Arts & Entertainment
AIDS-themed ‘80s play gets reading
Several local gay actors to participate

Actor Rick Hammerly will participate in a reading of ‘The Normal Heart’ next week. (Photo courtesy Forum Theatre)
The Forum Theatre (8641 Colesville Rd.) in Silver Spring is doing a one-night-only reading of the Tony award-winning play, “The Normal Heart” on Monday at 7:30 p.m. It features several gay actors including Will Gartshore, Holly Twyford, J. Fred Shiffman and Rick Hammerly.
Larry Kramer’s “Normal” tells the story of a group of friends who refuse to allow those in power to keep hiding the truth about the AIDS epidemic.
The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1985 then had a couple revivals in Los Angeles and London, before debuting on Broadway that spring.
Tickets are $100 for premium seating which guarantees first or second row seats with a table for whole party and $75 for general admissions. Go to forum-theatre.org for more information.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)












Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
-
District of Columbia5 days agoHundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
-
National5 days agoQueen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
-
Congress4 days agoEXCLUSIVE: Pelosi reflects on four decades of LGBTQ advocacy
-
District of Columbia4 days agoDavid Archuleta, Monroe Alise named D.C. Pride parade marshals
