metro weekly - 05-21-15 - courtney and sheila

8/9/2019 Metro Weekly - 05-21-15 - Courtney and Sheila

1/48


2/48


3/48


4/48

4 MAY 21, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman

ART DIRECTORTodd Franson

NEWS & BUSINESS EDITORJohn Riley

ASSISTANT EDITORRhuaridh Marr

CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORScott G. Brooks

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSChristian Gerard, Connor J. Hogan,

Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingeld

WEBMASTERDavid Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHERRandy Shulman

BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETINGChristopher Cunetto

Cunetto Creative

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVERivendell Media Co.

212-242-6863

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERDennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINTBarbara Jordan

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYTodd Franson

METRO WEEKLY1425 K St. NW, Suite 350Washington, DC 20005

202-638-6830MetroWeekly.com

All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not bereproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes noresponsibility 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 ne advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claimsmade 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 oradvertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation ofsuch person or organization.

© 2015 Jansi LLC.

4

MAY 21, 2015Volume 22 / Issue 3

NEWS 6 H EROES AND H EADLINERSby John Riley

10 ON THE BRINKby Rhuaridh Marr

11 C OMMUNITY CALENDAR

SCENE 13 C APITAL T RANS P RIDE photography by Ward Morrison

SCENE 15 R AINBOW H ISTORY P ROJECT ’S C OMMUNITY P IONEERS AWARDS

photography by

Ward Morrison

FEATURES 18 W ONDER W OMEN : C OURTNEY SNOWDEN

AND SHEILA ALEXANDER -R EID by John Riley and Randy Shulman

OUT ON THE TOWN 26 L ISA LAMPANELLI by Doug Rule

STAGE 31 SCORING BIG by Doug Rule

STAGE 33 BABY M INE by Kate Wingeld

GEARS 35 LEAN , M EAN AND GREEN by Rhuaridh Marr

NIGHTLIFE 37 M R DC E AGLE ’S IML S END -O FF photography by Ward Morrison

CLUBLIFE 44 QUEER C ATby Connor J. Hogan

46 LAST W ORD


5/48

5METROWEEKLY.COM MAY 21, 2015


6/48


Heroes and HeadlinersCarly Rae Jepsen to headline Pride, while former Attorney General

Eric Holder is duly honored

by John Riley

T HE CAPITAL PRIDE CEL-ebration, marking its 40thanniversary this year, is start-ing to take shape.The Capital Pride Heroes Gala, on

Wednesday, June 3, serves as the kick-off to twelve days of various Prideevents and parties, which attractedmore than 350,000 attendees in 2014.This year, it will honor 10 individu-

als and organizations who have mademajor contributions to the D.C.-areaLGBT community and fought toimprove the lives of LGBT people.

This year’s list of honorees reads likea “Who’s Who” of major community g-ures or allies, including a former guber-natorial candidate, a religious leader, arepresentative from the MetropolitanPolice Department and several trans-gender activists. Perhaps the most high-prole honoree is former U.S. AttorneyGeneral Eric Holder, who will be pre-sented with the Paving the Way Award

for his courage and leadership in helpingto advance LGBT rights.

As attorney general, Holder, on behalfof the Obama administration, refusedto defend the congressionally-approvedDefense of Marriage Act (DOMA) onthe grounds that it was unconstitutional.When the Supreme Court overturnedSection 3 of DOMA in 2013, Holder insti-tuted guidelines outlining how the feder-al government would treat and recognizesame-sex couples with respect to federalspousal benets and legal rights.

“We are thrilled to honor Attorney

L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.comCate Blanchett Denies Having Had Lesbian Affairs

Jeb Bush Says Gay Marriage is Not a Constitutional Right

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F C A P I T A L P R I D E

Clockwise from upper left: Amber, En Vogue, Carly Rae Jepsen, Wilson Philips, and Katy Tiz


7/48



8/48

LGBTNews

8

for all Americans, including those in theLGBT community.”

The nine other honorees include veCapital Pride Heroes and two EngenderedSpirit Award winners, the latter honorgiven to those who have made a signi-cant impact on the District’s transgender

General Holder for his work on behalfof the LGBT community,” said BernieDelia, president of the Board of Directorsof the Capital Pride Alliance. “Underhis leadership, the U.S. Department ofJustice has become a strong advocateand enforcer of equality under the law

community.This year’s Heroes are: Bishop Gene

Robinson, the rst openly gay bishopof the Anglican Communion; AlexandraErnst, a member of the Board of Governorsfor the Human Rights Campaign; PaulKawata, founder and executive directorof the National Minority AIDS Council;Justin Markiewicz, an ofcer with theMetropolitan Police Department’s Gayand Lesbian Liaison Unit; and HeatherMizeur, a former Maryland delegate andgubernatorial candidate. The EngenderedSpirit Award winners are Bobbi ElaineStrang, an active volunteer with the D.C.trans community, and Kaprice Williams,a full-time volunteer at Casa Ruby.

The gala will also honor those whohave made major contributions to theplanning, implementation and celebra-tion of various Pride events. Local com-munity health center Whitman-Walker

Health will receive the Larry StansburyAward for Exemplary Contributions toPride. Holly Goldmann, a local transgen-der activist who has been instrumental inplanning and carrying out D.C.’s CapitalTrans Pride celebration, will be honoredwith the Bill Miles Volunteer Award forher contributions to Capital Pride.

But it wouldn’t be a Pride celebrationwithout live entertainment. The grouphas announced a slate of performers whowill appear on stage at the festival onSunday, June 14, which serves as the cli-

max of Pride’s ofcial festivities.Presented by Hot 99.5 FM, CapitalPride’s 2015 concert will feature theGrammy-nominated singer-songwrit-er Carly Rae Jepsen, best known forher break-out hit “Call Me Maybe,” aswell as her collaboration with Owl Cityfor “Good Time” and her new single “IReally Like You.”

En Vogue, the ’90s-era R&B girl groupknown for “Hold On,” “My Lovin’,” “Free Your Mind,” and “Whatta Man,” will alsoappear. They will be joined by another girlgroup from that decade, Wilson Phillips,best known for their hit “Hold On.”

Also featured will be electro-pop/ dance artist and songwriter Amber,responsible for seven consecutiveNumber-1 dance singles and an addi-tional six Top-10 dance hits, including“If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sexual(Li Da Di),” and “This Is Your Night,”which gained cult status among club-goers as the music from the dancescene in A Night at the Roxbury . Shealso co-wrote “Bless You Child” forBette Midler’s album release in 2000

MAY 21, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM

Holder

RobinsonMizeur

W A R D M O R R I S O N

T O D D F R A N S O N

T O D D F R A N S O N


9/48



10/48

LGBTNews

10

shaping up to be an event unlike anyother,” said Ryan Bos, executive direc-tor of the Capital Pride Alliance said in astatement. “We hope that everyone wholives in the national capital region...will join us for what is sure to be an unforget-table concert.”

The Capital Pride Heroes Gala, presentedby the Historical Society of Washington,

and earned a Grammy nomination forwriting Cher’s cover version of “LoveOne Another.”

The nal headliner of the festival willbe Katy Tiz, famous for singles “TheBig Bang,” “Famous,” “Red Cup” and“Whistle (While You Work It),” who isslated to release her debut album laterthis year.

“This year’s Capital Pride Concert is

D.C., will take place at 7 p.m. on June 3 atthe Carnegie Library, 801 K St. NW.

The Capital Pride Festival will take place from 1 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 14 atthe main stage on Pennsylvania Avenuebetween 7th and 3rd Streets NW. For moreinformation on Capital Pride, including a full schedule of events planned throughout May and June, visit capitalpride.org. l


On the Brink Ireland’s referendum on same-sex marriage is a dramatic turnaround

for the religious nation

By Rhuaridh Marr

I RELAND COULD BE ON THEbrink of making history.The ve million strong countryis set to vote Friday in a referendumon legalizing same-sex marriage. Shouldit succeed, which polls currently sug-gest it will, the Republic of Ireland willbecome the rst country to enact mar-riage equality by popular vote.

If Irish voters opt to support the refer-endum, it will represent something of anincredible turnaround for the country. Astaunchly religious nation, 84 percent ofIreland’s population is Roman Catholic,with up to half of the country attend-ing weekly mass as recently as 2006. Ascontext, divorce was banned in the Irishconstitution until a referendum in 1995— which passed, removing the ban, by just 51 percent. It should come as no sur-prise that religious groups are staunchlyopposed to Friday’s referendum.

