Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: March 21-27
Center groups, parties, exhibits and more for the week ahead
‘Wonder Women!: The Untold Story of American Superheroines’ screens tonight in Germantown. (Still courtesy BlackRock)
Calendar for the week ahead in LGBT D.C. events:
Friday, March 21
Iron Crow Theatre Company presents a “pay what you can” performance of “The Homo Poe Show,” a “queering” erotic performance of Poe, at Theatre Project (45 W. Preston St., Baltimore) tonight at 8 p.m. The show, created by Steven J. Satta-Fleming, features work from Daniel Talbott, Megan Gogerty, Rich Epsey and more. The show runs through April 5. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit theatreproject.org.
BlackRock Center for the Arts (12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown, Md.) screens “Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines,” tonight at 7:30 p.m. The movie chronicles comic book character Wonder Woman’s legacy and how powerful representations of women reflect on gender roles. Tickets are $8. For more information, visit blackrockcenter.org.
Gay District, a facilitated group discussion focused on building understanding of gay culture and personal identity for men ages 18-35, meets at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 8:30-9:30 p.m. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) hosts a happy hour today from 5-9 p.m. All drinks are half price. Admission is free. For more information, visit numberninedc.com.
Saturday, March 22
Bishop Allyson Abrams brings “It’s Her Season,” a welcome back concert, to City of District Heights Municipal Building (2000 Marbury Dr., District Heights, Md.) today at 2 p.m. The concert brings Rick Brown of New Hope Baptist UCC Church and psalmists from around the local area as they celebrate Bishop Abrams’s return to the D.C. area.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts “Bearracuda D.C.,” the largest bear dance party in the U.S., tonight from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Music will be played by DJ Matt Consola and Bil Todd. Cover is $7 before 10 p.m. and $10 after. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
MOVA Lounge (2204 14th St., N.W.) hosts a CD release party for Kylie Minogue’s latest release “Kiss Me Once” tonight. DJs will be playing Kylie Minogue songs all night. Drink specials are $6 for bottom shelf drinks and $9 for top shelf drinks. Martinis are $3 extra. For more details, visit movalounge.com.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts a free relationship workshop for lesbian couples today from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This workshop is led by professional relationship coach Jayne Kelly and focuses on family. Bring lunch and learn how to address spoken and unspoken needs and how to strengthen your bond with your partner for a healthy family. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts “Direct Action: What is It Good For?,” a community discussion about direct action protests, today at 3 p.m. Kelly Cogswell, community activist and author of “Eating Fire: My Life as a Lesbian Avenger” and Wayne Turner, co-founder of ACT UP D.C., are featured speakers. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Sunday, March 23
Australian indie-pop singer Betty Who performs at Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) tonight at 8 p.m. Her debut EP “The Movement” has received critical acclaim. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $16. For more information, visit rockandrollhoteldc.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.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts a drag brunch today with two shows at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Alexandria PetSmart (3351 Jefferson Hwy., Alexandria, Va.) at 12:15 p.m. today. You will be paired with a dog on a leash to walk around and play with. Wear casual clothes. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Monday, March 24
The D.C. Center (2000 14th 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, 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.
Tuesday, March 25
Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion group at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. The group is for anyone who identifies outside of the gender binary. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
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, March 26
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts “Café SMYAL,” a fun event to get out of the cold, today from 4-5 p.m. Drink hot cocoa, play board games and make new friends. SMYAL also provides free and confidential HIV testing from 3-5 p.m. For more details, visit smyal.org.
Thursday, March 27
Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) hold a meeting at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. GLOV works to reduce violence against LGBT individuals through community outreach, education and assisting members of anti-LGBT violence. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) 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 new comers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
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.
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(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key, Robert Rapanut and Landon Shackelford)
Theater
‘Feeling Afraid’ explores life of a neurotic stand-up comic
Navigating sex, work, and possibly love in London
‘Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen’
Through July 12
Studio Theatre
1501 14th St., N.W.
$55-$102
Studiotheatre.org
Wordily yet rightly titled, solo show “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen” dives deeply into the world of a neurotic stand-up comic as he navigates sex, work, and possibly love in London.
Busy arranging hookups and dates on “The App,” the 36-year-old gay funnyman juggles a full dance card; still he’s never been in a romantic relationship. While he’s willing to give love a shot, he’s not pressed about it. As he says, he harbors no fear of dying alone.
Currently making its American premiere at Studio Theatre, this darkly humorous Edinburgh Fringe import features terrific out English actor Steven Webb as The Comedian who’s about to explore what it means to spend all his time with one man.
At Studio’s intimate Mead Theatre, Kat Heath’s minimal set says standard comedy club (fluorescent tube lighting, the mic with a long cord, a single stool backed by a rose-colored curtain), but gay playwright Marcelo Dos Santos has conjured something much more than a live comedy set.
Yes, The Comedian bounces onstage in his red Converse high tops, jeans, and pink shirt with a huge mouth emblazoned on the back, but he delivers more than jokes. At times hilariously self-deprecating, then dark, and occasionally a lesson on what makes standup work, this is a layered, well-acted piece.
With Webb (a keen caricaturist of types and voices) playing all the parts while conducting The Comedian’s hilariously frenetic interior monologue, “Feeling Afraid” takes us through a summer of love. It seems after six chaste dates with The American, our nervous hero has found Mr. Right. The American is earnest, smart, hesitant to initiate sex. He’s also well built with a beautiful smile. And strangely, he’s been medically advised not to laugh aloud.
The Comedian delights in the joys of new love: dates, first kisses, sex, and then suddenly spending all of his time with the adored. Visits to art galleries become fun. Eating home cooked meals followed by grim documentaries is a thing. The Comedian is beguiled as his own boyish figure fills out, but something isn’t right. He can’t entirely relax.
Along the way we meet the Aussie doctor, our protagonist’s longtime hookup; a young runner with some exceptional body parts; the random third in a failed threesome; grumpy working comics, male and female; and an ineffectual counselor.
Webb gives a lightning-fast performance that boggles the mind (in terms velocity and virtuosity). He can be impish, very impish. He’s nervous energy incarnate, flashing jazz hands, grimacing but handsome when still. He’s likeable, a necessity when delivering a hilariously rude joke just feet away from two stone-faced audience members. (Perhaps they were laughing on the inside? At any rate, they stayed through the end the show.)
Produced by the team behind Fringe hits “Fleabag” and “Baby Reindeer,” small stage works that were developed into major TV screen successes, “Feeling Afraid” is funny for sure, and it’s also highly confessional, sexually explicit, and raw.
Written by Dos Santos during COVID lockdown, the piece was a smash hit in the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe before finding further success in London. Its depiction of a youngish queer guy navigating the big city rings entirely true. Like so much Fringe stuff, the one-man show is delightfully lewd and standup inspired.
One little moan: the show closes cleverly but too abruptly with its star dashing offstage without sufficiently basking in the admiration and applause of his thoroughly chuffed audience.
They say third time’s a charm, and regarding “Feeling Afraid,” I’d agree. After two performance cancellations (first for laryngitis and the second involving faulty air conditioning on an especially muggy June evening), I made my third trek to Studio where I found both the actor and AC in very fine fettle. And truly, Webb’s work was more than worth the wait.
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