a&e features
‘Messiah,’ ‘Nutcracker’ and gay fare among D.C.-area’s 2019 holiday shows
Gay Men’s Chorus, John Waters, Signature’s ‘A Chorus Line’ for starters


From a giant Christmas maze at Nationals Park to appearances from the Nutcracker and Ebenezer Scrooge, from klezmer concerts to lively Kwanzaa celebrations, it’s going to be a spectacular holiday season in the D.C. region.
It kicks off at the Warner Theatre with “A Magical Cirque Christmas” (Nov. 22) and “A Drag Queen Christmas: The Naughty Tour” (Nov. 23).
From Nov. 30-Dec. 29, the Warner Theatre will again host the Washington Ballet’s beloved production of “The Nutcracker.” Featuring a cast of over 100 and classic choreography by Septime Webre, this historic production is set in Georgetown and stars George Washington as the heroic nutcracker and includes appearances by King George III, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, John Paul Jones and other historical figures. Tickets and information on special events like performances at THEARC and the Nutcracker Tea Party are at washingtonballet.org.
Through Jan. 5, Arlington’s Signature Theatre is offering a special seasonal treat for musical theater fans: a fresh look at the ground-breaking Broadway musical “A Chorus Line.” The theatre will also present “A Motown Christmas” Dec. 3-21.

On Dec. 7, Wolf Trap hosts the Annual Holiday Sing-A-Long. Attendees are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for “Toys for Tots” and a candle to participate in the traditional candlelit recessional. Admission is free and details can be found at wolftrap.org/tickets.
Other holiday programming at Wolf Trap includes Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes with “The Best Christmas Party Ever” (Dec. 5-6) and virtuoso fiddler Eileen Ivers with “A Joyful Christmas” (Dec. 7).
The championship magic continues at National Park as “Enchant D.C.” transforms the baseball field into a world of Christmas wonder. The attractions include the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze, a Holiday Market with about 60 local and international vendors, an Ice Skating Trail and the Enchant Cinema. Children of all ages can visit with Santa Claus at Santa’s Landing and Ms. Claus will host a story time in her special reading nook.

Enchant D.C. will also include live entertainment as well as venues for casual treats and fine dining. The magic runs Nov. 22-Dec. 29. Tickets and more information are available at enchantchristmas.com.
D.C. Different Drummers (dcdd.org) will hold their annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 15 at the Church ohf the Reformation near Union Station.
From free shows on the Millennium Stage to a diverse array of concerts and shows in several theaters, every corner of the Kennedy Center will be filled with holiday cheer this season. This year’s schedule includes “Love, Factually,” the Second City’s farcical take on the beloved holiday film Dec. 3-29 and the NSO’s “A Holiday Pops!” with special guest Leslie Odom, Jr. (“Hamilton” and “Harriet”) Dec. 13-14.
