metro weekly - 07-23-15 - rufus wainwright
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EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman
GUEST ART DIRECTORChristopher Cunetto
ART DIRECTORTodd Franson
NEWS & BUSINESS EDITORJohn Riley
ASSISTANT EDITORRhuaridh Marr
CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORScott G. Brooks
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sean Bugg, Christian Gerard, Connor J. Hogan,Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield
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 SAINTKate McGarrigle
COVER PHOTOGRAPHYTina Tyrell
METRO WEEKLY1425 K St. NW, Suite 350Washington, DC 20005
202-638-6830
MetroWeekly.com
All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be
reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes 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 fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims
made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or
their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles oradvertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of
such person or organization.
© 2015 Jansi LLC.
4
JULY 23, 2015Volume 22 / Issue 12
NEWS 6
BOY SCOUT BAN NEARS ITS END by John Riley
8 THE SPACE BETWEEN US
by Sean Bugg
10 COMMUNITY CALENDAR
FEATURE 14 R UFUS WAINWRIGHT: THE MAN, HIS
MUSIC, AND HIS LEGACY
by Connor J. Hogan
17 R UFUS WAINWRIGHT: A TIMELINE
by Connor J. Hogan
19 EMIL DE COU ON R UFUS WANWRIGHT
OUT ON THE TOWN 20 LAMB CHOPS
by Doug Rule
22 V OCAL CHORDS
by Doug Rule
24
LITERARY OFFERINGS
by John Riley
FILM 27 ORAL FIXATION
by Rhuaridh Marr
GAMES 29 BEAUTIFUL MIND
by Rhuaridh Marr
HEALTH 31 HOT BODS
by Kate Wingfield
NIGHTLIFE 35 BARE AT COBALT
photography by Ward Morrison
SCENE 43 PRIDE SPLASH & R IDE AT SIX FLAGS
photography by Ward Morrison
46 LAST WORD
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Boy Scout Ban Nears its End BSA Executive Board expected to lift current ban on
openly gay adult leaders in coming months
A marcher in San Diegoâs 2013 pride parade
WE MUST DEAL WITH THE WORLD AS IT IS, not
as we might wish it to be,â said Robert Gates, thepresident of Boy Scouts of America (BSA). âThe status
quo in our movementâs membership standards cannot be sustained.âSpeaking at the BSAâs national meeting in Atlanta earlier this year,
Gates was referencing the Scoutsâ ban on gay adult members.âWe cannot ignore growing internal challenges to our current
membership policy from some councils,â he continued. âNor can we
ignore the social, political and juridical changes taking place in our
country â changes taking place at a pace over this past year no oneanticipated.â
Although BSA did not take any actiton to lift the ban at the time,
the remarks by Gates â the former U.S. Secretary of Defense andCIA chief â foreshadowed what was to come. On July 10, the BSAâs
executive committee unanimously approved a resolution that wouldallow openly gay adults to serve as Scout leaders and parent volun-
teers. BSA previously lifted a similar ban prohibiting gay Scouts from
participating in the organization in 2013.However, while the resolution would allow openly gay adults,
it also contains provisions that allow Scout troops chartered tochurches or other religiously-affiliated institutions to set their own
adult leadership standards. That means theyâll be able to continue
discriminating against LGBT people by citing religious objections.
R I C H M A C K E Y
In any case, the resolution must still be ratified by the National
Executive Board on July 27 before it can go into effect, but is expectedto be approved.
It is precisely that expected ratification that has created a politicalstir over the past week, with some social conservatives weighing in to
decry the potential lifting of any ban on gay adult leaders.First up was presidential candidate Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wisc.),
himself a former Eagle Scout whose two sons were also active in BSA.
âI have had a lifelong commitment to the Scouts and support
the previous membership policy because it protected children andadvanced Scout values,â Walker said on the campaign trail lastTuesday. His comment was reported by The Independent Journal
Review, a conservative website.But Walker eventually walked back those comments after receiv-
ing criticism from various LGBT rights groups â among them theHuman Rights Campaign â that decried the comments as relying
on stereotypes of gay adults as child predators. Walker later said he
was not pushing to keep the ban, saying it was âup to the Boy Scoutsâwhether to keep it in place and further clarifying his comments about
âprotection.ââThe protection was not a physical protection,â Walker was quot-
ed as saying by The New York Times. Rather, it was about âprotecting
them from being involved in the very thing youâre talking about right
L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.comRepublicans back Cuccinelli for Virginia governorGroup fears kindergartens will start teaching anal sex
by John Riley
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LGBTNews
8 JULY 23, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM
now, the political and media discussion about it, instead of just focus-ing on what Scouts is about, which is about camping and citizenship
and things of that nature.âIn contrast to his rival Walker, presidential candidate and former
Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) has adopted a more hardline stance, refus-
ing to apologize for a statement he made in a 2008 book.âOpenly active gays, particular advocates, present a problem,â
Perry wrote On My Honor. âBecause gay activism is central to theirlives. It would unavoidably be a topic of conversation within a scout
troop. This would distract from the mission of scouting, characterbuilding, not sex education.â
In an interview on NBC Newsâ Meet the Press, Perry defendedhis previous statement. âI believe that scouting would be better off, if
they didnât have openly gay scoutmasters,â he told moderator Chuck
Todd.Meanwhile, the socially conservative activist organization
Concerned Women for America (CWA) has begun circulating anâopen letterâ to Gates that people opposed to the policy change can
sign. In the letter, CWA references a previous Supreme Court deci-sion, Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, which found that BSAâs decision
to expel openly gay Scoutmaster James Dale was protected by the
groupâs constitutional right to freedom of association.
