Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Aug. 24

Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through Aug. 30

Published

14 years ago

August 23, 2012

‘Dreamer,’ a painting by John Gascot, one of 38 artists whose work is being exhibited now at Touchstone Gallery. (Image courtesy Touchstone)

TODAY (Friday)

Whitman-Walker Health holds HIV Testing at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. This event is for people 21 and older. There is no cover charge. For details, visit towndc.com.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) is having its happy hour tonight starting at 5 p.m. All drinks are half off until 7:30 p.m. After 9 p.m., admission is $15 and after 11 p.m. admission is $3. The party includes a pool, video gaming system and card tournaments. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington,VA) presents “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” tonight at 8 p.m. The show tests morals and demonstrates media sensationalism as a television watchdog seeks to shut this brothel down. Tickets range from $87-$93. For more information, visit signiture-theatre.org.

Cirque du Soleil continues its tour of their new show “Totem” tonight at 8 p.m. at the Plateau at National Harbor (201 Harbor View Ave.). The D.C. Center is giving out free tickets to members of the Friendly Visitors Program. In order to be eligible for a free ticket, contact Karim at [email protected]. For more information about the show, visit curquedusoleil.org. For details about receiving tickets, visit thedccenter.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., NW) hosts 38 artists for the rest of the month of August. The gallery is holding this exhibition in order to shed light on unknown artists in a top-notch gallery and exposing these new works to collectors. The show is up until Aug. 30. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.

We Were Kings performs tonight at the 9:30 club (815 St., NW) at 7 p.m. D.C.-based artist Nate Ihara made this solo project into a group effort. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit 930.com.

Saturday, Aug. 25

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, is helping in food preparation and packing groceries for Food and Friends (219 Riggs Road, NE) today. For more information, visit foodandfriends.org.

DJ Matt Bailer performs at Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) tonight at 10. Bailer is known for being a indie-pop-electro DJ and is well known throughout Washington. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. There are $3 drinks before 11 p.m. For more information, visit towndc.com.

Positive Women Making Positive Choices pairs up with the D.C. Center (1318 U St., NW) tonight to host the LGBT Youth Movie Night starting at 6. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Potomac Nationals host Gay Pride Night tonight at 6:30 at Pfitzner Stadium (7 County Complex Court, Woodbridge, Va.). The Nationals take on the Frederick Keys and post-game activities include fireworks, tennis ball toss and kids run the bases. Tickets are $9. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Sunday, Aug. 26

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) holds its weekly Martini Sundays and Homowood Karaoke. Karaoke starts at 10 p.m. and there is no charge for admission. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Monday, Aug. 27

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its HIV+ Newly Diagnosed Support Group tonight at 7. It is a confidential support group for anyone recently diagnosed with HIV and the group welcomes all genders and sexual orientations. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) is hosting its Martini Monday tonight at 10 p.m. There is now cover charge and martinis are $5. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) is offering half price drinks all night long. A free pool and NFL, NBA and NCAA games will be on the flat screen TVs. Admission is free. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Dead Can Dance performs tonight at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna) at 8 p.m. The Australian duo, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, draw their influences from Greek, Italian, Turkish, Irish and Arab musical traditions. Tickets are $30-$45. For more information, visit wolftrap.org.

Tuesday, Aug. 28

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its Coming Out-Women support group tonight at 7 p.m. This is a 10-week confidential discussion group for women who are exploring their interest in other women. It is open to all women regardless of age or experience in the coming out process. Registration is required to attend. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) hosts its Safer Sex Kit packing program tonight from 7-10:30. The packing program is looking for more volunteers to help produce the kits because they say they are barely keeping up with demand. Admission is free and volunteers can just show up. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) hosts its Flashback dance night with DJ Jason Royce starting at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Whitman-Walker Health provides HIV testing this evening at Miriam’s Kitchen (2120 West Virginia Ave., NE) beginning at 4 p.m. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Wednesday, Aug. 29

The Kennedy Center (2700 F St.) presents Caddywhompus, a New Orleans-based band, tonight at 6. Members describe their sound as “experimental noise pop.”

