a&e features
Fringe Festival rich with LGBT themes
A male pop star, Galactica and more on this year’s slate
Bryce Sulecki in ‘Bryce: Hydrogen Blonde.’ (Photo courtesy Marc Langston)
Growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Bryce Sulecki admired the likes of Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Madonna. While their support of the gay community comforted him, he couldn’t help but feel that there was an absence.
“There was this voice missing,” says Sulecki, who graduated from American University’s prestigious musical theater program in 2015. “From a gay male pop star.”
Sulecki longed to hear a performer directly singing about gay relationships, struggles and even everyday life with the same type of choreography, costumes and theatrics that had inspired him as a child.
Sulecki decided to take matters into his own hands and create the gay pop star he’d been searching for, but he needed an outlet, which he found in the D.C. Capital Fringe Festival.
The Capital Fringe Festival, which just opened and runs through July 31, is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Julianne Brienza and Damien Sinclair. Capital Fringe focuses on bolstering opportunities for audiences to view independent, off-the-beaten-path theater, music, dance and other forms of performance and visual art.
Fringe festivals began in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festival has since expanded its presence all over the world to countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Capital Fringe has become the second largest Fringe Festival in the United States. As of 2015, it had generated $1.7 million for artists, featured more than 600 new productions and generated 886 paid jobs. Roughly 130 shows are featured in the Capital Fringe festival each year.
A spot in Fringe is determined on a first-come, first-served basis by submitting proposals for shows online. Capital Fringe provides the venue for accepted plays and handles the main marketing to promote the shows. The playwright is in charge of all other fees, including costumes, payment to cast, crew and the director and any other costs.
The festival prides itself on its focus of the performing arts community as a whole, rather than just promoting the work of an individual.
With this mission, it’s no wonder that in its 11th year Capital Fringe 2016 will feature a diverse range of LGBT productions, including Sulecki’s interactive-pop-concert- extravaganza, “Bryce: Hydrogen Blonde,” in which he is the producer, co-writer and star.
“I think that [the] most meaningful part of the experience is seeing my own work in front of an audience,” Sulecki says. “I keep getting chills just thinking about it.”
Themes this year touch on a variety of LGBT issues.
Kevin West, an out playwright and director of “The DOMA Diaries,” wants to reveal the struggles and obstacles that the Defense of Marriage Act created in the lives of LGBT couples. While the play is a work of fiction, it is based on real-life experiences.
The play also includes a fictional adaptation of West’s own struggle being part of a bi-national couple. West constantly feared that his then-partner (now husband) would be forced to return to his country of origin, as West could not sponsor him for a green card under DOMA’s restrictions.
“There’s a funny scene in which a gay couple goes to a Mailboxes Etcetera to have their domestic partnership documents notarized, and they treat the event like a mini-wedding,” West says. “Since gay marriage isn’t yet legal, and may never be, they realize that this mundane event is the closest they will ever come to a wedding ceremony.”
One of the stars of the play, Nell Quinn-Gibney, a 20-year-old senior at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who was raised by a lesbian couple and was present outside the Supreme Court when the DOMA decision was announced, says she never fully understood the impact of the act until she began working on the show.
“Reading the script for me the first time I got [it], I honestly started crying half-way through because the whole time I was thinking about what my relationship and what my sister’s relationship growing up with our parents was like and how grateful I was to them,” says Quinn-Gibney, a Bethesda, Md., native. “It wasn’t until I got older that I realized that there was anything different, abnormal or unusual about our family.”
The cast of ‘DOMA Diaries’ featuring Nell Quinn-Gibney, third from left. (Photo courtesy Kevin West)
Other shows to look out for at Capital Fringe include seasoned performer Jeffrey Johnson’s multimedia-drag-production, “A Romp Around Uranus with Special Agent Galactica.”
Johnson, who was the artistic director of the now-defunct, LGBT theater company Ganymede Arts in Washington, is the creator, writer, director and lead performer in the play. Galactica, a lip sync character, was born out of his work with Ganymede.
She became a success and generated a large local following. Johnson has performed as Galactica at almost every gay bar in town.