âAs a strong believe in the time-honored, time-tested institutionthat is the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Iâm urging you to remaintrue to BSAâs founding principles and values as they relate to âsexual
orientation,ââ the letter reads. âThe Supreme Court affirmed yourright in 2000 to exclude openly âgayâ and lesbian adults from partici-
pating in your scouting program. Clearly, your call to end the ban onâgayâ Scout leaders is more about bending to cultural pressure than
taking the moral high ground.
âFurthermore, those pushing for a change in the current policyare putting political correctness and greed above child safety. Such
a change will force parents and community leaders to reconsidertheir involvement in an organization that is respected, trusted, and
morally centered.â
But even supporters of lifting the ban on openly gay adult lead-ers are echoing some of the same themes touched upon by Walker
and Perry, specifically that the debate over allowing LGBT adultsdistracts from the BSAâs mission.
âIâm pleased that theyâre resolving it and putting it behind them,âWill Stone, the Scoutmaster of Troop 52, representing Northwest
D.C. and Chevy Chase, says of the national executive committeeâsactions.
Notably, Troop 52 had one of the first openly gay Scouts, PascalTessier, achieve Eagle rank, Scoutingâs highest honor, in 2014, after
the ban on gay Scouts was lifted. Tessierâs older brother, Lucien, is
also gay and achieved Eagle rank, but did so while the ban on gayScouts was still technically in effect. Even before the ban was lifted,
several other members of Troop 52 and their families were vocal intheir support for lifting the ban.
Stone says that all adults, regardless of sexual orientation, havebeen and continue to be carefully screened and must undergo youth
protection training before they can be an active Scout leader or vol-
unteer with the troop. That screening process will not change, evenif the National Executive Board lifts the ban.
For Stone, knowing what someoneâs sexual orientation just hasnâtmattered.
âI never asked about someoneâs sexual orientation,â he says ofthe policy change. âItâs a good thing itâs being changed, so we can put
it aside and move on, because itâs been a huge distraction. Now thatNational [BSA leadership] has the issue behind them, we can focus
on what weâre supposed to be doing.âl
OPINION Sean Bugg
The Space Between UsWhite gays have a responsibility to combat
the racism still inherent in society
SO, HERE I SIT, STILL BASKING IN THE GLOW of themarriage victory, my Facebook feed liberally sprinkled withrainbow profile pics, and enjoying the unexpected bonus vic-
tory of the EEOC declaring employment discrimination against LGBTpeople to be unlawful. Iâm watching the Republican presidential herdgenuflect to the anti-gay base, but it feels mostly convictionless sinceeven they know which way the wind is blowing.
Everythingâs coming up gay these days. But the glow is starting tofade, as I keep looking at how fast LGBT rights have been won â froma historical perspective, not a personal one â yet we still struggle toacknowledge, much less fix, the embedded racism in our society.
Iâve always liked to think of myself as anti-racist. Of course, evenactual racists often like to think of themselves as anti-racists, so itâs
not that noble of a thought. But over the past few years Iâve spent a lotmore time reading and listening to the history and experience of blackAmericans, and Iâve realized not just how little I know but how muchracist crap had actually sunk into my head over the course of my life.
In his new book, Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coatesdescribes the America white people live in as âthe Dream,â the post-racial place where the past is elided and the present ignored: â[A] greatnumber of educators spoke of âpersonal responsibilityâ in a countryauthored and sustained by a criminal irresponsibility. The point of thislanguage of âintentionâ and âpersonal responsibilityâ is broad exonera-tion. Mistakes were made. Bodies were broken. People were enslaved.We meant well. We tried our best. âGood intentionâ is a hall passthrough history, a sleeping pill that ensures the Dream.â
I was raised by my parents to not be racist. I grew up white in a
country that guaranteed racism would worm its way into me. The sameas no one ever sat me down and explicitly told me homosexuals wereevil yet I still got the message, I got the message about blacks. Black sec-tions of towns were places to be avoided. Young black men were to befeared. Black women were welfare queens. Your black friend? Not likethe other blacks.
Itâs insidious and corrupting and when you finally realize howmuch of it is there itâs deeply shameful. Not that Iâm asking anyone tofeel sorry for me or other white people â we werenât the black childrengrowing up with those same messages. But it makes me angry to real-ize I was complacent and complicit, that my culture created a spacebetween us and them, white and black, dreamers and others, an emptyspace that contradicts every lesson we tell ourselves about our nation,our culture, our history.
Black people â or any people of color â donât bear the responsi-bility for finding a solution to racism. Thatâs something white peopleshould be doing. The fact is that a century and a half after a civil war toend slavery and decades after a civil rights movement to ensure equaltreatment under law, weâve failed. Racism is inherent in the system. Toacknowledge that is fundamental to having any hope of progress.
