metro weekly - 01-14-16 - pre-mal pups

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4 JANUARY 14, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman

ART DIRECTORTodd Franson

MANAGING EDITORRhuaridh Marr

SENIOR EDITORJohn Riley

CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORSScott G. Brooks, Christopher Cunetto

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSGordon Ashenhurst, Sean Bugg, Connor J. Hogan,

Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield

WEBMASTERDavid Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHERRandy Shulman

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVERivendell Media Co.

212-242-6863

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Dennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINTLassie

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYPup Indigo and Pup Gryphn by Todd Franson

METRO WEEKLY1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150Washington, DC 20006

202-638-6830

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4

JANUARY 14, 2016Volume 22 / Issue 36

NEWS 6

BLOOD WORK by John Riley

10 HOLDING PATTERN

by Rhuaridh Marr

12 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FEATURES 16 PUPPY LOVE

From the pups to their handlers

and the bonds they share,

an inside look at the increasingly popularleather subset. Just call them

MAL’s best friends.

by John Riley

Photography by Todd Franson

22 MID-ATLANTIC LEATHER WEEKEND

E VENTS CALENDAR

by Doug Rule

OUT ON THE TOWN 24 CENTER STAGE’S AS Y OU L IKE I T

by Doug Rule

TECH 31 TECH APPEAL

by Rhuaridh Marr

NIGHTLIFE 35 OTTER CROSSING AT GREEN LANTERN

photography by Ward Morrison

46 LAST WORD


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Blood Work Medical experts react to the FDA’s new policy guidance on allowing

gay and bisexual men to donate blood

PORTER BROCKWAY AND AL DERUS HAVE BEENmarried for two years. The couple, who live in Silver

Spring, share everything — even the same blood type.And yet, current FDA guidance would prevent either

from donating blood or tissue to save the other’s life.The prohibition affecting Brockway and Derus previously

existed as a lifetime deferral for any men who had sex with men

(MSM), regardless of whether or not they were monogamous.Enacted at the height of the AIDS epidemic, the indefinite

deferral was enforced as a way of keeping the nation’s bloodsupply as free of HIV antibodies as possible. Even as advances

in HIV testing technology advanced, the deferral stayed in placeuntil last month, when the FDA changed the period to one year

from the time of last sexual contact.

Initially, when the first news reports came out, Brockway

M A T E J K A S T E L I C

was pleased to see headlines stating that what essentially con-stituted a lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men had been lifted.

“The first time I read about it, it seemed like, ‘Oh, cool, wecan just donate blood,’ and then reading into it, I saw about

the one-year waiting period,” says Brockway. “I thought it wasprogress, but it’s not enough.”

Derus understands that the special deferrals for MSM come

from good intentions, as blood collectors want to limit the pos-sibility that blood donation could become a vector for HIV,

but believes the concept of different guidelines based solely onsexual orientation is outdated.

“All of the same risky behaviors can be happening with part-ners of different sexes,” says Derus.

Dan Bruner, senior director of policy at Whitman-WalkerHealth, says that the change to the new policy guidance was

L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.comLinda Harvey backs Cruz for president.Qatar banishes Danish Girl for “moral depravity.”

by John Riley


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7METROWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2016


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LGBTNews

8

long overdue, as the FDA was under pressure to do something.

But the new one-year deferral period is viewed as insufficientand discriminatory by many in the medical profession — includ-

ing Whitman-Walker Health.“The reason the FDA gives for one year, rather than some

other time period, from what we can tell [is] based on one argu-ment,” he says. “About five or six years ago, Australia went to

a one-year ban for gay and bisexual men, and there had been

studies of the safety of the blood supply in Australia that saythe move from essentially a lifetime ban to one-year ban has not

resulted in the blood supply being any less safe.”Bruner adds that blood is routinely tested for HIV after it is

collected anyway. As a result, the only risk posed to the bloodsupply is if someone has contracted the virus during the “win-

dow period,” the time when somebody becomes infected and

the virus can be detected through blood tests. According to theFDA, that window period is only nine days.

“Our argument was that the ban should be no longer than 30days,” Bruner says of the suggestions Whitman-Walker made

during the FDA’s public comment period. “Some groups, justto try to be even more conservative, were suggesting a ban of

several months. But certainly not a year.”

The fairest solution, says Bruner, would be a deferral periodof anywhere from 14 days to a month from the last sexual

contact, applied equally to all donors, regardless of sexual ori-entation or risk behavior. Logistically, however, that solution

would likely be unworkable, as blood collection agencies wouldbe worried that most people wouldn’t donate under the more

stringent restrictions.Moreover, blood collection agencies, such as the American

Red Cross, AABB and America’s Blood Centers, would have to

revise their risk questionnaire to reflect the new policy whichcould take months to carry out.

Kara Lusk Dudley, a spokeswoman for the American RedCross, says her organization will follow the FDA guidance for a

one-year deferral, and will also follow FDA guidelines allowingtransgender donors to be assessed based on their self-reported

gender identity.“The Red Cross is working diligently to determine a process

for the reinstatement of eligible donors, and we are working on

a detailed plan that will outline all the steps needed to imple-ment this change,” Dudley said in a prepared statement. But she

also noted that the change will take several months to “updateour computer systems, modify processes and procedures, train

staff, and implement these changes.”The most significant change to the policy will be the revi-

sion of the donor health history questionnaire, which will be

amended to reflect the updated guidelines while also reducingthe risk of transmission of HIV and other bloodborne diseases.

Dr. Oladipo Alao, medical director of Amida Care, a specialneeds health insurer that deals with people with chronic health

conditions such as HIV, acknowledges the criticisms that havebeen lodged against the FDA’s new guidance, but also notes that

blood banks practice “pooled testing,” where they collect bloodfrom six to 16 individuals and test the pooled sample of blood for

HIV. Alao says this approach is more practical than testing each

individually-collected sample.“The alternative would be to test someone, and then retest

them in nine days, asking them to abstain from risky activi-ties between the two testing points,” Alao says. “If you look at

what the science is, that would probably be the optimal way ofeliminating the risk of HIV from blood transfusions as a whole.

But I think what has been said is that, from a viewpoint of being

cost-effective, that is not feasible, because the costs associatedwith it might be too high, and, again, you can’t be sure, during

that within that nine-day period, they’ve abstained from riskyactivities.”

But Doug Wirth, the CEO of Amida Care, still hopes to even-

tually move to a behavior-based risk assessment. Wirth says thecurrent policy is an improvement, but doesn’t go far enough.

“I think the fact that it promotes a certain kind of stereotype

that all gay and bisexual men are inherently dangerous is not

okay,” says Wirth, who worked as a health advisor to formerNew York City Mayors David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani. “It’s

unacceptable, it’s stigmatizing, it’s stereotyping. It is, in fact, aremnant of the past. I think the LGBT community, and the HIV/

AIDS community must speak out and drive health agencies andorganizations at the state and federal level to embrace zero tol-

erance for stigmatizing policy.”

Wirth says the approach to blood donation deferrals shouldbe based on science, taking into account important safeguards,

improvements in testing, and the reduced risk of HIV transmis-sion due to improvements in HIV treatment and prevention. He

urges the United States adopt a forward-looking policy ratherthan rely on other nations to set the standard for medical pro-

viders around the world.“We believe that the United States, if it wants to assume

its rightful position as a world leader, should get out in front

of these other countries and demonstrate true leadership, asopposed to getting to ‘as good a place as’ the United Kingdom,

New Zealand and Australia,” he says. “We can do better thanthat.” l

JANUARY 14, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM


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objected to President Obama’s plans to shut down GuantanamoBay and transfer any persons detained there to the United

States, his office told Stars and Stripes. At the time, military offi-

cials were considering locations to transfer any detainees to —one of which included the United States Disciplinary Barracks

in Leavenworth, Kansas, according to CNN, something Robertswasn’t happy with. Roberts will apparently leave his hold in

place until President Obama guarantees that Kansas won’taccommodate Guantanamo detainees.

While Fanning’s hold is due to politicking, Roberts certainly

won’t be eager to see an openly gay man in charge of the Army.He has a perfect zero rating from Human Rights Campaign due

to his continued opposition to LGBT equality. He voted againstexpanding hate crime legislation to include sexual orientation,

wants to amend the Constitution to define traditional marriage,and believes that a state’s definition of marriage supersedes the

federal definition.Another roadblock to Fanning’s nomination has been Senate

Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.).

