Metro Weekly - December 14, 2017 by RP MEDIA ARCHIVE

DECEMBER 14, 2017

CONTENTS

HOLIDAY WATERS

The legendary John Waters returns to The Birchmere with an all-new collection of wonderfully warped Christmas stories. By Randy Shulman

LOVE, THEIR WAY

Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, screenwriter James Ivory, and costar Michael Stuhlbarg talk about making the ultimate gay romance. By André Hereford

Volume 24 Issue 32

MIND-BLOWING FORCE

The Last Jedi is a spectacular, intense ride that tugs at your emotions and dazzles your senses. By Randy Shulman

SPOTLIGHT: ELFEN MAGIC p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.10 HOLIDAY WATERS: JOHN WATERS p.12 THE FEED p.17 SCENE: VICTORY FUND PARTY p.19 COMMUNITY: VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE p.21 COVER STORY: LOVE, THEIR WAY p.26 FEATURE: PERSONAL JOURNEY p.30 FILM: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI p.35 FILM: MUDBOUND p.37 NIGHTLIFE p.39 SCENE: NELLIE’S p.39 LAST WORD p.46 Real LGBTQ News and Entertainment since 1994 Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Managing Editor Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editor Doug Rule Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers André Hereford, Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla Patron Saints Maurice Hall and Alec Scudder Cover Photography Sony Pictures Classics Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830 All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. All such submissions are subject to editing and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Metro Weekly is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organization.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Spotlight

Elfen Magic

Cameron Folmer puts a robustly funny spin on the seasonal satire Santaland Diaries.

ISTEN,” LYNN SHARP SPEARS TOLD HER FRIEND Cameron Folmer, “these guys at this comedy club want to branch out and start doing small comedy theater pieces. And they want to start with Santaland Diaries. Would you be interested in doing it?” As it turns out, David Sedaris, the show’s author, is one of Folmar’s favorite writers, so naturally he agreed. “I didn’t know the Drafthouse,” Folmer admits, “and it was a little scary to think about doing it in a place commonly known for stand-up comedy because I’m not a comic.” As a result, Folmer, who has appeared on Broadway in The 39 Steps and locally with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and Studio Theatre, needed to acclimate to audiences who were a bit

more boisterous audiences. At a recent late-evening show, for instance, “there were some fairly inebriated people, and that distracted me. The thing that I have to remember is, ‘They’re not leaving. They don’t hate you. They’re just getting up to get a drink.’” The 80-minute play recounts encounters from Sedaris’ time working as a Macy’s elf. “[The] jokes are constructed very, very well — they don’t need messing with,” says Folmar, who adds his own flourishes to what he calls an “inherently gay” show. “As I was developing it, and particularly as we were staging it last week, it became very gay to me. I just thought, ‘Let it go there, then. Let’s just let all the girls out and let them have a good time.’” —Doug Rule

The Santaland Diaries runs weekends through Sunday, Dec. 23, at Drafthouse Comedy Theater, 1100 13th St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-750-6411 or visit drafthousecomedy.com. 7

Spotlight THE NUTCRACKER

MEDIA4ARTISTS THEO KOSSENAS

The Washington Ballet’s former artistic director Septime Webre first staged his twist on the family favorite 13 years ago, setting it in D.C.’s historic Georgetown neighborhood with George Washington as the titular figure and King George III as the Rat King. As always, the production sets up shop for nearly all of December at downtown’s Warner Theatre. To Dec. 24. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Call 202-889-5901 or visit washingtonballet.org.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

The Kennedy Center presents the four-time Tony-winning musical from 2015 based on the classic film, directed by Christopher Wheeldon and featuring a magical George and Ira Gershwin score and a book by Craig Lucas. Now to Jan. 7. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $59 to $175. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE FOLGER CONSORT: SEASONAL EARLY MUSIC OF GERMANY

THE FOLGER CONSORT

The lute/organ/viol consort Arcadia Viols and vocal ensemble Cathedra joins the Consort and its viol/violin-playing co-founder Robert Eisenstein for a holiday program of music from the 15th to 17th centuries, titled Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming. Performances Friday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 and 5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 19, through Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 4 and 8 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $50. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Spotlight ZOOLIGHTS

FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL ZOO

More than 500,000 colorful Christmas lights illuminate life-sized animal silhouettes, dancing trees, buildings, and walkways, plus a light show set to music, during this annual holiday event at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. All that, plus select animal houses will be open and displaying nocturnal creatures, including the Small Mammal House, the Great Ape House and Reptile Discovery Center. Every night except Dec. 24 and 25 until Jan. 1. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free, courtesy of Pepco. Call 202-633-4800 or visit nationalzoo.si.edu.

Set amid the Atlanta Jewish community in 1939, Theater J presents a beautiful, comedic, enthralling romance by Alfred Uhry, the author of Driving Miss Daisy. A handsome Eastern European bachelor from Brooklyn throws the Freitag family asunder as they confront their own prejudices, desires, and beliefs. Now to Dec. 31. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

TERESA CASTRACANE

MATTHEW MURPHY

THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO

SCOTT SUCHMAN

THE SECOND CITY: NOTHING TO LOSE (BUT OUR CHAINS)

Woolly Mammoth hosts performer Felonious Munk and a cast of Chicago’s sharpest comedians telling a hilarious and harrowing story of how one African-American man went from six years in a state prison to a six-figure job in corporate America to a new life as an activist and satirist. Anthony LeBlanc directs this new show from the creators of last year’s hit Black Side of the Moon... that combines sketch, stand-up, and music. Now to Dec. 31. 641 D St. NW. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

CHRIS BANKS

Out On The Town

CHRISTMAS AT THE OLD BULL AND BUSH

Catherine Flye’s cheery holiday tale centers on patrons at a pub telling corny jokes and singing British music hall songs and Christmas carols. Originally presented at the turn of the millennium by Arena Stage, some of the original cast members now take to Alexandria’s MetroStage for a toast to the holidays that includes sing-alongs and an abbreviated reenactment of Dickens’ Christmas Carol, plus a few surprises along the way. To Dec. 24. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-9044 or visit metrostage.org. Compiled by Doug Rule

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Craig Wallace returns as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in Ford’s Theatre’s production of Dickens’ Yuletide classic. The music-infused adaptation was originally conceived by Michael Baron. To Dec. 31. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Call 800982-2787 or visit fordstheatre.org.

A CHRISTMAS MEDLEY

Guillotine Theatre has had hit after hit with Halloween productions in a cemetery in Alexandria. So they thought, why not stage a Christmas in the Crypt show? Actors from the company read a mixture of poems, short stories, and reminiscences including Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus, a selection from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and A Visit from St. Nicholas, with works by Langston Hughes, John Julius Norwich, Frank O’Connor, Lillian Smith, Moss Hart, Frederick Douglass, U.A. Fanthorpe, and

William Shakespeare also represented. Saturday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. The Receiving Vault of Ivy Hill Cemetery, 2823 King St. Alexandria. Requested donation of $10. Call 703-549-7413 or visit georgetowntheatre.org.

AN IRISH CAROL

For the sixth year in a row, Keegan Theatre offers company member Matthew Keenan’s homage to Dickens, albeit with biting Irish humor and incisive candor. Mark A. Rhea directs a cast featuring himself plus Kevin Adams, Josh Sticklin, Timothy Lynch, Mike Kozemchak, Christian Montgomery, Caroline Dubberly, and Daniel Lyons. Opens Thursday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m. Runs to Dec. 31. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-265-3768 or visit keegantheatre.com.

MIRACLE ON 8TH STREET: SCREENINGS OF CHRISTMAS CLASSICS

Over the next two weekends, the recently renovated Miracle Theatre in the Barracks Row section of Capitol Hill screens several holiday-themed favorites. The lineup

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

includes: the James Stewart signature It’s A Wonderful Life on Friday, Dec. 15, at 6:45 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 17, at 3:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m.; Robert Zemeckis’ animated The Polar Express starring Tom Hanks on Saturday Dec. 16 at 11 a.m., and Friday, Dec. 22, at 3:30 p.m.; and an early Christmas classic, White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney, on Friday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $6 to $8. 535 8th St. SE. Call 202-400-3210 or visit themiracletheatre.com.

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON: THE HOLIDAY SHOW

Blending the sexy and playful with the sweet and sentimental, the holiday show is one of the chorus’s most popular. In addition to the standard seasonal and sensational offerings, the concert features performances by the ensembles Potomac Fever and Rock Creek Singers, as well as the LGBT youth choir GenOUT. This year’s offering incorporates stories of holiday memories and growing up gay, as told by several members, part of a season-long push to personalize the 200-strong

chorus. “In a time when our social discourse can seem toxic,” artistic director Thea Kano says, “it is vital that we share our stories and remind everyone that there is far more that unites us than divides us.” Saturday, Dec. 16, at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 202328-6000 or visit gmcw.org.

GEORGETOWN GLOW

Now in its fourth year, this light art exhibition presented by the Georgetown Business Improvement District features eight displays by multidisciplinary artists. Billed as a way to “re-imagine the season of light,” the works, curated by Deirdre Ehlen MacWilliams, offer a high-tech modern contrast with the surroundings of D.C.’s oldest neighborhood. The installations, many of them in collaboration with Light Art Collection and the Amsterdam Light Festival, are: Aqueous by Jen Lewin of New York, an interactive, walkable landscape of meandering pathways in Georgetown Waterfront Park; Horizontal Interference by Joachim Sługocki and Katarzyna Malejka from

GREG GORMAN

HOLIDAY WATERS

The legendary John Waters returns to The Birchmere with an all-new collection of wonderfully warped Christmas stories.

