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Underdogs and Antiheroes Japanese Prints from the Moskowitz Collection asia.si.edu/underdogs
@NatAsianArt
#SmithsonianAsianArt
See the misfits, bandits, and rogues living life on the fringe in early modern Japan.
All works are part of the Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection, gifted to the museum by Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz.
Generous support for this exhibition and the museum’s Japanese art program is provided by
This exhibition is made possible by their support.
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When the nationally acclaimed Black lesbian D.C. poet Venus Thrash died at 52 on June 19 from heart disease, the poetry community mourned. Thrash, a single mom, left her young son Daniel in need of care. Thrash’s family and friends have asked for funds to be donated to provide for his future care and education. “Venus was a devoted mother and loved Daniel with everything she had,” said her friend poet Sarah Browning, “It would mean the world to her that the community has been generous in supporting his education.” Thrash, as the Blade reported in her obituary, wrote her
American University and taught in underserved high schools and women’s correctional facilities as well as academic settings. Her collection “The Fateful Apple” was nominated for the 2015 Pen America Open Book Award. To donate go to: gofundme.com/f/celebrate-venusthrash “I feel passionate about teaching,” Thrash told the Blade in 2014. “Not only am I teaching in that exchange, I’m also learning.” KATHI WOLFE
VENUS THRASH died June 19 of heart disease. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
Fairfax school shuts down anti-LGBTQ Instagram account The principal at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Va., announced on Tuesday that the school’s cybersecurity team shut down an Instagram account created by one of the school’s students who used it to “harass and bully” LGBTQ students at the school. The announcement by Principal Daniel W. Smith came hours after the Pride Liberation Project, an LGBTQ group operated by students in the Fairfax County Public Schools, issued a press release reporting that the Instagram site appeared one day earlier on March 7. “On Monday, an Instagram account emerged that outed, attacked, and used slurs against LGBTQIA+ students at Lake Braddock Secondary School,” according to Pride Liberation Project’s press release. “Although the account has since been removed, it has – and continues to – foster an unsafe school environment for LGBTQIA+ students,” the group said. “We were able to work with our cybersecurity team to have the account shut down Braddock Middle School community. “Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with the Fairfax Public Schools Students Rights and Responsibilities,” he wrote. “I am deeply troubled that any student at Lake Braddock feels that this is acceptable behavior,” Smith said in his letter. “This is not the kind of school community we seek to cultivate. Our shared vision at Lake Braddock emphasizes our commitment to developing students’ understanding of self and community with a focus on responsibility, service,
The unveiling at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 28 of a statue of Pierre L’Enfant, the French American architect and civil engineer credited with designing the city of Washington, D.C., took place just under 20 years after the publication of a little-noticed book speculating that L’Enfant may have been gay. The book, “Peter Charles L’Enfant: Vision, Honor and Male Friendship in the Early American Republic,” is written by George Washington University history professor Kenneth R. Bowling, who states in the book that L’Enfant had “intense emotional friendships” with at least two prominent male
empathy, social-emotional learning, equity, and inclusion,” Smith stated. The school’s website says it enrolls students from grades 7 through 12. The Pride Liberation Project released several screenshots taken by its members of the Instagram account. One of the screenshots appears to show the site’s home page, which a message on the site says. “Owned and operated by the Lake Braddock Gimmick Association,” the message continues. “Pronouns: Attack/Helicopter,” it says. Another screenshot released by Pride Liberation Project includes photos of three young people that the group says are Lake Braddock students appearing to be walking inside the school. The group blacked out the students’ faces, saying it did so to protect their anonymity. “Given that this harassment coincided with a rise in anti-Queer policies across the country, it is imperative that FCPS leadership take strong action immediately,” the group says in its press release. student. “Every student at Lake Braddock has the right to feel safe and respected,” he said in his letter. “I am meeting with members of our LGBTQIA+ student groups this week to listen, learn, and continue the dialogue around their experiences in our school community.” LOU CHIBBARO JR.
“Consequently, we will probably never have smokinggun proof as to whether any of L’Enfant’s relationships with men had a sexual component,” Bowling writes. “And if they did, that fact in no way disputes the claim that while he was living with Richard Soderstrom in 1797, L’Enfant fathered a child named Mary, mother unknown.” Bowling was referring to L’Enfant’s longtime and often contentious friendship and business relationship with Richard Soderstrom, the Swedish Consul General to the newly formed United States in the late 1790s and early 1800s.
what today would be considered a lawsuit against L’Enfant been romantic in nature. requiring L’Enfant to reimburse Soderstrom a large sum “Even for its time, L’Enfant’s life was unusually maleFrom left, D.C. Council Chair PHIL MENDELSON, Del. of money for “rent” and operating expenses for the large centric,” Bowling writes, adding, “readers may wonder ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D-D.C.), U.S. House house that Soderstrom owned and in which L’Enfant lived if any of L’Enfant’s relationships with men had a sexual Speaker NANCY PELOSI (D-Calif.), House Majority WHIP with Soderstrom for many years before L’Enfant moved out. expression.” Bowling points out that while the terms JAMES CLYBURN (D-S.C.) and D.C. Mayor MURIEL BOWSER attend the unveiling of the statue of Pierre The L’Enfant statue unveiling ceremony at the Capitol on “homosexual” and “heterosexual” didn’t exist until the late L’Enfant at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 28. Feb. 28, meanwhile, was a celebration of L’Enfant’s widely 19th century, “sexual activity among people of the same (Screen capture via WUSA9 YouTube) recognized contribution to the design of the nation’s capital gender, and awareness of it, did.” city and of D.C.’s right to place the second of two statues in But Bowling states in his book that because human the Capitol just like each of the 50 states. sexuality during L’Enfant’s lifetime had not acquired the cultural emphasis that it gained LOU CHIBBARO JR. in the 20th century it was not documented in writing in a way on which historians can rely. 0 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2 • LO CA L NE WS
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By CHRIS JOHNSON | cjohnson@washblade.com the “Don
“Don
“Don
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Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS is expected to sign the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation.
“Don
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“ “Don
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“We
“Don’t “ “ “We
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In rebuke to Brian Sims, Pa. LGBTQ leaders back his straight opponent Critics say lieutenant guv candidate has alienated colleagues By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com
More than 40 LGBTQ leaders from across the state of Pennsylvania announced at a press conference on March 3 that they are endorsing one of two opponents of gay Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims for lieutenant governor in the state’s May 17 Democratic primary. The LGBTQ leaders, who held their press conference at Philadelphia’s William Way LGBT Community Center, said they were backing State Rep. Austin Davis in the lieutenant governor’s race on grounds that he is a strong and committed supporter of LGBTQ rights and has the best chance of winning in the general election in November. The move is a stunning rebuke to Sims, who has previously been endorsed by national LGBTQ groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBTQ Victory Fund. Pennsylvania and, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, is relatively unknown outside of his part of the state. If elected, he would become the state’s
March 3 press conference, has published reports and opinion columns by local activists claiming Sims has an abrasive personality that has alienated fellow lawmakers and some in the LGBTQ community. One commentator in the Philadelphia Gay News said Sims is known for traveling across the country as a public speaker and reportedly has fallen short in constituent services work in his district. The same commentator wrote that none of Sims’s legislative proposals have passed in the General Assembly Sims and his supporters have disputed these claims, saying they often come from those who legislature. The LGBTQ Victory Fund, a national organization that raises money to help elect LGBTQ candidates across the country, has endorsed Sims in the lieutenant governor’s race. “The LGBTQ community is not a monolith,” said Victory Fund spokesperson Elliot Imse. “We have varied priorities, interests and political beliefs, so it is unsurprising a handful of LGBTQ community leaders would support other candidates,” Imse told the Blade. “Yet the majority of LGBTQ voters and community
The LGBTQ leaders also announced their endorsement of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in his race for Pennsylvania governor in the Democratic primary. Shapiro announced earlier this year that he has endorsed Davis for lieutenant governor and considers Davis as his running mate in Critics of Pennsylvania State Rep. BRIAN SIMS say he has failed to pass Lieutenant Governor of the Keystone State, and his the May primary. fundraising numbers are all the evidence you need,” Both Davis and Shapiro, who is running unopposed Imse said. “Pennsylvanians’ enthusiasm behind for governor in the Democratic primary, attended Borough Mayor Sean Strub, who did not attend the Brian’s historic candidacy is resounding.” the March 3 press conference. The two pledged to press conference, is among the LGBTQ leaders who In response to a request for comment, Sims sent the aggressively push for passage of a state LGBTQ rights Blade a statement responding to the LGBTQ leaders’ bill and other LGBTQ supportive legislation in the activist and former Erie County School Board President decision to endorse Davis rather than him in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Tyler Titus spoke and endorsed Shapiro. Titus, in a later lieutenant governor’s race. “I am humbled and grateful to have the support of “Fighting for LGBTQ+ equality has been the work so many leaders from LGBTQ+ communities from all lieutenant governor. of my life,” Sims said in his statement. “You don’t have across our commonwealth – and I am ready to continue The decision by the LGBTQ leaders to back Davis over to look further than the legislation I’ve introduced and Sims — who became the second openly LGBTQ person sponsored over the last decade or my career prior to governor,” Davis said at the press conference. “Every to serve in the Pennsylvania General Assembly — will Pennsylvanian’s rights should be protected under the likely come as a surprise to LGBTQ activists outside of “Our community – like many other communities – is law, and in Harrisburg, I have worked to protect LGBTQ+ Pennsylvania, many of whom have supported Sims for tired of being approached by allies for our votes only rights and advance equality,” he said. around election time when it’s most convenient,” he said. Among the LGBTQ leaders who either spoke at the representing Center City Philadelphia. “We’re more than a set of photo opportunities and press press conference or indicated their support of Davis None of the LGBTQ leaders who spoke at the press conferences, and we deserve representation that will for lieutenant governor and Shapiro for governor were conference in support of Davis said anything about why Abington Township Commissioner Lori Schreiber; they thought Sims would not also be a strong supporter who’ve stood with the community before the campaign former Philadelphia Human Relations Commission of LGBTQ rights as lieutenant governor. season, and will still be here after election day,” he said. The Philadelphia Gay News, whose publisher, Mark “That’s why I’m running for Lieutenant Governor.” Stonewall Democrats founder Maria Sanelli. Milford
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By DAWN ENNIS
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BRITTNEY GRINER and CHERELLE GRINER
(Photo via Instagram)
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By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com “
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St. Peter’s Basilica
(Photo public domain)
https://www.newwaysministry.org/synod-reconciliation/
Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight Now open at the National Mall
Follow Raven on a multisensory journey from darkness into light. Preston Singletary (Tlingit American) tells this Northwest Coast origin story in stunning new glass works. Organized by the artist and Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Guest curated by Miranda Belarde-Lewis (Zuni/Tlingit), PhD, and the multisensory visitor experience was designed by zoe | juniper. Generous support for the exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian provided in part by Dr. Quincalee Brown and Dr. James. P. Simsarian, Uschi and William Butler, and Mary W. Hopkins.
americanindian.si.edu The white raven is a spiritual being. Visitors can follow his journey throughout the exhibition. Dieit Yéil (White Raven), 2018; blown, hot-sculpted and sand-carved glass; steal stand. Photo by Russell Johnson, Courtesy of Museum of Glass
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By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com
Terry M. Helvey pleaded guilty to the 1992 murder of gay Navy sailor ALLEN SCHINDLER.