McCain’s spokesperson attests that he “is looking to holda hearing to consider Mr. Fanning’s nomination as soon as

possible.” However, McCain has been delaying confirmationhearings for a number of Democrat appointees in 2015. “I told

’em: ‘You jam them through, it’s going to be a long time beforeI approve of them,’” McCain said, according to Politico, after

Democrats changed confirmation rules in 2013 and approved


THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PERSON TO BE NOMI-

nated to lead a branch of the military has been forcedto temporarily step down from his position amid

pressure from Congress.Eric Fanning’s nomination as Army Secretary has been in

limbo since it was announced in September that he wouldreplace Secretary John McHugh. Fanning took over as Acting

Secretary in November, but his nomination has languished since,

thanks to Republican members of the Senate.Members of the Armed Services Committee “expressed ‘some

concerns’ about Fanning being slotted into the acting position,”Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, Defense

News reports. The committee is responsible for holding a confir-mation hearing prior to Fanning’s nomination being voted on by

the Senate, but that hearing has thus far failed to take place.

“While the Administration believes the designation of Fanningas Acting Secretary of the Army is consistent with the Vacancies

Act, as a show of comity to address these concerns, Fanning hasagreed to step out of his acting role to focus on achieving con-

firmation in the near future,” Cook continued. “He remains oneof the most qualified nominees to be a Service Secretary, having

served in many senior executive positions in each of the threemilitary departments and as Chief of Staff of the Department.”

Chief culprit in forcing Fanning to step down is Sen. Pat

Roberts (R-Kan.), who placed a hold on his nomination shortlyafter Fanning assumed the role of Acting Secretary. Roberts

Holding Pattern Republicans have forced openly gay Army Secretary nominee to

step aside until they confirm him

by Rhuaridh Marr

D O D

P H O T O B Y E R I N A . K I R K - C U O M O

Fanning, left, the acting secretary of the U.S. Air Force, briefs reporters on the state of the Air Force as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III looks on at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Dec. 13, 2013


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several appointees without allowing Republican lawmakers

to block them. “It’s affected me as chairman of the ArmedServices,” he added.

The committee has approved several positions, including anew Army chief of staff, Marine Corps commandant, and defense

secretary Ash Carter, but Fanning’s nomination remains stuck.

President Obama’s nomination for Under Secretary, PatrickMurphy, was confirmed without any impediments and he will

assume Fanning’s role as Acting Secretary until Fanning’s nomi-nation is approved.

Carter took the committee to task during his confirmationhearing in December, telling them their repeated blocking of

nominees was making it harder for the military to do its job.

“DoD currently has 16 nominees awaiting [confirmation,and] 12 of the 16 are still awaiting even a hearing, including our

nominees to be secretary of the Army, the undersecretaries ofeach of our three military departments, Army, Navy and Air

Force, and the undersecretaries of both intelligence and person-nel and readiness,” Carter said. “These positions should be filled

by confirmed nominees, especially in a time of conflict.”Should the committee ever decide to hold Fanning’s

confirmation hearing, he would make history as the first

openly gay civilian Secretary of the Army. With 25 years ofexperience, including roles on the House Armed Services

Committee, Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy ChiefManagement Officer for the Department of the Navy, and

Under Secretary of the Air Force, Fanning is more thanqualified for the role. He served as Under Secretary of the

Army prior to being nominated.

“Eric brings many years of proven experience and excep-tional leadership to this new role,” Obama said in a statement

at the time of Fanning’s nomination. “I look forward to workingwith Eric to keep our Army the very best in the world.”

“History continues to be written and equality marches for-ward with the nomination of an openly gay man to serve in this

significantly important role,” Ashley Broadway-Mack, presidentof AMPA, a support organization for LGBT military families,

said when Fanning was nominated. “Fanning’s expertise and

knowledge within the defense community together with hissensitivity to issues faced by LGBT service members and their

families is why we urge the Senate to move quickly to confirmhis appointment.”

If Fanning is ever allowed to carry out his duties with theapproval of the Senate, it will mark a major step for LGBT inclu-

sion in the military, a process that started in September 2011

when Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell finally came to an end. l



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SATURDAY, JAN. 16CENTER GLOBAL, a group focusingon various issues and anti-gay lawsaffecting the LGBT community acrossthe globe, holds its monthly meeting atThe DC Center. 12-2 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information,

visit thedccenter.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture groupholds bi-monthly dinner at a Metro-accessible restaurant in Northern Virginia. 7 p.m. All welcome. Plans forlate winter museum visits and out-of-town excursions will be discussed.Contact Kevin, 571-338-1433. [email protected].

The DC Center holds a monthlysupport meeting and dinner for its

CENTER ASLYUM SEEKERS/ASYLEES GROUP. 5-7 p.m. 2000 14thSt. NW, Suite 105. For more informa-tion, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707 or andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of the LGBT community, holdsSaturday morning Shabbat services, 10a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon.Services in DCJCC Community Room,1529 16th St. NW. betmish.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, includingothers interested in Brazilian culture,meets. For location/time, email [email protected].

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walk-ing/social club welcomes all levels forexercise in a fun and supportive envi-ronment, socializing afterward. Meet9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for awalk; or 10 a.m. for fun run. dcfront-runners.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 15GAY DISTRICT, a group for GBTQQImen between the ages of 18-35, meetson the first and third Fridays of eachmonth. 8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit gaydistrict.org.

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP foradults in Montgomery County offers asafe space to explore coming out andissues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m. 16220 S.Frederick Rd., Suite 512, Gaithersburg,Md. For more information, visit thedc-center.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707, andromedatrans-culturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr.SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming social group for ages 11-24. 4-6p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW. ContactTamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides asocial atmosphere for GLBT and ques-tioning youth, featuring dance parties, vogue nights, movies and games. Moreinfo, [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

THURSDAY, JAN. 14The REEL AFFIRMATIONS FILMFESTIVAL COORDINATINGCOMMITTEE holds a planning meet-ing at The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-mation, visit reelaffirmations.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Takoma Aquatic Center,300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9 p.m.swimdcac.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay andlesbian square-dancing group featuresmainstream through advanced squaredancing at the National City ChristianChurch, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517,dclambdasquares.org.

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social group meets for happyhour at Sheraton in Reston, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 EastDiamond Ave., and in Takoma Park,7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointmentsother hours, call Gaithersburg, 301-300-

9978, or Takoma Park, 301-422-2398.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. 202-567-3155 [email protected].

US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group isindependent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young LBTQ women, 13-21, inter-ested in leadership development. 5-6:30p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7thSt. SE. 202-567-3163, [email protected].

Metro Weekly’s Community Calendar highlights important events in the D.C.-area

LGBT community, from alternative social events to volunteer opportunities.

Event information should be sent by email to [email protected].

Deadline for inclusion is noon of the Friday before Thursday’s publication.

Questions about the calendar may be directed to the

Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or

the calendar email address.

LGBTCommunityCalendarDC SENTINELS basketball team meetsat Turkey Thicket Recreation Center,1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4 p.m. Forplayers of all levels, gay or straight.teamdcbasketball.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for LGBTcommunity, family and friends. 6:30p.m., Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill,3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. All

welcome. For more info, visit digni-tynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses criti-cal languages and foreign languages. 7p.m. Nellie’s, 900 U St. NW. RVSP pre-ferred. [email protected].

IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Takoma Park, 7676 NewHampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins12-3 p.m. For appointments other hours,call 301-422-2398.

SUNDAY, JAN. 17ADVENTURING outdoors group hikesseveral easy miles at Second ManassasBattlefield, near Gainesville, Va. Bring beverages, lunch, mud-worthy bootsand a few dollars for fees. Carpool at10 a.m. from the Kiss & Ride lot at EastFalls Church Metro station, returnwell before dark. Craig, 202-462-0535.adventuring.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

LGBT-inclusiveALL SOULSMEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m., HighMass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave.NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITEDCHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes allto 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW.firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTwelcomes GLBT community for wor-ship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old TelegraphRoad, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORTGROUP for gay men living in the DCmetro area. This group will be meetingonce a month. For information on loca-tion and time, email to [email protected].

Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONALTEMPLE – UNITED CHURCH OFCHRIST for an inclusive, loving andprogressive faith community everySunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW,near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood.lincolntemple.org.


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METROPOLITAN COMMUNITYCHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led by Rev. OnettaBrooks. Children’s Sunday School, 11a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax.703-691-0930, mccnova.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIANCHURCH, inclusive church with GLBTfellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m.

5 Thomas Circle NW. 202-232-0323,nationalcitycc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THEINCARNATION, an “interracial, multi-ethnic Christian Community” offersservices in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900, saint-stephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTCHURCH OF SILVER SPRING invitesLGBTQ families and individuals of allcreeds and cultures to join the church.Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New

Hampshire Ave. uucss.org.

