Arts & Entertainment
Catchy soundtrack keeps ’Trash’ moving
The musical comedy plays at Reel Affirmations
‘Girl Trash’ (Photo courtesy of Reel Affirmations)
‘Girl Trash’
Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Reel Affirmations, a program of the D.C. Center
$10 general admission
$30 VIP pass for all four films this weekend
$50 host committee tickets
“Girl Trash: All Night Long” is a movie with a fitting title. For the duration of the 85-minute musical comedy from Angela Robinson, the writer and executive producer of “True Blood,” five female leads spend their entire night looking for a hook up, each with varying degrees of success.
The film, based on Robinson’s successful web series sponsored by Showtime, features a cast almost entirely of women, including Lisa Rieffel, the lead singer of Killola; Michelle Lombardo from “Quarterlife”; Gabrielle Christian and Mandy Musgrave from “South of Nowhere”; Rose Rollins, Kate French and Clementine Ford from “The L Word”; and Megan Cavanagh.
Scenes range from a car chase to drunken debauchery in a sorority house. And all the while, the girls sing in harmony about love, sex, breakups and dating fantasies.
A number of twists and turns make it somewhat unclear which girls will end up hooking up before the night is out. But by and large, the plot is predictable and the acting generic, failing to present anything regular viewers of romance flicks haven’t already seen.
A bizarre, borderline racist sub-plot entails Rollins’ character, Monique Jones, who spends her airtime chasing down the other girls for money — at one point even stealing their car — though it remains unclear what they owe her for unless you’ve also seen the web series.
“Girl Trash,” released on DVD June 3 and shown at Reel Affirmations at 7 p.m. tonight, does have its redeeming qualities. The songs performed throughout are catchy. The lyrics, while often trite, are easy to sing along to. And the movie has a degree of social value in that it portrays a wide range of lesbians — ranging from a butch, lanky punk rocker to a virgin sorority sister in a jumpsuit — some of whom fulfill the time-tested stereotype and some of whom, refreshingly, do not.
The musical’s saving graces are the few serious conversations that take place between musical performances, including one where two lesbian sisters talk about the difficulties associated with coming out, especially to family members who are less than receptive.
Just don’t expect this film to win an Oscar anytime soon.
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
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