Homosexuality has only been legalthere since 1993, putting Ireland at oddswith its neighbors. Northern Ireland, partof the United Kingdom, legalized it in1982, while neighbor England decriminal-ized it in 1967. In two decades, Ireland hastransformed from imprisoning gay mento offering civil partnerships, same-sexadoptions, anti-discrimination measures,and open military service. Accordingto University College Dublin professorDavid Farrell, speaking with the BBC, heteaches his politics students of the changeby showing “two photographs juxtapos-

ing Eamon De Valera kissing the ring of abishop when he was president of Irelandwith one of our current Taoiseach [primeminister] Enda Kenny, in a gay bar. That’sa huge path we’ve come. I never thoughtthat could be possible in this country.”

Voters will be asked a simple ques-tion on Friday: do they support adding“Marriage may be contracted in accor-dance with law by two persons withoutdistinction as to their sex” to the con-stitution. The referendum is supportedby every political party, all of whom are

urging voters to choose Yes. All pollsare suggesting that the outcome willbe in favor. Polling company MillwardBrown suggests that public opinion iscurrently 53 percent in favor, 24 per-cent against, and 23 percent undecided.Another poll by Ipsos has the numbersat 53, 25, and 17 respectively. However,both sets of data share a similar trend: Yes support has diminished in the runup to voting day.

What’s more, there’s precedent forincorrect polling data relative to out-comes. In the 1995 divorce referendum,support for ending the ban enjoyed a 44point lead in the weeks leading up to thevote, according to The Guardian . In a2013 referendum on abolishing the IrishSenate, 62 percent of people were appar-ently in favor. The measure failed, with52 percent voting against. Even acrossthe Irish Sea, in Britain, every major pollsuggested that in its recent elections thecountry was headed for a hung parliamentwith no clear winner — the Conservativeparty won with a slim majority.

The No campaign has also been

resurgent in recent weeks — apparentlyaided by conservative U.S. Christians.The National Organization for Marriage(NOM) has sent letters to supportersaround the world, asking them to visit awebsite, keepmarriage.org, which details“why you should vote no to redeningmarriage in Ireland.” Yes supportersclaim that donations solicited through thewebsite have been used to fund Ireland’sNo campaigns enabling them to buyadvertisements and billboards. A spokes-person for NOM denied the accusation, as

soliciting political donations from over-seas is illegal in Ireland.On the Yes side, which enjoys the

support of a majority of younger votersin Ireland, campaign efforts have beenboosted by a string of endorsements.Television stars, sports personalities,politicians, musicians and others havethrown their support behind the Yescampaign. Former Uachtarán (President)Mary McAleese, whose son is gay, statedat an event in Dublin that “a yes vote coststhe rest of us nothing. A no vote costs ourgay children everything.”

Perhaps, however, it is BrendanO’Carroll — creator of the character Mrs.Brown, star of a popular sitcom and jok-ingly referred to as Ireland’s “mammy-in-chief” — who says it best.

“When I was a young girl there wasa big hoo-ha about mixed marriages,Catholics marrying Protestants and blackpeople marrying white people,” he said incharacter as Mrs. Brown, in a YouTubevideo. “But, you know what, they stillwent and got married and the world didn’tend. And we all grew up a little bit.” l


11/48


METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIVtesting. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-afrming socialgroup for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia RoadNW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHTprovides a social atmo-sphere for GLBT and questioning youth, featuringdance parties, vogue nights, movies and games.More info, [email protected].

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

SATURDAY, MAY 23HABITAT FOR HUMANITY holds an informationalsession on DC Habitat’s home ownership program,which build affordable homes for those mak-ing between 30 to 60 percent of the area medianincome for D.C. Interested applicants can reservetheir spot by calling 202-882-4600, ext. 200 oremailing [email protected]. 11 a.m.-1p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-mation, visit dchabitat.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTHoffersfree HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (byappointment). 202-291-4707 or andromedatranscul-turalhealth.org.

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of theLGBT community, holds Saturday morning Shabbatservices, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon.Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St.

NW. betmish.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others inter-ested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time,email [email protected].

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session atHains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/socialclub welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun andsupportive environment, socializing afterward.Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a walk; or10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball team meets at TurkeyThicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE,2-4 p.m. For players of all levels, gay or straight.teamdcbasketball.org.

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

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses critical languag-es and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellie’s, 900 U St.NW. RVSP preferred. [email protected].

IDENTITYoffers free and condential HIV testingin Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite411. Walk-ins 12-3 p.m. For appointments otherhours, call 301-422-2398.

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

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for youngLBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership devel-opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7thSt. SE. 202-567-3163, [email protected].

FRIDAY, MAY 22GAY MARRIED MEN’S ASSOCIATION (GAMMA)is a condential support group for men who aregay, bisexual, questioning and who are marriedor involved with a woman, that meets regularly inDupont Circle and monthly in Northern Virginiaand Hagerstown, Md. 7:30-9:30 p.m. For moreinformation, visit gammaindc.org.

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUPfor adults inMontgomery County offers a safe place to exploreissues of identity, coming out and connecting withothers. 10-11:30 a.m. 16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite512, Gaithersburg, Md. For more information, visit

thedccenter.org.

WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES, a social discussionand activity group for LBT women, meets on thesecond and fourth Fridays of the month at The DCCenter. Social event to follow meeting. 8-9:30 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTHoffersfree HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (byappointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatranscul-turalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice sessionat Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

GAY DISTRICTholds facilitated discussion forGBTQ men, 18-35, rst and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m.The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. 202-682-2245, gaydistrict.org.

HIV TESTINGat Whitman-Walker Health. At theElizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appoint-ment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

THURSDAY, MAY 21POLY DISCUSSION GROUP offers a chance forthose interested in pursuing alternative and non-monogamous relationships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedc-center.org.

The DC Center hosts its YOUTH WORKINGGROUP RECEPTION at Agora. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 152717th St. NW. For more information, visit thedc-center.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTHoffersfree HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (byappointment). Call 202-291-4707, or visit androme-datransculturalhealth.org.

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

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features mainstream throughadvanced square dancing at the National CityChristian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.

The DULLES TRIANGLESNorthern Virginia socialgroup meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-oor bar, 7-9p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

HIV TESTINGat Whitman-Walker Health. At theElizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appoint-ment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITYoffers free and condential HIV testingin Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and inTakoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours,call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park,301-422-2398.

METROHEALTH CENTERoffers free, rapid HIVtesting. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

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

Metro Weekly’s Community Calendar highlights important events inthe D.C.-area LGBT community, from alternative social events tovolunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email [email protected]. Deadline for inclusion is noonof the Friday before Thursday’s publication. Questions aboutthe calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly ofce at202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.

LGBTCommunityCalendar


12/48

SUNDAY, MAY 24ADVENTURINGoutdoors group hikes 8 strenu-ous miles with 1500 feet of elevation change inShenandoah National Park, featuring stops atHoover Camp and Dark Hollow Falls. Bring plentyof beverages, lunch, bug spray, sunscreen, about $15for fees, and money for refreshments afterwards.Carpool at 8:30 a.m. from East Falls Church Metro

Station Kiss & Ride lot. Craig, 202-462-0535.adventuring.org.

DC BLACK PRIDE’S CULTURAL ARTS &WELLNESS FESTIVAL at the eld behind Francis-Stevens Educational Campus. Noon to 6 p.m. 2425N St. NW. For more information, visitdcblackpride.org.

SPANNING TREE, D.C.’s rst feminist makerspace, hosts a Meet + Make Social at CreativeColony. Admission is free. $5 suggested donation.1-3 p.m. 8121 Georgia Ave. NW, Suite 600, SilverSpring, Md. For more information, visitspanningtreedc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS MEMORIALEPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. NW.202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.

BETHEL CHURCH-DCprogressive and radicallyinclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session atHains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DIGNITYUSAoffers Roman Catholic Mass for theLGBT community. 6 p.m., St. Margaret’s Church,

1820 Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome. Sign inter-preted. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OCHRIST welcomes all to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 GSt. NW. rstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON meets forworship, 10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW, QuakerHouse Living Room (next to Meeting House onDecatur Place), 2nd oor. Special welcome to lesbi-ans and gays. Handicapped accessible from PhelpsPlace gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.

HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTwelcomesGLBT community for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 OldTelegraph Road, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT,God-centered new age church & learning center.Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 SherierPlace NW. isd-dc.org.



13/48

13SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SC

scene

scan this tagwith your

smartphonefor bonus scene

pics online!

Capital Trans Pride atThe Reeves Center

Saturday, May 16

PHOTOGRAPHY BY W ARD M ORRISON


14/48


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

LUTHERAN CHURCH OFREFORMATIONinvites all to Sundayworship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare isavailable at both services. WelcomingLGBT people for 25 years. 212 EastCapitol St. NE. reformationdc.org.

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.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITYCHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C. services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted)and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday Schoolat 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-

7373, mccdc.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIANCHURCH, inclusive church withGLBT fellowship, offers gospel wor-ship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional wor-ship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

NEW HSV-2 SOCIAL ANDSUPPORT GROUP for gay men liv-ing in the DC metro area. This groupwill be meeting once a month. Forinformation on location and time,email to [email protected].