And I hope white LGBT people will step up and be a part of thesolution. While our experiences of discrimination arenât directly analo-gous to racism, homophobia and the AIDS epidemic have shown usthe damage embedded hate can do to individuals and communities.We may have challenges left in our own communities but we have aresponsibility to push beyond ourselves. We canât come this far only tostop and immerse ourselves into a gay version of âthe Dream.â
Sean Bugg is a writer and former editor of Metro Weekly. Follow himon Facebook (/seanbugg) and Twitter (@seanbugg).l
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THE DC CENTERâS INTERN PARTYoffers a chance for those interning inD.C. for LGBTQ-related organizationsthis summer to socialize and meetnew people. 6-9 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES, a
social discussion and activity groupfor LBT women, meets on the secondand fourth Fridays of each monthat The DC Center. Social activity tofollow the meeting. 8-9:30 p.m. 200014th 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, andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 927 OhioDr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
GAY MARRIED MENâSASSOCIATION (GAMMA) is a con-fidential support group for men whoare gay, bisexual, questioning andwho are married or involved witha woman, that meets regularly inDupont Circle at 7:30 p.m. and alsoNorthern Virginia and Maryland. Formore information: GAMMAinDC.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical 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 call202-745-7000. 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 11-24.4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW.Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.
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 call202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 EastDiamond Ave., and in Takoma Park,
7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite411. Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appoint-ments other hours, call Gaithersburg,301-300-9978, or Takoma Park, 301-
422-2398.
METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. 202-567-3155or [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.
WOMENâS LEADERSHIPINSTITUTE for young LBTQ women,13-21, interested in leadership devel-opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL YouthCenter, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163,[email protected].
FRIDAY, JULY 24CENTER AGING, the group for LGBTseniors, launches its first monthlyCenter Aging Lunch Event, held onthe fourth Friday of every month.Lunch is potluck, so bring a dish of your own to share. 12-2 p.m. The DCCenter, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.For more information, visit fb.com/ centeraging.
LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP for adults in Montgomery Countyoffers a safe space to explore comingout and issues of identity. 10-11:30a.m. 16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512,Gaithersburg, Md. For more informa-tion, visit thedccenter.org.
THURSDAY, JULY 23Join ÂĄEmpoderate! and the Latino
LGBT Task Force for a âKnow
Your Rights Workshopâ by TheNetwork for Victim Recovery of D.C.The presentation will deal with therights of victims of criminal, civil
and Title IX violations and servicesavailable to them. 5-6 p.m. 3055 Mt.Pleasant St. NW. For more informa-tion, contact Eric Perez, 202-682-2245 or [email protected].
METRO DC PFLAG, a support groupfor parents, family members andfriends of LGBT youth, meets on thefourth Thursday of every month.English and Spanish-speaking par-ents welcome. 6:30-8 p.m. 3055 Mt.Pleasant St. NW. For more informa-tion, contact Jesus Chavez, [email protected].
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). Call 202-291-4707, or visitandromedatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)practice session at Takoma AquaticCenter, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay andlesbian square-dancing group featuresmainstream through advanced squaredancing at the National City Christian
Church, 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, 11810Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestri-angles.com.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
Metro Weeklyâs 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 Thursdayâs publication.
Questions about the calendar may be directed to the
Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or
the calendar email address.
LGBTCommunityCalendarSMYALâS 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, testing@
smyal.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 25BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay vol-unteer organization, volunteers todayfor Food and Friends. To participate, visit burgundycrescent.org.
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group visits two DuPont family estates nearWilmington, Del. About $50 for trans-portation and admissions, plus lunchat museum cafe and dinner in Havrede Grace, Md. Carpool at 9 a.m. from
Forest Glen Metro Station, late return.Craig, 202-462-0535. craighowell1@ verizon.net.
DEFEND YOURSELF offers a series ofself-defense workshops for cisgenderwomen, teen girls, and transgenderor gender non-conforming womenand men ages 16+, offered by BrandiCarlileâs Lookign Out Foundation. 2-5p.m. 16th and R Streets, NW. Specificlocation provided upon registration.To register, call 301-608-3708 or [email protected]. For moreinformation, visit defendyourself.org/ find-a-class.
The DC Center holds an introductoryLGBTQ ASL CLASS. 2-3:30 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-mation, visit thedccenter.org.
The DC Center hosts a read-
ing and discussion of SHANNONGILREATHâS THE END OFSTRAIGHT SUPREMACY:
REALIZING GAY LIBERATION . Hewill also discuss arguments made inhis forthcoming book, After Marriage: An Agenda for Action. 12-2 p.m. 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-mation, visit thedccenter.org.
THE SPOTLIGHT PROJECT, an edu-cational nonprofits for LGBTQ peopleand allies, offers a series of classesfocusing on Life Skills and Art at TheDC Center. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 2000 14thSt. NW, Suite 105. For more informa-tion, email [email protected] or visit spotlightproject.us.
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707 or andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.
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BET MISHPACHAH, founded bymembers of the LGBT community,holds Saturday morning Shabbatservices, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddushluncheon. Services in DCJCCCommunity Room, 1529 16th St. NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, includingothers interested in Brazilian culture,meets. For location/time, email bra-
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 972 OhioDr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/ walking/social club welcomes alllevels for exercise in a fun and sup-portive environment, socializingafterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & PStreets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m. forfun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SENTINELS basketball teammeets at Turkey Thicket Recreation
Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4p.m. For players of all levels, gay orstraight. teamdcbasketball.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass forLGBT community, family and friends.6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For more info, visit dig-nitynova.org.
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discussescritical languages and foreign lan-guages. 7 p.m. Nellieâs, 900 U St. NW.RVSP preferred. [email protected].
IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Takoma Park, 7676New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.Walk-ins 12-3 p.m. For appointmentsother hours, call 301-422-2398.