MONDAY, JAN. 18CENTER FAITH, a group of LGBT peo-ple and their allies from various faithtraditions, holds a monthly meeting atThe DC Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 2000 14thSt. NW, Suite 105. For more informa-tion, visit thedccenter.org.

The DC Center joins other local orga-nizations in sending a contingent to

march in the 10TH ANNUAL MARTINLUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY

PARADE. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. St. Elizabeth’sEast, 2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.SE. Near Congress Heights Station onthe Green Line. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 927 OhioDr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holdspractice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. GarrisonElementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. atQuaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. [email protected].

HIV Testing at WHITMAN-WALKERHEALTH. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY (K.I.)SERVICES, 3333 Duke St., Alexandria,offers free “rapid” HIV testing and

counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 703-823-4401.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free,rapid HIV testing. No appointmentneeded. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th St. NW,Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200,

Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for

youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or testing@

smyal.org.

THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee Drop-Infor the Senior LGBT Community. 10a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

US HELPING US hosts a black gaymen’s evening affinity group. 3636

Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATERPOLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.

Newcomers with at least basic swim-ming ability always welcome. Tom,703-299-0504, [email protected],wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTHHIV/AIDS Support Group for newlydiagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.Registration required. 202-939-7671,[email protected].

TUESDAY, JAN. 19CENTER BI, a group of The DC Center,hosts a monthly roundtable discussion

around issues of bisexuality. 7-8 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For moreinformation, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707, andromedatrans-culturalhealth.org.

ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinnerin Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30 [email protected], afwashington.net.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9 p.m. swim-dcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walk-ing/social club serving greater D.C.’sLGBT community and allies hosts anevening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.

THE GAY MEN’S HEALTHCOLLABORATIVE offers free HIV test-ing and STI screening and treatmentevery Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. RainbowTuesday LGBT Clinic, AlexandriaHealth Department, 4480 King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571-214-9617. james.

[email protected].


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THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THEDC CENTER hosts “Packing Party,”where volunteers assemble safe-sexkits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m., GreenLantern, 1335 Green Court NW. thedc-center.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 EastDiamond Ave., and in Takoma Park,7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.

Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointmentsother hours, call Gaithersburg at301-300-9978 or Takoma Park at 301-

422-2398.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS—LGBTfocused meeting every Tuesday, 7p.m. St. George’s Episcopal Church,915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, juststeps from Virginia Square Metro. Formore info. call Dick, 703-521-1999.

Handicapped accessible. Newcomerswelcome. [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL, 4107th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, [email protected].

US HELPING US hosts a supportgroup for black gay men 40 and older.7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-

446-1100.

Whitman-Walker Health’s GAYMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS/STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701 14thSt. NW. Patients are seen on walk-in basis. No-cost screening for HIV,syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.Hepatitis and herpes testing availablefor fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20BOOKMEN DC, an informal men’sgay-literature group, discusses “Gay

American Autobiography: Writingsfrom Whitman to Sedaris” (DavidBergman, editor). 7:30 p.m. DC Center,2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. All wel-come. bookmendc.blogspot.com.

GAY MARRIED MEN’SASSOCIATION (GAMMA) VA is aconfidential support group for menwho are gay, bisexual, questioning andwho are married or involved with awoman. The Virginia chapter meets onthe third Wednesday of each month.6:30-8:30 p.m. at a private residencein Sterling, Va. For more information, visit GAMMAinDC.org.

THE TOM DAVOREN SOCIALBRIDGE CLUB meets for Social Bridge.7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE(across from Marine Barracks). Noreservations and partner needed. Allwelcome. 301-345-1571 for more infor-mation.

WOMAN TO WOMAN: A SUPPORTGROUP FOR HIV-POSITIVE WOMENWHO LOVE WOMEN, meets on thethird Wednesday of each month at TheWomen’s Collective. Light refreshmentsserved. 5:30-7 p.m. 1331 Rhode Island Ave. NE. For more information, 202-483-7003.

WEEKLY EVENTS

AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversa-tion, meets about 6:30-6 p.m., Steam,17th and R NW. All welcome. For moreinformation, call Fausto Fernandez,703-732-5174.

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707, andromedatrans-culturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW.7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice,6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison Elementary,1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offersWednesday worship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05p.m. All welcome. 118 N. WashingtonSt., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historic-christchurch.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth Taylor MedicalCenter, 1701 14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301 MLKJr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For anappointment call 202-745-7000. Visitwhitman-walker.org.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support programfor job entrants and seekers, meets atThe DC Center. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite105. 6-7:30 p.m. For more info, www.

centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free,rapid HIV testing. No appointmentneeded. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th St. NW,Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club formature gay men, hosts weekly happyhour/dinner. 6:30 p.m., Windows Barabove Dupont Italian Kitchen, 1637 17thSt. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316.l


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Fetish SizingBite The Fruit aims to help customers get

that perfect fetish fit

THERE ARE DOWNSIDES TO BUYING FETISH GEAR ANDsex toys online. You often can’t even see pictures of the

products in use on Amazon.“In our store, there’s no censorship,” says Bite The Fruit’s

Russwin Francisco. “As long as you’re 18 or older, you can comein and we can talk sex. And we can show you pictures.”

A former business instructor, Francisco spent a decade work-ing at The Leather Rack before taking over the Connecticut Avenuestore in 2012. He eventually rechristened the venue Bite The Fruitin reference to Adam and Eve, and as a kind of tribute to Eve’saction in expanding carnal knowledge and experience. The namechange has helped Francisco expand the store’s customer basefrom almost exclusively gay leathermen to a 70/30 mix, that alsoincluded straight women and straight couples.

“Bite The Fruit caters to everyone,” he says. “The idea is that,if you are just curious, or shy, or maybe even conservative, you’llfeel comfortable enough here, because there is absolutely no judg-

ment about who you are and where you are, where you’re fromand what you’re looking for.”

Bite The Fruit carries a wide variety of sex toys for bothmen and women. And said toys have come a long way fromtheir clunky, cumbersome, battery-powered, hard rubber days.“We have a new wave of high-end, modern-looking vibrators,”Francisco says. “They’re made with fantastic silicone-type materi-als that are USB-chargeable and waterproof. They’re very powerfuland very discreet, more durable and not that expensive.”

Even with the changes in customer makeup and advances intoy technology, the gay male staples of lubes, condoms and videohead cleaners are still very much the heart of the business — andthat’s true of leather and the leather community, too. “We stillparticipate in silent auctions and fundraisers,” Francisco says, “andare still doing the same exact things in terms of what we used todo as The Leather Rack in the leather community.”

And Bite The Fruit will soon revive another Leather Rack

tradition: producing original leather goods, from armbands toharnesses. They’re also bringing back the ability to make simplealterations to leather gear — just another way Bite The Fruit isworking to get that right fetish fit for its customers. l

Bite The Fruit is at 1723 Connecticut Ave. NW. Hours are 11 a.m.

to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to midnight,

Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Call

202-299-0440 or visit bitethefruit.com.

FEATURED PARTNER

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F N

A S T Y P I G


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IT’S THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE DC EAGLE, ANDPup Gryphn is in his element. He bats a neon green

football with his red paws, the glow of the ball in thedarkness complementing his lime green and black

armbands and harness. He barks, sits, kneels and playsfetch on command, attentive to the directions shouted

at him. Playful, affectionate, even a bit rambunctious, Gryphn

is fully immersed in what is known as “pup headspace,” a levelof consciousness where his actions and behaviors mimic those

of a biological dog, whether he’s crawling on the floor, waggingthe 13-inch-long silicone tail attached to his belt, or playing an

impromptu game of tug of war with his favorite stuffed toy,“Moose on a Noose.”

“For me, headspace is letting go of the human condition,everything that’s going on,” he says. “You know, ‘Did I leave the

stove on?’ Letting go of all that and adopting this other mindset.

For me, it’s a puppy. I get down on all fours, I bark, I act likea dog. You adopt that mindset. ‘Ooh, squirrel!’ And suddenly

you’re chasing a squirrel for no reason at all. It’s a lot of fun. It’sgood stress relief.”

Gryphn, 28, the current Mid-Atlantic Puppy 2016 titleholderand a member of the Mid-Atlantic Kennel Korps, is one of a

growing number of people taking part in puppy play. It’s a scene

that, while not leather-centric, grew out of the leather and

BDSM communities and is often lumped in with other fetishesthat may be unfamiliar to the casual observer. It’s a world that,although slowly gaining acceptance, is still misunderstood.

Gryphn’s roots in puppy play began slightly over a year ago,but his interest in headspace dates back to the early 2000s, when

he was first introduced to the “furry” community, a subset ofthe fetish and kink community where people dress in costumes

that have the anthropomorphic characteristics of an animal.