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family trapped in Kyiv By MICHAEL K. LAVERS | mlavers@washblade.com A gay man from Ukraine who lives in D.C. with his husband says his mother-in-law remains hunkered down in her apartment in the country’s capital. Duka told the Washington Blade on March 1 during a telephone interview. “That’s her way of coping with the Blade a week after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. He said he and his husband wanted his mother-in-law convinced her to stay. Duka repeatedly stressed he didn’t think Russian President Vladimir Putin would follow through with his threat to invade Ukraine. almost 70 years old and we don’t want her out there. We Duka on Wednesday told the Blade in a second telephone interview that his mother-in-law with whom he and his husband speak every day remains in her Kyiv apartment. SERGE DUKA’s mother-in-law is trapped in her Kyiv apartment. (Photo courtesy of Serge Duka)
Kyiv because the situation at the city’s train station is chaotic. Duka lived in Kyiv for seven years before he and his husband moved to the U.S. at the end of 2013 and asked for asylum because of the anti-gay persecution they Ukraine that is near the country’s borders with Belarus and Poland. Duka on March 1 said his parents go to a makeshift bomb shelter that “they basically created less than a
on Sunday categorized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a struggle to protect two separatist regions in the eastern
Sheremetyevo Airport after she allegedly had hashish oil in her luggage. Ukrainians and other groups that Russia may target
several times a day.
organizations inside Ukraine continue to raise money
the war would be in the entire east side (of Ukraine) and not the west side. They go there at least three to four times a day on a daily basis because of the air raids from
cities under Russian attack. LGBTQ advocacy groups in neighboring countries and around the world have also backed these efforts. Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision in 2013 to reject an agreement that would have brought his country closer to the European Union sparked a protest movement that culminated with violent
Duka on Wednesday told the Blade his parents’ situation has not changed. “They run to the shelter down the street four times The
invasion
continues
to
spark
worldwide
during a skirmish with the Ukrainian military’s elite Alpha Group outside of Kyiv. Media reports indicate Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill
groups in Ukraine that targeted gay people. He noted to the Blade that his now husband was an LGBTQ activist Duka said he and his husband continue to watch the news for updates on the war.
Duka said he and his husband also feel helpless.
does not support.
Russian oil and natural gas as part of a crippling sanctions
“Back then Russia created a huge campaign against the European Union and one of the main talking points
was rejected by the United States as too risky. Amid the
told the Blade on March 1. “The Ukrainian people were targeted with all these stories about how there was 58 genders in Europe and children will be forced to change genders ... they will give your children to gay people and
convoy outside the capital remains stalled amid reports of problems with fuel and mechanical breakdowns. For
Duka also said he thinks Russia funded neo-Nazi
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website.
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LaPlacaCohen Publication: Insertion date: Size:
MICHAEL ADAMS
212-675-4106 WASHINGTON BLADE SPRING ARTS PREVIEW FEBRUARY 2022 4.625" x 10.5" 4C
(he/him) is CEO of SAGE.
Time is ticking on Equality Act for LGBTQ elders
Biden addresses importance of measure in State of the Union In 1974, the original version of the Equality Act was introduced in Congress. At the same time, I was struggling with my own sexuality. As a man raised in a working-class family in a blue-collar mill town, I didn’t know any out LGBTQ+ people. There were no gay-straight alliances in the Catholic schools I attended. There were no legal protections for LGBTQ+ people in my home state of Massachusetts. And I would soon learn what the lack of protections would mean for someone like me who desired to live openly as my authentic self. When I went off to college in the early 1980s, I nervously shared that I was gay with an adviser. She suggested that I consider keeping it to myself to not hurt my career. Knowing that I could not live a life free from discrimination was frightening. But I would
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experience of local older LGBTQ+ people who showed me how to navigate the frequent dangers of being an out gay man in a society where discrimination was visibly tolerated. This struggle for LGBTQ+ elders has happened so long that many are surprised to learn there is no federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. As a result, we can be discriminated against regarding employment, housing, places of public accommodation, and other critical areas of life. Time is ticking on the Equality Act. Today, I share my personal story shortly after the one-year anniversary since the House passed the Equality Act, culminating decades of work from numerous LGBTQ+ activists. I am one of the millions of LGBTQ+ people who have spent years pushing for federal
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beginning–decades before I came onto the scene–are now elders. And they can’t wait any longer. Union address, which comes at a critical time as numerous states work to pass anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ laws that invalidate our community’s existence. Without the Equality Act, LGBTQ+ communities must rely on a spotty patchwork of local Twenty-eight states in the U.S. have no statewide anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people. This is particularly problematic for people of color, immigrants, transgenThe lack of legal protection from discrimination is a particular problem for nearly one-quarter of the nation’s older LGBTQ+ population. This demographic is likely to age single and alone because of historical stigma and dis-
Hours: Tues – Sun 10am – 5pm HillwoodMuseum.org 4155 Linnean Ave. NW, Washington DC Free parking
A Queen and I,
sort to institutional eldercare–all experiences that place them at higher risk for discrimination. support and care we need is among our top fears. Nearly half of LGBTQ+ people who apply Similarly, nearly half of LGBTQ+ people who enter long-term residential care either experience mistreatment themselves or have a loved one treated poorly because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s simple. As LGBTQ+ elders, we want to be treated with the same dignity and respect as everyone else. And after facing lifetimes of discrimination and the long-term lack of legal and social recognition, we have waited long enough for comprehensive protection under federal law. It’s time to pass the Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals can live openly without fear, and to ensure our community’s elders can age with the health, dignity, and respect everyone deserves.
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There is nothing to celebrate about Donald Trump other than his loss in the election. We know he is a congenital liar and bully, with no redeeming value. Despite all this he has hoodwinked enough people into thinking differently about him that we could be faced with having to soundly defeat him again. I pray that scenario doesn’t come to pass. Recently Trump proved again he is a traitor when praising Putin as he began his invasion of Ukraine. Trump called him a genius. Between that praise on the international scene and the Jan. 6 committee outlining proof he perpetrated fraud against the American people, it is clear he deserves severe punishment. Yet one must question whether he will ever suffer for all the suffering he has caused so many. Domestically the LGBTQ community has many reasons to despise Trump and to fear his acolytes around the nation. HRC compiled a list of all he did to harm the community. But then the African-American community, women, Latino community and all immigrant communities could just as easily compile such lists. Aside from being a homophobe he is a misogynist and a racist. On the international stage we know he was a Putin sycophant, a traitor, during his years as president. It is clear today Trump’s toadying gave Putin the idea he could do as he wished in Ukraine believing Trump had successfully divided the rest of the world for him. Trump’s ‘America First’ policies, his attacks on NATO and his walking away from our allies and his meetings with the North Korean strongman easily gave Putin the idea he could march into Ukraine, install his puppet government in two days, and the world that was. Unfortunately, he is seeing that a little too late for the incredibly brave people of Ukraine who are suffering and dying today because Putin believed Trump. In the United States we must continue to deal with Trump and what many are labeling Trumpism. It will be important in 2022 for Americans in all the communities Trump hurt to stand together and defeat any candidate endorsed by him or who follows Trumpism. It is clear if we don’t stand up to those politicians who still believe and repeat Trump’s lies, we are in danger of losing our democracy here at home. We will not be attacked like Ukraine by a foreign power, rather, we will lose our democracy in an election and will have only ourselves to blame. In Ukraine, Putin is now committing heinous war crimes by targeting civilians, bombing apartment buildings and schools. Trump ended up standing with Putin, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria, and Belarus and then started to change his tune. It is clear he did so not to walk away from Putin but because even his acolytes here were starting to walk away from him on this. As the evidence piles up against Trump and his cronies there is a glimmer of hope he will actually be held accountable and criminally charged. As reported against the former president. They said they had amassed evidence showing that Mr. Trump, Conservative lawyer John Eastman and other allies could potentially be charged with criminal offenses including obstructing people.” Criminal charges will have to eventually be brought by the Department of Justice as the Jan. 6 committee doesn’t have law enforcement authority. So while we know Trump is a traitor and Putin toady, responsible for what is happening in Ukraine today, whether he will face charges is yet to be determined.