SUNDAY, JULY 26ADVENTURING outdoors grouphikes strenuous 7.5 miles with 1800feet of elevation gain to see water-falls in Shenandoah National Park.Dinner and/or blackberry ice creamat Skyland Resort to follow. Bringplenty of beverages, lunch, bug spray,
sunscreen, about $20 for fees andrefreshments. Carpool at 9 a.m. fromKiss & Ride lot of East Falls ChurchMetro Station. Craig, 202-462-0535.adventuring.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULSMEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m.,High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressiveand radically inclusive church holdsservices at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 972 OhioDr., SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic
Mass for the LGBT community. 6p.m., St. Margaretâs Church, 1820Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome.Sign interpreted. For more info, v isitdignitynova.org.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITEDCHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes allto 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW.firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.
FRIENDS MEETING OFWASHINGTON meets for worship,10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,Quaker House Living Room (next toMeeting House on Decatur Place), 2ndfloor. Special welcome to lesbians andgays. Handicapped accessible fromPhelps Place gate. Hearing assistance.quakersdc.org.
HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTwelcomes GLBT community for wor-ship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old TelegraphRoad, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.
INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUALDEVELOPMENT, God-centered newage church & learning center. SundayServices and Workshops event. 5419Sherier Place NW. isd-dc.org.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL
TEMPLE â 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.
LUTHERAN CHURCH OFREFORMATION invites 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. Childrenâs 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. Childrenâs Sunday Schoolat 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-7373, mccdc.com.
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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-affirming church, offersservice at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330, riverside-dc.org.
ST. STEPHEN AND THEINCARNATION, an âinterracial,multi-ethnic Christian Communityâoffers services in English, 8 a.m. and10:30 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-affirming congregation, offersservices at 10 a.m. Virginia RainbowUU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd.uucava.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTCHURCH OF SILVER SPRING invites LGBTQ families and individu-als of all creeds and cultures to jointhe church. Services 9:15 and 11:15a.m. 10309 New Hampshire 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, JULY 27CENTER MILITARY WORKINGGROUP of The DC Center for LGBT veterans, servicemembers and theirfamilies, holds a meeting to discussupcoming initiatives. 7-8:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Formore information and to RSVP, EricPerez, 202-682-2245 or [email protected].
SAGE METRO DC holds a movienight, screening the film Ma Vieen Rose, about a transgender girlwho canât wait to grow up to be awoman. 6:30-8 p.m. The Residencesat Thomas Circle, 1330 Massachusetts Ave. NW. For more information, con-tact [email protected].
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. dcscan-
dals.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 ârapidâ 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 [email protected].
THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee Drop-In for the Senior LGBT Community.10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gaymenâs evening affinity group. 3636Georgia 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 basicswimming ability always welcome.
Tom, 703-299-0504, [email protected], wetskins.org.
Whitman-Walker Health HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP for newlydiagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.Registration required. 202-939-7671,[email protected].
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METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUSâLGBT focused meeting everyTuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georgeâs EpiscopalChurch, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from Virginia Square
Metro. For more info. call Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicapped accessible.Newcomers welcome. liveandletli- [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,410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. CathyChu, 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.
Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571-214-9617. [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 call202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THEDC CENTER hosts âPacking Party,âwhere volunteers assemble safe-sexkits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m.,Green Lantern, 1335 Green CourtNW. thedccenter.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 at
301-300-9978 or Takoma Park at 301-422-2398.
KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY(K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St., Alexandria, offers free ârapidâ HIVtesting and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.703-823-4401.
TUESDAY, JULY 28The DC Center hosts a roundtable of
its GENDER QUEER DISCUSSIONGROUP. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707, andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly din-ner in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30p.m. [email protected], afwashington.net.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)practice session at Takoma AquaticCenter, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/ walking/social club serving greaterD.C.âs LGBT community and allieshosts an evening run/walk. dcfront-runners.org.
THE GAY MENâS HEALTHCOLLABORATIVE offers free HIVtesting and STI screening and treat-ment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m.
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LGBTCommunityCalendar
METROWEEKLY.COM JULY 23, 2015
Whitman-Walker Healthâs GAYMENâS 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, JULY 29THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meetsfor Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m. DignityCenter, 721 8th St. SE, across fromthe Marine Barracks. No reservationneeded. 703-407-6540 if you need apartner.
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 TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707, andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.
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THE MAN, HIS MUSIC,
AND HIS
LEGACY.B Y C O N N O R J . H O G A NP H O T O G R A P H Y B Y T I N A T Y R E L L
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15METROWEEKLY.COM JULY 23, 2015
EDONIST, GENIUS, FATHER, BROTHER, ADDICT, SODOMITE, LEGEND: RUFUS WAINWRIGHT HAS BEEN CALLED A LOT
things. But mundane? Itâs just not an adjective you can ascribe to the modern day composer. With a tuft of Oscar Wildean hair and a wit
sharp as that 19th century poet, Wainwright evokes a time when to be gay was to change the world through art, music, and language.
But today, when gay culture is synonymous with Glee or has been summed up in a trite hashtag, what has changed? With over a decademusic to his credit, Wainwright has always courted the mainstream, but refuses to compromise himself for pop star status. Itâs thiswavering confidence that draws his fans back time and time again.