“A Romp” also features three original songs written by Johnson. Galactica’s spaceship is played by award-winning musician and B-52’s frontman, Fred Schneider.
“This is taking drag performance to a totally different place,” Johnson says. “It’s taking on drag done live, it has clever humor, but, you know, low-brow comedy as well.”
Johnson emphasizes that his production is not a drag show, but a theater piece that uses the elements of drag to enhance the show.
In 2010, Johnson took Galactica from a lip-sync character to a live music songstress and how he says he’s ready for the next chapter in her short, yet eventful life.
“Now, I’m taking her from being just a live cabaret or music show to actually being a theater piece,” Johnson says. “It’s always fun to challenge myself and rethink the presentation of this character and take her into new areas that she hasn’t gone before.”
Another pioneering piece comes from writer, director and professional home and office organizer, Brett Steven Abelman.
Abelman’s play, which he created and directs, is “Play Cupid,” his fourth production at Capital Fringe. The play features five characters that the audience can send on a date. There are two men, two women and one character that identifies as gender-queer.
“Anyone can be paired up with anyone,” says Abelman, a Washington-area native. He likes the component of audience choice in theater, which he says is not common.
Abelman hopes his show can “open little corners” within his audience’s mind by having them go through the process of meeting the characters, getting to know them and pairing them up.
The audience, director and actors will not know, on any given night, who will get sent on a date and who will not. So, as Abelman says, flexibility for everyone involved in “Play Cupid” is important.
“I am thrilled that I found these five collaborators, plus my assistant director and producer,” Abelman says. “The No. 1 thing is getting along with each other and we share stories about dating and romance and all that kind of stuff to help build the show.”
Niusha Nawab, one of the male actors in “Play Cupid,” who graduated from American University in 2015 with a degree in theater arts and audio production, describes the play as “modern” in terms of its LGBT content.
“On the one hand, it’s somewhat of an idealistic alternative reality where the sexuality of all the characters is mostly irrelevant to their lives within the play and isn’t a defining factor of who they are,” Nawab says. “On the other hand, when it does recognize and deal with their sexuality, it does so in specific and useful ways, like the fact that one character is pansexual, not bi, or that the only black character (in the show) has to deal with the intersectionality of being both black and queer in his love life.”
Nawab also emphasizes how gender-queerness plays a role in “Play Cupid.” He says it unfurls in “differing but challenging ways.”
“Our play is a high-scorer on the not-straight-white-cis-dude scale,” Nawab says.
The cast of ‘Play Cupid’ in rehearsal. (Photo by Sonia Zamborsky)
Another LGBT-themed Fringe show is “HUNT: a Political Drama,” written and produced by Jean P. Bordewich and directed by Kristin Shoffner. The play is based on the true story of Sen. Lester Hunt, a Wyoming Democrat, who was blackmailed by Sen. Joe McCarthy’s allies in the Senate over homosexual allegations against his son.
Bordewich, who has spent her life in politics on Capitol Hill as a Senate and House staff member and in Red Hook, N.Y., as a town council member, and as a candidate for Congress and Senate district staffer, says she wanted to explore the dangers of political extremism, demagoguery and homophobia through the lens of the 1950s Cold War era.
“I had no idea when I wrote ‘HUNT,’” she says, “that the rise of a demagogue as a presidential candidate and the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando would make this history so tragically relevant today.”
Terry Loveman as Sen. Hunt in ‘HUNT: a Political Drama.’ (Photo courtesy Jean P. Bordewich)
Full details at capitalfringe.org
‘Bryce: Hydrogen Blonde’
Logan Fringe Arts Space: Trinidad Theatre (1358 Florida Ave., N.E.)
Friday, July 8 at 10:15 p.m.
Thursday, July 14 at 7:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 17 at 4:15 p.m.
Friday, July 22 at 9 p.m.
Sunday July 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Tickets are $17
‘The DOMA Diaries’
Flashpoint: Mead Theatre Lab (916 G St., N.W.)
Thursday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 15 at 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 21 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 23 at 12:45 p.m.
Tickets are $17
‘A Romp Around Uranus with Special Agent Galactica’
Logan Fringe Arts Space: Upstairs (1358 Florida Ave., N.E.)