From Nov. 23-Jan. 5, the Kennedy Center will present the world premiere of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (The Musical!),” based on the popular children’s book by Mo Willems. From Dec. 19-22, the National Symphony Orchestra will present the perennial audience favorite Handel’s “Messiah.” The popular “Sing-Along Messiah” will take place on Dec. 23. Free general admission tickets will be distributed starting at 4:30 p.m. on the day of the event.
From Dec. 13-18, the Folger Consort (folger.edu/folger-consort), the early music ensemble of the Folger Shakespeare Library, will present “Gloria!,” a baroque Italian Christmas with music by Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Corelli.
The Folger Shakespeare Library (folger.edu) will also celebrate the season with the annual Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute. On Monday, Dec. 9, there will be a discussion of Dickinson’s poetry followed by a wine reception featuring slices of Dickinson’s famous black cake.
As always, the Strathmore in North Bethesda is a center for holiday cheer. Events at the Mansion will include performances by Bridget Kibbey, known as the Yo-Yo Ma of the harp (Dec. 5) and a concert by cellist Alicia Ward and percussionist Joey Antico as part of the “Inspired Pairing” series (Dec. 12).
The rich holiday programming at the Music Center at Strathmore include the 30th anniversary tour of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (Dec. 2), the annual Christmas Tour by smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz & Friends (Dec. 9), a family-friendly evening of storytelling by comedian and actor Sinbad (Dec. 13) and the return of an audience favorite, “The Hip-Hop Nutcracker” (Dec. 17-19). There will also be special holiday performances by the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra (Dec. 7) and the Strathmore Children’s Chorus (Dec. 8).
Powered by Strathmore, AMP will offer a lively mix of holiday programming at the Pike & Rose on Rockville Pike. Shows include the Kids Pajama Jam Party hosted by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats (Dec. 1), country rock singer Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers (Dec. 3), classical crossover quartet the Sons of Serendip (Dec. 5) and D.C.-based smooth jazz musician Anthony Walker (Dec. 6).
In addition, the Sweetback Sisters will host a toe-tapping country Christmas (Dec. 8); 2019 Strathmore Artist-in-Residence Seán Heely will return with “A Celtic Christmas” (Dec. 13); Seth Kibel and his quartet will offer klezmer music, jazz and Hanukkah tunes (Dec. 18); and, The Soul Crackers will celebrate the holidays with the sounds of Memphis and Motown (Dec. 21).
Information on all of these events can be found at strathmore.org.
As usual, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will be ringing in the holiday season with glitter and glamour. The all-new edition of “The Holiday Show” will be bigger and better than ever, featuring disco dancers, falling snowflakes, soaring vocals, muscle boys, candlelight processionals, a visit from Santa Claus, and a 7-foot Christmas tree.
Performances are December 7, 14 and 15 at the Lincoln Theatre; the matinee performances on Dec. 14 and 15 will be ASL-interpreted. Tickets are available at gmcw.org.