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CHARLES FRANCIS
is president of the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C
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Homosexuality, an ‘inherently divisive concept’ at UVA
Thinking historically, with an archivist’s mindset, about Virginia’s direction today “Inherently divisive concepts” in history and education are targeted for review and elimination in Virginia, following the recent executive order by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. This review has begun with racial issues, but we can be sure sexuality and gender “divisive concepts” are not far behind. As president of an LGBT history society who entered UVA in 1969, I am frequently asked what things were like for gays there in the day. Everyone has opinions. So, we “archive activists” went to a far back corner of a reading room at the University of Virginia’s Alderman Library and discovered scores of huge, hardbound volumes of old “Cavalier Daily” student newspapers. If you want to get the feeling of a place and time, browse contemporaneous newspaper accounts, especially student newspapers! Of course, the old “CD”’s were not digitized or indexed, so we carefully turned page by dusty newspaper page, until we got to the “inherently divisive” reporting. Andy Humm, today co-host of “GayUSA” on cable television in New York City, was president of the newly formed Gay Student Union (GSU) at UVA in the 1970s. Humm and the GSU had requested that the University Union co-sponsor an appearance at the university by gay civil rights pioneer Frank Kameny, president of the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C. The request was promptly “canned,” reported the Cavalier Daily. (“GSU Charges Union Fears Homosexuals”, 1975). “When I saw it (the Kameny request), I immediately canned it,” the University Union Tri-chairman Bert Ellis said. “I did not want the University Union associated with the GSU….In view of the student population here, it is not the type of activity the University Union should sponsor, “ Ellis continued. “It’s [homosexuality] not an issue viewed highly in the University, and it would not help the University Union’s position and prestige,” Ellis pronounced. Today, Ellis is president of The Jefferson Council, an ideological advocacy alumni extremely pleased with the results of the Virginia elections — (the new Youngkin Administration) is “very interested in re-focusing UVA…on educating students and not brainwashing them with the WOKE…mantra that have overtaken UVA.” What unpleasant memories of the scorn heaped on gays and lesbians at UVA in the ‘60s and ‘70s this brings to mind. Yet, it is funny to think of Frank Kameny as a “brainwasher” at Mr. Jefferson’s University. Andy Humm remembers the GSU went forward anyway with the invitation to Kameny who spoke at UVA despite the attempt to “can” him. Humm says, “I became president of the GSU because I was a 4th year man and could no longer be harmed by the UVA Administration. No one would run for president because that meant being public and submitting your name to the school authorities,” Humm explains. “I threw myself into activism, and I have not stopped.” Hostility to the gay movement of the era among respected student leaders was conveyed in legal terms as well. Reported by the Cavalier Daily (“Council Appropriates cussed the Student Council’s serious concerns about a $45 funding request by the GSU. According to Sabato, now a nationally respected political scientist and director of the as to the legality of funding an organization which presumably fosters homosexual acts illegal in the State of Virginia.” Sabato continued, “…the University is going to be in one of the most horrible positions it could be in as far as public opinion is concerned.” Of course, students make statements as undergraduates they may regret — or not — in later years. I cite these individuals simply to give a feel for what life was like for gay and lesbian students at UVA in this time. It was gut wrenching. Humm remembers how he c---’. He continued, “Good thing my landlady — an “FFV type’’ — was away!” “FFV,” First Families of Virginia, is a lineage society whose members would likely disapprove of such vulgarity. Taking the time to sift through the Alderman Library’s collections, we present this “texture” of history so that we all may think historically, with an archivist’s mindset, about Virginia’s direction today.
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UPCOMING SHOWS LIVE AT THE FILLMORE
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‘Better’ than ever: an interview with Harvey Fierstein
Beloved actor on pandemic, Broadway history and new biography By GREGG SHAPIRO
One of the best things about reading a memoir by someone with a distinctive voice – both spoken and written – is that you hear them as your read their book. Let’s face it, tinctive voice and while reading his revelatory memoir, “I Was Better Last Night” (Knopf, 2022), you’d swear he was in the room with you, dishing away. Harvey was gracious enough to make time for an interview shortly before the book’s March 2022 publication date. BLADE: Harvey, why was now the time to write your memoir, “I Was Better Last Night,” and does having a milestone birthday (70) in 2022 have anything to do with it? HARVEY FIERSTEIN: What’s really funny is that so many sources, if you look online, have my birthday as 1954, even though it’s actually 1952. The reason is that when I turned 22, my friend Eric Conklin, who directed the original production of “Torch Song,” said “You should tell everybody you’re turning 21.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Because if you lie when you’re older, nobody believes it. But if you start at 21, who the fuck’s going to care!” That year, I moved my birthday to ‘53. The next year, we decided we’d do it again. But I never took it seriously. Things just get picked up by this one or that one. I think it was in New York magazine that they got the facts wrong and said my parents were Eastern European immigrants. They were actually third-generation Americans. But it got picked up by everyone and everywhere it said I was the son of Eastern European immigrants. My mother was born in Brooklyn and my father was born in the Catskills. So, I wrote the book, and there’s a fact checker, of course. Every time I mentioned my age he sent back a note, “Wikipedia says you were born in ‘54. This one says you were born in ’54,” I had to keep saying, “Why would I lie and make myself older? I’d only make myself younger!” It’s another one of those examples of why you should never lie. I am indeed as old as the mountains. So, did I write the memoir because of the birthday? No. Like everybody else in the fucking world, this pandemic hit. I was a very good boy. I sat down and did all the work on my desk. At that time, we were supposed to be doing a had rewritten “Funny Girl,” which was done in London and then went on tour in England, and we were bringing it to Broadway. I wanted to make some more changes to it, so I got all those changes done. “Kinky Boots” was sold to cruise ships, so I had to do an adaptation, a shortening of the show, as I had already done for “Hairspray” and other shows. That was off my desk and done. I’m working on a new musical with Alan Menken and Jeff Feldman, the guys I wrote “Newsies” with. BLADE: Yes, I read about that in the book. FIERSTEIN: So, I was all caught up with that. Basically, I was done. Then I sat down and, as I say in the book, I make quilts. I owed a couple of quilts as gifts. I went down to my little sewing room and I made seven quilts in a row [laughs]. Usually, I turn out one a year. Everybody got their birthday quilts, their wedding quilts, whatever it was that was owed. I had cleared my desk and we were still in the pandemic. Then my agent said to me, “Why don’t you write your memoir?” I said, “Because I don’t write sentences.” BLADE: You wrote the children’s book. That has sentences. FIERSTEIN: But that’s kid sentences. I’ve written op-eds, but for that you just have to get the voice of Edward R. Murrow in your head or something like that. That’s like writing dialogue, as well. All of a sudden, you’re Aaron Sorkin. I thought, “What the fuck? I’ve got a computer. Let me try.” I wrote four chapters, and I sent them to my agent. She said, “This is great!” She sent the chapters out to I think nine publishers, and eight of the nine made offers.
HARVEY FIERSTEIN recounts his long career on Broadway in a new biography. (Photo courtesy Knopf)
BLADE: There are numerous powerful moments throughout the book. Without giving away too much… FIERSTEIN: Oh, go ahead, give it away! I already know what happens. BLADE: But I don’t want to spoil it for the readers. FIERSTEIN: That’s right. Goddammit. BLADE: Chapter 57 contains one of the most emotional sequences involving your parents. Would it be fair to say that writing the book was a cathartic experience? FIERSTEIN: Yes, the whole thing really is. When I started, I asked Shirley MacLaine because she’s written 300 books about her 700 different lives. She said, “Write what you remember because your brain has a way of editing, and it will give you what you need for this book. You’ll remember things for other books and other things, but write what you remember and just be true to what comes up.” I said, “Even about other people?” She said, “Yes. When you’re writing about other people, you’re really writing about yourself. Just trust that.” That’s what I did. There were hundreds of stories that I could have told. I just tried to sort of follow a line of thought and let it be.
