Arts & Entertainment
Moonlit magic
Female-dominated Cirque show a wonder
Andreanne Nadeau, the Moon Goddess riding a cerceau. (Photo courtesy Cirque du Soleil)
‘Cirque du Soleil Amaluna’
Through Sept. 21
At National Harbor
300 Waterfront Street
Oxon Hill, MD
$45-270
800-450-1480,
You can spot Cirque du Soleil’s trademark blue and yellow striped tent from miles away. Sitting on a bluff above the National Harbor complex on the banks of the Potomac in Maryland, the big top conjures the kind of circus excitement you knew as kid. But forget the whip-toting tamer putting defanged lions through the paces. Cirque is about what people can do.
With its latest installation “Amaluna,” the Quebec-based franchise pays tribute to the power and allure of women. From its young woman coming-of-age storyline to its core female performers to its all-girl band, “Amaluna” offers a less-testosterone-fueled experience than Cirque’s other shows. But don’t fear, along with the daring, body-bending ladies, there’s plenty nimble beefcake on hand to keep everyone happy.
“Amaluna” (an etymological mash of “mother” and “moon”) refers to a mysterious, lunar-lit island inhabited by women and watched over by goddesses. Staged by Broadway’s Diane Paulus (best known for her celebrated revivals of musicals “Pippin” and “Porgy and Bess”), this dazzling amalgam of street theater and Vegas follows a narrative loosely based on Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” only in this telling it’s singing sorceress Prospera (Julie McInnes) not Prospero whose magic sets the action in motion.
Prospera’s daughter Miranda needs a mate. The only male on hand is her half human, lizard-tailed pal Cali (Viktor Kee). Despite his enviable abs, he doesn’t make the grade, so mother summons a storm landing a crew of displaced young men on Amaluna’s shores. Miranda falls for Romeo (Evgeny Kurkin), the cutest of the bunch. But nothing comes easy. The pair’s fledgling infatuation must face many tests of the uniquely Cirque variety: for bikini-clad Miranda (the comely and cut Iuliia Mykhailova), it’s a series of contortionist moves on the slippery lip of a huge glass bowl. As Romeo, buff Kurkin demonstrates his outrageous upper body strength with a super tall, death-defying Chinese pole. It’s amazing stuff.
The climate-controlled venue is cavernous allowing the cast to soar through the night sky on aerial straps. And while the moody lighting creates a world of sea, stars and moon, it’s the performers’ athleticism and superbly executed physical feats that make the show.
The acts are varied ranging from highflying acrobatics to Cali’s immensely enjoyable juggling act which combines the tradition of circus and the flash that is Cirque. The tricks are incredible. Not at all the usual circus filler fare that you might expect. The all-male teeterboard act features a crew of well-built shirtless guys attempting to escape from a makeshift prison. It’s an exciting demonstration of strength and tumbling.
Not to say, the show is without flaws. Ever wonder where Olympic wannabes go? It appears the female gymnasts end up doing the uneven bar en masse with a traveling circus. It’s not easy. But when you come to Cirque, you expect to be blown away. This act was underwhelming. And what would a circus be without clowns? In this case, better. Sadly, the comic relief is tiresome.
The show’s highlight is titled Manipulation, an exotic balancing act performed by dancer Lili Chao Rigolo. Bit by bit, she deliberately picks up palm leaf ribs with her toes, slowly but surely assembling a piece of movable art that resembles a huge avian skeleton. The implication of her breath heightens the drama. Hers is intriguing and masterful artistry.
Overall, “Amaluna” is wondrous, transporting summer magic.
Evgeny Kurkin as Romeo in ‘Amaluna.’ (Photo courtesy Cirque du Soleil)
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
Theater
National tour of ‘Gatsby’ comes to National Theatre
Out actor Edward Staudenmayer talks playing the show’s gangster
‘The Great Gatsby’
May 12-24
The National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
$59-$196
Thenationaldc.com
Often dubbed “The Great American Novel” for its depiction of ambition and self-invention alongside the reversals of success, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” says it all in a fast read.
