Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: event listings through Oct. 21

Published

15 years ago

October 7, 2010

Friday, Oct. 15

Raging Stallion adult star Adam Killian will be live and nude on stage tonight at Secrets. Cover is $5 before 10:30 p.m. and $10 after. Doors open at 9 p.m. For more information, visit secretsdc.com.

Baltimore Black Pride starts today with a meet and greet with the Board of Directors at Club Bunns (608 W. Lexington St., Baltimore) from 7 to 9 p.m.

Dakshina Dance Company presents Mallika Sarabhai and the Darpana Dance Company’s performance of Sampradayam (Traditions) at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. This event is part of D.C.’s seventh annual Fall Festival of Indian Arts. Visit dakshina.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

The VelocityDC Dance Festival returns for a second year at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. featuring CityDance Ensemble, Urban Artistry, the Washington Ballet and more. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at Shakespearetheatre.org.

Factory 449 presents “The Saint Plays” by Erik Ehn tonight at 8 p.m. at the Church Street Theatre (1742 Church St., N.W.).

The Black Squirrel (2427 18th St., N.W.) hosts its weekly LGBT night tonight at 9 p.m. There’s no cover charge. Must be 21 or older to enter. Visit blacksquirreldc.com to see a menu.

Sugarloft CraftsFestival starts today at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. For more information, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.

This is the last weekend for Ganymede’s production of the gay-themed “Falsettos” at Noi’s Nook on 14th Street. Final performances are tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7. Tickets are $30. Go to www.ganymedearts.org for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 9

Cotton Candy, a new 18-and-up gay dance party from event planner Jacob Pring, is tonight from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Green Lantern. It will continue on the second Saturday of each month. Admission is $5 but is free for those with a college or military ID. Vodka drinks are free from 10 to 11 p.m. DJs David Merrill and Bryan Yamasaki will spin. Ten percent of proceeds go to the D.C. Center.

Baltimore Black Pride continues with the Living Red Ribbon Campaign from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, at Rash Field, at the base of Federal Hill park, in Baltimore. Representatives from the Guinness World Records are expected to attend as attendees attempt to create the largest living red ribbon ever.

The 14th annual Human Rights Campaign national dinner is tonight at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place, N.W.). The dinner is sold out but people who still want to attend can be added to the wait list. Visit hrcnationaldinner.org for more information.

The VelocityDC Dance Festival continues today at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St., N.W.) at 2 and 8 p.m. The 8 p.m. event includes performances by EDGEWORKS, Erica Rebollar, Furia Flamenca and more. The 2 p.m. event features the same performances as Friday night.

The eighth annual Cultural Affair, a part of Baltimore Black Pride, will be at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center (847 N. Howard St.) from 7 to 11 p.m. tonight.

Logo and RCN present Morgan McMiachels and Shannel from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Drag U” tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) as part of the drag show starting at 10:30 p.m. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 and $12 after. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Sunday, Oct. 10

LAMBDA SCI-FI will be holding its monthly meeting and social of LGBT science fiction, fantasy and horror fans at Brunswick House (1414 17th St., N.W.) at 1:30 p.m. for the meeting and 2 p.m. for the social. For more information call James at 202.232.3141 or e-mail to [email protected].

COLAGE celebrates its 20th anniversary today from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Mansion (O St., N.W.) Wilson Cruz, Angel from “Rent” will be emceeing the event.

Baltimore Black Pride will be having a National Coming Out Day party at the Comfort Inn Downtown Baltimore (8 E. Pleasant St.) from 2 to 4 p.m. Dress is casual and comfortable.

Pocket Gays hosts Sour Patch Sunday School today from 3 to 9 p.m. on the rooftop of Local 16 (1602 U St., N.W.). There will be drink specials and raffles including list spots to the “WTF” (What The Fuck?) party at Town the same night.

The fall festival ends Baltimore Black Pride at Club Bunns (608 W. Lexington St.) from 4 to 11 p.m. There is a $3 cover charge.

Women of Color Productions presents 10-10-10 The Unveiling of Epiphany Toi Williams from 6 p.m. to midnight tonight at Remington’s (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.). This event is the true life account of Williams shared through spoken word, musical performances, dance ensemble and more.

