The Next Big Thing: Singer-Songwriter Chris Urquiaga

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September 19, 2019

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CONTENTS

BIGOTED BELIEFS

Vice President Mike Pence believes that being gay is “a choice” and “learned behavior.”

By Rhuaridh Marr

THE NEXT BIG THING With a voice potent, sweet, and rich, and songwriting skills to match, Chris Urquiaga is poised to take the pop world by storm.

Interview by Randy Shulman Photography by Julian Vankim

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Volume 26 Issue 20

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MIDDLE AGED

The magnificent Edward Gero portrays Shakespeare’s Falstaff as if the character has been written anew.

By Kate Wingfield

SPOTLIGHT: BOB MOULD p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.10 THE FEED: DESIGNING DISCRIMINATION p.20 COMMUNITY: AFFIRMING SYNAGOGUE p.21 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p.21 SCENE: DC CENTER’S FALL RECEPTION p.23 FILM: DOWNTON ABBEY p.33 FILM: HUSTLERS p.34 STAGE: LOVE SICK p.36 STAGE: FAIRVIEW p.37 STAGE: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME p.38 NIGHTLIFE: IMPERIAL COURT OF DC’S CORONATION VIII p.39 NIGHTLIFE LISTINGS p.40 NIGHTLIFE HIGHLIGHTS p.41 LAST WORD p.46 Washington, D.C.’s Best LGBTQ Magazine for 25 Years Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Online Editor at metroweekly.com Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editors André Hereford, Doug Rule Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrators David Amoroso, Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Bailey Vogt, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla Patron Saint Freddie Mercury Cover Photography Julian Vankim Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830 All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. All such submissions are subject to editing and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Metro Weekly is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organization.

© 2019 Jansi LLC.

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ALICIA J. ROSE

Spotlight

B

Bob Mould

OB MOULD HAS BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE recent Democratic debates. “I think everybody that's been up there has had something worthwhile to bring to the party,” he says. “My fantasy would be, once the party sorts out the candidate, that everybody who’s been involved in these debates would be presented as [a team]: ‘Mayor Peter is going to be running the military, and Kamala Harris is going to be our AG.’ “It would be great if the party told everybody, upfront, who they're going to get — sort of like superheroes. It's going to take everybody to stop this thing. Actually tell people: ‘This is what you’re voting for. If you don't like Betsy Devos, here's whoever might be best for Education.’

“What a novel idea,” he continues. “Transparency in politics.”

The pioneering post-punk/alt-rock legend is as engaged in American politics as ever — even though it’s been almost a decade since Mould moved from D.C. and over three years since he moved out of the U.S. altogether, to Berlin.

“It's a progressive city, a really great city. I feel very safe there,” he says. “I like my day-to-day life there. I like the rhythm of it, the scale of the city, the people are great, food's inexpensive.

It’s a simpler life.”

Not that Mould doesn't miss D.C. and Blowoff, the wildly popular bear-oriented dance party he threw with Rich Morel for 11 years. “My time in D.C. was amazing. I really found, through Blowoff, a part of myself that I hadn't fully realized before. I’ve got great memories of all that.”

Mould will be back next week for an appearance at the City Winery. It's part of an intimate solo electric tour in support of Sunshine Rock, a rather surprising album given Mould’s generally angsty, often furious brand of music.

“I’m real happy with the response to it,” he says. “I think people were skeptical that I was writing an optimistic record, or at least trying to write in that direction. People have responded well, the press has been great, the band tour was a success, and these shows have been going really well.” —Doug Rule

Bob Mould performs Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m., at the City Winery DC, 1350 Okie St. NE. Tickets are $35 to $40. Call 202-250-2531 or visit www.citywinery.com.

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Spotlight NAKED KING: SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PART 1

RC SCHANDELMEIER.

Dance Box Theatre presents an evening-length work that points a finger at an emperor with no clothes, “exposing white supremacist systems in order to transform them towards equity, justice, and healing.” Naked King features Ronya Lee Anderson, Valerie Branch, Melissa Lineburg, Tariq O’Meally, and guest artist Pricilla Smith as “The Real Donna J. Trump.”

Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $15 to $30. Call 202-269-1600 or visit www.danceplace.org.

LIFE IS A DREAM

STAN WEINSTEIN

Hugo Medrano directs one of the essential works of Spanish Golden Age theater, Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s timeless play that explores free will, fate, and tyranny. Nando López adapted the work for a world-premiere production to kick off the 44th season of GALA Theatre. Daniel Alonso de Santos, Mel Rocher, and Soraya Padrao lead a cast of actors who will perform in Spanish with English surtitles. To Oct. 13. Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.

COAT OF MANY COLORS: THE MUSIC OF DOLLY PARTON

KELLY BALCH

The American Pops season opener celebrates the national treasure that is Dolly, featuring guest vocalists Joan Osborne, Neyla Pekarek, Nova Y. Payton, Morgan James, Jess Eliot Myhre, Rita Castagna, and recent Metro Weekly cover interview Garrett Clayton (pictured) performing the country legend’s greatest hits and hidden gems, accompanied by the orchestra conducted by Luke Frazier. Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m. Fichandler Stage in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $25 to $75.

Call 202-488-3300 or visit www.theamericanpops.org.

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Spotlight

TERESA WOOD

DOUBT: A PARABLE

Sarah Marshall anchors Studio Theatre’s production of John Patrick Shanley’s 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece that tackles concepts of faith, ambiguity, the price of moral conviction, and the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church in recent decades. Matt Torney directs a cast starring Marshall as Sister Aloysius and also featuring Christian Conn as Father Flynn, Amelia Pedlow as Sister James, and Tiffany M. Thompson as Mrs. Muller. To Oct. 6. Studio is at 14th & P Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org.

COULDA, WOULDA, SHOULDA CABARET

Assorted members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. take to the stage for a cabaret of funny stories and songs from the worlds of pop and Broadway — all of which “we wish we had done differently.” The program includes “You And Me (But Mostly Me)” from The Book of Mormon, “The Road You Didn’t Take” from Follies, the Whitney Houston/Robyn mashup “I Wanna Dance With Somebody/ Dancing On My Own,” “Chandelier”

by Sia, and “‘Till There Was You” from The Music Man. Saturday, Sept. 21, at 5 and 8 p.m. City Winery DC, 1350 Okie St. NE. Tickets are $45. Call 202-2502531 or visit www.citywinery.com.

THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN’S CREEK

“How did this get made in the 1940s?” That’s the question you’ll likely ask yourself as you exit the Smithsonian Theaters screening of what is billed as “one of the most outrageous films in American history.” Directed by Preston Sturgers, The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek tells the story of a small-town girl (Betty Hutton) getting into big trouble at a party to entertain soldiers on leave during World War II. A chaotic comedy of errors ensues after she discovers she’s pregnant, with pointed jabs at patriotism, sex, gender, and politics. An exclusive Q&A and book signing by Tom Sturges, Preston’s son, follows the screening. Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2:30 p.m. The Warner Bros. Theater, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Tickets are $15.50 with fees. Call 202-6331000 or visit www.si.edu/imax.

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Out On The Town

CAPITAL HOME SHOW

Brett Tutor, the hunky new carpenter on TLC’s revived Trading Spaces, headlines this year’s event, where more than 250 exhibitors will be on hand leading home remodeling and repair discussions and seminars, giving workshops and tutorials, sharing tips and tricks, and answering questions from the public. In addition to Tutor’s “Tips from a Home Inspector and Carpenter” sessions on Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, the Main Stage schedule features local experts presenting on specific topics, such as “How to Treat a Window” with Frank Giglio of Value Blind & Heirloom Draperies, “Balancing Luxury” in the kitchen and bathroom via experts from Bethesda’s Carnemark Design & Build, and “Enlightenedand Lights.”

Falls Church decor shop Stylish Patina will also participate in Main Stage discussions as well as sponsor the free, hands-on Make-It, Take-It DIY Station. Three remodeling companies — Enterprise Contracting, KBF by Audi, and Capitol Design Build — will duke it out to design the best facility in “Bathroom Wars.” Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, in Virginia. Tickets are $10 per day, or free on Friday, Sept. 20, for those traveling by Metro as well as all active military personnel, veterans, and first responders; also free on Sunday, Sept. 22, for federal government employees. Call 703-378-0910 or visit https://capitalhomeshow.com.

Compiled by Doug Rule

FILM AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY

The 22-year-old original James Bond spoof from Mike Myers and co-starring Elizabeth Hurley spawned two blockbuster sequels and a whole bag of quotes. It returns to the big screen as part of the Capital Classics series at Landmark’s West End Cinema.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 each. Call 202-534-1907 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

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DC SHORTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

One of the largest festivals of its kind, the 16th annual DC Shorts International Film Festival and Screenplay Competition features more than 150 shorts running an average of 5- to 15-minutes in length each. The films are presented in 19 Official Selection Showcases and 11 Special Interest Showcases (a special LGBTQ showcase of six queer-related shorts runs on Monday, Sept. 23, at 9:15 p.m.), all screening at Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. The festival kicks off Thursday, Sept. 19, with a Filmmaker Welcome Reception.

The festival concludes on Saturday, Sept. 28, with two Best of the Fest Showcase screenings at The Miracle Theatre, 535 8th St. SE. The day prior, Friday, Sept. 27, is the

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annual Screenplay Competition, in which a handful of scripts are performed live for the audience, who will then vote to award one aspiring filmmaker $2,000 as seed money for their project. The evening concludes with the World Premiere of last year’s winner, By Any Other Name. Individual Showcase tickets are $15. All Access Festival Passes are $140 and provide access to all showcases and the parties. Call 202393-4266 or visit https://festival. dcshorts.com for more details. Pick up a copy of the full festival guide around town or browse it online at Issuu.com/metroweekly.

LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL

The AFI Silver Theatre presents one of North America’s largest and longest-running showcases of Latin American cinema, including films

from Spain and Portugal. Now in its 30th year, the festival celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections during National Hispanic Heritage Month. Films include Li Cheng’s gripping drama José (Saturday, Sept. 21, and Wednesday, Sept. 25), described as a neorealist tale about the unexpected relationship that develops between two men in Guatemala, and the recipient of the Queer Lion award at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. The festival concludes on Wednesday, Oct. 2, with the world premiere of Days of Light, featuring the work of six promising young directors from across Central America, with stories seamlessly interwoven together for a moving, honest snapshot of life across the region. Tickets are $15 general admission and $13 for AFI Members, or $200 to $225 for an

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Spring Hill Rd. Tysons, Va. Tickets are $42. Call 703-854-1856 or visit www.1ststagetysons.org.

MUSIC BASTILLE

PULP FICTION

Both Alamo Drafthouse locations in Northern Virginia are offering a 25th anniversary screening for fans of Quentin Tarantino’s second film, a masterpiece that influenced countless movies and media since. The screenings are part of the series Alamo Drafthouse Movie Party, at which moviegoers are encouraged to “cheer for your heroes, boo the bad guys, shout out your favorite lines, and even sing along with the songs” — all enhanced by themed props furnished by the theaters, in this case fake “Red Apple cigarettes,” cap guns, and “a pretty fucking good $5 milkshake.” Monday, Sept. 23, at 7:20 p.m. One Loudoun, 20575 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn, Va. Call 571-293-6808. Also Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:20 p.m. 15200 Potomac Town Place, Ste. 100, Woodbridge, Va. Call 571-260-4413. Tickets are $14.30.

Visit www.drafthouse.com/northern-virginia.

all-access “Pase Especial” allowing for priority access to every film in the festival, including opening and closing night and festival happy hours. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Call 301-495-6700 or visit https://afisilver.afi.com/laff.

STAGE SOUVENIR

Playwright Stephen Temperley tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins — the eccentric society matron who fancied herself a great singer but who was, in reality, quite dreadful — from the perspective of her talented accompanist, Cosme McMoon. Joseph W. Ritsch directs the Rep Stage production. To Sept.

22. The Horowitz Center’s Studio Theatre at Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are $35 to $40. Call 443-518-1500 or visit www.repstage.org.

SURFACING: AN INVENTORY OF HELPLESSNESS

ExPats Theatre presents a 60-minute work by Russian/Austrian writer Julya Rabinowich, in which three characters live in captivity, invisible to the world. There’s the female ref-

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ugee, hiding underground for fear of deportation and traumatized by her cross-cultural journey, a kidnap victim locked in a basement at the mercy of her perpetrator, and a young man imprisoned in his own home due to the threat of blood-revenge against his family. Billed as a “thought-provoking production [that] opens our eyes to the plight of the marginalized, disposessed, and downtrodden.” Weekends to Sept.

29. Lab Theatre 1, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 202-399-7993 or visit www.atlasarts.org.

TRYING

Virginia’s 1st Stage offers the regional premiere of a play by Joanna McClelland Glass, who drew on her real-life experience working for Francis Biddle at his home in D.C. in the 1960s. Biddle, the former U.S. Attorney General under President Franklin Roosevelt who also served as Chief Judge of the American Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, was notoriously hard on his staff as he worked to cement his legacy. Alex Levy directs stars Amanda Forstrom and Scott Sedar.