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,a Christ-centered, interracial, wel-coming-and-afrming church, offersservice at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THEINCARNATION,an “interracial,multi-ethnic Christian Community”offers services in English, 8 a.m. and

10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m.1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900,saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN CHURCH OFARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming-and-afrming congregation, offersservices at 10 a.m. Virginia RainbowUU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd.uucava.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 NewHampshire Ave. uucss.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONALMEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-ing and inclusive church. GLBTInterweave social/service groupmeets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.

MONDAY, MAY 25HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes7 easy-to-moderate miles throughOld Town Alexandria to NationalHarbor via the Wilson Bridge. Bringplenty of beverages, lunch, bug spray,sunscreen, $2 trip fee and $8 forwater taxi back to Alexandria. Meetat 10 a.m. by station attendant’s kioskinside the King Street Metro Station.Theresa, 252-876-1469.adventuring.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

The DC Center hosts COFFEEDROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBTCOMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 200014th St. NW. 202-682-2245,thedccenter.org.


15/48

15SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SC

scene

scan this tagwith your

smartphonefor bonus scene

pics online!

Rainbow HistoryProject’s 2015 LGBTCommunity Pioneers

Reception atThe Thurgood

Marshall CenterThursday, May 14

PHOTOGRAPHY BY W ARD M ORRISON


16/48


17/48

SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL,410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy Chu,202-567-3163, [email protected].

US HELPING UShosts 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., 170114th St. NW. Patients are seen onwalk-in basis. No-cost screening forHIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chla-mydia. Hepatitis and herpes testingavailable for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27THE HIV PREVENTION WORKINGGROUP holds a monthly meeting atThe DC Center. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th

St. NW, Suite 105. For more informa-tion, visit thedccenter.org.

THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUBmeets for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m.Dignity Center, 721 8th St. SE, acrossfrom the Marine Barracks. No reser- vation needed. 703-407-6540 if youneed a partner.

WEEKLY EVENTS

AD LIB, a group for freestyle con- versation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m.,Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome.For more information, call FaustoFernandez, 703-732-5174.

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

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

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

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.

HIV TESTINGat 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, 9a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointmentcall 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITYoffers free and conden-tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m.For appointments other hours, callGaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

17

LGBTCommunityCalendar

METROWEEKLY.COM MAY 21, 2015

Jennifer Fairfax:Putting Family First

Legal speciality allows people to form families

J ENNIFER FAIRFAX HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO ISSUESsurrounding family law.Whether it was becoming godmother at 18 to a girl that a friend had adoptedfrom Korea, her own experience with second-parent adoption, or working witha mentor who was a national adoption attorney and who had successfully adopted hisown children, Fairfax has been drawn to legal issues that affect children. Now, shefocuses her practice, Jennifer Fairfax Family Formation Law Ofces, primarily onadoption, sperm- and egg-donor agreements and gestational surrogacy, representingwomen who wish to carry a child on behalf of a couple.

Although Fairfax’s clients come from all walks of life, her career has often inter-sected with the LGBT community. Particularly when she rst began practicing, at atime when there were very few lawyers who dealt with same-sex couples.

“In every aspect of my practice, I have worked with the LGBT community,” she says.A native of La Plata, Md., Fairfax has spent her whole life in the state. During hernal year in law school at the University of Baltimore, she worked in the civil litigationdepartment of the Maryland Attorney General’s ofce, and upon graduation she wasone of two law clerks working for four different judges on the Frederick County CircuitCourt, before nally delving into private practice.

There, Fairfax began focusing on issues surrounding children. She recalls that work-ing with LGBT clients, particularly prior to the legalization of same-sex marriage inMaryland, was a “challenging” yet “rewarding” experience, one that required her tothink creatively.

“You’d have to think outside the box,” she says. “When protecting parental rightsfor LGBT persons, you often had to go beyond the traditional understanding of the law,showing the judge how the law, as written, applies to same-sex couples.”

For Fairfax, working in the adoption and surrogacy eld is about allowing people to

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

METROHEALTH CENTERoffersfree, rapid HIV testing. No appoint-ment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14thSt. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite200, Arlington. Appointments:703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, socialclub for mature gay men, hostsweekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,Windows Bar above Dupont ItalianKitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl,703-573-8316. l

Featured Partner

form families.“Adoption is something where you

make a personal connection with people,

where you really have to listen and besympathetic,” she says. “And then youalso have to balance the needs of theadoptive parent with the struggles facedby the birth parent. To see it all cometogether, despite how difcult some ofthese aspects are, it’s really worthwhile.”

Jennifer Fairfax Family Formation LawOfces are located at 827 Woodside Parkway in Silver Spring, Md. Call 301- 221-9651 or email [email protected]. Visit Jenniferfax.com for more infor-

mation.l


18/48


IN JANUARY, NEW D.C. MAYOR MURIEL BOWSERtapped Sheila Alexander-Reid, a former event promoterand longtime community activist, to lead her Ofceof GLBT Affairs to deal with any issues that affect thewellbeing of D.C.’s LGBT community. Bowser notedthat Alexander-Reid had the “extensive background

championing rights for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgenderpeople all across the District.”

Then, on April 1, the Mayor selected Courtney Snowden,a former candidate for D.C. Council and lobbyist for progres-sive or Democratic-leaning policy issues, as Deputy Mayor forGreater Economic Opportunity. Tasked with revitalizing andspurring the growth of businesses in underserved and down-trodden neighborhoods throughout the city, Snowden becamethe highest-ranking LGBT ofcial in the District.

Both women bring unique traits to their roles. The efferves-cent, upbeat Snowden, a D.C. native, uses optimism, personaldrive and impressive policy knowledge to help the wheels ofgovernment move faster and more efciently. The outspo-ken, focused Alexander-Reid, born in Cincinnati but raised inBethesda, brings her experience in the private sector, her strongleadership abilities and a sense of the “erce urgency of now”from her activist days when it comes to using her position toadvance and sustain LGBT rights across the District.

To Snowden, Alexander-Reid is a qualied, dedicated indi-vidual, a “great addition” to the administration. She admiresAlexander-Reid for having given up a more lucrative private-sector career to lend her talents to the cause of making theDistrict a better place to live. To Alexander-Reid, Snowden isa smart, independent strategist who “thinks outside the box”and arrives at innovative solutions. “She’s the type of personyou want to be around,” says Alexander-Reid, “just to havesome pieces of wisdom fall off and hope you can catch them.”As high-ranking African-American women in only the secondD.C. administration headed by an African-American woman,

Snowden and Alexander-Reid recognize the gravity of theirpositions in government — in particular, the importance of serv-ing as role models for both African-Americans and LGBT youth, just as Tammy Baldwin was for Snowden, who served as thethen-congresswoman’s staff assistant on Capitol Hill.

“The opportunity to be what Tammy was for me to someyoung woman who is struggling to gure out that she can beanything that she wants to be, no matter her sexual orientation,

no matter her gender, no matter her race, is a humbling reality,”Snowden says. “I think I can be that for someone. It’s one reasonI took this job.”

Snowden and Alexander-Reid also have ties to DC BlackPride, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this weekend, withthe former having served as its president and the latter as aboard member. Both see the annual celebration as important toafrming people’s dual identities as both black and LGBT and topassing on the legacy and accomplishments of the organization’sveterans.

“With the gains we’ve made in the movement, we no longerlook for afrmation in that one place,” Alexander-Reid says. “Wecan get afrmation in many places now. But does that mean thatyou no longer need it? Yes. You do need it. When people areyoung and coming out, they need to see there are older blackpeople who are gay and successful. [We] need to be able to passthe baton.”

“That empowerment, the upliftment, the opportunity foryoung people to see a community of people that are doingincredibly well, that are productive, that are positive — you can’tbeat that,” echoes Snowden. “That’s what Black Pride does.”

Not many administrations would choose to harness the pow-ers of both Courtney Snowden and Sheila Alexander-Reid. Yetthat is precisely what Mayor Muriel Bowser did when selectingthese women, both prominent gures within D.C.’s LGBT com-munity.

They are truly two of her administration’s wonder women.

I NTERVIEWS BY J OHN R ILEY AND R ANDY SHULMANP HOTOGRAPHY BY T ODD F RANSON

When Mayor Bowser called, Courtney Snowden and Sheila Alexander-Reid said goodbyeto the private sector and hello to proudly serving the public good

WonderWomen


19/48



20/48


21/48


METRO WEEKLY: Let’s start by talking about your new job and whatit entails.COURTNEY SNOWDEN:It’s a newly-created position. The mayorrealized there are communities all over the city that are over-looked and underserved and she needed someone to focus acrossthe city on that. I get to think about how we rebuild and revital-ize communities for residents who have been here, as the Mayorwould say, “for ve minutes,” and as I would say “for a hundredyears” and every amount of time in between. So I really focus onbuilding community in a way that respects the people who havebeen there and helps to keep them in the community, buildingthe economic ladder so that they can stay in the community,after it begins to improve and change in a positive way.MW: What sort of businesses are you looking for, because one of thethings raised in the last campaign was the need for diversicationin terms of industry.