From Dec. 14-30, the Atlas Performing Arts Centre on H Street, NE (atlasarts.secure.force.com/ticket) will present Step Afrika!’s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show. This contemporary holiday tradition features percussive beats, friendly, furry characters, pre-show instrument-making workshops and a dance party hosted by DJ Frosty the Snowman.
Atlas will also present “A Bohemian Christmas” on Dec. 16 and the children’s show “Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrops” from Dec. 27-31.
Filthy film auteur John Waters brings his annual holiday show — this year dubbed “Filthier & Merrier: It’ll Stuff Your Turkey” to the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va., on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and his beloved hometown Baltimore at Baltimore Soundstage the following night. Tickets available through the venue websites or via Ticketmaster.
Pop diva Mariah Carey brings her “All I Want for Christmas Is You” show to MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., Dec. 9-10. Prices may ebb and flow based on demand, but as of this writing range from $110-500 via Ticketmaster. (Side note: Epic this month released a “deluxe 25th anniversary edition” of her classic release “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas” featuring a generous bounty of bonus content including vintage live cuts recorded at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.)

With beautiful holiday decorations augmenting the legendary stained-glass windows, the Washington National Cathedral (cathedral.org) is a splendid place to celebrate the holiday season. From Dec. 6-8, the Cathedral Choir will sing Handel’s “Messiah,” and on Dec. 7 the chorus will present a special family edition of the masterwork, often performed this time of year. This shortened version of this iconic work focuses on the birth of Jesus and continues the story of his death and resurrection through selected arias and choruses, ending with the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.”
With a cast of about 100, Washington Revels (revelsdc.org) will present the 37th annual production of “The Christmas Revels” in eight performances from December 7-15 at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium.
Combining elements of a fully staged holiday play, a choral concert with sing-alongs and centuries-old winter traditions, The Christmas Revels offers a trademark blend of professional entertainment and community engagement. The Christmas Revels: “Celestial Fools” will transport audiences to a rustic European village nestled somewhere in the mists of time. As the winter days grow short, three wandering performers arrive from far-off lands, weaving music, dances and stories from their cultures into an enchanting and dramatic tale of the Winter Solstice.
Fans of Charles Dickens can enjoy his classic holiday tale in two very different versions. Ford’s Theatre (fords.org) offers “A Christmas Carol” with all the trimmings. Popular D.C. actor Craig Wallace (recently seen in “Death of a Salesman” and “Fences”) leads a large cast in a rollicking production filled with lively music and sumptuous sets and costumes.
The Olney Theatre Company just north of Washington, offers company member Paul Morella in a solo rendition “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas.” Drawing from Dickens’ own lecture notes, Morella’s one-man show is a captivating theatrical tour de force.
Olney will also present “Singin’ In the Rain” this holiday season. Based on the beloved 1952 film, the show includes great singing and dancing and, of course, an onstage rain shower.
Another ghost story is haunting The Shakespeare Theatre this holiday season. A Christmas favorite with audiences in London’s West End, “The Woman in Black” will be scaring D.C. audiences from Dec. 4-22 at the Shakespeare’s Michael R. Klein Theatre. More traditional holiday fare will be onstage at the Shakespeare’s Sidney Harmon Hall: J. M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan and Wendy” in a new adaptation by Lauren Gunderson.
Dance Place in the Brookland neighborhood (danceplace.org) will hold a Kwanzaa Celebration on Dec. 14. Led by director Sylvia Soumah, the communal event will celebrate the seven principles of the holiday.
On Dec. 27, the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum (anacostia.si.edu) will host an interactive introduction to Kwanzaa with the Melvin Deal African Heritage Dancers and Drummers. The audience participatory program includes dancers, singers, music, colorful costumes and lively characters designed for young children and adults alike.
a&e features
Visit Cambridge, a ‘beautiful secret’ on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
New organization promotes town’s welcoming vibe, LGBTQ inclusion

CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Driving through this scenic, historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, you’ll be charmed by streets lined with unique shops, restaurants, and beautifully restored Victorian homes. You’ll also be struck by the number of LGBTQ Pride flags flying throughout the town.
The flags are a reassuring signal that everyone is welcome here, despite the town’s location in ruby red Dorchester County, which voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a lopsided margin. But don’t let that deter you from visiting. A new organization, Proudly Cambridge, is holding its debut Pride event this weekend, touting the town’s welcoming, inclusive culture.
“We stumbled on a beautiful secret and we wanted to help get the word out,” said James Lumalcuri of the effort to create Proudly Cambridge.
The organization celebrates diversity, enhances public spaces, and seeks to uplift all that Cambridge has to share, according to its mission statement, under the tagline “You Belong Here.”
The group has so far held informal movie nights and a picnic and garden party; the launch party is June 28 at the Cambridge Yacht Club, which will feature a Pride celebration and tea dance. The event’s 75 tickets sold out quickly and proceeds benefit DoCo Pride.
“Tickets went faster than we imagined and we’re bummed we can’t welcome everyone who wanted to come,” Lumalcuri said, adding that organizers plan to make “Cheers on the Choptank” an annual event with added capacity next year.
One of the group’s first projects was to distribute free Pride flags to anyone who requested one and the result is a visually striking display of a large number of flags flying all over town. Up next: Proudly Cambridge plans to roll out a program offering affirming businesses rainbow crab stickers to show their inclusiveness and LGBTQ support. The group also wants to engage with potential visitors and homebuyers.
“We want to spread the word outside of Cambridge — in D.C. and Baltimore — who don’t know about Cambridge,” Lumalcuri said. “We want them to come and know we are a safe haven. You can exist here and feel comfortable and supported by neighbors in a way that we didn’t anticipate when we moved here.”