Monday, Oct. 11

Zoom presents a picnic brunch at the National Arboretum (3501 New York Ave., N.E.) today from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be garden games including, twister, tug of war and more. Attendees are to bring their own picnic baskets. Well-trained pets are welcome. This event is free.

West Coast Swing Flash Mob choreography will be taught at Remington’s (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) tonight at 8:30 p.m. The choreography will be used to join a group from the D.C. area doing a flash mob on Oct. 16.

Hope Operas, whose founder is openly gay, has its second week of five new shows tonight to raise money for charity. The shows are at 8 p.m. at the Comedy Spot, in Ballston Mall (4238 Wilson, Blvd.), in Arlington. Each show benefits a different charity. Tickets are $12 per show. For more information call 323.788.8970 or e-mail [email protected].

Tuesday, Oct. 12

SpeakeasyDC will be at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. with “Coming Out: Stories about revelations, debuts and proclamations” in honor of National Coming Out Day. There is a $10 cover and attendees must be 21 or older. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Mautner Project presents a stress relief workshop tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. at Metropolitan Community Church (474 Ridge St., N.W.). Vanita Leatherwood will lead a small group through six sessions of ways to relieve stress. There is a $30 registration fee. E-mail to [email protected] or call 202-332-5536 for more information and to register.

Masters and Slaves Together will be holding its monthly meeting tonight from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.). For more information about the group, visit its website, mastwashington.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 13

Rainbow Response will be holding its monthly meeting tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. at D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.). The meeting is open to all who are interested.

Green Lantern (1331 Green Court, N.W.) will host the weekly Poz D.C. happy hour upstairs from 8 p.m. to midnight. DJs, C-Dubz, Keith Hoffman, Jason Horswill and T-N-T Music factory will be spinning. Jacob Nathaniel Pring will host and bartend.

Thursday, Oct. 14

A new party dubbed “Homolicious” is at MOVA tonight from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. from MAG 7 Productions. Drag queen Stormy Vain and Allen Sexton will host. Downstairs from 7 to midnight, Jacob Pring and Justin Croft will bartend. Erik Lars Evans and Bryan Yamasaki will spin. Upstairs Mr. Gay D.C. 2010 Aaron Alexander will bartend and David Merrill will spin. “Homo” snow cones will be served. Those with birthdays the week of Oct. 10 to 16 will get a free drink.

DCBiWomen will be having its monthly dinner at Café Luna (1633 P St., N.W.) tonight from 7 to 8 p.m For more information, visit dcbiwomen.org.

Zenith Gallery (1111 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) has extended its Transparency exhibit of glass sculptures by Jackie L. Braitman. The gallery is open weekdays from 8 am to 7 p.m. For more information, visit zenithallery.com.

Theater

Ford’s ‘First Look’ festival showcases three new productions

A chance to enjoy historical dramas for free before they’re completed

Published

4 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Patrick Folliard

José Carrasquillo, director of Artistic Programming at Ford's Theatre (Photo by Paolo Andres Montenegro)

The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look – 2026
Jan. 16 & 17
Ford’s Theatre
511 Tenth St., N.W.
FREE
Fords.org

When Ford’s Theatre debuted its new plays festival, “A First Look,” in 2023, it was unclear whether people would come for the staged readings.

“Before the pandemic if you announced the reading of a play, 12 people might show up,” says José Carrasquillo, director of artistic programming at Ford’s Theatre. “Since then, we’ve experienced comparatively massive turnout. Maybe because it’s cheap, or because of the very newness of the works.”

This year’s fourth edition showcases readings of three pieces currently in varied stages of development. The free, two-day festival offers audiences a chance to encounter historical dramas long before they’re completed and fully produced. None are finished, nor have they been read publicly. And befitting the venue’s provenance, the works are steeped in history.

The festival kicks off with “Springs” by playwright Jeanne Sakata and directed by Jessica Kubzansky. Commissioned by The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions, it’s the both epic and personal story of Sakata’s Japanese American family including her grandfather’s experience in an internment camp.

