Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2018
The High Heel Race, dance parties, group discussions and more in the week to come
The cast of ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ (Photo courtesy Kennedy Center)
Friday, Oct. 26
The D.C Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts Woof: Happy Hour and Porn Star Bingo this evening from 5-11 p.m. Beaux Banks hosts Porn Star Bingo which will have prizes. There will be free pizza for the crowd at 7:30 p.m. Drink specials run until 11 p.m. No cover before 9:30 p.m. For more details, visit dceagle.com.
JR.’s Bar (1519 17th St., N.W.) hosts Divas, a night dedicated to the music of divas, tonight from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. DJ Darryl Strickland will play the music of Cher, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and more. Drink specials are from 9 p.m.-midnight. For more information, visit facebook.com/jrsbardc.
D.C. Bear Crue hosts Bear Happy Hour at Uproar Lounge & Restaurant (639 Florida Ave., N.W.) this evening from 5-10 p.m. Drink specials run until 10 p.m. and include $5 rail cocktails and $5 draft pitchers. Free appetizers will be handed out throughout the night. For more details, visit facebook.com/bearhappyhour.
The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) presents Birds of Prey, a drag show, tonight at 10:30 p.m. Various local drag queens will perform. DJ C Dubz will play music. For more information, visit facebook.com/dcbridsofprey.
The Latino GLBT History Project hosts a screening and discussion of the film “Chavela” at Human Rights Campaign (1649 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. The film tells the story of singer Chavela Vargas. For more details, visit latinoglbthistory.com.
Stonewall Kickball team Down to Field hosts Down to Float Drag Cruise leaving from D.C. Cruises (3100 K St., N.W.) to sail the Potomac tonight from 9:30-11:45 p.m. There will be drag performances from Desiree Dik, Bombalicious Eklaver and Bellatrix Fox. Tickets are $55 and includes an open bar. Proceeds will benefit the D.C. Center. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Advocates for Youth (1325 G St., N.W.) presents “Intersex 101: Our Shared Liberation,” a workshop on the basics of being intersex, tonight from 6-8 p.m. Dinner will be provided. For details, visit facebook.com/advocates4youth.
Broadway Center Stage presents “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) today with shows at 2 and 8 p.m. The musical stars Megan Hilty and Josh Radnor. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
Saturday, Oct. 27
Miss Adams Morgan 31: SHEroes and Villains is at the Washington Hilton (1919 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 6 p.m. Queen Eva and the Dupont Social Club host the event. Tickets are $85. Search “Miss Adams Morgan 31: SHEroes & Villains” on Facebook for more information.
The Bentzen Ball Comedy Fest presents comedians Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, Naomi Ekgeperin and more at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) tonight at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more details, visit bentzenball.com.
The Halloween Hip Hop Bar Crawl is today in the U Street neighborhood from 3-11 p.m. A DJ at each bar will spin a different genre of old school hip hop music from the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s. Costumes are encouraged. There will also be drink specials and giveaways. Participating bars include Vivid Lounge, Clock & Dagger, Amsterdam and Pure Lounge. The grand finale afterparty will be at Provision 14 from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit facebook.com/1920dc.
The gay-led Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company will perform “Silhouettes” based on American culture in the National Portrait Gallery at the gallery in the Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium this evening at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 30 (same time). Details at dtsbdc.org.
Washington Concert Opera performs Opera Outside today at 11 a.m. at Merdian Hill/Malcolm X Park near the Joan of Arc statue on the top field. Children and dogs welcome. It’s free and open to the public. Selections will include works from the current season. Details at concertopera.org/outside.
Sunday, Oct. 28
The Bentzen Ball Comedy Fest and Lyft presents Belly Laughs, a charity brunch featuring “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski and friends, at Eaton D.C. (1201 K St., N.W.) at 11 a.m. Doors open at 10:30 p.m. Total proceeds will benefit Whitman-Walker Health. Tickets can’t be bought but Lyft users can use the code “AVOCADO” for a chance to win. For more information, visit bentzenball.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts Sunday Mass, a monthly house/techno music event, tonight from 6 p.m.-midnight. DJ Billy Lace will play music. Cover is $5. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Monday, Oct. 29
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours for the senior LGBT community this morning from 10 a.m.-noon. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Mayor Muriel Bowser presents the 32nd annual 17th Street High Heel Race on 17th Street between R and P Streets tonight at 7 p.m. The pre-race happy hour kicks off at Level One/Cobalt patio (1639 R St., N.W.) at 5 p.m. The parade is at 7 p.m. followed by the race at 9 p.m. For details, visit facebook.com/
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Nellies’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts “A Rocky Horror Halloween” tonight from 8 p.m.-midnight. From 8-10 p.m. there will be a screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” “Absolutely Snatched,” a drag show and costume contest, will be from 10 p.m.-midnight. $1 from the night’s speciality cocktail will benefit the National Black Justice Coalition. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Union Stage (740 Water St., N.W.) hosts a Harry Potter dance party tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$60. For more details, visit unionstage.com.