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BLADE: That’s interesting because the chapters in “I Was Better Last Night” are presented in chronological order, beginning in 1959 and concluding in 2022. Is that how they were written? FIERSTEIN Yes, I wrote it exactly as it is. As you say, that particular chapter, I knew was coming because I knew what happened to bring that memory back. I’m trying to say it as you said, to not give it away. What happened between me and my brother, when he sat down to watch the last revival of “Torch Song.” My editor was incredibly gentle with me. Now and then he’d say, add more here or there. But the only real note that I got from him was he wanted to move that story into chronological order since the rest of the book is. I said, “No. That’s in emotional order.” BLADE: It needed to be where it was. FIERSTEIN: Exactly! Most celebrity autobiographies begin “I was a kid and I saw a show and I said, ‘I wanna be a star, too!’” Which is obviously not my story. I never wanted to be in show business. I didn’t want to be a writer. I didn’t want to be an actor or a drag performer. It was not my dream at all. That’s why it was so important to do it chronologically. I wanted to show how I lived my life being true to the moment I was in. BLADE: In “I Was Better Last Night” you take readers on a journey through modern theater, from The Gallery Players and La Mama to off-Broadway and Broadway. With that in mind, would you agree that in addition to being a memoir, the book also functions as a theater history lesson? FIERSTEIN: I guess it does. I have certainly been told that by a bunch of people who’ve read the book. When I was talking to Patti LuPone about it, she said, “Geez, I wish I had done what you did. She came through theater school and right into the legitimate, not through the experimental. As I say in the book, I came from an art school, so I always approached it as an art. Theater was part of an art movement, and I got involved because I wanted to meet Andy Warhol. Little did I know they would put me in drag. I guess there is a history there. Certainly, when I look around me, and I look at the people that I grew up with – Kathleen Chalfant and Obba Babatundé — and, of course, La Mama became something bigger. There were lots of others. Meeting Matthew (Broderick) at 18, or Estelle Getty who was a housewife from Bayside, Queens. She wouldn’t even admit she was from Bayside. She told everybody she was from Long Island [big laugh]. I said, “Estelle! Bayside is in Queens. Shut up!” What is history? After all, history is just day after day after day after day. I did start, as a baby, in this experimental theater. I wish that experimental theater still really existed. There were a few of us that I would say destroyed off-off-Broadway. I think greed is what destroyed offoff-Broadway. I think what happened was when people saw Tom O’Horgan make it, when “Hair” became a hit, that had a lot of people going, “Where’s my ‘Hair’?” BLADE: But don’t you think that experimental theater might exist in cities where it’s a little more affordable to do that kind of thing? Say, Austin, Texas. FIERSTEIN: There will always be experimental theater. It’s just, how is it looked at? Is the government funding there for it? I hear a lot of people saying, “Let’s not waste money on theater.” “Torch Song Trilogy” wouldn’t have been what it was if not for a government grant. I don’t know if you know this, but I just gave a grant to the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center to build a theater laboratory because rehearsal space is incredibly expensive in New York and almost two years. I tell a story in the book about how years ago we were rehearsing up at the YMCA, and the director just disappeared and left us with the bill for the rehearsal room. If I can leave a rehearsal room behind… Lin-Manuel (Miranda) I used the basement of La Mama which was this small space, but big enough for us to rehearse and develop what we needed to do. I even did a couple of shows down there. BLADE: Chapters 19 through 22 give readers insight into the inspiration for and the writing of “Torch Song Trilogy” and then much later you write about the 3 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2
recent revival with Michael Urie. What was it like to revisit the creation and the revision of “Torch Song Trilogy?” FIERSTEIN: They’re your children, so they never really leave you. You may not think about them in the same way all the time, but they don’t leave you. You ask a mother about her son when he was six, and she can tell you a story about that time. It doesn’t mean you live with those stories every day. But they’re always there. Unfortunately, as you get older and people die on you, you remember them, or you go back to those stories time and again to remember how you all met and all that. With something like Torch Song, which is so much a part of my life, there was no real shock to going back and looking at that stuff again. Seeing Michael do it was not a shock either, because I cast all of my understudies. The other Arnolds and I saw all of them. There were matinee Arnolds, and then we had a bus and truck tour, and a regular tour. I saw all of those guys play it. I saw it in London with Tony Sher, who died a few weeks ago. He won the Olivier for “Torch Song.” Writing a memoir is not a time to blame other people [laughs]. When you’re writing plays, it is. BLADE: I’m so glad you said that because one of the things that I think will strike readers about “I Was Better Last Night” is the brutal honesty with which you write about alcoholism and sobriety, as well as your suicide attempt. What do you hope readers will take away from that? FIERSTEIN: There’s a certain point when you’re writing something like that…I don’t really care [laughs]. I needed to tell the truth and you hope that the truth like, “This is what happened, like it or not, Cookie.” The only hope is that I hope you know I’m telling it the best I can and being truthful. Because the truth does affect people, that I know. When you’re writing drama, you are manipulating an audience, and a story, and emotions. When I was writing the book, of course, there’s still an art to it, but I’m not turning away from something because it’s not comfortable. I’m going to say it. If somebody thinks I’m an asshole, let them think I’m an asshole. You read the book, and thank you very much for doing so. BLADE: That’s my job! FIERSTEIN: You see in the book that I don’t have an answer for my own gender. Had I been born in 1980, instead of 1952, would I be a woman now? I don’t know. I don’t have those answers. I don’t have the luxury of being born in a died owing me money, that bitch [laughs]. When I was writing the book, I was going through photographs. There’s a picture in the book of me and Marsha P. somebody wrote to me telling me about Marsha, like you should know who this person was. I was like, “What are you talking about? This was a friend of mine!” BLADE: Thank you for mentioning pictures. I live four blocks south of Wilton com street sign that features a quote by you. What does it mean to you to be immortalized in this way? FIERSTEIN slapped across the face. BLADE: At least they got the attribution right in Wilton Manors. FIERSTEIN: That’s lovely, it really is lovely. It’s a lovely thing to see something link that. I was watching some interview with Billy Porter and as if by accident, they walked down the block where there was a mural on the side of a building of his portrait. As if, “Oh, I didn’t know that was there!” You sort of laugh, like, yeah, on the wall [laughs]. That sort of stuff of celebrity is always funny. Especially when you have friends who are famous and you try to just be human beings together, but then you go out in public, and you realize that they mean a whole other thing to the public than to you.
By KATHI WOLFE
nothing to worry
‘I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir’ By Harvey Fierstein
c.2022, Alfred A. Knopf | $30 | 383 pages
me the exit!”
“give me lipstick or show
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D.C.’s spring theater scene feels like the before times A renewed sense of excitement and embarrassment of stage riches By PATRICK FOLLIARD
eye-opening road trip to the Grand Canyon. Nicole A. Watson directs. Another festival offering is Tim J. Lord’s “We declare you a terrorist...” (April 7-May 8), a taut thriller inspired by Moscow’s real life 2002 Dubrovka Theater crisis in which Chechen rebels took hundreds hostage with deadly results. Ryan Rilett and Jared Mezzocchi co-direct. Roundhousetheatre.org In Tysons, 1st Stage presents Lisa B. Thompson’s “The Mamalogues” (April 21-May 8), a satirical comedy about three friends who share the joys, challenges, and anxieties of being middle class single Black mothers in predominantly white suburbs. Angelisa Gillyard directs. 1ststage.org Olney Theatre presents “Black Parade: A Drag Show Tribute to the Black Icons in Music” (April 29). For one night only, queens of color take the stage for some “fabulous strutting, lip-synching and dancing.” In May, Olney presents “The Joy That Carries You” (May 11-June 12), a drama about an interracial couple in crisis by local playwriting team Awa Sal Secka and Dani Stoller Olney’s out artistic director Jason Loewith and Kevin McAllister co-direct. And in June, Olney’s mainstage goes to River City with Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man” (June 17July 24), the Broadway hit about a con-artist whose best scam involves posing as a boys’ band organizer in smalltown America. Olney’s revolutionary production is performed in American Sign Language and English is staged by Michael Baron and Sandra Mae
With such a broad selection of live theater on offer this spring, it almost feels like the before times. Well, almost. Masks and proof of vaccination are still required at DMV venues, but there’s also a renewed feeling that productions will complete their runs. Here’s a smattering of some plays and musicals blossoming around town. Through March 27, Washington Stage Guild presents George Bernard Shaw’s classic “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” the story of a mother and daughter who sharply disagree on aspects of morality and business. When Shaw’s play premiered in 1905, it was considered scandalous for its candid discussion of the hypocrisy surrounding prostitution. Michael Rothhaar directs. Stageguild.org Arena Stage brings a little con-artistry to its campus this spring with “Catch Me If You Can” (through and lastly a Broadway musical with a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and libretto by Terrence McNally, the late great out playwright who died from COVID-19 early in the pandemic, the show is about Abagnale Jr. who “posed as an airline pilot, a lawyer and a doctor — and then escaped police custody, all before he turned 22.” Arena’s out artistic director Molly Smith directs. Arenastage.org In Arlington, Signature Theatre presents “She Loves Me” (through April 24), a romantic musical comedy by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, the creators of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Set in a 1930s perfumery, it’s the story of quarrelsome co-workers who don’t realize each is the other’s besotted secret pen pal. Helmed by Signature’s out artistic director Matthew Gardiner, the promising production brings together Crandall d’Amboise, set designer Lee Savage, and a terAward-winning actors Bobby Smith and Maria Rizzo. Sig-theatre.org Ford’s Theatre dives into spring with “Grace” (March 19-May 14). A world premiere musical by D.C. composer Nolan Williams, Jr., “Grace” celebrates African-American tradition as experienced through a day in the life of a Philadelphia family who come together to mourn the loss of their matriarch and deal with the future of their family restaurant in a changing neighborhood. Staged by out director and choreography Robert Barry Fleming. Fords. org Celebrated non-binary actor and queer activist Temídayo Amay plays opposite New York actor Eric Berryman in Mona Pirnot’s play “Private” (March 23 – April 17) at Mosaic Theater Company. What once might be deemed a far-fetched plot now sounds more than feasible: “Set in the not-too-distant future, Corbin has just been offered his dream job at an industry leading technology company. But there’s a catch. The terms of his employment stipulate that Corbin and his wife Georgia must both agree to round-the-clock monitoring and audio surveillance by Corbin’s potential employer.” Knud Adams directs. Also upcoming at Mosaic, it’s young playwright Benjamin Benne’s queer romantic comedy “In His Hands” (June 22 – July 17). Directed by out director José Carrasquillo, it’s the story of video game wizard and aspiring Lutheran pastor Daniel (Michael J. Mainwariing), who de-
Playwright BENJAMIN BENNE; ‘In His Hands’ opens at Mosaic Theater Company in June.