Now married, Wainwright is instead focusing on grander projects to leave his own legacy â beyond that of his daughter, ofurse. The transition has not been easy. With his opera, Prima Donna, a difference of opinion over the libretto forced a wedge
tween the musician and the Metropolitan Opera. But Wainwright, not one to back down from a challenge, has pressed forward
d will be joining the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap on July 31 to serenade us with his music: some old and some new.
ETRO WEEKLY: Twelve years ago, you told us that the next thing youâre going to make is an opera. Now that youâve written Prima Donna , howyou feel?
FUS WAINWRIGHT: Iâm definitely a man of my word, at least artistically. If I have an idea in my head, I tend to stick with it. Although Ive changed my mind on things before. Like on gay marriage. I never really thought Iâd have a child. But on a creative level, Iâm extremely
nacious.Prima Donna just recently aired on the BBC, the libretto is going to be released in the fall, and there will be concerts of the opera around
H
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the world. Itâs been a big success, people want to hear it, people
want to sing it, and orchestras want to play it. Itâs very excitingand very scary. When I first started writing songs, I worked tire-
lessly at my piano, and my singing, and I still do that. But overthe years itâs gotten easier, now I am handed things on a silver
platter. Sometimes, I miss the raw turmoil that entails.MW: You mentioned you changed your mind on marriage. What do
you think about the recent Supreme Court decision? [ This inter-view was conducted on June 26, the day of the ruling.]
WAINWRIGHT: I think itâs incredible. This whole week has been
such an incredible milestone. Both with upholding Obamaâshealthcare decision, the housing decision, gay marriage. Itâs a
great time to talk about gay marriage. But ultimately, Iâm in awonderful relationship and Iâm happy to know that some old
people in dresses like what Iâm doing.MW: What were your thoughts in the past?
WAINWRIGHT: Initially, I was against gay marriage, because I
felt strongly that gay men had created their own intense andhigh culture â whether it was Oscar Wilde, or Andy Warhol
or Tchaikovsky. In my opinion, the most sophisticated culturalmovements have been in the gay male community. I didnât want
to lose that. I didnât want to lose the sexual freedom, but I heldstrongly to that sense of culture. That being said, Iâve been mar-
ried to my husband for three years, and in a relationship for ten
years. Beyond being gay, beyond being a man, I am a humanbeing, Iâm a living soul. And being united with another soul
in the eyes of the community is a very important concept thatI have to adopt. I am getting older, and I canât just go to bars
anymore.MW: Are you worried that marriage will homogenize the gay com-
munity?
WAINWRIGHT: Gay marriage will not be the same as straight mar-
riage. There wonât be a way to disassociate from the history
weâve had. Weâre not just going to become straight. We have
tasted from the poison chalice. Marriage is a
difficult prospect for anyone whether youâregay, straight, transgender. Itâs constantly
evolving.I grew up in the days of danger. When
I was young, it was late â80s, early â90s.Last gasp of the very clandestine world of
being a gay man. It was very intense. People
were dying of AIDS. I experienced that asa young person. For better or worse, it was
very inspiring. But now itâs a different worldâ new challenges, new tragedies and new
triumphs.MW: Speaking of challenges, in addition to
marriage youâre also a father. Your daughter Viva enjoys two sets of musical genes, doesnât
she?WAINWRIGHT: Her grandfather is LeonardCohen. Both my parents are musical kings
and queens. My father [Loudon WainwrightIII] was a singer, and so was my mother [Kate
McGarrigle]. So to me it seemed really natu-ral to have a musical family. But her main
residence is with my friend, Lorca [Cohen].That being said, when we began this journey,it was very old-fashioned. I thought âYou
know, weâre all from Montreal, weâre all frommusic, why donât we join forces?âMW: So when is her first album coming out?
JULY 23, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM
âGAY MARR IAGE WILL NOT BE THE
SAME AS STRA IGHT MARRIAGE . THERE
WONâT BE A WAY TO D ISASSOCIATEFROM THE H ISTORY WEâVE HA D. WEâRE
NOT JUST GOING TO BECOME
STRAIGHT. WE HAVE TASTEDFROM THE POISON CHALICE.â
WAINWRIGHT: [ Laughs. ] Whenever she comes from a show of
mine, she comes right up to me and says âOkay, now itâs myturn.â I wouldnât hold it against her if she did write an album.
MW: Isnât there a song on Out of the Game about her?
WAINWRIGHT: Yeah, âMontauk.â I wrote it about her when she
was just born. It was looking forward to times when she would
come and visit me at my house in Montauk. It was about settingthe frame of a beautiful painting that we could all eventually
walk into. But now weâve done it. Weâve been in that picture.MW: As one of the first openly gay artists, what are your thoughts
on the current influx of gay musicians?
WAINWRIGHT: You know, there was some article about Adam
Lambert saying he was the first gay person to be signed to a
major label, which is not true, because I was signed first. I wastrying to get in touch with them to make this correction, and
they insisted I was in the closet when my first album came out.When I started my album, I said I was gay, but Iâve always been
more concerned with my music. Letâs talk about boys until thecows come home, but itâs really about the art. Adam Lambert
really focused on his being gay because it was kind of his thing.Itâs a difficult question, because on one hand, being gay and
being out in the Western world, thatâs a privilege. You can dothat. Youâre not arrested or killed, or hurt. But if youâre in SaudiArabia, or Africa, itâs a matter of life or death. Itâs a huge human
rights violation. If you take away my art, you take away mymusic, I want to affect human rights. That should come before
songwriting or your career.MW: What does the future hold for you?
