Choose from three membership tiers with District Fray to gain access to unlimited digital content, a magazine delivered to your door every month, exclusive access to events around the city, discounts to our social sports leagues and more.
STARTING AT $4/MONTH
Our restaurant and bar offers authentic German-American food and delicious beer. With long communal tables and 20 TVs throughout, Bronson provides our guests with a traditional German feel. This is the perfect setting to spend time with family and friends.
Crystal City Sports Pub, open every day of the year, is a fantastic sports bar where you can catch all the games. Renowned for serving the finest crab cakes in town, they also host exciting weekly events like poker nights and open mic comedy nights.
ccsportspub.com | @ccsportspub
bronsonbierhall.com | @bronsonbierhall 529 23rd Street S Arlington, VA | 703-521-8215
4100 Fairfax Dr. Arlington, VA | 703-528-1110
Enjoy Continental’s half-priced game rates until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our beer garden is dog and family-friendly (under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian; valid ID required to purchase alcohol).
continentalpoollounge.com | @ cplrosslyn
1901 N Moore St. Arlington, VA | 703-317-7443 (beer garden) | 703-465-7675 (pool lounge)
The Dew Drop Inn - Voted DC’s Best Bar By Your Mom Since 2015
dewdropinndc.com | @thedewdropinndc
2801 8th St NE, Washington, DC
EVENT SERIES
4TH SATURDAY, JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER
1-3 P.M. // THE MODERN AT ART PLACE
Join DC Fray + the Cafritz Foundation for our Children’s Festival Event Series for some free, community-centered fun!
JUNE 24
JULY 22
FIELD DAY
CARNIVAL
AUGUST 26 BACK TO SCHOOL BASH
SEPTEMBER 23 HARRY POTTER
MOVIE AT THE MODERN
https://bit.ly/cafritzchildrensfest
Grand Central serves delicious classic American favorites year-round for dinner Monday through Sunday. We also offer sports betting. Please visit our website for more details.
grandcentraldc.com | @grandcentraldc
2447 18th St. NW, DC | 202-986-1742
Hamilton’s Bar and Grill has great drink specials, fantastic comfort food and top notch service. Come check out our ALL-DAY Friday happy hour with $2 PBRs and High Lifes and you’ll see why we’ve been a Capitol Hill institution since 2006.
| 202-347-6555 hamiltonsdc.com | @hamiltonsdc
Music by Alan Menken
Adapted by Michael Wilson
Directed by Michael Baron
November 17 –
December 31, 2023
January 2024
Lyrics and Book by Howard Ashman
Music Direction by William Yanesh
Choreographed by Ashleigh King
Directed by Kevin McAllister
March 15 –
May 18, 2024
Located just steps from the bustling NoMa district, The Morrow Hotel was designed by a collection of award-winning architectural design firms. Our chic, brasserie-style restaurant, Le Clou, offers an exceptional dining experience from Michelin-starred chef Nicholas Stefanelli while our celebrated bar, Upstairs at The Morrow, pulses with energy and unparalleled city views. Whether you’re a D.C. local or just planning a visit, there’s always something happening at The Morrow Hotel.
SEPTEMBER 12
6:30 - 8:30 P.M.
ALETHIA TANNER PARK
Don't miss the last concert of our series! Come by on Tuesday, September 12 for a live, acoustic performance by Andy B Music and family-friendly games.
RSVP AT BIT.LY/NOMA-NIGHTS
Saturday, September 16 // 11 a.m.
Enjoy a variety of wine, seltzer and beer options (and one complimentary drink) as you + your soon-to-be-Picasso pals follow a painting session led by experts from Happy Trees Entertainment. All art supplies will be provided.
“Echo” performers Hayder Badeg, Fidel Lancaster-Cole, Iana Lebedeva, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Antino Pansa, Penelope Scheidler, Louana Seclet + Jonathan Stombres
Photographer
Tony Powell
Location
The Cirque du Soleil Montreal Grand Chapiteau
Robert Kinsler
Publisher + CEO
Monica Alford
Editor-in-Chief + Director of Media
M.K. Koszycki
Managing Editor
Nicole Schaller
Deputy Editor
Claire Smalley
Creative Director
Nicole Bennett
Editorial Designer
Jamie McCrary + Abi Newhouse
Contributing Editors
Writers
Tim Ebner, Chad Dexter Kinsman, Priya Konings, Keith Loria, Haley McKey, Myles Mellor, Paige Muller, April Thompson
Photographers + Illustrators
Allison Bowen, Jennifer Chase, Mariah Miranda, Torie Partridge, Scott Suchman
UNITED FRAY
Martin Espinoza President
Brittany Rheault COO
Quentin Shank
Sales Manager
Tom Roth
Key Account Manager
Lauren Gay
Account Executive
THE NEXT GEN OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IN THE DMV. We were given the chance of a lifetime this summer to fly to Montreal and visit Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters — an exclusive and rare opportunity for media outlets we are truly grateful for — and to meet some of the stars of “Echo” before the show moves to the Under the Big Top tent in Tysons, Virginia this month. During a whirlwind 48 hours, cover photographer Tony Powell and I were whisked to HQ where we spent the first day meeting everyone from the assistant costume designer to the lead shoe maker for all Cirque productions around the globe and getting an inside look at the vast and impressive operation behind the iconic entertainment group. We experienced “Echo” live that evening under the Cirque du Soleil Montreal Grand Chapiteau with an enthusiastic audience reverberating with hometown pride. And the next day, we reentered the Big Top for our cover shoot onstage with eight of the 51 performers in “Echo,” followed by interviews with the artists about the next generation of Cirque du Soleil who are about to take the DMV by storm. I hope you enjoy our glimpse into “Echo” and our Arts & Culture Issue content highlighting the city’s dynamic creative community.
MONICA ALFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Nicole Bourgea. Photo by Ara Casey.
It’s 5:30 a.m., and artist and muralist Nicole Bourgea is already up for the day. She’s made her kids breakfast and she’s out the door on a run, replenishing herself spiritually and mentally. Back home, the kids go to school, and she crosses the train tracks, heads through the woods and sets up in her art studio, painting and working until school’s out.
Then, it’s her and the kids in nature before she does dinner, bedtime and work emails.
“To be honest, I really only leave a maximum of five hours for sleep,” she says. “I might die mid-step tomorrow.”
Bourgea credits muralist Shepard Fairey for lighting the path to working in art full-time. He told her and other art students at Providence College that — regardless of whether they’re making money yet or not — if they wanted to be real artists they needed to find studio space. Even if the “studio” was as small as a corner of their apartment, a space dedicated to art would change everything.
So, she did.
“One thing led to another, and I got commissioned,” she says.
Eventually, Bourgea saved up enough money to be able to work on a passion project, one that stemmed from her experience growing up in poverty.
“I wondered, ‘How do I give the gift of art to people, but still pay my bills?’” she says.
So, when she had the chance, she spent a year painting people she met in passing in D.C. — people who weren’t able to commission a portrait for themselves. At the end of that year,
she installed the portraits in the same locations where she met the subjects, with signs that read “If this is you, the painting is yours to take.”
The paintings spread to subjects in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Some people saw someone they recognized in a portrait and brought it to them. Others brought paintings into their shops to protect them from rain, always looking for the person the work was inspired by.
“An entire community got involved in gift-giving,” she says. “At that point, I was like, ‘Okay, I really need to figure out a way to do that permanently, to do public art permanently, to give gifts permanently.’”
She entered the mural space.
“As a kid in poverty, I remember seeing public art and it reminded me that things were beautiful and okay,” she says. “A lot of my work is about that idea of wonder and hope — there is a lot more than we know, so we have to keep our eyes and hearts open to that wonder.”
Bourgea lives in Kensington now, coincidentally the site of her favorite mural she’s painted so far. It’s called “Love Over Fear,” and features a young girl skateboarding down a giraffe’s neck. You might have also seen her work at BabyCat Brewery or “A Thousand Forests” on Knowles Avenue, also in Kensington.
You can also see her murals throughout the DMV. There’s “Strong Mama” at Alethia Tanner Park and “Carpe Diem” on Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda. But really, she’s just getting started.
Though Bourgea has explored and painted all over the DMV, Kensington has her heart. Along with the art community she’s built, she finds home in a few different establishments in the city and she gave us the insider’s guide to this underrated town.
Where to hang after work
Bourgea recommends the new brewery in town, BabyCat Brewery, to grab a beer and catch up with people in the neighborhood. Or, stop in to Love People Records to listen to some music and chill out. There’s also a creative space called GIGS, which offers music lessons and has performances in the courtyard outside Bourgea’s studio.
Where to go on a date
Bourgea suggests Frankly…Pizza! for wood-fired pies and a stroll around town. “[Kensington’s] kind of like a Victorian town originally,” she says. “There’s this big, abandoned mansion in the middle of town — I’d take a bottle of wine and sit on the big, wide porch and hang with my love.”
Where to visit on a day trip
Bourgea recommends visiting on a Saturday and starting with the Kensington Farmer’s Market for empanadas, pastries and breakfast. Take your treats for a mini picnic by the fountain at Flinn Park . Kensington is known as a destination for antiques, so she also suggests looking through antique
and vintage shops, as well as checking out Kensington Row Bookshop. You can also find artist studios, like Bourgea’s on Howard Avenue, or other makers’ spaces on both sides of Connecticut Avenue.
She also says just popping into different warehouses and shops can lead to fun experiences, like random movie screenings or viewing glassblowing in action.
“You have the opportunity to go on a little treasure hunt around town.”
Learn more about Bourgea’s art at nicolebourgea.com and follow her on Instagram @nicolebourgea.
BabyCat Brewery: 10241 Kensington Pkwy. babycatbrewery.com // @babycatbrewery
Flinn Park: 10227 Kensington Pkwy.
Frankly…Pizza!: 10417 Armory Ave. franklypizza.com // @franklypizza
GIGS: 3762 Howard Ave. gigsstudio.com // @gigsstudio
Kensington Farmer’s Market: 3701 Howard Ave. explorekensington.com // @explorekensington
Kensington Row Bookshop: 3786 Howard Ave. kensingtonrowbookshop.com // @kensingtonrowbookshop
Love People Records: 10429 Fawcett St. lovepeoplerecords.com // @lovepeoplerecords
From new restaurants to local shows to everything in between, we’ve got you covered. Check out our events calendar to connect with the greater D.C. community and keep a pulse on what’s happening around the city.
September is full of events to make a memorable start to pumpkin spice latte season. This month’s roundup is here to spotlight the performances, exhibits and other happenings worth your time. So, add Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” to your playlist, mark your calendars and savor the dwindling days of summer while leaning fully into fall fun.
9.1
TASTING AT 10 AT COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE
Think of this as a wine tasting but with coffee. Taste and learn about different coffees, and sample a properly brewed cup of joe. Free. 10 a.m. 1781 Florida Ave. NW, DC; counterculturecoffee.com // @counterculturecoffee
9.1-9.3
DC JAZZFEST AT THE WHARF
D.C.’s biggest jazz festival closes out with a blockbuster finale over Labor Day weekend with a star-studded lineup on multiple outdoor and indoor stages. And let’s not forget the waterfront views, shopping and dining around the festival. $20+. Times vary. 760 Maine Ave. SW, DC; dcjazzfest.org // @dcjazzfest
9.2
CAPITAL HOUSE MUSIC FESTIVAL AT FRANKLIN PARK
Summer ends with a bang thanks to music, dancing and live performances in downtown’s largest green space. Proceeds go to help support access to the arts for inner city youth. Free. 11 a.m. 1332 I St. NW, DC; caphousefest.com // @caphousefest
OH HE DEAD AT 9:30 CLUB
Weaving in genres ranging from soul to funk to rock, this D.C. favorite headlines the iconic 9:30 Club. Locals Dior Ashley Brown and Everyday Everybody, and rising R&B star Jai’Len Josey round out the lineup. $25. 8 p.m. 815 V St. NW, DC; 930.com // @930club
YOGA IN THE GALLERIES AT THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART ARLINGTON
Breath in. Breath out. Awaken your body, mind and spirit through a meditation and yoga session while surrounded by inspirational works of art. $10+. 10 a.m. 3550 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA; mocaarlington.org // @mocaarlington
9.3
DC BIKE RIDE AT POTOMAC PARK
Pedal along 20 miles of car-free streets filled with epic views that end with an after party, food and music. No bike? No problem. Hop on a rental and join in. $65+. 8 a.m. 121 West Basin Dr. SW, DC; dcbikeride.com // @dcbikeride
LABOR DAY SUNDAY PARTY CRUISE AT INNER HARBOR
Live out those yacht life goals while sailing along the Potomac River with drinks in hand and the music cranked up to 10. 21+ only. $39+. 4:30 p.m. 580 Water St. SW, DC; vipnightlife.com // @vipnightlife__
9.4
AFRO-FIT AT THE DANCE INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON
Get your cardio in with Afrocentric moves as you sweat to the hottest Afrobeat hits. Free. 7:30 p.m. 3400 14th St. NW, DC; danceinstituteofwashington.org // @danceinstituteofwashington
9.5-9.6
THE POSTAL SERVICE + DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE AT THE ANTHEM
The indie-rock institutions — both fronted and cofounded by singer-songwriter Ben Gibbard — perform their landmark 2003 albums in full on their co-headlining 20th anniversary tour. $95+. 7:30 p.m. 901 Wharf St. NW, DC; theanthemdc.com // @theanthemdc
Happening this month:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Bingo
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Justin Trawick and The Common Good Duo Concert
9.5-10.8
“EVITA” AT SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY
The story of Eva Peron’s rise to First Lady of Argentina gets the rock-opera treatment in the stage revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony award-winning musical. Remember when Madonna won a Golden Globe for her role in the movie? Good times. $35. Times vary. 610 F St. NW, DC; shakespearetheatre.org // @shakespeareindc
9.6-10.22
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ECHO AT LERNER TOWN SQUARE (TYSONS II)
Packed with vibrant characters, inspiring music, astounding lights and projections, and never-before-seen acrobatic feats, witness a spellbinding world filled with fantastic animal and human characters. $54+. Times vary. 8025 Galleria Dr. Tysons, VA; cirquedusoleil.com // @cirquedusoleil
9.8
ARTE AGAVE TEQUILA AND MEZCAL FESTIVAL DC AT THE SCHUYLER
Get the fiesta started with more than 130 types of agave spirits and learn to make agave-inspired cocktails. Turn up with heat with live performances and the debut of an art installation
9TH HOUR POETRY SLAM AT BUSBOYS AND POETS
Let’s get ready to rumble! It’s a battle of words as poets compete for cash and bragging rights. $5. 9 p.m. 2021 14th St. NW, DC; busboysandpoets.com // @busboysandpoets
9.8-9.9
30TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND AT BLACK CAT
Celebrate 30 years of indie and alternative badassery with an eclectic weekend of live music featuring local favorites, staff bands and punk legends. $30+. 7 p.m. 1811 14th St. NW, DC; blackcatdc.com // @blackcatdc
9.8-9.10
“GREASE WITH A SIDE OF MUMBO SAUCE” AT LINCOLN THEATRE Mumbo sauce is the word. DC Black Broadway’s new play is a DMV-centric retelling of “Grease” remixed with a go-go swing. $60+. 7 p.m. 1215 U St. NW, DC; thelincolndc.com // @thelincolndc
9.9
DANCING ON THE WATERFRONT AT GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT
Get your groove on as DJs spin an array of infectious beats from salsa to bachata to kizomba with the Potomac as your backdrop. Can’t dance? Dance pros will be available to help to prove you wrong. The “Taki Taki” dance is within your reach. Free. 5 p.m. 3300 Water St. NW, DC; georgetowndc.com // @officialgeorgetowndc
bit.ly/3smfXYg JOIN US FOR FREE TRIVIA + PRIZES ON MONDAYS FROM 7-8 P.M. AT HI-LAWNROSSLYN JAZZ FEST AT GATEWAY PARK
Grab your blankets and lawn chairs for an afternoon of soul, jazz, blues, reggae and sizzling salsa. This lineup features Galactic, the Pedrito Martínez Group, Oh He Dead and DuPont Brass. Food trucks and yard game add to the outdoor fun. Free. 1 p.m. 1300 Langston Blvd. Arlington, VA; rosslynva.org // @rosslynva
9.10
ADAMS MORGAN DAY FESTIVAL
Spend a day in D.C.’s funkiest neighborhood as the streets are filled with live music, local performances, art, activities and food. D.C.’s longest-running street festival is fun for all ages. Free+. 12 p.m. 18th Street between Florida Avenue + Columbia Road in NW, DC; admodc.org // @admobid
BLOCK PARTY AT CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM
D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum continues its grand opening celebrations with live music, food trucks, a beer garden, cultural workshops and merchandise from local artisans. Free. 11 a.m. 575 3rd St. NW, DC; capitaljewishmuseum.org // @capjewishmuseum
WINE ON THE WATER IN BALTIMORE
Wine lovers: Raise your glass in celebration of Maryland wineries with more than 50 varieties of wine to sip and savor. Indulge in tasty bites, live music and shopping all with a waterfront view. $35+. 12 p.m. 3301 Waterview Ave. Baltimore, MD; wineonthewaterbaltimore.com // @wineonthewaterbaltimore
9.11-9.12
EDDIE IZZARD AT WARNER THEATRE
Cake or death? The English comic revisits some of her greatest routines from across her career and gives them a new lease of life. $54+. 8 p.m. 513 13th St. NW, DC; livenation.com // @livenation
9.11-9.16
DC COMEDY FESTIVAL AT DUPONT UNDERGROUND