Saturday, July 9 at 10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13 at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 17 at 10 p.m.
Tuesday, July 19 at 9 p.m.
Sunday, July 24 at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $17
‘Play Cupid’
Atlas Performing Arts Center: Lab II (1333 H St., N.E.)
Friday, July 8 at 8:15 p.m.
Sunday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
Friday, July 15 at 10:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 21 at 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 24 at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $17
‘HUNT: A Political Drama’
Flashpoint: Mead Theatre Lab (916 G St., N.W.)
Thursday, July 7 at 8:45 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13 at 6:45 p.m.
Saturday, July 16 at 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 19 at 8:45 p.m.
Friday, July 22 at 6:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 24 at 2:15 p.m.
Tickets are $17
a&e features
MISTR’s Tristan Schukraft on evolution of HIV prevention
From ACT UP to apps, embracing stigma-free care
It was not too long ago that an HIV diagnosis was read as a death sentence. In its earlier decades, the HIV/AIDS crisis was synonymous with fear and loss, steeped in stigma. Over recent years, open conversation and science have come together to combat this stigma while proactively paving the way for life-saving treatments and preventive measures like PrEP. Now, in 2026, with discreet and modern platforms that meet people where they’re at in their lives, HIV prevention has evolved from hushed words of warning into something far more sex-positive and accessible. Game-changing services like MISTR are a testament to this shift, showing our community that healthcare doesn’t have to feel clinical or shaming to work. It can be empowering and, dare I say, celebratory.
Few people embody this evolution quite like Tristan Schukraft, founder of MISTR. With one hand in healthcare and the other high-fiving through queer nightlife, Schukraft gets that, from the bar to the bedroom and beyond, prevention happens in person and in real life. His approach has helped turn PrEP, DoxyPEP, and testing into normalized parts of our daily queer life, reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the US.
In our conversation, Schukraft shares candidly about stigma, policy, and why the future of sexual health depends on keeping it real.
BLADE: You have one hand in healthcare and the other in nightlife and queer spaces. Can you share with us how these two spheres impact and inform each other? How do they impact and inform you?
SCHUKRAFT: Honestly, for me, they’ve never been separate. Nightlife and queer spaces are where people meet, date, hook up, fall in love, and make friends. That’s real life. Being in queer spaces all the time keeps me grounded and reminds me who we’re building MISTR for.
BLADE: MISTR markets sexual health in a sex-positive, stigma-free fashion. Can you share with us how you measure the impact of this approach?
SCHUKRAFT: This year, we held the first-ever National PrEP Day. Dua Lipa performed, and Cardi B was there. After the event, Cardi B went on her Instagram live to encourage people to sign up for PrEP.
When you make sexual health stigma-free and sex positive, people talk about it. We see it in how people use the platform. When 700,000 people are willing to sign up, get tested, start PrEP, and add things like DoxyPEP, that tells us we’ve made it feel safe and normal instead of scary or awkward. And then we see it in the results. Since we expanded DoxyPEP, STI positivity among our patients dropped by half.
BLADE: How have you seen the conversation of sexual health in our LGBTQ+ community change in mainstream culture in recent years?
SCHUKRAFT: Ten years ago, nobody was casually talking about PrEP, and if they did, it likely referenced one being a Truvada whore. Now it’s part of the culture. Popstars like Troye Sivan post pictures of their daily PrEP pill on social media. Cardi B goes on Instagram Live telling people to get on PrEP.
For many sexually active gay men, taking PrEP is simply part of the gay experience. For people in more remote areas, it might not be as talked about. Particularly in rural or more conservative places, MISTR can be a life-changing option. No awkward visits to the family doctor or the local pharmacy where everybody knows your business. It’s all done discreetly online and shipped straight to your door.
BLADE: You have publicly argued that cuts to government HIV prevention funding are of high risk. Would you please elaborate for us on what those budget decisions mean on an individual level?