WAINWRIGHT: I still have to write this other opera, Hadrian. It
will premiere in 2018, and itâs gonna be a major work â fouracts, with ballet numbers. That will definitely leave an impres-
sion. Of course, there are other legacies. I still love workingwith my family. My sisters and my father are doing a tour of
Alaska. Thatâs a very big part of me. Itâs been ten years since Judy
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came out. Iâm still writing songs throughout all of this. At the
moment, I am really taking stock of all these incredibly eventsthat have happened. But the fact is, I canât go out and make pop
records as much. I have to see what happens. Iâm just followingmy instincts. And at the end of these two years, I will be very
instinctual.MW: Youâll be singing with the National Symphony Orchestra later
this month. What makes orchestras a compelling medium for you?
WAINWRIGHT: Oh, Iâve sung with many orchestras â the Chicagosymphony, the Montreal symphony. I am quite experienced in
that forum. Iâm excited to do it. Itâs quite a good match actually.In terms of my voice, and my knowledge of opera and love of
classical music, it comes naturally to me. Itâs embedded in myvoice. I can hear whatâs going on in the music.
MW: In terms of your own music, youâve gained a huge following inthe gay community. Youâve also inspired many of them. How does
it feel to be so integral to those people?
WAINWRIGHT: Iâm incredibly, incredibly moved and thankful tothe forces that be that Iâve been able to help people along the
way just by being myself. I have walked the streets in protest,but itâs not the center of my existence. I have been honest at the
outset of my career about my sexuality, writing songs about guyseven on my first album. Telling my record company that I am
gay and saying âWeâre not going to try and change that.â I thinkthat was the right choice.
There was a deep-seated bigotry that did occur because of
my sexuality. I suffered some passing over in terms of the guywho gets the video budget, or the guy who gets the SNL gig. But
at this point there are so many people who have come togetherover my music. And I would say for gay men, Iâve been a little
critical. You know, this whole concept of coming out of the clos-et is âthe best thing.â Itâs not just about doing a lot of drugs, and
having sex all the time â Iâm not against that â but Iâm always
for what makes being gay great. Like what I was saying aboutOscar Wilde, and Tchaicovsky. For me personally, itâs been a
good run I think, and thatâs because Iâve always been myself.
Rufus Wainwright performs with the National SymphonyOrchestra on July 31 at The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road,
Vienna, Va. Tickets are $25-$58 and are available at wolftrap.org
or by calling 1-877-WOLFTRAP (965-3872). l
METROWEEKLY.COM JULY 23, 2015
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT:
A TIMELINEBY CONNOR J. HOGAN
ORN INTO A FAMILY OF FOLK MUSIC ROYALTY, RUFUSWainwrightâs musical history extends far beyond his first
self-titled album. However, heâs been able to break free fromhis lineage, creating a musical legacy uniquely his own. At times
lyrical and grandiose and at others singular and raw, his songs
reveal the artist behind the piano, his melodies soaked in hisinner turmoils and joys.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT (1998)
On October 6th, 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered.Beaten, pistol-whipped, tied to a fence left to die. With Shepardâs
murder, Americans â still not comfortable with the idea of homo-
sexuality â suddenly were confronted with the real dangers ofbeing openly gay. Although part-Canadian, Rufus Wainwright,
whose self-titled album debuted in May 1998, was acutely aware
of these dangers, something evident throughout his first album.At the time, Wainwright was twenty-five. It was four years
since he had ended a seven-year period of celibacy. In 1988,Wainwright had been brutally raped by a man he picked up in a
bar. âI thought it was going to be a romantic walk in the park, buthe raped me and robbed me afterwards and tried to strangle me,â
he told Contact Music. âAIDS was at its height and you were told
that this kind of contact could kill you. So I was just put off sex. Ididnât sleep with anyone again until I was 21.â
Plagued by the loneliness that being gay can sometimes cause,songs like âFoolish Loveâ demonstrate a man unwilling to give
everything to his lover: âWhy wonât you last? Why canât you last?âHowever, the entire album isnât melancholic. In âApril Fools,â he
shows a curious level of optimism, with an upbeat chorus thatpromises âYou will believe in love, and all itâs supposed to be.â
POSES (2001)
From 2000 to 2001, Wainwright spent six months in the Chelsea
Hotel in New York City. There, he wrote most of his secondalbum Poses. In the same year, movies like Hedwig and the Angry
Inch, L.I.E., and Kissing Jessica Stein were hitting the alterna-tive movie houses across the country. Even Shepardâs story was
chronicled in The Laramie Project, which premiered in 2000.
Although not yet mainstream, gay issues were inching closer andcloser to the center thanks to fringe artistic movements.
During his stay at the Chelsea, however, Wainwright foughtnot for gay rights, but for his life. Addicted to crystal meth and
spending hours having sex with strangers, Wainwrightâs life wasa whirlwind party that lasted twenty-four hours, seven days a
week. âCrystal meth had sort of been around since my L.A. days,âhe told Metro Weekly in 2003. âEvery time I did it, I was like âThis
is the one for me, this is the great drug.â Itâs cheap. It lasts for
twenty hours. Sex is great. You think youâre brilliant.â
What came out of that borrowed brilliance was Poses, analbum about â[a] character who sort of has a foray into drugs andnightclubs. He enters in as this beautiful young man and leaves
as a wrecked human being.â Faster and more upbeat than hisself-titled album, Poses bounces from Gregorian chants to Folksy
blues. One of the final tracks is âOne Man Guy,â a cover of a song
by Loudon Wainwright III, his father. However, the track takeson a new life with Wainwrightâs sexuality and feels like a break
from the hedonistic life that he was living at the time. Through Poses, it became apparent to Wainwright that the man he was
writing about was himself.