SNOWDEN: A lot of people think when I talk about develop-ment I’m just talking about retail. I’m not. I’m really talkingabout revitalizing and redeveloping communities in a way thatallows people to enjoy the great beauty and culture that D.C.has to offer. The reality is everyone wants a clean grocery store.Everyone wants a sit-down restaurant and things they can walkto. Everyone wants to feel safe in their community, everyonewants excellent public schools and public charter schools.Everyone wants beautiful parks to play in. That’s the type ofdevelopment that we’re talking about.

The city’s done a lot over the years in terms of libraries andrecreation centers. There’s more to do, but we’ve got a numberof beautifully built new libraries and recs. What we don’t have insome of the more challenged areas are just the basics that peopletake for granted in other parts of town. So we want to build that.MW: You ran for an at-large seat on the Council in the last election.What was that experience like?SNOWDEN: Well, I would say it ended perfectly fantastically,right, because I got a great gig out of it, and an opportunity toserve the city in the way that I talked about on the campaigntrail. You know, being a native, sometimes you can forget thatyou actually don’t know every nook and cranny of the city. Iknow a lot, but I don’t know every single one, and so having theopportunity to talk to residents in every part of this town was areally interesting and unique experience.

What I’m most proud of, though, is how we were able togalvanize support in a remarkably short period of time. I think Iwas the last person to get in the race and part of the reason I didso was because we were no longer going to have a member of theCouncil who was openly gay. In a city like D.C., I think it’s stillcritically important that an openly gay member of the Council isat the table. Tammy Baldwin and others have said over and overagain, “If you’re not on the table, you’re on the menu.”MW: Do you think that’s a great loss at this point, to go from twoto none?SNOWDEN: I do think it is a loss, but I don’t think it’s just a lossfor the LGBT community. It’s a loss for the city. One of the mostamazing things about this place is the great richness and diver-sity, and I feel like everyone should be represented. It still blowsmy mind that we haven’t had a Latino on the D.C. Council. Or

Asian-American. Or Ethiopian-American. We have a signicantEthiopian population. The point is we have such rich diversity,and our council, our political system has yet to become reectiveof that.MW: When the campaign ended and you didn’t win, what was yourthought process to your next step?SNOWDEN:I didn’t know what my next step was going to be.I had been at the Raben Group for eleven years. I had a verycomfortable and safe, productive home there. Robert Raben hasbeen a mentor and a friend, as well as a boss to me. I knew thatI could continue to do amazing work there and thought that Iwould. I had no intentions of coming into government. Then theopportunity was presented to me and it was just too great of anopportunity to pass up.MW: How was it presented to you?SNOWDEN: I was actively involved in the transition, and I served

on the Education Transition team. I participated in helping toidentify talent for the various positions, and I was having coffeewith the Director of the Mayor’s Ofce of Talent Appointments,Steve Walker, to give him names of people who I thought mightbe great for this job. We started to talk and I thought, “Hmm,why not me?” He may have said it rst, but I was thinking it atthe same time. [ Laughs. ]

And I started to think about what the real opportunity herewould be to serve. To serve government, to serve under MayorBowser and her administration. And what I had been most moti-vated by was the opportunity to bring some of the innovativeexperience and creative ideas that I had in the private sector intogovernment. When Mayor Bowser calls you, it’s very hard to sayno to her. I couldn’t even imagine saying “No.”MW: What do you think she saw in you?SNOWDEN:I’m cute. [ Laughs .] That’s actually a question for her.But what I hope she saw in me was what so many see in her,which is a real commitment to bring the types of change to thecity that people have talked about for many years but haven’tdone anything about. I hope that what she saw in me was thatI’m not driven by ego, I’m not driven by having my name on thedoor, that I really care about the people of this city.

I really do love D.C. My family helped build this city. My great-great-great-great-great grandmother owned Ft. Stevens and soldit to Lincoln. We’ve never been paid. [ Laughs .] Apparently youcan’t sue for that $6,000 plus interest. But my family built thiscity. We helped protect it from the Confederacy. And to watchthe changes happen has been both phenomenal and dishearten-ing, and to have a part in making sure that every single residentgets to benet from all of that is too great of an opportunity. Ihope she saw my commitment to that.MW: What about D.C. inspires you?SNOWDEN: D.C. is such a wonderfully diverse town. We have theopportunity to interact with people who both literally controlthe world, literally make decisions that impact the world, liter-ally run programs that change, improve and challenge the statusquo in the most positive ways.

And at the same time we have a city where the FrederickDouglas can sit next to or across the street from what is a com-munity that has real historic relevance and real relevance today

COURTNEY SNOWDEN Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity


22/48


23/48


SHEILA ALEXANDER-REID Director of the Ofce of GLBT Affairs

METRO WEEKLY: What is the thing you like most about most about your new government post?SHEILA ALEXANDER-REID: I like the fact that I am getting paid to dowhat I love to do, which is help my community. Not only that,but I have much more power to be much more helpful. I haveauthority from the District government to provide services andto see that services are being rendered properly. I have accessto the mayor if there’s an issue that needs to be brought up toher attention. So it’s sort of the opposite side of the fence, beingan activist outside trying to get attention to make change. I canactually make change from the inside.

MW: Explain your job for us.ALEXANDER-REID: [ Laughs .] So many people ask me that question.There are two or three things that make up my job. One is mak-ing sure that the entire administration is trained on LGBT com-petency. My deputy Terrance Laney and I do that every otherFriday. So just like it’s mandatory that they take ethics training,it’s mandatory that they take LGBT competency training. So youcan imagine a room with somebody from parks and rec, publicschools, motor vehicles, D.C. library, you’re teaching them whatthe word LGBTQ means, gender identity, sexual orientation,gender expression, why gender-neutral bathrooms are request-ed so many times, things like that. It’s really not to enlightenthem so much as to let them know that, by law, they have to

treat this community with respect when they come to them forservices and let them know that they have certain entitlements just like any other resident.

Another thing that I do is make sure that the community isaware of the mayor’s priorities and the changes she’d like tomake within the city as it pertains to them. Last but not least,my job is to make sure the mayor knows what the community’sneeds are and would like to see done.

There’s actually a fourth thing, and that would be that theLGBT community knows that if there’s an issue that they havewith any government agency, they can call me and get help withthat. So if you’re at motor vehicles and someone’s giving you ahard time because you look like Joe but your ID says Jane, callme and I will get on the phone with motor vehicles and explainto them the law. If there’s a problem when your trash didn’tget picked up, you can call the Mayor’s Ofce of CommunityRelations and ask them about it, or you can call me if you’re anLGBT constituent because that’s what we are, sort of constituentservices. That’s what I’m here for. And not just on Pride Daysbut, you know, 365 days a year.MW: As a person who’s entered government from the outside, whathave you found in those competency trainings? Are you alarmed atthe ignorance that people have, or the education that is needed towork with the LGBTQ community? Or are you surprised at how farthey are already there? ALEXANDER-REID:It’s really enlightening for me to realize thatthe mainstream world has come a long way. I typically expect to

get some negative feedback and we haven’t, and I’m pleasantlysurprised at how sensitive they already are. Not everyone, butthe majority of the co-workers who are in these classes, eitherthey know the rules already or they have no problems when Itell them the rules and the laws that they have to follow. Theremay be one or two who, for religious reasons, have some issuewith it — I don’t have a problem with that. You know, Terranceand I say the same thing when we get to the end of the training:We’re not here to change your views on religion, we’re not hereto recruit you, and we’re not here to ask you to make any changesin your moral values. We’re here to tell you what the laws are

and make sure you follow them.MW: What is the most rewarding part of your job?ALEXANDER-REID: When somebody calls me or comes into myofce and says, “I’m a transgender woman and I’m homeless.Can you help me?” Or a young transgender boy will come in andsay, “I’ve just been kicked out of my home and I have nowhere togo and I was told to come to your ofce. Can you help me?” It’srewarding to hook up citizens with services and opportunitiesthat I don’t think the LGBT community knows about. It’s whatgets me up in the morning. And that’s the most rewarding part ofmy job — to do the work that helps change lives.MW: What is the most frustrating part of your job?ALEXANDER-REID: I will say that coming from the private sector,

I’m used to getting things done fast and quick. Government takesa little more time. But when it happens, it can be that much moremeaningful. So I’ve learned to be patient, and that’s a plus.