SCHUKRAFT: It means real people fall through the cracks. Someone doesn’t get tested. Someone waits too long to start PrEP. Someone finds out they’re HIV-positive later than they should have. Community clinics will be the hardest hit, especially those in underserved communities. The good news is that MISTR is ready to help people who might lose their access to care. All you need to do is sign up at mistr.com, and it’s totally free with or without insurance.
BLADE: From your (and MISTR’s) perspective, how do these funding cuts threaten ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic?
SCHUKRAFT: For the first time, we have all the tools to end HIV. If everybody who is HIV negative is taking PrEP and everyone HIV+ is virally suppressed, we can end all new HIV transmissions in the United States. We have everything we need today. All we need is to get more people on PrEP. Cutting funding risks losing that momentum. Ending HIV requires scale and consistency. Every time funding gets cut, you lose momentum, trust, and infrastructure, and rebuilding that takes years.
HIV transmissions don’t pause because budgets change.
BLADE: In our current climate of decreased federal investment, what role do you feel private healthcare and business should play in sexual health?
SCHUKRAFT: With reports that the current administration is considering cuts to HIV and prevention funding, we face a moment of reckoning. At the same time, some employers are seeking to exclude PrEP and HIV prevention from their coverage on religious freedom grounds. If these challenges succeed, and if federal funding is slashed, the consequences for public health will be devastating. But this is where the private sector must step up to fill the gap, bridge divides, and deliver results.
Businesses have the power and platform to normalize HIV prevention and drive measurable outcomes. At MISTR, we see firsthand what’s possible: since introducing DoxyPEP, STI positivity rates among our patients have been cut in half. But it’s not just about medication. It’s about messaging.
Our sex-positive, stigma-free marketing speaks directly to our community, making sexual health part of everyday life. No awkward doctor visits, no needles, no paperwork — just free online PrEP and STI testing, prescribed by real physicians and delivered to your door. That kind of impact could grow exponentially if more employers embraced this approach and made HIV prevention part of their employee wellness programs.
Employers, this is your call to action. Start by making sure your health plans cover PrEP and DoxyPEP. Partner with platforms like MISTR to give employees private, stigma-free access to care. Offer on-site testing. Talk openly about sexual health, not just during Pride, but every day of the year. This is not political — this is about protecting lives, strengthening communities, and building a healthier, more productive workforce. Because healthy employees aren’t just good for public health — they’re good for business.
When the private sector steps up, outcomes improve. And when businesses align with platforms like MISTR, scaling impact isn’t just possible — it’s happening.
BLADE: Has MISTR experienced any direct effects from these recent shifts in public health funding?
SCHUKRAFT: MISTR’s unique model is totally free for patients with or without insurance, and we don’t cost the government or taxpayers a penny. We are scaling up our efforts to reach people who might be losing their access or care.
BLADE: What would be your message to policymakers who are considering further cuts to HIV/AIDS programs?
SCHUKRAFT: During his first term, President Donald Trump committed unprecedented resources to the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative here at home. Bipartisan support has shown what’s possible when bold leadership meets smart strategy. To policymakers: I urge you to reconsider any cuts to HIV prevention funding. This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to push forward. Ending HIV is within reach — but only if government, private industry, and community organizations stand together.
BLADE: What is one perhaps overlooked win from last year that impacted you on a personal level?
SCHUKRAFT: Seeing our STI positivity rate drop by half after expanding DoxyPEP.
BLADE: Looking at the year ahead, what are MISTR’s most significant priorities for sexual health in 2026?
SCHUKRAFT: Expanding access, especially in the South and in communities that still get left out. Rolling out injectable PrEP. And just continuing to make sexual healthcare easier and more normal.
a&e features
Visible and unapologetic: MAL brings the kink this weekend
Busy lineup includes dances, pups, super heroes, and more
MLK Weekend in D.C. brings the annual Mid-Atlantic Leather (MAL) Weekend. Just a short walk from where Congress has been attacking queer Americans this year, MAL takes place at the Hyatt Regency Washington for several days of intrigue, excitement, leather, and kink.
The Centaur Motorcycle Club — one of several similar groups dedicated to leather in the country — has been hosting MAL in its current form for more than 40 years. Originally a small gathering of like-minded people interested in the leather lifestyle, MAL has grown to include a full four days of events, taking place onsite at the Hyatt Regency Washington (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Select partner happenings take place each night, and many more non-affiliated events are scattered across the DMV in honor of and inspired by MAL.