Opens Thursday, Sept. 19. Runs to Oct. 20. 1st Stage is located at 1524

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A British pop act named after the French national holiday, Bastille’s biggest U.S. hit before this year was all about an infamously destroyed Roman town. In the years since 2013’s “Pompeii,” the four-piece band, led by Dan Smith, has churned out plenty of other similarly pleasing, anthemic tunes, 14 of them on 2016’s Wild World alone.

But it wasn’t until teaming up with EDM act Marshmello that Bastille managed to go two notches higher than the previous peak of No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 with last year’s “Happier.” The band returns to The Anthem on a tour in support of its new third album Doom Days, with an opening set from underrated American indie-pop, or “indietronica,” act Joywave. Saturday, Sept. 21. Doors at 7:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $45 to $75. Call 202-888-0020 or visit www.theanthemdc.com.

FAIRFAX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: THE DOWNTON ABBEY ERA

Music Director Christopher Zimmerman kicks off a new season of the FSO with a concert in tribute to “all things quintessentially British” — including John Lunn’s Downton Abbey Suite. Also reflective of the Edwardian era’s musical grace and artistry is Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 and Enigma Variations. The program’s centerpiece is Vaughan Williams’s soaring, poetic Lark Ascending, a work composed over a century ago, on the eve of World War I, that is touted as Britain’s most popular classical composition. Violinist Janet Sung is the featured soloist. Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m. George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax. Tickets are $25 to $39. Call 703-563-1990 or visit www.fairfaxsymphony.org.

FOLGER CONSORT: MUSIC FOR MACHIAVELLI

A true Renaissance man, Niccolò Machiavelli was a philosopher, diplomat, playwright, and composer. Of course, his chief legacy is in the realm of politics via the cunning theoretical ways and means he espoused. Yet the Folger Shakespeare Library’s early music ensemble naturally turns instead to his work as a composer, with a focus on the amusing music he created. Kicking off the Consort’s “Bella Italia” season is the program “Music for Machiavelli: Florence Circa 1500,” which features carnival songs Machiavelli wrote for the Medici family as well as music for his

comedic stage play The Mandrake, plus works by his contemporaries including Francesco Bendusi, Josquin des Prez, and Heinrich Isaac. In addition to the Consort’s founders, Robert Eisenstein and Christopher Kendall, the concert features instrumentalists Larry Lipnik, Dan Meyers, Mark Rimple, and Mary Springfels, and soprano Emily Noël. Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m.

St. Mark’s, Capitol Hill, 301 A St. SE. Tickets are $42. Call 202-543-0053 or visit www.folger.edu.

JUSTIN TRAWICK AND THE COMMON GOOD

Justin Trawick is less rock-oriented now than when he made music his full-time pursuit over a decade ago — which suits everyone and everything just fine. “It's the first record that I've done that I feel really represents me as a musician and us as a band,” the Northern Virginia-based singer-songwriter says about the Americana-focused EP Riverwash featuring his four-piece band the Common Good. The group returns to Pearl Street Warehouse on the Wharf this weekend for a concert with an opening set by fellow Virginia native Ryan Johnson, who is celebrating his recent move to D.C. in a performance with his backing family band The Unsung Heroes. 33 Pearl St. SW. Tickets are $15 to $18.

Call 202-380-9620 or visit www. pearlstreetwarehouse.com.

K.FLAY

She scored two Grammy nominations earlier this year for her 2017 set Every Where Is Some Where and single “Blood in the Cut.” Now, the LGBTQ-identifying, L.A.-based altpop/hip-hop artist born Kristine Meredith Flaherty is already out promoting her follow-up, Solutions, also released on an Interscope Records imprint founded by Dan Reynolds, lead singer of Imagine Dragons. Sunday, Sept. 29. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit www.930.com.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS

A critical darling — and a songwriter’s songwriter — of long repute, the alt-country singer-songwriter writes poetic songs and sings in a raw, hazy voice often coloring outside the lines.

No wonder some have called her “the female Bob Dylan.” Williams returns to the area with her band Buick 6 for a concert in Strathmore’s acoustically rich hall celebrating the 20th anniversary of Car Wheels on A Gravel Road, an album considered one of the cornerstones of Americana music. She will perform the Grammy-winning set, ranked No. 304 on Rolling Stone’s list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” in its entirety followed by other hits from her repertoire. Tuesday,

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Davis Issaelkhoury, tenor Aaron Sheehan, and bass Jonathan Woody.

Artistic Director Dana Marsh leads the program. Sunday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 to $69. Call 202-429-2121 or visit www.bachconsort.org.

DANCE NATIONAL DANCE DAY

A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN

Written by Randy Johnson on a commission from the Estate of Janis Joplin, A Night with Janis Joplin features more than a dozen singers and band members performing classic songs that shine the light on Joplin and especially the African-American singers who influenced her, from Bessie Smith to Nina Simone to Aretha Franklin.

First produced by Arena Stage in 2012 and on Broadway a year later, the show is as close to an “all standing” concert as musicals get, with theatergoers especially blown away by Mary Bridget Davies, who earned nominations at both the Helen Hayes and Tony awards for her portrayal of Joplin. The current touring version of A Night with Janis Joplin stars Davies and features Amma Osei, Ashley Támar Davis, Tawny Dolley, and Jennifer Leigh Warren as Joplin’s muses. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.

Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Tickets are $37.50 to $77.50, $149 for a VIP Meet & Greet Package. Call 202783-4000 or visit www.warnertheatredc.com.

Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Md. Tickets are $38 to $88. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

RHIANNON GIDDENS

The next vocal artist to get the Renée Fleming VOICES spotlight at the Kennedy Center is a MacArthur “Genius” Grantee and Nashville star, who got her start by helping showcase the black bluegrass tradition by co-founding the great group Carolina Chocolate Drops. Giddens will perform music from her latest album there is no Other, said to be “at once a condemnation of ‘othering’ and a celebration of the spread of ideas, connectivity, and shared experience.” She’ll be supported by Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30

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p.m. Terrace Theater. Tickets are $39 to $59. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

WASHINGTON BACH CONSORT: HANDEL’S CORONATION ANTHEMS

At its upcoming concert “A Royal Occasion,” this revered music collective will treat patrons as royalty, serenading them with music originally composed for kings and queens. In addition to Coronation Anthems composed by George Frideric Handel for King George II, the program naturally also features the organization’s namesake, with Johann Sebastian Bach’s now rarely performed Trauerode, first heard at a memorial service for the Electress of Saxony and nominal Queen of Poland. Vocal soloists include soprano Margot Rood, alto Sarah

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A collaboration with the Dizzy Feet Foundation, the Kennedy Center presents its annual National Dance Day festivities this year as part of the new REACH Opening Festival.

Led by Sarah Beth Oppenheim and her company Heart Stück Bernie, the program includes an interactive “dance lecture demonstration” by journalist Lisa Traiger, plus stories about D.C.’s dance history and interactive dance elements from established institutions including the Washington Ballet, Dance Place, Bowen McCauley Dance Company, Knock on Wood Tap Studio, and Jones Haywood Dance School. Things come to a head — or rather, a foot — with the learning and performance of a special group choreography “line dance” routine. Saturday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center’s new REACH Grounds. Free timed-entry passes to the REACH are required.

Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

COMEDY MIKE BIRBIGLIA: THE NEW ONE

A graduate of Georgetown University and one of the most famous alumni from its Georgetown Players Improv Troupe, Birbiglia has increasingly been making his name in scripted film and TV work.

In addition to writing and directing 2012’s Sleepwalk With Me and 2016’s Don’t Think Twice, Birbiglia has acted in supporting roles in everything from Trainwreck to Orange Is the New Black. The comedian returns to D.C. to kick off a four-city tour and open a new season at the National Theatre with his latest stand-up show, which just wrapped a Broadway run. Tuesday, Sept. 24, through Thursday, Sept.

24, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $39 to $114, or $25 through a lottery of 20 seats starting two hours before each performance. Call 202-6286161 or visit www.thenationaldc.org.

READINGS & LECTURES GINA RIPPON: GENDER AND OUR BRAINS

The latest results from psychology and brain imaging techniques prove that there is no biological distinction when it comes to gender, per the compelling new book Gender and Our Brains: How New Neuroscience Explodes the Myths of the Male and Female Minds.

Instead, as anyone with a thinking modern brain — or a queer identity — essentially knows already, gender is a social construct. In fact, all brains have a flexible, adaptive mix of “male” and “female” components, reports Rippon, a researcher in cognitive neuroscience at the U.K.’s Aston University and a member of the European Union Gender Equity Network.

She argues that previous research claiming to find gender-based differences are “products of pseudoscience,” and suggests that her findings will have dramatic implications for understanding identity.

Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit www.politics-prose.com.

RAYCEEN’S READING ROOM 2019

Team Rayceen presents an annual evening of comedy, poetry, interviews and more hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis as an official kick off to DC Public Library's Banned Books Week. Monday, Sept. 23. Doors open with a mixer at 6 p.m. Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-282-3080 or visit http://TeamRayceen.eventbrite.com

FOOD & DINING BOURBON STEAK: SPECIALTY DRINK & DESSERT TOASTING THE REACH In honor of the Kennedy Center’s expansion, the fine-dining restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown is offering a specialty drink and dessert, both inspired by the center’s original namesake.

A favorite cocktail of President Kennedy, the classic daiquiri gets fancifully dressed up by Head Bartender Sarah Rosner with a concoction she’s calling The Lancer and Lace — nodding to the White House code names for the 35th President and First Lady Jackie Kennedy — and that sees Strongwater Golden Bitters, Don Ciccio & Figli Ambrosia Herbal Liqueur, and Fino Sherry embellishing the standard daiquiri base of rum — here, Brugal Extra Dry Rum — with cane and lime juices. Meanwhile, Pastry Chef Chelsea Spaulding riffs on a preferred treat of the former president with her Waffle Dessert special that finds

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artworks in the multimedia exhibit were either inspired or influenced by physical or mental disability, chronic illness, or pain. Opening Night reception with selected artists is Friday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. On display to Oct. 31.

Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave. Ste. B, Hyattsville, Md. Call 301-955-9644 or visit www. inspiredbodies.wordpress.com.

STEPHEN BENEDICTO

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY

Recently featured as part of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s “Stonewall 50” program, the lesbian jazz singer-songwriter has become known for her focus on the classics — whether love songs from the Great American Songbook to tributes to her idols Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Over the course of her career, the veteran has also written songs for her mentor Barbra Streisand as well as Carole King and Barbara Carroll, and is purportedly the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter. She gets huge bonus points for writing and singing the theme song to the TV series, The Nanny. Callaway touches on that experience on her latest recording Jazz Goes to the Movies, also the focus of her show this weekend at the Hamilton. Sunday, Sept. 22. Doors at 6 p.m. The Hamilton is at 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $24.75 to $56.75. Call 202-787-1000 or visit www.thehamiltondc.com.

the pastry drenched in chocolate and topped with banana toffee, a scoop of peanut butter ice cream, and marshmallow fluff. The specials are available in the dining room, lounge, and patio at Bourbon Steak for the duration of the REACH’s Opening Festival, ending Sunday, Sept. 22. 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Call 202-944-2026 or visit www.fourseasons.com/washington.

LEGAL SEA FOODS: 11TH ANNUAL OYSTER FESTIVAL

Once again two area outposts of the Massachusetts-based seafood chain celebrates all things bivalves.

Fried oysters are available in the following styles, priced at three for $12: Buffalo with blue cheese, celery hearts, and radish; BBQ with coleslaw and BBQ mayo; Sriracha Lime with roasted corn salsa and crispy shallots; or as an “Oyster BLT” with chipotle mayo. Baked Oysters (three for $14) are prepared as a Lobster Spinach Oyster bake with cheese and herbed crumbs; Oyster Scampi with shrimp, garlic butter, and white wine; Crab & Cheese Oyster with Jonah crab, horseradish, cheddar, and cream cheese; or Scallop Mushroom Oyster with Romano, truffle oil, and

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tarragon. A variety of oysters will also be available raw, served on the half shell, with selections and prices changing daily depending on what’s available. Wash it all down with this year’s official festival drink, the Deadrise, a $12 concoction of Tito’s Handmade vodka, muddled cucumber, lime, and grapefruit bitters. Available at lunch and dinner daily now through Oct. 9. Two area locations: 704 7th St. NW (202-3470007) and 320 23rd St. S., Crystal City, Va. (703-415-1200). Visit www.legalseafoods.com.

ART & EXHIBITS A MONUMENT TO SHAKESPEARE

A temporary exhibition highlighting how Henry Clay Folger and his wife Emily Folger set out to create their shrine to the Bard as a gift, in 1932, to the American people — examining the Folger Shakespeare Library’s architecture and looking to its future. To Jan. 5. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

HABITATS

“What makes a habitat a home?”

That was the question that guided artists as they created new works for the latest group exhibition in Target Gallery, the contemporary exhibitions space of Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory Art Center. Ellyn Weiss, a D.C.-based independent artist and curator served as the show’s juror, ultimately selecting 22 works by artists working across the U.S. and in a diversity of media, from sculpture and photography to video and virtual reality. The six area artists with works in the show are Ceci Cole McInturff and Nancy Ramsey of Alexandria, Delna Dastur of McLean, Kamille Jackson of Woodbridge, Pam Eichner of Silver Spring, and Alice Fornari of D.C. To Sept. 22. 105 North Union St. Alexandria. Free.