Set against the excesses and energy of the Roaring Twenties, “The Great Gatsby,” novel and now the same-titled hit Broadway musical with a jazz/pop original score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, tells the story of Nick Carraway and his friendship with Jay Gatsby, an enigmatic millionaire intent on reuniting with ex-lover, Daisy Buchanan.
It was during a four-month 2025 run in Seoul, South Korea, that out actor Edward Staudenmayer first played the show’s heavy, Meyer Wolfsheim, a gangster who helped Gatsby make his murkily acquired fortune. As Meyer, Staudenmayer opens the second act with, appropriately enough, “Shady.”
Now three months into a year-long North American tour, the show is poised to enjoy a brief run at Washington’s National Theatre (5/12-5/24).
While putting on his eyeliner prior to a recent Wednesday matinee at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre, the upstate New York-based actor shared about Gatsby and a life in theater.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Despite your good looks and terrific voice, you’re rarely the leading the man. How is that?
EDWARD STAUDENMAYER: I’m definitely a character man. I’ve been painting lines on my face to play old men since I was in high school. I was the youngest freshman in college playing old Uncle Sorin [in Chekhov’s “The Seagull”].
There have been many villains. Some darker than others. Meyer Wolfsheim is a very bad guy, but he doesn’t haunt me once I’m offstage. I play a lot of pickleball.
BLADE: Is it true that like so many of Fitzgerald’s characters, Wolfsheim is famously based on someone the writer encountered in life.
STAUDENMEYER: That’s true, Wolfsheim is pretty much a direct portrayal of real-life mobster and 1919 World Series fixer [Arnold Rothstein].
BLADE: When did the 1925 novel first surface on your radar?
STAUDENMAYER: Like many of us, I was assigned “The Great Gatsby” in high school. It was short, and filled with sex and illicit activities. I thought it was great. Definitely wasn’t a Judy Blume novel.
Interestingly, the book wasn’t originally a huge a success for Fitzgerald, but because it was about war and having the girl at home, they gave it to GIs leaving for WWII. After returning, a lot of those guys went on the GI Bill and became English teachers. They assigned the book to their students.
BLADE The idea that the book’s first-person narrator, Nick Carraway, is gay and enamored with Jay Gatsby is long discussed among readers and scholars. Does the musical touch on that?
STAUDENMAYER: Yes, there’s conjecture about Jay and Nick, and it’s implied in our show. It’s also implied about Jordan Baker, Jay’s fleeting romantic interest. Ultimately, she’s a confirmed bachelor, and a professional golfer who only wears pants.
Our performers are really good. Josh Grasso who plays Nick is fantastic. I’ve had to stop watching him in his last scene; it’s not good for Meyer Wolfsheim to take his curtain call crying. Our Gatsby, Jake David Smith, is good too. He’s gorgeous like Superman and sings like an angel.
BLADE: Do you ever imagine backstory for your characters whose sexuality is undefined?
STAUDENMAYER: I do, but not with Wolfsheim. I don’t see it. I’m trying to be as butch as possible with this ruthless killer.
BLADE: Have you had to do that in your career?
STAUDENMAYER: For a long time, I wore a mask to hide my gayness. I worked hard on being believable, that I was into the girl or that I was a tough guy.
It’s a different world now, and it’s so refreshing to be around the younger actors today; they’re remarkably open and comfortable.
BLADE: What was your coming of age like?
STAUDENMAYER: I played high school football in Palm Springs [he chuckles, alluding to the arid gay mecca], and I was pretty good too. But much to the chagrin of my parents and coaches, I quit the team to act in our senior year play. My super butch dad played semi-pro football and he was an ex-cop. I’m named after him. While I didn’t become my dad, I’ve played him often on stage. He was a true Gaston [the bumptious rival in “Beauty and the Beast”]. And like Gaston, he used antlers in all his interior decorating.
BLADE: Did he live to see your success in theater?
STAUDENMAYER: He did. Life was challenging growing up but the last 10 years of his life we couldn’t get off the phone with each other [his voice catches with emotion]. He accepted me entirely, and we became very close.
BLADE: Looking ahead, is there a part you’d especially like to play?
STAUDENMAYER: Like all baritones I’d love to play Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd.” I’ve come close but it hasn’t happened yet. There’s still time.
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Comings & Goings