’VE DONE IT, I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES,” SAYS JOHN WATERS OF his annual Christmas show, A John Waters Christmas, returning to The Birchmere next Thursday, Dec. 21. “Every year, I rewrite the whole thing. I like to add lots of new material.” The legendary filmmaker and purveyor of bad taste behind such infamous cultural touchstones as Hairspray, Serial Mom, and the insanely decadent Pink Flamingos, notes that “the comically correct term for not doing a new show is called a command performance.” He pauses. “This is not a command performance.” In 2015, Waters gave a notoriously wicked commencement speech at the Rhode Island School of Design, encouraging the graduates to get out into the world and raise hell. The speech was later adapted into an illustrated gift book called “Make Trouble,” followed by a collector’s edition recording, released by Third Man Records in October. “It’s a great Christmas present, right?” says Waters, noting that the 7” vinyl pressing of the record comes in the form of a red 45. “Much of the music you’ve heard in my movies were originally [inspired from] 45 records I shoplifted [when I was a teenager]. I don’t feel negative saying that because I paid $25-to-30 thousand each to put the songs in my movies way, way later in life.” Although Waters hasn’t made a film since 2004’s A Dirty Shame, “I’m still in the movie business,” he says. “I’m not saying I won’t make another one. I had a meeting last week about making something for Pixar. So who knows? I just need to tell stories. And my last two books were big hits and got good reviews and my last two movies were not big hits. I stick where my stories are going over the best.” Surprisingly, Waters won’t answer questions about current affairs, notably the scandals that recently ensnared Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein. “Everybody wants me to talk about all that stuff for free,” he bemoans, “and I have to update my spoken word shows and I have two books due. [I’ll talk about it] when you pay me to do that. I’m a journalist, too. That’s how I make my living. I make my living the same way you do.” —Randy Shulman A John Waters Christmas is Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. in Alexandria, Va. Tickets are $55. Visit birchmere.com or call 703-549-7500. 12

Poland, a colorful cord structure connecting trees and light poles in Washington Harbour; Open Lounge by Géraud Périole, with 20 handcrafted chandeliers made of acrylic, plastic and rope hanging in Cady’s Alley; Bands of Friendship by Vikas Patil & Santosh Gujar of India, nine rings inspired by Indian color schematics positioned outside Dean & Deluca; Light Cloud by Ted Bazydlo & Brandon Newcomer of D.C., a digitally fabricated dynamic sculpture that responds to the surrounding environment and local activity in the Hok Courtyard; My Light Is Your Light by Alaa Minawi of Lebanon, a neon group sculpture for the displaced located outside Grace Church; Glow Structural Remix by Robin Bell of D.C., a 15-minute looped video of historic imagery with holiday colors and shapes harkening the activities of the once bustling Old Georgetown Theater; The Neighbors by OmbréLumen Arthur Gallice & Herve Orgeas, four figures made of LED bent wires to create a clan of glowing people along Wisconsin Avenue; and LSM Presents, three video works by LSM Architects Quayola, Casey Reas, and Sara Ludy and projected in the company’s atrium. Additionally, Philips Color Kinetics has lit the smokestack at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown and the C&O Canal bridge at Georgetown Park, and MHF Productions has strung white lights on nearly all the buildings radiating out from the main intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW. Now through Jan. 7, every night from 5 to 10 p.m. Visit GeorgetownGlowDC.com for more information, including a free Curator’s Audio Tour set to music.

LA-TI-DO: I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS CABARET

Regie Cabico and Don Mike Mendoza’s La-Ti-Do features higher-quality singing than most karaoke, often from local musical theater actors performing on their night off, and also includes spoken-word poetry and comedy. Mendoza and Anya Randall Nebel host the last of two annual holiday cabarets with guest performers, which also doubles as the 2017 Closing Party. The guests at this mammoth, three-hour long show include the cast of Forever Soulful and performers Michelle MosesEisenstein, Larry Grey, Alexandra Levensen, Michael Sandoval, Tara Trinity, Joseph Benitez, Angeleaza Anderson, Rebecca Ballinger, Sarah D. Lawson, Kay Kerimian, Stephen Yednock, Shane Conrad, Rachel Levitin, Meg Nemeth, and Alex Olesker. Taylor Rambo accompanies. Monday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m. Bistro Bistro, 1727 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $15, or $10 if you eat dinner at the restaurant beforehand. Call 202-328-1640 or visit latidodc.wix.com/latido.

SWEET SPOT AERIAL PRODUCTIONS: A CIRCUS CAROL

Sweet Spot, the impressive, local, LGBTQ-inclusive circus arts company, presents its third holiday production. Directed by Chris Griffin, A Circus Carol is a more narrative piece than those in the past, set in the fictitious W.T. Dickens High School during the madness of holiday pageant time. It’s been billed as “Glee except with circus acts instead of singing.” Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 and 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. Lang Theatre in the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $25. Call 202399-7993 or visit sweetspotdc.org.

Washington Improv Theater’s annual holiday extravaganza features shows based on audience suggestions, showing you the good, the bad and the ugly of the season — all laughs to get you through. Each show is different, but all offer a grab bag of spontaneous comedy and long-form improv. This year’s show also includes Citizens’ Watch, an original production based on the TV series Broadchurch and featuring members from various WIT ensembles as well as new faces to the WIT stage, as well as performances by Chicago duo GIRLish and a special New Year’s Eve spectacular. Weekends to Dec. 31. Source Theater, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, or $30 for reserved, front-row seats. Call 202-204-7770 or visit washingtonimprovtheater.com.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA: THE LITTLE PRINCE

Francesca Zambello directs a revival of a holiday opera for the whole family, featuring a tuneful score by Oscarwinner Rachel Portman (Emma) and showcasing the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists and WNO Children’s Chorus. Nicholas Wright adapted the English libretto from the Antoine de Saint-Exupery classic. Thursday, Dec. 14, and Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are $45 to $65. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

FILM ELF

In Jon Favreau’s 2003 comedy, Will Ferrell is an orphan raised at the North Pole, who seeks out his real father (James Caan) and a place where he belongs in this holiday comedy also featuring Zooey Deschanel as a department store elf and Ed Asner as Santa. Part of Landmark’s West End Cinema Capital Classics. Screenings are Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m., 2301 M St. NW.

JASON MACDONALD

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER: SEASONAL DISORDER

SHAMIR

Shamir Bailey’s third album carries a remarkably apt title. Revelations picked up from Hope, the surprise sophomore album recorded over a weekend on a four-track that marked an abrupt shift into lo-fi from the polished, disco-throwback pop of his debut Ratchet. His latest release shines up the rougher edges while preserving the DIY rawness. Throughout the album, he jumps frantically from one style to another, and we see many hints of the punk and country he grew up listening to. While Shamir’s tone certainly comes across as more honest and serious in his lyrics, his stream-of-consciousness on these tracks is as irreverent and fun as it is blunt and revealing. Shamir will bring the tracks to life with a concert featuring the Canadian duo Partner as opening act. Friday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com. (Sean Maunier) Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50. Call 202-5341907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

STAGE A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES

The Washington Stage Guild presents an evening of warm and nostalgic works adapted by Bill Largess from Dylan Thomas, Charles Dickens, AA Milne, and Louisa May Alcott. Closes Sunday, Dec. 17. Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $50 to $60. Call 240582-0050 or visit stageguild.org.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS

Olney Theatre Center presents another seasonal run of the oneman portrayal of the Dickens classic by Paul Morella, who bases his adaptation on Dickens’ original novella and reading tour. To Dec. 31. The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-9243400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

ANNIE

The sun’ll come out tomorrow and every day this holiday season at Olney Theatre Center. Forty years after composer Charles Strouse, lyricist Martin Charnin, and book writer Thomas Meehan teamed up for the feel-good musical about a determinedly optimistic little orphan girl, countless other, real-life kids have been inspired by the popular work to become theater performers (or at least theater queens) in their own right. The latest is Noelle Robinson, who heads a cast of 32, including Rachel Zampelli as Miss Hannigan, Kevin McAllister as Daddy Warbucks, and Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Rooster Hannigan. To Dec. 31. Mainstage, Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

LOOKINGGLASS ALICE

Go down the rabbit hole with the whole family in David Catlin’s contemporary retelling putting a fresh, modern twist on the Lewis Carroll classic tale. Jeremy B. Cohen directs. To Dec. 31. Baltimore

Center Stage, 700 North Calvert St., Baltimore. Call 410-332-0033 or visit centerstage.org.

MY NAME IS ASHER LEV

Virginia’s 1st Stage presents Aaron Posner’s imaginative retelling of Chaim Potok’s beloved novel about a young Jewish painter torn between his Hasidic upbringing and his need to pursue his artistic voice. Nick Olcott directs a cast featuring Andy Brownstein, Hyla Matthews, and Lucas Beck. Now to Dec. 23. 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Rd. Tysons, Va. Tickets are $33. Call 703-8541856 or visit 1ststage.org.

THE BOOK OF WILL

What if Shakespeare’s works had been lost forever? Ryan Rilette directs a Round House Theatre production of Lauren Gunderson’s hilarious and heartfelt story inspired by true events surrounding Shakespeare’s First Folio. Mitchell Hebert, Kimberly Gilbert, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh, Todd Scofield, and Michael Russotto are among the cast. To Dec. 24. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway,

PHOTO COURTEST OF DUPLEX DINER

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

THE DUPLEX DINER’S JANKY SWEATER PARTY

These days it seems like everyone — maybe even your family — throws a party in which everyone is encouraged to wear an ugly Christmas sweater. But the best have a reason for the gaudy seasonal display, such as making it a benefit for the Trevor Project, the leading organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth. That’s the cause that will benefit from donations at the door and profits from drink sales this Friday, Dec. 15, at the gay diner on the edge of Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. Drag queen Goldie Grigio hosts the ’80s-themed Breakfast Club party with DJs Khelan Bhatia and Adam KoussariAmin. Party starts at 9 p.m. an “ends when we take our sweaters off.” The 18th and U Duplex Diner, 2004 18th St. NW. Donation of $10 gets you a champagne cocktail. Call 202-265-9599 or visit duplexdiner.com. Bethesda. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

THE PAJAMA GAME

In an unusual twist, artistic director Molly Smith turns over directing reins for this season’s Golden Age Musical to Alan Paul, who has proven his mettle with musicals at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Choreographer Parker Esse joins to try to rouse interest in this classic battle-of-the-sexes. To Dec. 24. Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

THE REAL AMERICANS

Actor/journalist Dan Hoyle brings to life the characters he met traveling outside “the liberal bubble,” presented as part of Mosaic Theater’s “Transformational Journeys” and staged in repertory in the month of December with Draw The Circle. Charlie Varon directs. To Dec. 22. Atlas Performing Arts Center, Lab Theatre II, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

MUSIC BRUNO MARS

The 32-year-old pop star returns for another holiday-timed run at the 3,000-seat theater at MGM National Harbor. If you haven’t had a chance to catch the magnetic performer live, this would be an ideal place to start — and could make for a lovely Christmas present for a special someone in your life. Wednesday, Dec. 20, and Thursday, Dec. 21, at 8 p.m. 7100 Harborview Ave., Oxon Hill, Md. Call 844-346-4664 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com.

FREDDY COLE

Freddy Cole plays his own instruments, just like his late brother Nat King, but his voice is raspier, smokier, jazzier. The New York Times has hailed him as “the most maturely expressive male jazz singer of his generation, if not the best alive.” He drops by Blues Alley for another weekend run of his seasonal show, “Here for the Holidays.” Thursday, Dec. 14, through Sunday, Dec. 17, at 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $36 to $41, plus $12 minimum purchase. Call 202-337-4141 or visit bluesalley.com.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Two of the area’s great orchestras take on Handel’s monumental Messiah the third weekend in December. Jeannette Sorrell conducts the National Symphony Orchestra version featuring the University of Maryland Concert Choir and soloists Sophie Daneman, Ann McMahon Quintero, Karim Sulayman, and Christopher Immler. Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 1 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org. Meanwhile, Stan Engebretson conducts the National Philharmonic and its Chorale plus soloists Esther Heideman, Yvette Smith, Norman Shankle, and Trevor Scheunemann. Saturday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $28 to $94. Call 301-5815100 or visit strathmore.org.