Laugh loud and often with 100+ local and international comedians in celebration of the city that launched the careers of comedy legends like Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence and Wanda Sykes. $20. 7 p.m. 19 Dupont Circle NW, DC; dupontunderground.org // @dupontunderground
9.12
NOMA NIGHTS: TUESDAY CONCERT SERIES AT ALETHIA
TANNER PARK
NoMA Bid and DC Fray close out the acoustic concert series with singer Andy B. Kick back and relax or try your hand at yard games like cornhole, Jenga and giant Connect 4. Free. 6:30 p.m. 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, DC; dcfray.com // @dcfray
9.12-10.22
“KING OF THE YEES“ AT SIGNATURE THEATRE
Playwright Lauren Yee continues her theatrical hot streak. This off-beat comedy explores questions of identity, heritage and family in a wild journey in America’s largest Chinatown as seen through the eyes of a father-daughter relationship. $90+. Times vary. 4200 Campbell Ave. Arlington, VA; sigtheatre.org // @sigtheatre
9.13-10.11
FALL CINOMATIC MOVIE SERIES AT ALETHIA TANNER PARK
Catch movies under the stars minus the heat and humidity. The NoMA outdoor film series returns with a blockbuster lineup celebrating the arts in all forms. Free. 227 Harry Thomas Way NE, DC; nomabid.org // @noma.bid
9.15
“BEYOND THE LIGHT” OPENING AT ARTECHOUSE
Developed in collaboration with NASA, this latest exhibit from D.C.’s digital art house was developed with new technologies, including images from the James Webb Space Telescope, AI-aided visual production and an original musical
FLAVA FOOD TRUCK BLOCK PARTY AT SANDLOT ANACOSTIA
Try a variety of mouth-watering dishes all made by Blackowned food truck owners, plus enjoy music and positive vibes. Free+. 4 p.m. 633 Howard Rd. SE, DC; mvemnt.com // @jointhemvemnt
GARDEN PARTY DE LA RENTRÉE AT THE EMBASSY OF FRANCE
RSVP “oui, oui” to a very French-style garden party where you’ll mix and mingle with Francophiles, French VIPs and diplomats, nibble on crepes and sip French wine and bubbly. 21+ only. $95+. 6:30 p.m. 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW, DC; faccwdc.org
POLKA DANCING AT THE WHARF
Get your beer and schnitzel taste buds ready and unpack your finest lederhosen. Kick off Oktoberfest weekend with polka dance session to learn this traditional German dance. Free. 7 p.m. 760 Maine Ave. SW, DC; wharfdc.com // @thewharfdc
WHITE FORD BRONCO AT THE BULLPEN
Named after the infamous car O.J. Simpson rode in during his car chase with Los Angeles police, the undisputed champs of ’90s cover bands closes out the Bullpen summer. $22+. 7 p.m. 1201 Half St. SE, DC; whitefordbronco.com // @whitefordbronco
9.16
H STREET FESTIVAL AT H STREET
Bring your energy and good vibes as you make your way through 11 blocks jam-packed with live music and performances on multiple stages, interactive activities, plus retail and food vendors. Free. 12 p.m. H Street NE, DC; hstreetfestival.org // @hstfest
WIENER 500 DACHSHUND DASH AT THE WHARF
Cheer on the doxies in this fast and furious four-legged competition. Proceeds benefit Rural Dog Rescue. Free. 1 p.m. 760 Maine Ave. SW, DC; wharfdc.com // @thewharfdc
9.17
STEIN HOISTING COMPETITION AT THE WHARF
Start training for this test of strength, endurance and the love of beer. Free. 2 p.m. 760 Maine Av.e SW, DC; wharfdc.com // @thewharfdc
9.20
LESLIE JONES AT SIXTH & I
Known for her bold personality and comedy chops, get to know another side of the SNL alum and Twitter goddess as she discusses her new memoir “Leslie F*cking Jones” in conversation with Tiffany Cross. $12+ 7 p.m. 600 I St. NW, DC; sixthandi.org // @sixthandi
9.21
CAPITAL BOOK FEST AT RONALD REAGAN BUILDING AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER
Calling all book lovers! Shops thousands of gently used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl all on sale for $6 or less benefitting nonprofit Turning the Page. Free+. 10 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC; downtowndc.org // @downtowndcbid
9.21-10.11
AFI LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Barbenheimer, barbenscheimer. Get your tickets for North America’s largest and long-running showcase of Latin America movies featuring film festival darlings, award winners, local box office hits and debut works by promising new talents. $10+ Times to be announced. 8633 Colesville Rd. Silver Spring, MD; afisilver.afi.com // @afisilvertheatre
9.22-9.24
ARTSCAPE IN BALTIMORE
America’s biggest free art event features 150+ fine artists, fashion designers and craftspeople, and visual art exhibits displayed across three Balitmore neighborhoods. Free. Times vary. Bolton Hill and Mount Vernon neighborhoods, Station North Arts + Entertainment District Baltimore, MD; artscape.org // @artscapebmore
AUGUST - OCTOBER AT 6 P.M. // SHAKERS
COMPLIMENTARY DRINK ON ARRIVAL!
Mix, mingle + make connections with local gay singles at our event series. Enjoy icebreakers, games, themed events and maybe even meet your match.
BIT.LY/FRAYGAYMIXER
9.22-10.1
VIRGINIA STATE FAIR AT MEADOW EVENT PARK
Mhmm, there’s nothing like the smell of funnel cakes in the morning. Or the afternoon. Any time, really. Wholesome fun awaits with petting zoos, arts and crafts, rides, live music and all the best fried foods worthy of a blue ribbon. $10. Times vary. 13191 Dawn Blvd. Doswell, VA; statefairva.org // @statefairva
9.23
SILENT PARTY DC AT HOOK HALL
Dance like nobody’s watching as DJs spin music only you can hear. $10+. 9:30 p.m. 3400 Georgia Ave. NW, DC; hookhall.com // @hookhall_dc
9.23-24
FIESTA DC AT PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at this annual festival that’s all about the culture of Latin American and the Caribbean. See parades, live musicians, traditional dancing and art exhibits while enjoying diverse and delicious cuisines. Free. 11 a.m. Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd + 7th Streets in NW, DC; fiestadc.org // @fiesta.dc
9.25
GIRLI AT DC9
The pop-punk singer ponders, “Why am I like this?” on her technicolor glam U.S. tour. $20+. 8 p.m. 1940 9th St. NW, DC; dc9.club // @dc9club
Connect with your community while enjoying live music. DC Fray and Founders Row are bringing this free, outdoor concert series to the neighborhood on select Saturday nights from March through September. Enjoy food trucks, lawn games, local business specials and a pop-up bar.
9.26
SIP & PAINT: TROPICAL POTTED PLANTS AT SHOP MADE IN DC No green thumb needed to craft your own paint-by-numbers masterpiece while sipping a glass of wine or two for inspiration. $35+. 6 p.m. 10 District Sq. SW, DC; shopmadeindc.com // @shopmadeindc
9.27
KERRY WASHINGTON AT GWU LISNER AUDITORIUM
Kerry Washington is gearing up to tell the greatest story to-date: her own. The “Scandal” star discusses her new memoir “Thicker Than Water.” Each ticket includes a copy of the book. $45+. 7 p.m. 730 21st St. NW, DC; politics-prose.com // @politicsprose
9.29
FRIDAY NIGHT FULL MOON WALK AT FOGGY BOTTOM-GWU
See D.C. in a different light on a nighttime stroll past notable sights in Georgetown. Free. 6:15 p.m. 2301 I St. NW, DC; meetup.com/HistoryAndCulture
OKTOBERFEST BEER TASTING, DINNER, DANCE
AT GERMAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM
Pull on the lederhosen and enjoy a taste of Germany with German beer, German sausage, potato salad and pretzels. Don’t pass up the chance to visit the museum’s exhibits to learn about the history of Germans in the U.S. $59+. 6:30 p.m. 719 6th St. NW, DC; internationalclubdc.com
9.29-9.30
ART ALL NIGHT AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Sleep? Who needs sleep? Expect the unexpected while you explore art activations around-the-clock across all eight wards. You’ll find art of all kinds from hundreds of artists, including visual art, music, theater, crafts, fashion and poetry. There will also be local businesses and restaurant vendors. Free. 7 p.m. Multiple locations; dcartallnight.org // @dcartallnight
9.29-10.1
WORLD CULTURE FESTIVAL AT THE NATIONAL MALL
Making its U.S. debut, this cultural extravaganza welcomes everyone to make connections and share in the diversity of the global community through music, dance, art, food and inspiring talks. Free. Various times. National Mall in NW, DC; worldculturefest.org // @worldculturefest
9.30
BLACK-OWNED WINE AND SPIRITS FESTIVAL AT CAPITAL TURNAROUND
The seventh edition of BOWSfest shines the spotlight on Black-owned brands in the wine and spirits industry. Enjoy unlimited samples of wine, beer and spirits from national and local vendors, paired with unlimited food samples. 21+ only event. $75+. 2 p.m. 700 M St. SE, DC; bowsfest.com // @bowsfest
DC COFFEE FESTIVAL AT UNION MARKET
There is no such thing as too much coffee. Feel the buzz as you sample cups of joe from some of the best roasters brewing unique flavors. $24+. 9 a.m. 1309 5th St. NE, DC; dccoffeefestival.com // @dccoffeefestival
“SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE” LIVE IN CONCERT AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE
Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can…featuring a soundtrack that blends symphonic orchestral music with hip-hop, this cinematic tour de force pairs a screening of the Academy Award-winning animated film with musicians, a DJ and turntables, live on stage. $95+. 7:30 p.m. 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC; thenationaldc.com // @broadwaynatdc
9.30-10.1
ALL THINGS GO AT MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION
Lana Del Rey, Boygenius and Maggie Rogers headline the twoday indie festival along with more than 30 heavy-hitting stars and emerging artists on multiple stages. Expect immersive art and interactive experiences to amp up the fun. $145+. Times vary. 10475 Little Patuxent Pky. Columbia, MD; allthingsgofestival.com // @allthingsgo Friday,
D.C. native and art advisor Chela Mitchell opens up about the purpose and ethos behind her new gallery space in Union Market District.
Inside Chela Mitchell Gallery, the walls are white and empty, a blank slate before the next exhibition. There’s a calm energy to the space, an echo in the openness — and it’s thrilling.
“Power is quiet,” Chela Mitchell, gallery owner and art advisor, tells me.
Mitchell is getting the space ready to feature the work of Siena Smith, a Rhode Island School of Design professor and artist who draws, weaves and collages, always with an ode to her Black ancestry. The gallery in its Union Market space has only been open for a month, but already its ethos seems set in stone.
Their first show featured photographer Nate Langston Palmer, a D.C. native. His exhibition “Song of Sons” shows Black men living joyfully — some doing art together, one kissing his baby, a couple embracing at an outdoor party, and so much movement, dancing and existing in public spaces fading due to gentrification.
“I’m not a mainstream person,” Mitchell says. “How I run my business is very spiritual. I can walk into a room and feel something when I see art, and I can’t even describe the feeling to you. I just know.”
Featuring Palmer’s work seemed like a given.
“This body of work from him is a gift to D.C.,” she says.
Like Palmer, Mitchell was raised in D.C., in Fairfax Village (or Hillcrest Heights to some) in Ward 7. She left to attend Rutgers University in 2003 and spent time in New York in the fashion world where she expressed her art through style. But it was those quiet moments alone in art galleries where she felt the whispers of what should come next.
“I love looking at art alone,” she says. “I like to take my time, to see if I can understand the artist’s intention before I read about it. I don’t have to be right; I’m happy to be wrong. A person’s perception of art is just as important as the artist’s intention.”
She started collecting art and books about art, doing deep dives into the world of artists and galleries. She decided she would own an art gallery by age 40. She’s 38 now.
“It takes a lot to bring something like this to fruition from a thought,” she says. “I moved so fast. I cry all the time. It took me weeks before I could come here and not cry.”
She reiterates that it took her 34 years to know what she wanted to do with her life.
“Once I knew what I really wanted to do, I’ve been coasting — which is what alignment is,” she says. “I’m in alignment for what my purpose in life is.”
It’s an art gallery, yes, but Mitchell has plans to make it a community space too. She
plans to give artistic access to people from her community in Southeast D.C. She’s settling into her position of power, redefining what it means to be in charge.
“I know I can call all the shots,” she says. “But those things don’t feed my ego. They do make me feel like I’m balancing the power structures, tearing them down a bit. My artists always tell me I’m so calm.”
She’s been in industries where power was yelling, fighting, screaming. She doesn’t want to waste her emotions in that way when she could be channeling them for good, for problem solving.
“I feel like I’m an alchemist,” she says. “I’m taking a lot of energy that’s hard and masculine, tough and toxic, and I’m morphing it into something soft and nourishing.”
As a spiritual person, Mitchell relies on manifesting, astrology and ancestry for guidance. These are all modern buzzwords, and yet, it doesn’t feel kitschy when she talks about it. She’s welcoming to anything that helps her understand herself and her purpose.
“The best way I can describe ancestral guidance is an intuition or advice that didn’t come from me,” she says.
It’s the feeling she gets when she sees art she wants to feature. It’s the alignment in her choices coming to fruition. It’s the quiet power she’s brought to her space.
Even coming back to D.C. was complete intuition.
“I follow feelings without delay,” she says. “I came back to D.C. because of a dream I had. I can’t think too deeply about how it works. A lot of it makes no sense; you have to be okay with that. You have to trust.”
She’s already manifesting what’s next: a gallery in LA, a furniture line she curates. But for now, her focus is on Chela Mitchell Gallery, bringing attention and opportunities to artists with messages that transcend what meets the eye.
“The work might be aesthetically beautiful to a lot of people, but it’s meant to make people feel something — to create conversations and spark change,” Mitchell says. “Art is unique that way, you can have your own moment with it and have a conversation with yourself and create change within yourself.”
The gallery facilitates that change — in the powerful silence, in the open, in the self.
La Collina dishes. Photo by Carly Clark.
We all seek to belong — in the workplace, among friends, within communities and even when we dine at restaurants. But what does inclusivity in dining look like? It can mean creating spaces that accommodate those with disabilities, providing options to those with food allergies, serving those who abstain from alcohol and featuring menus that offer dishes to those with dietary restrictions. Here are five venues in D.C. that are raising the bar for inclusivity in dining.
The bar with a zero-proof menu
Lots of bars have no- or low-ABV drinks, but the nonalcoholic menu at Botanical Bar is notable due to the assortment of spiritfree options. The bar features four creative mocktails, including the “Aperol Spritz-ish,” modeled after the classic Italian Aperol spritz, made with apertif rosso, soda and Mediterranean tonic. Diners can also opt for a nonalcoholic beer and two zero-proof wines. 1633 P St. NW, DC; dc-vegan.com/botanical-bar // @dcvegan
The steakhouse that accommodates vegetarians + vegans
It’s not uncommon for restaurants specializing in steak and seafood to direct those seeking vegetarian or vegan dishes to the section of the menu labeled “salads” or “sides.” But at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, the team takes vegetarian and vegan steakhouse fare to a new level. Options include pan-seared “scallops,” where crispy, savory tofu patties resembling scallops are served on individual puddles of creamy celery-root puree alongside a sweet but tart pickled apple salad; tomato saffron risotto; beluga lentils and a decadent baked macaroni and cheese. 652 Wharf St. SW, DC; gordonramsayrestaurants.com // @hellskitchen
An Italian restaurant with a menu flagging food allergies
The team at La Collina adds a notation by each dish on their menu to indicate whether it
is peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, shellfish free, fish free or soy free. The restaurant has a plethora of dishes available to those with multiple allergies or restrictions. Highlights on the menu include a cheesy cacio e pepe pasta that is peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, shellfish free, fish free and soy free (and can be gluten free by substituting gluten-free pasta). There’s also a vegan white bean salad and desserts like a gluten-free chocolate torta. 747 C St. SE, DC; lacollinadc.com // @lacollina_dc
Lapis
A restaurant with myriad vegan, vegetarian + gluten-free dishes
Lapis is a D.C. hot spot for so many reasons: The cozy dining room, delicious Afghan food and irresistible cocktails come together to create an epic dining experience. What’s more, the menu invites vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diners to enjoy Afghan cuisine in abundance. Such diners will not be stuck with just one dish to sample, nor will they have to adhere to a certain section of the menu. Rather, the menu is teeming with treats like veggie dumplings, quintessential Afghan flatbreads, a variety of stews, spinach sambosa and fragrant rice pilaf. As the menu humorously states, “Veggie dishes are Afghanistan’s best kept secret because most people think we are meat-eating mountain people with large turbans (also true).” 1847 Columbia Rd. NW, DC; lapisdc.com // @lapisdc
Mozzeria
The pizza joint that embraces Deaf culture
Come to Mozzeria for their Neopolitan pizzas, stay for the Deaf culture. This Deaf-owned and operated spot serves as home to delicious pizzas and other bites, job opportunities for the local Deaf community and a way for diners to experience Deaf culture firsthand. Mozzeria’s space is designed to be accessible, and the restaurant has an open floor plan and bright lighting to facilitate communication via American Sign Language. Stop by Mozzeria next time you are on H Street to check out a venue that has delicious pizza and welcomes all. 1300 H St. NE, DC; mozzeriadc.com // @eatmozzeria
Three D.C. chefs explain why the wok is their go-to pan for cooking.