THE WANT ALBUMS (2003-2005)
In May, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to issue mar-
riage licenses to same-sex couples. Six months later, Wainwrightâs
fourth studio album, Want Two, was released as the second halfof his previous album, Want One. While things were improving
for LGBT people around the world, Wainwright was recover-ing from his crystal meth addiction, which had peaked in 2002
with bouts of blindness and hallucinations of his father. Whateventually convinced him that he needed help? A couple of days
with former president George W. Bushâs daughter, Barbara Bush.
âThat freaked the shit out of me,â he told The Guardian. âSheâs akind of ditsy sorority girl but I had this sense ⊠of her being so
very close to evil.âThe hallucinations of his father, Loudon Wainwright III, cre-
ated tremendous internal tension for the singer/songwriter. âI
B
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18
realized suddenly just how unhappy I was,â Wainwright contin-
ued. âI believed I had two choices. I was either going to rehab or
I was going to live with my father. I knew I needed an asshole to
yell at me, and I felt he fitted the bill.â
The Want albums express a longing for his old days of
debauchery, but also the necessity of deliverance from that life-
style. On Want Two, weâre introduced to that savior through the
âGay Messiah.â A silly, lyrical painting of a messianic figure that
comes to save the gay community from Studio 54 and the Fire
Island Pines. And on Want One, âVibrateâ gives us a glimpse intoWainwrightâs newfound maturity. âGod knows what all these
new drugs do,â he exclaims in world weariness. Want One and
Want Two, while companion pieces, reflect two diametrically
opposed sensations: light against dark, joy against sorrow, and
fulfillment against longing.
RUFUS DOES JUDY AT CARNEGIE HALL (2007)
Weary of American culture, in 2006 Wainwright sought solace
in Judy Garlandâs live album Judy at Carnegie Hall. Traumatized
by the attacks of September 11th, the subsequent War on Terror,
and the presidency of George W. Bush, Wainwright wanted
to be reminded of the former greatness of the U.S. and the joy
that came with that citizenship. âSomehow that album, no
matter how dark things seemed, made everything brighten,â
Wainwright told the New York Times. âShe had this capacity to
lighten the world through the innocence of her sound.â
In collaboration with Carnegie Hall, Wainwright recreated
Garlandâs legendary live performance of Judy at Carnegie Hall.
And to a sold out house on June 14 and 15 of 2006, Wainwright
revived the golden age diva. âItâs a communal experience; Iâm
drawing upon a collective unconscious,â Wainwright said to
Time Out New York. âIn this day and age I think it is important
for us, as gay men, to respect that part of history, and not put it
in a place of shame.â
In Rufus Does Judy, that history of inescapable optimism
comes soaring through in Wainwrightâs unwavering tenor.
âBy the way, this is one of the songs in its original key,â
Wainwright mentions before launching into a perfect âDo ItAgain.â Accompanied by a forty piece orchestra, it proved that
his voice was built for these grandiose productions. You canâthelp but smile listening to his renditions of Judyâs classics âFoggy
Day,â âYou Go To My Head,â and âPuttinâ On The Ritz.â
RELEASE THE STARS (2007)
After his Carnegie Hall appearances, Wainwright began working
on Release the Stars. While initially meant to be only voice andpiano, a visit to Berlin changed everything. He was overwhelmed
with the German Romanticism of the city. In addition to Berlinâs
inspiration, Kate McGarrigleâs (his mother) recent cancer diag-nosis pushed him to work relentlessly, believing it would cure
her.In a way, Release the Stars is not unlike the Want albums.
Sweeping orchestral movements under complicated pianoarrangements complemented with electric guitar riffs, the album
is at once personal and political. In âGoing to a Town,â a
song which he wrote in five minutes before he flew to Berlin,Wainwright continues to express his frustration with the state
of the United States. âIâm so tired of America,â he croons. âIâvegot a life to lead.â And a big part of that life for Wainwright was
his newfound beau, Jörn Weisbrodt. The song âTiergartenârecounts their walks through a Berlin park while he was record-
ing the album.
ALL DAYS ARE NIGHTS: SONGS FOR LULU (2010)
On January 18th, 2010, McGarrigle died in Montreal, Canada.With just his piano and his voice, Wainwright explores his sad-
ness over the loss of his mother in All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu.
The raw nature of this album, produced by Wainwrighthimself, gives listeners a peek behind the curtain at the emo-
tional underpinnings of the enigmatic musician. While sitting
at his motherâs hospital bed, Wainwright worked on the songâZebulon,â a haunting melody that builds to a climactic ending,
which quickly became one of his and his motherâs favorites. Andin âMartha,â he details a conversation heâs had with his sister,
Martha Wainwright, about visiting their mother in the hospital,and the stress that comes with those visits.
In February, 2011, nearly a year after her grandmotherâsdeath, Wainwrightâs daughter Viva Katherine Wainwright
Cohen was born.OUT OF THE GAME (2012)
By 2012, the battle for marriage equality was in full swing. With
nine states passing same-sex marriage laws and Lady Gagaâs Born This Way anthem lodged in our brains, hope gleamed on
the horizon for LGBT Americans. Together since the mid-2000s,Wainwright and Weisbrodt were married in August in Montauk,
New York. Earlier that year, Wainwright released his seventh
studio album Out of the Game, produced by Mark Ronson.