Call 703-838-4565 or visit www. torpedofactory.org.

INSPIRED BODIES

An artistic celebration of all bodies and resilience, Inspired Bodies is a show featuring works by local artists who self-identify with a disability, including curators Alice Gardner-Bates and Metro Weekly contributor Hannah Chertock. The

Works by the D.C.-based abstract fine artist are next up to be featured at Art14, the seasonal art series at the Coldwell Banker Dupont/Logan office on 14th Street NW. Benedicto creates works that are unique, dynamic, multidisciplinary, and polymathic, combining traditional hand-made practices with automated systems and machine-rendered designs, all intended “to express the complex ideas of fetishism, transhumanism, and the design of self.”

Opening Reception is Thursday, Sept. 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. On display all season. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 1617 14th St. NW. Call 202-387-6180 or visit www.facebook.com/CBRBDupont.

THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS: STORIES OF GLOBAL DISPLACEMENT

Works posing urgent questions about the experiences and perceptions of migration and the current global refugee crisis are the focus of a special summer exhibition at the Phillips Collection. Organized in partnership with the New Museum in New York, The Warmth of Other Suns presents 75 historical and contemporary artists, from the U.S. and all over the world, who have reconstructed personal and collective tales of migration via art installations, videos, paintings, and documentary images. The exhibition brings together a multitude of voices and exposes the universality of migration as an experience shared by many. That includes the more than six million African Americans whose exodus from the American South during the Jim Crow era is depicted in Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series, a cornerstone of the permanent collection at the Phillips. To Sept. 22. 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets are $10 to $12. Call 202-387-2151 x247 or visit www. phillipscollection.org.

ABOVE & BEYOND FORD'S THEATRE'S HISTORY ON FOOT

A local actor offers the guided tour Investigation: Detective McDevitt, portraying Detective James McDevitt, a D.C. police officer patrolling a half-block from Ford’s Theatre the night President Lincoln was shot. Written by Richard Hellesen and directed by Mark Ramont, the 1.6-mile walking tour

revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the assassination. Tours are offered approximately three evenings a week at 6:45 p.m. Ford's Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17. Call 202-397-7328 or visit www.fords.org.

KENNEDY CENTER’S REACH: OPENING FESTIVAL

Years in the making, the unprecedented addition to the Kennedy Center campus of 72,000 square feet of interior space and nearly twice the volume of outdoor space officially opened this month via a 16-day, star-studded festival offering nearly 500 events. Free, timed-entry passes are required for entry into the REACH, with the passes also granting access to recurring REACH installations, including: Skylight Soundscapes, an immersive, music-centered lounge where guests can explore everything from the techno scenes in Detroit and Berlin, to the art and desert setting of Burning Man, to the fuzzy inside of a synthesizer; and the Virtual Reality Lounge, where Oculus headsets bring to life multi-dimensional works such as Robert Connor’s Half Life VR, featuring the Royal Swedish Ballet performing a work by choreographer Sharon Eyal, Lena Herzog’s Last Whispers, an immersive oratorio about the mass extinction of languages, and Julie Taymor’s “Circle of Life” in 360°, a panoramic video from Broadway’s The Lion King enabling viewers to choose where to look at every point. The festival runs to Sept. 22. Call 202467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org/reach.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

As summer nears its end, thoughts naturally turn to jousting, feasting, crafts, theater, music, and merriment. Yes, it's time once again for one of the world’s largest festivals recreating 16th century England.

Now in its 43rd season and set in a park outside of Annapolis, Md., the festival encourages patrons to dress up in period costume. They’re available to rent if you don’t have your own doublet and hose. Just don’t bring weapons, real or toy, or pets, as they tend to eat the turkey legs. It all takes place in the 27-acre Village of Revel Grove, where more than 200 professionals perform as characters of the era, naturally led by His Most Royal Highness King Henry VIII, wandering the steeds and streets when not on the village’s 10 stages or in the 3,000-seat arena, where a headline attraction is the jousting troupe Debracey Productions with its field full of horses, men in armor, chariots, trick riding and thrills for all ages. Also on hand are over 140 artisans exhibiting their predominantly handmade crafts in renais-

sance shops, five taverns and watering holes helping adult patrons stay hydrated and in good spirits, and 42 food and beverage emporiums to quench the hunger and thirst of even the youngest and most discerning. Weekends through Oct. 20. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $23 to $27; passes range from $41 for a 2-Day Pass to $160 for a Season Pass. Call 800-296-7304 or visit www.rennfest.com.

SUPER ART FIGHT: AUTUMN ASSAULT

Birthed over a decade ago at Katsucon, the annual anime convention held at the Gaylord in National Harbor, Super Art Fight is self-styled as “the greatest live art competition in the known universe.”

Participating artists, most of them with a cartoonist bent, set out to oneup each other through sheer force of charm and creativity, developing popular, outsized personas a la professional wrestling while improvising sketches on a mural-sized canvas set up in front of a live audience.

The crowd determines both the subjects to be drawn, per a “Wheel of Death” topic generator, and the ultimate winner. Having turned it into something of a national phenomenon, organizers stage the next event back on home turf. At the Black Cat, expect a giant 6-foot-tall, 12-footwide canvas and four creative bouts on stage. Friday, Sept. 20. Doors at 8 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-667-4490 or visit www.blackcatdc.com.

THE DC WEIRDO SHOW: WEIRDOS FOR LIFE

The DC Weirdo Show bills itself as the longest-running variety show in the city — and also, as “Queen Weirdo and Producer” Dr. Torcher puts it, “increasingly the D.C. go-to show for local performers of color, queer performers, and womxn in the circus, sideshow, and variety performance arts.” In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, the September show, “Weirdos for Life,” co-hosted with drag king Phoenix King, once again focuses on the LGBTQ community’s collective mental health, shared through personal stories from performers in various styles of variety art, from drag and burlesque, to dance, music, and comedy, to fire manipulation.

Proceeds from the show will benefit Trans Lifeline, a peer-support hotline staffed for and by trans people. Friday, Sept. 20. Dew Drop Inn, 2801 8th St. NE. Tickets are $16 to $20, or $26 for VIP including seating in the front-rows, a raffle ticket, and other goodies. Call 202-791-0909 or visit www.dcweirdoshow.com.

EROICA TRIO

The National Philharmonic presents the acclaimed Eroica Trio in a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C Major, one of the most unusual concertos in the canon, at once intimate and symphonic in style. Also on the program at the season-opening concert, led by the organization’s Piotr Gajewski, is the symphony from which the trio of violinist Sara Parkins, cellist Sara Sant’Ambrogio, and pianist Erika Nickrenz took its name — although Beethoven originally intended his groundbreaking Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major to be named for Napoleon Bonaparte, in recognition of what he thought were Napoleon’s democratic ideals. The German composer scrapped those plans once he learned that Napoleon had proclaimed himself Emperor of the French. Thus the work known for its classical control and romantic exuberance became known as the “Eroica” Symphony instead. Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Md. Tickets are $29 to $79. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

ZOOFIESTA

Subtitled “Un día de diversión animal para toda la familia,” this free Hispanic Heritage Month event at the National Zoo features talks, feeding, and demonstrations by zookeepers highlighting animals including Andean bears, sloths, golden lion tamarins, and

Panamanian golden frogs. ZooFiesta also features live music and cuisine from performers and vendors representing Latin America. Saturday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free.

Call 202-633-4800 or visit https:// nationalzoo.si.edu. l

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

GAGE SKIDMORE

theFeed

BIGOTED BELIEFS

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Vice President Mike Pence believes that being gay is "a choice" and "learned behavior." By Rhuaridh Marr

ICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE CALLED HOMOsexuality a “choice” and “learned behavior” in recently unearthed comments from the 1990s, in the latest example of the vice president opposing LGBTQ equality.

CNN discovered comments made by Pence in the early 1990s where he clearly states that he believes homosexuality to be “a choice,” as part of a wider stance that gay people should not be protected from discrimination. CNN’s KFile investigation team found newspaper clippings with reports of Pence’s comments, where he argued that, unlike AfricanAmericans, gay people were not deserving of discrimination because they choose to be a minority group.

“Once you identify homosexuals as a minority, then by definition they would need to be afforded constitutional protection,” Pence said. “Up to this point, our legal tradition in America has drawn a line over those things. I do not choose whether I am a black American…the great vast majority of the psychological community says homosexuality at a very minimum is a choice by the individual, and at the maximum, is a learned behavior.”

But in 1992 the American Psychological Association said that current data did not support the notion that homosexuality is a choice, and studies at the time instead linked homosexuality with biology and genetics, CNN found.

Pence was also discovered to have fought against the introduction of a nondiscrimination ordinance in Lafayette, Indiana, which would have protected gay people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and employment. The ordinance ultimately passed in May 1993.

At the time, Pence was president of conservative think tank Indiana Policy Review Foundation, and he argued that protecting gay people was a “very bad move” that would open “a Pandora’s Box of legal rights and legal difficulties once you identify homosexuals as a discrete and insular minority.”

“They’re discussing [in Lafayette] what I suspect will be one of the biggest issues of the ’90s,” Pence said. “You’ve got a tiger by the tail.”

CNN’s discovery produces what is believed to be the first record of Pence publicly calling homosexuality a choice — a belief that tied in with his future congressional campaign, where he supported conversion therapy efforts to forcibly change a person’s sexual orientation.

In a statement on his campaign website in 2000, he argued for resources to be directed away from “organisations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus” and instead go towards “those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.”

Pence has a long history of trying to quash LGBTQ rights.

In Congress, he opposed same-sex marriage, once telling Congress it would bring “societal collapse.” He opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. And he opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would have banned discrimination against people based on sexuality.

As governor of Indiana, Pence supported the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” which allowed businesses and individuals to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

As vice president, he recently said that Donald Trump banning American embassies from flying LGBTQ Pride flags during Pride Month was “the right decision.” And in 2017, a New Yorker column alleged that Trump joked about Pence wanting to “hang” every gay person.

Earlier this month, the White House argued that Pence is not anti-gay, pointing to a lunch he had with Ireland’s gay prime minister Leo Varadkar — a sentiment that was met with ridicule from LGBTQ organizations, who pointed to Pence’s long history of anti-LGBTQ actions and statements, both as vice president and as governor of Indiana. l SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

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theFeed

DESIGNING DISCRIMINATION

Arizona Supreme Court says calligraphers have a right to turn away same-sex couples. By John Riley

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HE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT HAS EFFECTIVELY services to an LGBTQ-identifying individual, or for a non-marundermined the city of Phoenix’s nondiscrimination ordi- riage-related event, at least according to the logic used by the nance by ruling that the owners of a stationery and callig- majority in reaching its decision. raphy business can refuse to create custom-made invitations for Jonathan Scruggs, senior counsel for anti-LGBTQ organizasame-sex weddings. tion Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents Duka and In a 4-3 decision, the court said that Joanna Duka and Koski, hailed the court’s decision.

Breanna Koski, the owners of Brush & Nib Studio, have a First “The government shouldn’t threaten artists with jail time and Amendment right to express their religious beliefs by refusing fines to force them to create custom artwork, such as wedding to make products for same-sex invitations, expressing messagweddings. es that violate their beliefs, and Duka and Koski had preempthat’s what the court has affirmed tively sued Phoenix, alleging that today,” Scruggs said in a statean ordinance protecting sexual ment. “Joanna and Breanna work orientation and gender identity with all people; they just don’t infringed on their rights by forcpromote all messages. They, like ing them to make “custom” inviall creative professionals, should tations or other products that celbe free to create art consistent ebrate or acknowledge same-sex with their convictions without relationships. the threat of government pun“The enduring strength of the ishment. Instead, government First Amendment is that it allows must protect the freedom of artpeople to speak their minds and ists to choose which messages to express their beliefs without govexpress through their own creKoski (left) and Duka – Photo: Brush and Nib Studio, via Facebook. ations. The court was right to find ernment interference,” Justice Andrew Gould wrote for the majority. “But here, the City effec- that protections for free speech and religion protect the freedom tively cuts off Plaintiffs’ right to express their beliefs about same- of creative professionals to choose for themselves what messagsex marriage by telling them what they can and cannot say.” es to express through their custom artwork.”

But the court also declined to issue a sweeping exemption But Lambda Legal, which filed amicus briefs urging the court for all businesses — including Brush & Nib — that would have to uphold the city’s nondiscrimination protections, blasted the allowed them to turn away customers simply based on their court’s decision as “troubling” and “misguided.” sexual orientation.

“A closely divided Arizona Supreme Court issued a troubling Gould noted that the case was “about freedom of speech and decision that grants business owners a limited license to disreligion,” not “discriminatory conduct based on a customer’s criminate when creating custom-designed, wedding-related art sexual orientation.” work,” Jennifer Pizer, senior counsel and law and policy director “This mischaracterization reflects neither Plaintiffs’ position at Lambda Legal, said in a statement. “The Court misguidedly nor our holding,” Gould wrote, adding that the plaintiffs “must, has concluded that free speech protections allow businesses and they do, serve all customers regardless of their sexual ori- to express anti-gay religious views by denying particular cusentation... The City also argues that because Plaintiffs’ refusal tom-design services to customers because of who they are. This affects only same-sex couples, their refusal is essentially a proxy ruling is dramatically at odds with decisions by courts across the for discrimination based on sexual orientation. We disagree. country that have instead refused to create a religious license for The fact that Plaintiffs’ message based refusal primarily impacts businesses to exempt themselves from civil rights laws, and to customers with certain sexual orientations does not deprive pick and choose their customers according to their own religious Plaintiffs of First Amendment protection.” criteria.”