WORDS BY TIM EBNER | PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMANMeet three D.C. chefs: Seng Luangrath (Thip Khao), Paolo Dungca (Hiraya), and Simon Lam (Tiger Fork), who all swear by a well-seasoned wok. This versatile piece of kitchenware has been used in various forms for centuries across Asia, including in Laotian, Chinese and Filipino cuisines. This pan is best known for its high, sloping sides, helping to distribute heat evenly and quickly. It can also be a full body workout — precision-style cooking at high heats for a fiery effect and smoky flavors. We asked these chefs how they work their woks for everything from curries to fried rice and stir fries. Here’s what they had to say.
Seng Luangrath
Thip Khao in Columbia Heights
Luangrath is a Laotian refugee who opened D.C.’s first Lao restaurant more than a decade ago. She is responsible for the #LaoFoodMovement, promoting the Southeast Asian cuisine.
What type of wok do you use?
I use a 22-inch hammer Cantonese wok. I season it first with high heat for 30 minutes, then wash with water and soap, and wipe it with cooking oil. I also use the wok to cook sticky rice. To do this, I use a 22-inch stainless steamer to steam the rice in a donut shape. It’s a unique way to cook.
Why do you like to cook with a wok? What’s one dish you use it for?
Lao cooking doesn’t require a wok, but I love to cook with it to create smoky flavors. I use it for a traditional Lao curry, similar to a Thai jungle curry. It’s made with lemongrass, galangal, shallot, garlic and makrut lime leaves, all cooked with oil in medium heat for a few minutes. Then, I add a protein over high heat with chicken stock. That helps create the smoky flavor. I season with fish sauce, toasted rice powder and dill. This is one of my favorite dishes and techniques to cook with added layers of smokiness and umami.
Do you have any advice for someone cooking with a wok at home?
I suggest heating up the wok before adding oil, then wait a few moments and swirl the oil over the wok before cooking. One of the most important things I do in my kitchen is teach my cooks to take their time, following the recipe, instructions, and cooking methods. It’s very important to pay attention to small details.
3462 14th St. NW, DC; thipkhao.com // @thipkhaodc
Paolo Dungca
Hiraya on H Street
Hiraya is scheduled to open this fall on H Street. The space is split in two, with an all-day cafe offering Filipino pastries and sandwiches on the first floor, and a sleek restaurant upstairs with a la carte small plates and a prix-fixe tasting menu from Chef Dungca.
What’s your favorite dish to make with the wok?
It’s a nice thing to use for any type of stir fry. The wok adds nuance to this type of dish, including smoky flavor and charred texture. But I also love to cook garlic rice in my wok. That’s probably the dish I am using my wok for — it just makes a better end product.
How do you care for your wok?
When you first get a wok, you need to season it well. I like to use aromatics to get it well-seasoned, things like onions, scallions and ginger. The majority of these aromatics will not only season the pan but add flavors to whatever dishes you are cooking with the wok. It’s almost like a cast iron skillet, where the pan gets better as you use it over time.
Where does the wok originate from?
The wok has been adapted through many cuisines and cultures. I think Filipino cuisine started using the wok through the Chinese. It isn’t the predominant tool found in our cooking; Filipino cooking tends to use pots and cauldrons for stews.
I came to the wok by working with Chef Peter Chang. He taught me how to really work the wok. It’s truly an art form and a pretty physical experience. There are so many dynamics at play, including the motion you put into wok cooking. He likes to say it’s all in the wrists.
1427 H St. NE, DC; hirayadc.com // @hirayadc
Simon Lam
Tiger Fork in Blagden Alley
Lam recently joined Tiger Fork from Chang Chang. At Tiger Fork, he’s debuted a new menu featuring a small number of limited-time specials changing weekly, plus a late night menu after 9 p.m. in collaboration with DC Brau.
What are advantages to cooking with a wok?
Once you master the wok, you can’t go back to anything else. The high heat from the wok’s flames gives a unique speed and flavor that can’t be produced with a normal stove-top and sauté pan. Besides just using the wok for stir fries, you can also deep fry, dry roast, braise, steam, boil and char. It’s very versatile.
What’s a must-try dish at Tiger Fork that uses the wok?
Our new addition to the weekly specials menu at Tiger Fork is a vegetarian wokcharred cumin and eggplant. It’s a dish inspired by Northwest China’s Uyghur people. We slice the eggplant into bitesized pieces and use a dry wok to char them, giving a smoky barbecue flavor. Then, we add oil and add in roasted red bell pepper sauce, cooked down with sweated garlic, ginger and scallions — the holy trinity of Chinese cuisine. It’s just a quick toss with the roasted sauce to coat the charred eggplant. It’s plated with a garnish of labneh seasoned yogurt and cumin spices, fried crispy garlic and scallions. In total, this dish only takes three minutes to make.
What’s one thing people should know about wok cooking?
It’s fire control. Make sure you have the wok hot enough, but be very careful when adding in the oil. Always make sure the fire is off before adding oil to a hot pan, or else it will combust into a fireball.
922 N St. NW, DC; tigerforkdc.com // @tigerforkdc
Al Thompson has planted the Wild Seed, a drink found at the newly opened bar inside Bronze on H Street called Crane Room. Here, cocktails like the Wild Seed take flight and transport patrons.
Inspired by Afrofuturism — a genre of literature honoring African heritage, science fiction and futurism — cocktails at Crane Room reimagine the possibility of spices and spirits not typically found mixed in a glass.
“The whole idea of this restaurant is that it pays tribute to the literary character Alonzo Bronze,” Thompson says of a character the restaurant owner, Keem Hughley, created. “He traveled the world and throughout time, taking different ingredients as he traveled. With that in mind, I created a cocktail that normally doesn’t go together, like sherry and Cognac.”
Thompson says Afrofuturism is an empowering form because it spotlights Black excellence.
Both the literary genre and his drink reclaim the past, from imperialism and colonialism (the main reason he uses Spanish sherry and French Cognac) to reimagine a brighter and bolder future.
The Wild Seed cocktail gets its name from the namesake book written by Octavia Butler, an Afrofuturist American writer, who published her novel in 1980.
“The book is about shapeshifting,” Thompson says. “The idea is people come from different places and have to change their whole lives to adapt to where they live now. This cocktail honors this theme and pays tribute to Washington’s Ethiopian community.”
The Wild Seed is really an elevated sidecar. The drink mixes manzanilla and Cognac with lemon juice and organic Ethiopian mitmita spice. But what truly sets this drink apart is the finishing touch — a showstopping ingredient and presentation.
Thompson sprinkles a hefty amount of berbere spice on top of the cocktail. Berbere is the mother spice of Ethiopia, a spicy and peppery blend that hits your taste buds on the first sip. There is only one word to describe this drink: luxurious.
The Cognac carries flavors of dried fruits, along with hints of vanilla, oak and caramel, while the manzanilla pushes a crisp, slightly tart flavor balanced nicely with the sweetness of mitmita honey. The acidity of the lemon juice also helps balance the fiery spice of berbere.
“I’m hoping to create a connection from my brain to your glass,” Thompson says. “I am trying to create drinks that feel as if you’re eating Ethiopian food. This is a way to touch people, inspire them and make them see what’s possible.”
Several other cocktails on Thompson’s menu have been inspired by international influences. For instance, berbere mitmita honey is used in the restaurant’s signature drink, The Bronze, which mixes Peruvian pisco with Brazilian cachaça.
“The idea behind Bronze is to create a space with wide arrays of flavors while always looking to Afrofuturism for
inspiration,” Thompson says. “Whether it’s a character in a book, a movie or TV show, there are direct influences to tell the story of making the world a more interconnected place.”
And the cocktail bar is aptly named, connecting many ideas within Afrofuturism.
“The idea is that the cranes are the lifeblood of the Bronze people,” Thompson says. “By feeding your crane, you are essentially feeding yourself — caring for yourself. This bar has given me so much personally in creating new and exciting drinks. I am eager to show people what’s next. I always have something up my sleeve.”
Bronze: 1245 H St. NE, DC; bronzedc.com // @bronzehst
WORDS BY MONICA ALFORD | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
“We put the ‘what’ factor in your face and let you digest it as an audience — we don’t try to hide it.”
I’m standing with Fabrice Lemire, artistic director for Cirque du Soleil’s “Echo,” trying to give him my full attention while watching performers complete perfect backflips midair behind him and catching a flurry of stunning costumes and makeup artistry in my peripheral vision. When I apologize for being so easily distracted by this behind-the-scenes glimpse of their latest show in the Cirque du Soleil Montreal Grand Chapiteau just hours before their next performance, Lemire chuckles with a knowing glance, then continues.
“What’s new is we’re revisiting something old,” he says, walking me through what makes Cirque du Soleil’s 20th Big Top production and 51st show in its 40-year history stand out from the rest. Rather than try to create additional magic around a classic technique, the native Parisian says “Echo” invites you to just take it for what it is. This minimalist approach is a welcome deviation from the norm for the Cirque du Soleil team and “Echo” performers, who speak with collective pride about going back to basics with a laser-sharp focus on the physical acts.
District Fray was invited to visit Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters in Montreal this summer for a sneak peek of “Echo” before 51 artists and their creative team relocate to Northern Virginia. From September 6 to October 22, the cast and crew will put down temporary roots in Tysons, Virginia with performances in the Under the Big Top tent. Two days of learning about the massive global operation run out of HQ, experiencing the palpable preshow buzz backstage in the Grand Chapiteau and absorbing the excitement of the hometown audience during a live performance as “Echo” neared its 100th show in Montreal all paint a vivid picture of authenticity around the iconic entertainment group’s ethos.
“What I see is the audience leaves the show lifted,” Lemire says, noting “Echo” has had the most successful immediate reaction he’s ever experienced from the Big Top crowd among his past Cirque du Soleil productions. “We must be doing something right for the time we are currently in with the public we have. It speaks to them — no question.”
Audiences are matching the “Echo” cast’s energy. This aggregate of wildly talented up-and-comers who are mostly in their early to mid-20s and span 19 nationalities — with onefifth of the troop hailing from Ethiopia — represent the next generation of circus artists. Whether they’re making their Cirque du Soleil debut or returning with a renewed sense of purpose, they’re breathing new life into traditional disciplines and embracing a collaborative approach to this production.
“These are really old disciplines we weren’t seeing for such a long time,” says double hair suspension artist Charlotte O’Sullivan, who plays one of the two Firefly characters with her partner and fellow double hair suspension artist Penelope Scheidler. “That was very clever of Cirque to approach artists at this level who had tested the limits of these disciplines, and bring them to a production like this to really show what we’re doing. People believe these are new disciplines, which is so great because it means we reinvented them.”
The Toronto native says what audiences notice first is the beautiful aesthetic of “Echo” and how unique it is within the Cirque du Soleil canon.
“You have this mix between [characters] who look like people and are wearing suits and those who are totally covered as animals — almost like moving set pieces. Those things alone are totally different [than other Cirque shows].”
While the plot line of “Echo” leaves much open to interpretation, the gist is that a young woman named Future, played by Washington Trapeze artist Louana Seclet, explores a fantasy world where she connects with animals and nature. But when she finds a mysterious cube, how the natural world and technology collide and coexist comes to the forefront. Seclet, who grew up in the French countryside, says audiences can choose to see “Echo” simply as a version of “Alice in Wonderland” or as complex and layered as George Orwell’s “1984” — a kind of choose-your-own-adventure visual experience.
“While the show is more futuristic and minimalist in its ideas, it’s really raw in the ways we bring the acts,” she says. “You see the human performance. You see the risk. We don’t replace the human acts with projections. The projections and technology support the human performance.”
This juxtaposition between an old-school approach to the pure physicality brought to bear by each performer and the sheer volume of technical elements implemented onstage is a bit of an enigma to Lemire and his cast. The combination of the two somehow works to create a show that’s contemporary yet nostalgic, complex yet simple, avant-garde yet classic.
The 52nd cast member with by far the highest price tag is the cube itself, towering onstage at the height of a two-story apartment building. The “heart of the show” requires 10 video projectors to cover it along with the stage and artists, rotates on a central pivot to move upstage and downstage, and can even float above the Big Top stage.
“This is my first time using the technology of projections,” Lemire says. “We are rethinking the way we work with these elements — including the cube itself. We can create so much dimension and depth by just having a simple box in the middle of the floor. There is nothing in this show that holds your hand and tries to take you to a fairy land. You sit and watch something evolve in front of you: a big box. How much can we have that box converse with you?”
The human cast is eager to find new ways to connect with audiences, too. “Echo” is introducing the new guard of Cirque du Soleil performers to the world, bringing their camaraderie to the stage as they perform familiar disciplines with originality and passion.
Seclet says one of the best compliments she’s received as Future is being thanked by audience members for her onstage generosity, and how much emotion she puts into her trapeze performance.
“I’m really excited to see how people in the United States and Washington, D.C. react to the show,” she says. “We are a young cast and we want to show the world that we do what we love and we are happy about it.”
To learn more about Cirque du Soleil’s “Echo” and purchase tickets to an Under the Big Top show from September 6 to October 22, visit cirquedusoleil.com/echo. Follow on Instagram @cirquedusoleil.
Under the Big Top: Lerner Town Square at Tysons II, 8025 Galleria Dr. Tysons, VA
“Echo” Artistic Director Fabrice Lemire.
LEFT PAGE FROM TOP. (L to R) “Echo” performers Iana Lebedeva, Antino Pansa, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Jonathan Stombres, Hayder Badeg, Penelope Scheidler + Fidel Lancaster-Cole on set in the Cirque du Soleil Montreal Grand Chapiteau. “Echo” musicians backstage. THIS PAGE FROM TOP. Double hair suspension artists Penelope Scheidler + Charlotte O’Sullivan stretching. O’Sullivan warming up.
Renowned spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living Foundation bring this threeday celebration of unity, culture and music to the National Mall — and the States — for the first time.
WORDS BY M.K. KOSZYCKI | PHOTO BY JENNIFER CHASENestled in the greenery of Meridian Hill Park is a stately but unassuming building that serves as the D.C. outlet of the Art of Living Foundation. Founded by spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the organization has pioneered and shared breathwork, meditation and other mindfulness techniques throughout the world since its inception in 1981.
The Art of Living Foundation is also home to the World Culture Festival, a multi-day affair centered on celebrating the ways in which music, dance, culture and food unite people from all walks of life.
When District Fray visited the center to speak with Gurudev ahead of this year’s festival, the space was teeming with staff setting up for meditation courses, interns sharing ideas and even a parent and child there asking Gurudev himself for assistance in bringing these practices to schools — one of the foundation’s focuses.
Soon, the Art of Living Foundation will expand its footprint even further — to one of the most illustrious venues in the world, the National Mall — with its first stateside iteration of the World Culture Festival.
Previously held in Bangalore, New Delhi and Berlin, the festival lands on the Mall from September 29 to October 1 this year. Though past World Culture Festivals have attracted thousands of visitors, Gurudev and his team expect record numbers in D.C. this fall.
With more than 250,000 people already confirmed to attend per their website and counting, the Mall will see a bevy of performers, artists, musicians, food trucks and political dignitaries as in years before. As Gurudev explains during our sit-down, the choice to hold this event in D.C. was not simply just due to our proximity to its Northwest home or governmental heavyweights.
“Post-Covid, I felt that this is so much needed,” he says. “Especially when there is so much polarization that’s happening. Fear, uncertainty and violence in society that can only be countered by celebration and bringing people together. So that was one of the main reasons I said, ‘Let’s get everyone to sing and dance and dine together.’”
So far, the festival slated 17,000 artists to grace its stage throughout the weekend. Native American dancers, guitar ensembles, gospel singers and Indian classical performers are just some of the genres and heritages that will share their art form with attendees.
Local artists will have a chance to broadcast their craft with solo, acoustic performances throughout. Gurudev and the World Culture Festival want to aim the spotlight on up and comers, whom he notes struggle with their own unique set of
mental health challenges in a demanding industry.
“Here, I want to give a platform for budding artists. [They] are really not in a good shape. Their depression rate is 17 times more than normal people who are not artists. So, this is a very big crisis that we can see in our society, that artists are more depressed than the others. In fact, they are supposed to take away the depression of other people.”
Gurudev himself will lead a morning meditation on Sunday, October 1 at 8 a.m. He encourages all to join regardless of experience to reap benefits that can be associated with the practice.
“Meditation and yoga calm you down — it uplifts your spirit and gives you energy,” he says. “It’s good for our body and physique, but also our mental fitness.”
