, BlackRock, lithograph, gay news, Washington Blade

A lithograph by artist Caroline Thorington on display now through the end of February at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantonw, Md. (Image courtesy BlackRock)

Friday, Jan. 10

 

Gallery B (7700 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, Md.) holds an opening reception for its new exhibit “New Works on Paper” from 6-9 p.m. this evening. The exhibit features artwork by local artists Cathy Kwart, Catherine Levinson, Bonny Lundy and Virginia Mahoney. The exhibit runs all month. For details, visit bethesda.org.

Women in Their 20s, a social discussion group for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and all women interested in women, meets today at The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105) from 8-9:30 p.m. All welcome to join. 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.

TempTation, D.C’S biggest new gay dance party, is tonight at Howard Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) from 11 p.m.-2 a.m. Doors open at 11 p.m. Music by DJ Mike Reimer. Tickets are $15. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thehowardtheatre.com.

 

Saturday, Jan. 11

 

BlackRock Center for the Arts (12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown, Md.) holds an opening reception for its new exhibits “Forma Reliquias” and “Between Two Portraits” today from 3-5 p.m. There will be a brief artist talk at 4 p.m. Admission is free. For details, visit blackrockcenter.org.

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105) has free HIV testing from 4-7 p.m. today. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts “DIRTY POP with DJ Drew G” tonight at 10 p.m.  Drew G plays electro-pop music all night long. 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 information, visit towndc.com.

 

Sunday, Jan. 12

 

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.

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers for D.C. Central Kitchen (425 2nd St., N.W.) from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will cook alongside chefs who are graduates of D.C. Central Kitchen’s job training program. To volunteer, RSVP at [email protected]. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) hosts “Sunday Oneday: A Onesie Party” from 4-7 p.m. Rail drinks are $1 from 4-5 p.m. for anyone in a onesie. No cover. For details, visit numberninedc.com.

 

Monday, Jan. 13

 

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105) hosts coffee and conversation this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee while engaging in a discussion facilitated by Ron Swanda, a member of Mayor Vincent Gray’s Advisory Committee for LGBT Affairs, about what is important for older adults in D.C. 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.

 

Tuesday, Jan. 14

 

Lord Fairfax Community College (173 Skirmisher Ln., Middletown, Va.) hosts a Veteran’s Hiring Event and Conference today from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in its Community Development Center. There will be workshops and hiring representatives. Admission is free. For more details and to register, visit lfccworkforce.com or call 540-868-7021.

D.C. Bi Women hosts its monthly meeting in the upstairs room of Dupont Italian Kitchen (1637 17th St., N.W.) from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.

SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) provides free and confidential HIV testing drop-in hours today from 3-5 p.m. For more information, visit smyal.org.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 15

Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 1155 F St., N.W. Suite 200 at 7 p.m. to discuss ”Dreadful: The Short Life and Gay Times of John Horne Burns” and “The Gallery” both by John Horne Burns. The first book is Burns’s autobiography and the second is a novel that examines gay life in the military. Newcomers welcome. For details, email [email protected].

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., N.E.) at 7:30 p.m. tonight for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.

Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce hosts its “January Women’s Wednesday” at Godiva (1143 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The lecture will be on the legend of how an 11th century woman influenced a master chocolatier while networking with prominent female business leaders. The event is free for Chamber members and $25 for guests. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

The Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs has a forum today called “Protecting Our Diversity: A Criminal Justice Forum” from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at 441 4th Street, N.W. In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, the forum will focus on various criminal justice issues that impact the LGBT community in Washington including hate crimes, domestic violence, wage theft and visas for non-immigrant witnesses. For more information, call 202-727-9493.

Also today, the Mayor’s GLBT Advisory Committee has its first meeting of the new year from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the City-wide Conference Room on the 11th floor at 441 4th Street, N.W. Those attending will have two minutes to speak during a public comments section at the beginning of the meeting. For more information, call 202-727-9493.

 

Thursday, Jan. 16

 

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 details, visit rudeboientertainment.wordpress.com.