The ruling leaves Phoenix’s nondiscrimination ordinance Pizer said such cases “aren’t really about cake or stationary or — and many others across the country — in limbo, at least with flowers: they’re about whether LGBT people and their families respect to whether such laws can be enforced. are equal members of society, or instead are subject to humiliatUnder a strict reading of the court’s decision, it would appear ing denials of service in countless places, from fertility clinic to that any business owner who expresses religious objections to funeral home, and everywhere in between,” Pizer added. same-sex marriage may refuse to provide “custom” goods or “Though narrow, today’s decision alarmingly cracks open the services to same-sex couples, on the basis that their artwork or door to religion and free speech protections being misused as craftsmanship constitutes a form of speech implicitly endorsing weapons against LGBTQ people and their families and religious the celebration in question. minorities,” Pizer said, “not to mention the dire implications for However, that same business could seemingly not claim that everyone seeking reproductive health services and many others. same exemption in refusing generic or mass-produced goods or Luckily, it is unlikely to be the last word on this subject.” l 20

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Community THURSDAY, SEPT. 19 AGLA BOOK CLUB meets at

Federico’s Ristorante Italiano to discuss City of Night by John Rechy. Everyone welcome. 7:308:30 p.m. 519 23rd St. S., Arlington, Va. Please RSVP in advance by emailing info@agla.org.

The DC Center holds a meeting of its POLY DISCUSSION GROUP, for people interested in polyamory, non-monogamy or other nontraditional relationships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit www.thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH

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

DC AQUATICS CLUB practice

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

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/ walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterwards. Route distances vary. 7 p.m. For meeting places and more information, visit www.dcfrontrunners.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES, D.C.’s

LGBTQ square-dancing group, features an opportunity to learn about and practice various forms of modern square dancing. No partner required. Please dress casually. 7:30-9:30 p.m.

National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW. For more info, call 202-930-1058 or visit www.dclambdasquares.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice. The team is always looking for new members. All welcome. 7-9 p.m. Harry Thomas Recreation Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. For more information, visit www.scandalsrfc.org.

THE DULLES TRIANGLES

Northern Virginia social group meets for happy hour at the Cosmopolitan Lounge inside the Sheraton Hotel in Reston.

All welcome. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Second Floor. For more info, visit www.dullestriangles.com.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-

AFFIRMING SYNAGOGUE Bet Mishpachah strives to provide a “radically inclusive” space for LGBTQ Jews.

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HE NARRATIVE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES throughout our history has been one of being a minority and never entirely secure,” says Rabbi Jake Singer-Beilin. “That is something that still defines the Jewish identity in a big way. And so we tend to look out for others, who are not in the majority.”

Singer-Beilin, the newly installed rabbi at Congregation Bet Mishpachah, a synagogue catering to D.C.’s local LGBTQ Jewish community, says Jewish communities are “attuned to that frequency, because of being under the rule of not always friendly governments and peoples.”

“That is reinforced through our holidays,” he says.

“It's reinforced through the stories in our Torah that we study and grapple with. And for many of us, and the members of Bet Mishpachah, that’s what drives our work. That’s also where we find spirituality in being able to use the power and privilege that we have — being relatively comfortable in today's America, at least compared to what the experiences had been in Eastern Europe and elsewhere — to make sure that no community is treated the way the Singer-Beilin Jews had been in the past.”

Bet Mishpachah has been involved in an ongoing conversation about its LGBTQ-affirming role, particularly in an age when other non-Orthodox Jewish congregations have become more welcoming to LGBTQ people.

“We want to be a radically inclusive synagogue where people can come and be their truest selves and where we can serve the downtown D.C. Jewish community, hopefully in a way that they're not being served by other Jewish entities,” Singer-Beilin says. “It’s a place where members of the community can come, where friends and family members, Jewish and non-Jewish supporters, can find a spiritual place.”

Throughout the year, Bet Mishpachah holds men’s and women’s discussion groups, an annual prayer service to commemorate the Transgender Day of Remembrance, and has a regular presence at Capital Pride. Discussion groups focus on teachings from the Torah and how they can be viewed in an LGBTQ context, with a special emphasis on social justice issues.

For the upcoming High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Bet Mishpachah will hold services at the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center and at the Friends Meeting of Washington, the space used by D.C.’s Quaker community. The group will also hold a pre-fast meal at Buca di Beppo on Oct. 8, and a “Breaking the Fast” meal at Friends Meeting of Washington on Oct. 9.

“We come together in prayer and reflection and song,” says Rabbi Singer-Beilin. “It’s going to be a really beautiful time, with a lot of lay participation and different voices from within the community speaking about things that we’re passionate about and that we think deserve some air time. We're hoping to see others from around the community as well, so that we show off who we are and why we are.” —John Riley For more information on Bet Mishpachah, and the upcoming High Holy Day services, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 9, visit www.betmish.org.

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

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY (K.I.) SERVICES, 20 S. Quaker Lane, Suite 210, Alexandria, Va., offers $30 “rapid” HIV testing and counseling by appointment only. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Must schedule special appointment if seeking testing after 2 p.m. Call 703823-4401. www.kiservices.org

METROHEALTH CENTER

offers free, rapid HIV testing.

Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. To arrange an appointment, call 202-8498029. www.metrohealthdc.org

STI TESTING at Whitman-

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

US HELPING US hosts a

Narcotics Anonymous Meeting.

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

FRIDAY, SEPT. 20 GAY DISTRICT, a group for

GBTQQI men between the ages of 18-35, meets on the first and third Fridays of each month.

8:30-9:30 p.m. The DC Center.

2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.

For more information, visit www.gaydistrict.org.

The DC Center hosts an LGBTQ GAME NIGHT where participants can play board and card games and socialize with other people from across the LGBTQ spectrum. All welcome. 7-9 p.m.

2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.

Visit www.thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events DC AQUATICS CLUB holds

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

PROJECT STRIPES hosts

LGBT-affirming social group for

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ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW. Contact Tamara, 202319-0422, www.layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides a

social atmosphere for LGBTQ and questioning youth, featuring dance parties, vogue nights, movies and games. 4-7 p.m. For more info, email rebecca.york@smyal.org.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21 ADVENTURING outdoors group

co-sponsors 42-mile bike ride over sometimes hilly terrain through Central Maryland, focused on historic Ellicott City on the Patapsco River. Board MARC train’s bike car at Union Station, get off at Odenton, bike to and lunch in Ellicott City, and end ride at BWI Station to return to Union Station. $13 round-trip fare. For more information, contact Jerry, 571-2413787, or visit www.adventuring.org.

AGLA hosts its monthly brunch at

Freddie’s Beach Bar. The group will be collecting travel-sized unused soaps, shampoos, and lotions for A-SPAN, which provides life-sustaining services for street homeless, and unused nonperishable food items for AFAC, which provides nutritious food for those in need. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 555 23rd St. S., Arlington, Va. For more information, visit www.agla.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group

visits the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art to see its exhibition Whistler in Watercolor. Free admission. Lunch follows. Meet at 11 a.m. inside the main entrance lobby near 12th Street and Jefferson Drive SW, across from the Mall exit of the Smithsonian Metro Station. For more info, contact Craig, 202-462-0535 or craighowell1@verizon.net.

KHUSH DC, a support group for

LGBTQ South Asians, hosts a meeting at The DC Center. 1:30-3 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.

For more information, visit www. facebook.com/khushdc.

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

For more information, visit www.thedccenter.org.

The DC Center hosts a meeting of its LGBTQ PEOPLE OF COLOR SUPPORT GROUP, facilitated by Dakia Davis. 1-3 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit www.thedccenter.org.

VETERANS AGAINST HATE presents “Defending Our Transgender Brothers and Sisters in Arms” at the Marvin Center Amphitheatre.

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Opening statement will begin at 4 p.m. be followed by a panel discussion at 4:30 p.m., a short reception at 6 p.m., and a screening of the documentary TransMilitary at 6:30 p.m. 800 21st St. NW. For more information, visit www.veteransagainsthate.org.

Weekly Events DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-

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

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterwards.

Route distance will be 3-6 miles.

Walkers meet at 9:30 a.m. and runners at 10 a.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit www.dcfrontrunners.org.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 22 AGLA hosts its signature ICE CREAM SOCIAL at a private residence in Arlington. An ice cream truck will offer several flavors and toppings. No sugar added, gluten-free, and dairy-free options will be available. Free for members.

Non-AGLA members welcome, but there will be a donation jar. 3-5 p.m. 2334 S. Meade St., Arlington, Va. For more information, visit www.agla.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group

visits Hillwood Estate Museum & Gardens to see its show on the photography of Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Lunch in the Merriweather Cafe follows. Gather at noon inside the Visitors Center at 4155 Linnean Ave. NW, a 20-minute walk east of the Van Ness Metro Station. For more info, contact Craig, 202-4620535 or craighowell1@verizon.net.

Weekly Events BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive and radically inclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, www.betheldc.org.

FAIRLINGTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is an open, inclusive church. All welcome, including the LGBTQ community. Member of the Reconciling Ministries Network. Services at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King Street, Alexandria, Va. 703-6718557. For more info, visit www.fairlingtonumc.org.

FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON meets for worship, 10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Quaker House Living Room (next to Meeting House on Decatur Place), 2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbians and gays. Handicapped accessible from Phelps Place gate.

Hearing assistance. Visit www.quakersdc.org.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, God-centered

new age church & learning center.

Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 Sherier Place NW. Visit www.isd-dc.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF REFORMATION invites all to

Sunday worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m.

Childcare is available at both services. Welcoming LGBT people for 25 years. 212 East Capitol St. NE. Visit www.reformationdc.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted) and 11 a.m. Children's Sunday School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. For more info, call 202-638-7373 or visit www.mccdc.com.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,

a Christ-centered, interracial, welcoming-and-affirming church, offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. For more info, call 202-5544330 or visit www.riversidedc.org.

UNITARIAN CHURCH OF ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcom-

ing-and-affirming congregation, offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow UU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd. For more info, visit www.uucava.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-

ing and inclusive church. GLBT Interweave social/service group meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m., Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St. NW. For more info, call 202-3873411 or visit www.universalist.org.

MONDAY, SEPT. 23 AGLA hosts a monthly board meeting open to the larger community.

Come and meet the board as it discusses upcoming events and plans.

7-8:30 p.m. Federico’s Ristorante Italiano, 519 23rd St. S., Arlington, Va. For more information, visit www.agla.org.

Weekly Events DC’S DIFFERENT DRUMMERS

welcomes musicians of all abilities to join its Monday night rehearsals.

The group hosts marching/color guard, concert, and jazz ensembles, with performances year round.

Please contact Membership@ DCDD.org to inquire about joining one of the ensembles or visit www.DCDD.org.

The DC Center hosts COFFEE

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

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

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9

p.m. Newcomers with at least basic swimming ability always welcome.

Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, contact Tom, 703-299-0504 or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit www.wetskins.org.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 24 GENDERQUEER DC, a support and

discussion group for people who identify outside the gender binary, meets at The DC Center on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit www.thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice. The team is always looking for new members. All welcome.

7-9 p.m. Harry Thomas Recreation Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd. NE. For more information, visit www.scandalsrfc.org.

THE GAY MEN'S HEALTH COLLABORATIVE offers free

HIV testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday.

5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St. 703746-4986 or text 571-214-9617. www.inova.org/gmhc

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS

holds an LGBT-focused meeting every Tuesday, 7 p.m. at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from Virginia Square Metro. Handicapped accessible.

Newcomers welcome. For more info, call Dick, 703-521-1999 or email liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25 LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets at

The Dignity Center for Duplicate Bridge. No reservations needed.

Newcomers welcome. 7:30 p.m. 721 8th St. SE (across from the Marine Barracks). Call 202-841-0279 if you need a partner.

The HEALTH WORKING GROUP of The DC Center holds a monthly meeting focusing on issues connected to meth use. The event will feature a presentation by Brian Watson from HIPS. 6:30-8 p.m.

2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit www.thedccenter.org. l

Scene

DC Center’s Fall Reception, honoring David Mariner - Friday, Sept. 13 Photography by Ward Morrison See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

23

“I want to tour the world.

I want to have musicals on Broadway. I want to start my own nonprofit, which financially assists kids from immigrant and low-income backgrounds and gives them music lessons.”

The aspirations may seem larger than life, but spend a few hours in the company of Chris Urquiaga and you absolutely know he’ll make every dream come true. This becomes more evident when you listen to the songs on his two albums, the EP Complete, released in 2017, and the exhilarating 2018 follow-up I’m Here. The latter’s gorgeous, deeply-felt title track alone is cut from the fabric of a first-act Broadway showstopper, the kind that brings the curtain down and leaves the audience roaring.

Urquiaga has no shortage of ballads in his repertoire, and his voice — sweet, clear, emotionally potent — seems custom-built for them. But it’s the upbeat tracks — “Burn It Up,” for instance, and several numbers sung in Portuguese and spiced with irre-

were the conservative suits, in their place jackets fashioned from gold sequins or adorned with elaborate floral prints. His long, flowing Sixties-era locks were replaced by a hairstyle that has a life of its own, one that playfully swoops and dives as it contours to his deeply handsome visage.

