a&e features

Kathleen Turner tackles ‘Magical Thinking’

Stage and screen icon channels Joan Didion in new Arena Stage production

Published

10 years ago

September 14, 2016

Kathleen Turner, gay news, Washington Blade

Kathleen Turner as Joan Didion in ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ at Arena Stage. Turner says the work helped her deal with the loss of her mother. (Photo by Tony Powell; courtesy Arena Stage)

‘The Year of Magical Thinking’

By Joan Didion

Arena Stage

Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle

1101 Sixth St., S.W.

Oct. 7-Nov. 20

$40-90

arenastage.org

Kathleen Turner has done one-woman plays before — she played Tallulah Bankhead in “Tallulah” in 2000-2001 and the title role in “Red Hot Patriot: the Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins” at Arena Stage in 2012.

But this time, it’s different. For her latest production — Turner has become almost as well known in recent years for her stage work as her film roles, which date back to 1981’s “Body Heat” — Turner will play legendary author Joan Didion, whose stunningly frank 2005 memoir “The Year of Magical Thinking” told of the aftermath of the loss of her husband, the author John Gregory Dunne who died suddenly in 2003.

The “magical thinking” of the title refers to the phenomenon of the mind in deep stages of grief where rational thought is sometimes circumvented as a coping mechanism. Didion wrote that at times she felt she couldn’t give away Dunne’s shoes, for surely he’d need them upon returning. Didion won the National Book Award in 2005 for the book, something of a career capstone for the author, known for California-centric writing in works like “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” and “The White Album” as well as screenplays she wrote with Dunne.

Didion adapted the book to the stage in 2007 with Vanessa Redgrave. Turner spoke to the Blade last week by phone from Washington where she was in early rehearsals for the Gaye Taylor Upchurch-directed Arena version.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Tell us how you discovered this work and how things are going so far.

KATHLEEN TURNER: We’ve only had one full-day rehearsal, so I think it’s much too soon to say how anything’s going although we had a very nice open reading, just a table reading, the first day that I enjoyed. I was aware of the book, you know, years ago when it was published but I had not thought of it or seen it as a play at all and then I was, well, my mother passed, my mother died last year and it was, oh, it was a life-changing experience. We were close. We had a really wonderful relationship and I knew how much I would miss her. So trying to figure out how all that was going to change, what I could do, how I could handle it and then, of course, I had thought again of “The Year of Magical Thinking” and went back to look at it and discovered the play version and thought, “Well, this is really what I want to put my heart into now.”

BLADE: How old was your mom?

TURNER: Ninety-three so we had a good long time together.

BLADE: Have you met Joan Didion?

TURNER: Yes, I have met Joan over the years. I’ve been in New York and in this business for a very long time now. I think next year will be 40 years that I’ve been doing this professionally. But she’s very frail now. She’s not very well. She won’t be involved, I’m sorry to say, with this.

BLADE: I’ve never met her but she strikes me as very small. A bit of a waif, perhaps, even when she was younger.

TURNER: Oh, not the woman’s mind, honey. No, no, no. This is one of the strongest minds, with the most ruthless thinking. I mean, she’s so clear headed. She says, “To say this correctly and to some of us, myself included, correctness is a big ego point.” She’s very specific. It’s so amazing to see this brilliant mind who locks down details and chooses words so specifically, so exactly, that this mind could adapt and adopt a whole other way of thinking, of reality, it’s extraordinary.

BLADE: I was thinking more in physical terms. She seems rather demure and you seem so formidable. I only know the book, but it doesn’t strike me as obvious casting.

TURNER: Well certainly physically we’re not at all alike. She’s a tiny little thing, but this is not an imitation. I’m not pretending to be Joan Didion in that way. I just don’t really understand. You think I’ll be less believable for that reason? That they’ll expect to see some little waif?

BLADE: No, I just wondered if that sort of factored into your approach at all or where your head is in tackling this.

TURNER: No. I don’t think of Joan’s physicality at all.

BLADE: Great books don’t always adapt well to the stage. How do you feel this adaptation works?

