Arts & Entertainment
Todrick Hall takes Howard ‘Straight Outta Oz’
YouTube sensation draws eclectic fan base for D.C. tour stop
The Howard Theater was transformed on Monday. Viral YouTube, MTV and “American Idol” star Todrick Hall took fans out of the sold-out D.C. theater and into Oz Angeles, performing a musical theater version of his visual album, “Straight Outta Oz.”
The 20-song, “Wizard of Oz”-inspired visual album features big names like Nicole Scherzinger, Perez Hilton, Jordin Sparks, Wayne Brady and Joseph Gordon Levitt, but Hall remains the brightest star in his show onscreen and onstage.
In “Straight Outta Oz,” Hall takes viewers through the story of his life growing up in rural Texas, finding his first love as a gay man, having his heart broken and moving to Oz Angeles to blow money and chase fame. The show even hints at Hall’s 2013 gig writing a song for Virgin America by having his character write a jingle for “Flying Monkey Airlines,” although there are no allusions to his time on “American Idol” or his MTV show. The tour still has dates remaining throughout Canada and the U.S. through Aug. 12.
While the show sticks pretty strictly to the visual album, there are a few bonus songs to surprise audiences. For those who have watched the video, this can make the show a bit predictable, but Hall’s fans at the Howard couldn’t have cared less, dancing and singing along to every lyric.
The theater was filled with giddy, smiling groups of teenagers and middle-aged women, straight and gay couples, even many small children who seemed to adore Hall just as much as everyone else. As his viral Youtube music medleys played during intermission, the audience turned the break into a dance party. A rogue voguer even had to be escorted off stage.
Hall takes hip-hop and does it better than half the rappers on the charts with songs like “Expensive” and “Dumb.” Not only that, but he does it in drag, looking hotter and rapping harder than Nicki Minaj and all of her alter egos (he also does a killer Disney princess impression of her in his “Mickey Minaj” video). The theater erupted as he rapped around the audience and dropped it low as a boss-ass witch for “Wrong Bitch,” a song celebrating black pride against police brutality. In the visual album, Bob the Drag Queen raps along with Hall in the “Wicked”-esque song, fighting against the police “dropping houses” on their “beautiful green brothers and sisters.”
While the show is largely centered around Todrick and his story, Hall shares the stage with a killer cast and diverts the plot to send a few important messages to the audience.
Amber Riley (“Glee”) sings as Todrick’s mother in the visual album, but Teresa Stanley (Broadway’s “Rock of Ages,” “The Color Purple”) brings the character to life on stage for a much more believable performance. In “Lions and Tigers and Bears” and “See Your Face” she belts out emotional lyrics about a mother’s undying love for her son. Of course, a mother can only be so patient, and in a funny, sassy song not on the album she warns Todrick that she’ll “whoop his ass” if he doesn’t call her back.
Other standout performances include Chester Lockhart, who plays Todrick’s posh, social media-obsessed friend as well as an outstanding member of the ensemble, and Vonzell Solomon, whose vocal range is a highlight in many roles throughout the whole show.
Hall breaks away from his Oz-obiography to make a point about gun violence and pay tribute to Trayvon Martin, Christina Grimmie and the Pulse Nightclub victims in the soulful song “Water Guns,” which received a standing ovation at the Howard. In “Dumb” he raps about equal rights and takes shots at shallow celebrities with lyrics like, “If I have blue button eyes and blonde hay/Would I make the magazine on the best page?/Be the leading man, if I was less gay?/If I was a woman would you try to give me less pay?”
In a show that could so easily stick to being all about him, Hall takes the high road and uses his platform to speak out for causes he believes in — a rare move reminiscent of Beyonce’s “Formation.”
Hall pushes the boundaries of what a pop artist can do, say and dress like in today’s world. He makes kid-friendly videos parodying Disney princesses and pop icons that make me look back at a childhood raised on “Kidz Bop” in regret. He raps better than Nicki, Drake and Lil’ Wayne combined, and isn’t afraid to spit fire with substance to fight for a less whitewashed, heteronormative and violent society. His pop and musical songs are infectiously catchy. “Papi,” “Little People,” and “If I Had a Heart” could be instant broadway classics.
Despite already having been tied to big names such as “American Idol,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and MTV, YouTube has made Hall more famous than any TV show ever could. His channel has more than two million subscribers and his most popular video, “Disney Dudes” from 2013 has 17 million views. “Straight Outta Oz” has almost two million views after just one month.
Like many other YouTube sensations, Hall capitalizes on this by taking his act off screen and on stage. He recently told Playbill that his goal is to take “Straight Outta Oz” to Broadway within a couple years. With the profound talent Hall has along with such a dedicated fanbase, that seems like a definite possibility.
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale
Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions
A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.
The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.
He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”
“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.
“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”
It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”
“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.
Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.
News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets
In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.
The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.
The sales brochure can be accessed here.
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