O.A.R.

Founded two decades ago in Rockville, Of A Revolution continues to stir up audiences both at home and around the country. Singer/guitarist Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, and saxophonist/ guitarist Jerry DePizzo perform altrock tunes in its debut at the area’s gleaming new concert venue on the Wharf. Saturday, Dec. 16. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $45.50 to $75.50. Call 202-265-0930 or visit theanthemdc.com.

SHARAM

One-half of Grammy Awardwinning and D.C.-area production duo Deep Dish, Sharam returns to U Street’s great subterranean club for an open-to-close set in support of Collecti, a new album of original material drawing from the darker sides of techno. Friday, Dec. 15, starting at 10:30 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

THE WASHINGTON CHORUS: A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS

New Artistic Director Christopher Bell directs the annual “A Candlelight Christmas,” featuring the 200-voice chorus singing familiar carols and holiday songs, plus audience sing-alongs and a candlelight processional. The Eleanor Roosevelt High School Chamber Choir and D.C. al Fine will join the chorus. Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21, and Friday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Also Friday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $18 to

$72. Call 202-342-6221 or visit thewashingtonchorus.org.

VOX PULCHRA

A decade ago, a group of 10 female singers formed this unaffiliated offshoot of the 100-voice auditioned community chorus the Capitol Hill Chorale. Vox Pulchra sings an eclectic mix of traditional music from around the world and from across centuries, and next performs a Holiday Concert with music from the U.S., England, Germany, Russia, and Canada accompanied by instrumentalists Howard Bass and Tina Chancey. Sunday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. Corner Store Arts, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE. Tickets are $21. Call 202-544-5807 or visit cornerstorearts.org.

DANCE COYABA DANCE THEATER: KWANZAA CELEBRATION

Sylvia Soumah directs the annual Kwanzaa Celebration at Dance Place featuring the Dance Place Resident Company, its Coyaba Academy, and special guests. The focus is on the seven principles of the African-American holiday. Saturday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 4 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.

STEP AFRIKA!: MAGICAL MUSICAL HOLIDAY STEP SHOW

The local percussive dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping presents its annual holiday step show. The focus is on getting North Pole animals — polar bears, penguins — to step. And all to music by “Frosty the Snowman,” putting the needle on the record as special guest DJ. Opens Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. To Dec. 30. Sprenger Theatre in Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $18 to $40. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

COMEDY THE SECOND CITY: TWIST YOUR DICKENS

The Kennedy Center offers another run of the comedy troupe’s irreverent and interactive parody twist on A Christmas Carol. The largely improvised tale is based on Dickens but adapted by former The Colbert Report writers Peter Gwinn and Bobby Mort. To Dec. 31. Kennedy Center Theater Lab. Tickets are $49 to $75. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

EXHIBITS 10X10 INVITATIONAL

Over 85 regional and national artists are represented in the third annual 10x10 invitational. Every artwork is different, although the same size, and are intended as original holiday gifts, priced at $50 each. The invitational benefits Hyattsville’s Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, located in the historic Arcade building in the Gateway Arts District and featuring a papermaking studio, print shop, letterpress studio, bindery, a darkroom and a woodshop. Closes Sunday, Dec. 17. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville. Call 301-608-9101 or visit pyramidatlanticartcenter.org.

ARLINGTON ARTS CENTER: FALL SOLOS

Seven regional artists are assigned one of the main gallery spaces in the historic Maury School to exhibit a selection of their works in this semi-annual exhibition. Kate Haw, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art, and Mika Yoshitake, assistant curator at the Hirshhorn Museum, were the jurors for the latest round, and they selected an entirely female line-up of artists, many of whom explore themes related to feminism, gender and identity: Mary Baum, Atsuko Chirikjian, Catherine Day, Anna Kell, Jen Noone, Mojdeh Rezaeipour, and Julie Wills. Closes Saturday, Dec. 16. Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Call 703-248-6800 or visit arlingtonartscenter.org.

FOOD & DRINK DRINK THE DISTRICT WINE FESTIVAL: HOLIDAY EDITION

More than 100 wines will be available for tasting at a “Mistletoe & Merlot”-themed iteration of this recurring event. Also on tap will be live music, culinary demonstrations, sommeliers answering questions, and a retail store with bottles for sale and gifts made by D.C. crafters and artisans. Sessions are Friday, Dec. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 16, from 12 to 3 p.m., 4 to 7 p.m., and 8 to 11 p.m. 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. In addition, there’s a non-ticketed Wine Bar on Friday, Dec. 15, from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. The Park View, 3400 Georgia Ave. NW. Tickets are $59 to $99 per session. Call 202-618-3663 or visit drinkthedistrict.com.

HANK’S PASTA BAR: SEASONAL SEVEN FISHES DISH

Chef Jamie Leeds puts her own spin on the celebratory Feast of the Seven Fishes, offering a country-style version of bouillabaisse, a bowl of white wine, herbs, thick tomato sauce and overflowing with seven types of seafood in one place: lump crabmeat, catfish, squid, shrimp,

mussels, clams, and octopus. The stew is served with housemade linguine and available throughout the entire month of December. Located at 600 Montgomery St., Alexandria. Price is $34. Call 571-312-4117 or visit hankspastabar.com.

ABOVE AND BEYOND LIGHTS ON THE BAY

More than 70 animated and stationary displays depicting regional and holiday themes factor into the annual holiday show, featuring a two-mile scenic drive along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. A North Pole Village & Enchanted Fairy Tales is a new edition at this year’s event, a benefit for the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. On display every evening from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. Sandy Point State Park, 1100 E. College Parkway, Annapolis. Admission is $15 per car, or $30 to $50 for larger vans and buses. Visit lightsonthebay.org.

WINTER HOLIDAY SMUT SLAM: TOY JOY!

Chris Griffin’s alter-drag ego Lucrezia Blozia judges a holiday edition of a fun, frisky storytelling event offering prizes for the best story. Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Songbyrd Music House, 2477 18th St. NW. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. Call 202-4502917 or visit songbyrddc.com.

WINTERFEST AT WUNDER GARTEN

The beer garden in NoMa has been transformed for the holidays with twinkly lights and tasty food from a pop-up cafe, s’mores and snuggy blankets around a fire pit and hot holiday beverages — in addition to the usual beers on tap — from mulled wine to whiskey hot toddies to hot apple cider spiked with Stella Cidre and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire. Winterfest also includes a tree lot and a Makers Market with local vendors including Grey Moggie Press, Hernan Gigena Art, Jewelry For Hundred Causes, Mint Lola, Off on a Tangent, Potomac Candle, Shrub District, the Cookie Jar DC, and Tin Tin’s Pieces. And starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16, is Night of a 1000 Santas Costume and DJ Party, when everyone is encouraged to dress as their best version of Santa. Winterfest closes Sunday, Dec. 17. 1101 1st St. NE. Free. Visit winterfestwg.com. l

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

theFeed

(L-R) Franco-Clausen, Chandler, Silver and Valdez

SEEKING TO SERVE

What is motivating more LGBTQ candidates to run — and what’s it going to take to get them elected? By John Riley

URING THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, JOY Silver spent 100 days working in Nevada as a field organizer for Hillary Clinton. “The days were almost 18-hour days,” she says. “I was doing voter registration, making calls, knocking on doors. I was in the war, I felt, for the country’s values.” While Clinton and down-ticket Democrats in Nevada were successful on Election Night, Silver returned to her home in Palm Springs, heartbroken over having “won the battle but lost the war.” “I spent three days staring out the window,” she recalls, “and then I decided, ‘Okay, what’s next?’” Her first move was to begin seeking out other citizens who felt disheartened by the election of President Donald Trump. Silver, a 62-year-old consultant on aging issues, soon became involved with California’s Courage Campaign, a state-based progressive advocacy organization, which asked its members to hold small meetings of “#CourageousResistance” in their living rooms. Silver hosted 17 people at her first meetup. Within six months, more than 1,700 had signed up. Silver next worked with other grassroots organizations on establishing sanctuary cities, passing nondiscrimination ordinances, or lobbying elected officials to support progressive policies. In June, those around her started suggesting that she run for some type of office. She aimed high: her incumbent state senator, Jeff Stone, a Trump-style Republican who opposes many of progressive priorities. Last week, Silver was one of many LGBTQ people who attended the Victory Institute’s International LGBTQ Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Held annually, it’s designed to encourage LGBTQ people to run for office and help push for pro-equality policies. Unlike some, Silver came to the conference with prior campaign experience from her time as a field organizer, and it’s something that will come in handy as she seeks to increase her name recognition around the district and convince voters that she is the best candidate to replace Stone. “I bring a lot of skills, not just hard skills of running budgets and operating large organizations, but the skill of bringing

together people with diverse opinions,” Silver says. “I have a strong voice, and I can be the person who says what needs to be said and gets things done.” Shay Franco-Clausen, a 42-year-old candidate for the San Jose City Council, has already been through Victory candidate training, a four-day intensive workshop offering realistic campaign simulations. “Victory is very rigorous,” she says. “They train you so hard, and then teach you application right after. They give you a real look at what campaigning is like, and ask you, ‘Is this for you?’ You’ve got to know your marketing, your field operations, your demographic, your opponent’s weaknesses.” Under the rules of California’s primary, Franco-Clausen must be one of the top two vote-getters on June 5 in order to earn a spot on the general election ballot. She aims to knock on 12,000 doors. She also plans to take advantage of free media and stay engaged with voters through social media. Like Silver, many LGBTQ candidates found themselves drawn into politics after advocating for issues close to their heart. For Alex Valdez, a 36-year-old Denver resident who serves as the president of a residential solar company, the impetus was advocating for renewable energy at the state level. “My first foray into politics was really focused around the fact that we needed a seat at the table for renewables,” says Valdez, “and on my desire to see accessibility expanded for renewable energy to people that are disabled, elderly and poor. As I’ve started to get out there in the community, I’ve learned so much more about what’s going on and that there are a lot of other issues that need an advocate.” Running for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives, Valdez says the best thing he can do as a candidate — and representative, should he be successful — is to listen. “People who run for office a lot of times talk a lot, but I think the most important thing we can do is listen and hear the concerns of everybody that lives in the district. It’s my job to take their concerns to the statehouse and ensure that I am advocating for the things that matter to my community.” For Alexandra Chandler, of Haverhill, Mass., the oppor-

