Arts & Entertainment
Neil Patrick Harris is ‘Uncoupled’ in new Netflix sitcom
Show lampoons queer NYC social scene’s mores and manners
Summer of 2022 might just go down in history as “The Summer of the Queer Romcom.” With movies and shows like “Heartstopper,” “Fire Island,” and “Anything’s Possible” already gracing our screens, and upcoming projects like Billy Eichner’s much-anticipated “Bros” still on the horizon, it seems like Hollywood is trying to make up for all those years of content in which LGBTQ people were only allowed to be shown as tragic victims or comic relief – when we weren’t being erased altogether, that is – by giving us a glut of the kinds of happily-ever-after stories we never got to see about ourselves. It’s about time, and nobody is complaining.
Still, with all these feel-good romances heading our way, it was inevitable that we would eventually get something that looks at the flip side of that coin – a story about breaking up. What we might not have expected, however, is that it would be a comedy.
“Uncoupled,” the new Netflix series from Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman, is exactly that. It stars Neil Patrick Harris as Michael, who – as a successful Manhattan real estate broker with a close-knit group of friends and a 17-year loving relationship with the handsome Colin (Tuc Watkins) – seems to be living every gay man’s dream. He gets a rude awakening, however, when Colin, on the eve of his 50th birthday, blindsides him by abruptly packing up his things and moving out of their apartment, leaving him to face two nightmares he never saw coming – the loss of a person he believed was his soulmate, and the reality of being a 40-something single gay man in New York City.
Fortunately, he doesn’t have to do it alone. His business partner and confidante Suzanne (Tisha Campbell) is at his side to walk him through the painful stages of dealing with a breakup, as are his two closest friends, TV weatherman Billy (Emerson Brooks) and high-end art dealer Stanley (Brooks Ashmanskas). While it’s true that none of them are exactly qualified when it comes to giving relationship advice, he needs all the help he can get – especially when he begins to awkwardly fumble his way back into a dating scene that looks a lot different than he remembers.
As written by Star and Richman, with director Andrew Fleming at the helm, the show’s deep dive into the funny side of breakups doesn’t have much time for tears and regret. Playing out in the upscale, glamorous world of New York’s high gay society, it keeps the tone light and lifted, moving beyond the heartbreak as quickly as possible and setting its sights on the rich comedic territory to be found in the frolics and foibles of the privileged set. It’s a milieu that should come as no surprise considering that co-creator Star is the man responsible for “Sex and the City,” not to mention “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Melrose Place,” all of which banked on similar currency. Indeed, it’s easy to see Michael and his trio of compadres as natural successors to the iconic gal pals of “Sex and the City” – more diverse and openly queer, perhaps, but recognizably kindred in spirit.
Star’s co-creator brings his own pedigree into the mix, too. As an executive producer and writer on “Modern Family” (and similar duties on shows like “Frasier” and “Wings” before that), he doubtless has much to do with the whip-smart sitcom sensibility that both undercuts the show’s “guilty pleasure” appeal and enriches it. Indeed, much of the fun of “Uncoupled” comes from its lampooning of the queer social scene’s mores and manners – the shallow obsessions with youth and hotness, money and status, and all the other interpersonal dynamics that enable us to judge each other – and letting us laugh at the attitudes and pretensions we love to hate about ourselves. It allows us to let its characters off the hook, and ourselves, too, by reminding us that we are all only human, and that humans are sometimes ridiculous.
In service of that, “Uncoupled” has a stellar cast that not only has the comedic chops to sell its farcical goings-on but the nuance to go a little deeper. At the forefront, of course, is Harris, who deploys the confidence of a seasoned sitcom star to give us a fully realized leading character, and whose eternally boyish looks and persona have aged just enough to make him an ideal centerpiece for a story that is, in many ways, about growing up. Campbell more than holds her own next to him – their BFF chemistry makes them one of the more interesting platonic pairings in recent television memory – and Brooks and Ashmanskas turn their roles into much more than mere side characters. It’s a likable cast, across the board; yet the show’s most impressive acting turns might just come from two of its recurring supporting players – Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Hardin as a high-profile (and high maintenance) real estate client, and Broadway legend André De Shields as Michael’s elderly-but-regal neighbor – who bring some much-needed weight to the proceedings and make their scenes among the most memorable of the season.
Still, all the superficiality on display does sometimes wear thin, and some viewers might begin to wonder if Michael and his friends really are as vapid as their priorities often make them seem; and while all the characters get some hard lessons as the season progresses, it’s by no means certain they will learn from them, and these moments can feel like lip service in a show that sometimes seems to celebrate self-absorbed vanity even as it satirizes it.
