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Michael Kahn bids farewell
After 33 years, Shakespeare Theatre’s iconic leader moving on
After thirty-three years, Michael Kahn’s splendid tenure as artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company is over. “It’s been a great ride,” he says. “And the funny thing is, I sort of just fell into it.”
Kahn first came to D.C. in 1986 to advise The Folger Theatre on how to keep classical theater afloat. He stayed on as the artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger, and then took the newly named Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) to the larger Lansburgh location. Later he oversaw construction of the impressive Sidney Harman Hall, allowing the company to further expand.
During his time at STC, Kahn staged more than 60 productions and shepherded seasons that have included works by Pinter, Molière, Wilde, Shaw, Williams, and, of course, Shakespeare for which he deservedly garnered an international reputation for incisive, inspiring work.
As a stage-struck youth, Kahn filled scrapbooks with collected playbills autographed at stage doors. Gloria Swanson and Jimmy Durante ranked high with the Brooklyn born fan. (“Why? They were nice to me. I was stage-struck then. I am no longer.”)
After graduating from Columbia University, Kahn was certain of one thing — he didn’t want to do stupid plays on Broadway. But otherwise, he was uncertain what his future held.
His career began in earnest in the 1960s. Early on, Kahn directed for gay playwright Edward Albee. Doing Shakespeare didn’t occur to him until Joseph Papp tapped him for Shakespeare in the Park. Broadway successes, including revivals of “Showboat,” “The Royal Family” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (starring a young and gorgeous Elizabeth Ashley), followed.
Prior to D.C., he served as artistic director for the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Conn., producing director for Princeton’s McCarter Theatre, and founder and head of The Chautauqua Conservatory Theater. Through those gigs, he discovered his love for directing and entrepreneurship. He was prepared to succeed in Washington.
Simultaneously, he forged a parallel career as an educator, commuting to Manhattan as instructor and later head of the Drama Division of New York’s prestigious Juilliard School until 2006.
To end his last season at STC, Kahn thought he might do Chekhov or Gorky and fill it with entirely familiar faces.
But after a patron with deep pockets granted him carte blanche to do whatever he desired, Kahn jumped at the opportunity to mount Aeschylus’ tragedy “The Oresteia,” not a translation but an entirely new version penned by playwright Ellen McLaughlin and featuring mostly new actors.
Certainly, it was a courageous approach to one’s STC swan song. And the reactions were resoundingly positive: Kahn’s work was deemed masterful and stunning.
While STC’s theatrical triumphs take place in its Penn Quarter performance spaces, the administrative decisions are made on Capitol Hill.
At the end of a narrow hall lined with shelves holding a bust of the Bard and scads of honors including 10 Helen Hayes Awards (the company’s 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award is displayed in the lobby of Harman Hall), lies Kahn’s packed up office.
Seated on a rose-colored couch, Kahn gestures to stacked moving boxes and makes droll reference to Madame Ranevskaya bidding farewell to the estate in Chekhov’s “A Cherry Orchard.”
Despite having a long list of loose ends that need tying up, Kahn is relaxed and ready to give his last official interview as STC’s head honcho.
WASHINGTON BLADE: First off, thank you. You’ve shaped the theater experience for Washington audiences. You’ve entertained us, and given us an education in the classics. We’re grateful.
MICHAEL KAHN: Well, I had a good time doing that. It’s been a lot of fun. And I couldn’t have done it the same way anywhere else.
BLADE: Looking back, could you do what you’ve done if you were starting out today?
KAHN: It would be harder. Younger audiences are just not interested in lesser known shows like Musset’s ‘Lorenzaccio,” Schiller’s “Don Carlo,” or David Ives’ adaptation of Regnard’s 1706 masterpiece ‘The Heir Apparent.’ I can’t see getting today’s audiences all excited about that.
BLADE: Actors rave about you. How would you characterize exactly what you do?
KAHN: What other people say about me is that I leave them alone and see what they’re doing and then shape it and I change it. I think that I’ve learned how to tell a story on stage and how to make moments very clear. I’m actually good at it now.
And especially with Shakespeare, I know how to link scenes. You have to tell the story in between. I love it. I love the complications of that. And how to make it work.
Plays are like mysteries. And I’m the detective figuring it out with some help. I need and want smart available open-minded, inventive actors. And it’s good to work with them again, there’s a shorthand you use and you don’t have to start all over again.
BLADE: Please talk about the queer lens. Do you make art through a gay perspective?
KAHN: I’ve essentially been out since I was seduced — quite willingly — by a boy in high school. When I came to D.C., I outed myself in a Washington Post interview. Four years ago, I was married to Charles [Mitchem] in a ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, so I’m gay and very out.
There are directors who direct from a queer point of view, politically or aesthetically. I don’t think that’s what I set out to do. But I’m very careful to protect an image of a gay person on stage.
Though I’ve done productions of “Richard II,” there was a time when I didn’t want to do it, because he’s a gay king who does bad things. Of course, there are gay people who aren’t good, but it wasn’t the right time to put that out into the universe.
I got tremendous pleasure directing “Torch Song Trilogy” and Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud Nine” at Studio Theatre. Both were really happy experiences for me, and those are gay plays.”
BLADE: STC threw you a big sendoff celebration. Were you OK with all of the testimonials?
KAHN: I am comfortable that a lot of people feel that I’ve meant something to them in their lives. I get that a lot. And I’m grateful for that. But I also know how ephemeral all of this is. When those people are gone no one will remember. And that’s OK, what do I care?
At the goodbye, actor John Benjamin Hickey said he liked me as a teacher but it was very important that Julliard was being run by an out and proud gay man. I liked that.
I’ve said jokingly, I wanted my memorial service while I’m still alive. That happened. So, I told Charles, he doesn’t need to give me a memorial service. He can show the tape.
BLADE: You’re not big on legacy. You once said that you just want to make STC financially stable so someone good will want to take the reigns after you.
KAHN: That’s still true. And that’s why I stayed on longer than originally planned. The idea was to balance things financially. It has sort of worked, but not entirely.
But I’ll look back upon this time with an enormous sense of excitement. And I feel significant accomplishment. I’m not leaving without being aware that we made an impression on the city, and I’m very grateful the city supported me, and made it possible for me to do the work I wanted. The community supported a classical theater that stayed a classical theater as best it could the last couple of years.
And STC will be in good hands. They made absolutely the right choice in selecting my successor, classical director Simon Godwin [Associate Director of London’s National Theatre].
BLADE: What are your thoughts on the future of classical theater in Washington?
KAHN: Theater is precarious. D.C. is blessed with many good theaters but not necessarily an audience that’s grown along with theaters as they got bigger. There are nights when theaters are less than full, and when small theaters are very much less than full.
Theater makers are excited. There is an audience that’s excited but that audience doesn’t seem to be growing. Time will tell.
BLADE: Your papers have been sent to Yale. Your Dupont condo is sold. Besides living in your native New York, what’s next for Michael Kahn? Will there be more plays?
KAHN: I’m not sure. I don’t see myself freelancing with a play like “Loot” – one four-character play with one set in different cities. But at one point I was happy to do that and maybe I’ll be happy to freelance like that again.
But I don’t feel an urgency to do just any play.
BLADE: What will you miss most?
KAHN: I’ll miss looking forward to the next creative project. And I’ll miss the phone ringing.
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Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard
Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard
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.
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Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar
America 250 celebrations continue
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.
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Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more
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.
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