Lumalcuri, 53, a federal government employee, and his husband, Lou Cardenas, 62, a Realtor, purchased a Victorian house in Cambridge in 2021 and embarked on an extensive renovation. The couple also owns a home in Adams Morgan in D.C.
“We saw the opportunity here and wanted to share it with others,” Cardenas said. “There’s lots of housing inventory in the $300-400,000 range … we’re not here to gentrify people out of town because a lot of these homes are just empty and need to be fixed up and we’re happy to be a part of that.”
Lumalcuri was talking with friends one Sunday last year at the gazebo (affectionately known as the “gayzebo” by locals) at the Yacht Club and the idea for Proudly Cambridge was born. The founding board members are Lumalcuri, Corey van Vlymen, Brian Orjuela, Lauren Mross, and Caleb Holland. The group is currently working toward forming a 501(c)3.
“We need visibility and support for those who need it,” Mross said. “We started making lists of what we wanted to do and the five of us ran with it. We started meeting weekly and solidified what we wanted to do.”
Mross, 50, a brand strategist and web designer, moved to Cambridge from Atlanta with her wife three years ago. They knew they wanted to be near the water and farther north and began researching their options when they discovered Cambridge.
“I had not heard of Cambridge but the location seemed perfect,” she said. “I pointed on a map and said this is where we’re going to move.”
The couple packed up, bought a camper trailer and parked it in different campsites but kept coming back to Cambridge.
“I didn’t know how right it was until we moved here,” she said. “It’s the most welcoming place … there’s an energy vortex here – how did so many cool, progressive people end up in one place?”
Corey van Vlymen and his husband live in D.C. and were looking for a second home. They considered Lost River, W.Va., but decided they preferred to be on the water.
“We looked at a map on both sides of the bay and came to Cambridge on a Saturday and bought a house that day,” said van Vlymen, 39, a senior scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton. They’ve owned in Cambridge for two years.
They were drawn to Cambridge due to its location on the water, the affordable housing inventory, and its proximity to D.C.; it’s about an hour and 20 minutes away.
Now, through the work of Proudly Cambridge, they hope to highlight the town’s many attributes to residents and visitors alike.
“Something we all agree on is there’s a perception problem for Cambridge and a lack of awareness,” van Vlymen said. “If you tell someone you’re going to Cambridge, chances are they think, ‘England or Massachusetts?’”
He cited the affordability and the opportunity to save older, historic homes as a big draw for buyers.
“It’s all about celebrating all the things that make Cambridge great,” Mross added. “Our monthly social events are joyful and celebratory.” A recent game night drew about 70 people.
She noted that the goal is not to gentrify the town and push longtime residents out, but to uplift all the people who are already there while welcoming new visitors and future residents.
They also noted that Proudly Cambridge does not seek to supplant existing Pride-focused organizations. Dorchester County Pride organizes countywide Pride events and Delmarva Pride was held in nearby Easton two weeks ago.
“We celebrate all diversity but are gay powered and gay led,” Mross noted.
To learn more about Proudly Cambridge, visit the group on Facebook and Instagram.
What to see and do
Cambridge, located 13 miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay, has a population of roughly 15,000. It was settled in 1684 and named for the English university town in 1686. It is home to the Harriet Tubman Museum, mural, and monument. Its proximity to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge makes it a popular stop for birders, drawn to more than 27,000 acres of marshland dubbed “the Everglades of the north.”
The refuge is walkable, bikeable, and driveable, making it an accessible attraction for all. There are kayaking and biking tours through Blackwater Adventures (blackwateradventuresmd.com).
Back in town, take a stroll along the water and through historic downtown and admire the architecture. Take in the striking Harriet Tubman mural (424 Race St.). Shop in the many local boutiques, and don’t miss the gay-owned Shorelife Home and Gifts (421 Race St.), filled with stylish coastal décor items.
Stop for breakfast or lunch at Black Water Bakery (429 Race St.), which offers a full compliment of coffee drinks along with a build-your-own mimosa bar and a full menu of creative cocktails.
The Cambridge Yacht Club (1 Mill St.) is always bustling but you need to be a member to get in. Snapper’s on the water is temporarily closed for renovations. RaR Brewing (rarbrewing.com) is popular for craft beers served in an 80-year-old former pool hall and bowling alley. The menu offers burgers, wings, and other bar fare.
For dinner or wine, don’t miss the fantastic Vintage 414 (414 Race St.), which offers lunch, dinner, wine tasting events, specialty foods, and a large selection of wines. The homemade cheddar crackers, inventive flatbreads, and creative desserts (citrus olive oil cake, carrot cake trifle) were a hit on a recent visit.
Also nearby is Ava’s (305 High St.), a regional chain offering outstanding Italian dishes, pizzas, and more.
For something off the beaten path, visit Emily’s Produce (22143 Church Creek Rd.) for its nursery, produce, and prepared meals.
“Ten minutes into the sticks there’s a place called Emily’s Produce, where you can pay $5 and walk through a field and pick sunflowers, blueberries, you can feed the goats … and they have great food,” van Vlymen said.
As for accommodations, there’s the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay (100 Heron Blvd. at Route 50), a resort complex with golf course, spa, and marina. Otherwise, check out Airbnb and VRBO for short-term rentals closer to downtown.
Its proximity to D.C. and Baltimore makes Cambridge an ideal weekend getaway. The large LGBTQ population is welcoming and they are happy to talk up their town and show you around.
“There’s a closeness among the neighbors that I wasn’t feeling in D.C.,” Lumalcuri said. “We look after each other.”
a&e features
James Baldwin bio shows how much of his life is revealed in his work
‘A Love Story’ is first major book on acclaimed author’s life in 30 years