Still, Star and Richman know their audience, and they’re not interested in wagging fingers at them. “Uncoupled” is not meant to be social criticism; it’s about learning how to live again when your heart gets broken. To that end, instead of turning Colin into just another stereotypical hated “ex” to be treated as an enemy and subjected to bitter scorn, or simply letting him leave and forgetting about him, they keep him in the picture. They never let us forget that their series, ultimately, is about a relationship; it may have changed, but it still exists, and there are overlapping threads between two lives that can never quite be untangled. That’s a decidedly un-shallow level of understanding, handled with a refreshing lack of maudlin sentiment or rancor, and it’s more than enough proof that the show has much more going for it than just shallow characters, sexy situations, and soapy plot twists.
More than that, it makes us interested in seeing where things might go in season two.
“Something for everyone.” It’s a tired tagline, but in the case of this fall’s DMV theater season, it happens to be pretty much true. And a lot of the work is queer, directly or tangentially. Here’s a sliver of what’s already opened and what’s in store.
Theater J jumps into the new season with “How to Be a Korean Woman” (through Sept. 22), Sun Mee Chomet’s comic and heartfelt telling of searching for her birth family in Seoul, South Korea. edcjcc.org
Woolly Mammoth Theatre opens with “The Comeuppance” (through Oct. 6), the latest work from Tony-winning out playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
“On the night of their 20th high school reunion, the self-proclaimed “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group” reconnects while they pregame in Prince George’s County, Md. But amid the flow of reminiscing, an otherworldly presence forces these former classmates to face the past head-on and reckon with an unknowable future.” Woollymammoth.net
Signature Theatre kicks off with the D.C. premiere of Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer-winning play “Primary Trust” (through Oct. 20). Booth’s contemporary humor-filled tender tale of self-discovery and connection is followed by Signature’s big musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Oct. 29-Jan. 12), Stephen Sondheim’s classic Roman-set musical comedy staged by Signature’s out artistic director Matthew Gardiner. Sigtheatre.org
GALA Hispanic Theatre’s season opener, Gustavo Ott’s “The 22+ Weddings of Hugo” (through Sept. 29), is based on a true story. Performed in Spanish with easy-to-follow English surtitles, Ott’s raucous tale seeks to cover the various scenarios immigrants experience through many weddings. The cast features out actors Carlos Castillo as Hugo, a quiet postal clerk, and Victor Salinas who plays Elmar, a gay writer seeking refuge. José Zayas directs. Galatheatre.org.
Mosaic Theater Company at Atlas Performing Arts Center presents “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” (through Oct. 6), a play with music about jazz legend/queer icon Billie Holiday starring Roz White. Mosaic’s out artistic director Reginald L. Douglas directs. Mosaictheater.org
Ford’s Theatre presents “Mister Lincoln” (Sept. 20-Oct. 13), a “witty and revelatory” one-man show starring Scott Bakula (stage and screen actor famous for TV’s “Quantum Leap”). Fords.org
ExPats Theatre (also housed at Atlas) opens with “Marlene” (Sept. 28 through Oct. 20) featuring Karin Rosnizeck as the legendary Dietrich, a great star who famously defied social and gender conventions while dazzling the world with her glamorous career. Expatstheate.com
There’s a lot on offer at George Mason University’s Center for Arts this autumn, not least of all “An Evening with Lea Salonga” (Saturday, Sept. 28).
Tony-winning singer and actress Lea Salonga headlines the 2024 ARTS by George! benefit concert, performing songs from a four-decade career on Broadway and in animated movie hits. Born in the Philippines, Salonga originated the lead role of Kim in Miss Saigon, and she was the first Asian cast member to perform the role of Eponine in Les Misérables on Broadway.
Other promising one-day-only GMU entertainments include Ballet Hispánico (Oct. 5) and Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble (Oct. 19). cfa.gmu.edu
Creative Cauldron in Falls Church presents “Sondheim Tribute Revue” (Oct. 3-27) a celebratory salute to musical giant Stephen Sondheim with eight performers singing 20 titles from the gay composer’s brilliant songbook including “Company,” “Follies,” “Into the Woods,” “A Little Night Music,” “Sweeney Todd,” and the recent Tony Award Winner, “Merrily We Roll Along,” and more. Creativecauldron.org
Olney Theatre explores what makes a president great with “Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground,” Sept. 27-Oct. 20. And for Disney fans, don’t miss “Frozen,” Oct. 24-Jan. 5. Olneytheatre.org
The Kennedy Center offers laughs and nostalgia with “Clue” (Sept.17 through Oct. 6), a whodunit based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game. Next up is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Oct. 11 – 20).