velops feelings for Christian (Josh Adams), but as the pair explore relationship possibilities, voices from Christian’s past threaten to put the kibosh on shared feelings. Mosaictheater.org Keegan Theatre presents the regional premiere of Dipika Guha’s “Yoga Play” (March 26-April 23), a sharp comedy in which fat shaming, enlightenment, and commerce collide. Keegan’s dynamic artistic director Susan Marie Rhea directs. Keegantheatre.com At Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arin Arbus is directing a modern-dress take on “The Merchant of Venice” (March 22-April 17). The Bard’s exploration of prejudice and mercy features renowned African-American actor John Douglas Thompson making his STC debut as Shylock, the eponymous moneylender. Following “Merchant,” it’s gay playwright Thornton Wilder’s masterpiece “Our Town” (May 12 – June 11), a poignant portrayal of shared human experience set in turn-of-the-century smalltown Grover’s Corners, N.H. Staged by out director Alan Paul, the production –rescheduled from February to May due to COVID – features a truly stunning array of local talent including out actors Sarah Marshall, Tom Story, and Holly Twyford. Shakespearetheatre.org In April, Round House Theatre launches the National Capital New Play Festival, an annual event celebrating new work by some of the country’s leading playwrights and newer voices. Included among the premieres is playwright Charly Evon Simpson’s “it’s not a trip it’s a journey” (April 5-May 8). Four exceedingly disparate girlfriends leave behind New York City and their cell phones for an
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neytheatre.org Studio Theatre turns the witchy history of Salem Village on its ear with the world premiere of Kimberly “John Proctor Is the Villain” (April 17-June 6). In present day rural Georgia, high schoolers are reading “The Crucible.” But the assignment becomes all too relevant when scandal rocks their town. Marti Lyons directs. Studiotheatre.org At Theater J, spring brings “Nathan the Wise” (March 16-April 10). Here’s the gist of the play: In 12th century Jerusalem, Jews, Christians, and Muslims live side by side in peace. But when tensions inevitably rise, the ruling sultan asks which religion is most beloved by God. Jewish merchant Nathan attempts to answer the question. Adapted by Michael Bloom, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s romances, and relationships across cultural and religious divides. Theater J’s out artistic director Adam Immerwahr directs. And next up, it’s “Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Other Identities” (June 9–July 3). Conceived, written, and originally performed remarkably by Anna Deavere Smith, the documentary play time travels back to August 1991 when Brooklyn’s racially divided Crown Heights neighborhood erupted into riots after a Black child was killed by a car in a prominent Orthodox rabbi’s motorcade and a white Jewish scholar was killed in retaliation. The work uses verbatim testimony from individuals throughout the diverse community. January LaVoy is the sole actor (she plays 25+ characters) and she is co-directing with Adam Immerwahr. Theaterj.org
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New TV season promises abundant queer content A gay medium and ‘Joe vs Carole’ among highlights By JOHN PAUL KING
As with the movies, spring television can be a hit-or-miss affair. The Blade has put together a list of offerings that are likely to stand out in the sea of choices. With comedy, drama, romance, among the following queer and queer-adjacent offerings. JOE VS CAROLE (March 3, Peacock) Technically, this one is not a preview so much as a “what are you waiting for?” Even if you had enough of gay redneck/cowboy/convicted murder conspirator/big cat enthusiast Joe Exotic and his arch-nemesis “that ger King,” there’s every reason to tune into this six-part miniseries about their rivalry, based this time on the podcast “Joe Exotic” and starring John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon as the eccentric (to say the least) rival animal lovers. Not only is it loaded with queerness – after all, Joe goes through husbands like the Liz Taylor of the Big Cat World – but it gives us a chance to watch two of our most gifted LGBTQ actors go to town with two larger-thanlife characters who are perfectly suited to their copious talents. Throw in the always criminally underrated Kyle MacLachlan as Carole’s husband (the second one, not the one she may or may not have fed to her tigers), as well as a game supporting cast that includes Brian Van Holt, Sam Keeley, Nat Wolff, Marlo Kelly, William Fichtner, Dean Winters, and David Wenham, and you have no excuse not to binge watch all six hours of this one at your earliest possible convenience. LIFE AFTER DEATH WITH TYLER HENRY This one may not be for everyone, but out-and-proud TV medium Tyler Henry has no shortage of fans, and this new series will surely be a must-watch for seasons as the host of “Hollywood Medium” on the E! Television Network, where he exhibited his clairvoyant skills for a wide range of celebrities. Now, according to the new show’s description, the “world-renowned medium” travels across the country to offer readings to as many of the [more than 300,000] people on his waiting list as he can, bringing them the hope, healing, and closure they are seeking.” Promises of a “transformational and emotional series” that will provide “proof that there is more to this world than what we see and that our loved ones never really leave us” may not carry much weight with the many skeptics who accuse Henry of being a manipulative charlatan, but they weren’t likely to watch, WELCOME TO FLATCH “This Country,” this half-hour comedy series comes from writer Jenny Bicks (“Sex and the small midwestern town and the many eccentric personalities who live there – particularly cousins, best friends, and town trouble-makers Kelly and Lloyd “Shrub” Mallet (out actress Holmes, billed as Chelsea Holmes, and Sam Straley). Part “Parks and Recreation,” part “Waiting for Guffman,” it has all the earmarks of a good TV comfort show – humor, a hip factor, and an ensemble full of lovably quirky characters, at least one of which is bisexual. The cast also includes Justin Linville, Taylor Ortega, Krystal Smith, and Seann William Scott as the town preacher. INSOMNIA characters on our television screens are Asian, this queer South Asian dramedy – originally a digital series – created and written by Vishaal Reddy is a welcome addition to the lineup.
KATE MCKINNON as Carole Baskin in ‘Joe vs Carole.’
(Photo courtesy Peacock)
Kuhoo, Nandita Shenoy, Jason Veasey, James Seol, and Daniel Burns. QUEER AS FOLK each has its fans – many of whom have expressed their qualms (to put it mildly) over the A Sin”) from joining forces with new writer/creator Stephen Dunn (“Closet Monster”) to executive produce one, however, this time centered on the lives of several LGBTQ characters in New Orleans – promised to be a much more diverse assortment than the group of gay men predominantly featured in the original shows. The highly anticipated return of the franchise also differs from its predecessors by using queer actors to portray all its queer roles – and the resulting cast list is an impressive lineup, which includes Ryan O’Connell (“Special”), Johnny Sibilly (“Pose”), Devin Way (“Grey’s Anatomy’), Jesse James Keitel (“Alex Strangelove”), Fin Argus, Candace Grave, Benito Skinner, and Juliette Lewis, and even Kim Cattrall as a “martini-soaked, high society Southern debutante with trailer park roots.” Shade from old-school fans aside, this new iteration looks poised to make some welcome improvements as it reinvents the beloved series for a new era. Tentatively HEARTSTOPPER ice Oseman’s YA webcomic is just another of the growing number of queer teen romances popping up every season – but as one of the few LGBTQ shows to be streamed under the
on a journey to discover love, happiness, and his true identity – while dealing with racism,
meant. That doesn’t mean older viewers won’t also be interested in the following the relationship between openly gay teen Charlie and sweet-but-seemingly-straight school rugby player Nick (Joe Locke and Kit Connor, respectively), as they explore their new friendship and navigate the feelings that blossom as in the process. With all eight episodes penned by Oseman herself, the series promises to expand on her popular webcomic by including “all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger”,
for the show was spawned by his own real-life experience, and inspired by shows like “Master of None,” “Fleabag”, “Louie,” and “High Maintenance.” Directed by Michele Cutolo, it also stars Nikki Renee Daniels, Aneesh Sheth, Cheech Manahar, Alison Barton, Verma
date yet, but the streaming platform has previously announced it would debut the show in the Spring – so keep your eyes out!
identity crisis when a chance encounter leads him to secretly start moonlighting as a male
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The Marriage of Figaro Saturday, Apr. 9 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Apr. 10 at 2 p.m. Mozart’s beloved comic opera!
Sunday, Mar. 27 at 4 p.m. A bass virtuoso performs Bach and more
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Opens May 13 | FREE Tickets on sale April 1 for Opening Party! Celebrate 50 years of contemporary American craft at the Renwick Gallery with more than 130 artworks new to the national collection.
Renwick Gallery | Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW s.si.edu/renwick-spring Media sponsorship for This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World is provided by the Washington City Paper Alicia Eggert, This Present Moment, 2019-2020, Smithsonian American Art Museum. © 2019, Alicia Egger
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Ryan Brown, Artistic Director
The era of
presents a season dedicated to with performances to include
Grétry’s Silvain
Thursday, June 2, 2022, 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
rediscovered
Concert Spirituel aux Caraïbes
Sunday, June 12, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
For tickets and more information, visit operalafayette.org or call 202-546-9332.
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An LGBTQ spring at the movies
From lesbian superheroes to Downton Abbey, something for everyone By JOHN PAUL KING
Spring is always a welcome season when it comes to the weather, but for movie lovers it can be a very mixed bag. With the big releases waiting for summer and the “prestige movies” being held until the end of the year to ensure their freshness in the minds of awards voters, the months between February and June are often loaded with what some we offer no guarantees, here’s the Blade’s list of promising spring releases that might be of interest to LGBTQ audiences. GREAT FREEDOM International Feature didn’t snag a nomination, but that doesn’t mean it’s not essential viewing for fans of LGBTQ cinema. Franz Rogowski (touted as the German Joaquin Phoenix) stars as Hans, a West German gay man who, after being liberated by the Allies from a Nazi concentration camp, is repeatedly imprisoned for homosexuality under Paragraph 175, an anti-LGBTQ criminal code established in 1871 that remained in effect until 1994. Spread across three eras (1945, increasingly complicated relationship with his cellmate, a convicted murderer named Viktor (Georg Friedrich). Described by director Sebastian Meise as “a prison drama and a love story,” it’s already in limited theatrical release but becomes available to stream (via MUBI) on May 6. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (March 25) The lead character here has a rocky relationship with her queer daughter, but that’s not the main attraction in this Army Man.” Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn, a middle-aged Chinese woman with a life full of problems who is suddenly thrown into the multiverse, jumping through alternate versions of her own life to do battle with an evil power that only she may be able to the directors from the premise of being able to save the universe only by “doing stupid stuff,” the trailer alone is enough to get us excited for this one, in which Yeoh gets ample opportunity to show off her legendary martial arts skills, share the screen with Jamie Lee Curtis, and generally be the bad-ass heroine we all not-so-secretly wish to be. Also actor known for playing Indiana Jones’ sidekick “Short Round” in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” In theaters March 25. JUMP, DARLING (March 29) There are lots of reasons to add this LGBTQ family drama to your shortlist for spring viewing, but perhaps the biggest one has nothing to do with loved screen icon who passed away in January 2021. An audience favorite from 2021’s LGBTQ festival circuit (where it won multiple awards, including a Jury Special Mention Award for Leachman’s performance), it tells the story of an aspiring young actor and drag performer (Thomas Duplessie) who leaves his boyfriend after a disastrous non-deindependent woman coming to terms with her own mortality. Written and directed by Phil Connell, who calls his late star “an icon and an ally,” and says, “To work with her, drag queens Tynomi Banks, Fay Slift and Miss Fiercalicious – includes six on-screen drag 4 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2
performances against a soundtrack of pop music by Robyn, Allie X, Rough Trade, Years March 29 on DVD and the DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (May 6) We’re including this Marvel blockbuster, the sequel to 2016’s “Doctor Strange” (in case you didn’t know), because it features the introduction of Xochitl Gomez as lesbian superhero America Chavez. Marvel already made the move toward a more inclusive queer presence in its Cinematic Universe by including the gay-and-married Phastos in last year’s “Eternals” (even featuring an onscreen kiss between the two husbands, as played by Brian Tyree Henry and Haaz Sleiman), but we’re still interested in seeing how they handle this one. We’re also excited for director Sam Raimi’s return to the genre; his deliciously madcap style seems a perfect match for what will likely be one of the more surreal entries in the juggernaut franchise’s ever-expanding returns as the title character, with (aka the Scarlet Witch) on hand as either friend, foe, or something in between. Also starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams, with former “X-Men” star Patrick Stewart coming onboard for an “undisclosed role” that has Marvel fans salivating for a long-hoped-for crossover. BENEDICTION (May 13) Siegfried Sassoon may not be a household name nowadays, but the queer English wordsmith-turned-soldier became one of the leading poets of the World artist Terence Davies, follows the young poet (Jack Lowden) through this period of his life, covering his controversial open criticism of the war, his “marriage-of-convenience” Peter Capaldi, and Gemma Jones also star. Already a multi-award-winner after screensome impressive reviews from international critics so far – but be warned, it’s not a happy story. Details of the upcoming U.S. release are unclear, but it’s apparently slated for May 13, so keep your eyes open. DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA (May 20) No explanation is needed here. Julian Fellowes’ addictively popular highbrow soap opera returns for a second big-screen follow-up with most of its beloved cast intact – and, yes that includes the indomitable Dame Maggie Smith as sharp-tongued-mistress-of-shade and Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, who in this installment has inherited a French villa. There’s a mystery involved, however, so naturally the whole Downton household (from both upstairs and down) picks up and goes on a grand journey to get to the bottom of things. Sure to be a shameless crowd-pleaser, it’s once again helmed by director Simon Curtis (from Fellowe’s screenplay), and also stars returning cast members Hugh Bonneville, Laura gatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Tuppence Middleton, Lesley Nicol, Imelda Staunton, and Penelope Wilton, with new additions Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, Domi-
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RANDY RAINBOW
March 11-13, 2022
L OREM I PSUM
May 13-15, 2022
PLAYING
WITH
MYSELF
BOOK TOUR APRIL 20, 2022
SIXTH & I
Tickets: CapitalOneHall.com Tysons, VA
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T H I S S P R I N G AT R O U N D H O U S E
WITTY
& HE
RMING A R T WA
A DV E N
June needs a journey. Like, now. So, she convinces her friends to ditch New York City (and their cellphones) for an impromptu road trip to the Grand Canyon. As the four wildly different friends travel through the wondrous and not-so-wondrous sights of the United States, they must come together to contend with being Black, femme, and American…all at the same time.