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

theFeed tunity to become the country’s first openly transgender congressperson presented itself with the retirement of Democratic U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, leaving the seat for Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District open. Chandler, who served as a Naval intelligence analyst for the past 13 years, recently moved back to her home state from Washington, D.C. with her wife and two children. She had thought of getting involved in politics at a local level by supporting other candidates, when, in a surprise development, Tsongas announced she would not run for re-election. “I will say that I am the cliché of the woman candidate that has to be asked many times before they consider a run, because I did not automatically think of doing this,” she says. “I had people who came to me, saying, ‘You have things to offer, you should run.’ “Fundamentally, the real argument that resonated with me is this: I had spent my life working on some of the toughest challenges that this country faces, in areas where inaction, or just yelling at each other, is not an option.” She points to the struggles that District residents have faced

with unemployment and underemployment, the rising costs of healthcare, and opioid addiction as key issues that will inform her campaign — concerns she hears echoed at every local community meeting she attends. Chandler recently received key endorsements that should provide her campaign a boost, including Tsongas’ former Washington office director and the Trans United Fund, a political action committee that has backed other successful transgender candidates for office, including Virginia Delegate-elect Danica Roem and Minneapolis City Council members Phillipe Cunningham and Andrea Jenkins. But Chandler is not just relying on endorsements to stand out from the crowded field of candidates seeking the seat. “It’s going to come down to the organizing, the field game, knocking on doors,” she says. “Which fortunately, I love. Victory Fund training really emphasizes this. So I’m fortunate that I am well prepared to do it technically via training, but also well prepared, in that I just love talking to people and hearing their stories.” l

VILE COMPARISON

Anti-gay Republican compares homosexuality to pedophilia during debate. By John Riley

ORMER OKLAHOMA CITY MAYOR KIRK Humphreys (R.) shocked LGBTQ organizations, viewers at home and his Democratic opponent by comparing gay men to pedophiles during a debate. Humphreys, who is also a member of the University of Oklahoma’s Board of Regents, was appearing on KFOR’s Flash Point opposite state Rep. Emily Virgin (D.) to discuss the upcoming special session of the Oklahoma legislature. But it was during a conversation about sexual assault allegations against Minnesota Sen. Al Franken and President Donald Trump when Humphreys dropped a homophobic bomb that left Virgin momentarily speechless. While debating the contrasts between Democrats and Republicans in their response to the allegations, Humphreys stopped Virgin and said, “Let me get this straight. You’re asserting that there is a right and wrong?” “Correct,” Virgin responded. Humphreys then brought up Barney Frank, suggesting Virgin was defending the openly gay former Congressman. Caught off guard, Virgin said she had never defended him, prompting moderator Kevin Ogle to ask what Frank had done. “Is homosexuality right or wrong? It’s not relative,” Hunphreys said. “There’s a right and wrong. You just said it. So it’s either right or wrong. And if it’s okay, then it’s okay for everybody. And quite frankly, it’s okay for men to sleep with little boys, if it’s okay.” Virgin, stunned at Humphrey’s words, stared at him for a moment, before saying, “I’m unclear on what Barney Frank did, other than being a homosexual.” She gave Humphreys a chance to clarify whether Frank has been accused of anything, to which he reiterated his “right or wrong” argument. He then mentioned Ralph Shortey, the disgraced Republican “family values” state senator, who pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking after being found in a motel room with a 17-year-old boy.

“That was consensual,” Humphreys said. “But it was with a kid.” “Children cannot consent,” Virgin retorted. “All I’m saying is there’s a right and a wrong,” Humphreys added. Virgin replied, “I don’t think that homosexuality is wrong,” to which Humphreys said, “Well, I do.” Humphreys quickly came under harsh criticism for his comments from LGBTQ advocates, Oklahoma University board members, other politicians, and even his son, Blair Humphreys, a real estate developer, who called his father’s words “hurtful and unfair,” according to the Associated Press. Humphreys later apologized, telling The Oklahoman via text that he didn’t mean to equate “homosexuality and pedophilia.” “That was not my intention or desire,” Humphreys said. “I apologize for my lack of clarity and realize this has resulted in a strong reaction by some and has hurt people’s feelings. For clarification, my moral stance about homosexuality is that it is against the teachings of Scripture.” In a Facebook post acknowledging that she was “completely caught off guard” by his words, Virgin called Humphreys’ comments “disgusting, offensive, and just plain wrong.” LGBTQ advocacy group Freedom Oklahoma called for Humphreys to resign from the Board of Regents and his position as chairman of the board of John Rex Charter Elementary School in Oklahoma City. “To compare gay men — and specifically Congressman Barney Frank — to pedophiles and sexual predators is a step way too far,” Executive Director Troy Stevenson said in a statement. “LGBTQ youth are subjected to horrific harassment, intimidation, and bullying on a daily basis, and having bias and hate validated by a public official and leader like Mayor Humphreys is disheartening and frankly dangerous.” l

Scene

The Victory Fund’s Women Out to Win at Republic Restoratives Friday, December 8 • Photography by Ward Morrison See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DECEMBER 14, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

Community THURSDAY, Dec. 14

411, Takoma Park, Md. To set up an appointment or for more information, call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park, 301-422-2398.

Weekly Events ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH

METROHEALTH CENTER

offers free HIV testing and HIV services (by appointment). 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center, 1400 Decatur St. NW. To arrange an appointment, call 202-291-4707, or visit andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

offers free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. To arrange an appointment, call 202-6380750.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB practice

DC FRONT RUNNERS run-

ning/walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at 7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features mainstream through advanced square dancing at the National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org. DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice. The team is always looking for new members. All welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St. SW. For more information, visit scandalsrfc.org or dcscandals@gmail.com.

THE DULLES TRIANGLES

Northern Virginia social group meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston. All welcome. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar. For more information, visit dullestriangles.com.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-

Walker Health. 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and from 2-5 p.m. at 1525 14th St. NW, and 9 a.m-12 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. at the Max Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE. For an appointment call 202-745-7000 or visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITY offers free and

confidential HIV testing at two separate locations. Walkins accepted from 2-6 p.m., by appointment for all other hours. 414 East Diamond Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite

JULIAN VANKIM

session at Takoma Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

STI TESTING at Whitman-

Pendarvis

VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE

“Taking the Stage, Taking a Stand” open mike night uplifts the stories of queer people affected by violence.

he open mike night is a way of bringing LGBTQ artists together to have a voice, to stand up for change, to stand against the injustices happening to the community,” says Rayceen Pendarvis, host of “Taking the Stage, Taking a Stand: LGBTQ Voices Against Violence.” Held at Busboys and Poets, the event, sponsored by The DC Center and the DC Anti-Violence Project, is meant to be cathartic, allowing victims and their allies to share stories of how violence has impacted them through spoken word, poetry, singing, or performance art. The evening is intended to serve as a culmination to a three-day weekend dedicated to standing against violence. On Saturday, Dec. 16, from 1 to 5 p.m., The DC Center hosts “End Violence Against Sex Workers.” The event will honor those sex workers who have lost their lives, as well as explore the intersection between sex work and marginalized populations. On Sunday, select churches in the District will hold services calling for an end to hate violence. “Everyone has a voice, and everyone is welcome to come to the stage to share their stories, to share their talents,” says Pendarvis. “Whether you’re a victim, or know someone who’s a victim, everyone is affected by violence, so all of our voices matter.” —John Riley “Taking the Stage, Taking a Stand: LGBTQ Voices Against Violence” is Monday, Dec. 18 from 7-9 p.m. at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to sign up to perform. For more information, or to reserve a spot, email Sam Goodwin at samantha@thedccenter.org. For more information on “End Violence Against Sex Workers” and other programming from the anti-violence weekend, visit thedccenter.org.

Walker Health. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-3 p.m. at both 1525 14th St. NW and the Max Robinson Center, 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. Testing is intended for those without symptoms. For an appointment call 202-745-7000 or visit whitman-walker.org.

US HELPING US hosts a

Narcotics Anonymous Meeting. The group is independent of UHU. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. For more information, call 202-446-1100.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young LBTQ

women, 13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. For more information, call 202-567-3163, or email catherine.chu@smyal.org.

FRIDAY, Dec. 15 GAY DISTRICT, a group for

GBTQQI men between the ages of 18-35, meets on the first and third Fridays of each month. 8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit gaydistrict.org. Join The DC Center for its

HOLIDAY GAME NIGHT, fea-

turing board and card games and a chance to socialize with other people from the LGBTQ community. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events BET MISHPACHAH, founded

by members of the LGBT community, holds Friday evening Shabbat services in the DC Jewish Community Center’s Community Room. 8 p.m. 1529 16th St. NW. For more information, visit betmish.org.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-

tice session at Howard University. 6:30-8 p.m. Burr Gymnasium, 2400 6th St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-

affirming social group for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW. Contact Tamara, 202-3190422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides a social atmosphere for LGBT and questioning youth, featuring dance parties, vogue nights, movies and games. For more info, email catherine.chu@smyal.org.

SATURDAY, Dec. 16 ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 11 strenuous miles in Prince William Forest Park near Quantico, Va. Carpool at 9 a.m. from East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot. Bring beverages, lunch, sturdy boots, layered clothes, and about $10 for fees. Contact Jackson, 410422-9257 or visit adventuring.org. CHRYSALIS arts & culture group

heads into southern Maryland to see the remains of the Ghost Fleet of World War I in the Potomac River. Carpool at 10 a.m. from the King Street Metro Station. Contact Craig, 202-462-0535 or craighowell1@verizon.net.

END VIOLENCE AGAINST SEX WORKERS is a community event

to commemorate the lives of sex workers that have been lost due to violence and to advocate for an end to the violence that sex workers disproportionately face. The event will also honor local trans women of color who are doing amazing work on behalf of the community. 1-5 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit end-violence.squarespace.com.

KHUSH DC, the group for LGBTQ

South Asians, hosts a monthly meeting at The DC Center. 1:30-3 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit facebook.com/khushdc.

The DC Center hosts a monthly LGBT ASYLEES SUPPORT MEETING AND DINNER for LGBT refugees and asylum seekers. 5-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-

tice session at Montgomery College Aquatics Club. 8:30-10 a.m. 7600 Takoma Ave., Takoma, Md. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

ners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route distance will be 3-6 miles. Walker meet at 9:30 a.m. and runners at 10 a.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for

LGBT community, family and friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

SUNDAY, Dec. 17 ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes several miles on Sugarloaf Mountain near Frederick, Md., to celebrate the return of the sun as part of its Solstice Poetry Hike. Carpool at 10 a.m. from the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station, Bring beverages, lunch, sturdy boots, layered clothes, a short poem to read during lunch at scenic overlook, and a few dollars for fees. Contact Jeff, 301-775-9660 or visit adventuring.org. Volunteers are needed to help with CASA RUBY’S MONTHLY DINNER. Held on the third Sunday of each month, in conjunction with The DC Center, the event provides a hot meal to those housed at Casa Ruby. Homemade or store bought meals welcome. 7-8 p.m. Casa Ruby, 3530 Georgia Ave. NW. For more information, contact lamar@ thedccenter.org, jon@thedccenter. org, or visit casaruby.org.