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105) hosts its monthly Poly Discussion Group at 7 p.m. People of all different stages are invited to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. This event is for newcomers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

The D.C. Center and Professionals in the City host speed dating for women in their 20s and 30s at Chi-Cha Lounge (1624 U St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 p.m.  Dating is approximately one hour. After enjoy a mixer with fellow speed daters. Cash bar. Check in is at 7 p.m. and dating begins at 7:20 p.m.  Complimentary valet parking offered to anyone who purchases two drinks or other items from the bar or restaurant. Cost is $30. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

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Photos

PHOTOS: WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert

Doechii, Khalid among performers

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Doechii performs at the WorldPride Closing Concert on Sunday, June 8. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Photos

PHOTOS: WorldPride Parade

Thousands march for LGBTQ rights

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The 2025 WorldPride Parade (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals. 

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)

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Theater

A hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger full of ‘elegant kink’

Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan stars as Duke Orsino

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Alyssa Keegan (Photo courtesy Folger Theatre)

‘Twelfth Night’
Through June 22
Folger Theatre
201 East Capitol St., S.E.
$20-$84
Folger.edu

Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan (they/them)loves tapping into the multitudes within. 

Currently Keegan plays the melancholic Duke Orsino in Folger Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night.” Director Mei Ann Teo describes the production as “sexy, hilarious, and devastating” and full of “elegant kink.” 

Washington-based, Keegan enjoys a busy and celebrated career. Her vast biography includes Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actress) and Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive, both at Round House Theatre; Diana Son’s Stop Kiss directedby Holly Twyford for No Rules Theatre Company; and Contractions at Studio Theatre, to name just a few. 

In addition to acting, Keegan works as a polyamory and ethical non-monogamy life and relationship coach, an area of interest that grew out of personal exploration. For them, coaching seems to work hand in hand with acting. 

WASHINGTON BLADE: You’re playing the lovesick Orsino in Twelfth Night. How did that come about? 

ALYSSA KEEGAN: The director was looking to cast a group of actors with diverse identities; throughout auditions, there were no constraints regarding anyone’s assigned sex at birth. It was really a free for all. 

BLADE: What’s your approach to the fetching, cod-piece clad nobleman?

KEEGAN: Offstage I identify as completely nonbinary; I love riding in this neutral middle space. But I also love cosplay. The ability to do that in the play gives me permission to dive completely into maleness. 

So, when I made that decision to play Orsino as a bio male, suddenly the part really cracked open for me. I began looking for clues about his thoughts and opinions about things like his past relationships and his decision not to date older women.

Underneath his mask of bravura and sexuality, and his firmness of feelings, he’s quite lonely and has never really felt loved. It makes sense to me why his love for Olivia is so misguided and why he might fall in love with the Cesario/Viola character.

BLADE: As an actor, do you ever risk taking on the feelings of your characters? 

KEEGAN: Prior to my mental health education, yes, and that could be toxic for me. I’ve since learned that the nervous system can’t tell the difference between real emotional distress and a that of a fully embodied character. 

So, I created and share the Empowered Performer Project. [a holistic approach to performance that emphasizes the mental and emotional well-being of performing artists]. It utilizes somatic tools that help enormously when stepping into a character. 

BLADE: Has changing the way you work affected your performances?

KEEGAN: I think I’m much better now. I used to have nearly debilitating stage fright. I’d spend all day dreading going onstage. I thought that was just part of the job. Now, I’ve learned to talk to my body. Prior to a performance, I can now spend my offstage time calmly gardening, working with my mental health clients, or playing with my kid. I’m just present in my life in a different way. 

BLADE: Is Orsino your first time playing a male role?

KEEGAN: No. In fact, the very first time I played a male role was at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Va. I played Hipolito in Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy. 

As Hipolito, I felt utterly male in the moment, so much so that I had audience members see me later after the show and they were surprised that I was female. They thought I was a young guy in the role. There’s something very powerful in that.

BLADE: Do you have a favorite part? Male or female? 

KEEGAN: That’s tough but I think it’s Maggie the Cat. I played the hyper-female Maggie in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Round House. In the first act she didn’t stop talking for 51 minutes opposite Gregory Wooddell as Brick who barely had to speak. That lift was probably the heaviest I’ve ever been asked to do in acting. 

BLADE: What about Folger’s Twelfth Night might be especially appealing to queer audiences?

KEEGAN: First and foremost is presentation. 99% of the cast identify as queer in some way. 

The approach to Shakespeare’s text is one of the most bold and playful that I have ever seen.  It’s unabashedly queer. The actors are here to celebrate and be loud and colorful and to advocate. It’s a powerful production, especially to do so close to the Capitol building, and that’s not lost on any of us.

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