Other Kennedy Center treats include “An Evening with David Sedaris” (Oct. 15). The gay humorist is slated to share his inimitable brand of satire and hilarious observations, and then it’s out sound healing artist Davin Youngs with “The Reset” (Oct. 28), his take on a “sound bath” including improvisational singing, looping devices, and healing instruments. Kennedy-center.org
Fall is the best time at the beach, so plan a weekend in Rehoboth and visit the phenomenal Clear Space Theatre. “Venus in Fur” runs Sept. 19-29 followed by “Sweeney Todd” Oct. 11-27; and “Shrek” runs Nov. 8-10. Clearspacetheatre.org
Fall cabaret will be in full swing at the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., as soloists share heart-warming stories and songs about their travel adventures (Oct. 19 at 2, 5, and 8 p.m.). And, of course, no holiday season is complete without the Chorus’s annual holiday celebration set for Dec. 7, 14, and 15. Gmcw.org
Folger Theatre presents Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” (Oct. 1-Nov. 10) staged by inspiring out director Raymond O. Caldwell. A large, versatile cast features Cole Taylor and Caro Rayes Rivera as the star-crossed lovers, and a host of familiar local faces including Luz Nicolas, Deirdra LaWan Starnes, and out actor Fran Tapia as Lady Capulet. folger.edu
Studio Theatre serves up “Summer, 1976,” (opening Nov. 13), a memory play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Auburn (“Proof”). Directed by Vivienne Benesch, the two-hander features longtime D.C. favorites Kate Eastwood Norris and out actor Holly Twyford playing disparate women whose unlikely friendship and ensuing connection changes the course of their lives. Studiotheatre.org
And on Wednesday, Dec. 4, Strathmore in North Bethesda presents “A Swingin’ Little Christmas,” a fun takeoff on kitschy, classic ‘50s and ‘60s holiday specials, featuring out TV star Jane Lynch (“Glee,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) alongside Kate Flannery (“The Office”), Tim Davis (“Glee’s” vocal arranger), and The Tony Guerrero Quintet. Strathmore.org
Dining
Fall brings diverse array of new restaurants to D.C.
Afro-Caribbean, Trinidadian, Japanese, and more influences on tap
Move over, Brat Summer. The fall dining scene in D.C. is Hot to Go. From a powerful, historically inspired Afro-Caribbean restaurant in a luxe hotel to a funky music record-inspired bar, below is a non-comprehensive list of restaurants and bars that have opened or are planning to open over the next several months.
Dōgon
Famed chef Kwame Onwauche makes his celebrated return to Washington, D.C. with the opening of Dōgon near the Southwest Waterfront. In 2017, Onwauche, just in his mid-20s, ran Shaw Bijou; and then later Kith and Kin on the Wharf. Now, Dōgon is an ambitious project inside the equally ambitious Salamander Hotel, linking the storied history of freed Black man Benjamin Banneker who surveyed the Nation’s Capital, with Onwauche’s Afro-Cuban background and connection to the West African Dōgon people. Art and symbolism imbue the royal-purple space serving dishes like an “H Street Chicken” with jollof rice. Dōgon will be Onwuachi’s second restaurant opening in a year, following the acclaimed Tatiana in New York. Dōgon officially opened on Sept. 9, to honor the date in history when D.C. was formally named in 1791.
In Dupont Circle, the genre-bending Press Club bar is for the musically inclined. The bar takes inspiration from the A&B sides of a record, offering two complementary experiences: The “Track List” menu — an eight to 12 cocktail menu that rotates biannually featuring the team’s favorite spirits and techniques; and the steeper and more experiential “Play List” menu — a bi-monthly rotating four cocktail flights highlighting more seasonal ingredients, presented tableside with the supplemental bites. The space comes courtesy of celebrated D.C. bar vet Will Patton and NYC-based Devin Kennedy.
James Beard Foundation Award-winning restaurateur Ellen Yin’s High Street Hospitality Group brings its Philadelphia restaurant to Foggy Bottom this fall. Grounded in Chesapeake fare, the menu is based on Americana-seasonal small plates, alongside a focus on natural and organic wine.
Union Market welcomes yet another big-name splash in the form of Minetta Tavern. New York-based Keith McNally, who already runs nearby Pastis with Stephen Starr (no stranger to D.C. himself), is behind the program. This D.C. version will have a similar menu to the Manhattan staple, known for its extensive classic cocktail list and Parisian steakhouse inspiration.
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group will open Rosedale in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Northwest, named for an estate in Cleveland Park. This classic Americana spot will have a rotating seasonal menu and daily specials from the kitchen’s rotisserie oven.