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are welcome. Call 202-841-0279 if you need a partner.
Thursday, Nov. 1
Slide It in presents Seven Deadly Sins at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) tonight from 8-10 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Trevor Project. For more details, search “Slide It In Presents: Seven Deadly Sins” on Facebook.
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)
Theater
A hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger full of ‘elegant kink’
Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan stars as Duke Orsino
‘Twelfth Night’
Through June 22
Folger Theatre
201 East Capitol St., S.E.
$20-$84
Folger.edu
Nonbinary actor Alyssa Keegan (they/them)loves tapping into the multitudes within.
Currently Keegan plays the melancholic Duke Orsino in Folger Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night.” Director Mei Ann Teo describes the production as “sexy, hilarious, and devastating” and full of “elegant kink.”
Washington-based, Keegan enjoys a busy and celebrated career. Her vast biography includes Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actress) and Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive, both at Round House Theatre; Diana Son’s Stop Kiss directedby Holly Twyford for No Rules Theatre Company; and Contractions at Studio Theatre, to name just a few.
In addition to acting, Keegan works as a polyamory and ethical non-monogamy life and relationship coach, an area of interest that grew out of personal exploration. For them, coaching seems to work hand in hand with acting.
WASHINGTON BLADE: You’re playing the lovesick Orsino in Twelfth Night. How did that come about?
ALYSSA KEEGAN: The director was looking to cast a group of actors with diverse identities; throughout auditions, there were no constraints regarding anyone’s assigned sex at birth. It was really a free for all.
BLADE: What’s your approach to the fetching, cod-piece clad nobleman?
KEEGAN: Offstage I identify as completely nonbinary; I love riding in this neutral middle space. But I also love cosplay. The ability to do that in the play gives me permission to dive completely into maleness.
So, when I made that decision to play Orsino as a bio male, suddenly the part really cracked open for me. I began looking for clues about his thoughts and opinions about things like his past relationships and his decision not to date older women.
Underneath his mask of bravura and sexuality, and his firmness of feelings, he’s quite lonely and has never really felt loved. It makes sense to me why his love for Olivia is so misguided and why he might fall in love with the Cesario/Viola character.
BLADE: As an actor, do you ever risk taking on the feelings of your characters?
KEEGAN: Prior to my mental health education, yes, and that could be toxic for me. I’ve since learned that the nervous system can’t tell the difference between real emotional distress and a that of a fully embodied character.
So, I created and share the Empowered Performer Project. [a holistic approach to performance that emphasizes the mental and emotional well-being of performing artists]. It utilizes somatic tools that help enormously when stepping into a character.
BLADE: Has changing the way you work affected your performances?
KEEGAN: I think I’m much better now. I used to have nearly debilitating stage fright. I’d spend all day dreading going onstage. I thought that was just part of the job. Now, I’ve learned to talk to my body. Prior to a performance, I can now spend my offstage time calmly gardening, working with my mental health clients, or playing with my kid. I’m just present in my life in a different way.
BLADE: Is Orsino your first time playing a male role?
KEEGAN: No. In fact, the very first time I played a male role was at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Va. I played Hipolito in Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy.
As Hipolito, I felt utterly male in the moment, so much so that I had audience members see me later after the show and they were surprised that I was female. They thought I was a young guy in the role. There’s something very powerful in that.
BLADE: Do you have a favorite part? Male or female?
KEEGAN: That’s tough but I think it’s Maggie the Cat. I played the hyper-female Maggie in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Round House. In the first act she didn’t stop talking for 51 minutes opposite Gregory Wooddell as Brick who barely had to speak. That lift was probably the heaviest I’ve ever been asked to do in acting.
BLADE: What about Folger’s Twelfth Night might be especially appealing to queer audiences?
KEEGAN: First and foremost is presentation. 99% of the cast identify as queer in some way.
The approach to Shakespeare’s text is one of the most bold and playful that I have ever seen. It’s unabashedly queer. The actors are here to celebrate and be loud and colorful and to advocate. It’s a powerful production, especially to do so close to the Capitol building, and that’s not lost on any of us.
PHOTOS: WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert
Baltimore Trans Pride to take place Saturday
PHOTOS: WorldPride Parade
Judge temporarily blocks executive orders targeting LGBTQ, HIV groups
Pride and protests: a weekend full of division
PHOTOS: WorldPride Boat Parade
Activists rally for Andry Hernández Romero in front of Supreme Court
The best U.S. cities for LGBTQ homebuyers in 2025
A hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger full of ‘elegant kink’