A multitude of other activities will take place on the Mall, such as food trucks representing diverse cuisines, words from world leaders and dignitaries and events geared towards young global citizens and their well-being in an increasingly hectic world.
Should anyone feel inspired and called to continue yoga, breathwork, meditation and more, there are myriad ways to engage with the mission of the World Culture Festival and the larger Art of Living foundation after the weekend has wrapped.
“There are many training programs we offer, as many as 57 different courses online and offline. This is a center,” he says, motioning to the building in its entirety, “and people are most welcome to come and benefit.”
At the heart of all activities at the World Culture Festival, and by that token, the Art of Living Foundation, is arming individuals with ways to cope with the anxieties of our varying cultures, and to find moments of pause, celebration and appreciation for one another.
“Today, stress has been so prevalent in almost every section of society,” Gurudev says. “From kids to retired people, stress is a common thing. Meditation and music — both of these things can help people to relieve stress.”
The World Culture Festival on the National Mall takes place from Friday, September 29 to Sunday, October 1 and is free to attend. New events, attractions and details will be released closer to the festival. Sign up for a free pass by visiting wcf.artofliving.com. Follow along with updates before the festival and throughout at @artoflivingusa on Instagram. You can also follow Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar @srisriravishankar.
The Art of Living Foundation DC: 2401 15th St. NW, DC; artofliving.org // @artoflivingdmv
A recurring theme in talking to several creators is how the arts scene in D.C. has changed rapidly in the past few years. From small house shows in Mount Pleasant 10 years ago to several renowned galleries all over the city, artists here set the scene. We caught up with 15 creators and curators — muralists, woodworkers, designers, upcyclers and more — about artistic inspiration, what they admire about art in D.C. and how they keep the creativity flowing.
As individual artists and collaborators, this creative trio relishes D.C.’s communitybased arts scene for its ethos of inclusion and generosity.
What inspires you as a multimedia artist, and where do you go in D.C. to find it?
Abi-Mikhael: Nature and internalization. I like being able to see the world through multiple perspectives. My fellow artists are important for this; they help me understand different types of artworks. Also, teaching. Kids can really inspire you out of nowhere. It’s an emotional reset; they can help you get into a different state.
Corbett: My community. I like to see how my work resonates with people. Their reaction is just as important as my reason for creating it. It helps me reflect and understand how to create work that resonates with people – and allows me to assimilate within the community.
Proctor: The darker parts of life. I go back to those moments to get in that headspace and create from there. When I’m not feeling inspired, I also lean on teaching. It can be beautiful to see how young and gifted artists create.
What sets D.C.’s creative scene apart from other cities’ scenes?
Abi-Mikhael: I also find a big part of the DMV is like this. There are so many different artist communities, and we all work together. You might have people from four to five different collectives all sharing opportunities with each other to circulate work for new artists.
Corbett: It’s more underground and very community based. Artists here have a lot of visibility. D.C. really appreciates art in their communities. This is especially helpful for people of color who are looking to build their careers and grow as artists.
How do you manage the daily hustle to ensure you have enough creative energy for your art?
Abi-Mikhael: I try my best to balance work and life. When I’m working, I
don’t have time to paint. Anything I do with work has to be art.
Corbett: My creative productivity is definitely directly associated with my emotional state. If I’m not in the right headspace, I can’t create. I work hard to stay physically and mentally healthy and keep active. If I’m working toward building myself up, I have to pour into my own cup before others.
Proctor: As an art teacher, summer is best for me. It’s my time to breathe and ask, “Now what does Amber want to do?” Work usually takes precedence, so I have to find that time to ask what I need to do for myself. Little things keep me balanced – things simple enough as taking my iPad to the park to read.
What makes D.C. a good place to build a career as an artist?
Abi-Mikhael: There’s funding here. The city really wants to encourage and support artists. There is always opportunity to create through funding and grants.
Corbett: The networking and community. As someone that’s been an artist for a long time but needed exposure, a lot of times it’s just showing up to the studio. You never know who you’re going to meet – you just have to put yourself out there. D.C.’s artist community has motivated me to be more confident in my work. I wouldn’t have that if I hadn’t embraced it.
Proctor: The city’s piggyback effect. You can get connected with the next person, then the next person, then the next. People are always willing to give referrals; this allows you to circulate through who you know to build your career.
Want to see Abi-Mikhael, Corbett and Proctor’s work in-person? Mark your calendars for D.C.’s annual Art All Night event on September 29-30. They will showcase their multimedia work in Shaw, Congress Heights and Anacostia Park Roller Skating Pavilion. Learn more at dcartallnight.org and @dcartallnight.
Check out Abi-Mikhael at abstractsbyalexi.com + @abstractsbyalexi; Corbett at dribbble.com/oheylil + @oheylil; and Proctor @artsby_ap.
L TO R. Lauren Bessette. Photo by Hawkeye Johnson. Alex Britto. Photo by Rudy Lopez // @rudyhlopez.
Lauren Bessette Owner + Lead Designer, Lo Bessette Co.
With work including interior design, custom installations, murals and other original artworks, Bessette’s creations can be found all over D.C.
When your art is also your work, how do you maintain the creative spirit?
I believe that as creatives, our work is not simply learned skills, but comes from our core being. Therefore, we have to nurture and feed the self in order to create a home within us where our creativity can flourish. For me, practicing yoga and mindfulness, spending time in nature and with my sweet pup Bambi, taking rest in solitude and spending time with my fellow creatives are all essential to creating a foundation for my ideas to grow. We all go through creative slump periods; it’s important to accept this as part of the process and honor your need for rest to be able to create again.
What is a project you’re really proud of?
I’d probably say a recent interior design project I completed for a D.C. bar and restaurant. This was a large redesign project that tested my skill set and tenacity. The final product came out beautifully. I learned and grew a lot personally, as a designer and as a business owner.
When you disconnect from work, where do you go in D.C. to recharge?
I disconnect and recharge myself daily by catching a vinyasa flow class at Past Tense Yoga in Mount Pleasant. Yoga, for me, is instrumentally helpful in washing away the stresses of entrepreneurship. It allows me to approach my life and work with a calm and creative center. Additionally, I take frequent early morning hikes with my dog in Rock Creek Park. Spending time in nature quiets my mind and provides peace, tranquility and grounding.
What’s your favorite street art in D.C. and why?
Instead of a particular piece, I have to say the DC Walls festival as a whole. The festival aims at celebrating a wide range of muralists with all different styles. Last year, the DC Walls organizer’s son painted a sick dragon/ dinosaur mural and I damn near cried when I saw it. Just take a walk along the Metropolitan Branch Trail and catch artists like E$, Nate Mann and Nicole Bourgea to name a few.
Keep up with Bessette’s upcoming projects by following her on Instagram @lobeanie.
Through his martial arts-inspired apparel brand Tactile Knowledge, Britto aims to leverage physical touch to inspire deeper human connection and confidence.
How would you describe your brand?
Tactile Knowledge tells the story of connectivity through physical touch. Sampling from both martial arts and workwear, Tactile Knowledge fuses classic silhouettes meant to withstand the rugged demands of Brazilian jiu jitsu and handcraft. The brand encourages interaction with the present moment and one’s immediate surroundings in an increasingly disconnected, virtual world.
What do you hope to inspire for someone wearing your designs?
I hope to inspire the wearer to engage with their surroundings and connect to this moment by working with their hands. This could be as simple as cleaning a space or doing a small DIY project. I want to encourage tactile interaction to highlight the well-being and satisfaction that comes from it. I see the clothes as a uniform. When you put them on, I want you to feel the confidence of a martial artist or craftsman and be inspired to take action.
You recently received your bachelor’s degree in fashion design from Virginia Commonwealth University. What’s next?
I have plans in motion surrounding Tactile Knowledge, and outside of that I’m looking to get a job as a footwear or apparel designer. I also have aspirations to show some of my collage work on canvas that I’ve done over the past few years.
How do you nourish yourself when you’re feeling depleted creatively? If I’m feeling creatively stagnant or need to get out of my own head, being around creative friends and hearing where they are with their practice is a go-to. Seeing how they approach their craft and what they want to do next is always valuable. I also like to take walks or free write to stimulate ideas. If I feel depleted, taking care to make sure my routines are in place is also a good box to check.
Learn more about Alex Britto and Tactile Knowledge at alexanderbritto.com and @alex___britto.
Buttner is a staple in D.C.’s art scene, from creating for restaurants and organizations to offering cards with a green surprise inside.
What was the inspiration behind Puff Cards?
Puff Cards is a collaborative project between my partner Elizabeth Kim, my sister Chelsea Buttner and myself to make gifting cannabis normalized, easy and exciting. A cannabis gift for birthdays was a tradition between my sister and I growing up, so we wanted to create a greeting card design that holds the cannabis inside as a surprise. It’s been a wild ride since creating this brand in 2016, but now that cannabis is starting to become more mainstream, I’m excited to see what the future holds.
What’s your creative process like? After 10 years of finding my style, I think I finally figured out the process that suits me best. I make stream-ofconsciousness sketches where I try not to think too much and just let my pen flow. My work is inspired by graffiti, surrealism and cartoons, so you will find elements of these throughout my drawings. To start a new piece, I’ll flip through my sketchbook and find one that resonates with me at the time. From there I transfer that idea to canvas and layer colors to make it pop — I love for my pieces to be bright and bold.
What advice would you give to aspiring D.C. artists?
Create art that makes you happy. Go to more museums and art shows around D.C. Inspiration is everywhere. Try not to be so hard on yourself if it doesn’t work out right away. Positivity and confidence in yourself are everything. Meet more artists. It’s important to branch out of your comfort zone and interact with your peers.
What’s been your favorite collaboration with a local restaurant and why?
My favorite collab so far is the custom rolling papers I made for Ellē in Mount Pleasant. Since they have a fascination with cats, I made an illustration of a cat smoking a joint, looking real cool with a background design reminiscent of classic orange zig-zag papers.
Catch Buttner at the Made in DC artist market near Union Market every first and third Sunday, selling original art, prints, and other trinkets. You can also shop Puff Cards at puffcards.com and follow them on Instagram @puffcards. Follow Buttner on Instagram @tjbuttner.
in partnership with the Heurich House Museum’s small business development program. The idea is to raise awareness and appreciation of the quality and diversity of locally made artisan goods, and to influence public policy decisions that create a business environment that allows our industry to grow and flourish.
Where in D.C. do you find inspiration for new projects?
I find inspiration in architecture (especially windows and doors) but D.C.’s green spaces are my favorite. It’s a stillness surrounding the otherwise bustling energy of the city. Some of my favorite places are the Arboretum, Rock Creek Park and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. We’re a hard-working town, so I take pride in making furniture for people’s homes — where they recharge, relax and enjoy their family — and then go back to saving the world.
items, I try to find things I would personally like. I typically go for bold colors and patterns, so you’ll see a lot of that in the shop. This helps me stay on-brand and easily spot ’70s and ’80s styles out in the wild.
What makes the secondhand scene in D.C. worth delving into?
D.C.’s reseller community is really great. There are so many people who are interested in secondhand fashion and enjoy connecting through their passion. It’s also accessible: Anyone who’s interested in secondhand fashion can join. D.C. is such a transient city, so I find this community special. It brings me a lot of joy.
What makes sustainable fashion an important and meaningful trend? Every item has a story. When you pick up a secondhand piece of clothing or decor, you are connecting with an entire history. Someone has already led a full life with this item, and you are finding new joy from it. That’s something really special. You’re also turning away from fast fashion and helping reduce waste, which is more important today than ever.
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In addition to creating innovative designs as a woodworker, Godet organized the DC Makers’ Guild for a more unified artistic community.
What drew you to woodworking?
I grew up in a rural area where using tools and doing work with your hands was expected and respected. I was mesmerized by Norm Abram on PBS’s “New Yankee Workshop” — particularly watching him make dovetail joints. While I’ve built things my whole life, I got serious about fine furniture building in 2009. I’m drawn to the beauty of the wood and the challenge of the craft: to get better every day, master new techniques and engineer solutions that delight clients.
What inspired the DC Makers’ Guild?
The Makers’ Guild was formed because several members of the D.C. maker community recognized we could really benefit from working together in a unified way. It was established
You’re a writer as well. How do writing and woodworking scratch different creative itches for you? Writing is largely a personal endeavor for me. In the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to write for Fine Woodworking magazine, which I enjoy because I get to combine my passions. Whereas woodworking is a slow and deliberate activity, requiring space and time, writing (for me) is relatively quick and can be done anywhere. I use it to work through the various big ideas I have working alone in the shop.
Learn more about the DC Makers’ Guild at dcmakers.org and catch Godet at the Takoma Park Folk Festival on September 10. Check out his work at godetfurniture.com and follow him on Instagram @godet_woodworking.
Secondhand fashion fanatic Sidney Hui is building joyful community through vintage thrifting with Disco Loft, her Instagrambased clothing shop.
Can you describe your creative process for deciding which secondhand pieces to include for Disco Loft?
The Disco Loft style is an extension of myself. When sourcing and curating
Can you share your long-term vision for Disco Loft?
I want people to see me as a resource for sustainable fashion and thrifting in D.C. Whether it’s where to go or what styles to follow, I hope I can bring people together around what I’m passionate about. I hope people will remember me for the community we build together.
Any go-to spots in D.C.? Goodwill; Frugalista in Mount Pleasant; Georgetown Flea Market. I’d also recommend Eastern Market for vintage and Unique Thrift Store in both Maryland and Virginia.
Shop Disco Loft’s groovy vintage clothing @thediscoloft. Prefer perusing in-person? Check out Disco Loft’s Happy Daze Vintage Market on Saturday, September 9 at Hook Hall. The Market will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and features vintage clothing, accessories, home goods and vinyl from a lineup of nearly 20 chic local vendors. Learn more @happydazevintagemarket.
L TO R. Afua Sam. Photo courtesy of subject. My Ly. Photo by Albert Ting // @pootie_ting.
Afua Sam Fashion designer, Founder + Owner, the
D.C.-based Ghanaian fashion designer Afua Sam is passionate about using her work to improve and give back to her community – and inspiring others to do the same.
How have your Ghanaian roots influenced your work, personal style and philosophy? Your culture influences everything you do – it is a part of your soul, always in you. I think my Ghanaian roots bring a totally different and special quality to my creativity.
What are you most passionate about as a fashion designer?
I believe the best thing I can do as a fashion designer is focus on humanity. I’m passionate about using my talent to support the community. I want to be part of causes that make people’s lives better and make them smile. If I’m able to inspire or influence the generation behind me, then I have achieved my goal.
How do you keep your work fresh?
I reinvent my designs. When I create something, that same thing can evolve many times. Sometimes I don’t even recognize it as the same outfit I started with. I also don’t normally follow trends. I create my own, which mostly depends on how I feel and my creative process. I’m also so in love with fabrics, so this inspires me, too.
What inspires you about being a fashion designer in D.C.?
Being a designer in D.C. has always been a blessing; I have met so many awesome people who’ve given me a lot of opportunities. The city has also influenced me a lot in terms of diversity of cultures and style. It’s the place I got my first big break working with the Golden Scissor Awards, an annual award show that honors up-and-coming stylists. It’s beautiful to see how fashion has evolved so much in the metropolitan area. I am proud to say that I am part of D.C.’s fashion fabric.
Catch some of Sam’s designs in the Silence No More Movement P7 Red Affair Fashion Show, a fundraiser to support domestic violence survivors, on September 23. Learn more about Sam’s designs at studiomaxsi. com + @dmaxsi and theaconceptbyafuasam.com + @theaconceptbyafuasam. Follow her on Instagram @afua_sam.
My Ly draws from her multidisciplinary expertise to create innovative urban designs that reflect and celebrate the uniqueness of D.C.’s communities.
As a public artist and urban designer, what is the overarching philosophy that drives your approach and connects your projects?
A collective, inspiring message is in each space and piece of art I create. My art often reflects the culture of the users and its built environment. Wherever possible, I also look to integrate innovative technology into my designs to communicate that a piece designed today is for tomorrow. My designs conceptualize how a space can be used in the future while acknowledging the richness of the past.
How do you navigate the opportunities and risks that come with running My Ly Design?
I’ve had to learn the most technical aspects of running a business, from management to construction. Go big, take that risk, leverage your strengths and brand yourself where you want to be instead of where you are. It takes passion and believing in your hard work to succeed.
Why is placemaking in communities an important focus area for you in D.C.?
Placemaking activates my love for urban design. When planning a city, you need to consider spaces for community gatherings, parks, streetscapes and pedestrian walks. Fusing placemaking with scalable art results in a design that can be experienced by all. People now enjoy social rather than individual spaces. D.C. has prioritized the activations of these open spaces and enjoys a community richness that leads other major cities.
What makes D.C. a worthwhile place to continue building your career?
D.C. is a catalyst for young entrepreneurship and is an engine that is always changing. There is so much movement in this city – new people and events happening all the time. Opportunity arises out of this fluidity. I would love to continue contributing to the creative landscape by shaping a vision that reflects D.C.’s unique character.