Bar Betsie
The three gay owners (Ralph Brabham, Drew Porterfield, and JP Sabatier) of Logan Circle cocktail favorite Jane Jane, known for its throwback vibe and sassy needlepoints, will open Bar Betsie in Union Market this winter. Named in honor of Sabatier’s mother, it will have a more relaxed atmosphere than Jane Jane, with more beer and wine options, as well as a larger menu of finger-food snacks.
In Columbia Heights, Natalia Kalloo opens Caribbean restaurant Trini Vybez. Kalloo originally began selling spices native to Trinidad and Tobago in local markets and online, and then grew the business into a food truck serving Trinidadian street food. The new brick and mortar concept will offer more expansive cuisine native to Trinidad and Tobago on the upper floor, and provide for a more modern concept, Soca Cafe and Wine Bar, on its lower level. It will focus on delicacies like oxtail sliders with Trinidad’s traditional hops bread, plus pepper roti for those who like to enjoy a bit of spice.
Modan, meaning ‘modern’ in Japanese, is a sleek 7,000-square-foot restaurant with a bar, sushi counter, private Omakase counter, and outdoor patio in McLean. Executive Chef Micheole “Chico” Dator (coming straight from his role as Executive Sushi Chef at Nobu DC) distinguishes this concept with its proprietary in-house dry aging for beef and fish, alongside broader Southeast Asian elements.
Also coming this fall is Chefs for Equality, one of the largest and most significant food benefit events of the season. Chefs for Equality advances the fight for LGBTQ+ equality through the work of the HRC Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization. On Oct. 21, it brings together 150 of the region’s top chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists for an evening of food, cocktails, and music. The event features 40+ tasting stations and 20 cocktail stations headed by renowned chefs and mixologists from the Greater D.C. area, as well as 13 personal chef tables. Live and silent auctions are also held.
Out & About
Art, music, and fashion — fall events for every taste
SMYAL to mark 40th anniversary on Sept. 21
Just because the temperatures are cooling down doesn’t mean your social life has to — D.C. is rife with fun events and below is a list of a few you should absolutely check out.
Club XCX will be on Friday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. at the Howard Theatre. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on Howard Theatre’s website.
“Head Above the Water” – Art, Awareness & Music Festival will be on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. at National Landing Water Park. Guests can dive into a vibrant celebration at Head Above the Water, an enchanting interactive art and music festival honoring National Preparedness Month. The event is hosted by Artbae LLC and sponsored by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, and The Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and aims to raise awareness about water conservation, flood risk mitigation, and environmental justice. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
SMYAL will host its 40th Anniversary Fall Brunch on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Marriott Marquis. This event includes a cocktail reception featuring a silent auction, a three-course brunch, and a chance to hear from some of our community’s most inspiring leaders. Each year, the Fall Brunch brings together LGBTQ and allied community members, friends, and families in support of the inspirational youth SMYAL works with each day. Tickets are available on SMYAL’s website.
Art on the Rocks will be on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at Hotel Heron. This event challenges local mixologists and chefs to each create the most artistic cocktail and appetizer pairing, inspired by art. Tickets start at $70 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Art in the Garden will be on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m at 3rd St. NE. At this event, guests can immerse themselves in a vibrant world of creativity and beauty where art and nature collide in the most magical way. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
DC Art All Night will begin on Friday Sept. 27 in eight wards. It will bring visual and performing arts, including painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, fashion, music, literary arts, dance, theater, film, and poetry, to indoor and outdoor public and private spaces, including local businesses and restaurants. This event is free and more details are available on the event website.
Law Roach: How to Build a Fashion Icon will be on Monday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. at the Howard Theatre. Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased on the Howard website.
Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA will be on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 10 p.m. at 9:30 Club. Tickets are $35 are available on 9:30 Club’s website.
Marc Rebillet – We Outside will be on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased on 9:30 Club’s website.
A busy season underway in local theater scene
Fall brings diverse array of new restaurants to D.C.
Art, music, and fashion — fall events for every taste
Lana Del Rey, Katy Perry plan fall releases
How data helps — and hurts — LGBTQ communities
2024 Best of LGBTQ DC Readers’ Choice Award Finalist Voting
PREVIEW: Biden grants exclusive interview to the Blade, congratulates Sarah McBride
Sarah McBride wins Democratic primary, poised to make history
Gay Zimbabwean couple charged under country’s sodomy law
9th Circuit upholds lower court ruling that blocked anti-trans Ariz. law
-
Arts & Entertainment5 days ago2024 Best of LGBTQ DC Readers’ Choice Award Finalist Voting
-
Politics1 day agoPREVIEW: Biden grants exclusive interview to the Blade, congratulates Sarah McBride
-
Delaware3 days agoSarah McBride wins Democratic primary, poised to make history
-
Zimbabwe3 days agoGay Zimbabwean couple charged under country’s sodomy law