He began chatting with people in online forums, including thevirtual roleplay game, Second Life. In 2010, he finally attended

his first convention for furries — Midwest FurFest in Chicago.“Someone gave me the unique opportunity to wear the fur

suit of a blue fox,” he says. “That’s when I learned what head-space is, adapting that character and moving forward with it.”

He would later apply the same concept to his involvement inpuppy play.

Reaching the proper headspace needed to participate in

puppy play depends on each individual’s ability to achieve men-tal focus.

“Sometimes it’s a process,” he says. “Sometimes it’s just sit-ting down, and, boom, you’re in headspace. Sometimes it has

to be sit down and just meditate and slowly drop everything offuntil you’re into that space. For me, I have a very weird trigger.

Let’s say I’m in a space with mirrors. If I’m in pup headspace andI see myself in a mirror without pup headgear on, I snap right

back. Because what I see in the mirror isn’t a puppy, it’s someone

on all fours pretending to be a puppy.”While gear, such as a harness, collar and tail enhance the

puppy play experience, Gryphn stresses it’s not essential to par-ticipate, save a pair of mitts and knee pads.

“At a minimum, I would recommend you get a set of mitts,and a pair of knee pads, because your basic position is up on

your knuckles and on your knees,” he says. “And if you’re in that

position for a while, it causes a lot of stress on your joints. Theknee pads and mitts — I use MMA gloves — prevent the impact

from reaching your bones and joints so you can do it for longer.”For Pup Domino, a 22-year-old “unowned boy pup” from

puppy From the pups to their handlers

and the bonds they share,

an inside look at the increasingly popular leather

subset. Just call them MAL’s best friends.

by John Riley

Photographed by Todd Franson at the DC Eagle,Thursday, January 7

Love

Pup Gryphn


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Washington, D.C., headspace is easy to achieve, regardless ofwhether he is regaled in full gear.

“I have an acting background, so that kind of helps me a

little bit, in that I can very easily jump into a role,” says Domino.“When I’m on my knees and down, I’m like, ‘This is great. Let’s

go. We’re about to have fun. We’re about to pup out all the way.Let’s do it!’”

For others, including Pup Nubi, 24, of Falls Church, Va., theright gear — particularly a puppy mask — is the key to helping

achieve the right headspace.“The first time I ever got it was from the gear itself,” says

Nubi. “The first time I put on my hood, I felt a connection with

it. Just sort of exploring the space I was in, exploring my room.When you start to get into headspace, any kind of self-conscious

thoughts — thoughts about what you have to do the next day —go away. So when you’re in headspace, you’re very, very focused

on what’s in front of you. But it’s easier to get there with some-one else, which is why we have handlers.”

ENTER THE HANDLER

IN THE PUP COMMUNITY, handlers function the same way

dog owners do, keeping a watchful eye on their charge and rein-

ing in the pups if needed. It’s the handlers who train the pupsand teach them discipline, doling out rewards or punishments

based on good or bad behavior.

“Think of any bio-dog,” Gryphn says. “You can train them.It’s this ‘go do this’ reward system, just like a bio-dog. So let’s

say you’re playing fetch, you throw the ball, the pup picks it up,brings it back, and drops it at your feet. You’re going to reward

him, whether it’s petting him or anything like that.“Or, let’s go to an extreme,” he continues. “Let’s say you’re

doing pup play around the house and the pup decides to peeon the floor. Obviously the pup is going to be punished for that.

Typically, when we’re being humans, it’s ‘Why would you cor-

rect me in front of so-and-so? That’s wrong, don’t do that. Don’tspeak for the next five minutes,’ something like that.”

Just like the pups they are tasked with watching over, somehandlers need to enter their own headspace when engaging in

puppy play.“My headspace is equivalent to the mom who sees her kid in

danger, or the dad who wants to teach his son how to play foot-

ball,” says Nubi’s 27-year-old handler, Sam. “It’s the concept ofthe teacher and nurturer.... My job is to make sure that while he’s

in headspace, I’m keeping him safe.”Of course, close relationships, particularly those in the kink

Sam and Pup Nubi


18/48


19/48


PACKMATES

A PUP AND HANDLER’S relationship is more than just a glori-fied pet-sitter. Each pup and handler have to work out the details

of what they’re looking to get out of the experience.“Everyone’s role is different, everyone’s dynamic is differ-

ent,’ says Gryphn. “With my dynamic right now, we decided

very early on in meeting that we were boyfriends first. So beforeanything ever happens, we’re equal. Then when we’re getting

into roleplay or scenes, he becomes above me. But in every otheraspect, we’re equal.”

Other handlers exert more dominance over their charges, asin the case of Sir Paris and Horo.

“We have a sir/girl dynamic normally,” says Horo. “For meto get into the wolf headspace, I usually have to put the gear on.

That sort of helps, especially the wolf collar, which I wear only

when in pup space. But my girl collar stays on all the time.”Other pups don’t even have handlers, acting as more-

or-less free agents who occasionally submit to a temporaryhandler. Such is the case with Domino and his two friends,

Bragi, 23, and Indigo, 25. None of them have official handlers,though Bragi is in talks with someone about establishing such

a relationship. All three are members of the Mid-Atlantic

Kennel Korps (MAKK), a local organization for people inter-ested in puppy play.

“We’re all technically packmates, that’s what we call our-

selves,” says Bragi. “It’s like a brotherhood, in a way.”Eli Onyx, Mr. Maryland Leather 2016 and a sir and handler to

three different puppies, tries to establish a personal, individual-ized relationship with each of his pups, in order to gauge what

they’re seeking to get out of the pup-handler dynamic.“I need to know the dynamic of the pup, what exactly are they

looking for,” he says. “One of the things I ask them all the time is:‘What are you looking for from a handler?’ And one of the things

I find, just as with children or a real pup, is that they’re looking

for structure, they want to be obedient, they want discipline.Being a trainer, I like that aspect of it.”

The diversity in the pup community is so varied, some pupsactually collar each other as part of a pack, rather than having an

individualized handler.“It’s just like a pack mentality,” Gryphn says. “You have your

alpha beta, omega, gamma. Gamma is, for lack of a better term, a

slave. They live to serve and that’s all they do. Your omegas area little bit higher. Your betas are playful, but they’re subservient.

And typically, your alpha will only be subservient to maybe one,two other people, depending on the whole dynamic of the pack.”

Eli Onyx and Pup Stryker


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DOGGIE STYLE

THE DIVERSITY WITHIN the com-munity also extends to opinions about

mixing puppy play with sex. For some,puppy play is completely independent

of sex. For others, it’s part of the fullerexperience.

“Typically, my pup is not sexual,”Gryphn says. “My personal preference

is usually not to mix pup play and sex.”

Pup Horo has a similar view.“It’s not sexual,” she says. “It’s total-

ly about being able to just be, and havefun being in the moment.... Even the

humping, it’s not really a sexual thing,it’s just part of the play.”

Others have polyamorous or open

relationships in their personal lives thatallow them to have a kink partner who

is separate from their real life spouseor partner. Depending on the spouse,

they may either shun pup or other fetish

scenes entirely, or slowly be broughtinto the fold after becoming more com-fortable with their significant other’s

bedroom preferences.

“One of my friends was married tohis husband, and had a sir outside of

their relationship,” says Gryphn. “Thatsir eventually decided that ‘My collar

would be best served by your husband,’so now his husband has become his sir.”

An alternative arrangement works

best for Sam and Pup Nubi.“Pup and I have what I feel is one

of the most ideally perfect connectionsbetween our personal and kink life,”

Sam says. “Both of us have other part-ners, so we come into this space, and

then we come out of it, knowing theboundaries of where your kink and non-

kink relationships begin and end.”

Of course, even among partners, twoindividuals will approach sex from dif-

ferent perspectives. Sam needs to men-tally distance his sexual activity from

the pup scene, but for Nubi, it’s easierto stay in character.

“I actually have trouble when we

transition from pup play to having sex,”Sam explains. “Like, ‘No, I can’t have

you whimper like that when we’re hav-ing sex,’ because I don’t want to mix

that world. It’s interesting, because hedoesn’t have to come out of pup mode

to have me fuck him. I personally haveto bring him out of pup perception for

me. But then I’m still treating him as a

submissive to me.”“I get self-conscious very easily,”

says Nubi. “So being in pup head-space in the bedroom keeps me verySir Paris and Pup Horo


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focused on exactly what’s in front of me, so it sort of servesa function in that respect.”