N SIMPSO E VO N Y L R A BY CH ED BY DIRECT AT S O N E A. W NICOL
NAIL
TURE
POLITIC -BITING
ILL AL THR
ER Moscow, 2002: halfway through Putin’s first official term as president. After he brutally crushes a rebellion in the territory of Chechnya, a group of Chechen insurgents hijack a blockbuster musical and take the entire audience of nearly 800 people— including the playwright—hostage. Based on the real events of the Dubrovka Theater hostage crisis, “We declare you a terrorist…” follows the playwright as he comes to terms with that tragic night at the theatre.
Two W O R L D P R E M I E R E S •
Developmental play readings • Panel discussions • and more!
AY 8 M – 5 APR NAL REGIO
PREMI
ERE
R YA N
D J. LOR BY TIM ED BY CHI DIRECT EZZOC RED M A J & E RILETT
RA
RICHE G S -T O -
CO S ROM-
M
B Y J O C E LY N B I O H DIRECTED BY R AY M O N D O . C A L D W E L L
It’s the ʻ90s in Lagos, Nigeria, and Ayamma has big dreams. Despite working in her parents’ travel agency, she spends every spare minute imagining her big break. When she lands an audition with the hottest director in Nigeria’s booming film industry, Ayamma finds herself at odds with his former leading lady—and relishing the charms of Nollywood’s biggest dreamboat. Hot on the heels of its New York world premiere, the author of the beloved, Helen Hayes Award-winning School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play brings to Round House a warm, hilarious new romantic comedy about following your instincts and your heart.
JUL 3 JUN 8 –
TICKETS ON SALE NOW 240.644.1100 | RoundHouseTheatre.org
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Best books for your summer beach read
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! BEN RECTOR
THE JOY OF MUSIC LIVE
JP SAXE
JUN 8
EVERY SHADE OF BLUE TOUR
THE HEAD AND THE HEART BELLE AND SEBASTIAN JAPANESE BREAKFAST LOS BITCHOS
JUN 15
JADE BIRD
JUN 9
ANA GABRIEL LA LUNA DE AMÉRICA
POR AMOR A USTEDES WORLD TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST FLOR DE TOLOACHE
JUN 12
BEAUTIFUL
THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
JUN 21 + 22 FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS ANDY GRAMMER AUG 3
SIGNATURE THEATRE AND WOLF TRAP PRESENT
BROADWAY IN THE PARK
JUN 24
PINK MARTINI
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JUL 8
YACHT ROCK REVUE
JUL 10 ABBA THE CONCERT AUG 7
SING-A-LONG
SOUND OF MUSIC
JUL 16
THE WILD HEARTS TOUR
SHARON VAN ETTEN, ANGEL OLSEN, AND JULIEN BAKER
WITH SPECIAL GUEST SPENCER.
JUL 21
DAVID GRAY FANTASIA AUG 19
WHITE LADDER: THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
AUG 14
...and many more!
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By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER Imagine yourself on the beach. The sun’s at a just-right angle, so you’re not frying. The water, when you want to wade in it, is warm and refreshing. There’s a Cold One nestled in the sand by your side, and a great book next to it. Why not make it one of these books? If it’s a novel you want for your summer reading, “Jobs for Girls With Artistic Flair: A Novel” by June Gervais (Pamela Dorman Books, June 21) might work. It’s the story of a young woman who passionately hopes to become a tattoo artist but it’s not going to be easy. That’s especially true when she falls in love with the assistant of a psychic who’s just moved into town. When you fall in love with the person you’re destined to spend your life with, you want the whole world to celebrate with you. In “This Way Out” by Tufayel Ahmed (Lake Union Publishing, July 1), Amar is overjoyed to announce the news. Problem is, his beloved is a man. A white man, and his Muslim-Bangladeshi family isn’t going to be happy. Neither are the people in his neighborhood, and it shakes Amar to his core. Will true love prevail? If you’re in the mood for something deep, try “Hawk Mountain” by Connor Habib (W.W. Norton, July 5), the a tight tale of bullying and deception. For something lighter, you won’t believe the array of manga being released this summer, and there are tons of Young Adult romances that perfectly.
“Gender Pioneers: A Celebration of Transgender, Non-Ninary and Intersex Icons” by Philippa Punchard (Jessica Kingsley, Aug. 18) could be a great beach-towel companion. This book takes a dive back in history who forged trails and followed their own hearts. You’ll be pleased and surprised at who’s inside this book. Lovers of intrigue, biographies, and history will devour “Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy” by Damien Lewis (PublicAffairs, July 12), the true story of the life of Josephine Baker (Image courtesy WW Norton) and her actions against the Nazis during World War II. In her lifetime, her beauty was renowned, but she was controversial. Her bisexuality was scandalous then, as was her supposed promiscuity. Few, however, knew of her incredible bravery. Science-minded readers will want to dive into “Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality” by Julia Shaw (Abrams Press, June 28). Find out what science knows about bisexuality, how bisexuals made and changed history, what the law has said about it through the years, and what else is being studied. This is a wide take on a little-explored subject, and is perfect for curious readers. toddlers, grade-schoolers, and Young Adults – some of which you’ll enjoy, too. Ask your local librarian for great recommendations (and ways to keep sand out of your books). Throw yourself at the mercy of your favorite bookseller; seriously, they know books and Seasons readings!
SIGNATURE THEATRE SPRING/SUMMER 2022 a thrilling return to live theater | safe and strong
NOW THROUGH APRIL 24, 2022 PRIDE NIGHT MARCH 25 The witty & effervescent musical comedy for ages 6 to 106
APRIL 26 – JUNE 12, 2022 PRIDE NIGHT MAY 20 Channel the unexpected with an unlikely psychic
AUGUST 16 – OCTOBER 9, 2022 PRIDE NIGHT SEPTEMBER 16 The breathtaking musical adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
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SPRING
Coming up at
2022
Music Above All
AN EVENING WITH
ANNE LAMOTT Fri, March 18
AN EVENING WITH
DAVID SEDARIS Mon, April 4
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS Fri, April 8
AN EVENING WITH
GEORGE WINSTON
Perched on Pike & Rose’s penthouse level, AMP redefines nightlife on Rockville Pike with live music in a sophisticated setting.