In a government structure, I just can’t just call the Mayor andsay “I need this done. Can you do this for me?” I have to let myboss understand why it’s important and she lets her boss knowwhy it’s important and somebody along the line will come backto me and say, “Sheila, you’re right, do it.” That may take a cou-ple of weeks or a couple of months, depending on what it is. Butultimately it gets done, and it gets done in such a way that youhave the power of the entire District government behind you.MW: You’re black, you’re lesbian, you’re in a seat of power at the government level. What does that mean to you?ALEXANDER-REID:It means that the stars have aligned, nally. Ispent a lot of time on the outside, railing against the machine,but now I’m on the other side of the fence, so I can make a lot ofchange. And I know what changes need to be done. So it meansthat, at last, I’ve been given the opportunity to create change ata much higher level.

It also means that the world is changing. Just like we have anAfrican-American male President, we have an African-Americanfemale mayor who is smart as a whip — and I’m not just sayingthat because she hired me, I’m saying that because I work withher, and I see her in action and I’m quite impressed. Not only isshe hiring people who are smart, people who are capable, buther eyes are wide open to casting a wide net. So when people sayshe’s hired Courtney Snowden, she’s hired Sheila Alexander-


24/48



25/48


Reid, Steven Walker, all these people in high prominent places.It’s not because we’re gay, it’s because we’re good, and sheknows that. So that feels awesome. Because we’ve been goodfor a while, but nobody ever recognized us at this level. So tohave that sort of power and to have that sort of support from themayor and backing from the mayor — the sky’s the limit as far aschange you can create.MW: You worked for 30 years at the City Paper in the private sec-tor. Did you expect at any point in your life to be here?ALEXANDER-REID:No. That’s the crazy thing. I never expectedit. I thought I’d be in sales my entire life. I was making a movefrom print sales into digital sales. That was my goal. And it justso happened that I moved to the Washington Blade from the City Paper to head up their digital sales, and three months later, I’m

here. There’s no way I could have predicted this. If you had toldme I would be here, I would say “No, because I don’t even wantthat job.”

This is not my rst go-around with this position. I was offeredthis job under the Fenty administration and I applied for the jobin the Williams administration. Mayor Anthony Williams, in hisbrilliance, went with a good friend of mine, Darlene Nipper. Ican’t be mad at that. It wasn’t my time. I stayed at City Paper .Mayor Fenty came along and encouraged to apply, and I didn’t.I talked a lot to a lot of people and I was encouraged, and I wasthis close but something held me back. It wasn’t my time. Andnow that I’m in the position, it all makes sense. This is the time. Ihad to evolve into the Sheila I am now in order to do the job thatI have now. Everything happens for a reason, and this is divineintervention.MW: You’ve been involved with Black Pride as a board member.What is your favorite memory of a past pride?ALEXANDER-REID:CeCe Peniston on the stage at Banneker Field.I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I brought her herebecause I was a party promoter at the time. So she was per-forming for me at a club called the “Zei Club” on 14th — a hugeclub — that Sunday night. But on Sunday day, because she wasalready performing for me, I made sure that she was able to per-

form at Black Pride because I was friends with the organizers aswell, and because it helped them have a huge headliner like thatat the concert. So it was an amazing, amazing feeling to havethis top headliner from the radio singing “Finally” on the stageand I’m looking out at this crowd of thousands, feeling afrmedbecause she gave the kind of love to that community that wasno necessary. And to know that I was part of providing that was just amazing.MW: That was the year it didn’t rain.ALEXANDER-REID: It did not rain. And it rained almost every yearup to that and even after that.MW: With Black Pride celebrating its 25th Anniversary, talk aboutwhy it’s important event for the community. There are some who

questions the need for a Black Pride.ALEXANDER-REID: What you have to remember that Black Pridewas started because we were not necessarily included and wel-come at Capital Pride. We felt a sense of isolation. We weren’tat the table, we weren’t the decision-makers, we were an after-thought. For years. And so somebody said, “Hey, why don’t youall do a Black Pride?”

The point is we started that because we needed a place wherewe could celebrate our blackness as well as our gayness. So it’skind of like gentrication of Dupont Circle. It’s not the gay hubit used to be, because we’ve made the entire city gay-friendly,correct? So you lose a little bit. So you lose a little gayness, butyou’ve gained a gay-accepting city. That’s how I see Black Pride.We come to be afrmed and to afrm each other. We come tobond and celebrate.MW: What does Black Pride mean to you personally?ALEXANDER-REID: That may be the toughest question you haveasked me. Black Pride. You know, I heard these young — whenI say young, 30-something-year-old activists last night at BlackPride sum up very, very well. And I want to give them credit.But they are “unapologetically black and unapologetically gay.”And that sums it up. You can’t separate the two. I’m not going toask you to accept me. I’m going to demand that you accept me.That’s what Black Pride means to me.

For information on the Black Pride Weekend events, visit dcblack- pride.org or call 202-347-0555. l


26/48


MAY 21 - 28, 2015

SPOTLIGHTAFI FILM SERIES:ADVENTURES IN 3DThe American Film Institute’s SilverTheatre continues its months-longseries focused on use of 3D technol-ogy in various artistic genres, includ-ing in stage productions and anima-tion. Among those presented over thenext week: The Lego Movie , last year’sdeliriously inventive and quick-wittedanimated lm from directors PhilLord and Christopher Miller; GeorgeSidney’s 1953 movie musical Kiss Me

Compiled by Doug Rule

D A N D I O N

Kate featuring music and lyrics byCole Porter as well as dynamic dancenumbers captured in 3D; and Creature from the Black Lagoon , Jack Arnold’siconic 3D creature feature. The lm’sstar victim, Julie Adams, will appearfor a Q&A and signing of her bookThe Lucky Southern Star: Reections from the Black Lagoon . The Lego Movie screens Saturday, May 23, at 3:30 p.m. Kiss Me Kate is Saturday, May 30, at 3p.m. Creatures from the Black Lagoon is Saturday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. AFISilver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road,Silver Spring. Tickets are $9 to $12. Call301-495-6720 or visit a.com/Silver.

CHUS & CEBALLOS,FLASHY SUNDAYSOver Memorial Day weekend thesharply designed, intimate nightclubFlash in Shaw offers two DJ-drivenhouse music nights with serious gayappeal. On Saturday, May 23, ChusEsteban and Pablo Ceballos, who per-form as Chus & Ceballos, one of theworld’s best progressive house acts,return for a third time in less thana year to control arguably the city’s best sound system. The gay-popularstraight Spaniards just can’t seem toget enough of the mixed gay/straightcrowd’s enthusiastic response. And

then the next night, Sunday, May 24,another de-facto DJ duo, Sean Morrisand Kurt “TWiN” Graves — two ofD.C.’s best gay house mixmasters— once again tag team on the turn-tables as part of their regular holi-day weekend party Flashy Sundays.Flash Nightclub, 645 Florida Ave. NW.Tickets are $15 to $20 for Chus &Ceballos, $10 for Flashy Sundays. Call202-827-8791 or visit ashdc.com.

FORTUNE FEIMSTEROne of the funniest alums of the Chelsea Lately comedy family, Fortune Feimsterreturns to the Arlington Cinema N’

Mean Girl“Queen of Mean” Lisa Lampanelli is only nasty to you if s

A CERTAIN COMIC POPULAR ON THE ROAST CIRCUIT WASN’T PART OF THE RECENTComedy Central broiling of Justin Bieber.

“I only roast people I really like,” explains Lisa Lampanelli, who was once referred to as the“Queen of the Roast” after stealing the show during roasts of Pamela Anderson, William Shatner,Flava Flav and Donald Trump, among others.

Of course, Lampanelli admits she wasn’t asked to roast Bieber. “I promise you I would have saidno,” she insists. Bieber didn’t deserve the honor of a roast, she believes, just as Charlie Sheen didn’tin 2011. And back then, Lampanelli did turn down the roast invitation. “At the time, Sheen was areal messy case,” she says. “I don’t want to honor somebody who is mentally unstable and pile on.It seemed stupid and mean.”

She may be best known as the “Queen of Mean,” but Lampanelli is never mean for the sake ofit — only for show. At heart, she likes the people she ribs. She means nice. “That’s the thing: Youcan’t make fun of anyone unless you really like them.” That’s why Bieber and Sheen — to say noth-ing of the French — are among the few spared Lampanelli’s wrath.

