Arts & Entertainment
‘Company’ and beyond
‘Carrie’ actress recalls memorable Stritch encounters
Barbara Walsh as Margaret in ‘Carrie: the Musical.’ (Photo courtesy Studio Theatre)
When Barbara Walsh was preparing to play Joanne, the iconic character created by the legendary Elaine Stritch, in the Broadway revival of “Company,” friends were quick to point out that she had large shoes to fill.
“That’s OK,” the actress wryly responded. “I have really large feet.” She also adds, “And they keep getting bigger with age. Bunions are hell.”
Walsh, now onstage as Margaret White in “Carrie the Musical” at Studio Theatre, which runs through Aug. 3 (studiotheatre.org) was shocked when she heard that Stritch died last Thursday.
“It’s a huge loss to the Broadway community,” she says.
When Walsh was in previews for “Company” in 2006, the New Yorker wanted to do a joint interview with the new and old Joanne. As Walsh arrived at the Carlyle (Stritch’s long-time residence in Manhattan), Stritch looked her up and down and declared in her stentorian voice, “Oh, you’re too young to play the part.” Walsh did not mention that she was older than Stritch was when she originated the role.
Stritch, of course, dominated the interview (which was unfortunately never published), but Walsh remembers that the two had a lovely conversation about composer Stephen Sondheim. As Walsh was leaving, Stritch said she was looking forward to seeing the new production, but wouldn’t tell her when she was coming to see the show so she wouldn’t make the younger actress nervous.
As reimagined by British director John Doyle, the Broadway revival of “Company” featured the actors doubling as the orchestra. As the hard-drinking Joanne, Walsh played the triangle and other percussion instruments, most memorably striking a martini glass with a swizzle stick. The cast never left the stage, so Walsh had plenty of time to scan the audience. One night she spotted a woman in an aisle seat in the fifth row dressed in white from head to foot, including, of course, a white hat.
“It was Stritch,” Walsh says. “You couldn’t miss her.”
After the show (“It was a lovely performance”), Walsh was headed from the wig room to her dressing room when she heard a voice booming down the stairwell. “Where’s Barbara?” Stritch bellowed. She descended the staircase and gently grabbed Walsh by the face, quietly saying, “That was just wonderful.”
“It was such a magical moment, a moment I’ll never forget. We just won’t see anyone like her ever again.”
Now Walsh has several pairs of large shows to fill as she tackles the role of Carrie’s murderous mother. There were Piper Laurie and Julianne Moore on the big screen, and Barbara Cook, Betty Buckley and Marin Mazzie in earlier productions of the stage musical. Walsh did not see those other stage performances, but she does remember watching the famous Brian De Palma film for the first time as a teenager.
“I remember being absolutely terrified of Piper Laurie,” she says. “Her performance was simply amazing. Seeing her come down the stairs in her nightgown carrying that knife was delicious. … When you’re playing a role with this rich history, you just have to stay on track and tell the story. It’s an amazing story about a lot of fascinating things.”
For Walsh, the essence of the character is a mother who is terrified of letting her daughter go, rather than religious zealotry or sexual repression, although these elements are also important. The key to the role is deep maternal love.
“That helps me to tell her story in a more grounded way. It was important for me to play the humanity against the madness. I was also very interested in the role reversal between the mother and daughter. It is terrifying to Margaret when Carrie takes over. When Carrie unleashes her telekinetic powers at the end of act one, Margaret is suddenly in uncharted waters. That is very interesting to play.”
One of the most complicated moments for the tangled character is the haunting act two ballad, “When There’s No One.” It illuminates Margaret’s tortured decision to kill her daughter. Walsh says it’s “such a beautiful song, an unbearable life-shifting moment for Margaret that leads to her psychotic break.” She credits the creative team of Michael Gore (music), Dean Pitchford (lyrics) and Lawrence D. Cohen (book) for laying out the moment so well in the script and creating such a multi-layered song.