Stay tuned for two of My Ly’s new public art sculptures, one in Chinatown in November and one for the Penn Ave Pocket Park in December. Learn more about her’s designs at mylydesign.com and follow her on Instagram @mylydesign.
Mann’s signature linework can be seen all over the DMV, in smaller prints and large murals.
In your creative process, how do you know when a piece is finally finished?
Like legendary hip-hop producer the Alchemist said, “You just become emotional.”
Your work is very recognizable. What do you think are the benefits of having a signature style? There are pros and cons to my specific style of art; it’s a style artists all over the world have. I was bummed out at first when I found this out, but then I was encouraged by it, because it showed that my style was viable in the art world. Also, my style is a bit different from other line work artists. I think it’s beneficial, because someone sees my shit and is like, “Oh, that’s definitely a Nate Mann art piece,” which feels cool. Also, it helps when talking to clients. They know what they are gonna get.
What restaurant in D.C. do you think has the coolest artistic vibes? Two come to mind. Bar Spero was designed by my good friend and visionary, Brian Miller. Any restaurant he has designed always makes me feel good. The other is Albi. Not just because it’s the home of my first mural, but there is a mural by another artist, Lucas Beaufort, in the main dining room and I really enjoy his style.
FROM TOP. Naii Vegas. Photo by Daniel Moreno // @daedmorgon. Nate Mann.
Photo by Terrence Blowe. Patrick McMahon. Photo courtesy of subject.
What other hobbies do you have, and how do they either inform or help you unwind from your artistic endeavors?
I have been a bartender for about 15 years. It helps get me out of the house and around people. I really fell in love with service over the course of my bartending career and have made most of my friends from being in the service industry. The creativity that goes into making cocktails is very similar to painting. It helps get the creative juices flowing. Also, the service industry life helps fill me up with amazing and sometimes wild experiences, which helps the art. I also write sometimes when I am feeling stuck creatively.
Keep up with Mann’s work by checking out his website, natemannart.com, and following him on Instagram @natemannart.
Patrick McMahon ArtistMcMahon, a native Washingtonian, has been painting for years, but decided this year to dedicate more time to his creative practice.
What made you focus on prioritizing your work this year?
What really changed for me this year was signing a lease on a studio. I’ve always made work in the margins of my life — weird hours, working out of an improvised space in my apartment or my parents’ carport — that kind of thing. A studio puts the pressure on me in a positive way; it challenges me to really make a go at this stuff, to justify taking up space. Also, it’s great to make messes in a place that is not your home. Highly recommend.
What project are you really excited about right now?
I’m in the talking stage with a client who wants me to paint his chimney (not an innuendo). I love a creative challenge, a unique or difficult space, something that makes me adapt — and this is that.
Where do you go in D.C. when you need inspiration?
The West wing of the National Gallery of Art is a special place for me; seeing Barnett Newman’s “Stations of the Cross” in the tower was one of the
experiences that made me want to focus on art, and that showed me what painting was capable of. I’m also drawn to the great architecture we have here, especially — I’m sorry in advance — all the Brutalism. A late afternoon walk in the concrete and the shadows? That’s all I need. I am probably the only person in this city who will miss the Hoover Building when it’s razed.
Favorite art gallery that helped your work?
The place that launched me was live/ workspace Hole in the Sky. It’s not an exaggeration to say that everything I know about being a working artist I learned there — before I first showed there in 2015, I’d never introduced myself to anyone as an artist, talked about my work in a serious way or sold anything. That all changed there. They were forced to close their doors last summer for good, and I miss them.
How would you explain the art scene in D.C. right now?
This can be a tough city to be an artist. Rent is high, studio space is hard to come by; I feel like most of my artist friends have loose or firm plans to leave at some point. That said, I also believe deeply that you owe it to yourself to try to create the scene you want to see and I’m not giving up yet. DM me your event or your open call.
Keep up with McMahon’s work by following him on Instagram @patrickmcmahon.art.
Naii Vegas Founder, Creative Buildr + Designer, Selina
As a contemporary interior designer who’s lived and worked in nearly 10 different countries, Vegas takes a bold and multifaceted approach to each creative concept she designs.
How would you describe your signature design style?
I’m a designer who passionately embraces the harmony of nature while seeking to repurpose existing materials and weaving raw, rustic components into my compositions. My approach serves as a gateway to our natural world: a reconnection with the splendid spaces we’ve inadvertently distanced ourselves from.
Your portfolio is remarkably versatile, encompassing interior design, product creation and set design. How do you maintain your creativity and efficacy of each project?
I’m an avid observer who tracks evolving trends. I immerse myself in creative processes by scrutinizing architecture, fashion design, music and photography. I also embolden my projects with conceptual frameworks. A sturdy concept imparts cohesion; each element possesses intent, from graphics to furnishings, and spaces cocoon the essence of the concept. This paves the way for a multifaceted creation.
In addition to founding Creative Buildr, you’ve also been a designer at Selina in D.C. for the past five years. What’s your vision for your ongoing work?
Selina has evolved into a steadfast ally, a company that nurtured my growth and fortified my prowess in high-scale commercial projects. It’s an incredible community where everyone’s strengths lie in mutual assistance. Designing for projects like Selina Chicago and D.C. has undoubtedly been the most enriching phase of my career so far. I anticipate Selina continuing to extend its collaborative hand for novel openings and digital nomadic adventures.
As a self-proclaimed nomad, what inspired you to choose D.C. as your home base?
The D.C. community has been a game-changer. It’s a community built on mutual support and professional expansion. I fell in love with its open, educated and kindhearted populace. The people of D.C., the city’s allure, its museums, art and architecture – it captured my heart. I truly believe it’s the opportune moment to cultivate my community, and being rooted in D.C. has propelled my growth exponentially within the span of a year and a half.
Learn more about Vegas at behance.net/ vegase and follow her @naiivegas.t. Check out Creative Buildr @creativebuildr. Visit Selina at selina.com and follow them @selina.
L TO R. Kiel Posner. Photo courtesy of subject. Tom Kim. Photo by Peter Gonzalez.
Kiel Posner Ceramicist, Artist + Designer
Posner’s light-based work draws from his family’s legacy of ceramics manufacturing for a vivid creative product uniquely his own.
What defines the ethos of your work as a ceramicist?
To understand my work, it’s helpful to place my materials and processes in historical context. Recently, I’ve been thinking about the labor practices my great grandfather engaged in after emigrating to New York City from Kiev in 1912. I reference and use leftover materials from his plastics and ceramics manufacturing business in the porcelain and surface treatments I use for my lamps. I feel closer to my personal history working with the same materials my family did.
Are there any recent shows or exhibitions
you’re particularly proud of?
At the end of last year, I participated in a postgrad residency at the Torpedo Factory where I met some incredible artists. This is also when I started developing my light-based work. I also recently participated in the Queer Art Salon at Selina. I was fortunate to share space with a cohort of talented LGBQT+ artists.
You also teach ceramics at Vis Arts and Material Things. How would you describe your philosophy as a teacher?
I try to help my students meet technical benchmarks while opening them up to their more artistic sides. I think many people have trouble feeling comfortable expressing themselves. So, I try to help them reconnect with their creativity. Ideally, we’re laughing at my jokes, having a blast and going home covered in clay.
As an artist, what has made living and working in D.C. exciting and meaningful?
The working artist population is relatively small for D.C.’s size, which creates a sense of intimacy in the city’s arts communities. Whenever a new space opens up, I always feel this silly sense of discovery. Also, I am biased, but I love (and am continually surprised by) how gay this city is.
Learn more about Posner at kielposner.com and follow them @aspects_unlimited.
Kim has created in D.C. since before the city was known for its art — and he’s working to bring back that small-group feeling as the District’s art world keeps expanding.
District Fray: How has your work evolved over the years?
I studied oil painting in school, but I ended up doing animation and commercial art after graduating to support myself and my mom. I struggled for a long time trying to reconcile if I wanted to be an illustrator/animator or a fine-art painter. Over the years, I’ve realized it doesn’t matter — I just need to create work that I enjoy and am proud of. As a result, I have been having fun experimenting with oil paintings of cartoons, drawings of paintings and murals of illustrations.
How has your Korean heritage (as well as your experiences living throughout the U.S.) influenced your art?
Growing up as a Korean American latchkey kid meant a lot of time spent alone, often feeling culturally isolated between two worlds. It wasn’t horrible; I just learned to assimilate differently, learning Western cultural cues through media and television, and about my Eastern heritage through my mother. Visually, I think that comes across in my work through nods to ethereal traditional Korean landscape paintings and nuanced or overt allusions to feeling like both an observer and participant in the great American experiment.
How have you seen the D.C. arts scene change over the years?
Ten years ago, I was living in a group house in Mount Pleasant. We hosted small local art and music shows, worked on bicycles and learned from each other in an unpretentious space. We were creating and growing, and no one was looking. Larger art events were often in DIY spaces like Rhizome, Hole in the Sky, Dwell and The Cheshire. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, of those venues, only Rhizome still remains. Just this year, events seem to be on the rise again, with curators and artists finding creative new ways to activate the limited spaces still available.
What’s your favorite mural in D.C. and why?
Martin Swift’s mural on the Metropolitan Branch Trail has always struck me. It embodies the power of murals as public art. It looks like it belongs in a museum, but there is no entry fee to see it, no security guards around it — it’s open to be viewed at all times, slowly degrading over time and respectfully untouched by graffiti.
Stay in the loop with Kim’s projects by visiting his website, deathbynarwhals.com, and joining his mailing list there. You can also find Kim on Instagram @deathbynarwhals.
D.C. is home to a number of iconic theaters that are rife with history. But only one has been called the theater of the presidents: The National Theatre, the oldest theater in the city and second oldest in the country.
Almost every president since Andrew Jackson has attended performances at The National Theatre, which first opened in 1835. The National has historically been the cultural center for the performing arts in our nation’s capital, and is also the oldest enterprise on Pennsylvania Avenue continuously operating in its original designated capacity (Though it has survived or been rebuilt after several accidental fires over the years — the building we see today was built in 1920).
With nearly 200 years of history behind it, The National Theatre has an incredible archive of historic and culturally significant materials from past shows and events, including photographs, playbills, posters, letters, news articles and more.
“It tells a story of touring theatre in the U.S., spotted with
extraordinary artistic experiences,” Executive Director David Kitto says. “Especially in the last century from 1900 forward, we were the most active venue in the city, up until probably the time the Kennedy Center opened.”
The list of highlights from the archive is extensive, featuring actors like Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier, and famous dance companies like the Ballet Russes; even Winston Churchill has spoken at the theater during a U.S. visit.
The National Theatre has been integral to the history of musical theatre and the birthplace for many classic American musicals. In fact, many Washingtonians may not know this includes the iconic West Side Story, which premiered at The National in 1957 on its way to Broadway (Chita Rivera, the very first actress to play Anita in the show, was also born in D.C.).
Now, the theater is taking stock of this archive and looking for ways to make it more available for consumption. Kitto says the theater is in the final stages of filing and digitizing
THIS PAGE. The exterior of the “New National Theatre” circa 1900. RIGHT PAGE. The iconic eagle is hung during renovations in the early 1950s. The theater reopened in 1952 as a reintegrated performance venue after closing due to protests and briefly operating as a cinema. Photos courtesy of The National Theatre.all its ephemera. Once the digitization process is complete, the theater will make it available to the public, educators, researchers — anyone interested in digging into the rich history of U.S. theater.
“We want to learn how to use the archive to tell the story of who we are to the public and to the nation,” Kitto says. “There’s not another theater that has such an extensive legacy.”
As The National Theatre roots itself in the past, it is also making sure it stays relevant in its present and future. Contemporary musicals like “Mean Girls,” “If/Then” and “Beetlejuice” have enjoyed successful runs, and Kitto says the fall season is shaping up to be a popular one for the theater.
“The entire season is wonderful. I would pick out the pre-Broadway production of ‘The Wiz,’” which reiterates our position as a venue that houses pre-Broadway attractions.”
“The Wiz” will premiere in October; during the same month, The National will also show the new musical comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire,” based on the film of the same name.
The National also offers several community programs that give back to the neighborhood. Teens Behind the Scenes, targeted to high schoolers, provides tickets to performances for up to 65 local students who can attend a post-performance event with a dramaturg. The dramaturg interviews cast or production team members and invites students to participate in the discussion.
Saturday Morning Live, now more than 40 years old, is targeted to children ages 3-6 with their families, and is held on the second Saturday of every month.
“This is a very diverse program of content that’s beautifully appropriate for that age segment,” Kitto says.
Finally, Community Stage Connections offers performance experiences to underserved communities, as well as elder care facilities and Children’s National Hospital. This fall, the theater will also be introducing a new program called Afterwrds, a talk-back session for audiences following main stage performances.
Though entertainment has vastly changed since the theater’s founding, live performance remains an experience that can’t be replicated at home or on a phone. The National Theatre’s archive is a testament to that irreplaceable thrill of being in a room with live actors, experiencing a singular moment in time.
Not all of the theater’s history is contained within its own collection, however — sometimes surprises pop up, Kitto says.
“We discovered through a newspaper article that a man came forward with a letter from an actor in 1836, who stayed at a boarding house down the street and wrote about how beautiful the new theater was, and how excited all of the actors were to be performing in it.”
That enthusiasm can still be seen today in the exciting new shows and revivals of cherished favorites on The National Theatre’s historic stage.
The National Theatre’s fall season begins September 30. For showtimes and tickets, information on community programs and more, visit thenationaldc.com or call 202-628-6161. Follow on Instagram @broadwaynatdc.
The National Theatre: 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC
We caught up with 11 local luminaries committed to keeping the performing arts alive + well in the District.
Creators + Co-Hosts, “Wait! Don’t Do It!” Podcast Listening to “Wait! Don’t Do It!” is like stumbling into an intimate, honest and outrageously funny conversation between two best friends. Whether the duo is talking about Rihanna’s Superbowl halftime show or faking orgasms, you’ll have a ball learning what not to do. These lessons extend to their TikTok channel and events like their regular drag brunches across D.C.
What’s the story behind “Wait! Don’t Do It!”?
Umanzor: NuNu and I started it right before the pandemic. At the time, I was working at the local queer gym in D.C. — I’m a personal trainer — and I felt there wasn’t a space uplifting voices like mine that speak about [being] Latino and queer. So, NuNu and I said, “Hey, people are interested in what we have to say. Let’s figure out how to do this together.” We came up with a title, bought a mic and the rest is history.
BY CHAD DEXTER KINSMANFrom ballet to burlesque, drama to drag, stand-up to symphonies, D.C. has it all. Each of the following performers, directors and mavens speak passionately and profoundly about the opportunities their respective art forms created for them. Their varied perspectives give credence to the power of the performing arts to challenge, bridge, heal and celebrate what makes us human. They also know providing D.C. with the culture it deserves takes talent, training, time and funds. But the most necessary part of this equation is you, because world-class culture requires a world-class audience. Read on, get a ticket (or 10) and keep D.C.’s performing arts shining for everyone.
Paris: I didn’t start drag until we started our podcast in 2019. The pandemic happened and NuNu Paris was born. Then we started doing YouTube, which led us to TikTok where people get to see Raffi’s humor and directorial viewpoints. It all came from wanting Black and Brown voices to be heard. We want to be advocates for fun, safety and just having a good time.
What about the name, “Wait! Don’t Do It!”?
Umanzor: We were throwing names back and forth, thinking of funny quips like the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” And
we said, “Wait! Don’t Do It!” That’s really on brand for us: the messy podcast that tells you what not to do.
Paris: And make sure you’re not limiting yourself — that you’re giving yourself a chance to explore and be creative, because that’s what we’ve done for ourselves. When we say “don’t do it,” it’s because we’ve made lots of mistakes. We’re open and honest about that. But the point of the podcast is growth and being real with people.
How does recording the podcast work?
Paris: Every Friday night, Raffi travels to my place and we watch any shows or music videos that just came out. We fight every time because we are like siblings. Then we set up and we look at each other: “Are you ready?” And when we go it’s like a zone.
Umanzor: We talk on the phone every day, so the podcast is based on our normal communication. We focus on having honest conversations regarding dating, working, nightlife, relationships and friendships. We hope that listeners feel like they’re in the room with us, getting honest perspectives from both of us.
And they can be in the room with you at your events.
Umanzor: I’m a partier. I like to have a good time. But for a while nightlife felt stagnant to me. The new bars were just reflections of existing places. And the nights for Latin Heritage Month felt watered down. I just wanted to have a
say in it — my own avenue — because for me, being Latino is a celebration. Especially in the Salvadorian community, we prioritize joy even in chaos. So our Reggaeton Brunch shows people how I grew up, the music I was into. I know if I want this, other people want this. It showed us we have the power to get it done. We just have to put ourselves out there. The people who have come out to support us have shown us it was necessary.
Paris: We were like, “Oh, people do want to connect in life.” They want to have moments free from the standards of the bar scene. You don’t have to look a certain way. You don’t have to act a certain way. You don’t have to pay a certain amount of money to have fun. It’s really important that people come to our events and feel a sense of love and acceptance.
What’s next?
