Arts & Entertainment
Rehoboth Beach summer events roundup
Stop by local drag shows, musical performances, Pride celebrations
The summer is almost upon us, and the Blade has compiled a list of Rehoboth Beach-area events you won’t want to miss. Stop by these local bars, restaurants, and community centers to keep the season packed with good memories and fun.
MAY
May 4-31: 30 Years in 30 Photos CAMP Rehoboth Visual Arts Exhibition. Visit the collection of more than 300 photographs of community-defining events curated from the local LGBTQ community center at 37 Baltimore Ave. and participate in an auction for your favorite pieces.
May 20: 15th Annual Blade Foundation Summer Kick Off Party. Join The Blade as it celebrates the start of the summer, featuring a special appearance from Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m. at The Pines, 56 Baltimore Ave.
May 20: Kings & Queens of Comedy Variety Show. Come and watch a variety show hosted by The Pines, filled with skits and stand-up from comedians Kristina Kelly, Gray West, Anthony Brone, Alejandro Morales and Rob Stant. Doors open at 7 p.m.
May 20 to 22: Clear Space Theatre Company presents “The Lightning Thief.” Bring your kids to see this musical production of the beloved Percy Jackson book at 20 Baltimore Avenue.
Fridays beginning May 20: Piano Bar with Doug Repetti. Stop by The Pines each Friday from 6-8 p.m. to sing along to Repetti’s show, which features today’s pop hits, 80’s rock, 90’s pop and more.
Second Friday of each month, beginning May 20: CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Monthly Youth Social. LGBTQ youth are welcome to hang out and play games with other community members through the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center at 6:30 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.
May 21: Cocktails and Candles: Happy Hour. Have a drink at The Pines while enjoying artwork from The Lion’s Den Candle Company, a Rehoboth Beach small business. Held from 6-8 p.m.
Saturdays beginning May 21: A Night of DIVA’s, hosted by Mona Lotts and Kristina Kelly. Share tapas and drinks at The Pines in a night of comedy and fun hosted by local queens. Doors open at 8:45 p.m. each week.
Sundays beginning May 22: Drag Brunch with Mona Lotts and Kristina Kelly. Wake up with a laugh at The Pines at this weekly drag brunch and comedy performance. Doors open at 11:15 a.m., and the show concludes around 2 p.m. each week.
Sundays beginning May 22: Blaqueout Trivia. Bring your friends to compete and win prizes in a night of hilarious trivia hosted by Rebecca Blaqueout and Jerry B at The Pines. Happy Hour begins at 5 p.m., and trivia starts at 5 p.m each week.
Mondays beginning May 23: Flaming Pianos Steak & Show. For just $29, you can pair an 8oz filet with a glass of wine while listening to—and even participating in—the music and storytelling of dynamic duo John Flynn and Matthew Kenworthy at The Pines. Doors open at 6 p.m. each week.
Every other Monday beginning May 23: Flaming Knitters. Open to those of all levels of experience, come practice or learn knitting at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center at 6:30 p.m.
May 25: The Vocal Diva Marcella Peters: One Night Only! Listen to the musical stylings of singer and Baltimore native Marcella Peters at The Pines. Doors open at 6 p.m.
May 26 to 30: Memorial Day Weekend Salute. Enjoy a weekend of music and performances at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub, located at 37298 Rehoboth Ave. Doors open at 4 p.m., and music begins at 9:30 p.m.
May 27: Memorial Day Kickoff Drag Show. Come enjoy a night of comedy and fashion at The Pines hosted by Kristina Kelly. Doors open at 8 p.m.
May 30: Memorial Day Drag Brunch. Celebrate the long weekend at The Pines enjoying comedy, food and fun with local queens. Doors open at 11:00 a.m., and the show concludes around 2 p.m.
May 31: Can’t Fool The Blues Band. Experience a musical mixture of rock, blues and R&B in this Rehoboth-based band’s performance at The Pines. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Every Wednesday: Drag Bingo. Play a fun game of bingo hosted by local queen Ophelia Bottoms at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant, located at 3 S 1st St. Event begins at 8 p.m. each Wednesday.
Every Thursday: Karaoke Night. Sing your heart out at karaoke nights at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Event begins at 8 p.m. each Thursday.
Every Friday: Follies at the Beach Drag Show. Witness spectacular drag performances with special guests each week at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Show begins at 9 p.m. each Friday.
JUNE
June 3: The Return of Varla Jean Merman. Comedy queen Varla Jean Merman makes her return to The Pines in this night of comedy and fun. Two shows will be held, with doors opening at 6 and 9 p.m.