DON’T TUG THE TAIL

THE BIGGEST HINDRANCE to full acceptance by the larger

BDSM and leather communities, even as MAL welcomes pupswith open arms, are the misconceptions that some people have

about puppy play, the practitioners say. Unfortunately, thosemisconceptions can lead to potentially embarrassing or uncom-

fortable situations when a person who knows little about thepuppy play scene stumbles upon it.

“One of the hardest things about being a handler is that I’vehonestly had people ask, ‘Wait, you have sex with animals?’”

Sam says. “They believe it’s abusive, that it’s taking advantage ofsomeone who may not be acting up to a level of human respon-

sibility.... The other misperception is that I have some really

messed up background, like, did I have some horrible childhoodtrauma that made me like to have sex with animals.”

Other outsiders may not have a sense of personal space,believing they can touch or grab the puppies as they wish.

“I have three separate tails. I have my show tail, whichattaches to my belt, and I have two other tails, which are inserta-

bles,” Gryphn says. “This is something I feel very strongly about.

I have been in the center of a bar, elbow-to-elbow, and someonehas grabbed my tail — and it was my show tail — and yanked

on it. I stopped everything I was doing in mid-sentence, turnedaround, and educated the person about it.

“I said, ‘Look, I know you don’t know what you just did. I’mnot upset with you. I’m not going to yell at you. However, what I

have on now is a show tail. It’s on my belt. Typically, it’s inserted.If you were to grab and yank, you would cause damage.’ So the

moral of the story is: don’t touch a pup’s tail unless you have

permission, whether it be from the pup or the handler.”Other things for people not entrenched in the puppy play

scene to remember are that power dynamics are often at play, andcan be strictly enforced, particularly at more formal gatherings

such as Mid-Atlantic Leather. For instance, Gryphn says, a pup isnot expected to step out of his place, either within the hierarchy

of a pack or with his handler. If a pup is collared, the protocol isnot to try to engage the pup until one has asked for permissionfrom the handler. If the handler is not immediately available, it is

the pup’s duty to ask for permission from the handler.“Even though pups are not actual dogs, try to go about it as

you would approach someone’s dog,” says Pup Indigo. “Youwouldn’t just be mean and pull on a dog’s tail. You’d go up to

them and say, ‘Can I pet your dog?’ The same kind of mannersthat you would afford someone who has a pet, you should afford

someone who has a collard human pup.

“Ultimately, what I would tell people is this: when you seea puppy, when you see them moshing and everything, it’s not

something that should be feared or make you say, ‘I don’t knowwhat to do,’ adds Indigo. “It’s going to sound cliche, but pups

don’t bite. If you’re interested in talking to them, go up to them,get down on their level, and try to get their attention. Show them

you want to be welcoming to them. Basically, just treat the pups

with respect.”

The Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend Puppy Park, co-hosted by the New York City Pups and Handlers, is Saturday, Jan. 16, from 11

a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW. For MAL weekend pass prices and more information, visit

leatherweekend.com.

For more information on the Mid-Atlantic Kennel Korps, visit

makkorps.org.l

(L-R) Pup Domino, Pup Indigo and Bragi


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MAL Brunch*

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Capitol A and B,

Congressional A & BHost Hotel

MAL Registration

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Capitol Room Foyer

Host Hotel

Bootblacks on Duty

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.Lobby and Lower Level

Host Hotel

Exhibit Hall

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.Lower LevelHost Hotel

ULTRA NATÉ SURPRISED THE CROWD AT

a Toronto Pride party last summer. “A lot ofpeople were shocked by my DJ’ing,” she says.“‘We need to rethink everything we thoughtwe knew about you,’” several partygoers toldher, describing her set as “fierce.”

Nearly two decades after her gay-affirming anthem “Free,”Ultra Naté is mostly known as a house singer/songwriter witha handful of No. 1 club hits. But in recent years the Baltimorenative has made a name for herself as a house DJ, throughsummer residencies at lauded venues in club mecca Ibiza.And there’s also her soulful house party Deep Sugar, whichjust celebrated 12 years of attracting a mixed, musically ori-ented crowd every month in Baltimore.

Naté will play a live five-hour-set for Mid-Atlantic Leather’sDark & Twisted closing dance at the 9:30 Club this Sunday,Jan. 17. “I’m so excited and really honored,” she says. “I’mpreparing some tracks from a lot of different genres, becauseI like to be a bit more experimental and go some places thatother DJs might not.”

Of course, Dark & Twisted is just the culminating event of along weekend filled with parties, perhaps more this year thanever. The bulk of the action takes place at the Hyatt RegencyCapitol Hill, now in its sixth year as host for MAL — and theCentaur Motorcycle Club, MAL’s presenting organization, hasonce again booked the entire 800-room complex at 400 NewJersey Avenue NW. More than 3,000 people are expected toattend official and affiliated events in ballrooms in the Hyatt— from the 31st annual Mr. MAL contest to rituals inspired byanimals, mainly puppies and pigs. That is, when not crowding,carousing and cruising the lobby and the elevators.

Yet most gay and many gay-friendly clubs in D.C. are thesite of at least one fetish function this year. Green Lantern continues to be the unofficial off-site meeting ground, cer-tainly for gear-fiends, with the watering hole just off ThomasCircle hosting underwear event after jockstrap party — some-times even on the same night. But after sitting on the side-lines with its new, not-yet-ready space last year, DC Eagle has put major skin in the game, presenting a few enticingevents — and taking extra measures, from scheduling shut-tles nightly to alerting car services of heightened demand, to

ease getting there and back.

Events marked with an asterisk are official, MAL-ticketed

events for weekend pass holders, who also have exclusive

access to the free shuttles running every night from the hotel

to bars such as DC Eagle.

Admission to the Exhibit Hall and other events on the host

hotel’s lower levels are available for $15 for one-day entry or

$30 for all three days. Full registration, with a weekend pass,

is $200.

All listings subject to change.

DC Leather Pride:

Welcome to MAL 2015

Mr. MAL TitleholdersBar Night with Hot Jock Contest,

plus guest hostFalcon exclusiveBoomer Banks

9 p.m. to 2 a.m.DC Eagle

3700 Benning Rd. NEDCEagle.com

MAL Registration

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Capitol A and B

Host Hotel

Bootblacks on Duty

11 a.m. to 11 p.m.Lobby and Lower Levels

Host Hotel

Exhibit Hall

11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Lower LevelHost Hotel

Puppy Park 8

A puppy mosh co-hosted byNYC-PAH and Tom Buckley

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Regency B, C and D

Host Hotelnycpah.org

International Mr. Leather 2016

Judges Announcement

Noon to 1 p.m.Thornton Room

imrl.com

MAL Registration

3 p.m. to 10 p.m.Capitol Rooms A and B

Host Hotel

Bootblacks on Duty

Benefitting Mr. MAL Travel Fund

and the Rainbow Railroad3 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Lobby Level4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Lower LevelHost Hotel

Exhibit Hall

4 p.m. to 10 p.m.Lower LevelHost Hotel

DC Bëar Crüe: Leather Bear Party

& Patio Cigar Party

DJ Say What?6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

No cover before 9:30 p.m.Town Danceboutique

2009 8th St. NW

dcbearcrue.com

Gear Night & Atlantic States Gay

Rodeo Association Bar Night

Happy Hour prices all night forthose in fetish gear

5 p.m. to 3 a.m., ASGRA bar night9:30 p.m. to close

DC Eagle

SUNDAY, J ANUARY 17

SATUR D AY, JAN UAR Y 1 6

FR ID AY, JAN UAR Y 1 5

TH UR SD AY, JAN UAR Y 1 4

Shirtless Men Drink Free &

Blackout Underwear Party

10 p.m. to 2 a.m.Green Lantern

1335 Green Ct. NWGreenlanterndc.com

Even t Ca l en d a r Mid - A tl an tic L e ath e r 2 0 1 6

By Doug Rule


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Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2016

Contest*

1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Non-pass-holder tickets are $25

Regency A, B, C & DHost Hotel

MAL Happy Hour and Buffet

12 p.m. to 6 p.m. for happy hour, 2p.m. to 7 p.m. buffet

DC Eagle

DC Leather Pride: Bluf (Breeches

& Leather Uniform Fanclub) DC

DJ Say What?4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

CobaltShuttle offered, with drop-offs also

at 9:30 Club and DC Eagle

495 Bears: Bears Can Party!

MAL Edition

DJ Jeffrey Eletto4 p.m. to 9 p.m.Green Lantern

Otter Den DC:

Last Chance Tea Dance

DJs Scooter McCreight andKevin O’Connor

5 p.m. to 10 p.m.Town Danceboutique

towndc.com

SigMa Dungeon Play Party

6 p.m. to 2 a.m.1636 R St. NW, Second Floor

Strap’d: The GL Jockstrap Party


Official Closing Dance:

Dark & Twisted

DJ Ultra Naté, with lighting byGuy Smith

10 p.m. to 4 a.m.Non-pass-holder tickets

$35 or $45 day-of9:30 Club

815 V St. NW930.com

Shuttle runs from10 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.