“My friend David Simmons thinks that my makeover is connected to my coming out,” Urquiaga grins, impishly. “I agree with him.” Simmons, of course, is the Artistic Director of the Congressional Chorus, and an ardent champion of Urquiaga. His husband, Michael Polscer, currently serves as Urquiaga’s vocal coach.

“Michael and I were married last fall on a farm in Pennsylvania,” says Simmons. “Chris played and sang for our wedding. It has been such a joy to watch Chris mature and blossom over the last eight years. He’s an amazing young man.”

Urquiaga, whose mother is Brazilian and father is Peruvian, was born in the states. (His mother still lives here, and is a natu-

{ The Next }

BIGTHING {

With a voice potent, sweet, and rich, and songwriting skills to match, Chris Urquiaga is poised to take the pop world by storm.

Interview

by

Randy Shulman • Photography

pressible Latin rhythms — that truly show off the musical breadth and versatility of the gifted 28-year-old.

A graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and a 2017 Artist-in-Residence at Strathmore, Urquiaga has forged an increasingly successful path in an impossibly crowded field filled with no shortage of equally talented singers. The difference here, however, is that Urquiaga’s gifts extend beyond singing. He’s an impossibly great composer, equally adept at classical and choral compositions as he is with pop.

When last interviewed in this magazine, the Congressional Chorus was performing “Dreams,” a piece Urquiaga set to the works of Langston Hughes. He wrote it a decade ago, at the age of 19.

In that interview, the shoulder-length-haired composer identified as an ally of the LGBTQ community. Nearly a year later, he’s fully out as a gay man and not shy about broadcasting his newfound pride. It was a tentative process years in the making, and it sparked a change in the way Urquiada saw himself. Gone 24

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

by

Julian Vankim

}

ralized citizen. His father moved back to Peru.) He’s performed in almost every kind of situation, from dingy piano bars to singing the National Anthem in front of a baseball stadium packed with 30,000 fans. He recently sang the anthem for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, during the swearing-in ceremony for the Hispanic Members of Congress.

“I got to perform for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer,” he glows, noting that meeting Ocasio-Cortez was “amazing.”

“I felt like a little fangirl,” he says. “I was backstage waiting to go on to sing and I was lined up with all the politicians and she was one of them. I was standing right next to her. I was like, ‘Can I take a picture with you?’ And she was like, ‘Absolutely!’

So we got the representative from Guam to take a picture of us.

And then I got to take a picture with the representative of Guam in return.

“It was interesting meeting all of these different politicians, hearing their stories. We all had this common thread — we were all Latinos that are trying to be good citizens in this country and

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

25

make a positive difference. I've just been honored to have these kind of gigs, where I can honor my country and also honor my Latino heritage.”

This Tuesday, Sept. 24, Urquiaga will perform two sets at Blues Alley, one of D.C.’s most venerated music venues.

Playing the room fills the young artist with a sense of appreciation — it’s not lost on him the great artists who have played there during the club’s storied 54-year history. “You feel like you're walking into a very sacred historic place,” he says.

Urquiaga has dreams of someday improving the lives of others — through his music, his voice, his activism.

26

“I want to inspire young people to follow their dreams,” he says. “Particularly those who are discouraged to pursue music, so that they can pursue music, forget about the pressures, forget about what society tells them, that music is not lucrative. I want them to go ahead and live life to the fullest and do what makes them happy, content, and fulfilled.”

In other words, follow in his footsteps.

METRO WEEKLY: Let's start with your early life.

CHRIS URQUIAGA: I was born in Takoma

Park, Maryland, and was raised in Beltsville, Maryland, which is in PG County. I really consider myself a true

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Marylander. My mother is from Brazil, and my father is from Peru. My stepdad is Canadian. So I have all foreigner parents.

I'm the first person to have been born in the United States in my family.

MW: How important was music in your household growing up?

URQUIAGA: There was always a tremendous interest in music. My father was the kind of person who could pick up a song by ear. He was not a trained musician, by any means. He just had a natural ability for playing music at the piano by ear. My mother has a natural gift of song — she has a lovely voice. I got the natural talent of singing through her. She has a wonderful soprano range, this nice clear voice.

Growing up as a kid, I remember hearing all these great records from all over the world. Songs from Brazil, songs from Peru, from Mexico, from Cuba, songs of different traditions in the United States. So it was always a tremendous interest in my family. It was something that was natural, especially because as Brazilian people, we consider our music to be really infused with the culture. It’s in the way we speak Portuguese — it's very singable the way we speak our idiom. And the music in Brazil has just such lush and warm melodies that make you feel nostalgic and make you feel like you want to dance.

MW: Did you take music lessons?

URQUIAGA: I started taking piano lessons seriously when I was seven years old. My mother, when she was a kid, really wanted to study music, but her family was so poor in Brazil, they could not afford it.

She wanted to pass that on to me. She saw the gift in me in the way that I loved music, the way that I'd sing perfectly in tune whenever my favorite song would come on the radio. She saw me noodling around at the piano. So she said, "I need to put this boy in piano lessons."

I didn't want to take them at first, but my mom said, "This is a good discipline for you." So she made me practice and I found the beginning stages of piano so painstaking and I found it to be so menial and just had such grunt work to it that I found it difficult to overcome the beginning fundamental technical stages of learning piano. I eventually developed a passion for it, so I blame my mother for my successful career in music. [Laughs.]

MW: At some point in your life you thought, "I'm going to make music my career." It’s not the easy road. Why did you choose it?

URQUIAGA: I chose it because music was something that was very natural for me.

I found myself not only feeling good but also making other people feel good

and motivated. I remember one professor at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, the university I attended, told me that I have a deep sensibility in music.

It's not mainly intellectually-based, I don't treat music in an esoteric way or in an abstract way in that I'm just putting all the right notes and just trying to show the right concepts to the audience of what the piece I'm presenting is. But I'm also trying to make them feel something.

MW: It’s instinctive to you.

URQUIAGA: It is instinctive, yes. I felt like there was this higher calling in it. I feel I can give back to my community with music. By the time I was in ninth grade, I was already looking at conservatories I could apply to. By the 10th grade, I started to have a deep interest in composition.

MW: You ended up as an Artist in Residence at Strathmore during the 2016-2017 season.

That's a pretty big deal.

URQUIAGA: I was just very humbled by the experience.

MW: For those who don’t know, what does being an Artist in Residence at Strathmore mean?

URQUIAGA: It means that you put on many shows there for them. They dedicate concerts to you, they give you top billing, and they give you an opportunity to present an education workshop. They have you do a bunch of paid gigs in the area for their partnership organizations, including the Kennedy Center, which I did a concert at. They also give you free seminars on how to have a successful career in music. These seminars each week are on different topics in the music industry: marketing, music, production, agencies, management, being a bandleader.

MW: Did you enjoy the experience?

URQUIAGA: I loved it. I made some good friends. I have a longtime collaborator from that program. His name is Joey Antico. He's the drummer in my band, and he is just one of the people, one of the entities, that really made my music what it is, gave it a more distinctive sound.

MW: After Strathmore, how did you support yourself?

URQUIAGA: I did whatever I could in the realm of music to support myself. I was accompanying choirs and soloists, I was acting as a clinician, giving coaching sessions to individuals who wanted to excel in music or prepare for auditions.

I performed at churches, I performed at theaters, I performed at bars, I performed at restaurants. I performed everywhere.

I had no ego coming up and decided that if I want to work in the realm of music, I must start off small and just find any

“How are we going to repair the original American democratic experiment?

It makes me upset that people would define you by your heritage, your last name, the color of your skin, your income, when they don't even know you.”

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

27

venue that I can get to perform at.

I've been fortunate — I've been able to find my way in music. In the beginning I had to take on a lot more gigs that I did not want to do, and now I feel like I'm in a different place, and now I feel like in this area particularly I am a little more selective in terms of the work I get. Now I can get commissions, I can do singer-songwriter showcases. I can do a lot of private parties because I have so many connections doing that here and in New York City as well.

MW: The first time I interviewed you, it was about a piece that the Congressional Chorus had commissioned from you.

URQUIAGA: They were singing my Dreams piece based on Langston Hughes’ poetry.

28

They commissioned that when I was 19 years old, almost 10 years ago. It’s also been performed by other choruses.

MW: How does it feel to know that you've written a piece of music that is being sought after and performed nationally?

URQUIAGA: I feel elated. Because I feel like there's something that I said that is catching on with people and that has moved people, so now they feel like they need to share it with other people, with other listeners. I get letters from people who say, “I just heard your Dreams composition and I just want to say that that really moved me to start my own nonprofit organization.” “The song really moved me because it helped me really get over a loss that has occurred in my life.” “That just

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

really inspired me to become an activist.”

I feel honored that I have support and fans from all age groups — from senior citizens who are retired to little kids.

MW: Kids?

URQUIAGA: [Laughs.] I had my own residency dedicated to me at Tysons Corner Plaza in Virginia this summer! The average age there was four years old, because there was just so many kids listening to me perform with their mothers and fathers.

MW: What do you think it is that people like so much about your music?

URQUIAGA: I think it's universal. I write music that has catchy melodies that are evocative, that give feelings of nostalgia.

My rhythms are Latin, and so it makes people want to dance. The lyrics are direct, straight, no chaser. Simple.

MW: You do all your own lyrics?

URQUIAGA: Mostly. I'm writing a musical comedy about gentrification with Jordan Silver, a lyricist from New York City.

MW: You could be the next Lin-Manuel Miranda.

URQUIAGA: [Laughs.] That's the plan! I've been meeting a lot of Broadway producers and I'm actually looking to set up a workshop in New York City with a producer pretty soon.

MW: You're playing Blues Alley next Tuesday. Tell me about that particular show.

URQUIAGA: That's going to be a show featuring my pop songs and including a preview song from the musical I'm writing — the working title is Mr. Manhattan.

MW: Blues Alley is a legendary space in D.C. URQUIAGA: Playing there, you feel like you're in a place that's like a monument to jazz music. So when I'm there, I try to always pay some type of homage to the greats and play some good jazz music. Even though I'm a pop music artist, I feel flattered that they invite me to perform there.

MW: Who's your following, your audience?

URQUIAGA: My following, I think, is largely women and gay men. It reminds me of that quote from Sex and the City — “first the gays, then the girls, then the industry.” That's something that my friends have taught me, including my gay friends, even before I came out as a gay man. I think they really like my music because I sing it with a lot of soul and passion. I'm a pretty free and natural performer. I'm idiosyncratic.

MW: When you first interviewed with us back in November 2018, you said you were an ally of the LGBTQ community. You’ve come out since.

URQUIAGA: I get a sense that a lot of my gay audience knew I was gay before I

“There's something in my DNA that gives me great optimism for the future.

There’s no point looking back, because the past doesn't exist anymore. We live in the moment and we try to create better futures for ourselves.”

did — or before I was proudly wearing my gay stripes and I came out as a gay person.

MW: Why were you in?

URQUIAGA: What was it that made me closeted? Embarrassment and pressure.

It was something that followed me from when I was a child — being Latino and being criticized for being a boy that liked musical theater and who liked to sing.

There were those in my class who did make fun of me, said I was girly because I really liked all that Broadway and opera stuff. So that made me feel like an outsider.

Religion also had something to do with it as well. I do have religious friends and I do have religious family members who don't agree with homosexuality, who think that it is a sin. So I did what many people did unfortunately, which is play it safe. I did pretty much what everyone else was doing — be with the opposite sex and

try that out. I did that.

MW: You had girlfriends.

URQUIAGA: I did have girlfriends. I love women, but when it comes to my identity, in terms of who I'd rather be with romantically, I lean towards men. That's what really made me realize that people are more fluid than you think, because of all these different coming out stories. We have people who come out after they have had kids and grandchildren, who grew up in conservative areas that would criticize them, that made them feel like they were wrong. Whenever people would ask me in interviews, I did not feel compelled to say that I was experimenting or that I was seeing guys behind closed doors — you know what I'm saying? — because I didn't feel like it was right to say it at the time.

MW: What was the catalyst for you saying, “Okay, I'm just going to live my life

openly?”

URQUIAGA: It was a man I dated. And this

man was someone who really helped me bring out a lot of the inner-colors in me that made me who I am. And that made me this more vivacious and vibrant person. He said, "You know Chris, I notice that whenever you're just being Chris and you're just being vulnerable when you're around the people who you love the most, like your family, you seem to be more vibrant, more vivacious. And when you're outside, it's like you're less so. It's like you're more poised, you're more conservative in terms of the way that you present yourself. Why can't it all be just one package?" I didn't know how to take it. It made me feel bothered that he observed that.

But what this man made me realize was that I really had to just wear my confidence proudly so that everyone could

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

29

“What was it that made me closeted?

Embarrassment and pressure.

It was something that great option sure to followed me from when I was a child — being criticized for being a boy that liked musical theater and who liked to sing. It made me feel like an outsider.”

see it. It doesn't matter what people think of me. That's what inspired me to dress more stylish, more flamboyantly. I've been putting on shows that are more flamboyant, that are more entertaining, that are more flashy. And I'm not afraid of the rejection that might come with that, of the disapproval or the judgement.