Weekly Events LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS

MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a

practice session at Wilson Aquatic Center. 9:30-11 a.m. 4551 Fort Dr. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route will be a distance run of 8, 10 or 12 miles. Meet at 9 a.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

DIGNITYUSA offers Roman

Catholic Mass for the LGBT community. All welcome. Sign interpreted. 6 p.m. St. Margaret’s Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave. NW. For more info, visit dignitywashington.org.

walking/social club welcomes run-

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

community, holds its monthly meeting at The DC Center. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes GLBT commu-

Weekly Events

welcomes all to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW. firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

nity for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old Telegraph Road, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT GROUP for gay men living in the

DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a

practice session at Dunbar Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

DC metro area. This group will be meeting once a month. For information on location and time, visit H2gether.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW. For more information, email getequal.wdc@gmail.com.

Join LINCOLN

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY (K.I.) SERVICES, 3333 Duke St.,

CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE – UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST for

an inclusive, loving and progressive faith community every Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW, near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted) and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-7373, mccdc.com.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,

a Christ-centered, interracial, welcoming-and-affirming church, offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THE INCARNATION, an “interra-

cial, multi-ethnic Christian Community” offers services in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING

invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to join the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave. uucss.org.

MONDAY, Dec. 18 Join The DC Center and the DC Anti-Violence Project for the latest edition of TAKING THE STAGE,

TAKING A STAND: LGBTQ VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE,

featuring spoken word, poetry, and artistic performances focused on uplifting the voices and stories of LGBTQ people who have been targeted by violence. Hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis. 7-9 p.m. Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. To sign up, or for more information, email Sam Goodwin, samantha@thedccenter.org. The Metro D.C. chapter of PFLAG, a support group for parents, family members and allies of the LGBTQ

Alexandria, offers free “rapid” HIV testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 703-823-4401.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467. The DC Center hosts COFFEE

DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000

14th St. NW. For more information, call 202-682-2245 or visit thedccenter.org.

US HELPING US hosts a black gay

men’s evening affinity group for GBT black men. Light refreshments provided. 7-9 p.m. 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9

p.m. Newcomers with at least basic swimming ability always welcome. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, contact Tom, 703-299-0504 or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP

for newly diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671, hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.

TUESDAY, Dec. 19 CENTER BI, a group of The DC Center, hosts a monthly roundtable discussion around issues of bisexuality. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedccenter.org. Queer-identifying women who have survived violent or traumatic experiences and are looking for support are invited to take part in a bi-weekly QUEER WOMEN

WORKING THROUGH TRAUMA GROUP at The DC Center.

Participants are encouraged to do an intake assessment with moderator and social worker Sam Goodwin. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St.

NW, Suite 105. For more information, email Sam at samantha@ thedccenter.org.

THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE DC CENTER hosts a “Packing

Party,” where volunteers assemble safe-sex kits of condoms and lube. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events DC AQUATICS CLUB practice

session at Takoma Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at 7 p.m. at Union Station. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice. The team is always looking for new members. All welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St. SW. For more information, visit scandalsrfc.org or dcscandals@gmail. com.

THE GAY MEN’S HEALTH COLLABORATIVE offers free

HIV testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St. 703746-4986 or text 571-214-9617. james.leslie@inova.org.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS

— LGBT focused meeting every Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from Virginia Square Metro. For more info. call Dick, 703-5211999. Handicapped accessible. Newcomers welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.

STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker

Health. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at both 1525 14th St. NW and the Max Robinson Center, 2301 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. Testing is intended for those without symptoms. For an appointment call 202-745-7000 or visit whitman-walker.org.

Support group for LGBTQ youth ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL. 5-6:30 p.m. 410 7th St. SE. For more information, contact Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, or catherine.chu@ smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a support

group for black gay men 40 and older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

Whitman-Walker Health holds its weekly GAY MEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS/STD CLINIC. Patients are seen on walk-in basis. No-cost screening for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis and herpes testing available for fee. Testing starts at 6 p.m, but should arrive early to ensure a spot. 1525 14th St. NW. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20 BOOKMEN DC, an informal men’s gay-literature group, discusses “Gay Directors, Gay Films: Pedro Almodovar, Terence Davies, Todd Haynes, Gus Van Sant, John Waters” by Emanuel Levy. All are welcome. 7:30 p.m. The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit bookmendc.blogspot.com. The TOM DAVOREN SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB meets for Social Bridge at the Dignity Center, across from the Marine Barracks. No partner needed. 7:30 p.m. 721 8th St. SE. Call 301-345-1571 for more information.

Weekly Events AD LIB, a group for freestyle con-

versation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m., Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.

FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a group for LGBT people looking to quit cigarettes and tobacco use, holds a weekly support meeting at The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org. HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH

offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N. Washington St., Alexandria. 703549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job entrants and seekers, meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more info, centercareers.org.

STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Love, Their Way

Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, screenwriter James Ivory, and costar Michael Stuhlbarg talk about making the ultimate gay romance.

N DIRECTOR LUCA GUADAGNINO’S LUSHLY beautiful Call Me By Your Name, the budding romance between teenager Elio and 24-year old graduate student Oliver blossoms with delectable slowness. Set in Italy during the summer of 1983, the film, adapted from André Aciman’s 2007 novel, depicts the young men growing closer as Oliver spends the season assisting Elio’s father Samuel, a history professor. Sparked primarily by Elio’s intellectual and sexual curiosity, he and Oliver enjoy a sun-dappled summer of swimming holes and apricot groves, of flirting over Bach and Liszt, and bonding over their shared Jewish faith. Guadagnino, who directed and co-wrote the award-winning drama I Am Love, draws the audience into the warmth of the setting, and the tension of mounting attraction, by allowing shots and scenes to unfold in gorgeously composed long takes. A master at conveying — then shifting — perspective, he uses the camera to encourage identification with Elio, portrayed by newcomer Timothée Chalamet, while also accentuating the character’s beauty and classical features, referenced in the bronze statues that Oliver and Samuel dredge up from the sea. The light of inspiration radiates throughout the film, and Guadagnino’s passion for the source material is reflected as much in the director’s own words as it is on screen. “I love the book,” he says, “I love the characters, and I love the cast that I put together.” The cast includes Armie Hammer as Oliver and Michael Stuhlbarg as Elio’s perceptive, gentle father. 26

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

By André Hereford Love is the key word. Filmed among towering pines and winding lanes in a landscape whose beauty charms even on a rainy day, Call Me By Your Name is an utterly alluring love story. It’s a movie that earns its spot on the distinguished list of great summer romances, a list that might also include another slow-burning book-to-screen romance, also set in Italy: A Room with a View, directed by James Ivory. One-half of the legendary Merchant-Ivory Productions partnership, Ivory wrote the screenplay for Call Me By Your Name, and recognizes some similarities between the film and another classic Merchant-Ivory film, the gay-themed drama Maurice. “Both films have something very much in common,” says Ivory. “Both of them are romantic stories, which is why so many women like both films. I mean, Maurice is a film that women liked very, very much because it’s romantic and has a happy ending.... Call Me By Your Name [might have] equally a large, appreciative women’s audience.” In fact, the film has found appreciative audiences at major film festivals from Sundance to Berlin to Toronto, and has already garnered a number of critics’ prizes and three Golden Globe nominations. Following the surprise Best Picture Oscar for last year’s rapturously received Moonlight, the film now is generating steady Oscar buzz, especially for Chalamet and

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Hammer’s superb performances. But the movie’s success at the box office won’t depend only on awards and critics, or the romance-loving female audience. Men, gay or straight, also can appreciate a moving love story. And this story in particular might strike a chord with many queer people, of whatever gender, as it depicts a relationship between a 17-year old and a slightly older man that will be familiar to some as a gay rite of passage ingrained in Western culture since the ancient Greeks. Elio isn’t the first, and won’t be the last, young man to experience his sexual awakening at the hands of an older man, and to look on the experience with fondness. Given societal conventions of the past few centuries, adolescents who might be inclined towards same-sex attraction generally have had few opportunities to explore such feelings with a peer, without fear of reprimand, rejection or even condemnation. Enter the older man, someone like Oliver, sensitive and self-assured, a model of the confidence that results from knowing oneself. In Call Me By Your Name, Oliver leads Elio in a subtle game of seduction, yet it’s the younger man who must decide to act on their mutual desire.

In one already famous scene, Elio watches Oliver on a dance floor, lost in the reverie of the Psychedelic Furs’ hit “Love My Way.” After a moment, the teen joins the object of his desire on the dance floor and loses himself in much the same trance. Quite clearly, he’s discovered something, too. “I wanted to have a sort of hymn for the two of them,” says Guadagnino. “And also something that could resonate on Oliver, and show without telling the powerful necessity that Oliver has to lose himself in his emotions. And ‘Love my Way’ is a testament of that.” Evocative of ’80s romance and heartbreak, the song fits the pair perfectly, while also expressing a more personal feeling of the director’s. “I remember this song from when I was a kid, as well,” Guadagnino continues. “And so for me it was an homage to my memory of music, and to the Psychedelic Furs themselves, and it was very timely for the characters.” He admits his own experiences as “a very restrained kid”

don’t entirely match up with Elio’s. “I was like Elio, watching people dancing, but unlike Elio, I never jumped onto the dance floor.” Elio, on the other hand, recognizes a kindred spirit, and responds to the attention and tutelage of his family’s houseguest as a means towards self-discovery. His awakening is the heartbeat of Guadagnino’s film, which the director describes as, “a movie about the capacity of accepting the other in his or her otherness. This is a movie in which you see the transformative quality of the people that interact with one another for the best.” Indeed, the pair’s summer romance is presented in the most ideal terms. Notably, Elio and Oliver’s love blooms right under the noses of Elio’s father and mother, who appear not only aware

but entirely supportive of their son’s journey. As understanding a dad as any queer kid is likely to find, Samuel delivers in the film’s final act one of the most beautifully written father-son conversations ever committed to screen. Co-star Michael Stuhlbarg, wonderful in the role of Samuel, sees the scholarly, understanding father as a sort of ideal parent. “He seems to be liberal and present, conscientious and loving,” he says. “He seems to have a great sense of humor and a great passion for what he does in his life. And I think he gets a huge delight out of where his son is in his life right now. “I think with Elio being on the verge of manhood, [Sam] seems to be getting a kick out of some of the things that he’s going through, yet at the same time he remains both generous DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

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and present if Elio needs him. He just seems to be a good parent, from at least my perspective.” The film has stirred up controversy among those who take issue with the lovers’ age difference, and it’s clear that not every viewer will share Stuhlbarg’s view. And, as the brief romance will almost certainly have long-lasting effects on Elio and his family, some might insist that the teen’s parents should be more involved, or more protective. Stuhlbarg favors another view. “At least in this case, I don’t think Professor Perlman wants to protect Elio. I think he has a sense that Elio has gone through something profound, and I

“It’s not a political statement. This was a romance. Maurice, too, was a romance. In this day and age, I CAN’T IMAGINE THERE BEING A BIG REACTION TO IT THAT’S NEGATIVE IN ANY SORT OF MORAL WAY.”