Paris: We’re going to continue branching out, making spaces, working with brands. We have our Fabulosé event on September 23 at DC9 celebrating Latin Heritage Month. Halloween is around the corner. We do a lot with Capital Pride. We’ll just keep working with different organizations who resonate with our message of diversity and inclusivity.
Listen to “Wait! Don’t Do It!” on any major streaming platform and on YouTube, and find them on Instagram @waitdontdoitpodcast. Follow NuNu Paris @nunuparisyall. Reggaeton Brunch at El Rey occurs on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Queen’s Brunch takes place bi-weekly the 1st and 3rd Saturdays at Le Mont Royal.
“Is it life changing?” is the first question Elizabeth Dinkova asks when considering the production of a play.
“I love fun. I love humor and comedy and satire,” the director says. “But if it doesn’t feel like it could rip your soul out of your chest and dangle it in front of you so can recognize yourself in a whole new way, I’m not interested.”
What excites you most about making theatre in D.C.?
I’ve always been interested in how power and class reverberate through everything we do, including art. Being at the center of those things in D.C., there’s a real possibility to influence people who are in positions of power. We have so many resources and experts in different disciplines at our fingertips. There are also opportunities to collaborate with organizations who pursue humanitarianism and justice.
Why Spooky Action, one of the city’s more experimental theaters?
I’ve realized I don’t care for realistic things so much. I’m only drawn to work that is explicitly theatrical. Visceral. Enlivening. Electrifying. The best experiences I’ve had in theatre have been in really small, intimate spaces where you commune with everybody around you, with the performers’ and artists’ voices reverberating through the work. Spooky Action is interested in challenging and transforming audience perspectives. We also have a history of collaborations with international writers.
Why is that important to you?
As an immigrant from Bulgaria, I’m always looking for a sense of global community, variety and intersectionality. It is really important for international artists to work in D.C. We need to make sure that we don’t get mired down in hyper-American concerns and forget everything else that goes on in the world.
How does this bridging of the international and the intimate look to an audience?
There’s a lot we take for granted when the performance meets the audience, and we shouldn’t. We are always creating a unique audience relationship. The performance is so much better when you recognize that and actively ask who is in the space and what the invitation to engage with the work is.
Spooky Action’s 2023-2024 season begins with the unconventional Brazilian love story “Agreste,” directed by Danilo Gambini, from October 15 to November 19. Dinkova will also direct a yet-to-beannounced spring show. Learn more at spookyaction.org. Follow the company on Instagram @spookyactiondc.
Kahina Haynes
Dancer, Teacher + Executive Director, Dance Institute of Washington
Meeting Kahina Haynes is enough to convince you that our most important muscles might be the ones in our ears. The native Washingtonian speaks passionately about how the Dance Institute of Washington (DIW) contributes to a changing field through equitable dance training and opportunities.
How would you describe D.C.’s dance scene right now? It’s in motion. There’s a reclaiming of what we define as dance in D.C. and what the elements of our dance culture and ecosystem are. This is huge because for a long time our definition was what we’re not. Folks would say, “Well, we’re not…” followed by some city. Now, we’re defining ourselves in the affirmative.
What are some of those elements?
We’re seeing the incorporation of wellness and mental health, like with Beat Ya Feet. We’re highlighting process and methodology, even education. D.C. has historically been really product-centric, which contributed to systemic inequities. We were only getting to showcase the works that could afford a permanent place for their process. By acknowledging process and creativity and innovation, we’re opening the door for all kinds of artists. It’s already making the dance scene more robust and representative.
Where does DIW’s training come into this?
Our founder Fabian Barnes set out to solve a problem from his lived experience as a member of a significantly underrepresented population in the professional dance industry. When I got to DIW, my reaction was that this issue needs a system-driven solution. What are the factors resulting in this problem, and what factors would our training have to include to address those? And we didn’t guess. We talked with students. Scholarships address financial barriers, but what happens when a student doesn’t have a sense of belonging? Asking those questions is why our holistic model has a high success rate.
What does the dance community need right now?
There’s not currently a source of information that equitably represents everything that’s happening in dance right now in terms of journalism and critique. That’s really important because people talking about something and wanting to know what’s happening is how we assign currency and value.
Learn more about Dance Institute of Washington’s training programs and public events, including their “Community on 14th” incubator and annual “Spirit of Kwanzaa” performance at danceinstituteofwashington.org. On Instagram, follow Haynes @kahinahaynes and DIW @danceinstituteofwashington.
A graduate of the Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet, one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world, Ariel Martinez joined Washington Ballet in 2018 after four years at the National Ballet of Cuba.
“Washington is a very inspiring city,” Martinez says. “It’s a beautiful city.”
How did you start ballet?
I was six years old when my grandmother took me to ballet. At that age, you don’t know what you want to do. For the first few years, training was after school. I was less serious about it. In Cuba, you start professional training at age 10. It’s eight years, but only after my third year did I start really loving ballet.
Your repertoire includes major ballets like “Swan Lake,” and “Don Quixote.” How do you approach each one? I first have to prepare my brain and my body. I also have to learn the story of the ballet: when it was created, why the choreographer made it and about the music and the composer. This way, when I get to the studio, I am ready to become the role. If I am the bad guy, I have to know why he’s a bad guy in the story. If I’m the best friend of the prince, I have to know what that looks like. And then when I’m on stage, I open my soul and boom, I forget about everything and perform.
Is it hard to keep multiple choreographies in your body? We have a saying in ballet: What you learn well, you will never forget. Even if you’ve not done something for many years, as soon as you hear the music, your body will start doing the choreography.
What about The Washington Ballet’s season opener, the Shakespeare-inspired “Such Sweet Thunder”? We started creating the show at the end of last season. Working with [choreographer] Silas Farley, I have no words except “incredible.” He creates so fast. He already had everything in his mind but still asks, “What do you think? Are you comfortable with this?” That’s very important. The program is also challenging because I will dance two different Romeos in two different choreographies — Farley’s and the balcony scene [by Sir Kenneth MacMillan]. I’m so grateful to The Washington Ballet for the opportunity.
“Such Sweet Thunder,” set to Duke Ellington’s Shakespearean jazz suite, runs October 26-29 at Warner Theater. Learn more at washingtonballet.org. Follow TWB on Instagram @thewashingtonballet.
A Duke Ellington School of the Arts and NYU Tisch alum, Wilson returned to her hometown of D.C. in 2016. Her resume includes work at Theater J, Round House Theatre, Woolly Mammoth and Studio Theatre. Now, she’s at Mosaic Theater in the world premiere of “Monumental Travesties,” a play inspired by Capitol Hill’s long-contested Emancipation Memorial.
What do you love about the D.C. theatre community?
The community is very tight knit. People might expect actors to be catty, but I don’t think D.C. actors are. We take care of each other. When an audition pops up that someone would be great for, it circulates around my friend group. We’re messaging each other, “Hey, girl. I’m going to send you a monologue you should do for this audition.” I love walking into an audition waiting room and seeing faces I recognize.
What kind of roles are you drawn to?
I love strong, powerful characters who make you feel something and make you think. I’ve been fortunate to work on plays that challenge and uplift what it means to be a Black woman in the world today, that don’t pigeonhole or stereotype. I love that D.C. has a propensity for a good contemporary play, and I’m definitely interested in doing more period pieces. They are more of a challenge because I can’t sit on a bus and just people watch for inspiration. There’s a little part of me that is slightly terrified of comedies.
What about “Monumental Travesties”?
It’s a comedy about unfunny things. It’s funny for the audience but not the characters. So be prepared to laugh but also question what you see and hear. You’re going to want to see it over and over to see Easter eggs you might not have recognized before. I also recommend finding a space after the show — a bar or the front seat of your car — because you’re going to want to have a conversation with someone. You won’t even be able to just talk about the play. It’s going to spill over into real life, about politics and what we feel is the right way to go about history and race relations in our country.
“Monumental Travesties” by Psalmayene 24, and directed by Reginald L. Douglas, runs September 7 to October 1 at Mosaic Theater Company. Visit Mosaic at mosaictheater.org and follow them on Instagram @mosaictheaterdc. Follow Wilson on Instagram @actpoetic88.
Jim Kelly
President & CEO + Violist, National PhilharmonicFollow any string through the DMV’s classical music scene and it will likely lead you to Jim Kelly. The musician, business owner and arts leader heads up the National Philharmonic at Strathmore Music Center, while playing with and hiring for Maryland Lyric Opera and the American Pops Orchestra. He also co-runs Takoma Park’s esteemed Potter Violins.
What drew you to the viola?
My degrees are actually in violin performance. During undergrad, I played a summer festival in Italy. One concert, I
FROM TOP. Renee Elizabeth Wilson. Photo by Daniel Jacob Carkuff-Corey of DJ Corey Photography. Jim Kelly. Photo by Elman Studio.had to play the viola, which I also studied, last minute. I will never forget playing the viola part in Dvořák’s “American String Quartet No. 12.” The viola is the quintessential collaborator in the orchestra, connecting the violin’s melody and the cello’s baseline. I’m a collaborative person. It’s a perfect fit.
What’s coming up at the National Philharmonic?
I’m really excited about playing Florence Price’s “Piano Concerto in One Movement” with soloist Michelle Cann. Price’s writing is so melodic. The Washington Chorus is joining us in the fall for our first collaboration ever. Eugene Rogers, their artistic director, has brought a focus on social justice to their work. We’ll perform the Washington premiere of composer James Lee III’s “Breaths of Universal Longings” and Venezuelan composer Antonio Estévez’s “Cantata Criolla.” I’m excited to dig into these new works.
What possibilities in D.C.’s classical music industry excite you most?
The classical music industry needs to be disrupted in a way that promotes equity, access, and marginalized composers and players. And there’s a history of classical music being very uptight in the U.S. We need to break that down, help people feel comfortable. Come in jeans or a ball gown, however you want to dress. Show enthusiasm whenever you want. Music is music. Mozart relates to Beyoncé. It can all provide a shared transcendent experience.
National Philharmonic’s 2023-2024 Season starts October 14 with “Gershwin, Price, & Beethoven.” Find all their concerts and programs at nationalphilharmonic.org and follow them on Instagram @natphilharmonic.
Jamal Newman
Comedian, Improviser + Podcaster
Jamal Newman knows his way around a stage, a mic and a screen.
“They all talk to each other,” he says. “They’re all tools in your bag you can pull from.”
If that’s so, Newman is one-man Home Depot.
What does performing comedy in D.C. take?
It have to be super smart, because audiences are super smart. Every kind of person is here; so many different audiences are here. You’re not going to get away with being lazy and not knowing what’s going on in the world — with just begging for a laugh. You have to be open to feedback, to the audience not responding to something you thought was funny in your head.
What keeps you interested in comedy?
To me, the fun of doing stand-up is trying a bit, seeing where it hits, where it doesn’t, changing it up and going back. It’s like this mad experiment. I have a nugget of an idea and I have to go on stage to actually shape it. I can’t shape it at home by myself. I can’t shape it talking to my friends. I have to go on stage, present the rough draft, probably let it get annihilated and then find and sharpen the pieces that were actually good. Over and over and over.
What do you like about performing at Washington Improv Theater’s free Harold Nights?
A Harold is a format. It’s essentially an improvised threeact play. We tell the audience to give us a word and then we create it in front of them. It can be unforgiving, but it’s one of my favorite forms of improv comedy. It works every improv muscle: two-person scenes, group scenes, active listening, finding the relationship, activating game, callbacks and following patterns.
If I’m unsure about watching improv, what would you suggest?
If you’ve only seen your friend’s show, it was probably nerve-racking because they were probably terrible. Seasoned improvisers who have confidence on stage, who know what they’re doing, who know how to perform with each other is a different experience. You as an audience member can relax.
Catch Jamal and the all-Black improv team Lena Dunham at WIT’s free Harold Nights on Wednesdays. The full schedule is available at witdc.org. Follow him on Instagram @hell0newman and check out his weekly Top Chef podcast, @podchefpodcast.
Navi
Artistic Lead – R&D, Flying V Theatre
“I like to think of myself as a well-rounded creative,” Navi says. Name a creative outlet and chances are they’ve done it: composition, design, writing, performance, curation and more. They’re also a proud, self-identifying nerd. “Well-rounded” doesn’t begin to encompass their sense of play or their imagination.
How did your creativity first show itself?
When I was in high school, I remixed video game music for websites. I learned how to be a creative from that. I was my own manager, marketer and designer. My introduction to theatre was working at Capital Fringe for two years. Prior to that, I was a musician. I also worked as a lighting designer at 9:30 Club. I eventually realized that the medium is less important to me than the process of creation, than taking an idea and realizing it in a way that resonates with people as art.
What about being a nerd?
I am unabashedly cool with being called a nerd. Being a nerd, for me, means loving something so passionately that you want to be around other people who love it. You want to share it and view the world through the lens of caring about that thing. Twenty years ago, nerd culture was very white, straight and male. In 2023, nerd communities are some of the most diverse, open and queer spaces. Everyone can gravitate to it and feel accepted.
Describe Flying V Theatre.
I came to Flying V in 2016 because I heard it was the theatre that did nerd and pop culture art. We like to bring theatricality to non-traditional spaces, like our digital content, our pro wrestling, our burlesque and one-off events. It’s a way to bring new people to the theater, and a lot of people in our audiences come because we’re unafraid to let our nerd flag fly.
Tell us more about the upcoming “Nerdvana II” event. We partner with Maki Roll, a vibrant presence in the BIPOC and queer nerd spaces, of Citrus Mint Productions, and the Nerdlesque Festival. Maki handles all the artistic decision. Flying V does the infrastructure like the venue, lights and sound. This is the second year we’re doing it. It’s a weekendlong celebration of nerd nightlife. There’s burlesque, nerdcore rap, pro wrestlers doing karaoke, comedy, cosplay routines, aerial routines, weapons demonstrations and more. You don’t know what you’re going to see or expect.
Follow Navi on Instagram @yourlocalnavi. “Nerdvana II” runs September 22 to 24. Learn more at flyingvtheatre.com and follow them on Instagram @flyingvtheatre.
Hana S. Sharif
Artistic Director, Arena Stage
“We need everyone at the theater,” Sharif says, her sincerity obvious in her voice.
Sharif is the new artistic director of Arena Stage, and she arrives in D.C. with an impressive career directing, developing new plays and fostering community engagement at major theaters across the country.
What drew you to Arena Stage?
When I was 19, I wanted to be the artistic director of Arena. It has been one of the landmark theaters in our country for almost 75 years. Zelda Fichandler, its founder, was a visionary, one of the mothers of the regional theater movement. It was the first integrated company at a major theater. For the last 25 years, Molly Smith has been an extraordinary leader and inspiration to so many in the field. It is a great honor to follow in the footsteps of these iconic women.
What role do you see theatre playing in D.C.?
D.C. is one of the great theatre cities in our country. I’m really interested in what it means to make art where the zeitgeist of
our nation is really being influenced and affected, particularly at this moment when we are thinking about what our field and communities need. I’m excited to build on the impact of the D.C. theatre scene.
What is your take on the current state of the American theatre?
I remember recently telling my board in St. Louis, “We’re not going back to 2018, when we didn’t have to worry about ticket sales and how artists are treated.” The world has changed. The future and sustainability and thrive-ability requires us to have equity baked into the DNA of organizations, for artists and audiences. We have to find a way to be fundamentally relevant to the communities we serve.
What does that look like?
We have a mandate to serve the widest cross-section of our community. That means there’s something for everyone, but not everything for everyone. What’s not your cup of tea is someone else’s. The entire spectrum of American voices belongs on the stage. Arena has a history and commitment to developing new plays [and] future iconic voices of the American theatre. We want to honor artists and invite audiences into meaningful, long-term conversations.
Learn more about Arena’s 2023-2024 Season and other programs at arenastage.org. Follow the company on Instagram @arenastage and Sharif @hana_s_sharif.
Jan Du Plain
Patron, PR + Diplomatic Maven, Du Plain Global Enterprises
Throughout Jan Du Plain’s storied career, she’s repped films for CBS, television and radio for WETA and plays for Ford’s Theater. Her truest calling has been connecting D.C.’s diplomatic community to the region’s arts and audiences.
What was your entry point into public relations?
My father was a newspaperman, so I grew up in the world of communications, reporting and deadlines. After traveling the world starting when I was three — my dad wanted to write the Great American novel — we landed back in a small California town called La Cañada Flintridge, where he ran an awardwinning local paper. He continued traveling and writing stories. I’m grateful to him for giving me a sense of global citizenry, caring about the world and its people.
After working in California and New York, why did you decide to return to D.C.? New York was overwhelming for me, to be honest, at that time of my life. There’s California and there’s New York, and then right in the middle is Washington, D.C. It’s more manageable. My first job was PR at Ford’s in 1971. The numerologist on staff told the head of Ford’s, Frankie Hewitt, that I would be very committed and that she should hire me. Frankie was a very interesting woman. She
convinced the secretary of the interior to have a theater at Ford’s in the first place. That was the same year the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap opened.
How did you get into cultural diplomacy?
After I started my company, I met with Cultural Tourism DC. They were starting a project to open the doors of embassies to the public. We have the largest diplomatic community in the world, more than 180 embassies. It’s called Passport DC. Working with embassies became my niche. We went on to do the Embassy Chef Challenge. I am also the embassy liaison for the DC World Trade Center; they do 300 international events a year.