MW: Was cutting your hair short part of all that?

URQUIAGA: My friend David Simmons actually thinks that my makeover is connected to my coming out, and I agree with him. I wanted to cut my hair because I just thought I'd look better with shorter hair. I thought I would look like a more grown, mature person. There was something more mature about it. It was something more daddy about it. Especially when my hairstylist, who's a lovely Latina in Laurel, Maryland — I get my hair cut at Latin Image Salon, Sonya Portillo — I would get my hair cut with her and I said, “You know what Sonya? I want to change. I'm tired of this long hair. I want something different now. I want something that's going to pronounce my face, pronounce my jawline. Can you help me find a style?” She said, "Hmm, yes, I see it. I see it. Yes, yes, yes, something more fluid that represents your personality." Anyways, long story short, she did that, and in the process, Pride was coming up and I needed to show this gayness as well. I even spoke about my experience as a gay man publicly at the Frederick Pride Festival. I told people, I said, “This is the first Pride festival that I'm performing at where I'm fully out and everything, living in the way that God intended me to be without any type of repression, without any type of shame in me. This year has come from the sense of freedom.”

MW: How did it feel to play your first pride as an openly gay man?

URQUIAGA: Exhilarating. I'm sorry, I sound like a little kid right now. But it was exhilarating. I loved it, Randy. I thought it was me living my dreams. A patron from Signature Theater asked me recently, “I saw your flamboyant pride video where you took off your tear-away clothes and you tore your clothes off to present your rainbow onesie. And I loved it and I want to say welcome to the LGBT club.” She didn't even ask me if I was gay or not, she just got the image. She was a lesbian woman. And I said, “Thank you so much.” She said, "How do you feel?" I said, “Not that different. I just feel more free.” So, not that different. It's still the same Chris. There's a sense of liberation. Even theologically speaking, because I do have a religious background.

MW: What religion?

URQUIAGA: I have a Baptist background. I started playing at conservative Baptist churches from the Southern Baptist convention. Theologically, I disagreed with them. They did not promote liberation at all. But now I find myself performing at a lot of churches, especially in this area, that promote a liberation theology. And I know liberation theology comes largely from the Catholic tradition in South America, but still it has been taken by the Baptists as well. There are certain wings, particularly the Alliance of Baptists that have really owned that idea as well. And they said, you know what? We want to promote this theology.

And it doesn't matter if you're gay, it doesn't matter if you're straight. You can still love God and you can still serve God and you can still be a Christian. You can still be this person that is zealous, with a heart for religion, with a heart for theology.

MW: This administration has put forth so much xenophobia against 30

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Latinx people in this country right now. How does it make you feel?

URQUIAGA: It makes me wonder how we're going to get back to repairing the fabric of that original American democratic experiment. It makes me wonder how we're going to come back to that. I'm a person who, once I see a problem, I try to go straight to finding the solution. Yes, it makes me feel bad. It makes me feel upset that people would define you by your heritage, your last name, the color of your skin, your social class, your income, when they don't even know you.

MW: Does it frighten you at all?

URQUIAGA: Sometimes it does. Even though I am an American citizen and I was born here, I still have this Latin heritage to me that's pretty salient. It's pretty present and it's not something that I hide. I'm not the kind of Latino person that's saying, "Oh, I'm embarrassed to show off my Latino heritage, I want to become more Caucasian, I want to try to fit in with the majority."

I don't think we should do that here in America. I think one of the ways we fight the xenophobia and racism is by just owning that which we are truly, just being proud of our heritage and our backgrounds. We see that here in D.C. at a lot of the marches, the protests, the demonstrations, the young people rising up, and proudly being who they are coming out of the closet. Not being afraid to show that they came from an immigrant family or even, which I find very brave, that they are undocumented immigrants, but they still boldly share their story as to why their family came here. Because if you're born in this country or if you were brought to the country, in my opinion, I think that you should have a fresh start, particularly as a young person.

MW: You seem like a joyous person.

URQUIAGA: I am very joyful, and I felt even more joy when I came out.

MW: What gives you such joy?

URQUIAGA: I've been thinking about this recently. There's something in my DNA that gives me great optimism for the future. I'm a person that likes to look forward and not look back so much. I find that if I look back too much, I start feeling down and sad. There’s no point looking back, because the past doesn't exist anymore.

It’s nonexistent. The future doesn't exist either. But we live in the moment and we try to create better futures for ourselves. And so, I think that if you're gonna live one life, which we all do, let's really live it to the fullest. Can we curse here? I'm just curious.

MW: We can curse.

URQUIAGA: Let's live that motherfucker. That's how I see it. We better live it, 'cause it's only one. We have one body. That's why I take my health seriously. Listen to the doctor, listen to the dentist. I don't see myself as a person that needs to be on drugs to bring me joy, because I think that me having the possibility of making a positive impact on someone's life every day is the reason why I get up in the morning and I do what I do to the fullest.

And that brings me joy. Seeing the uniting of people, especially if I can have some kind of part in creating a unification of people through my music, through my activism, that makes me happy. l Chris Urquiaga appears at Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $22. Call 202337-4141 or visit www.bluesalleylive.com.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Movies

Abbey Road

I

Downton Abbey is a comforting, if rushed, return to the beloved upstairs-downstairs drama. By Rhuaridh Marr

T’S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE WE LAST STEPPED INSIDE DOWNTON Abbey. Home of the fictional upper-class Crawleys, the machinations of these privileged few and the people who served their every need played out over six seasons and through more than ten years of their lives, from the sinking of the Titanic to the middle of the Roaring Twenties.

Has much changed in the grand rooms and cramped servants corridors of Downton in that time? In short, no. Set in 1927, two years after the series wrapped, Downton Abbey (HHHHH) wastes no time in establishing that nothing outlandish or important has occurred off-screen. Indeed, beyond a beautifully executed opening scene — which follows an important piece of mail from the Royal household through the fields and hills of rural England, until the camera sweeps up and over the mailman to reveal the country house in all its glory — this is business as usual.

Which is to say, if you have never watched Downton Abbey, this is not the film for you. Writer and creator Julian Fellowes has crafted a two-hour reunion special, one with no time to hold the hands of series' virgins. Wander into a theater expecting to be able to jump right in like Fellowes' 2001 film Gosford Park and you'll emerge confused about why all those posh people were so worried about throwing a banquet and a parade.

That is, in essence, the plot of Downton Abbey. The important letter at the film's opening informs Lord Grantham and company that the king and queen will be popping by for a visit, as part of a wider tour of the region. The Crawleys must entertain the royals for an overnight stay and organize a military parade for the king, with all of the expected pomp and circumstance that entails. Cue restrained worry upstairs, frantic and frenzied preparations among the staff downstairs.

The story is wafer-thin, here to provide a self-contained reason to return to the Crawleys' lives. Once the royal visit is over, the film wraps. No grand revelations — other than a final moment that will have longtime fans dabbing their eyes — and

no cliffhangers. It makes for low-impact viewing, but that lack of suspense also aids the feeling Downton Abbey has of slipping on a favorite pair of warm slippers, or relaxing into a well-worn chair. This is entertainment that envelops you, pulls you into its world, and holds you gently as you enjoy its various dramas and humors.

Keeping things moving are a number of interwoven subplots. These vary greatly in their effectiveness, with some bordering on ludicrous, such as Tom (Allen Leech) dealing with a mysterious stranger who might be a royal agent sent to suss out his republican ideals, or perhaps someone much more sinister, all while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) shadows his movements. This narrative strand finishes before the halfway mark, and Tom and Mary swiftly move on to other matters.

Another absurd storyline sees the Downton workers revolting against the royal staff who commandeer the house with an air of superiority that, understandably, rubs the wrong way. However, that Downton’s staff would willingly risk embarrassing the Crawleys just to restore their control and serve the royal family is head-shakingly stupid — as is a dinner scene where footman Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) forgets his place and talks directly to the king.

But none of the plotlines — from Lady Mary worrying about Downton’s future, to kitchen-maid Daisy (Sophie McShera) and footman Andy (Michael C. Fox) having

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a lover’s tiff over a handsome new plumber, to items mysteriously vanishing from Downton’s many rooms, to Edith (Laura Carmichael) lamenting her boring new social requirements — matter in the grand scheme of things. The film breezes from scene to scene with a flourish of John Lunn’s wonderful score, as Fellowes’ condenses a mini-series’ worth of ideas into the constraint of a three-day visit. Nothing gets room to breathe or register an impact before we’re whisked to another room, another corridor, another beautiful shot of Downton’s landscaped grounds.

One notable exception is Thomas Barrow (Robert JamesCollier), the closeted butler, who is sidelined in preparation efforts in favor of bringing back retired Carson (Jim Carter).

With nothing to do, he ventures into York and stumbles into a secret hideout for gay men. Tackling 1920s’ attitudes and the ways gay men tried to explore their sexuality, it’s a touching subplot — at one point, a rather incredulous Barrow notes that he’s never had a conversation with another gay person and had it feel “normal.” Played with deft nuance by James-Collier, Barrow’s story also offers a hopeful conclusion often missing from such period explorations of sexuality.

Also helping matters considerably is Violet, the Dowager Countess, played with withering brilliance by Maggie Smith, who is on her usual biting form in a story that engages her in various tense exchanges with her cousin, Lady Maud (Imelda Staunton), over what the latter plans to do with her estate.

Though Violet’s screen time is short, there are barbs aplenty, as well as the wonderful clashing of wits with Isobel, Lady Merton (Penelope Wilton).

Even less present here are Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) and Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern), who lack any real narrative except to act bemused at all the cleaning and to bow/ curtsy and aid the others in their efforts. And if you wonder why Mary spends most of the film alone, it’s because Matthew Goode, who portrays her husband Henry, had other filming commitments. These factors — combined with the breakneck pace of the story — give Downton Abbey the feel of a rather rushed reunion.

While it’s inarguably wonderful to revisit these characters and remember why we fell in love with them in the first place, Downton Abbey smacks of an easy cash grab on a bankable brand.

To the Crawleys, at least, that would seem terribly vulgar. l

Downton Abbey opens nationwide on Friday, Sept. 20. For tickets and more information, visit www.fandango.com.

Pole Position D

Hustlers entertains with humor, heart, and a high-profile cast. By André Hereford

ON’T KNOCK A HUSTLER, THEY SAY, FOR DOING WHATEVER’S NECESsary to get ahead in a cruel, unjust world. If the system is rigged, who should begrudge an underdog for scheming their way up from the bottom? Certainly not the makers of absorbing crime caper Hustlers ( ), which sides with the underdogs in its ripped-from-the-headlines chronicle of the rise and fall of a crew of grifting strippers. In other words, come for the thrill of watching J.Lo, Constance Wu, and company work a pole as dancers at Scores, and stay for the trenchant class and gender commentary as those dancers descend into a life of crime.

Unfortunately, the analysis doesn’t really cut that deep. The film isn’t much interested in probing why Wu’s character Dorothy, a smart working-class girl from Queens, is giving lap dances at Scores instead of working at a Starbucks. It’s a job, and, in the beginning, there’s enough money flowing that some nights it’s like a party for Destiny, Diamond (Cardi B), Liz (Lizzo), and all the ladies hustling from the stage to the champagne room. And Destiny has Ramona (tough, tart, and funny Jennifer Lopez), the club’s star attraction, to show her the ropes. Soon, she’s earning enough to pull herself out of debt and a couple of steps closer to comfortable.

Life is good, until the crash hits. It’s 2008, and the Great Recession nearly devastates Scores, as the customers are all tapped out. Aware that her money-making days are numbered, Ramona

hatches a plan, enlisting Destiny, and dancers Annabelle (Lili Reinhart) and Mercedes (Keke Palmer), to scam the clientele and put the ladies back on top.

Based on Jessica Pressler’s New York Magazine article, Hustlers adopts the riseand-fall rhythm of a Goodfellas or other gangster fables. The story is told mostly in flashback, as Dorothy and Destiny recount the crew’s crimes to seemingly sympathetic magazine reporter Elizabeth (Julia Stiles).

Writer-director Lorene Scafaria finesses the structure smoothly, darting between past and present, comedy and suspense, contrasting the noise of Scores and the quiet of Queens. The soundtrack, flush with beats-heavy hits of the midaughts, is ideal for the umpteen sequences of Ramona and the girls slow-mo walking into battle. And at the center, the friendship between Ramona and Dorothy — a mentor-protégé bond that borders on maternal — grounds the film in a human drama that truly raises the stakes once the scam inevitably goes awry.

The movie invests little concern in the fates of the Scores ladies’ victims. Hustlers doesn’t judge the women for their vocation, but it definitely judges those who frequent the club. They are wolves well-deserving of having the wool pulled over their eyes, callous capitalists who came close to bankrupting a nation. They have this fleecing coming to them, Ramona argues, and it’s hard to disagree that a little Robin Hood action isn’t just the right remedy for this broken system. l

Hustlers is rated R, is currently playing nationwide.