— James Ivory

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

think he’s been encouraging him not to push those feelings — those deep feelings — away.” And if such feelings should lead to heartbreak? “I think it’s really impossible to protect your children against things,” he says. “You can do the best you can, but in the end, especially as they get older, they’re going to do what they will, and I think it’s enough to be present in their lives. I think [Sam] saw something growing and he remained present, but not intrusive in terms of their getting to know each other. I think he felt probably that it was none of his business, but he also wanted to be present for his son if his son needed to ask him anything, or needed him.” Although both Guadagnino and Ivory downplay any potential controversy, or political statement one might infer, it happens that the film’s release coincides with a cultural moment that’s fraught with partisan tensions. In the midst of these stark divisions between so-called liberal and conservative values, issues of sexuality and sexual expression have been further inflamed by harassment and assault scandals of every stripe. Even when a creator has no intention of being political, it seems inevitable that someone will manage to politicize their work. Yet Ivory, for one, fully resists such thinking in reference to Call Me By Your Name. “It’s not a political statement,” he says. “I’ve made political statements in some of my movies but I don’t make them in this movie or Maurice. This was a romance. Maurice, too, was a romance. Moonlight was also romance. I mean, in this day and age, at least in this country, I can’t imagine there being a big reaction to it that’s negative in any sort of moral way. This is unimaginable to me. We’ve come a long way since Maurice, right?” Unfortunately, there’s plenty of evidence that progress for LGBTQ citizens in the U.S., and for LGBTQ cinema in general, still encounters fierce resistance from anti-gay groups and other cultural conservatives. Guadagnino might be equally as sanguine as Ivory about impending reaction to the film upon its wider release, but he’s somewhat more assertive about the film’s politics, either implied or explicit.

“If I have to think of this movie as political, maybe its politics lies in the fact that this is a movie about compassion. It’s political in that it says to whomever sees it that CALL ME BY YOUR NAME BELIEVES IN BUILDING BRIDGES INSTEAD OF WALLS.”

— Luca Guadagnino

“I think every film is political in one way or another,” he says. “If I have to think of this movie as political, maybe its politics lies in the fact that this is a movie about compassion. It’s political in that it says to whomever sees it that Call Me by Your Name believes in building bridges instead of walls.” In the present national and global environment, that certainly qualifies as a political statement. But searching for polemics in a lovely tale of a boy entering manhood is to ignore the film’s elegant storytelling and dazzling craftsmanship. From the graceful cinematography and production design, to original music supplied by singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, the film’s predominant statement is one of being open to love. The sensual details create an enveloping world, where even the sexual suggestion

of a piece of dripping wet fruit lands with an impact that’s both powerful and delicate. It’s a profound directorial achievement that the consummation of Elio and Oliver’s romance manages to be explicit, yet entirely subtle. Fresh from completing production on Call Me By Your Name, Guadagnino jumped right into his next project, a much-anticipated remake of Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria. As horror fans wait with bated breath for that film, Guadagnino, along with his Call Me cast and collaborators, can bask in the near-universal admiration of their work. “To be honest, when you do a movie, you do a movie. And you try to make your best, but you don’t necessarily foresee how this movie’s gonna behave in the world, how this movie will be welcomed by people. To have seen the growing enthusiasm from audiences in festivals, and now in theaters from people, it’s riveting, it’s humbling. It’s something that makes you understand, that [you] always strive for the best in a very methodical way, but again, you can’t predict a reaction. You can only hope for being able to open yourself, and communicate to people.” Add to that glowing response the growing list of accolades and enthusiastic reviews, and it would appear that Guadagnino and company accomplished their mission. There hasn’t been a screen romance quite like Call Me By Your Name, but like any love story it asks a viewer to enter willing to fall a little bit in love. For those who’ll take that leap, the movie more than fulfills its promise. l Call Me By Your Name opens Friday, Dec. 15 at the Landmark E Street Cinema, Landmark Bethesda Row, Arclight Bethesda, AMC Shirlington, and Angelika Mosaic. Visit landmarktheatres.com or Fandango.com.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Personal Journey In Draw the Circle, playwright Mashuq Deen mines universal truths from his intensely personal story. Interview by André Hereford Photography by Stan Barouh

ASHUQ MUSHTAQ DEEN’S JOURNEY TOWARDS self-acceptance and empowerment — coming out first to himself, then to his traditional Indian Muslim family — was marked by extreme challenges, including a bout with suicidal depression and a harrowing sexual assault at the hands of a cis straight man. Like many artists, the proud trans man, managed to heal by turning to his art. In his outstanding solo play, Draw the Circle, currently at Mosaic Theater in a production directed by the highly esteemed Chay Yew, Deen explores the struggle of his transition with a unique slant. Performing an impressive array of characters, based on his real-life circle of family, friends, his partner, and even his rapist, Deen puts in perspective some universal truths to be mined from his intensely personal story. And yet, he never appears in the play as himself. Deen and Yew create a world in which everyone from Deen’s 73-year-old father to his eight-year-old niece has a voice in depicting their collective experience of his transition. Employing only Deen’s voice and body to assume each character — with an

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

assist from well-considered lighting, a few projected titles, and a single chair — Draw the Circle conveys a wealth of humanity, comedy, pain, and heart. And Deen credits his director for the play’s sparse, but entirely effective staging. As the Brooklyn-based artist continues to develop future works with the New Dramatists theatre collective, and prepare for upcoming engagements of Draw the Circle in New York and Philadelphia, he took time to consider where he is now, and how far he and his family have come. METRO WEEKLY: Something in the play that really hits home was a simple line of dialogue, “You worry when you’re with a butch.” The fear factor is something that you confront head-on, dealing with your own sexual assault. And also performing the character who perpetrates the assault. Why the choice of performing everyone in the circle around you, but not you? MASHUQ MUSHTAQ DEEN: A couple of reasons. Artistically, if I’m gonna write a play I’m gonna be with this play for years. It takes a very long time from writing a play to getting onstage, and

you’re with these characters for a long time. And I felt like I had already lived it, so me just putting it down on paper felt redundant. Like, what was I gonna learn from it? It was really interesting to me to follow the journeys of these other people and see their struggles. And I did understand things that I hadn’t before. For instance, I always had lived in this place where I thought my parents are ashamed of me, and it really hurt and it pissed me off and it’s all these things that enter the writing of the play. [But] I realized that my parents were also really — maybe more so — were more afraid for me, and were trying to protect me in the ways that they knew how, and those ways hurt. But it didn’t mean that they weren’t trying to protect me. They’re Muslims, immigrants, in this country. They don’t tell people. They don’t march in parades and tell people. That’s what they know. So I learned that. MW: But, in a sense, because you’ve scripted them, these people are still being judged. How have they responded to it? DEEN: I mean, it’s always through me the filter, right? So I’ve chosen what words to put in their mouths. But I hope that if I’ve done my job as a writer that there’s no bad guy, and I hope that I was harder on myself than I was on everybody else. And I do hope that you come away from the play really feeling for, and loving, my parents. Not feeling like, “They were bad people. They treated him wrong.” I want you to feel like, “God, they like really came a long way from where they started and that’s kind of amazing,” even though maybe they didn’t get all the way there by the end of the play. But it is true, I’m the writer. I get to be God in this project. I make all the final decisions. But I have done my best, I think, to really live in their experience and be as truthful as I can. And my family hasn’t seen this play, so I don’t know what they think. MW: What about your partner? Is she portrayed in the character of Molly in the show? DEEN: Her actual name’s Liz. But yeah, that’s her and she’s seen it many, many times, and she actually gave me her journals from the time of when I was transitioning, and so I used her poem. Also, [Molly’s] last monologue about how we’re gonna grow old together and parent some children, and children change. That is lifted mostly from her journals. She’s really supportive of it. The thing that she always says that annoys her is that when she’s in the audience, people will say, “Oh, my God. You’re so amazing. How did you stay at it?”

And she finds that a really frustrating question, as if it’s like she was doing a bit of charity for me. And she’ll always say, “You know, I always knew I wasn’t gonna leave. I just had to sort of come to terms with what it meant for me.” And I didn’t know that. I thought she was for sure gonna leave, but she said she was never gonna leave. That wasn’t ever part of her process. So she’s seen it. Her parents have seen it multiple times. My

brother-in-law, who’s depicted in the play, he’s seen it and loves it. I think it would be really hard for my family, though, on multiple levels. One, my parents don’t know about the rape, and so I would have to sit down and talk to them, and I don’t want them to find out in a crowded theater. And it’s a little too close to home for them, they said, “You know we’re proud of you and we’re glad it’s out in the world, and people should see it, but we’re not DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