A subscriber to multiple theaters, Du Plain is eager to catch three historically-informed shows this season: “Tempestuous Elements” @arenastage, “Confederates” @mosaictheaterdc and the American tribal love-rock musical “Hair” @sigtheatre.
WORDS BY JAMIE MCCRARY
Dance Place contemporary dance class. Photo by Justin Williams.
We all need a creative outlet from time to time — a way to express ourselves and embrace play outside our regular routines. It can be tough to know where to start, though, especially as a beginner artiste. This fall, we invite you to get artsy with us with these 10 beginner arts classes in D.C. From free improv workshops to ceramics and pole dancing, the DMV is full of creative experiences for you to enjoy. Check out our picks below for ways to get into the arts this fall — and have while fun doing it.
9.1-9.30
PAIR PAINTING WITH HAPPY HOUR AT MUSE PAINT BAR
Sip, snack and paint at one of Muse Paint Bar Ballston’s classic canvas events. Artist-instructors will guide you through painting a themed masterpiece, offering options like Van Gogh’s starry night (but in downtown D.C.), forest magic, paint your pet and, of course, Barbie. Classes offered MondaySunday. Times vary. $35+. 4328 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA; musepaintbar.com // @muse_paintbar
9.1-9.30
EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH POLE DANCING AT POLE PRESSURE
Pole dancing can be artistic, too. In this sexy-chic fitness class, learn to express yourself and build confidence through movement. You’ll study spins, floor work and transitions while strengthening your core and experimenting with moves that best complement your unique body type. Date and times vary. $10+. 1322 14th St. NW, DC; polepressure.com // @polepressure
9.6-10.4
LEARN ACTING ESSENTIALS AT LITTLE THEATRE OF ALEXANDRIA
Hone the skills you need to deliver a gripping on-stage performance. You’ll learn the basics of stage acting, including how to approach a script, work in an ensemble and conduct a successful audition. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to embody a character to inspire their audience — and themselves. Wednesdays at 7 p.m. $180. 600 Wolfe St. Alexandria, VA; thelittletheatre.com // @littletheatrealex
9.10, 9.20 + 9.24
PRACTICE THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT CAPITOL PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER
Unlock your camera’s creative potential with one of Capitol Photography Center’s Photo Basics Workshops. In these single-session, four-hour classes, you’ll learn the fundamentals of exposure control, depth of field, lens choices, composition and more. This class offers hands-on practice needed to transform your photos into memorable visual art. Wednesdays + Sundays at 9:30 a.m. $99. 8130 Porter Rd. Falls Church, VA; capitalphotographycenter.com // @capitalphotographycenter
9.11-12.7
ENROLL IN PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS AT POTOMAC ARTS ACADEMY
An arm of George Mason University, this community arts space offers private and group lessons in piano, violin, voice and more. Try a one-on-one session or check out the academy’s lineup of adult group classes in guitar or piano. Various days and times offered. Group classes start at $325 and
private lessons start at $39. 4260 Chain Bridge Rd. Fairfax, VA; masonacademy.gmu.edu // @masonartsacademy
9.11-12.17
EXPERIMENT WITH DANCE STYLES AT DANCE PLACE
This D.C. nonprofit dance hub offers a plethora of dance classes every day of the week at three different Northeast D.C. locations. Classes include Cuban dance, Black fusion, classical ballet and party grooves. Looking for an active and out-ofthe-box yet classy Friday night pregame? Try out their Friday night Heels class 7 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Times and prices vary. 3225 8th St. NE, DC; danceplace.org // @danceplacedc
9.12-9.30
EMBRACE CREATIVE PLAY WITH WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATRE’S FREE INTRO TO IMPROV WORKSHOPS
During these 90-minutes sessions, you’ll practice and perform off-the-cuff theater games with WIT staff and fellow improv-curious participants. Expect to leave with a solid understanding of the foundational elements of improv — and a reignited sense of play. If you’re hooked, keep the fun going with one of WIT’s eight-week improv class series. Times and locations vary. $325. witdc.org // @washingtonimprovtheater
9.12-11.6
TRY CERAMICS, DRAWING + COLLAGE AT CAPITOL HILL ARTS WORKSHOP (CHAW)
CHAW offers a slew of visual arts courses for beginners and more seasoned artists alike. Try ceramics with a wheel and hand-building course (all materials provided) or go for something classic with a figure drawing class. More into contemporary art? Consider collage fundamentals to experiment with different shapes, colors and textures across mediums. Dates and times vary. $125+. 545 7th St. SE, DC; chaw.org // @chawindc
9.17-10.22
SHOWCASE YOUR STORY WITH STORY DISTRICT’S STORYTELLING 101 AT MINDSPACE
Check out Story District’s Storytelling 101, a multi-week course that takes you through the messy and magnificent process of crafting an unforgettable story. Participate in group classes, receive a one-on-one coaching session and embark on a field trip to a live Story District show. The course culminates in a final performance to showcase your new storytelling techniques onstage. Sundays at 3 p.m. $575. 1301 K St. NW, DC; storydistrict.org // @storydistrict
9.18-10.9
STUDY THE CRAFT OF FICTION WITH CREATIVE WRITING AT THE WRITER’S CENTER
Sharpen your creative writing skills with this four-session beginner’s course at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. In this small group class, you’ll learn how to generate story ideas, create characters, and construct a story arc through expressive writing exercises and readings. Not ready for the full commitment? Check out this month’s Intro to Fiction workshop slated for the morning of September 16. Mondays. $215. 4508 Walsh St. Bethesda, MD; writer.org // @thewriterscenter
From pop culture to citizen science, mushrooms are having a moment and the DMV is here for it. But the interest in fungi is far more than just a growing acceptance of and curiosity about psychedelics, the default association for many outside the mycology community. Mushrooms tap into countless trends, from vegan cuisine and adaptogens for health to the increasing number of people ditching their gym memberships for more functional forms of exercise, like long walks foraging for mushrooms. Fungi are all that — and many other things you never dreamed of.
Just ask Isaiah Bednash, who literally stumbled onto a mushroom patch in his backyard. The patch led him to a deep network just below the surface that, like the mushrooms themselves, had been hiding in plain sight.
“I posted on Reddit to figure out what the mushrooms were and ended up discovering the mycology community,” says Bednash, a resident of Clinton, Maryland.
Prior to encountering his backyard mushrooms, Bednash wrestled with an opiate addiction. Part of his fungal journey was trying psychedelic mushrooms.
“I had a really solid experience with psilocybin that stopped me from ever doing opiates again,” he says. “That was a onetime experience, but it was all I needed.”
Early on, a rabbit hole expedition through YouTube led Bednash to Willoughby Arevalo and his DIY mushroom cultivation book.
“The book shows how to grow your own oyster [mushrooms] in your shower, and it was like, ‘Oh, it’s that easy? Mushrooms can just grow in your bathroom?’” Bednash says. “My interest grew from there. I started to grow gourmet mushrooms after finding wild chicken of the woods and lion’s mane and culturing them.”
Like hundreds of other DMV residents, Bednash found a welcome home with the Mycological Association of Washington (MAW), a local nonprofit club of mycophiles in operation since 1970. MAW’s membership has more than doubled since the Covid-19 pandemic — from 421 in March 2020 to 894 members at last count. The tidal wave of interest seemed to coincide with the early days of lockdown when people had nowhere to go but outdoors.
Amy Wrobleski, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in ecology at Penn State University, decided to explore this trend in a more scientific way.
“I was at grad school when the pandemic hit,” Wrobleski says. “People started telling me that foraging groups online
were exploding with interest, but there was no data to back it up. Had the pandemic really driven interest in mushroom hunting? Who hunts for mushrooms in our region? There are a lot of stereotypes and assumptions about these communities that I wanted to unpack.”
Roughly 1,000 people have responded to the survey Wrobleski launched last year, which largely reached people through local mycology clubs like MAW. While it’s premature to provide definitive results, so far the researcher has found the interest in mushrooms is diverse as their fans.
“Food and medicine are big components of the local interest in mushrooms, but people have mentioned lots of other topics as well, including DNA barcoding, photography, conservation and mushroom crafts, particularly for fabric and yarn dyeing,” Wrobleski says. “Respondents also talked about learning about mushrooms from their parents in childhood — but also adults teaching their parents how to mushroom hunt. Everyone is teaching each other.”
Bednash, too, sees people of all backgrounds and ages becoming more and more interested in fungi.
“A 67-year-old will come up to me at an event to ask about psychedelic mushrooms,” he says. “Meanwhile a 10-year-old kid will come up and name off multiple species from a table of mushrooms. Fungi are inherently multidisciplinary and can really bring people together.”
The motives for mushrooming reach far beyond personal enjoyment to furthering basic science, conservation, ecology and other intersectional areas of inquiry. Like many amateur mycology clubs across the country, MAW is furthering citizen science by hands-on projects sequencing the DNA of local wild mushrooms, information that ends up in data clearinghouses used by professional mycologists around the globe.
Without any prior scientific background, Bednash parlayed his passions into part-time paid work doing DNA sequencing, in addition to volunteering with MAW. Furthering the science is its own reward for Bednash, along with the potential to make breakthrough discoveries in this little understood corner of creation.
“We have found a ton of new species with our sequencing,” he says. “Around a third of the specimens we have sequenced have been ‘undescribed,’ meaning they have no formally recognized species names. It’s awesome that fungi are finally being seriously studied and their integral role in the ecosystem better understood.”
Chef, forager and entrepreneur Iulian Fortu has also carved out a niche and livelihood from his passion for mushrooms. After finishing culinary school, the Northern Virginia resident was exposed to wild mushrooms in-depth as an intern at the world-renowned Copenhagen restaurant Noma, where he developed a panoply of in-demand skills as a forager, fermenter and chef.
In 2019, Fortu started Arcadia Venture, his own business that supplies wild mushrooms and other specialty foraged ingredients to high-end kitchens and gourmet consumers around the DMV. His clients include Michelin-starred restaurants like The Dabney and Oyster Oyster, as well as more casual spots like ANXO Cidery, which has a strong focus on foraged ingredients in its food and drink menu.
Fortu’s work has now expanded into a business development position for the national online platform Foraged, networking buyers and sellers of wild specialty foods across the country.
“Many chefs were familiar with these ingredients already, but the consumer interest in foraged goods has really exploded since the pandemic,” Fortu says. “Mushrooms are not just the white buttons you see in the grocery store; there is a whole world of other species, and there is a benefit to learning about and consuming wild mushrooms responsibly. I’m also seeing a lot more people growing mushrooms at home, as well as more cottage-scale commercial producers. It’s a low-input product, and you don’t need 20 acres of land.”
While many DMV mycophiles are new to the world of mushrooms, for Tatiana Kolina, owner of the vegan Eastern European restaurant sPACYcLOUd, mushrooms were a sort
of homecoming. Russian-born Kolina grew up spending summers with her grandmother in a village on the outskirts of Siberia, lingering in the forest for hours picking mushrooms and berries to preserve and trade.
“When I first opened sPACYcLOUd, I had lost that connection with mushrooms, but I suddenly thought of my grandmother, remembered these wild adventures and realized it was meant to be,” Kolina says.
sPACYcLOUd offers numerous mushroom dishes on the menu inspired by Kolina’s Eastern European heritage. The venue also connects with D.C.’s mushroom community in other ways, such as hosting events and dinners with MAW and even having DJs wire up mushrooms for sound to set the vibe for her funky Adams Morgan venue.
“It makes me really happy to reconnect with the magic and memories of the forest,” Kolina says. “I love the people coming out to experience mushrooms, and the excitement and creativity that comes with the mushroom community. It’s a new world, but it’s also the old world — and it’s mine.”
Want to learn more about the magic and mystery of mushrooms? Check out the Mycological Association of Washington at mawdc.org.
Learn more about Iulian Fortu and his mushroom business Arcadia Venture at arcadiaventure.com and @arcadiaventure. For more details on Kolina’s restaurant and lounge sPACYcLOUd, visit spacycloud.com and @spacycloud.
Horseback riding opportunities are closer to D.C. than you think.
WORDS BY HALEY MCKEY
Living in a city usually precludes the opportunity to ride horses and spend time with them regularly — unless you’ve got a car and plenty of time to sit in traffic.
Here in Washington, D.C., horse country (rolling pastures, quaint barns, little towns) is at least an hour’s drive away. Over the past few decades, suburban sprawl around the city has led to the disappearance of many horse farms inside the beltway. Driving to farther out farms and back is a serious time commitment, and horseback riding itself can be one of the more expensive hobbies out there.
I should know: I caught the horse bug when I was 8, and now own a mare named Flecha that I board at a stable in Virginia. Every month, I pay two rents: hers and mine. (Flecha has no gainful employment that I’m aware of — and if she’s got a side hustle going when I’m not out at the barn, she’s not telling me about it.)
At least twice a week, I drive from Capitol Hill to Loudoun County to groom her, go for a ride and spoil her with peppermint puffs. Needless to say, I’ve got a lot of miles on my car and a robust podcast repertoire.
Fortunately, there are opportunities to ride in the area that are more budget-friendly than owning a horse and much closer to home — even within the city limits of D.C.
D.C.’s Rock Creek Park Horse Center (RCPHC) is nestled — you guessed it — in the heart of Rock Creek Park. It offers trail rides, camps and lessons for children and adults, and boarding opportunities for horse owners. With access to some of the best city forest trails on the East Coast, it’s one of the last remaining urban stables in the U.S. New RCPHC instructor and equestrian professional Chad Keenum encourages anyone interested in riding to come and learn.
“Here at Rock Creek, we have safe, quality mounts and quality instruction,” he says, noting that riding horses can help children focus and learn to be calmer in everyday life.
Keenum is planning to provide not only introductory classes, but higher-level riding instruction and show opportunities for kids and adults alike in the area.
Keenum and many of the instructors in the D.C. area focus specifically on English riding, which is taught more commonly on the East Coast compared to the Western style that originated from cattle ranching in the Southwest. Basic English riding courses teach students how to safely guide their mounts, from walking to trotting, cantering and jumping.
Keenum specializes in the hunter/jumper discipline, which teaches students to navigate jumping courses effectively while maintaining good form. The dressage discipline, meanwhile, teaches students to help their horses move and use their bodies as effectively as possible to carry their riders well.
Outside of Rock Creek, there are still a handful of lesson barns in the region, each of which have their own programs and specialties. For example, Meadowbrook Stables in Chevy Chase provides group riding and horsemanship lessons in hunter/ jumper riding and hunt seat equitation (which emphasizes rider position and form) to riders of all levels, ages 6 through adult.
Wheaton Park Stables in Silver Spring offers 12-week courses for both kids and adults that emphasize riding fundamentals and dressage principles. The stable also provides guided trail rides and summer camps.
If you already know the basics of riding and want to level up, check out Pillars Equestrian in Waldorf, Maryland, which has a more advanced training program in dressage and jumping. Wherever you decide to ride, give the stable a call to confirm availability, rates and make sure the program is a good fit.
If you’re learning to ride for the first time, you don’t need to buy the most expensive gear — but you do need the right gear to stay safe.
A helmet designed for horseback riding (not a bike helmet) is your most important purchase and where you should plan to spend the most money. Keenum recommends Charles Owen helmets, which are highly rated for safety and have the added benefit of looking sharp in the riding ring. No matter which helmet brand you choose, make sure it has American Society for Testing and Materials and/or Safety Equipment Institute approval.
Boots with a sturdy heel are also a must-have. For first-time riders, you might be able to substitute hiking or work boots, but ankle-height riding boots called paddock boots are an inexpensive starter option that are easy to walk around in and designed to keep your foot safely in the stirrup during a ride.
Riding breeches (pants) are sold in many of the same fabrics and materials you’d find in a pair of good workout leggings, with the benefit of sueded patches on the calves to help you feel secure in the saddle. Brands like Ovation, TuffRider and Horze offer options that won’t break the bank.
There are several tack shops in the D.C. area, including J.B. Creighton in Chevy Chase, Anytime Tack in Silver Spring and Dover Saddlery in Chantilly, with knowledgeable staff who can help new riders get outfitted from head to toe.
I may be biased (well, I know I’m biased), but I’m convinced that time spent with horses is never time wasted. Learning to communicate with and care for them can relieve stress and build confidence at any age, and there’s nothing like the thrill of your very first jump.
Riding is also a great way to get out of your own head and off the screen for a while. And riding at a local stable helps ensure they stay in business for future generations of riders. Give it a try: You may unlock a lifelong passion.
Meadowbrook Stables: 8200 Meadowbrook Ln. Chevy Chase, MD; meadowbrookstables.org // @meadowbrookstablesmd
Pillars Equestrian: 15104 Gardner Rd. Waldorf, MD; pillarsequestrian.com // @pillarsequestrian
Rock Creek Park Horse Center: 5100 Glover Rd. NW, DC; rockcreekhorsecenter.com // @rockcreekhorsecenter
Wheaton Park Stables: 1101 Glenallan Ave. Silver Spring, MD; wheatonparkstables.com // @wheatonparkstables_md
Shyama Kuver. Photo courtesy of subject.