SigMa BDSM Demonstrations

2 p.m to 3:30 p.m.

Regency B, C and DHost Hotel

SpankDC Presents Spank!

Monthly male/male spanking party2 p.m. to 6 p.m.Green Lanternspankdc.com

Onyx Fetish Cocktail Party with

Benefit Gear Auction

2 p.m. to 6 p.m.Congressional A and B

Host Hotelonyxmen.com

495 Bears Presents

Bears Can Dance



8 p.m. to Midnight1636 R St. NW, Second Floor

Leather Cocktails*

7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Regency Ballroom

Host Hotel

MAUL (Mid-Atlantic Uniform

League) Party

10 p.m. to 2 a.m.Congressional B

Host Hoteluniformleague.org

Empire City Motorcycle Club

Bar Night

10 p.m. to 2 a.m.DC Eagle

NastyKinkPigs: Primal FxCK

DJ Jack Chang, with performanceby Cake Moss

10 p.m to 4 a.m.Regency B, C & D

Host Hotel

Lisa Frank & TNX: Horse Meat

Disco MAL Weekend

British DJ collective makesits D.C. debut

10 p.m. to closeU Street Music Hall

1115 U St. NWustreetmusichall.com

Code DC

10 p.m. to 4 a.m.$40 for one night, or

$60 for Weekend PassGlorious Health Club

Code shuttle runs9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Mister International Rubber

Meet and Greet Party

7 p.m. to 10 p.m.Thornton Room

Host Hotelmirubber.com

NastyKingPigs:

United States of Gear

DJ Jake Chang, hosts ElementExtreme & Cake Moss

7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Congressional Room A

Host Hotelnastykinkpigs.com

Furball DC Dance Party

featuring Honcho

DJs Aaron Clark, Clark Price andGeorge d’Adhemar

9 p.m. to lateBlack Cat

1811 14th St. NWblackcatdc.com

Grunt

DJ Jake Chang,

performance by Cake Moss10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Green Lantern

Highwaymen TNT Party:

“Impact”

DJ TWiN, plus a Dyke Invasionwith “female go-go boi(s)”

10 p.m. to 3 a.m.Regency Ballroom B

Host Hoteltrashandtravel.com

Code DC

Gear, uniform, leather ornaked — strictly enforced

DJs Eric Gruber and David Merrill10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

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JANUARY 14 - 21, 2016

SPOTLIGHT

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAMRandy Baker of Rorschach Theatredirects the hearty Shakespeare com-edy, featuring Indonesian-inspiredshadow puppets — designed by Alex Vernon — accompanied by an“actor-generated percussion orches-tra.” Daven Ralson is Puck and ZachBrewster-Geisz is Bottom in this wildreimagining of the famous tale of fair-ies. Opens in previews Thursday, Jan.14, at 7:30 p.m. To Feb. 7. Gunston Arts Center, 2700 South Lang St.

Arlington. Tickets are $20. Call 703-418-4808 or visit wscavantbard.org.

JAZZMEIA HORN WITH ARTISTRYOF JAZZ HORNOriginally from Dallas, this jazz vocal-ist is quickly emerging as one of thegenre’s best new talents, winning pres-tigious titles in the process, includingthe 2013 Sarah Vaughan InternationalJazz Vocal Competition and the2015 Thelonious Monk InstituteInternational Jazz Competition.The Kennedy Center presents a freeMillennium Stage concert by Hornand her band the Artistry of Jazz Hornas part of the James A. Johnson Young

Artist Series. Wednesday, Jan. 20, at6 p.m. Kennedy Center MillenniumStage. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visitkennedy-center.org.

JULIA SCOTTI, KEVIN MEANEY:BIG PANTS & HOT FLASHESCool Cow Comedy co-presents a nightof “Out-standing comedy” featuringtransgender comedian Julia Scotti andKevin Meaney, a stand-up comic andactor from both TV and Broadway.Rahmein Mostafavi hosts a show thatends with a “no holds barred Q&A.”Friday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m. Amp byStrathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave.North Bethesda. Tickets are $20 to

$30. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.

KING: A FILMED RECORD…MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHISOnce again the American FilmInstitute’s Silver Theatre celebratesMLK Day by screening a free docu-mentary featuring footage of the civilrights legend. King: A Filmed Record… Montgomery to Memphis includes hisstirring “I Have A Dream” speech atthe Lincoln Memorial, and also fea-tures narration and commentary fromSidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, PaulNewman, Charlton Heston, HarryBelafonte and Ruby Dee, among oth-

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Compiled by Doug Rule

D E A N A L E X A N D E R


Gender NeutralizedBaltimore’s Center Stage serves up an all-female As You Like It

SOMETIMES WHEN YOU’RE ASKED TO GO BACK INSIDE SOMETHING THAT

is this old, there’s this fear that it won’t resonate in any way,” says Wendy Goldberg,discussing Shakespeare’s As You Like It. “You don’t want to be gimmicky about your

approach. You want to make sure that it’s true to what the play is trying to do.”Goldberg’s approach to The Bard’s cross-dressing, escapist romantic comedy, was to

stage it with an all-female ensemble. “This 400-year-old play is the most gender-bendingplay in Shakespeare’s canon,” she says. “It is an invitation to explore gender and identity,

and the fluidity of gender.”In an era of heightened gender and transgender awareness, Center Stage’s production

is assured to resonate with modern audiences. It’s an unprecedented move for Goldberg,

who couldn’t turn down the opportunity to re-envision a Shakespeare play with a decidedly

female perspective. Her all-female approach is the inverse of that from Shakespeare’s day,when all characters, male and female, were played by men and boys. Even today, it’s far morecommon to see an all-male production of Shakespeare — including this spring’s The Taming

of the Shrew at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Goldberg was especially intrigued by puttingwomen in As You Like It’s lead male roles, Jacques and Duke.

“In a play where it makes sense, it’s pretty extraordinary to put all of these women

together and give them the opportunity to play roles that they would probably never havethe chance to play,” Goldberg says. “My ultimate goal is that gender becomes neutralized

and you just forget who’s doing what and it’s just about these characters.” — Doug Rule

Center Stage’s As You Like It opens in previews Friday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m., and runs to Feb. 14,at Towson University’s Center for the Arts, 1 Fine Arts Dr., Towson, Md. Tickets are $10 to

$59. Call 410-986-4000 or visit centerstage.org.


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Kasi Campbell directs this heartfeltcomedy about three very different sib-lings, reunited for one remarkable,revealing weekend, and portrayed by the sharp team of Susan Lynskey,Susan Rome and Kimberly Schraf.Josh Adams, Edward Christian,Michael Russotto, James Whalenand Caroline Wolfson round out thecast. Now in previews. Opens Friday,Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Runs to Feb.21. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman

Theater, Washington, D.C.’s JewishCommunity Center, 1529 16th St. NW.Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

FILM

CAROL

HHHHH

Carol, the sixth feature from ToddHaynes, has the feel of a career pin-nacle, as though every other film inhis canon was building to this master-piece. Based on the novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, the movieis the lesbian equivalent of Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain. But Carol isarguably more emotionally satisfyingthan Lee’s film, in part because ofthe way Highsmith, herself a clos-eted lesbian, crafted the story of a young shopgirl (Rooney Mara) whofalls in love with an older woman(Cate Blanchett) and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Despite thelack of a suspense-driven narrative, iteffortlessly evokes the spirit of AlfredHitchcock; Carol could be a distantcousin to Vertigo. And, unlike so manyfilms these days, Carol takes its time,with Haynes resolutely refusing tohurry things along. Some in the audi-ence might find the approach dull.It’s not. It’s captivating, absorbing,all-encompassing. It’s the way mov-ies used to be made, an instant-bornclassic, with Blanchett and Mara giv-ing the kinds of performances thatOscars are made for. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.(Randy Shulman)

JERUSALEM 3DBenedict Cumberbatch narrates a filmoffering the first-ever large formataerial footage of the Old City andthroughout the Holy Land — includingsites ranging from the Western Wallto the Dome of the Rock to the Sea ofGalilee. This 3D film also offers eye-opening personal stories and remark-able historical perspective. ShowtimesSaturdays and Sundays to March 31.National Geographic Museum, 114517th St. NW. Tickets are $7. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

STAR WARS: THE FORCEAWAKENS

HHHHH

The seventh film in a series that hasspanned four decades and spawneda near limitless number of spin-offs,merchandise and uber fans, The Force Awakens isn’t original — there’s toomuch history for that to be possible.But it works on several levels. And

ers. Sidney Lumet and Joseph L.Mankiewicz co-directed and pro-duced this 1970 film. Monday, Jan.18, at 12 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Ticketsare free, available at the box officestarting one hour before screentime.Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/ Silver.

