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From the ‘Heart’
‘Looking’ actor Groff leapt at chance to be in Kramer classic
Jonathan Groff, center, as Craig in ‘The Normal Heart.’ (Photo by Jojo Whilden, courtesy HBO)
When director Ryan Murphy and writer Larry Kramer (both out) announced they were adapting Kramer’s groundbreaking and Tony-winning play “The Normal Heart” for HBO, a virtual who’s who of stars clamored to take part in the powerful and emotional story that deals with the onset of the AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s.
The cast quickly filled with respected names like Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo, Jim Parsons, Taylor Kitsch and Matt Bomer.
“The Normal Heart” follows Ned Weeks (Ruffalo), a gay activist enraged at the indifference of public officials and the gay community. Bomer plays a reporter who becomes Ned’s lover; former “Friday Night Lights” star Kitsch plays Bruce, a closeted investment banker who becomes a prominent AIDS activist; Roberts plays Dr. Emma Brookner, who treats some of the earliest victims of the epidemic; and Parsons portrays gay activist Tommy Boatwright, reprising his critically praised Broadway role.
One actor who was dreaming of taking part was Jonathan Groff. Although too young to remember the events of the time, the 29-year-old had seen the play during its Off-Broadway revival in 2004 and again when it opened on Broadway in 2011.
“I had seen it several times and it’s such an important piece of writing and it means so much,” Groff says. “When I learned HBO would be turning it into a film, something that would last forever, I wanted to be part of it.”
Luckily, Groff already had a relationship with Murphy, having worked with him on “Glee,” playing the one-time Vocal Adrenaline powerhouse Jesse St. James.
“Ryan texted me and said he had this part for me in the movie, and I called him back right away and said, ‘Absolutely, I would do anything in this movie because it’s such a special project,’” Groff recalls. “I feel very lucky to be in it.”
In the movie, Groff plays Craig Donner, a character barely mentioned in the play, but one who has an extremely important role in the film. He plays the boyfriend of Bruce and ex-boyfriend of Ned.
“Craig is based on one of Larry’s friends from Fire Island, when the ‘gay cancer’ at the time started hitting this circle of friends, and Craig was the first one to go,” Groff says. “It hit him so quickly that when he died, his body was still tan. It was horrifying.”
For the part, Groff worked on location at Fire Island, shooting some of the earliest scenes of the movie.
“We did a bunch of the boys partying it up on Fire Island,” he says. “It was nice to be at the beginning of the movie. We were all having a blast, and then it got pretty dark.”
With longtime friend Lea Michele by his side, Groff joined the cast for an opening night screening last week at New York City’s Ziegfeld Theater and said it was unlike any movie premiere he had ever attended.
“Here we are at the Ziegfeld with the whole cast and crew and a lot of the men and women who lived through the AIDS crisis in New York City at the time and watching it in that venue was just incredibly powerful and a night I will never forget,” he says. “Everyone in that room felt so personally connected to the story we were telling. It is such an amazing movie and has such an effect on people — some had to walk out because it was so much. When we left the theater, there was that same sadness and reverence you have when you leave a funeral, it was a really powerful experience.”
Groff admits that the movie is a little different from the play, but that it almost had to be to pull off its importance on screen.
“Ryan is so visual, so he creates some amazing pictures and the way he pulls the story together has the spirit of the play and a lot of those same lines and speeches that we love, but there’s something very specifically Ryan Murphy about the movie that makes the sensibility a little different,” he says. “It’s the same overall experience, but you are served it in a different way.”
“The Normal Heart” debuts on HBO at 9 p.m. Sunday and is expected to be seen by millions, a far greater reach than the play ever could secure.
“When it’s on a network like HBO that everyone looks to as the benchmark of quality programing, you get a lot of people paying attention to what they put out,” Groff says. “We have Taylor and Julia and Matt and Mark, and hopefully it adds a lot of eyes to the story of those who wouldn’t have watched it before and that reach grows once the movie starts to air.”
In addition to being part of this landmark movie, Groff has had a pretty exciting year already. He starred in HBO’s new series, “Looking,” which will be returning for season two this fall and voiced Kristoff in Disney’s mega-hit “Frozen.”
“The movie exploded in ways that I don’t think anyone who worked on it thought it would, certainly we all thought it was great, but you can never predict a phenomenon,” he says. “I feel extremely lucky to be a part of this history.”
For those who know him from his Tony-nominated role of Melchior Gabor in “Spring Awakening” or one of the many other theatrical productions he’s done, Groff says he is itching to get back to the Great White Way.
“I rented an apartment in New York a couple of weeks ago and I spent every night last week watching plays. I am a theater nerd and a fan and I try to see everything and I want to be back on that stage. It’s just hard to find the time and find the right project, but it’s something I definitely hope to be doing soon.”
Born in 1985, Groff feels he is part of “a younger gay generation” whose members don’t always understand the history of those who came before. He hopes the movie will change the way that some approach their advocacy efforts.
“I think there’s a disconnectedness that my generation has in some ways for the AIDS crisis and what the generation before us went thought emotionally but fought for and got political and advocated about,” he says. “I hope probably more than anything that the movie reaches my generation and not only teaches us about what happened before us, but inspires us to advocate and stay connected to each other and protect each other and continue to be vocal.”
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Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
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Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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