But a true insult comic also has to like herself, or at the very least know and be able to mock herown soft spots and weaknesses. For Lampanelli, it’s food, or “emotional eating,” and men. After herrecent divorce, she underwent surgery to remove excess body fat, a drastic measure she took to bet-ter help her get to the root of her problems: “A lack of condence and lack of self-love.” She admitsremoving the “physical self-hate...doesn’t mean you instantly like yourself.” She sees it as a step

toward becoming a better, healthier person.Lampanelli humorously explores these serious issues in a new “tell-all” stand-up comedy spe-

cial airing next month on the premium cable channel Epix. She’ll also touch on it next Friday,May 29, when she appears at the Lincoln Theatre for a show that is only “probably 30 percent

stuff that will also be on the special.” She’s got too many things she’s “burning to talk about”with a live, truly diverse audience. “I’ve been lucky enough to attract a lot of different

minorities and people of different sexual orientations,” she says. “I think because we allfeel like we’re a little bit different from just the normal societal standard.” Of course, her

appeal to the LGBT community is even more basic and fundamental.”Let’s be honest, gay guys just like bitchy women,” says the New York native, “so

they really seem to buy in.” — Doug Rule

Lisa Lampanelli performs Friday, May 29, at 8 p.m., at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $45. Call 877-435-9849 orvisit thelincolndc.com. Lisa Lampanelli: Back to the Drawing Board airs Friday, June 26, on Epix. Visit epixhd.com.


27/48



28/48

28

Drafthouse this Memorial Day week-end. The North Carolina native has been out as a lesbian from her veryrst TV appearance as a contestant onNBC’s Last Comic Standing . Feimstertold Metro Weekly a couple of years agothat she has no qualms about regularribbing by Chelsea Handler for herlaidback physical style and appear-ance. “I’ve always had a good sense ofhumor, and I’ve never taken myselftoo seriously, so I don’t mind acting or

looking ridiculous.” Friday, May 22, at7:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., and Saturday,May 23, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. ArlingtonCinema N’ Drafthouse, 2903 ColumbiaPike, Arlington. Tickets are $22. Call703-486-2345 or visit arlingtondraft-house.com. MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUSSYLVESTER MUSICALThe Howard Theatre brings backBroadway performer Anthony Wayne( Priscilla , Pippin ) for a Black Pride-related performance of his Broadway-style show, paying tribute to the lifeand philosophy of the amboyant man born Sylvester James — best known

for his disco hits “(You Make Me Feel)Mighty Real,” “Dance (Disco Heat)”and “Do You Wanna Funk.” Sylvester,Wayne told Metro Weekly in 2013,“is one of the unsung heroes of thistime.... [He] basically tore down barri-ers for people like RuPaul and all theseother people now who are able to havethe freedom that they do.” The showis co-presented by actress Sheryl Lee


Ralph and her HIV-awareness-raisingnonprot the D.I.V.A. Foundation.Monday, May 25, at 7 p.m. The HowardTheatre, 620 T St. NW. Tickets are$69.50 to $89.50. Call 202-588-5595 or visit FabulousSylvester.com.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAYCONCERTLaurence Fishburne, Gloria Estefan,Laura Benanti, Esai Morales, StefanieScott, Jason Dolley, Katherine Jenkins

and Russell Watson are among theperformers at this year’s NationalMemorial Day Concert on the U.S.Capitol grounds, featuring the NationalSymphony Orchestra as led by JackEverly. Now in its 26th year, this con-cert, airing live on PBS, will open withthe National Anthem sung by the 14th American Idol Nick Fradiani and alsofeatures a performance by The Voice ’sseason ve winner Tessanne Chin. JoeMantegna ( Criminal Minds ) and GarySinise ( CSI: New York ) co-host for the10th year, and Colin L. Powell alsoreturns for a special tribute to our menand women in uniform. Sunday, May24, at 8 p.m. U.S. Capitol Building -

West Lawn. Free. Call 202-467-4600or visit pbs.org/memorialdayconcert.

ONCE ON THIS ISLANDMatt Conner directs CreativeCauldron’s latest show, a productionof the 1991 musical by Lynn Ahrensand Stephen Flaherty ( Ragtime ), whichincludes elements of Romeo and Julietand The Little Mermaid . The focus

of the calypso/reggae-avored OnceOn This Island is a peasant girl, hereplayed by Tiara N. Whaley, who ndslove with a wealthy man (Ian Anthony)in a Caribbean world of prejudice. ToMay 31. ArtSpace Falls Church, 410South Maple Ave. in Falls Church.Tickets are $25. Call 703-436-9948 or visit creativecauldron.org.

PATRICK WATSON A four-piece band from Montreal

named after its founder and lead sing-er, Patrick Watson creates “chamber-rock music” –- like a more expansiveand happier Antony & The Johnsons,or a dreamier, more instrumentalRufus Wainwright. The band tours insupport of its new album Love Songs for Robots , which is every bit as eclec-tic and stirring as 2012’s awe-inspiring-ly cinematic Adventures In Your Own Backyard . Wednesday, May 27. Doorsat 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW.Tickets are $20. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

ROBERT PRIORE ANDTRENT D. WILLIAMS JR.Choreographer-in-residence andfaculty member of CityDance, the28-year-old local up-and-comerRobert Priore — who graced the coverof Metro Weekly last year — offersan evening of original contemporarydance works alongside Florida-basedperformer Trent D. Williams Jr. Theperformance is part of the KennedyCenter’s free nightly Millennium Stageprogramming. Friday, May 29, at 6 p.m.Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.Tickets are free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

SCOTTISH BALLETTennessee Williams’s literary master-

piece A Streetcar Named Desire getsa bold makeover by this contempo-rary ballet company in its debut atthe Kennedy Center. Presentedthrough special arrangement with theUniversity of the South in honor of the65th anniversary of the play, the pro-duction is a collaboration between lmand theater director Nancy Mecklerof the Royal Shakespeare Companyand choreographer Annabelle LopezOchoa, offering a fusion of drama anddance set to a specially commissioned jazz-inspired score by Peter Salemand performed by the Kennedy CenterOpera House Orchestra. Thursday,May 28, through Friday, May 29, at

7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 30, at 1:30p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Kennedy CenterOpera House. Tickets are $30 to $108.Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

SWEETLIFE FESTIVALThe annual Sweetlife Festival is grow-ing and expanding nearly as fast asthe local fast-casual salad chainSweetgreen that spawned it in 2010.Produced in partnership with the 9:30Club’s IMP Productions, Sweetlife this year doubles in size (and price, alas) tospan two days at Merriweather PostPavilion. Sweetlife veteran KendrickLamar headlines the lineup for

Saturday, May 30, but other attractions

that day include Bleachers, the pop-punk band formed by Ally Coalitioncreator Nate Antonoff of fun., Swedishpop starlet Tove Lo and the lusciousfolk/punk female duo Lucius — to saynothing of the the day’s other headlin-ers blasted from the past, the Pixies andBilly Idol. But Sunday, May 31, is thesweetest: Headlined by Calvin Harris,the Weeknd, Banks and Charli XCX,other draws on day two include theunderappreciated Katy Perry-meets-

Lady Gaga British pop act Marina& The Diamonds, the chipper folk-popper Vance Joy and up-and-com-ing experimental pop-oriented bandsRaury and San Fermin. This year’sfestival also introduces a Chef’s Cornerarea featuring celebrity culinary actsfrom Jose Andres to Baltimore’s TopChef Spike Gjerde, Erik Bruner-Yangof Toki Underground and Makettoto, of course, Sweetgreen’s MichaelStebner. And throughout the woodsypark you’ll nd pop-up stores andtables staffed by Sweetgreen and itsmany local restaurant and farm part-ners, as well as local wine and craft beers. Saturday, May 30, and Sunday,May 31, starting at noon. MerriweatherPost Pavilion, 10475 Little PatuxentParkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are$175 to $350. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit sweetlifefestival.com.

YANK! THE WWII MUSICALFor its nal show of the season, Virginia’s Richmond Triangle Playersproduces Yank! The WWII Musical ,focused on the real but rarely toldstory of the Second World War’simpact in nurturing a sense of gayidentity and community. WriterDavid Zellnick and composer JosephZellnick’s 2005 Off Broadway musi-cal has yet to be produced in full inD.C., so that’s as good a reason asany to head down I-95 to catch thisproduction directed by James Stoverand starring Drew Colletti, Ed Hughesand Alex Burkart as part of a cast of11. Weekends to June 13. RichmondTriangle Players, 1300 Altamont Ave.Richmond. Tickets are $28 to $30. Call804-346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.

FILMMEAN GIRLS As part of its “Mean Girl Movie Night,”Nellie’s is screening the 2004 lmfeaturing some juicy, laugh-out loud

throwaway lines from scripter TinaFey and starring Lindsay Lohan, beforeshe became known as Hollywood’sproblem child. Those part of theNellie’s clique — that is, those wear-ing a “Mean Girl” Nellie’s t-shirt — getan entree at half-price and specialsincluding $3 Tito’s Vodka and $3 NellieBeer. Mean Girls membership doeshave its privileges, after all. Tuesday,May 26, at 7 p.m. Nellie’s Sports Bar,900 U St. NW. Call 202-332-NELL or visit nelliessportsbar.com.