Despite the excellent writing, Walsh still says the song was a struggle.
“It’s not easy. It’s a very tricky shift and I’m still finding it in some ways.”
Before the song starts, Margaret watches Carrie cross the sage in her home-made prom dress. As Walsh watches Emily Zickler, she says, “a tiny smile that quickly goes away crosses my face. I don’t know if anyone notices, but for me, its Margaret’s last moment of humanity before the madness takes over. The song starts a cappella — that was my decision — because Margaret is super vulnerable in that moment. The song brings together all of Margaret’s conflicting emotions, that she needs to save Carrie’s soul, that she wants to stop her daughter from making the mistakes she made, her anger that Carrie will leave her for someone else, her fear that Carrie will be taunted again and her dread of the horrible loneliness she will feel when Carrie is gone.”
Born in Chevy Chase, the D.C. native calls New York home now, but has returned to the area to star in Studio’s 2008 production of “Grey Gardens” and in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” at Center Stage in Baltimore earlier this year. In addition to “Company,” Walsh’s Broadway credits include “Blood Brothers,” “Hairspray,” “Nine” and “Falsettos,” William Finn’s ground-breaking musical about AIDS. Walsh is thrilled to be back at Studio Theatre tackling this incredible role, but is looking forward to returning to her husband (Jack Cummings, artistic director of the Transport Group) and dog in Manhattan.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
a&e features
Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people
Meet the Legends and Illuminators lighting new paths
The Torchbearers Awards are more than recognition—they are a continuation of legacy. They honor the quiet architects of progress in our community: those who organize, advocate, build, and protect, often without fanfare but always with purpose. Rooted in a belief in intentional recognition, this honor names those who carry our movements forward—those who make room for others, who remind us that change is both generational and generative. In a time marked by uncertainty and challenge, these leaders push forward with courage, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and equity.
This year’s honorees reflect the full breadth of our community, spanning generations, backgrounds, identities, and industries. From Legends, with decades of leadership and having created pathways for others, to Illuminators, who are lighting new paths with creativity and innovation, each Torchbearer represents the power of intergenerational leadership and the strength found in our diversity. They are organizers, advocates, artists, policy leaders, healers, and changemakers whose lived experiences shape a shared vision for equity and liberation.
This award is our love letter to queer and trans women and nonbinary people who carry the flame when it would be easier to let it dim. To those who consistently show up, who use their voice and visibility and stand firm, often without recognition, so that others may live more freely and fully. The Torchbearers Awards celebrates not just what has been done, but the enduring spirit, responsibility, and collective care that ensure the work continues, and that the flame is always passed forward.
Co-Creators of the Torchbearers Awards: Shannon Alston, June Crenshaw, Heidi Ellis
Torchbearers Awards Advisory Board: Aditi Hardikar, Lesley Bryant, Jasmine Wilson-Bryant, Stephen Rutgers
ILLUMINATOR AWARDEES
- Representative Sharice Davids (she/her), (D, KS-03)
— U.S. House of Representatives - Greisa Martinez Rosas (she/her/ella)
— Executive Director, United We Dream - Paola Ramos (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent - Meagan A. Fitzgerald (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent - Jessica L. Lewis (she/her)
— Founder / Producer, Play Play DC - Savannah Wade (she/her)
— Founder, OAR Agency - Suhad Babaa (she/her)