Sat, April 9
AN EVENING WITH
KRONOS QUARTET
A THOUSAND THOUGHTS Thu, April 21 Generously sponsored in part by Joel and Liz Helke
OCTAVIA E. BUTLER’S
PARABLE OF THE SOWER Thu & Fri, April 28 & 29 Co-presented by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
A powerful theatrical concert by Toshi Reagon & Bernice Johnson Reagon
YOTAM OTTOLENGHI Sun, May 1
JEFF GOLDBLUM & THE MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA Fri, May 6
YOUSSOU NDOUR MBALAX UNPLUGGED Tue, May 31
BALANCE CAMPAIGN Thu, March 10
OMAR SOSA & SECKOU KEITA SUBA TRIO
UPCOMING SHOWS Sun, April 3, 8pm
Contemporary Classical Ensemble dedicated to women composers
GERMÁN LÓPEZ & ANTONIO TOLEDO PRESENT CANELA Y LIMÓN Sun, March 13
Sublime jazz and world music fusion
NELLIE McKAY Sat, April 9, 8pm Quirky, eclectic jazz
Prolific Canary Island timple player
THE GHOST OF PAUL REVERE
IRENE JALENTI
WITH DANIEL RODRIGUEZ
Sat, March 19
Thu, April 14, 8pm
Dynamic multilingual jazz vocalist
Dynamic holler-folk quartet
SETH PARKER WOODS & ANDREW ROSENBLUM
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL & BILLY COULTER BAND
Thu, March 24
Sat, May 7, 8pm Classic rock tribute
STACEY KENT Fri, March 25
BRIA SKONBERG
Grammy-nominated jazz singer
Thu, June 9, 8pm Jazz trumpet goddess
KARLA BONOFF Fri, April 1, 8pm
Anne Lamott by Sam Lamott, Wynton Marsalis by Piper Ferguson, Kronos Quartet by Jay Blakesberg, Parable of the Sower by Reed Hutchinson, Jeff Goldblum by Pari Dukovic, Youssou Ndour by Youri Lenquette
STRATHMORE.ORG | 301.581.5100
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Heartfelt anthems for the soul
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On Metro’s Red Line, White Flint station
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Concerts are back! By TINASHE CHINGARANDE Spring is nearly here and that means all your favorite artists will be electrifying stages around D.C. as COVID restrictions wane and artists return to the road. Below are our picks for some of the most promising upcoming shows. Khruangbin and Nubya Garcia will perform at The Anthem on Friday, March 11. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $49.50 and can be change’s website. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will perform “Chopin” on Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Wolf Trap at the Barnes Stage. Pianists Gloria Chien and Michael Brown, cellist Nick Canellakis. Tickets cost $44 and are available on Wolf Trap’s website. Jamestown Revival and Robert Ellis will play at 9:30 Club on Saturday, March 12. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster. BENT: Burlesque will be on Saturday, March 12 at 11 p.m. at 9:30 Club. This event will be hosted by Pussy Noir and there will be performances by Vagenesis, Betty O’Hellno and Ricky Rosé. There will also be
The Set: A R&B Experience will be on Saturday, March 19 at 9 p.m. at Howard Thetures multiple DJs with an energetic and enthusiastic crowd that shares a love for R&B. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Howard Theatre’s website. Jazmine Sullivan: The Heaux Tales Tour will be on Sunday, March 20 at The Anthem. Tiana Major9 will open the show. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available website. The 8-Bit Big Band will perform on Friday, March 25 at 8 p.m. at Howard Theatre. orchestra will play some of the best musical themes written from various video games from all consoles. Tickets start at $49 and are available on Howard Theatre’s website. Snoh Aalegra- Ugh These Temporary Highs Tour will be on Thursday, March 31 at
be opening the show. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available on Ticketmaster. Other upcoming shows of note: JAZMINE SULLIVAN brings The Heaux Tales Tour to the Anthem. Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia has a busy schedule, including the Foo Fighters on May 16 and 18; Halsey on June 8; and Tears for Fears on June 19. For those who haven’t been to a large-scale concert since the pandemic, The Capital Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster. One Arena is back with Bad Bunny on March 25; New Edition on March 31; Maxwell Animal Collective and L’Rain will perform on Sunday, March 13 at 9:30 Club. Doors on April 2; and Journey on May 9. MGM at National Harbor brings an array of acclaimed artists to its state-of-the-art thesite. ater, including Faith Evans, Mya, and SWV on March 13; Daryl Hall and Todd RundGalactic and Low Down Brass Band will perform on Saturday, March 19 at 9:30 Club. gren on April 16; and Air Supply on June 3. The Black Cat has Squid on March 21; Sasami on March 24; Andy Shauf on March harmonica, bass, drums, percussion, guitar and keyboards. Tickets cost $30 and can be 30; and an already sold out show from the Circle Jerks on April 16. purchased on Ticketmaster.
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Snag your grandstand seats today for prime performance viewing!
April 9 • 10 AM - 12 Noon Constitution Avenue
Featuring: Scan to purchase parade tickets:
Freddie Jackson
Taylor Dayne Segment Sponsors: Amazon, ANA, Dulles international Airport & Reagan National Airport Media Sponsors: 7News/WJLA-TV and WJLA 24/7News and 97.1 WASH-FM
DC’s Different Drummers With commentary by Carson Kressley
After the Parade:
Scan for tickets:
Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival April 9 & 10 Pennsylvania Avenue Produced by The Japan-America Society of Washington, DC
Sakura Matsuri
@ CherryBlossFest @ CherryBlossomFestival @ NationalCherryBlossomFestivalDC LE ADERSHIP CIRCLE
The best way to experience the Festival
#RediscoverSpring NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org
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“[John Douglas Thompson is] perhaps the GREATEST SHAKESPEARE INTERPRETER IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICA.” –The New York Times
“
...[John [John Douglas] Thompson makes Shylock at once formidable and vulnerable.” –TimeOut New York
“VITAL and INVIGORATING…This production of The Merchant of Venice couldn’t be timelier.” –TheaterMania
The
MERCHANT NT VENICEE of
By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE A Co-Production with THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE
JOHN DOUGLAS THOMPSON Directed by ARIN ARBUS Featuring
MARCH 22–APRIL 17
PRODUCTION SPONSORS:
ORDER TODAY! Tickets start at $35 ShakespeareTheatre.org | 202.547.1122
2021/22 SEASON SPONSORS: Stephen and Toni Allis Michael Beriss and Jean Carlson Kathy Rondon
RESTAURANT PARTNER:
Michael R. Klein and Joan Fabry Harman Family Foundation
Photos of John Douglas Thompson, Antonio Narciso, and Sanjit De Silva by Henry Grossman.
5 4 • WASHINGTONBLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2
THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS APRIL 6-24
Mistaken identities, wily servants, and madcap antics abound in this laugh-aminute tale of the ultimate trickster. Helmed by Vato Tsikurishvili and the Helen Hayes Award-nominated team from the 2019 hit Cyrano de Bergerac, The Servant of Two Masters is a raucous adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s classic farce.
synetictheater.org
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Clear your calendar for these spring events
Exhibits, cherry blossoms, comedy, and the return of Black Pride By TINASHE CHINGARANDE
MARCH
The hosts a curated tour with art historian Tosca Ruggieri on Saturday, March 12 at 10 a.m. This tour will lead guests into an in-depth visit of the museum’s history and its masterpieces made by some of the world’s most acclaimed artists. Ruggieri will discuss works by Raphael, Da Vinci, Titian, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh and why these artists are geniuses. For more event details, visit Eventbrite. Wasted Lounge will host “Art Buzz’’ on Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. Art Buzz is a weekly showcase geared toward creating a space for artists to network, mingle, display their art and have fun while also bridging the gap between the art community and people who just love to be around art. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. Artjar will host on Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at 101 H St., S.E. This event encourages guests to explore their creative side as they learn baspray paint techniques. Tickets cost $127.97 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Paint Amore will host on Friday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Ascension Art Atelier. At this tic excitement as they take a ride to a painter’s paradise. Photo and video recording is allowed, and outside food and drink are welcome. Tickets start at $35 and include paint supplies and seating. More details are available on Eventbrite. Historic America Tours hosts on Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Bookstore. A multi-sensory experience, guests will hear the words of FDR, hold a piece
APRIL
SPAIN Arts & Culture will host “Spanish Cinema Now + 2022: A miracle in the form of cinema” on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the former residence of the ambassadors of Spain at 2801 16th St., N.W. This event will features a screening of “Longa noite (Endless Nien abyme, looking at the emptiness, after the Spanish Civil War. This event is free and details are available on Eventbrite. The Washington D.C. Pancakes & Booze Art Show will be on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at Hook Hall. Guests are encouraged to come experience one of the largest pop-up art movements to hit North America over the past decade, celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event serving free pancakes and be introduced to some of the nation’s leading emerging artists. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Team DC hosts its annual Night of Champions awards dinner on April 9, honoring its 2022 college scholarship recipients. Tickets are $125 and available at teamdc.org. Buttonwood Films and Boundary Companies will host an advance screening of on Friday, April 22 at 6 p.m. A discussion will follow the umentary that tries to answer that question by following its director over the course of a year, as she tries not to throw anything away. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
downtrodden Americans during the Great Depression. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. The is opening a new works of paper gallery featuring recently acquired Japanese prints. The inaugural exhibition is “Underdogs and Antiheroes: Japanese Prints from the Moskowitz Collection,” and it runs from March 19-Jan. 29, 2023. The returns from March 20 – April 17, with four weeks of events featuring traditional and contemporary arts and culture. Visit NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org for information.
MAY
The National Hip-Hop Museum will host on Sunday, May 1 at 1 p.m. at The House of Hip-Hop. The event will exclusively feature visual artists that specialize in hip-hop such as painters, photographers, digital artists, sculptors and more. The gallery will also feature select pieces of memorabilia from The Hip-Hop Museum’s Collection, which is the largest in the world. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. DSE ENT will host on Friday, May 6 at 10 p.m. at Ozio Rooftop. There will be hookah, food and music by DJ Schemes, DJ Trevo and Que the Q spinning the best hip-hop, R&B, reggae, Afrobeats and top 100 songs.This event is free and tickets are available on Eventbrite. The Washington Blade presents a cocktail party and panel discussion commemorating the 50th anniversary of John Fryer’s iconic speech to the APA urging removal of homosexuality as a mental illness. The event will be held on Thursday, May 12 with a distinguished panel of experts. Details and tickets to be announced soon. Improbable Comedy will host on Thursday, May 19 at 8 p.m. at Busboys and Poets Takoma. “Comedy as a Second Language” is a live, generation comedians. Lots of fun with our comics as they share stories and jokes about their lives, families, multiple cultures and their relationship with their new home. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. The 15th annual returns after a two-year COVID hiatus to Rehoboth Beach on Friday, May 20, 5-7 p.m. at The Pines. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester is the keynote speaker. Tickets Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship. Visit bladefoundation.org for more information. is back and promises to be “bigger and bolder than ever,” May 27-30. Details and schedule of events at dcblackpride.org.
