Arts & Entertainment
This Week’s Arts Hot Hits & Hidden Jewels
Theater, holiday sing-alongs and more
Provided by our partner CultureCapital.com
(Courtesy of Woolly Mammoth)
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
Thru Jan 3. Woolly Mammoth
For more information click HERE.
The Chicago-based Neo-Futurists return to Woolly for the 5th time with their never-the-same-twice mini-play extravaganza inspired by Dada, surrealism, and the spontaneity of late-night sketch comedy. Any given performance might contain nudity, strong language, adult content, strobe lights, and audience interaction.
(Courtesy of Choral Arts Society of Washington)
A Choral Arts Christmas
Dec 14-24. Choral Arts Society of Washington at Kennedy Center
For more information click HERE.
A Choral Arts Christmas celebrates the holidays with a magical mix of seasonal classics, favorite sing-alongs, and popular Christmas standards. December 14th will feature the SYC Ensemble Singers (Singapore).
(Courtesy of The Smithsonian Associates at Old Presbyterian Meeting House)
Alexandria: Where DC’s Breweries Began
Dec 13 & 18. The Smithsonian Associates at Old Presbyterian Meeting House
For more information click HERE.
Join Garrett Peck, author of Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C, on a walking tour through Old Town’s alleyways, archaeological finds, ice wells, warehouses, and waterfront as you explore the beverage’s local heritage and its renaissance.
(Courtesy of Washington Project for the Arts)
Washington Produced Artists
Thru Dec 19. Washington Project for the Arts
For more information click HERE.
The inaugural exhibition in the new space features work by artists William Christenberry, Jim Sanborn, Joyce J. Scott and Dan Steinhilber, with a mobile public art project created by Workingman Collective, a video installation by Michelle Lisa Herman, and an opening night performance by Maida Withers Dance Construction Company.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
a&e features
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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