— Filmmaker/ Former Executive Director of Just Vision - Ashlee Davis (she/her)
— Global Head of Inclusive Outcomes, Ancestry - Jazmine Hughes (she/her)
— Journalist and Former Editor at New York Times Magazine - Queen Adesuyi (she/they)
— Policy Advisor & Organizer, ReFrame Health & Justice - Michele Rayner, Esq. (she/her)
— Civil Rights Attorney, State Representative (Florida House of Representatives) - Gaby Vincent (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader - Jenny Nguyen (she/her)
— Founder & Owner, The Sports Bra - Denice Frohman (she/her)
— Independent Artist, Poet / Performer - Vida Rangel (she/her)
— Founder, Our Trans Capital - Roxanne Anderson (they/them)
— Executive Director, Our Space - Ann Marie Gothard (she/her)
— Director of Programs, Pride Live (Stonewall Visitor Center) - Diana Rodriques (she/her)
— Program Leader, Pride Live (Stonewall Visitor Center) - Wendi Cooper (she/her)
— Founder / Executive Director, Transcending Women - Toya Matthews (she/her)
— City of San Antonio, Texas - Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader - Charity Blackwell (she/her)
— Poet, LGBTQ Advocate & Community Leader - Wilhelmina Indermaur (she/her)
— Director of Communications, Tyler Clementi Foundation - Em Chadwick (she/her)
— CMO, For Them & Autostraddle - Kylo Freeman (they/he)
— CEO, For Them & Autostraddle
LEGEND AWARDEES
- Sheila Alexander-Reid (she/her)
— Executive Director, PHL Diversity, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau - Cassandra Cantave Burton (she/her)
— Interim Director of Thought Leadership & Senior Research Advisor, AARP - leigh h. mosley (she/her)
— Photographer / Educator, PhotoFlo Photography - Jenn M. Jackson, PhD (they/them)
— Assistant Professor of Political Science; Author & Columnist, Syracuse University - Jordyn White (she/her)
— COO, Washington Prodigy / VP of Leadership Development & Research, HRC Foundation - AJ Hikes (they/them)
— Deputy Executive Director, ACLU - RaeShanda Lias (she/her)
— Digital Creator, RL Lockhart - Donna Payne-Hardy (she/her)
— Educator, EEO Specialist, Former Leader at the Human Rights Campaign - Courtney R. Snowden (she/her)
— Principal, Blueprint Strategy Group - Gaye Adegbalola (she/her)
— Musician & Activist, Musician / Inductee of the Blues Hall of Fame - Cheryl A. Head (she/her)
— Independent Author, Novelist (Crime Fiction) - Letitia Gomez (she/her)
— The American LGBTQ+ Museum, Formerly of Voto Latino - Lynne Brown (she/her)
— Publisher, Washington Blade - Shay Franco-Clausen (She/Her/Ella/Queen)
— Political Strategist and Organizer - Melissa L. Bradley (she/her)
— Founder & Managing Partner, New Majority Ventures - Meghann Burke (she/her)
— Executive Director, NWSL Players Association - Victoria Kirby York, MPA (she/they)
— Director of Public Policy & Programs, National Black Justice Coalition - Joli Angel Robinson (she/her)
— CEO, Center on Halsted - Jeannine Frisby LaRue (she/her)
— CEO, Moxie Strategies - Alice Wu (she/her)
— Film Director (Saving Face, The Half of It) / Screenwriter - Storme Webber (she/her)
— Interdisciplinary Artist / Educator, University of Washington - Kim Stone
— CEO of the Washington Spirit, Washington Spirit - Mickalene Thomas
— American Visual Artist, Mickalene Thomas Studio - Erika Lorshbough (any/they/she)
— Executive Director, interACT - J. Gia Loving (she/ella)
— Co-Executive Director, GSA Network
Celebrity News
D.C. goes gaga for Gaga
Bisexual icon brought ‘The Mayhem Ball’ tour to Washington this week
Lady Gaga this week took D.C. by storm.
The bisexual icon and LGBTQ rights champion brought “The Mayhem Ball” tour to Capital One Arena on Monday and Tuesday.
“Abracadabra,” “Paparazzi,” “Applause,” and “Bad Romance” are among the songs Lady Gaga performed during the 2 1/2-hour long concert. Lady Gaga also celebrated her many queer fans.
“You are precious to us,” she said on Tuesday night before she performed “Born This Way.”
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