June 3: Royal T Dance featuring Austin Armacost. Come dance on the patio at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub in a fun night out, with music provided by DJ Riddle.
June 3 to 5: Clear Space Theatre Company presents “The Submission.” Come watch this impactful one-weekend performance which looks into race, gender and ignored prejudices.
June 5. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee featuring Austin Armacost. Enjoy a night out at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub in its Jubilee Party, which begins at 8 p.m.
June 6: Lady Bunny brings her irreverent comedy to the Blue Moon, 35 Baltimore Ave., 9:30-11 p.m.
June 8: Milton PRIDE Pre-Party & Art Show. Take a quick drive away from the coast and enjoy this Pride Month and Celebration and art show in Milton, Del., hosted by Inn the Dog House Tiki Bar at 428 Chestnut St. from 6-9 p.m.
First Friday of each month, beginning June 3: FURst Friday Happy Hour with the Rehoboth Beach Bears. Enjoy beers and dishes at The Pines in this monthly happy hour from 6-8 p.m.
June 10: Magnolia Applebottom Drag Show. Watch a drag show at the Milton Theatre at 110 Union St. in Milton, and enjoy drinks and snacks while you’re at it.
June 10: Whitney! The Music Of Whitney Houston. In this stroll down memory lane, The Pines is bringing Sheree Marcelle to perform musical renditions of Whitney Houston’s classic hits in a show written and produced by Mike Flanagan. Doors open at 8 p.m.
June 11: Queer Queens of Comedy. Witness the outrageous hilarity of three comedic powerhouses at the Milton Theatre. Doors open at 8 p.m.
June 12: Philadelphia Freedom: Tribute to Elton John Matinee. Reminisce with this captivating rendition of Elton John’s works at the Milton Theatre.
June 12: 2022 Tonys Party. Celebrate the Tony Awards this year with Clear Space Theatre Company, enjoying cocktails, dinner and entertainment at The Children’s Beach House, located at 1800 Bay Front Avenue in Lewes, Del. Festivities will be held 5-9 p.m.
June 13: Beloved disco and soul singer Linda Clifford plays the Blue Moon 9:30-11 p.m.
June 17: Betti and Bruce: Lost in Rehoboth. Have a night of songs and fun in this musical show at The Pines featuring Betti Blumenthal and Bruce Delmonico. Doors open at 8 p.m.
June 20-Sept. 1: Acclaimed NYC pianist Nate Buccieri plays the Blue Moon, Mondays-Thursdays, 6-8:30 p.m. Reservations recommended.
June 24: Have A Gay Old Laugh! Pride Stand-Up Comedy Show. Drive over to the Milton Theatre for a night of laughter. Doors open at 8 p.m.
June 24 and 25: Top of the Pines Welcomes Antonio Edwards. Witness the wonderful vocals of this singer and entertainer at The Pines in a show on Friday, June 24 from 8-10 p.m. or Saturday, June 25 from 6-8 p.m.
June 24-Aug. 27: Clear Space Theatre Company presents “9 to 5.” Watch the local theater recreate this hilarious office satire.
June 25: Pride Day at the Brandywine Zoo. Stop by the Brandywine Zoo, located at 1001 N Park Drive in Wilmington, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a scavenger hunt, crafts, educational opportunities and all-around fun.
June 27: Miss Richfield 1981 performs her new show “Cancel Cultured Pearls” at the Blue Moon, 9:30-11 p.m.
June 28 to Aug. 23: Clear Space Theatre Company presents “Grease.” Enjoy this beloved musical as recreated by local performers.
JULY
July 1: Del Shores: The Tea is Spilled. Texas storyteller Del Shores is stopping by The Pines to bring you a night of entertainment and drama. Two shows will be held, with doors opening at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
July 1 to Aug. 25: Clear Space Theatre Company presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Watch as the local theater takes on a new rendition of this beloved musical comedy.
July 2 to Aug. 20: Saturday Morning Children’s Theatre 2022. Bring your children to another Clear Space Theatre Company show including classics like Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan. All shows held at 11 a.m.
July 4: Lady Bunny returns to the Blue Moon, 9:30-11 p.m.
July 8: Friday Fever Show: The Boys of Summer. Watch special performances and enjoy drinks at The Pines. Doors open at 8 p.m.
July 15: The Dozen Divas Show. Appreciate the amazing costumes and exciting performances of America’s Got Talent Finalist Dorothy Bishop. Show runs from 8 to 11 p.m.