TOMORROWLANDInspired by the eponymous themedarea of Disney’s parks, Brad Bird’s lm

sends a teen (Britt Robertson) and a


29/48


30/48


boy-genius inventor (George Clooney)to a world where anything is possible, but their actions have direct conse-quences on the world around them.No word on if you’ll need a FastPassto see the ending before everyone else.Opens Friday, May 22. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

STAGE

CABARETWesley Taylor (Broadway’s The Addams Family , TV’s Smash ) has big boots to ll, playing the Emcee indirector Matthew Gardiner’s boldand hyper-sexualized production ofCabaret at Signature Theatre. “Thismay be blasphemous to say, becausethose other productions were so per-fect,” Taylor told Metro Weekly , “butthere are parts of this production thatI prefer to the Broadway version. I justlove Matt’s choreography, the way heows a show, through transitions andinterstitial content and movement.There’s never a moment where it lin-gers — it just keeps going. There are bold choices he’s making in this showthat will shock people, and I don’twant to give that away. Bold as in notexpected, and bold as in really dark.The show is extremely sexualized andthis version is probably the most sexu-al version I’ve ever seen.” To June 28,Pride Night is Friday, June 5, at 8 p.m.Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.

ROSENCRANTZ ANDGUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD Aaron Posner directs the TomStoppard classic, an inventive, exis-tentialist tragicomedy that thrusts twoof Shakespeare’s most incidental char-acters into the limelight. Ian MerrillPeakes and Brynn Tucker bring tolife these intrepid, somewhat bewil-dered, characters — famously killedoff in Hamlet — who in Stoppard’sTony-winning play from 1966 have been summoned by the king to learnwhat aficts Hamlet. To June 21.Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St.SE. Tickets are $30 to $75. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

MUSIC

KOOL & THE GANG, CHAKA KHAN An earlier generation’s pop funkparty-starters — allegedly the mostsampled band of all time — team upwith the great “I’m Every Woman”soul singer who has been dubbed theQueen of Funk. If you feel for her,next weekend you can celebrate goodtimes. Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m.The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $30to $60. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visitwolftrap.org.

THE B-52S, BERLINThe B-52s, the frolicking foursome from Athens, Ga., with three gay members —Keith Strickland, Fred Schneider andKate Pierson — are as festive and funas ever. “Keep doing what you’re doing,cause it’s what we like,” they sang on“Ultravoilet,” from their most recentrelease, 2008’s phenomenal Funplex .Hopefully Pierson will also get to playfrom her debut solo album, Guitars and Microphones , featuring songs co-writ-

ten by Sia and released earlier this year.The stop at Wolf Trap also features‘80s hitmakers Berlin. You know, “TakeMy Breath Away.” Friday, June 5, at 8p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap,1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25to $50. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visitwolftrap.org.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

A DRAG SALUTE TO THE DIVASIndefatigable local drag sensation Shi-Queeta Lee and her troupe of illusion-ists offer their third annual Black Prideedition of her show “A Drag SaluteTo The Divas.” The focus this yearis on the “Girl Groups and Ladies ofHip-Hop,” from the Mary Jane Girlsto Mary J. Blige to Nicki Minaj and beyond. Sunday, May 24, at 7 p.m.The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW.Tickets are $20 to $49.50. Call 202-588-5595 or visit adragsalutetothedi- vas.com.

A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANIONPublic radio star Garrison Keillormakes his annual trek over MemorialDay weekend to Wolf Trap to give D.C.another trip to his ctional-but-oh-so-real Lake Wobegon, including a live broadcast on Saturday, May 23. This year’s Wolf Trap stop brings specialguests Sara Watkins of the bluegrasstrio Nickel Creek, Americana artistSarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovanof the progressive bluegrass bandCrooked Still, in association withMinnesota Public Radio and WAMU.Friday, May 22, at 8 p.m., and Saturday,May 23, at 5:45 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645Trap Rd., Vienna. Lawn seats are avail-able for $25 to $65. Call 703-255-1900or visit wolf-trap.org. MARYLAND HOUSE AND GARDEPILGRIMAGENearly 50 extraordinary historicproperties throughout Maryland arefeatured on this annual tour, now inits 78th year. Sites include an Indian Village, a Plantation house on thePatuxent River and other landmarks inthe War of 1812, with catered lunchesavailable. The pilgrimage has raisedmore than $1 million over the decadesfor the preservation and restoration ofarchitecturally signicant properties inthe state. The tour showcases homes instages by county, with one remainingstop: Washington County on Saturday,May 30. Tickets are $30 in advance,$35 day-of. Call 410-821-6933 or visitmhgp.org. l


31/48


Scoring BigTwo tremendous, gay themed

plays are lighting up the stages atStudio and MetroStage

THERE’S NO SHAME IN LOSING TO LESBIANS,”Beardy Geoff says at the start of Jumpers for Goalposts ( HHHH H ). He’s trying to lighten the mood after hisamateur LGBT soccer team, Barely Athletic, has lost

yet another game, this time to the Lesbian Rovers.There’s no shame in losing, period — so long as you play fairly

and honestly, giving your best shot. That’s the life lesson TomWells imparts in his touching, tender play, now having its U.S.Premiere at Studio Theatre. The slice-of-life type of play is aswinsome as they come, though it might not seem so at the out-

set. Everything is rather mundane, even drab, right down to theunpretentious setting — a no-frills locker room in a run-downBritish town.

Matt Torney’s direction keeps things simple and unremark-able — the focus is almost solely on the ve ne actors recruitedto relate Wells’ quietly powerful and eventually surprising tale.

Ultimately, Jumpers for Goalposts tackles some big issues andaspects of modern-day life, particularly for gays, in a remarkablyrealistic, restrained way.

The play pivots around the budding but tentative relationshipbetween painfully awkward “nervous gay” Luke (a nely tunedLiam Forde) and the team’s practical-minded assistant coachDanny (Zdenko Martin). The relationship alone has the powerto make — and break — the team, which is led by self-appointedcoach Viv (Kimberly Gilbert, making her Studio debut), who iswell-meaning but underperforms.

But it’s Jonathan Judge-Russo who becomes the one you rootfor as Beardy Geoff, a guitar-strumming gay bear who fumbleshis way through attempts to better the lives of his teammatesand friends. Beardy is more of a player off than on the eld, and

by DOUG RULE

stage

IGORDMITRY


32/48


33/48


Baby MineWhen a drag queen and a baby

are thrown together, comedydoesn’t just happen, it combusts

SHOULD YOU ADAPT AN ADAPTATION? WHAT IFit upstages the original? In the case of Synetic’s A Tale of Two Cities ( HHH HH ), it’s a questionworth asking.

But a little context rst. The Synetic production in issue isa take on Everett Quinton’s 1988 adaptation of the 1935 lmversion of the Dickens classic. If this cavalcade isn’t enough,consider also that Quinton’s piece is quite the adaptation: Jerry,a drag queen in her civvies, discovers an abandoned baby at herdoor and in order to stop the howling, ends up acting out all the

parts of the Dickens tale as she gradually prepares for her eve-ning performance.

It is an interpretation very much in keeping with Quinton’s(and his late partner Charles Ludlam’s) genre known as theTheater of the Ridiculous, an outré form of theater-perfor-mance from the mid-sixties that mixed campy silliness with the

avant-garde.The genre was, without doubt, meant to provoke, but itwas primarily meant to entertain — and this Tales is no excep-tion. Jerry’s apartment is a prop-lled Aladdin’s cave and he,a professional entertainer, is clearly fond of ridiculous anticswhether on stage or off. It is a recipe for fun. But as he bobs andweaves his way through his lmic impersonations, replete withtransatlantic accents, it is a set-up that is also a vehicle. As Jerryexplores Hollywood’s version of the personal dramas and sacri-ces of the French Revolution, Quinton hints at a host of issuesboth gay and universal: what does it cost to deny oneself — andwhat to be true?

With this context in mind, now consider Synetic’s interpreta-tion. With their comic air and comfort with the avant-garde,

by KATE WINGFIELD

stage

KOKOLANHAM


34/48


the piece would seem an interesting match. And it is, except forthe fact that Synetic makes its own rather fabulous adaptation:they bring the baby to life. Played by Vato Tsikurishvili (or really just his head), the “problem” here is that he is just so damn funnyhe not only threatens to steal what is ostensibly a one-man show,he changes the entire conceptual emphasis.

And here’s why: Jerry and the baby make for great comedy–- probably some of the best of this theatrical season — but theirdynamic is Synetic through and through. As hilarious as it is, itfeels like a graft onto Quintin’s much more abstract humor, withits original goal of showcasing the impersonator-talents, andsubtext of angsts, of whomever it is playing Jerry.

The result is that, as marvelous as the baby and Jerry are asa comic duo, the choice ends up serving neither the comedy norQuintin’s themes fully. As a straight comedy — with far less ofthe reenactments –- this would have been a late-night crowd-pleaser of the best kind: edgy, irreverent and crazy-fun.