MAL Weekend has become an internationally renowned event that celebrates fetish culture, yet it also raises funds for LGBTQ organizations, “reinforcing its legacy as both a cultural and philanthropic cornerstone of the global leather community,” according to MAL organizers.
During the day, MAL events at the Hyatt include workshops, social gatherings, shopping, and other in-person engagements for the community.
“The Hyatt underwent an extensive top to bottom renovation after last year’s event,” says Jeffrey LeGrand-Douglass, the event chair. The lobby, meeting spaces, guest rooms, and other areas have been updated, he notes, “so I am very excited for our guests to experience the new design and layout for the first time. And of course as with every year, we look forward to the contest on Sunday afternoon and seeing who will become our new Mr. MAL.”
In the evening, MAL hands the reins to partner KINETIC Presents, the D.C.-based nightlife production company. KINETIC will host four consecutive nights of high-production events that fuse cutting-edge music, immersive environments, and performance. This year, KINETIC is popping open doors to new-to-MAL venues, international collabs, play zones, and a diverse lineup.
According to KINETIC managing partner Zach Renovátes, 2026 is the most extensive MAL production to date. “The talent lineup is unreal: an all-star roster of international DJs, plus drag superstar performances at the Saturday main event,” he says.
Renovátes added that he’s “most excited about the collaborations happening all weekend — from bringing in MACHO from WE Party Madrid, to teaming up with local leather groups, to nonprofit partners, and Masc Diva [a queer nightlife collective].”
Official MAL events begin on Thursday with the Full Package/Three Day Pass Pick-Up from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt.
Thursday night is also the KINETIC kickoff party, called LUST. Running 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., it’s being held at District Eagle. DJ Jay Garcia holds it down on the first floor, while DJ Mitch Ferrino spins in the expansive upstairs. LUST features special performances from the performers including Serg Shepard, Arrow, Chase, and Masterpiece.
Renovátes notes that the LUST opening party at District Eagle coincides with the bar’s grand re-opening weekend. The bar will unveil its new permanent home on the renovated second floor. “it felt like the perfect place to start Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend — right in D.C.’s only dedicated home for kink communities,” he says.
After Thursday night, Friday is when daytime events begin at the Hyatt. The Exhibit Hall, on the ballroom level below the lobby, hosts upwards of 30 vendors, exhibitors, and booths with leather goods, fetish wear, clothes, toys, other accessories, providing hours of time to shop and connect with attendees and business owners. The Exhibit Hall will be open on Friday from 4-10 p.m., as well as on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
DC Health is once again back at MAL, to provide preventative health services. In the past, DC Health has provided MPox vaccines, Doxy PEP, HIV testing, Narcan kits, and fentanyl test strips. This booth will be open on Friday 4-10 p.m.
Later, at 6 p.m., the Centaur MC is holding its welcome reception on the ballroom floor. After the Centaur’s Welcome Reception, the MIR Rubber Social is 8-11 p.m. A Recovery Meeting is scheduled at 10 p.m.
Many attendees enjoy visiting the guest room levels of the hotel. Note that to get in an elevator up to a hotel room, a staff member will check for a hotel room wristband. Non-registered guests can only access host hotel rooms if they are escorted by a registered guest with a valid wristband. Registered guests are permitted to escort only one non-registered guest at a time. Non-registered guests with a wristband who are already in the hotel before 10 p.m. may remain until midnight. However, non-registered guests without a wristband will not be admitted after registration closes.
Friday night, for the first time, KINETIC Presents is joining forces with WE Party to bring MACHO to Washington, D.C. This official MAL Friday event delivers two stages and two genres. On the UNCUT XXL stage, international Brazilian circuit superstars Erik Vilar and Anne Louise bring their signature high-energy sound. On the MACHO stage, Madrid’s Charly is joined by Chicago’s tech-house force, Karsten Sollors, for a blend of techno and tech house. UNCUT also features the XL Play Zone, a massive, immersive space exclusive to this event. The party takes place at the Berhta space from 10 p.m.-4 a.m..
