Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Dec. 14-20, 2018
Xmas parties, Lessons & Carols, Jasmine Masters and more for the week ahead


Jasmine Masters, one of the returning contestants on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ season four, hosts a viewing party tonight at Nellie’s. (Photo courtesy World of Wonder)
Friday, Dec. 14
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts a “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” premiere viewing party with special guest Jasmine Masters tonight from 8-10 p.m. Brooklyn Heights and Iyana Deschanel will host the kick-off party and every viewing party for the rest of the season. There will be a meet and greet with Masters at 7:30 p.m. Meet-and-greet tickets are $10. Stoli cocktails will be sold during the show for $5.
Georgetown Glow D.C.: Light Arts Festival is today from 5-10 p.m. The outdoor public light art installations are set up throughout the neighborhood. The festival runs through Jan. 6. Attendees can explore on their own or take a tour. D.C. By Foot hosts nightly Glow+Georgetown History tours from 4-6 p.m. which will connect the light show with the history of Georgetown. Tickets are name your own price. Other nightly tours include Glow Walking Touring with Washington Walks from 4-6 p.m. which explores the light artworks and historic sites. Tickets are $20. Glow Photo Safari with Washington Photo Safari is tonight from 7-9:30 p.m. Washington Photo Safari Director E. David Luria will guide the group to each stop and teach you how to take the best photos. Tickets are $79.
18th & U Duplex Diner (2004 18th St., N.W.) hosts its annual Janky Sweater Party tonight from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Guests are invited to wear their ugliest holiday sweater. Goldie Grigio hosts the party. DJ Wes Della Volla will play music. There is no cover but a $10 donation to the Trevor Project is encouraged. For more details, visit facebook.com/duplexdiner.
Gamma D.C., a support group for men in mixed-orientation relationships, meets at Luther Place Memorial Church (1226 Vermont Ave., N.W.) tonight from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The group is for men who are attracted to men but are currently, or were at one point, in relationships with women. For more information about the group, visit gammaindc.org.
Saturday, Dec. 15
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington presents “The Holiday Show” at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) today at 5 p.m. and tonight at 8 p.m. The chorus will perform holiday songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Puttin’ on the Holiday Drag” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and more.Tickets range from $25-65.
Mischief D.C. hosts Naughty Snowball 10: Rated X-mas at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) tonight from 8 p.m.-5 a.m. The party will include DJs in four rooms, live artists, musicians, interactive art and a secret contest for Best Costume. Featured DJs include EZ Almighty, Dustin, Wade Hammes, Maestro and more. Tickets range from $40-45.
Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) hosts Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, an Advent service, tonight from 7-9 p.m. The service will include Christmas carols, musical performances, new stories, old poetry and other artistic expressions inspired by the Nativity story. A light reception will follow the program.Admission is free.
LURe D.C. hosts BARE: How the Grinch Stole BARE, a holiday party, tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Eletr()x, DJ Rosie and DJ Keenan will spin tracks. The DystRucXion Dancers will perform. The Grinch will also be handing out goodies to guests. Cover is $7 before midnight and $10 after.
Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) hosts Gay/Bash: XXMAS tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Drag performers Kunj, Jane Saw, Jaxknife Complex, Donna Slash and Geneva Confection will give a show at 11:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. Candi Cane will play music for the night. No cover. For more information, visit facebook.com/gaybashdc.
Sunday, Dec. 16
The D.C. Concert Orchestra presents a free concert at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St., N.W.) today at 3 p.m. The program includes pieces by Leroy Anderson, Maurice Ravel, Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky and more. For more information, visit dcconcertorchestra.org.
The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts Sunday Cruise today from noon-2 a.m. Drink specials include $3 off all whiskey and bourbon drinks, $5 Chivas Regal, $10 bottomless Bud and Bud Lights, $12 bottomless premium drafts and $2 off any drink until 9 p.m.
Singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello performs her show “No More Water|The Fire Next Time: The Gospel According to James Baldwin,” a tribute to Baldwin, at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. The performance will merge church service, a concert, celebration, testimonial and a call to action. Tickets range from $49-89. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
Monday, Dec. 17
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts its Packing Party from 7-9 p.m. tonight. Volunteers will assemble safer sex kits to distribute to the LGBT community. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Bookmen D.C., an informal gay men’s literature group, discusses “The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle” by Lillian Faderman at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
Thursday, Dec. 20
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly poly discussion group tonight at 7 p.m. People of all different stages are invited to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. This event is for new comers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

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.
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