Shyama Kuver’s art evokes the familiar. The pigmented surrealist illustrations nod to the likes of Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo while still remaining entirely Kuver’s own. Behind each piece, she incorporates her queer Indo-Fijian identity and her family’s indentured servant history through symbols such as Fijian plants like palm trees, and the focus of hands.
With influences from the past, Kuver’s art blazes a trail forward by tying in messages of equality and human rights. After publishing her art on Instagram in 2016, Kuver quickly saw interest in her work from establishments like The LINE Hotel and was tapped last AAPI Heritage Month to create a Google Doodle celebrating Southeast Asian artists. Most recently, Kuver was featured in Selina Union Market’s Queer Art Salon.
“I believe in divine timing, and I’ve been really lucky in a lot of ways to get jobs from my Instagram,” Kuver says.
Whatever inspired the opportunities she’s received, Kuver deserves the recognition. We spoke with Kuver about her art’s ethos, her journey toward pursuing art and how she found growth in change.
District Fray: As a self-described introvert, what pushed you to publish your work on Instagram and online?
I am riddled with anxiety, but I think it was where I was at that time of my life. I had just moved to D.C. My partner Amanda was offered a job at Georgetown following her PhD, so we could have stayed where we were in Northern California, or moved to D.C. We both were like, “Change means growth. Let’s just go to D.C.” It was the first time I moved for somebody else’s job. It was the first time I didn’t have something to do [work wise].
A lot of your pieces are portraits. Are they based on people you know or people you imagine? Who are they? It’s kind of a dance. So, there are some portraits I’ve done that are very much specifically for people. “Kavita at Home” [Ed. note: Kuver’s latest work that was shown at Selina] was somebody I was drawing a lot. She definitely came out of my head. I would say most of them are from my head.
Speaking of drawing style, your art is reminiscent of the styles of Picasso and Kahlo. Do you agree and was that intentional?
I definitely see the similarities with Picasso and am influenced by Frida — not just her work, but her life story. I don’t necessarily aspire to do work like them, but I am really intrigued that they look similar — especially Picasso, because he’s not somebody I studied.
Your Instagram byline reads, “Walking and talking with ancestors. We deserve healing.” How does this mission define your work?
My work definitely comes from the lens of somebody who has a family legacy of indenture. There’s so much I don’t know, like what part of South Asia my family is from. I have stories that have been passed down to me. For me, “Walking and Talking with Ancestors” is ambiguous because there is so much mystery [surrounding my family history], but it’s something I try to learn more about through research and through conversations with other people who have a legacy of indenture. There’s a lot of wounds and trauma. I think my artwork is one of the most innate parts of who I am, and I use it to grapple with the pain and the beautiful things that have been passed down.
When did you first realize art could be a tool for catharsis?
As an introvert, art has always been my place to go and find comfort. It is so easy for me to live in my head and on paper. It wasn’t until college when I realized it could be a place for me to focus and grow. I wanted to go to art school, but my parents were traditional South Asian Pacific Islander parents and were like, “Absolutely not.” So, I started out studying science. I was taking art classes, but I studied postcolonial literature.
What has your experience been like with the D.C. art community?
I think D.C. has such a beautiful artistic creative community with so many opportunities. I apply for as much as I can here in the District. I call myself a community-taught artist because I haven’t been classically trained in any way, but I learned by talking to other local artists and discussing techniques. I really want to be transparent about how I paint so I can get feedback. Even if you go to art school, or if you don’t, you can take life as it comes, you know?
Local D.C. artists shout out. Rose Jaffe. Jordann Wine, Jamilla Okubo, Farrah Skeiky. Must-do D.C. fall activity. Kayaking on the Potomac. Go-to art gallery or museum. Transformer, Touchstone Gallery, The Silva Gallery x Latela Curatorial. Night owl or early bird. Both? I don’t sleep. Coffee or tea. Both. Dream artist collaboration. Shivanjani Lal. Favorite cartoon. “Steven Universe.”
Check out Kuver’s work at Art All Night in Georgetown on September 29. Learn more about Kuver at her website heartovercrown.com and follow her on Instagram @heartovercrown.
Imagine you’re at a party alone and don’t know anyone. A man with an infectious smile and clever banter cuts through the noise and walks up to you to start a conversation. After 10 minutes, you’re chatting like old friends.
“Tarik had this way of making you feel like you’d known him forever, and making you feel so comfortable and welcomed,” says Mike Glasser, a friend who met Pierce 15 years ago while vacationing at Gay Days at Disney World before moving to D.C. “There’s a reason people from all walks of life are so impacted by his loss.”
On July 7, 2023, Pierce unexpectedly passed at just 45 years old. The cause of death is still unknown. Without his charisma, kindness and genuine interest in others, the world has become a little dimmer.
Four of his close friends — Glasser, William Dennis, Camille Lanaia and Ryan Maddock — met up a month later over beers at Red Bear Brewing Co. to share their favorite memories of Pierce and carry on the light he brought to the community.
“Tarik was so unbelievably good at bringing people [together] and finding the good in people,” Maddock says. “He would be like, ‘I’m going to come over and talk to you and introduce you to other people.’ And then, he’d get your Instagram and phone number and bring you out with the rest of his friends. He connected and gathered people together so naturally well.”
“He was the biggest influencer to not be an actual influencer,” Lanaia adds.
Pierce’s friends became accustomed to never worrying if they would have something to do on the weekends, because he always organized plans and, to a fault, made sure everyone was included.
“If you were planning a brunch for like five people and he was coming, you needed to add at least five more people to that brunch,” Glasser says.
Originally from South Carolina and a proud graduate of Clemson University, Pierce made D.C. his home while working at the U.S. Department of Veterans of Affairs as the curriculum and competency manager for 13 years.
When not working, per his extroverted nature, he joined multiple LGBTQIA+ social sports leagues and was pivotal in the growth and prominence of these spaces. Dennis, the senior operations manager at DC Fray, played on the same team as Pierce for many Stonewall and DC Fray seasons. It was 2018 when they cultivated their friendship.
“His team JTT won the [Marsha P.] Johnson Conference, and my team at the time, TSA, also won,” Dennis says. “I remember us being onstage. It was me, him and another captain. It was a beautiful moment because we were three queer men of color, who all won our league championship for Stonewall. I remember Tarik pulling me aside and being like,
‘Sis, we’ve known each other socially for so long, but this right here is going to solidify and bond us for eternity.’”
Pierce played 23 out of 24 seasons of Stonewall kickball over the past 12 years. As of last season, he, along with Dennis and another player, Taylor Wallace, were the longest-standing league players across the nation.
“To say he [played with] Stonewall is an understatement,” Dennis says. “He was Stonewall. He helped on the national level and built this foundation.”
Pierce also played 29 seasons of kickball with DC Fray, and played dodgeball, cornhole and dart leagues intermittently with Rogue. Through the kickball teams, he helped organize and start an annual holiday charity event, Pub Crawlin’ for Tots, a spin on Toys for Tots where people were encouraged to raise money and donate toys while bar crawling at participating bars.
“He was fortunate in life; he wanted to make sure others had the same opportunity,” Lanaia says.
In 2022, Capital Pride Alliance awarded Pierce the Heroes Awards for his dedication to helping create uplifting organizations, events and spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. Maddock notes Pierce was surprised and humbled to win the award.
“[It was never] about getting the award,” Maddock says. “It was about the impact.”
However, Maddock says his humility had nothing to do with self-esteem.
“I’ve never met anyone with more confidence,” Maddock says.
Whether Pierce was sweet talking a waiter to make a cocktail that wasn’t on the menu or asking his friends after they complimented him the rhetorical question, “Do I look cute?”, Pierce was self-assured in who he was and would pass this confidence onto his friends.
“Tarik had a way of sharing life lessons and you [didn’t] even really know it,” Dennis says. “One of the biggest things he taught me was owning your agency, reaffirming that agency and not being afraid to express [yourself].”
Glasser agrees, sharing that when he was too shy to approach a guy at a bar, Pierce would cheerlead him until he gained the courage and confidence he needed.
“Tarik would tell me, ‘You are attractive. You are smart. You have an amazing personality, and you don’t need to be a fan of him. He should be a fan of you,’” Glasser says. “The reason I am the way I am today confidence-wise is because I had him in my life doing it for me.”
All four friends got or are planning to get tattoos in Pierce’s memory. Lanaia got the phrase “Don’t be scared,” a repeated saying they used with each other since meeting at New York Pride 15 years ago.
To celebrate their shared love of college football, Maddock plans on getting a tattoo of both their college mascots intertwined. Glasser already got the phrase “Let’s go” tattooed on the back of his calf, which was a popular Pierce saying that Dennis also plans to get.
As for what the simple saying means to them?
“Pierce loved life and being out with his friends,” Glasser says. “He would say, ‘Let’s go! This is going to be a night. We’re going to do this. We’re going to live it up.’ That’s the theme: Love yourself, love life, love your friends and enjoy every minute — because that’s what he did.”
The Tarik S. Pierce Celebration of Life event will be at the Howard Theatre on September 16 from 12:30-4 p.m. To register, visit tarikspierce.ticketleap.com/lifecelebration. To learn more about this year’s Pub Crawlin’ for Tots, dedicated to Pierce, follow them on Twitter @pubcrawl4tots.
We are grateful for the people who make District Fray possible, so we’re highlighting them in our Members Only series.
This month, we caught up with in-demand artist Cris Clapp Logan. Originally from St. Louis, Logan majored in political science and business, with plans to pursue a career in law and politics in the nation’s capital. While Logan always dabbled in art as a child, like many creatives, she pursued a more traditional D.C. path, working in communications and public policy on the Hill. When she became a mom, she took a sabbatical from her career and began painting, posting her daily doodles on Instagram. She launched Cris Logan Art in 2017 and began working with the Brand Guild, creating brandbased illustrations of their clients including Sweetgreen, Scout Bags, &pizza, Drybar and SoulCycle. Here, Logan talks about her art career and the D.C. creative community.
How would you characterize your artistic style?
I create vibrant, energetic mixed media art that seeks to represent some of the most well-known monuments and neighborhoods with unexpected color and joy.
What inspired you to make art a career?
As I was growing up, I never viewed art as a possible career. I didn’t know successful, full-time artists, and financial constraints and fears pushed me to pursue a more predictable D.C. path working in politics, communications and public policy. Eventually, my work focused specifically on antihuman trafficking and child online safety. The heavy nature of the job began to take a toll on my mental health, and when I had my kids, I took a sabbatical. During that time, I turned to art to help process all of the darkness I had been exposed to. I began creating light hearted art for my own home, and friends encouraged me to share my work on Instagram. Soon, a D.C.based PR firm discovered me on social media and asked if I would create art for their clients. Those early days opened the doors to what felt like a flood of exciting work. Despite feeling entirely unqualified, I continued to say yes to even the most daunting projects, and before I knew it, I was a full-time artist.
What is the secret for creating artwork for so many different companies?
Stay true to your style and close to what you love. When brands reach out to inquire about working together, they always highlight my use of color and the personal connection I try to make with my pieces; art is primarily about connection for me. So, as I’m working with companies, I’m always seeking the story beneath the art and doing my best to create something that helps people feel seen or engaged through what I create.
You have a lot of D.C. in your art. What are some of your favorite subjects?
I hope my art serves as a reflection of the vibrant energy that emanates from this place. I love exploring the history, culture and diverse voices that shape D.C. in what I create. Drawing inspiration from the city’s architecture, neighborhoods and people, I’m deeply interested in the intersections of tradition and innovation in D.C. I love representing some of the most well-known monuments and neighborhoods with unexpectedly playful strokes and even humor. I have a pretty loose approach that I hope invites viewers to engage and explore their own connections to the city and its stories. I’m always hoping to spark conversations, encourage empathy, understanding and joy through my art.
How do you balance family life and an art career?
I’ll let you know as soon as I figure it out. Truly, I don’t sleep very much. I adore my family, but I’m also obsessed with my work. There have been many seasons where I’m thinking about my kids and the time my business takes away from them as I work, but as soon as I’m with my kids, I’m thinking about how much I want to be creating in my studio. This year, I’ve committed to (doing my best!) to be fully present with my kids when I’m with them and fully present with my art when I’m creating. I’ve only been able to do this by saying no to about 90% of the work requests that come my way. I no longer take commissions; I only work with the brands I love and enjoy, and I only take on projects that push me to learn. This helps me control the pace of my work and to have more joy as I work, and that joy spills over into my family life.
What are your thoughts on the city’s creative community?
I’m constantly amazed by the creativity and hustle of our arts community. Sometimes I look around a room of D.C. creatives and think, What am I doing here? I don’t belong with these amazingly talented people. But I’m constantly inspired to dig and think deeper because of our creative community. And the arc of our community bends towards positivity, inclusivity and support, something I’m very grateful for.
Favorite neighborhood. Capitol Hill feels the most like “home” because of my days working, dating and building friendships on the Hill, and enjoying epic Capitol Hill parties. But almost every neighborhood in the District feels like a family member to me. Foodie spots. If you’re forcing me to pick, Albi would be among the top for Mediterranean, Gravitas for American, Le Diplomate for French, Filomena for Italian and Shōtō for Japanese. Go-to museum. The National Gallery of Art. 2023 goal. To be fully present with my art, friends, community and kids.
Check out Logan’s art at crislogan.com and follow her on Instagram @crisclapplogan.
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D.C. is full of trailblazing creators of all kinds — makers who help reimagine the city’s culture through their visions. From fierce female founders to arts activists, these crossword clues offer an inside look into the city’s creative scene.
NOTE: Check districtfray.com for the answer key.
Across
1 Traveling exhibit artist Maggie O’Neill used to produce
9 Through, in route descriptions
11 President, publisher and chief creative officer of DC Comics, Jim
12 Columbia Heights mural painted by Joel Bergner, “My Culture, Mi ”
15 Pool equipment
16 Speedwagon, ’80s band
17 Famous D.C. arts district, Adams
21 Mimicking bird
23 Unagi in a sushi bar
24 Carved Native American symbols
25 Abstract expressionist artist who paints mainly in black and white, Jones
27 Prefix for responsibly-sourced products
28 Greek love god
30 D.C. artist specializing in quilting, cross-stitch, basket weaving and origami who just had his 100th birthday, Ira
32 Yes in Spanish
34 Promotions
36 Activist and D.C. artist who painted “That Kind of Boy,” two words
39 Sculpted upper body
41 Luau souvenir
42 Popular live “talks”
43 Neighborhood that features a mural of the first U.S. president
44 D.C.-based multimedia visual artist well known for her work in the fields of environmental public sculpture and conceptual art, Athena
the evolution of a lifestyle.
MONKO is proud to be Initiative 71 compliant. Initiative 71 ( I-71) permits DC residents over 21 are allowed to possess and be gifted up to two ounces of Marijuana and cultivate up to three marijuana plants in their private residence. For more information, visit monko.co
kellysirishtimesdc.com
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Beer Garden & Haus has been awarded the title of Best Neighborhood Bar and Best Beer Selection, showcasing their commitment to quality. They take pride in serving locally sourced, grass-fed meats from their in-house butcher shop. Being the original beer garden, they’ve laid the foundation with craft beer, live local music, and a lively neighborhood dining atmosphere, with a special focus on BBQ.
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Located in the heart of Arlington, VA, McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant delights patrons with its authentic Irish fare, weekly Irish music events, and daily specials on both food and drinks.
Kelly’s Irish Times is a quaint, sometimes boisterous Irish pub, with great food, perfect cold pints, a wicked cast of characters behind the bar and a world-class jukebox.
Jason Moran, Artistic Director
Joshua Redman Group feat. Gabrielle Cavassa where are we Tour
OCTOBER 3 AT 7 & 9 P.M.
Charles Tolliver presents
ROBERT GLASPER BLACK RADIO: A HIP HOP 50 CELEBRATION
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FROM 1520 SEDGWICK AVENUE TO THE WORLD A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH DJ KOOL HERC AND CINDY CAMPBELL
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SOUND ARCHITECTS: A PRODUCER CONVERSATION WITH TIMBALAND
HIP HOP LISTENING SESSIONS: ICONIC GROUPS
THE BIRTH OF A CULTURE: A CONVERSATION AND MASTER CLASS WITH GRANDMASTER FLASH
HIP HOP FILM: STYLE WARS
WALE
BLACK THOUGHT - THE UPCYCLED SELF: THE ART OF BECOMING WHO WE ARE PRE-RELEASE BOOK TALK EVENT
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I STILL LOVE H.E.R: HIP HOP & THE MULTI-HYPHENATE LIFE AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH COMMON
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The ONLY OFFICIAL WEBSITE of the Kennedy Center (202) 467-4600
Africa/Brass feat. Camille Thurman & Howard University’s Afro Blue
OCTOBER 21 AT 7 & 9 P.M .
A Jazz New Year’s Eve: Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force
DECEMBER 31 AT 7 & 9 P.M.
Jason Moran and Alicia Hall Moran: Family Ball
JUNE 7 AT 7:30 P.M.
Throughout the 2023-2024 season, the Kennedy Center commemorates Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday with institution-wide celebrations across Jazz, Dance, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
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