“This year we’re bringing back the two-room format we debuted at WorldPride for both Friday and Saturday, so attendees can really tailor their experience — whether they’re in the mood for circuit or tech house.” says Renovátes.
Directly after Friday’s UNCUT XXL, UNDERWORLD Afters takes over District Eagle, from 3:30-8 a.m. International DJ Eliad Cohen commands the music.
Saturday, the Exhibit Hall opens earlier, at 11 a.m.. DC Health will also be back from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday is also time for one of the most anticipated events, the Puppy Mosh, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, pup culture comes to life, when pups, handlers, and friends can enjoy an inclusive, safe pup zone. There is also a Recovery Meeting at 11 a.m., and the IML Judges Announcement takes place at noon.
The popular Super Hero Meet Up will be held 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., sponsored by One Magical Weekend, for cosplayers, comic enthusiasts, and their friends.
From 2-6 p.m., the Onyx Fashion Show will take place to showcase and highlight people of color in leather.
Finally, the Leather Cocktail Party – the original event of MAL – will be held 7-9 p.m. in the Ballroom. While this requires special tickets to attend, at 9 p.m. is the MAL cocktail party, which is open to wider attendees.
The last event of Saturday leaves the hotel, again a partnership with KINETIC. Kicking off at 10 p.m. and running until 4 a.m., it’s just the second time that KINETIC’s Saturday night party is an official MAL event and serves as the main weekend engagement.
Saturday night’s centerpiece is called KINK: Double Trouble. The night will feature a first-ever back-to-back set from international electronic music icons Nina Flowers and Alex Acosta on the Circuit/Tribal Stage. The other room – the Tech House Stage – curated by The Carry Nation and Rose, provides a darker, underground counterpoint, reinforcing the event’s musical depth and edge.
Beyond the DJs, KINETIC has called in the big shots for this party: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” legends Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara are set to headline. The party also takes place at Berhta.
Sunday, back at the hotel, there will be another Recovery Meeting at 10 a.m., and the Exhibit Hall opens again from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
At 1 p.m., the anticipated and prestigious Mr. MAL Contest that celebrates the achievements of the leather community will be held in the Ballroom. This highly sought after title gives one man the power to become the Mid-Atlantic Leather man of the year. Sash and title winners must be (1) male, (2), a resident of North America, (3) At least 21 years of age; and (4) self-identify as gay. The first Mr. MAL was crowned in 1985. The Winner of Mr. MAL has the privilege of later competing in International Mr. Leather (IML) in Chicago on Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
From 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., MAL will hold its Game Night for the gaymers in attendance. There will also be a special screening of A24’s new film, “Pillion,” about a man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Sunday closes with a community partner event produced by Masc Diva, featuring Horse Meat Disco with support from Coach Chris, at A.I. Warehouse in the Union Market district. It’s the same team that produced HMD during WorldPride at A.I. Warehouse.
Note that there are several types of passes for attendance to the hotel and parties. KINK VIP Weekend Passes include express entry, VIP areas, and enhanced amenities throughout the weekend, while MAL Full Weekend Package holders receive access to the official Sunday closing event.
At last year’s MAL events, KINETIC Presents raised more $150,000 for LGBTQ charities, and expects to match or exceed that impact in 2026.
Renovátes stated that “now more than ever, it’s important to create safe, affirming spaces for our community — but it’s just as important to be visible and unapologetic. We want to make it clear that the LGBTQ+ and leather communities aren’t going anywhere. We’ve fought too long and too hard to ever feel like we have to shrink ourselves again, no matter what the political climate looks like.”
In addition to the KINETIC events, various LGBTQ bars will hold parties celebrating the theme of the weekend. For example, Kiki, located on U Street NW, is hosting a party called KINKI, hosted by DJ Dez, on Saturday night. Sister bar Shakiki, on 9th Street NW, is hosting a party called Railed Out, a fetish-inspired party that features a play zone, on Thursday night. Flash, on U Street NW, will hold its infamous Flashy Sunday party to close out the weekend.
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
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