MEDIEVAL STORY LANDRed Knight Productions, another

company nurtured by the CapitalFringe Festival, offers a fast-pacedcomedy adventure that parodies thefantasy genre for adults and childrenalike. Written by Red Knight’s ScottCourlander, Medieval Story Landis described as a blend of Lord ofthe Rings, Forrest Gump and Monty Python, and features 12 actors playingover 40 different characters. Expectfurious swordplay, a gripping plot andsketch comedy irreverence. Followingthe show is a free performance ofStephen Mead’s one-man-showVictorian Story Time. Opens Friday,Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. Runs to Jan. 3. PortCity Playhouse, 1819 North Quaker

Lane. Alexandria. Tickets are $!8 to$20. Call 703-838-2880 or visit redk-nightproductions.com.

STEP AFRIKA! STEP EXPLOSIONIn honor of Martin Luther KingJr., Strathmore presents the secondannual showcase of this professionaldance troupe focused on stepping,the high-energy, percussive style ofdance that originated with African- American fraternities and sororities.The Dem Raider Boyz Step Squad outof Greenbelt, Md., Alpha Phi Alpha’sBeta Chapter at Howard Universityand the New York-based Delta SigmaTheta-composed Crimson Inferno

are among regional ensembles thatwill be featured. Sunday, Jan. 17, at 4p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.Tickets are $25 to $40. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

THE GREAT INKA ROAD:ENGINEERING AN EMPIREOne of the monumental engineeringachievements in history, the GreatInka Road is a network of more than20,000 miles, crossing mountains andtropical lowlands, rivers and deserts,linking the Inca capital Cusco with thefarthest reaches of its empire — and itstill serves Andean communities today

in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. This exhibitionexplores the legacy of the Inka Empireand technological feat of the road,recognized by the United Nations asa World Heritage site in 2014. Nowto April 2018. National Museum ofthe American Indian, Independence Avenue at 4th Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit nmai.si.edu.

THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIGTwenty-two years after its Broadwaydebut and 10 years after its award-winning playwright’s untimelydeath, Theater J presents The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein.

for the most part, the screenplay byLawrence Kasdan, Michael Arndtand J.J. Abrams, who directs, hitsthe right notes, with the grand, oper-atic overtones the series has long beenknown for. For its various foibles andthe awkward transition between oldcharacters and new, there’s some-thing undoubtedly exciting aboutthis new trilogy of films. This is StarWars returned, reformed, revitalizedfor a new generation. Every time you

laugh at a reference, every time yousee a familiar face, every time JohnWilliams’ glorious score swells, youcan’t help but get sucked in by it all.Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fan-dango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

THE DANISH GIRL

HHHHH

Fashioning the tale of transgenderpioneer Lili Elbe into a mainstream-friendly love story may seem likeshrewd packaging by a Hollywoodmarketing department, but the resultis a film that succeeds above all else because that central love story is sowell crafted. David Ebershoff’s epony-

mous novel loosely depicted Elbe’slife, but Tom Hooper’s The DanishGirl sticks closer to the facts. It fol-lows Einar Wegener, a Danish painter,who slowly comes to realize that he istransgender after modeling women’sclothes for his wife Gerda. From there,Lili is born, with the film following thecouple as they navigate Lili’s explora-tion of her new gender identity andGerda deals with her love for Lili andthe loss of her husband. The DanishGirl is a flattering, beautifully cap-tured, captivatingly performed retell-ing of the marriage between a transpioneer and her wife — and one sureto do well this awards season. Now

playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

STAGE

A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDETO LOVE & MURDERKennedy Center welcomes the nation-al touring production of the littleshow that two years ago found Tonyfame and fortune. Steven Lutvak andRobert L. Freedman’s musical is abouta man who attempts to slay his wayto inheritance. To Jan. 30. KennedyCenter Eisenhower Theater. Tickets

are $64 to $229. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

AS YOU LIKE IT All the world’s a stage for SyneticTheater’s 12th “silent Shakespeare”adaptation, this time the frothy com-edy complete with a girl disguised asa boy. As You Like It is also the sourceof some of the Bard’s most famousphrases, from “all the world’s a stage”to “too much of a good thing” —though of course you won’t hear thosehere. Paata Tsikurishvili directs theadaptation featuring Taylor Robinson,Sharisse Taylor and Philip Fletcher asOrlando. To Jan. 17. Theater at Crystal

City, 1800 South Bell St., Arlington.


Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 800-494-8497 or visit synetictheater.org.

BAD JEWS Already the best-selling play in its his-tory after last year’s constantly extend-ed run, Studio Theatre has reprisedJoshua Harmon’s acerbic dramedy Bad Jews for another go — and onceagain, it keeps extending the run dueto popular demand. Serge Seiden onceagain directs, this year featuring a

cast including Laura Lapidus, Rowan Vickers, Noah Averbach-Katz andMaggie Wilder. Extended again to Jan.31. Studio Theatre, 14th & P StreetsNW. Tickets are $44 to $88. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY Yet another boisterous and unflinch-ingly dark comedy from Stephen AdlyGuirgis, whose play The Motherfuckerwith the Hat received much criticalpraise at Studio Theatre a few yearsago. Between Riverside and Crazy wasthe winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize forDrama and is focused on an ex-cop whois facing eviction, battling City Hall and

struggling over the recent death of hiswife. To Feb. 28. Studio Theatre, 14th& P Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ANTSThe Anacostia Playhouse partnerswith Maryland’s Restoration Stage forthe world premiere of Steven A. Butler,Jr.’s intense drama about being blackand male in modern-day America.Courtney Baker-Oliver directs the pro-duction featuring Suli Myrie, DavidLamont Wilson, Clermon Acklin,Tillmon Figgs, Wilma Lynn Horton,Kandace Foreman, Christopher Ezell,Marquis Fair and Charles W. Harris

Jr. Opens Friday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m.Now to Feb. 7. Anacostia Playhouse,2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are$35 to $50. Call 202-714-0646 or visitrestorationstageinc.com.

GEORGIE: THE LIFE ANDDEATH OF GEORGE ROSEHelen Hayes Award-winning actorEd Dixon (Signature Theatre’s Sunset Boulevard ) wrote and stars in this trib-ute to his friend and mentor, a Tony Award-winning character actor ( My Fair Lady ) who was a bon vivant with aflair for the dramatic and the eccentric.Eric Schaeffer directs the SignatureTheatre production of this human tale

about art, personal connections andthe struggles of life and death. Nowto Feb. 7. Signature Theatre, 4200Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are$25 to $45. Call 703-820-9771 or visitsignature-theatre.org.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF HIVDenim Theatre presents an originalplay by Kieyontaye D. Johnson-Carter,a powerful drama set in present-dayD.C. and focused on two long-termcouples — one straight, one gay —struggling to cope with life and love,secrets and status, in a time when being“safe” just isn’t safe enough. OpensThursday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. Runs to


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yet seen in Shirlington, aided byGardiner’s choice to present it on athrust stage, with the audience onthree sides in the Max Theatre. Theproduction engages you in a way thatstandard proscenium productions ofWest Side Story can’t. If this doesn’t become your favorite productionof West Side Story, I would love toknow where you saw it staged bet-ter. Extended to Jan. 31. SignatureTheatre, 4200 Campbell Ave.,

Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $95. Call703-820-9771 or visit signature-the-atre.org. (Doug Rule)

WRESTLING JERUSALEMMosaic Theater Company of DC pres-ents a reprise of writer and performer Aaron Davidman’s work first com-missioned by Theater J and Mosaicfounder Ari Roth in 2007. This per-sonal story of a man trying to compre-hend the Israeli-Palestinian conflictcoursing through his divided psycheand argumentative community is partof Voices from a Changing MiddleEast Festival, the provocative seriesformerly presented by Theater J that

Roth has revived with his new com-pany. To Jan. 24. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are$20 to $40. Call 202-399-7993 or visitmosaictheater.org.