But as it stands, one minute we have Jerry very much engagedwith the outrageous baby and the next he is ignoring it in orderto meet Quintin’s need to immerse Jerry in the Tales’ imper-sonations and its dramatic dynamic. This shift would, withoutdoubt, be far less glaring were the baby left a non-entity. And onefeels director Paata Tsikurishvili is aware of the dilemma based

on how often he removes the baby from sight so that our atten-tion is steered rmly and resolutely to Jerry.

When the baby is active, it puts Jerry rmly into the roleof foil. This lingers over his character even when he is holdingforth as the dramatic center. It’s a challenge and, as Jerry, AlexMills does a spectacular job of embodying this driven, exuber-ant, slightly desperate man. It certainly helps that Mills is agorgeous presence, a bundle of energy and engagement and a

natural comic. Indeed, he looks to have a quite an untapped andstartling potential: remove all affectation, grind him down toa dark place, immerse him in the language, and he might be astunning Hamlet.

As for Vato Tsikurishvili, as a tremendous physical comicand mime, he is utterly and completely in his element. But it ismore than this: his sense of what is funny about babies and whatwould be incongruous in a baby is pure magic. It just doesn’t getany better and it leaves one wishing that Synetic had just stolenQuintin’s idea and made it 100 percent their own.

And that raises an overall issue with Quintin’s piece: it quitesimply needs an editor. There might be an actor (Floyd Kinghas taken this role to acclaim) who can carry Jerry’s many long-winded interludes as he labors through Dickens’ convolutedcharacters and plot, but it’s hard to imagine. Despite the joyousenthusiasm of Mills, they just don’t add much beyond a point.And the unfortunate knock-on effect is a dulling of the senses,even when Jerry starts to play with the apartment’s many props(in an inspired set by Luciana Stecconi).

And this need for a rmer hand extends to the nale, whicharrives awkwardly on the heels of a more poignant moment. Theplay may have been written as such, but it is another momentwhen one wishes Synetic –- master storytellers that they are -–

had cut to a more succinct chase.Thus, this Tale has been multiplied, bifurcated and generally

messed with. Go for the baby and for Jerry’s joie de vivre and it’llbe, if not the best of times –- a pretty good one.

A Tale of Two Cities runs to June 21st at Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell Street in Crystal City, VA. Tickets are $35 and up. Call 866-811-4111 or visit synetictheater.org. l


35/48


Lean, Mean and GreenThe 2016 Camaro is more aggressive,

more powerful and promises to bebetter for the environment

WHO IS CAMARO?

Redesigning a car is no easy feat, but whenit’s a marque as brand-dening as the Camaro,the stakes are even higher. Chevrolet needs

to keep Camaro fanatics happy, entice buyers away from Ford’sexcellent new Mustang and the resurgent Dodge Challenger(especially in barnstorming Hellcat form), and refresh a designthat has proven immensely popular since its introduction sixyears ago — without ruining everything in the process.

To make things as easy as possible, Chevrolet focused on

three key areas with the 2016 Camaro: make it leaner, make itmeaner, and make it… greener?

No, really. But we’ll get to that later. Let’s start with making itleaner. Chevrolet has reworked the entire vehicle; just two partsare carryovers from the current model. Using computer smartsand a mixture of lightweight materials and weight-saving mea-

sures (“saving grams here and pounds there,” as Chevy noted),they’ve knocked at least 200 lbs from the Camaro’s curb weight.That’s the equivalent of kicking a hefty person out of the passen-ger seat, which should help wonders in making the new Camarofeel less ponderous to drive.

In terms of meaner, well, just look at it. The old car, with itsretro-inspired body, was handsome, but this new car is aggres-sive, muscular, mean . It ts in well with the Mustang’s new,sharper body, keeping the Camaro’s aesthetic bang up to date.It’ll also slice its way through the air with greater ease thanbefore, a result of 350 hours (or, the average Netix binge) spentin a wind tunnel honing its edges and bulges. Chevrolet claimsit will reduce drag, helping economy on standard cars, andimprove downforce on the powerful SS variant.

by RHUARIDH MARR

gears


36/48


What, though, does the Camaro’s greener moniker imply?Naturally, shedding weight and helping airow will boost a car’sgas mileage, but that’s not all Chevy is doing. Muscle car faithfulmay want to take a seat: the Camaro will be available for the rsttime with a 2.0-liter, four cylinder, turbocharged engine. Yes,this muscle car will have the same size engine as a family sedan.It’ll even do 30 mpg on the highway. Of course, the gures aren’teverything here. That 122 cubic inch engine produces 275 horse-power and 295 lb-ft of torque, enough to hit 60 mph in undersix seconds. As a comparison, the original ‘67 Camaro in SS-350guise used a 5.7-liter V8 that was rated at 295 hp and 380 lb-ft.The six-cylinder only managed 140 hp. Yes, you’ll be sacricinga little “muscle” in your muscle car if you opt for the base four inthis new model, but it’s no slouch.

It’s also a sign of modern times, with engineers wringingevery last possible horsepower from an engine’s capacity, butif you still can’t fathom buying a Camaro with the 2.0-liter,worry not. There’s a new, 3.6-liter V6 throwing out 335 hp and284 lb-ft, which Chevy promises has the highest output of anynaturally aspirated V6 in the segment. For the power-hungry, SSmodels will be treated to a new 6.2-liter V8 offering a tempting455 horses and 455 lbs-ft torque to enjoy. That makes it the mostpowerful Camaro ever.

In terms of performance, Chevrolet is making bold claims.They say a stiffer chassis, Magnetic Ride Control suspension,selectable drive modes and a host of other tweaks and changeshave made the Camaro a vehicle of “nely honed performance.”That would be a radical departure from the current model. I’vedriven the Camaro (a 2013 SS Convertible, on a road trip fromL.A. to Las Vegas) and while it was fast and smooth, it was farfrom sporty. Particularly damning was that, performance-wise,

it felt little faster than the Mercedes GL I’d been driving theday before. That’s where the weight drop and power boost inthe 2016 car should help immeasurably. Whether it will cornerwith any more composure remains to be seen, though Chevy aredoing their best to assure everyone that it will — and a handfulof journalists invited to test drive development cars have so farsung its praises.

Another bugbear during my time with the Camaro was itsrather cheap interior, seemingly a necessity for its low startingprice. Mercifully, Chevrolet is once again promising to do better:higher quality materials, a smarter design including a at-bot-tomed steering wheel, a wider variety of personalization options,even unique air vent controls. Hey, it’s good to stand out.

“We expect it will set the new benchmark in the segment,”the Camaro’s chief engineer said in a statement. That remainsto be seen, but it certainly makes a compelling case for itself.An aggressive, fast muscle car that can corner prociently andreturn decent mileage when cruising? That sounds pretty great.It also sounds like what you’ll nd in Ford’s 2.3-liter, EcoBoost-powered Mustang — and that’s the problem Chevrolet faces.The new Mustang outsold both the Camaro and the Challengercombined in March of this year. Do buyers have a compellingenough reason to wait for Chevy’s pony car, when they could get

the actual thing?If the past few years are anything to go by, the answer is yes

— regardless of whether the Camaro or the Mustang is better.The Camaro has been outselling the competition since 2010 andif the 2016 update represents improvement in every area, there’sno reason that shouldn’t continue. Chevrolet’s brand-deningcar, which sits alongside the Corvette as a fan favorite, is leaner,meaner and greener, and it’s all the better for it. l


37/48


38/48



39/48


40/48


41/48

TOWNWTF!?: Butch Prom Queen• Featuring DJs KrisSutton, Sam Blodgett,Aaron Riggins and EdBailey • Also featuringperformers Salvadora Dali,Jaxknife Haunt and PussyNoir • Doors open 10pm •Free Entry before 11pm, $5Cover after 11pm • 21+

TOWN PATIO Open 2pm • No Cover

ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers •Decades of Dance • DJTim-e in Secrets • Doors8pm • Cover 21+

MON., 05.25.15

9 1/2 Open at 5pm • Happy Hour:2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm• Multiple TVs showingmovies, shows, sports •Expanded craft beer selec-tion • No Cover

ANNIE’S 4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm •$4 Small Plates, $4 StellaArtois, $4 House Wines,

$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,$4 Manhattans and VodkaMartinis

COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm• RuPaul’s Drag RaceViewing and Drag Showhosted by Kristina Kelly •Doors open at 10pm, showstarts at 11pm • $3 SkyyCocktails, $8 Skyy and RedBull • No Cover, 18+

DC91940 9th St. NWHappy Hour, 5-8pm •dcnine.com

FREDDIE’S Crazy Hour, 4-7pm •Karaoke, 8pm

GREEN LANTERNHappy Hour All Night Long,4pm-close • Michael’sOpen Mic Night Karaoke,9:30pm-close

metro weekly - 05-21-15 - courtney and sheila

Documents