July 16: Hair and Heels Dance Party. Come to The Pines in your favorite wig and pair of heels and dance to the stylings of DJ Chord. Doors open at 9 p.m.
July 17: Hair and Heels Drag Brunch. Wake up with a laugh by heading to brunch at The Pines. Doors open at 11 a.m.
July 17: Hair and Heels Closing Party. Bring your wig and best heels to the dance floor at The Pines. Doors open at 8 p.m.
July 18: Sherry Vine brings her latest show “Potty Mouth” to the Blue Moon, 9:30-11 p.m.
July 22: Big Red Miss Meghan Murphy. Listen to this musical performance covering styles from pop parodies to jazz at The Pines. Seating begins at 7 p.m.
July 27: The Boy Band Project. Allow this musical performance hosted by The Pines to transport you to the era of boy band craze. Seating begins at 7 p.m.
July 29: A Golden Girls Musical Adventure. Come watch this hilarious revamp of The Golden Girls hosted by The Pines. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show begins at 8 p.m.
AUGUST
Aug. 25: Coco Peru: Bitter, Bothered, and Beyond. Listen to Miss Coco Peru’s take on the world in an evening performance at The Pines. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Aug. 27: The White Party with Chord Bezerra. Dress up in white and stay out late having fun at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub. Music begins at 9:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER
September 2: Hunks: The All Male Review. Stop by The Pines for a personal and intimate male dance show incorporating lights, choreography, costumes and music. Doors open at 7 p.m.
a&e features
What ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’ can still teach us
Producer David Collins on lasting impact of hit series
It’s hard to imagine where LGBTQ+ television would be without “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” the trailblazing reality series that premiered in 2003.
Each episode of this Emmy-winning show saw a group of gays converge on a struggling man — the titular straight guy — and offer nonstop wit while organizing his endlessly messy life. This program about a group of homosexual helpers took the world by storm, furthering the love of gay television begun by shows like “Will and Grace” but bringing it into the growing medium of reality TV. Of course, it wasn’t perfect; “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” often cast its experts less as multi-faceted queer folks and more as sources of early 2000s gay jokes. But despite these pitfalls, it’s undeniable that the original program explored the realities of being gay in a way audiences had never seen before. It was a monumental piece of LGBTQ+ representation, and its success is largely owed to the man who fought to get this show made: producer David Collins.
Collins spoke with the Blade from his Los Angeles home, where he’s spent the past few years living with his husband and his two daughters. David spoke fondly of his many years in the industry, detailing how it feels to be such a huge part of LGBTQ+ history. He explained, however, that he didn’t initially set out to alter how queer people were seen on television. “I never went out to make gay television,” said the producer. “I went out to tell great stories.”
“I’m a hillbilly from Ohio, and I thought I was going to be an editor,” David laughed, looking back on his career. “I interned at the Cincinnati Film Office, and I showed up to work my very first day, and the film commissioner was like, ‘Get to the airport right now and pick [someone] up. Don’t talk to them.’ Well, I ended up picking up Jodie Foster.” Collins raved about this car ride that changed his life, with the pair becoming friends and Foster pushing him to become a producer who puts their own media out into the world. Eventually, he did just that, and after learning about the wild new genre that was reality TV, he pitched a series to Bravo: “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
“I was obsessed with Esquire magazine, and they had five categories: fashion, grooming, interior design, culture, food, and wine. So I gave them each a gay, and the Fab Five were born!” Collins said, describing how viewers quickly fell in love with the concept and earned the program four seasons and an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program. He spoke about how proud he felt creating a show that centered real gay people, not characters in a story, remembering, “To stand in the middle of Times Square and look up and see this massive billboard with the original Queer Eye guys…it wasn’t even a dream come true, because it wasn’t a dream I had even fathomed.”
With his series, people were watching actual gay men and learning the realities of a queer culture that had always been portrayed as a danger to society. Collins tearfully recounted hearing about queer people using the show as a way to connect with their family, saying, “What I’m most proud of that’s come out of Queer Eye [are] the conversations that that series has allowed to have people around their kitchen tables with little boys in Ohio like me who were scared to death that they were going to burn in hell because their pastor was telling them that they were a sinner.”
Now, for all of its trailblazing, the program wasn’t wholly positive; the show’s focus on the central ‘straight guy’ meant it rarely delved into the lives of its Fab Five. Collins regretted that lack of depth but understood that earlier audiences weren’t accustomed to such a nuanced look into queerness — that would have to wait for the reboot.