MUSIC

BALTIMORE SYMPHONYORCHESTRAConstantine Kitsopoulos conducts theBSO in the SuperPops program “Pixarin Concert,” featuring a compilationof the stirring music and stunningimagery from the company’s 13 fea-ture films, including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Monsters, Inc. Thursday,Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. Music Center atStrathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,North Bethesda. Also Friday, Jan.22, and Saturday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m.,and Sunday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m. JosephMeyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are$35 to $99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

BRIDGET EVERETT &THE TENDER MOMENTS A breathy, foul-mouthed cabaret act,whom the New York Timeshas facilelycompared to an early Bette Midler,

Bridget Everett performs songs whosecrass titles often say it all (also, oftenall you want to hear): from “What IGot To Do (To Get That Dick In MyMouth)” to ”Titties” to “Coming For You.” Saturday, Jan. 16. Doors at 6p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Ticketsare $30. Call 202-265-0930 or visit930.com.

CHOPTEETHThe Washington Post has called this12-piece band “a storming pow-erhouse of big-band African funk...smart, tight and relentlessly driv-ing.” Chopteeth has already won anumber of Washington Area Music

Associat ion Awards — otherwise

Jan. 25. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231Good Hope Road SE. Tickets are $25to $35. Call 202-631-6291 or visit ana-costiaartscenter.com.

PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILENow that Bright Star has wrapped itspre-Broadway Kennedy Center run,Keegan Theatre offers a production ofanother work by comedian/composerSteve Martin which previously ranOff Broadway. Picasso at the Lapin

Agile is a slightly absurd look at thefamous Spanish painter’s life — andthat of Albert Einstein’s too — before they changed the world throughtheir work. Chris Stezin directs a castincluding Matthew Keenan, BradleyFoster Smith, Allison Leigh Corke,Kevin Adams, Michael Innocenti,Sherri S. Herren and Jessica Power.Opens in previews Saturday, Jan. 16,at 8 p.m. To Feb. 13. Keegan Theatre,1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $40.Call 703-892-0202 or visit keeganthe-atre.com.

STONE TAPE PARTYD.C.-based, female-driven theater

company Nu Sass Productions offersDanny Rovin’s play, which won BestComedy and Best Show Overall atCapital Fringe 2014. Angela KayPirko directs an all-female cast ina quick-witted tribute to the post-college struggles — from hedonismto misanthropy — of the MillennialGeneration. Briana Manente leads acast also including Ariana Almajan,Jill Tighe and Casey Leffue. OpensThursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. Runs toFeb. 7. Atlas Performing Arts Center,1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $30.Call 202-399-7993 or visit nusass.com.

THE CRITIC/THE REAL

INSPECTOR HOUNDMichael Kahn directs this double billof one-act comedies about behind-the-scenes life in the theater. An ensemblecast takes on multiple characters bringing to life Jeffrey Hatcher’s freshtake on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s18th-century romp The Critic andTom Stoppard’s absurdist tour-de-farce The Real Inspector Hound . Nowto Feb. 14. Lansburgh Theatre, 4507th St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visitshakespearetheatre.org.

WEST SIDE STORY

HHHHH

Leave it to Signature Theatre to

stage a production that reinvigo-rates this classic musical, giving itmore relevance and resonance thanever before. The all-star collabora-tion between Leonard Bernstein,Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurentsand Jerome Robbins is widely consid-ered one of the greatest musicals evermade. Unlike other Signature rein- ventions of classics, director MatthewGardiner didn’t pare down the called-for 30-member cast, which is further bolstered by a standard 17-memberorchestra, led by Jon Kalbfleisch. Theresult is the largest show Signaturehas ever produced. It’s also one ofthe most stimulating shows you’ve

known as Wammies, including the Artist of the Year accolade in 2008. And now the Afrobeat-driven groupreturns to Strathmore’s cabaret venueafter a summer debut. Saturday, Jan.23, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda.Tickets are $20 to $30. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.

ELISE TESTONE AND BAND’SAMY WINEHOUSE TRIBUTE

American Idol 2012 finalist EliseTestone offers a toast to the gone-way-too-soon Amy Winehouseaccompanied by an eight-piece funky jazz band also featuring vocalist SamStevens. This “Thankful for Amy”tribute reaches the Howard Theatreafter hit performances in New Yorkand Philadelphia. Friday, Jan. 15, at 8p.m. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St.NW. Tickets are $17.50 to $35. Call202-588-5595 or visit thehowardthe-atre.com.

FALU’S BOLLYWOOD ORCHESTRAThe Village Voice has raved that thisIndian group creates “some of the

more pleasurable pastiche around.”It’s also some of the most unusual, a“beyond Bollywood” mix of Indianclassical music, Punjabi bhangra, even jazz and pop. Singer Falguni “Falu”Shah, considered one of India’s mostinfluential musicians though shenow lives in the U.S., leads this sep-tet. Friday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. TheBarns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $22 to $27. Call877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

FOLGER CONSORT“The Wonder of Will: Early and NewMusic Celebrating Shakespeare” isthe name of this year’s concert series

at the National Cathedral in the400th year since the Bard’s death.Instrumentalists Arcadia Viols will join the consort as will the 12-member vocal group Stile Antico, offeringthe Washington premiere of Gentle Sleep, a commissioned piece based ontexts from Henry IV by acclaimed gaycontemporary composer Nico Muhly.Friday, Jan. 22, and Saturday, Jan.23, at 8 p.m. Washington NationalCathedral, Massachusetts andWisconsin Avenues NW. Tickets are$30 to $60. Call 202-544-7077 or visitfolger.edu.

LEVINE PRESENTS:

CELEBRATING 40!Now in its 40th year, the LevineSchool of Music celebrates by pre-senting a concert of two monumentalpiano trios, Beethoven’s “Archduke”Trio and Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 3 in G Minor — both written whenthe composers were forty. ThisLevine Presents concert features violinist Fedor Ouspensky, cellistIgor Zubkovsky and pianist AnnaOuspenskaya and is presented in part-nership with Stone Room Concerts.Saturday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. FallsChurch Episcopal, 115 E. Fairfax St.Falls Church. Tickets are $15 online or$20 at the door. Call 703-241-0003 or

visit levinemusic.org.


NATIONAL PHILHARMONICStrathmore’s resident orchestra offersa concert focused on Bach’s ViolinConcerto No. 2 featuring concert-master Colin Sorgi. Piotr Gajewskiconducts the philharmonic in a pro-gram also including Mozart’s virtuo-sic Divertimento in D Major, EdvardGrieg’s Holberg Suite and BenjaminBritten’s Simple Symphony for Strings.Saturday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m. MusicCenter at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman

Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are$29 to $79. Call 301-581-5100 or visitstrathmore.org.

NATIONAL SYMPHONYORCHESTRA A few weeks before embarking ona European tour with the NSO andoutgoing music director ChristophEschenbach, young cellist DanielMuller-Schott takes to the KennedyCenter Concert Hall to performDvorak’s beautiful, breathtakingCello Concerto in B Minor. Led byEschenbach, this NSO program alsoincluding Brahms’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor plus the first NSO

performances of Christopher Rouse’s Phaethon. Thursday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m.,and Friday, Jan. 22, and Saturday, Jan.23, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center ConcertHall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE DHOL FOUNDATION,BLACK MASALAMultiflora Productions presents thisdouble-billing dubbed a “BalkanBhangra Party,” featuring London- based bhangra percussion group theDhol Foundation and D.C.’s ownBalkan and funk band consisting ofmembers from Thievery Corporation.The two groups will unite for a drum-

ming and dancing global spectacular.Thursday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. Tropicalia,2001 14th St. NW. Tickets are $10 inadvance or $15 day-of show. Call 202-629-4535 or visit tropicaliadc.com.

THE MOUNT HOLYOKESYMPHONY ORCHESTRAThe Mount Holyoke Club ofWashington D.C. presents the firstMary Lyon Concert in D.C. of thisMassachusetts-based student orches-tra, offering an evening of classicalworks by contemporary female com-posers. Ng Tian Hui leads a programfeaturing violinist Linda Laderach per-forming Roxanna Paufnik’s Abraham,

soprano Andrea Chinedu Nwoke and baritone Philip Lima singing excerptsfrom Mary D. Watkins’s opera Dark River: The Fannie Lou Hamer Storyand a new commission by TawnieOlsen. Saturday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St.NW. Tickets are $50. Call 202-347-2635 or visit mtholyoke.edu.

THE KNOCKS A sharp neo-disco DJ/production duofrom New York, the Knocks are a just- bubbling-under act who has stirred upthe All Things Go Fall Classic at UnionMarket in each of its first two years.Next weekend the duo of Ben “B-Roc”

Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson


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will drop by the 9:30 Club to give apreview of 55 and immerse the crowdin a style of vocal-driven dance musicthat has been described as “originalmaterial that references the golden years of vocal house and credible pop,”or “cred-pop” for short. Saturday, Jan.16. Doors at 10 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 VSt. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-265-0930 or visi

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