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

C. STANLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Stage

Middle Aged

F

The magnificent Edward Gero portrays Shakespeare’s Falstaff as if the character has been written anew. By Kate Wingfield

INALLY, A FALSTAFF WE CAN GET BEHIND. SHAKESPEARE’S DRUNKEN, lovable rogue-of-a-certain-age is something of a star vehicle in the historical drama Henry IV, giving center stage to the greying headliner still in his prime. It’s also a role that tends to bring out the scenery-chewing, with many playing it rather too large to the lowest common denominator (at least the lowest you get in a theater). But if most break a few rules (and maybe some wind), unless you love bawdy for bawdy’s sake, they don’t often move the needle.

Then along comes Edward Gero in Folger’s production of 1 Henry IV (HHHHH) and it’s as if the character has been written anew. It’s not that Gero, a longtime veteran of Washington’s theater scene, does anything revolutionary, it’s more that he simply recalibrates the focus. Instead of perfecting the world-weary buffoonery, he looks for the middle-aged man you might actually know: a spiritually defeated, morally disheveled sometimes alpha. He may rant and play the clown, but in this characterization, Falstaff’s wit, introspection, and impatience suggest a quiet current of gravitas tempered only by a survivor’s instinct. By the time the character confronts his horror of “honor,” it has become a quietly magnificent unmasking. This is Falstaff the ex-contender, a man who has taken cover from a dangerous and chaotic world. It’s an inner-landscape that resonates as much today as it would have in the rough and tumble of Shakespeare’s era.

If Gero is the reason to see this production, a close second is Tyler Fauntleroy as Hotspur, the rebel leader threatening Henry IV’s reign. With a fair portion of the play centering around Hotspur’s motivations and machinations as he prepares to challenge the king, there is enough of the kind of tense outrage that would get seriously tedious in the wrong hands. But Fauntleroy is one of those few actors who can truly find their

way into Shakespeare — a player who not only masters the language but boldly, bravely takes their character. There may be a few uneven moments here and there, but Fauntleroy’s Hotspur is seriously, gratifyingly convincing.

Another stand-out is Avery Whitted as Henry’s son, Prince Hal, slumming it with Falstaff until life as future king catches up with him. Whitted, in truth, needs work on his delivery — he is fluid, but not yet musical in his Shakespeare. But what absolutely grabs you is his ability to exude an immensity of feeling with incredible subtlety. As his father ruthlessly dresses him down, Whitted’s Hal couldn’t look more abject, his eyes veritable pools of young man’s angst — and yet he is almost motionless, his face immovable. This is priceless stuff and riveting theater. Indeed, a subtle dose more would be better: this simmering intensity should reveal itself even when he is at play.

In smaller roles, Maribel Martinez offers a convincing warmth and long-suffering good humor to Lady Percy, while Sam Midwood plays it appropriately loud and large in his battle scenes as Douglas.

Bringing some convincing accents and plenty of versatility, U. Jonathan Toppo is an effective Northumberland and Glendower.

Anchoring the production, Naomi Jacobson

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gives Worcester an earnest edge, while Peter Crook’s King Henry IV, if slightly overplayed, interestingly suggests a difficult man.

Finally, Kate Eastwood Ellis (as various characters) seems rather wasted in small roles, but has plenty of fun.

As for the production itself, director Rosa Joshi offers a powerfully good sense of pacing and keeps the contemporary setting vibrant with some understated and carefully placed neon lights and electro music. She also makes imaginative and energetic use

of the Folger space, especially in the battle scenes. Her choice to use some ensemble dance to suggest engaging armies could be worse, even if it argues a bit with the emotional realism.

As always, save for some distractingly sexist painted-on leggings, there is the Folger’s usual inclusiveness and the sense that the actors have forged a happy bond both on and off the stage.

This is, however, Gero’s night and anyone who thinks they know Falstaff, needs to meet his. l

TERESA CASTRACANE

1 Henry IV runs through Oct. 13 at the Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $42 to $85.

Call 202-544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

Love Lost

More a solo composer-performer spotlight than a compelling drama, Love Sick sings in only fits and starts. By André Hereford

A

FTER A SEASON’S SOJOURN AWAY FROM THE COMPANY’S OWN stage, Theater J returns to its newly renovated home at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center with an uneven production of Ofra Daniel and Lior BenHur’s new musical Love Sick (HHHHH).

Adapted from the biblical “Song of Songs” by Daniel — who also composed the score with reggae/world music artist Ben-Hur — Love Sick renders a timeless ode to desire as a clunky romance between the poetic Lover (Ali Paris) and young Tirzah (Daniel).

Deeply involved as creator and performer, Daniel’s passion for the poetry and history

pulses through her performance, but does not lend itself to a compelling characterization. Daniel holds the center of the show, not “Tirzah,” playing the story of this woman from Israel thrust into an arranged marriage with a kind, older fishmonger Husband (Sasha Olinick).

Tirzah’s exuberant sexuality makes her a target of derision for the gossipy chorus of Women of Jerusalem (Sarah Covey, Sarah Laughland, Kara-Tameika Watkins, Kanysha Williams), while also attracting the amorous attentions of the Lover, who writes to her anonymously.

Translating the Lover’s poetry to song, Paris similarly does not so much find a character as merely convey the enticing language of the lyrics.

Paris better distinguishes himself through his contributions as a musician, and as music director of the nine-piece orchestra. The ensemble’s delivery of Daniel and Ben-Hur’s Middle Easternflavored score — with a special nod to Mila Weiss’ deft woodwind solos — might be the highlight of director Christopher Renshaw’s production. Olinick impresses, too, as Tirzah’s spouse, a man of the earth — or the sea, as it were — leading an amusing ensemble turn through “The Fish Song.”

Renshaw, Tony-nominated for directing the 2015 revival of The King and I, and choreographer Matt Cole create a handful of exciting tableaux. But, for the most part, the actors and their movement around the stage feel crowded out by the visual noise of Misha Kachman’s scenic design, and not well-captured by the lighting. Setting the story in a version of Jerusalem “unbounded by time,” the graffiti-marked walls, criss-crossed by clotheslines and strewn with litter and milk crates, evoke a contemporary, teeming town in the Middle East, but to no real consequence in this telling that succeeds more as a concert presentation than as a fulfilling dramatic interpretation of a beloved book of verse. l

Love Sick runs through Sept. 29, at Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $39 to $69. Call 202-777-3210, or visit www.theaterj.org.

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

TERESA CASTRACANE

Stage

Tough View

Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Fairview offers a powerful, original, and unsettling study of race relations. By Kate Wingfield

W

HEN IT COMES TO RACE, GENDER, AND IDENTITY, THE CONVERSAtion has only just begun. Humans aren’t very good at seeing it from one another’s point of view, let alone figuring out a way we can all live together.

We are walking into the wind, only a few of us holding hands.

Live theater, for those who partake, is one of the few “safe” places in which this conversation can be pushed, showing the way into these other points of view. But it’s more than just that — theater taps into the special attention we give to something happening live in front of us. Even as our minds work to digest and examine, we are as physically present as the actors on the stage.

This defining facet of the theater experience is at the heart of Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Fairview (HHHHH), a clever but unsettling study of race relations. Using performance, she draws us — sometimes insidiously, sometimes jarringly — through four successive layers of theater, starting with what seems to represent an African-American sitcom and evolving into something much more visceral and almost surreal. Her goal — which is no secret — is to challenge a white audience to recognize and ultimately feel the African-American experience of being forever under scrutiny, forever judged by the good-intentioned, the ignorant, and the awful.

Theatrically and intellectually, her infrastructure is, without doubt, powerful and original. It is the kind of thing that has you saying “wow” days after, as you reflect on the ingeniousness of the concept and the crafting. But — and there is a but — the question must always be: What does this play offer? And here the answer is much thornier.

If Drury’s goal is to push white audiences out of their comfort zone, then she gets the job done. There is the subtle and accurate capturing of the easy way people slip into racism and an oblique but increasingly powerful message that white people will never understand what it means to be exposed and on display as black Americans experience it. By the end of the play, Drury has drawn exceedingly uncomfortable, seemingly impossible, lines. She offers no roadmap, no way forward. In that respect, the piece unapologetically touches a nerve in a raw and original way.

But once the dust has settled, the play raises pointed questions. If you are going to turn a vicious eye on the white members of your audience on the premise of unfair

societal scrutiny, how do you reconcile the many sub-groups? For starters, what of women and the “gazes” they endure?

What of those who have suffered sexual abuse, those in the gay and trans community who may have been ridiculed and brutalized, or Jews whose grandparents were lined up to be shot? Do they need or deserve to get an extra “opportunity” to feel what it’s like to be scrutinized?

What, if any, value should be assigned to these other human experiences? Has Drury created a context that allows her to ignore them?

The other conundrum here is her use of humor, which charges headlong into the current debate on what is and isn’t acceptable in comedy and as offered by whom. In creating the genuinely funny character of Jasmine and then later suggesting that the (presumably) white audience has no place to laugh, Drury adds nothing to the conversation. The fact that blacks and whites in the audience are laughing together fails to interest her.

And then there is the wider, far less exciting reality of who her audience really is, versus who they should be. This work should be performed in locales where it will (hopefully) change hearts and minds.

But the truth is that most people who will pay to see this play will already have spent some amount of time sensitizing themselves to the issues — not least through other productions by companies like Woolly.

Chances are, most will be aware of the problem of the swaggering white male

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who thinks he “gets” being black, the liberal woman who feels she “identifies,” or even the cavalier attitude of Europeans who have never lived the complexity of the American experience of race. These audiences may admire the fine skill in how Drury reveals these “types,” but most will be well familiar with their failings. As the play travels deeper and deeper into the unfairness of white entitlement, it finally gets to the point where it feels a tad mean-spirited to be beating the metaphorical crap out of a white audience who cares enough to turn up, listen, and try to understand. In the end, Drury seems to be saying it doesn’t matter how “woke” you are, just by being white, you will be wrong. And if this really is the message, then what is the point in trying to listen to one another?

Still, director Stevie Walker-Webb and the ensemble do a phenomenal job in activating Drury’s vision. The standout in the sitcom family is Shannon Dorsey, walking a fine line on caricature with her Jasmine and delivering laser-like quips with pitch-perfect timing. As Beverly, Nikki Crawford offers an interesting charisma in her stilted character, while as husband

Dayton, Samuel Ray Gates starts with some awkwardness, but soon finds his feet.

Perhaps the most challenging role here is that of daughter Keisha, who, after the sitcom and its iterations run their course, serves as a conduit into the final space in which Drury wants to explore scrutiny and race. Chinna Palmer plays the sitcom card reasonably well and segues with much sincerity into the play’s final monologue. But as powerful as the context may be and as emotionally focused as Palmer is, in those last moments when you can hear a pin drop, Drury never quite gives Keisha enough to say.

As the viewers and interlopers, Cody Nickell is painfully convincing as the harshly unapologetic Jimbo, while Kimberly Gilbert is equally credible in her plaintive, adamant and misguided Suze.

Laura C. Harris brings just the right disdain to her foreign-born Bets, while Christopher Dinolfo’s Mack — if not quite recognizable in the intended caricature — works a fan like no other.

Fairview is a finely-crafted disruption and its issues are of vital importance. But it feels more like the end of a conversation than the beginning. l

JOAN MARCUS

Fairview runs through Oct. 6 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $97.

Call 202-393-3939 or visit www.woollymammoth.net.

Well-Documented

Heidi Schreck offers two hours of high-octane — if overegged — insight into her life-long love of the Constitution. By Kate Wingfield

T

HE NATION IS ON BROADCAST. BE IT DAYTIME TV HOSTS, YOUTUBERS, friends, neighbors, or corporations, everyone is telling their “story.” To stand out from this wall of noise, you must be that much louder, charismatic and — here’s the big one — oh so relatable.

Thus, arrives Heidi Schreck with her (almost) one-woman show What the Constitution Means to Me (HHHHH), about her life-long love of the Constitution despite its foibles and failings. Beaming, enthusiastic, weepy, earnest, and often seriously funny, she is that slightly wacky but brilliant friend who’s had a few too many Chardonnays. It’s her life story at speed with worm-hole digressions into heartfelt concerns for women’s rights — or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, it’s just how mainstream America likes it: high-octane, chatty, and cute.

There is no doubt that Schreck’s research into women’s rights past and present and how they relate to the epidemic of domestic violence, also past and present, is powerfully informative. That she weaves it into her memories as a kid traveling the country to debate her favorite living document makes for a clever premise. Managing to look wrapped in the American flag while actually getting rebellious about it is pretty nifty, too. Offering her deeply private family history, even in our oversharing culture, is

downright brave.

But truth be told, it’s too much of a good thing. Schreck needs an editor, preferably one descended from Mr. Spock. First and worst, there are just too many verklempt moments followed by a revelation from her personal narrative. After the first hour of this, every time Schreck pauses, one braces for impact. No one can ride such a roller-coaster without sympathy fatigue.

The other toe-curler here is that genuine as the delivery is, it creeps perilously close to snowflake territory. Case in point: Can you really have “survivor’s guilt” when the “bomb” went off in a previous generation?

And although it’s par for the course these days, Schreck’s certainty that her every thought and experience is novel and fascinating muddies what actually is.

Finally, the piece simply runs too long.