The Blade’s 15th annual Summer Kickoff Party features Rep. LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER on May 20 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
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2021/22 SEASON Recital No. 1: MASS
DAVÓNE TINES, bass-baritone LESTER GREEN, piano TUE, MAR 15, 8pm • SIXTH & I
Within the structure of a Latin Mass ordinarium, Recital No.1: MASS juxtaposes melismatic Bach, Caroline Shaw text, lyrical gospel, and music by Black composers.
$40
Special thanks: Barbara Myers and Tom Gallagher; Pepco, An Exelon Company; Galena-Yorktown Foundation
Tickets
Memphis Jookin’: The Show
LIL BUCK
FRI, MAR 25, 8pm • LINCOLN THEATRE Street-dance sensation pays tribute to his home city and its signature dance with gravity-defying choreography. Special thanks: Susan S. Angell; Pepco, An Exelon Company
$30+ Tickets
MIGGUEL ANGGELO’S ENGLISH WITH AN ACCENT Music and Lyrics by Migguel Anggelo and Jaime Lozano Musical Direction and Arrangements by Jaime Lozano Directed, Choreographed and Developed by Avihai Haham
FRI, APR 1, 8pm • GALA HISPANIC THEATRE
$40 Tickets
English with an Accent reflects Anggelo’s own story, exploring the intersections of queer, Latino, and immigrant identities, as well as the role of the artist in contemporary society. Co-presented with GALA Hispanic Theatre Commissioning support from the Cultural Arts Center at Montgomery College Special thanks: Susan S. Angell; Pepco, An Exelon Company
An Evening with Itzhak Perlman (4/2) • Zakir Hussain’s Triveni (4/14) Joyce DiDonato & Il Pomo d’Oro (4/24) • And much more!
TICKETS & INFO: WashingtonPerformingArts.org • (202) 785-9727
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By EVAN CAPLAN With the lifting of mask mandates, the D.C. dining scene is back. While the restaurant in-
-ish
Coming Soon
and four restaurants to look forward to. We would also be remiss if we did not men-
Expat
In addition, Casey Patten (owner, Grazie host JOSÉ ANDRÉS
.
Kaimaki. Philotimo, a chic Greek restaurant reminiscent of both sea and mountains,
(Photo by Blair Getz Mezibov)
can be
Already Open
Mariscos 1133
Honeymoon Chicken
an restaurant, homing in on both meats and seafood. It will
eralist Pig, is leading this charge. Honeymoon is working to form the humble art of fried chicken into a culinary master-
London Curry House
Causa
Love, Makoto Call Your Mother
goods.
6 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2
, 2BR + Den, 2BA Condo in Chase Point
www.4301MilitaryRdNW-310.com Offered for $1,295,000
RE/MAX West End 710 W Broad St Falls Church, VA 22046 703.596.5303
CHAMPAGNE & CHOCOLATE OPEN HOUSE! SUNDAY MARCH 13TH, 4-6 PM
Enjoy champagne & Chouquette “Ukraine” chocolates. Chouquette donates proceeds to World Central Kitchen which is cooking thousands of meals for Ukrainians in need. LISA DUBOIS | lisa@chrissyandlisa.com | 202.409.4506 www.chrissyandlisa.com Associate Broker, CRS, ABR • Licensed in VA & DC Top 1% DC Metro Area & Nationwide • RE/MAX Hall of Fame
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Washington Wizards Pride Night
Local drag performer Shi-Queeta-Lee serves as emcee (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key) The Washington Wizards hosted its annual Pride Night at Capital One Arena on Friday. Local drag legend Shi-Queeta-Lee served as the emcee, the GenOUT LGBTQ Youth Chorus sang the national anthem and burlesque drag performer Betty O’Hellno led the Wizards Dance Team in the halftime LGBTQ youth services organization SMYAL. The Atlantic Hawks narrowly defeated the Washington Wizards 117-114.
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The Friendly, Affordable Alternative to DC!
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D.C. website can help make sense of what you owe By VALERIE M. BLAKE
Sometime during the past week, D.C. homeowners received their current property tax bills and their tax assessments for the coming year. To check on what you owe now and, in the future, go (https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/real-property-tax-databasesearch). If prompted, create a free MyTax.DC.gov account be able to enter your square and lot or your address, click Search, then click on the column marked SSL to access information about your property taxes and upcoming assessments. Since property taxes in D.C. are paid in arrears in half-
indicating the property is your primary residence and your assessment is reduced by $78,700, saving you nearly $670 each year. With a homestead exemption, your assessment cannot rise more than 10% above what it was the previous year, so if your assessment has indeed gone up more, you may see Cap Credit, indicating that any excess value will be removed from your tax obligation. Two other common tax relief categories are Senior and Disabled, which cut your taxes in half. If you are at least 65 or disabled, own at least 50% of the property, and have a total household income within the guidelines (under $139,900 in 2020 for tax year 2022), you may be eligible
2022, which began on Oct. 1, 2021. The amount in the Balance column is what you or your mortgage company must pay by March 31, 2022, to avoid late fees. If the balance is zero, then your tax has been paid. If you want to review the actual bill, click on the Billing History tab. If you have adjoining land, a parking space, or a storage unit that has a separate lot and square, you should receive a separate tax bill for your home and for each additional parcel, so be sure to check this for each lot and square you own. Last year my loan was sold to a different servicing company. When that happens, as it frequently does sometime during the life of your loan, you should receive a letter in the mail from your old mortgage company saying your account is being transferred, followed by a letter from the new company welcoming you to the family. The problem with my transfer was that I have an adjacent lot that wasn’t picked up by the new company.
short window, but you can apply online for a First Level writing, by phone, or by video conference. You may need a copy of your most recent appraisal or properties that support your position. If denied, you the timelines set by each entity. cancellation of your homestead exemption, eliminating both Homestead and Cap Credit tax savings; otherwise, like the Iceman, the Taxman may cometh to collect.
was only a $25 late fee, I had to pay the entire bill myself or it would still be outstanding, racking up penalties until paid. To complicate things further, that resulted in an overage in my escrow account, which the company refunded to me. Moreover, my monthly payment was adjusted downward and now, as I argue with them to make sure they pay both bills, my escrow account will be short and need replenishing before the second half of my taxes are due on Sept. 15, 2022. To avoid such surprises and while still on the website, assessment for tax year 2023, which begins on Oct. 1, Value column. which will list the tax reductions you have been granted. The items listed there will be among those that will reduce Value column to the amount shown in the Total Taxable
VALERIE M. BLAKE
is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate. Call or text her at 202- 246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.
6 6 • WASHINGTONBLADE.COM • MARCH 11, 2 0 2 2 • B U S I N E S S
Lauren Bishop
McEnearney Associates
202-361-5079
lbishop@mcenearney.com LaurenBishopHomes.com
109 S. Pitt Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703.549.9292
126 S Fairfax St, Alexandria, VA 22314 Offered at $2,995,000
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be the next steward of an expansive, historic home in the heart of Old Town, Alexandria!
This nine-bedroom home offers nearly 7000 square feet of finished living space, with an additional 2630 square feet available in the unfinished basement. Currently comprised of three separate units, it offers the possibility of rental income, multi-family living, or a conversion to one grand residence. The main home’s entrance on 219 Prince Street welcomes guests into a spacious entry foyer with a beautiful staircase. Formal living and dining rooms are awash with natural light from the numerous windows. Second and third levels - housing 5 bedrooms and two and a half baths - boasts exceptionally high ceilings. The entrance at 126 S. Fairfax Street leads to two separate apartments each featuring a living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry, full bath and 2 bedrooms. The charming European style rear garden is private and serene. This truly special property is located just two blocks from the Potomac River, waterfront restaurants, parks, and a short drive to Reagan National Airport, Amazon HQ2 and Washington, DC.
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LEFT PAGE
30750 Edgewater Drive, Lewes, DE
34 Tradewinds Lane, Lewes, DE
MLS #DESU2017326
MLS# DESU2017534
WATERVIEW IN EDGEWATER ESTATES!
GREAT VALUE NEAR THE BEACH!
Serene water views of Red Mill Pond are yours from this gorgeous and spacious, custom built 4 BR, 4BA home in established Edgewater Estates. Enjoy the outdoors from this spacious lot with an enclosed courtyard with fountain, multiple patios, second story deck, and community pond access. Just minutes from downtown Lewes and the beaches!
Enjoy living east of Route 1 in a boat-friendly community close to in-town Lewes and the beaches from this beautifully kept & generously sized 4 BR, 3 BA Cape Cod. Situated on over a half-acre in the tranquil & established community of Tradewind Estates this home offers a spacious screened porch overlooking the expansive backyard, deck, and POOL is perfect for warm weather entertaining! Truly a great find with low annual HOA fee, and a short, direct drive or bike ride to downtown Lewes and the beach!
22782 Red Bay Lane, Milton, DE
31658 Topsail Dr., Lewes, DE
MLS# DESU2016356
MLS #: DESU2014118
PRICE REDUCTION, 2/16/22: 31658 Topsail Drive NEW List Price: $745,000
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!
Architectural details flourish in this phenomenal 3+ bedroom home in Reddenwood. Situated on a large, beautifully landscaped lot with irrigation in an established community with outdoor playground, pavilion & fireplace; located only a short drive away from all that coastal Delaware has to offer!
Why wait to build?
This barely lived in and well cared for 3 bedroom, 3 bath home is waiting for you in Marsh Farm Estates! Situated on a premium & private lot, this home has all the features you want in a home---a spacious, open floor plan, gourmet kitchen, finished walkout basement with wet bar and so much more. Within walking distance to the community’s clubhouse & pool; and only a short drive to Coastal Highway’s shopping & dining, along with Lewes & Rehoboth Beaches! Have a like-new home without the wait!
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MASSAGE
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COUNSELING FOR LGBTQ People Individual/couple counseling with a volunteer peer counselsince 1973. 202-580-8661.
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