TURNER: No, not necessarily at all, do they. I think the biggest challenge for this, of course, is the incredibly specific word choices that she makes. I really don’t want to fall into any pattern of approximation, of saying words like the words she chose. This is a huge challenge because there’s so much material but I believe there’s a real reason for her word choices. And part of the thing about magical thinking is that it doesn’t really make sense, some of it. It’s not exactly logical, so to follow it, to follow this path of thinking sometimes is a bit challenging.

BLADE: How does it feel returning to Arena?

TURNER: I love being back here, I really do. It’s just such high quality and I love the people. The production values are great, the people are terrific to work with. I actually really like Washington these days. And I’m happy to be here during the election season so that on my days off or during my days once we’re in performance, I might be able to, oh, I don’t know, raise a little hell you know?

BLADE: What was it like doing Molly Ivins during the last election cycle? That must have been fun.

TURNER: Oh, it was great are you kidding? We had to keep cramming in I don’t know how many seats we actually got into the theater. I think we broke all records and had to extend the run as I recall. It was great. I had a ball doing it.

BLADE: Are D.C. audiences different in any perceptible way?

TURNER: One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that D.C. audiences seem more integrated. I see more non-white, or whatever the correct wording would be, than I do in a lot of other theaters. I like that. It’s a professional class and not based on race.

Edward Albee with Kathleen Turner in Washington in 2011. Albee said Turner brought Martha in his play ‘Virginia Woolf’ alive in a way he hadn’t felt since Uta Hagen originated it in the ‘60s. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

BLADE: I’m almost certain you’re supporting Hillary, right?

TURNER: Of course I’m supporting Hillary. Anything else I think is absolutely unthinkable. I think she’ll be an extraordinary executive in chief. She’s proven that. It’s just such a bizarre time. I just read a wonderful column in the New York Times — I’m trying to think if it was David Brooks or who it was — but the point that seemed so perfect to me was that you can take a die-hard Donald Trump supporter and say, “Donald Trump said this, but here are the actual facts. You know, this is absolutely incorrect. It’s absolutely a lie” and the Trump supporter would probably say, “Well, I don’t feel it’s a lie.” Somewhere along the way in our time, how you feel became just as important as the actual facts or even the idea that they are equatable, you know? I just find that extraordinary, but it’s the only explanation I think.

BLADE: So is that a manner of magical thinking of its own perhaps? Is there a correlation there?

TURNER: There may be. But if you follow Joan’s path of coping, she exposes it to us as magical thinking and there I think is the difference because I don’t think they know they’re doing any sort of magical thinking.

BLADE: Where were you when you heard about the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage last year and how did you feel?

TURNER: I was home in New York City. I’m on the board of People for the American Way for, I think, 31 years now I’ve been working with them and we had a large effort out country wide to support this decision. It was thrilling. Absolutely thrilling.

BLADE: Does any filming experience stand out in your mind as especially memorable?

TURNER: Oh darling, all these years (laughs). Well I always used to love, before I got rheumatoid arthritis, I used to love doing as much of my own stunts as they would allow. I was always just throwing myself around. I always enjoyed things like the adventure films, you know. Things like “Romancing the Stone” or something, they were just such fun for me.

BLADE: How is your daughter and what is she doing these days?

TURNER: She is very well, thank you for asking. She has decided to go back to school and work on pre-law, she says.

BLADE: The line in “Serial Mom” where you berate the woman for her white shoes has become such a gay quotable line. How do you really feel about white shoes after Labor Day?

TURNER: (laughs) Actually no, I won’t wear white shoes after Labor Day. But more than that, I won’t wear white shoes period. I think it’s kind of upstaging. I don’t want people looking at my feet. I just don’t think they’re classy, frankly.

An illustration for Arena Stage’s production of ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ starring Kathleen Turner as Joan Didion. (Illustration by Montse Bernal; courtesy Arena Stage)

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a&e features

Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard

Published

4 days ago

July 29, 2026

Kyle Rood

Lily Erin, one of Rainbows in Revolt’s signature artists, performed at Capital Pride in June. (Photo courtesy of Rainbows in Revolt)

Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!

The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?

There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?

Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.

The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.

Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.

Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.

In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.

I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.

Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.

Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.

A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church. Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.”

Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”

The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.

Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.

a&e features

Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar

America 250 celebrations continue

Published

1 week ago

July 26, 2026

Emma LaPointe

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in ‘Wicked,’ screening Sept. 12 at Union Market. (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

From late-night museum visits and outdoor jazz concerts to free movie screenings and America250 exhibitions, Washington’s summer calendar is packed with events that don’t charge admission. Here’s a look at some of the free activities happening across the District through September and beyond.

Museum exhibitions

The Renwick Gallery is presenting State Fairs: Growing American Craft, an exhibition that looks at unique and unconventional crafts from the 19th century to the present. It will run until Sept. 7, and admission is free.

The Arts and Industries Building, located next to the Smithsonian Castle, is presenting the exhibition Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America. The exhibition features the development of American independence and what that has meant over time, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Admission to the museum is free, and the exhibition runs until Sept. 7.

The National Gallery of Art presents Dear America, an exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces of work, including letters, photographs, and drawings that depict American landscapes and depictions of freedom. The exhibition will run until Sept. 20.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting Burnished: Pueblo Pottery until Sept. 27. The exhibit features pottery from the Southwest, and while most of the pottery belongs to women artists, a few also reflect those who have advocated for women.

Extending past this summer, the exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa will be at the National Museum of the American Latino until July 2028. The exhibition shows how Afro-Cuban music has become a staple in the U.S. Admission is free.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will feature the exhibition District Vibes / American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture, which will highlight all of the ways D.C. has impacted American life. The exhibit will run until Sept. 27.

At the Folger Shakespeare Library, the exhibit Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era will be on view through Aug. 2. All the portraits on display come from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.

The United States Botanic Garden will be open until 8 p.m. on Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, as part of America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. The evenings will include live music, mocktails, ice cream, and snacks.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden will have extended hours, staying open until 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday until Sept. 3.

Live performances

On Aug. 7, the postgame Nationals concert series will continue with Jordan Davis performing. To see the concert, guests just need to buy tickets to the Nationals game.

Jazz in the Garden will run each Friday until Aug. 14. The event has free admission, but those interested have to enter a lottery due to the high demand for the event.

From May to October, Capital Harvest Market occurs every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The market features fresh foods, crafts, and recipes for unique dishes. A full list of vendors is available on Capital Harvest’s website.

Live! Concert Series on the Plaza will feature live performances at Woodrow Wilson Plaza until Sept. 25. The performances run Monday to Friday from 12-1 p.m. Admission is free to the performances.

DowntownDC Live! at Anthem Row is running until July 30, with free performances every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final performance will feature HUE and a vintage flea market hosted by Get Flee Marketplace.

Located in Adams Morgan, AdMo Vibe will present live performances every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Kalorama Park. Guests are encouraged to check out Adams Morgan before and after shows, and it is an event for all ages.

Other events

Union Market is hosting drive-in movies on Aug. 8, featuring “Monsters, Inc.”, and Sept. 12, featuring “Wicked.” On Aug. 8, the parking lot will open at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 8:25 p.m. On Sept. 12, the parking lot will open at 6:35 p.m., and the movie will start at 7:30 p.m.

Sunset Cinema at the Wharf will also be available one day a month. On Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate About You” will premiere, and on Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary.” No tickets are necessary.

The Library of Congress will also show movies. On Aug. 6, guests are invited to watch “Apollo 13.” The movie will be shown at 8 p.m., with additional live performances beginning at 7 p.m.

For fans of Asian media, the Okaton convention will be at Walter E. Washington Convention Center from July 31-Aug. 2. Festivities will include cosplay contests, skits, live music, and panel discussions.

Washington Spirit’s season also begins in August. The Spirit is Washington’s National Women’s League, with matchups occurring between the San Diego Wave, the North Carolina Courage, the Orlando Pride, and the Bay FC.

a&e features

Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more

Published

1 week ago

July 23, 2026

Evan Caplan

Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone hosts Pride Night OUT on Sunday, Aug. 23. (Photo courtesy of Washington Spirit)

Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.

Dining

Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.

New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:

Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.

Sports

Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements.
Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.

Festivals

Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods.
The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.

Art and Music

United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club.
The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.