gonna see this.” Well, we’ll see how this goes because if not, I’ll just kill myself MW: Have you had reaction from other parents who have seen the and that will be that.” show? And then, in the end, people surprised me. My friends surDEEN: I had a parent write to me. She said, after the play — she prised me. And my family did not surprise me. But they took saw it with her son who was 15 or 16 — they went away and had a long time, and then eventually they came around, but it took a long conversation about what does it mean to want your par- a long time. But [Liz] was great and stayed with me. And her ents’ acceptance? What does it mean to be your own person? Are family was great. you afraid of disappointing people, this and that? And I thought, MW: How has this show evolved since you premiered it, and do you that’s the best compliment, that you would go away and have this think it’s going to continue to evolve? conversation that I bet most parents and kids just don’t have. I DEEN: Since the first reading back in 2010, we’ve changed some things, but not in the last few years. It’s pretty much set the way mean, who wants to disappoint their parents? MW: But you also want to know that your choices can be okay. it is. The one thing we changed this year, besides little dramaDEEN: And that they would love you. That they said it was turgical tweaks here and there for clarity, was the scrolling list unconditional, so that means like, “Whoever I am. Whatever’s of names at the end [of murdered trans individuals]. I mean, just truthful, you’ll still love me, right?” to know that the last three years, every year has been worse than MW: Do you consider coming out an ongoing thing? Or is there a the last. And 2017 is already worse than 2016. We’re not finished with it yet. And I think if I make a change before New York, it’ll moment of, “I did it. I’ve made it to the top of this mountain.” DEEN: Well, I think there’s probably be to update “I feel like we’re actually segregating out into a women coming out to yourself and that 2017 list, because and men scenario, which for me, I find really difficult, then there’s coming out to we’ve already lost two the world around you. And more since we started because I feel like I’m both. But BECAUSE NOW I’M IN A I think, in terms of my sexthe show, in at least the MAN’S BODY, I FEEL LIKE I uality, I felt like coming out three weeks since I put SHOULD BE QUIET AND to myself, it was like the light that list together. NOT SAY ANYTHING.” bulb went off and I was like, MW: Do you feel that the “Oh. That’s what I am.” I high incidence of sexhadn’t realized it for a realual assault and harassly long time, even though I ment that trans men and think many people around women face is getting lost me had. I figured it out. in this “Me Too” moment? But I think with the genOr is it being included? der stuff it was harder. One, DEEN: I don’t think so. because I really fought it. I I mostly feel like we’re mean, I had been assaulted. actually segregating out I knew many people who into a women and men had been assaulted and I was scenario, which for me, really afraid I would become one of these bad men. I could not I find really difficult, because I feel like I’m both. But because face that for a long time. There were lots of signs over a decade now I’m in a man’s body, I feel like I should be quiet and not say of the slow progression there. anything. And then, even when I think I did understand that I was MW: You feel culpable just being male? transgender, I was like, “Okay, but butches just are inherently DEEN: Yeah. I feel like we’re not critiquing the patriarchy. I transgender, so I don’t have to do anything, right?” And then mean, the thing is, I am not surrounded by those men, so I realize it was like, once you’d opened the door to see something about that when people are talking about those men, I literally don’t yourself, I wanted to close it and I couldn’t close the door again. have them in my life, because I live in the theater world. I just And I can only imagine a part of that was because I thought I don’t see these people. And so it’s very real. But I think we are would lose friends. I thought I would lose my family. I didn’t using this brush to say all men. I wish there was some room for know how dangerous it was gonna be. I remembered the a nuanced conversation about the gray areas, and that there was Brandon Teena thing when it happened. I remember working some talking about sexual violence and harassment in general on that documentary before the film came out. I was like, “I’m that men also face. The dichotomizing of men and women is gonna get murdered in the bathroom.” Like this is what my life leaving out lots of people who exist in the middle and who are was gonna be. also getting harassed all the time. And this person that I love dearly is gonna leave me, because MW: You mentioned in the play, portraying Molly, that you want every story I’d ever heard is that if you transition, your partner some way to let people know that, ”We look like a straight couple, will leave. But then I kept, I think, backing myself into a corner. but we’re not.” I keep getting to this place where it’s, “Well, I can kill myself or DEEN: We’re not. Neither of us ever identified as lesbian and I could try this thing which seems really scary. I guess I’ll try the neither of us ever identified as straight. We’re both interested thing, because I can kill myself later.” Like, “I might as well.” in people. And it just so happens that the person that I’ve met And I feel like that’s the way I kind of forced myself to make the is her. l decision. MW: Take a baby step. Draw the Circle runs in repertory with The Real Americans DEEN: Yeah. And sometimes people say, “You’re so brave,” and through December 24 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 I was like, “It doesn’t feel brave.” I just felt like I put myself in H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $65. Call 202-399-7993, ext. 2, or visit a position where I had no choice, and then I just said, “Alright. MosaicTheater.org. 32

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DISNEY

Movies

Mind-blowing Force

The Last Jedi is a spectacular, intense ride that tugs at your emotions and dazzles your senses. By Randy Shulman

NLY ONE THING BOTHERED ME WHILE WATCHING STAR WARS: THE Last Jedi, the eighth installment in a series that blazed onto screens in 1977 and 40 years later is, improbably, stronger than ever: why don’t they have transporters? How is it possible that, among all these alien species, not one has invented technology that just “beams” someone (or thing) out of harm’s way? It would save a lot of time. Then again, who needs to save time when you’re having this much fun wondering how a stranded hero will be rescued from an exploding ship? Of course, this isn’t Star Trek, and, perhaps more importantly, the Star Wars saga isn’t set in the future, but “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” Those familiar opening words are Pavlovian at this point, and they set our inner-child alight, and we settle in for a ride like none other. Oh, and what a ride it is, The Last Jedi (HHHHH). To be honest, Star Wars has always been less about cold, hard tech and more about the personal. Even the droids, with their assorted bleeps and bloops, seem to have souls. Like so many classic stories, Star Wars explores the relationship between good and evil, but with Last Jedi, the exploration goes further, into the murky, grey areas that lie in between. It’s human conflict on a breathtakingly epic scale. And that’s a point the new film, thrillingly directed by Rian Johnson, makes in full force. J.J. Abrams successfully relaunched the series in 2015 with The Force Awakens by essentially rebooting 1977’s A New Hope, but Johnson, unemcumbered by having to deal with introductions, goes further. The Last Jedi could easily be this current trilogy’s Empire Strikes Back, and while it certainly has the right amount of gravitas to equal what many still consider the best Star Wars of them all, it moves to its own beat, takes new risks, throws in nostalgic essentials, and adheres to a time-tested formula with both rigorous adherence and respect, as well as a deep, genuine, very apparent

affection for both the core material and its multitude of fans. The new film is not just magnificent, it’s spectacularly magnificent. It’s easily the best Star Wars since 1980’s Empire, and if it doesn’t quite match that film’s narrative density, it’s certainly not for lack of trying. Johnson has crafted a storyline that pays tribute to the past but also stares headfirst into an uncertain future, taking the story in powerful unexpected directions. The visuals are intense and strong, particularly during the final, dazzling 45 minutes. The score, by John Williams, has never been more potent or meaningful. The action is mind-boggling and masterful, and features a jaw-dropping lightsaber battle that is going to be nearly impossible to top. The new locales are inventive and, at times, rapturous, including a mineral planet that “bleeds” red when its sands are disrupted and is home to a den of crystal pups, which, in addition to being utterly adorable serve a vital purpose. (There are also puffin-like Pogs, but they feel like a merchandising ploy more than anything else.) The movie’s themes are deep and resonant, particularly with regard to the characters of the impulsive, conflicted Kylo Ren (Adam Driver, giving a performance of almost Shakespearean dimensions) and the inquisitive, equally conflicted Rey (Daisy Ridley), whose search for personal meaning has led her to the hut of the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DISNEY

Hamill), currently living a hermit’s life of self-imposed exile. Johnson splits the storyline into three distinct, neatly crosslinked portions. Rey attempts to convince a soured Luke to help the badly decimated Resistance fend off the First Order, which is presided over by the grey-skinned, ghoulish Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Meanwhile, “hot-shot flyboy” Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac, who has more to do this time around but still comes off a bit stiff) must contend with the consequences of actions taken in the film’s mind-blowing opening sequence, as well as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern), a purple-coiffed nemesis who has taken command in the absence of Leia (Carrie Fisher) and seems destined make a huge strategic mistake. Finn (John Boyega), meanwhile, emerges from his coma and embarks on a covert mission with a spry mechanic (the delightful Kelly Marie Tran) that takes them to an elaborate alien casino that makes the Cantina on Mos Eisley look like a petting zoo. The storylines are expertly woven together by Johnson — no easy task — and converge in a way that is satisfying, poignant, and thrilling. It’s the kind of conclusion you dream for in an epic — big, bold, and yet grounded and human, with just the right grace notes of humor. Try not to be wrapped in blissful glee watching the film’s final crescendo. I dare you. It’s no spoiler to say that there are things that are, sadly, known. This was Fisher’s last film before unexpectedly passing, but her role is much larger than you’d expect, and she brings an essential heart and warmth to The Last Jedi that is soothing and

calming. She’s never been better; future installments will miss her radiance. Similarly, Hamill gives a finely honed, resonant performance and the film is a way to honor both the character of Luke, so vital to the series as a whole, and to the actor himself. Torches, however, have been passed, and Ridley’s Rey is the new centerpiece. “You have no place in this story,” growls someone to Rey, and the assessment couldn’t be more off base. Rey is the lynchpin of The Last Jedi, and her curiosity — and innate compassion — leads her to make a fateful decision that will no doubt inform the ninth installment, due in 2019. “This is not going to end the way you think it will,” Luke, who is adamant that “it’s time for the Jedi to end,” says to Rey. Indeed, it does not. Far be it from me to spoil the ride, other than to say the ride is well beyond amazing. Those few critics who are complaining about The Last Jedi should be exiled to Hoth. The Last Jedi deserves nothing but acclaim, and Johnson, an incredibly adept director who has an instinct for human pathos, deserves to be handed as many future Star Wars films as he can muster. The film is two and a half hours long, making it the longest installment of the series. And yet, you never want it to end. Star Wars is not just ingrained in our culture, it is our culture. It targets our emotions and strikes with a deep, profound, lasting impact. It is our modern day myth — our Iliad, our Odyssey, our contribution to the never-ending stories that keep our lives full and our imaginations forever fueled. It’s a force to be reckoned with. l

The Last Jedi is rated PG-13 for mild violence. Opens Friday, Dec. 15, nationwide, at area theaters. Visit Fandango.com. 36

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Movies

Mud, Sweat and Tears A cinematic tour de force, Mudbound weaves an epic tale of two families.By André Hereford

N ADAPTING HILLARY JORDAN’S 2008 PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL Mudbound for the screen, Dee Rees has created a timeless piece of cinematic art. Her third feature-length film — following the semi-autobiographical debut Pariah, and the Queen Latifah HBO biopic Bessie — Mudbound (HHHHH) depicts a gripping WWII-era story, beautifully shot and acted, of lives intertwined in struggle on an unruly patch of Mississippi farmland. The McAllans, who are white, own the land. The Jacksons, who are black, go from tenant farming to sharecropping on the land, as both families send a cherished son or brother off to fight in Europe. The wars at home, against the sun and rain, against death, deprivation, Jim Crow and the Klan, epitomize the hardscrabble Mississippi of Faulkner novels and Nina Simone songs. The language is rapturous, whether one of the narrators is pondering the distinction between a man’s deeds and a deed, or explaining the difference between a heap of dirt and a piece of land. Equally rich are cinematographer Rachel Morrison’s finely textured compositions — the rain pours, blood spills, and every color and movement resonates. Most resounding are the indelible characters created by a wonderful cast, including Jason Clarke as the determined farmer Henry McAllan, Carey Mulligan as his educated wife Laura, and Garrett Hedlund as his dashing airman brother, Jamie. Rob Morgan is the devoted Jackson patriarch Hap with singer Mary J. Blige as his steely wife Florence, and Jason Mitchell their self-assured soldier son, Ronsel. Known more for bringing the drama with her hip-hop-infused R&B, Blige suc-

ceeds with subtlety as Florence, who says plenty with forceful silence. The simmering drama is supplied by Mulligan’s antsy Laura and her kindred spirit brother-inlaw, Jamie. Something will ignite between them — does immediately ignite between them — and Rees doesn’t mind if the audience sees the danger coming. Some hazards can’t be avoided, just as doom surely awaits Ronsel, who returns from the war ready to demand that he be treated like a man, even in 1940s Mississippi. His confidence invites danger, and danger lurks like a foul, wounded beast around the McAllan farm, in the form of Henry and Jamie’s hate-filled father, “Pappy.” There’s not much subtlety to Pappy’s contempt for the Jacksons and all black people, nor is there to Jonathan Banks’s performance as the irascible bigot. Nevertheless, Pappy does tell his brand of the truth, and he speaks for a generation whose ignorance this nation still struggles to bury under the footsteps of progress. With an ending that deviates slightly, but significantly, from the novel, Rees chooses hope over utter calamity. And her moving film does its part to bury those bones a little deeper. l Mudbound is rated R, and currently is streaming on Netflix.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DECEMBER 14, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