When “Queer Eye” came out in 2018, audiences were introduced to not only a new Fab Five, but a whole new format (that didn’t rely on a straight person). Now, the series would assist queer folks and allies alike, spotlighting these individuals as well as the queer experts helping them improve their lives. The show has been applauded for its amazing makeovers, but where it truly stands out is its representation, offering a look into individuals across the country and the struggles — along with the immense joys — of being queer in America today.
Fans were disappointed to hear that “Queer Eye” would be ending after its 10th season, but David stressed that they wouldn’t have to be sad for long. “What I will say to you is this: hang tight,” he teased. “There’s yet another version of ‘Queer Eye’ to come, and we’re working on that now.” In the meantime, Collins is continuing his work with new shows like the “House of Stassi,” a series centered on “Vanderpump Rules’”prolific waitress. He’s excited about these new projects, but emphasized that his heart will always belong to “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and all that it continues to do for viewers 19 years after its finale.
“It’s not about your new outfit or your new couch or your new whatever. It’s about your humanity,” said Collins, speaking about the core lesson he hopes people take away from the Queer Eye franchise. “It’s about seeing yourself. It’s about dignity. It’s about how confidence breeds success.”
A valuable message that queer folks can benefit from even more now than they did in 2003. And, while it’s unclear just what lies ahead for this franchise, one thing is for sure: “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” helped people everywhere understand the power that exists within our queerness. It’s a truth that has impacted countless pieces of LGBTQ+ television today, and it’s one that Collins promises to keep alive through whatever hit show he creates next.
Celebrity News
Madonna nominated for 11 MTV VMAs
Musical icon has been nominated in every decade of her career
While Michael Jackson is the uncontested King of Pop, Madonna can easily be considered its queen. She has managed to maintain relevancy throughout the decades and borrowed from different genres and even cultures. There was Puerto Rican freestyle-inspired early Madonna, the “Evita” moment, Madonna as a guru with “Ray of Light,” and more.
Regardless of how you feel about her acting, she has consistently performed hits for films, garnering her multiple awards.
Her follow-up to the wildly popular “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” “Confessions II” has managed to snag her 11 VMA nominations, more than any artist this year. This brings her total up to 80 nominations, and whatever she takes home will add to her 20 wins.
Madonna’s relationship with the VMAs has consistently included history-defining moments. In 1984, she performed at the first VMA ceremony dressed like a bride, emerging from a cake singing “Like a Virgin.” It was provocative and, of course, got conservatives into a tizzy.
One of her most memorable performances was her 1990 performance of “Vogue” in full Marie Antoinette regalia, which is forever etched in history. She also sang “Hollywood” in 2003 and famously kissed both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She even eulogized Michael Jackson at the 2009 ceremony.
Fans have long awaited a follow-up to this monumental album. Despite her long career, “Confessions” marked her second Grammy for music achievement. Her follow-up album has delighted the gays and gone viral on social media with LGBTQ folks reigniting their love of Madonna with “I Feel So Free.” She is giving us what we need, much like Lady Gaga dropping “Chromatica” post-pandemic.
Since the album has been released, Madonna united with pop royalty, Kylie Minogue, on a remix of her song “Love Sensation.” The two appeared together on the stage for her set at World Pride in Amsterdam.
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
Rather than releasing a plain old music video, she released a film which strings together multiple celebrity appearances including collaborator Sabrina Carpenter, Benedict Cumberbatch, her longtime friend Debi Mazar, Honey Dijon, Kate Moss, Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie, and even her daughter Lourdes Leon. While the state of her biopic is in limbo, Julia Garner appeared in Madonna drag for the video. This video is the lion’s share of her nominations and could lead to an epic performance at the ceremony.
Time will tell how she will top these history-defining moments, but one thing is for sure … it will be a show. This year’s nominations include:
- Artist of the Year
- Video of the Year (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Song of the Year (Bring Your Love with Sabrina Carpenter)
- Best Collaboration (Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter)
- Best Dance (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Choreography (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Editing (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Visual Effects (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Direction (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Art Direction (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
- Best Cinematography (CONFESSIONS II – THE FILM)
You can vote for Madonna on MTV’s website and find out how many awards she takes home and see her soon-to-be-legendary performance at the 2026 VMAs on Sunday, Sept. 27, on CBS, MTV, and Paramount+.
Deja Diamond hosted Nellie’s Drag Brunch on Sunday at Nellie’s Sports Bar.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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I respect AOC, even though I often disagree with her
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