By the time the phenomenal Rosdely Ciprian arrives at the eleventh hour, the tank is almost empty. Ciprian’s amazing performance — and what it represents — may serve as Schreck’s tribute to the future of unfettered womanhood, but at nearly two hours, it overeggs an already eggy Constitutional batter. Their final chit-chat answering audience questions feels tacked on and adds little. Ditto the mini-monologue delivered by the otherwise comically-adept Mike Iveson.

For many What the Constitution Means to Me will remain the most fun, most accessible way to learn just how useless the Constitution is to a woman staring down the barrel of a partner’s gun. l

What the Constitution Means to Me runs through Sept. 22 at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater.

Tickets are $49 to $169. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

NightLife Photography by Ward Morrison

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Scene

Imperial Court of DC’s Coronation VIII at The Sphinx - Sat., Sept. 7 - Photography by Ward Morrison See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

DrinksDragDJsEtc...

Thursday, September 19 A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 5pm-2am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Live televised sports

of Bud Products all night • Sports Leagues Night NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Shirtless Thursday, 10-11pm • Men in Underwear Drink Free, 12-12:30am • DJs BacK2bACk

PITCHERS Open 5pm-2am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm • Special Late Night menu till 11pm • Thirst Trap Thursdays, hosted by Venus Valhalla, 11pm-12:30am • Featuring a Rotating Cast of Drag Performers • Dancing until 1:30am

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • $15 Buckets

SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail

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

Destinations A LEAGUE OF HER OWN 2317 18th St. NW 202-733-2568 www.facebook.com/alohodc AVALON SATURDAYS Soundcheck 1420 K St. NW 202-789-5429 www.facebook.com/ AvalonSaturdaysDC 40

Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Half-Priced Bottles of Wine, 5pm-close TRADE Doors open 5pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $5 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers, 9pm-close • “New Meat” Open Dancers Audition • Music by DJ Don T. • Cover 21+

Friday, September 20 A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 5pm-3am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Live televised sports FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Karaoke, 9pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $3 Rail and Domestic • $5 Svedka, all flavors all night long • Rough House: Hands On, Lights Off, 10pm-close • Featuring DJ Lemz • $5 Cover (includes clothes check) NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Open 3pm • Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer,

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR 555 23rd St. S. Arlington, Va. 703-685-0555 www.freddiesbeachbar.com GREEN LANTERN 1335 Green Ct. NW 202-347-4533 www.greenlanterndc.com

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

$15 • Weekend Kickoff Dance Party, with Nellie’s DJs spinning bubbly pop music all night NUMBER NINE Open 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • Friday Night Piano with Chris, 7:30pm • Rotating DJs, 9:30pm PITCHERS Open 5pm-3am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm • Special Late Night menu till 2am

TRADE Doors open 5pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $5 • Otter Happy Hour with guest DJs, 5-11pm ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets, 9pm • Guest dancers • Rotating DJs • Kristina Kelly’s Diva Fev-ah Drag Show • Doors at 9pm, Shows at 11:45pm • Music by DJ Jeff Eletto • Cover 21+

SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Capital Laughs Comedy Show, Second Floor, 7:30pm

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR 900 U St. NW 202-332-6355 www.nelliessportsbar.com NUMBER NINE 1435 P St. NW 202-986-0999 www.numberninedc.com PITCHERS 2317 18th St. NW 202-733-2568 www.pitchersbardc.com

WARD MORRISON / FILE PHOTO

NIGHTLIFE HIGHLIGHTS Compiled by Doug Rule

Saturday, September 21

Drag Show, hosted by Miss Destiny B. Childs, 8-10pm • Karaoke, 10pm-close

A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 2pm-3am • Video Games • Live televised sports

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Bacardi, all flavors, all night long • The Bear Cave: Retro to Electro, 9pm-close • Music by DJ Popperz • No Cover

AVALON SATURDAYS @Soundcheck KINETIC Dance Party with DJ Dan Slater, 10pm-4am • $15 Cover, $20 Cover for VIP • Drink specials • Drag Show, 10:30-11:30pm, hosted by Ba’Naka and a rotating cast of drag queens • $4 Absolut Drinks, 10pm-midnight • 21+ FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Saturday Breakfast Buffet, 10am-3pm • $14.99 with one glass of champagne or coffee, soda or juice • Additional champagne $2 per glass • Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Freddie’s Follies

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Drag Brunch, hosted

by Chanel Devereaux, 10:30am-12:30pm and 1-3pm • Tickets on sale at nelliessportsbar.com • House Rail Drinks, Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer and Mimosas, $4, 11am-3am • Buckets of Beer, $15 • Guest DJs playing pop music all night NUMBER NINE Doors open 2pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close

SHAW’S TAVERN 520 Florida Ave. NW 202-518-4092 www.shawstavern.com TRADE 1410 14th St. NW 202-986-1094 www.tradebardc.com ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS 1824 Half St. SW 202-863-0670 www.ziegfelds.com

GAY/BASH Josh Vogelsong’s monthly alternative drag-focused party has helped spawn a coterie of monthly alternative drag-focused events at Trade.

“People show up in looks, everybody comes dressed up,” Vogelsong says of Gay/Bash, the spunkiest of the bunch. “Everybody gets crazy during the show. You can just spray beer on the crowd, and they'd cheer and love it. It's wild.” For the September installment, expect shows from Venus Valhalla, BABY, Ana Latour, Jane Saw, and, last but not least, Donna Slash (pictured), Vogelsong’s drag alter-ego. Jams will come from the Barber Streisand, with Connor Hadley serving as “Stage Boy.” Saturday, Sept. 21. Doors at 10 p.m., with shows at 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Trade is at 1410 14th St. NW. Call 202-986-1094 or visit www.facebook.com/gaybashdc.

THE BEAR CAVE: #MEATWAVE Bears Can Party comes out of hibernation and offers another tour of the Bear Cave at Green Lantern. Adult film star Luis Vega will join Pup Indigo as the party’s GoGo Dancers, while DJ Jeffrey Elettø spins, under his alias DJ Popperz, a mix of “club/retro/Latin/hip-hop/K-pop & even Britney.” Naturally, the “Beartenders” will be slinging drinks from the full bar. “Wear as much or as little as you like!” — as long as “little” includes a jock or underwear. The party, hosted by 495 Bears, is for those 21 and over. It starts at 9 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 21. Green Lantern is at 1335 Green Ct. NW. No cover. Call 202-347-4533 or visit www.greenlanterndc.com.

RED BEAR BREWING’s DRAG SHOW EXTRAVAGANZA Self-billed as “D.C.’s Own Blowup Doll,” the drag doll Desiree Dik has been blowing up alright: Dik has quickly become one the most prolific queens on the D.C. scene. She even helped break in the stage at the city’s newest venue for drag and related LGBTQ-popular entertainment, with Dik styled as the resident queen at this fully gay-owned nanobrewery in the refurbished, historic Uline Arena building in NoMa. This Saturday, Sept. 21, starting at 9 p.m., Dik once again takes to the Red Bear stage to host an extravaganza featuring performances by Betty White Castle, Summer Camp, Bombalicious Eklaver, and Special Guest Sasha Mann. Red Bear Brewing is at 209 M St. NE. Call 202-849-6130 or visit www.redbear.beer. l SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

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• THIRSTY, featuring DJ Chord Bezerra, 9:30pm PITCHERS Open Noon-3am • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm • Special Late Night menu till 2am SHAW’S TAVERN Brunch with $15 Bottomless Mimosas, 10am-3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers TRADE Doors open 2pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $5 • Gay Bash: The

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Alt Dance Party and Home for Unconventional Drag in the Nation’s Capital, 10pm • Hosted by Donna Slash • Featuring JaxKnife Complex, Salvadora Dali, Jane Saw and special guests • Music by The Barber Streisand

Sunday, September 22

ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets upstairs, 9pm-close • Guest dancers • Ladies of Illusion Drag Show with host Ella Fitzgerald in Ziegfeld’s • Doors open at 9pm, Show at 11:45pm • Music by DJs Keith Hoffman and Don T. • Cover 21+

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Ella’s Sunday Drag Brunch, 10am-3pm • $24.99 with four glasses of champagne or mimosas, 1 Bloody Mary, or coffee, soda or juice • Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Karaoke, 9pm-close • No Cover

A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 2pm-12am • $4 Smirnoff and Domestic Cans • Video Games • Live televised sports

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Karaoke with Kevin downstairs, 9:30pm-close NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Drag Brunch, hosted

by Chanel Devereaux, 10:30am-12:30pm and

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1-3pm • Tickets on sale at nelliessportsbar.com • House Rail Drinks, Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer and Mimosas, $4, 11am-1am • Buckets of Beer, $15 • Guest DJs NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • Pop Goes the World with Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm • No Cover PITCHERS Open Noon-2am • $4 Smirnoff, includes flavored, $4 Coors Light or $4 Miller Lites, 2-9pm • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm

SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Dinner and Drag with Miss Kristina Kelly, 8pm • No Cover • For reservations, email shawsdinnerdragshow@gmail.com TRADE Doors open 2pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $5

Monday, September 23 FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Singles Night • Half-Priced Pasta Dishes • Karaoke, 9pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $3 rail cocktails and domestic beers all night long • Singing with the Sisters: Open Mic Karaoke Night with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, 9:30pm-close NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer, $15 • Half-Priced Burgers • Paint Nite, 7pm • PokerFace Poker, 8pm • Dart Boards • Ping Pong

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 • METROWEEKLY.COM

Madness, featuring 2 PingPong Tables NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Shaw ‘Nuff Trivia, 7:30pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $5

Tuesday, September 24 A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 5pm-12am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Live televised sports FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • Taco Tuesday • Karaoke, 9pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $3 rail cocktails and domestic beers all night long • Tito’s Tuesday: $5 Tito’s Vodka all night NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Drag Bingo with Sasha Adams and Brooklyn Heights, 7-9pm • Karaoke, 9pm-close

NUMBER NINE Open at 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover PITCHERS Open 5pm-12am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm • Special Late Night menu till 11pm SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Half-Priced Burgers and Pizzas, 5-10pm

TRADE Doors open 5pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $5

Wednesday, September 25 A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Open 5pm-12am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Live televised sports FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-8pm • $6 Burgers • Beach Blanket Drag Bingo Night, hosted

by Ms. Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm • Bingo prizes • Karaoke, 10pm-1am

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4pm-9pm • Bear Yoga with Greg Leo, 6:30-7:30pm • $10 per class • $3 rail cocktails and domestic beers all night long NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR SmartAss Trivia Night, 8-10pm • Prizes include bar tabs and tickets to shows at the 9:30 Club • $15 Buckets of Beer for SmartAss Teams only • Absolutely Snatched Drag Show, hosted by Brooklyn Heights, 9pm • Tickets available at www.nelliessportsbar.com NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover

PITCHERS Open 5pm-12am • Happy Hour: $2 off everything until 9pm • Video Games • Foosball • Live televised sports • Full dining menu till 9pm • Special Late Night menu till 11pm SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 House Wines, $5 Rail Drinks • Half-Priced Pizzas and Select Appetizers • Piano Bar and Karaoke with Jill, 8pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • XL Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass is served in an XL glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $5 l

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LastWord.

People say the queerest things

“Starkly apparent is that mentions have almost disappeared across all three stations since November 2016. ” — THE GDELT PROJECT, in a new report stating that coverage of LGBTQ issues on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News has flatlined since Donald Trump took office. Coverage of issues, and mentions of terms such as gay, lesbian, transgender, and LGBT, have dropped by three-quarters, GDELT said, after analyzing transcripts between 2009 and 2019. “The most likely explanation is that in a world defined by chaos, television news has simply shifted its coverage priorities,” GDELT said. “Though this has substantial ramifications with respect to raising awareness of LGBTQ issues.”

“It is unacceptable for bigots to claim panic as a defense, as if the victim was at fault for the bias-related crime. ” — D.C. Council Chair PHIL MENDELSON, discussing a bill that would ban so-called “LGBTQ panic” defenses, where a defendant can justify a violent crime by claiming it was self-defense after learning their victim was LGBTQ, WTTG reports. “We as a government must do all that we can to protect populations whose very existence can be taken advantage of,” Mendelson said.

“From his home, in a position of power, Buck manipulates his victims into participating in his sexual fetishes.”

— LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROSECUTORS, in court documents after Democratic donor Ed Buck was arrested following the overdose of a 37-year-old man at his house in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles Times reports. Two men have previously died from overdosing on meth at Buck’s house, with prosecutors accusing Buck of “supplying and personally administering dangerously large doses of narcotics to his victims.” They added: “The full scope of his consistent malicious behavior is unknown...it is only a matter of time before another one of these vulnerable young men dies of an overdose.”

“You are saving lives and shattering stigma, by showing you can be strong and resilient while living with HIV.”

— Britain’s PRINCE HARRY, in an Instagram post praising former Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas for coming out publicly as HIV-positive. Calling the rugby player an “absolute legend,” the prince referenced Thomas being forced to reveal his status after a tabloid threatened to publish it, saying, “We should all be appalled by the way you were forced to speak your truth, it is yours and yours alone to share on your terms and I and millions stand with you.”

“In the beginning, marriage was ordained by God! And to this day it is defined by Him as being between a man and a woman.”

— RUSSELL M. NELSON, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in a speech at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University. Nelson said that church members “respect the laws of the land and abide by them, including civil marriage,” but reaffirmed the church’s stance that marriage is between “a man and a woman.”

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