NightLife Photography by Ward Morrison

DECEMBER 14, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

Scene

DrinksDragDJsEtc... Thursday, December 14 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • Music videos featuring DJ Wess BALTIMORE EAGLE Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, beers and wines up to 50% off • $3 Well Drinks All Night • Thrifty Thursdays Drag Show, hosted by Whimsey Thrift and Shaunda Leer, 8-9:30pm in the Nest — First well or domestic drink is on us! • $5 Cover at door • Underwear Night, 9pm-2am • For men in underwear, all well drinks

$2, 9pm-12am • Best Underwear Contest at Midnight • Code enforced in Code Bar after 9pm • thebaltimoreeagle.com FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Karaoke, 9pm GREEN LANTERN Doors open 9pm • Shirtless Thursday, 10-11pm • Men in Underwear Drink Free, 12-12:30am • DJs BacK2bACk NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Doors open at 4pm • Football Games on Big Screens • Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Drag Bingo

Nellie’s Sports Bar - Saturday, December 2 Photography by Ward Morrison See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover

Friday, December 15

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Karaoke, 9pm

SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas

9 1/2 Open at 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Friday Night Videos, 9:30pm • Rotating DJs • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Smirnoff, all flavors, all night long • HUSTLE: Disco Dance, featuring DJ LEMZ, 9:30pm-close • No Cover • $3 Svedka until 11pm

TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers • DJ • 9pm • Cover 21+

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

BALTIMORE EAGLE Baltimore Bear Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, beers and wines up to 50% off • Bad Bears After Dark in the Code Bar, 9pm • $5 Cover • That’s Talent Weekly Open Mic Contest Finals in the Nest, hosted by Washington Heights, 7:30-9:30pm • $250 Grand Prize to winner • Bearlesque, 10pm • Cover: $10 in advance, $12.50 at door • Elyx Vodka and Any Red Bull Flavor for $7 all day long • thebaltimoreeagle.com

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR DJ Matt Bailer • Videos, Dancing • Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 NUMBER NINE Open 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • Friday Night Piano with Chris, 7:30pm SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas •

Comedy Show, Second Floor, 7:30pm TOWN Patio open 6pm • DC Bear Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm • $3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles • Free Pizza, 7pm • No cover before 9:30pm • 21+ • Drag Show starts at 10:30pm • Hosted by Lena Lett and featuring Miss Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx and Ba’Naka • DJ Wess upstairs, DJs BacK2bACk downstairs following the show • GoGo Boys after 11pm • Doors open at 10pm • For those 21 and over, $12 • For those 18-20, $15 • Club: 18+ • Patio: 21+ TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price,

5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets, 9pm • Guest dancers • Rotating DJs • Ladies of Illusion Drag Show • Doors at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm and 1:30am • DJ Don T. in Ziegfeld’s • Cover 21+

Saturday, December 16 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover BALTIMORE EAGLE $5 Drinks all day • Leather and Fetish Saturdays, Code Bar, 8pm-2am • Code

enforced after 9pm in the Code Bar • Shipmates of Baltimore Bar Night • HybridNine presents Jingle Ball: The White Party, 9pm-2am • Featuring DJ Ryan Doubleyou in the Nest and DJ Scott Howard in the Main Bar • Bring a Toy for Tots as Cover or $10 at door FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Saturday Breakfast Buffet, 10am-3pm • $14.99 with one glass of champagne or coffee, soda or juice • Additional champagne $2 per glass • Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Freddie’s Follies Drag Show, hosted by Miss Destiny B. Childs, 8-10 pm • Karaoke, 10pm-close GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Bacardi, all flavors, all night long • Bears Can Dance Party, 9pm-close • No Cover

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

DECEMBER 14, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Guest DJs • Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer, House Rail Drinks and Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm • Buckets of Beer, $15 NUMBER NINE Doors open 2pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close • DJ Sean McClafferty, 9:30pm SHAW’S TAVERN Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas, 10am-3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas • Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington After-Party with Drink Specials, 10:30pm TOWN DC Rawhides host Town & Country: Two-Step, Line Dancing, Waltz and West Coast Swing, $5 Cover to stay all night • Doors open 6:30pm, Lessons 7-8pm, Open dance 8-10:30pm • Holiday Pop-Off with DJ Chord Bezerra, 10pm-close • Vote for your favorite holiday dance anthem! • Downstairs: Music and video by DJ Wess • Drag Show starts at 10:30pm • Hosted by Lena Lett and featuring Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx and Ba’Naka • Doors open 10pm • $15 Cover from 10pm-12am • $12 after midnight • 21+ TRADE Doors open 2pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets, 9pm-4am • Guest dancers • Ladies of Illusion Drag Show with host Ella Fitzgerald • Doors at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm and 1:30am • DJ Don T. in Ziegfeld’s • DJ Steve Henderson in Secrets • Cover 21+

Sunday, December 17 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover BALTIMORE EAGLE Lizzie Beaumont and Betty Whitecastle present Queens Who Brunch, 12-2pm • $34 per person includes All You Can Eat • Free pitcher of Mimosas per 4 admissions • Reservations highly suggested and can be made online beforehand • T-Dance Sundays, 4-9pm • Buy a cup for $5 and fill it with any Absolut Flavor and Mixer for $3 each time (excluding energy drink mixers) • thebaltimoreeagle.com FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Champagne Brunch Buffet, 10am-3pm • $24.99 with four glasses of champagne or mimosas, 1 Bloody Mary, or coffee, soda or juice • Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Karaoke, 9pm-1am GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Open Mic Night Karaoke with Kevin downstairs, 9:30pm-close

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Drag Brunch, hosted by Shi-Queeta-Lee, 10:30am-12:30pm and 1-3pm • $20 Brunch Buffet • House Rail Drinks, Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer and Mimosas, $4, 11am-close • Buckets of Beer, $15

• First Well Drink or Domestic Beer Free • 10% off your Food Order all day • thebaltimoreeagle.com

NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close • Pop Goes the World with Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm • No Cover

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long • Singing with the Sisters: Open Mic Karaoke Night with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, 9:30pm-close

SHAW’S TAVERN Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas, 10am-3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas • A Christmas Story: Live Watch Party, 7pm, with Ovaltinis! TRADE Doors open 2pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

Monday, December 18 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover BALTIMORE EAGLE Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, beers and wines up to 50% off • Micro Brew Draft/Bottle Mondays — $4 all day • SIN: Service Industry Night, 11pm-2am

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Singles Night • Half-Priced Pasta Dishes • Karaoke, 9pm

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Texas Hold’em Poker, 8pm • Dart Boards NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines and Half-Priced Pizzas • Shaw Nuff Trivia, with Jeremy, 7:30pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

Tuesday, December 19 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover

BALTIMORE EAGLE Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, beers and wines up to 50% off • Well Bomb Shots $4 all Day • Tavern Tally presents Family Feud Game Show Night, 8pm • thebaltimoreeagle.com FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Taco Tuesday • Karaoke, 9pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long, 4pm-close NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Karaoke and Drag Bingo NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Half-Priced Burgers and Pizzas, 5-10pm • $5 House Wines and $5 Sam Adams • Holiday Bingo and Drag Show, with Miss Kristina Kelly, 8:30pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

Wednesday, December 20 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover

BALTIMORE EAGLE Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, beers and wines up to 50% off • Domestic Bottles are $3 all day • Team Trivia, 8-10pm • thebaltimoreeagle.com FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • $6 Burgers • Drag Bingo Night, hosted by Ms. Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm • Bingo prizes • Karaoke, 10pm-1am GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long, 4pm-close • Bear Yoga with Greg Leo, 6:307:30pm • $10 per class • Lantern Dancers, 9pm-2am • Upstairs opens 9pm • GoGo Boys at 10pm NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm and 9pm • Prizes include bar tabs and tickets to shows at the 9:30 Club • $15 Buckets of Beer for SmartAss Teams only • Bring a new team member and each get a free $10 Dinner NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines and Half-Priced Pizzas • 5th Annual Holiday Party and Carol Sing-Along, 7pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 l

LastWord. People say the queerest things

“I have always believed that the people of Alabama have more in common than to divide us.” — Senator-elect DOUG JONES, during his victory speech after a stunning win in Alabama. Jones bested his Republican opponent, the homophobic, bigoted Judge Roy Moore, whose campaign had been dogged by allegations of child molestation, in the state’s special election for the Senate.

“Alabama voters solidified once and for all that attacking and demonizing the LGBTQ community is a sure-fire way to get yourself beat on Election Day. ” — HRC President CHAD GRIFFIN, in a statement responding to Doug Jones’ historic win in the Alabama special election. Griffin added that voters had “proven that LGBTQ people and our allies are a voting bloc to be respected, sought-after and feared by candidates on both sides of the aisle.”

“If I ever go to a restaurant and sit down and here comes this flaming foo-foo fruit loop — I’m just like, oh great. ” — Pastor ADAM FANNIN, of Jacksonville Stedfast Baptist Church in Florida, in a homophobic sermon complaining about gay waiters. “I’m here to have a date night, enjoy some time with my wife and because of the lisps, I can’t even, you know,” he added. Fannin then told his congregation to “get up and leave” if their waiter is gay.

“Self-masturbation is almost universal

among those who engage in homosexual behavior, and is a very difficult habit for most to overcome.

”

— Guidance from a 1981 pamphlet used by the MORMON CHURCH, which was discovered by MormonLeaks, an organization dedicated to increasing transparency in the church. In the document, church leaders advise that masturbation can cement “homosexual desires,” and advise expelling anyone from the church who hasn’t “totally repented and forsaken these evil practices.”

“Me and Aja were told to get out a Lyft for being gay. Not kidding. The driver asked us to leave after kissing.” — LIZARD LEMON, boyfriend of RuPaul’s Drag Race star Aja, in a tweet alleging that he and Aja — real name Jay Rivera — were asked to leave a Lyft car in New York City after they kissed. Lyft told Gay Star News that the company has “zero tolerance for any type of discrimination” and had deactivated the driver from their platform.

DECEMBER 14, 2017 • METROWEEKLY