‘Baldwin: A Love Story’
By Nicholas Boggs
c.2025, FSG
$35/704 pages
“Baldwin: A Love Story” is a sympathetic biography, the first major one in 30 years, of acclaimed Black gay writer James Baldwin. Drawing on Baldwin’s fiction, essays, and letters, Nicolas Boggs, a white writer who rediscovered and co-edited a new edition of a long-lost Baldwin book, explores Baldwin’s life and work through focusing on his lovers, mentors, and inspirations.
The book begins with a quick look at Baldwin’s childhood in Harlem, and his difficult relationship with his religious, angry stepfather. Baldwin’s experience with Orilla Miller, a white teacher who encouraged the boy’s writing and took him to plays and movies, even against his father’s wishes, helped shape his life and tempered his feelings toward white people. When Baldwin later joined a church and became a child preacher, though, he felt conflicted between academic success and religious demands, even denouncing Miller at one point. In a fascinating late essay, Baldwin also described his teenage sexual relationship with a mobster, who showed him off in public.
Baldwin’s romantic life was complicated, as he preferred men who were not outwardly gay. Indeed, many would marry women and have children while also involved with Baldwin. Still, they would often remain friends and enabled Baldwin’s work. Lucien Happersberger, who met Baldwin while both were living in Paris, sent him to a Swiss village, where he wrote his first novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” as well as an essay, “Stranger in the Village,” about the oddness of being the first Black person many villagers had ever seen. Baldwin met Turkish actor Engin Cezzar in New York at the Actors’ Studio; Baldwin later spent time in Istanbul with Cezzar and his wife, finishing “Another Country” and directing a controversial play about Turkish prisoners that depicted sexuality and gender.
Baldwin collaborated with French artist Yoran Cazac on a children’s book, which later vanished. Boggs writes of his excitement about coming across this book while a student at Yale and how he later interviewed Cazac and his wife while also republishing the book. Baldwin also had many tumultuous sexual relationships with young men whom he tried to mentor and shape, most of which led to drama and despair.
The book carefully examines Baldwin’s development as a writer. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” draws heavily on his early life, giving subtle signs of the main character John’s sexuality, while “Giovanni’s Room” bravely and openly shows a homosexual relationship, highly controversial at the time. “If Beale Street Could Talk” features a woman as its main character and narrator, the first time Baldwin wrote fully through a woman’s perspective. His essays feel deeply personal, even if they do not reveal everything; Lucian is the unnamed visiting friend in one who the police briefly detained along with Baldwin. He found New York too distracting to write, spending his time there with friends and family or on business. He was close friends with modernist painter Beauford Delaney, also gay, who helped Baldwin see that a Black man could thrive as an artist. Delaney would later move to France, staying near Baldwin’s home.
An epilogue has Boggs writing about encountering Baldwin’s work as one of the few white students in a majority-Black school. It helpfully reminds us that Baldwin connects to all who feel different, no matter their race, sexuality, gender, or class. A well-written, easy-flowing biography, with many excerpts from Baldwin’s writing, it shows how much of his life is revealed in his work. Let’s hope it encourages reading the work, either again or for the first time.
a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.





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