This event is free. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

The Lambda Bridge Club, a gay group, meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8^th Street, S.E., across from the Marine Barracks) for duplicate bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are always welcome. Visit lambdabridge.com if you need a partner.

Thursday, Aug. 30

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) is hosting its weekly Best Package Contest tonight at 9 p.m. There is a $3 cover and there are $2 vodka drinks. Participants in the contest can win $200 in cash prizes. The event is hosted by Lena Lett and music by DJ Chord, DJ Madscience and DJ Sean Morris. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

The Kennedy Center (2700 F St.) presents Zongo Junction, a burgeoning Afro-beat group, tonight at 6 p.m. The group blends West African rhythms, funk, jazz and soul. The 12-member band has toured throughout the East and West coast. Their inspiration is Nigerian superstar and activist. Fela Anikulapo Kuti. This event is free. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

Photos

PHOTOS: Vitamin C at JR.’s

Live drag show follows ‘Drag Race All Stars’ viewing party

Published

9 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Landon Shackelford

Brooke N Hymen performs at JR.'s at the Vitamin C drag show on Friday. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

JR.’s Bar held a “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” watch party followed by a live drag show on Friday, July 17. The Vitamin C weekly drag show was hosted by Citrine with performers Brooke N Hyman and Rosie Beret.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

Photos

PHOTOS: Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival

LGBTQ celebration held at convention center

Published

12 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Daniel Truitt

A scene from the 2026 Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The 2026 Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival was held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 18.

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)

Books

Liza’s book a tale that’s better than most celebrity memoirs

‘Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!’ dishes on marriages, heartbreak

Published

13 hours ago

July 19, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Grand Central)

‘Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! My Memoir’
By Liza Minnelli, as told to Michael Feinstein
c.2026, Grand Central
$36/ 421 pages

Twenty feet In front of you, and you can’t see a thing.

Even the closest faces are in shadow – lit, but not quite enough for you to see for sure what the people there are thinking. Still, you can hear them, their gasps, their laughter, and applause. Such is life, on-stage. Now read “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! My Memoir” by Liza Minnelli, as told to Michael Feinstein, and read about it beyond the spotlight.

Almost from the moment she was born, Liza Minnelli was famous.

It was inevitable: her mother was Judy Garland. Her father was director Vincente Minnelli. Her godparents were Hollywood glitterati, her neighbors were famous, her playmates would be famous someday, too.

But her life wasn’t all starlight and happiness.

She made her stage debut as a toddler. She became her “mother’s caretaker” at age 13.

At 16, she had a growing career of her own – one that her mother tried to stop. But, she says, “In her own way, Mama was wonderful to me. Try understanding – she was my mother, not a movie star…. I knew her as the person who loved me and always would.”

At 19, Minnelli was working, happy, and madly in love with the man who’d become her first husband, and life was wonderful – until she came home one day to find him in their bed with another man. Before they were divorced, she lost her beloved mother, and became “engaged” to two other men simultaneously, neither of which made it to the altar with her.

She married her second husband, the son of one of her mother’s former co-stars, in 1974 but her love affairs and addictions led to a second divorce.

Her third husband was a stage manager.

She doesn’t have much good to say about her fourth, and last, husband.

Overall, she says, “You gotta play the comedy for all it’s worth and leave ‘em laughing. Even when your heart is breaking.”

Are you expecting bluntness, sass, or attitude here? Good, because that’s what you get inside “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” It’s strong on honesty and don’t-give-a-flip. It’s wonderfully edited, so it moves fast. It’s eye-opening and funny and a pleasant surprise for a first, and only (so far), memoir.

Even better, author Liza Minnelli (with best friend, Michael Feinstein) is really quite candid and nicely gossipy, starting from the beginning. There are some Hollywood folks, in fact, who are feeling edgy because of what’s inside this book and the secrets spilled. Minnelli and Feinstein seemed to have fun telling her story, and they comfortably lure readers in.

That’s not to say that it’s all a cabaret. Minnelli tells about her addictions and recoveries, her marriages and why she wed two gay men, and the losses she endured, including miscarriages, deaths, and broken relationships. The bad balances well with the good for a tale that’s several notches above most celebrity memoirs. “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” is, in fact, a real joy to read, a genuine bright spot.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.