“Sakata’s immigrant grandfather was an exceptionally skilled farmer who helped to stave off starvation in the camp. Still, he never gave up on the idea that he belonged in America. It’s very much a story of today,” says Carrasquillo.

Unlike “Springs,” the festival’s two other works weren’t commissioned by Ford’s. But they both fit the history brief and likely will benefit from the exposure and workshopping.

“Providence Spring,” by California based playwright Richard Helesen and directed by Holly Twyford, portrays Clara Barton (played by local favorite Erin Weaver) as a hero beyond the Red Cross whose then-radical initiatives included cataloguing the Civil War dead, many pulled from mass graves.

Directed by Reginald L. Douglas, “Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest” explores a slice from the life of the legendary civil rights activist and longtime congressman. With book and lyrics by Psalmayene 24 and music by Kokayi this collaboratively staged reading between Ford’s and Mosaic Theater is slated to premiere fully produced at Mosaic as a 90-minute musical in the spring of 2026.

“When I was hired at Ford’s in 2018, we began discussing hiring writers who do historical drama,” says Carrasquillo. “Our intention was resolute, but we didn’t do it right away. It took getting through the pandemic to revisit the idea.”

At the same time, the racial reckoning spurred Ford’s to hire playwrights of color to tell stories that had previously been forgotten or ignored.

For Carrasquillo, who is gay, the impulse to commission was crystalized when he saw the film “Hidden Figures,” a true story about “three brilliant African-American women — at NASA during the Space Race, overcoming racial and gender discrimination to make crucial contributions to America’s spaceflight success.” He says, “the film floored me. How many stories like this are there that we don’t know about?”

One of the festival’s happiest experiences, he adds, was the commission of playwright Chess Jakobs’s “The American Five” and its subsequent success. It’s the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and his inner circle, including Bayard Rustin (MLK’s brilliant, unsung gay adviser) leading up to the 1963 March on Washington. The play later premiered fully produced in Ford’s 2025 season.

Increasingly, the readings at Ford’s have become popular with both artists and audiences.

At Ford’s, Carrasquillo wears many hats. In addition to selecting plays and organizing workshops, he serves as an in-house dramaturg for some of the nascent works. But he’s not alone. Also helming the festival are senior artistic advisor Sheldon Epps, and The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions advisor Sydné Mahone.

Because the plays are in development, comments from directors, dramaturgs, and the audience are considered and may become part of the playwrights’ rewrites and changes. If and when the play resurfaces fully produced, audience members might find their suggestion in the completed work.

Is this year’s festival queer influenced? Yes, both by those involved and the topics explored.

Carrasquillo explains, “While Sakata’s “Springs” is primarily about immigration, its message is relevant to the queer community. Civil rights are being taken away from us. We need this playwright’s story to know what has happened and what can happen to any of us.

“Many of Ford’s legacy commissions underscore the importance of civil rights in our country and that’s important to all of us. Queer and not queer.”

Bars & Parties

Mid-Atlantic Leather kicks off this week

Parties, contests, vendor expo and more planned for annual gathering

Published

5 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

A scene from the 2025 Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather competition. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend will begin on Thursday, Jan 15.

This is an annual three-day event in Washington, D.C., for the leather, kink, and LGBTQ+ communities, featuring parties, vendors, and contests.

There will be an opening night event hosted the evening of Thursday, Jan. 15. Full package and three-day pass pickup will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Hyatt Capitol B. There will also be “Kinetic Dance Party” at 10 p.m. at District Eagle.

For more details, visit MAL’s website.

Photos

PHOTOS: ‘ICE Out For Good’

Demonstrators protest ICE across country following shooting

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Michael Key

D.C. shadow representative Oye Owolewa speaks at a rally outside of the White House on Saturday, Jan. 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A protest was held outside of the White House on Saturday following the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis. Across the Potomac, picketers held signs calling for “Justice for Renee” in Tysons, Va.

“ICE Out For Good” demonstrations were held in cities and towns across the country, according to multiple reports. A march was held yesterday in Washington, D.C., as the Blade reported. Further demonstrations are planned for tomorrow.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)