Wainwright believed there was still work to be done to makeeveryone equal. To that end, he wanted something enjoyable forall his fans. âThe main objective â- not for the entire [album],
necessarily, but for portions of it â- is to be danceable,â he told Rolling Stone. âI just want to make something that you love,
driving around in your car listening or losing your mind to on adance floor. Something to serenade us through these very, very
troubling times.âOut of the Game is a celebration of humanity. From the single
âOut of the Gameâ where Wainwright gives up on being famous
to âMontauk,â a touching lullaby to his daughter, this albumemerges from Wainwrightâs life and paints it in beautiful water
colors. But life isnât always floral. Fittingly, his final song on thealbum is âCandles,â an âin memoriamâ for his late mother. l
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EMIL DE COUON RUFUS WAINWRIGHTI
THINK RUFUS WAINWRIGHT STRADDLES TWO
worlds. A lot of his influences came from Judy Garland and
from Edith Piaf, two torch song singers who basically sang
about their lives. Thereâs something autobiographical in his
work that really connects with an audience, which is why I
think heâs had such a huge following. A lot of his music â he
sings a lot of ballads, some kind of arch, some deeply emotional
â comes from his perspective.
âBut also you have this beautiful old sound â it reminds me
a little bit of Burt Bacharach. Quirky French harmonies and
unusual melodies and phrases. Heâll be sitting center stage. Iâll
be right behind him. Thereâs an intimacy about it that really
comes across. Itâs an old school way of performing.
âWhen youâre accompanying an artist like this, youâre kindof like a dance partner, in a way. Some people like to lead and
some like to follow. Some like to backphrase â which means
youâre slightly behind the music and you catch up â and some
people like you to be very steady. You just have to gauge how
they like to have the music. I sense from his music that he
seems very easygoing â he seems so likeable and nice and
seemingly uncomplicated. I think thatâs also part of his charm,
because he comes across as very boyish. And then you hear
these world weary songs behind his life story.
âSome artistsâ music is made more expressive, made bet-
ter with having orchestral accompaniment. And so many pop
performers are just so much better with piano and a combo.
With Rufusâs music, his accompaniments are always so orches-tral, that even just with the piano, or a small combo, you hear
more.â â As told to Randy Shulman
â Emil de Cou, music director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet
and the official NSO at Wolf Trap Festival Conductor, will
conduct the National Symphony Orchestraâs portions of Rufus
Wainwrightâs concert at Wolf Trap. l
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JULY 23, 2015
SPOTLIGHT
BALTIMORESYMPHONY ORCHESTRADvorak premiered his fantastic Symphony No. 9 âFrom The NewWorldâ 120 years ago as a toast to thepast â specifically the folk tunes andgypsy music from his native Bohemiaâ and the future, with his impressionof America. Tito Munoz conducts theBSO in a performance of this bold,thrilling and moving work alongwith Ariel Horowitz, who will per-form Mendelssohnâs Violin Concerto.
Both performances begin with a BSOBlock Party at 5:30 p.m. with localfood trucks and other attractions.Thursday, July 30, at 8 p.m. MusicCenter at Strathmore, 5301 TuckermanLane, North Bethesda. Also Friday,July 31, at 7:30 p.m. Joseph MeyerhoffSymphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St.,Baltimore. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.
BRANDON FLOWERSIMP Productions presents a concert by the lead singer of the great neo-newwave/synth-pop band, The Killers.Would you believe Flowersâ new soloalbum The Desired Effect is every bit
as good if not better than anything his band has put out in its first 11 yearsas a recording sensation? Once youlisten to this varied, uptempo set, youwill. Wednesday, July 29, at 7 p.m.Echostage, 2135 Queens Chapel Rd.NE. Tickets are $35. Call 202-503-2330 or visit echostage.com.
ERIK BRUNER-YANG:VEGAN COOKING CLASSNortheast D.C.âs most famous chef,the man behind Toki Undergroundin the H Street Corridor and Makettoin Union Market, drops by SoutheastD.C.âs Hill Center to offer a courseon creative vegan cooking. Bruner-
Yang will focus on the mostly fer-mented products made by UnionMarketâs Honeycomb Grocer,helmed by Isaiah Billington, former-ly of Woodberry Kitchen, and SaraConezio. Honeycomb Grocer sourcesingredients from the Chesapeake Baywatershed, preserving them throughfermentation. Saturday, July 25, at 11a.m. Hill Center, Old Navy Hospital,921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Ticketsare $85. Call 202-549-4172 or visitHillCenterDC.org.
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Lamb ChopsEnjoy a nice chianti while you take in Studioâs wildly
funny Silence of the Lambs spoof
W
HILE NOT A PART OF THIS MONTHâS CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL,
Studio is certainly appealing to the anything-goes audience with its latest produc-
tion. Silence! The Musical ( HHHH ) is about as wild and whacked out as a profes-sional show ever gets.
Perhaps youâve heard the buzz about Jon Kaplan and Alan Kaplanâs musical, with a book by
Hunter Bell. Yes, this is that show, âthe unauthorized parodyâ of the 24-year-old cinematic classicThe Silence of the Lambs. Silence! is a fringe show down to its roots, having emerged as the breakout
hit of the 2005 FringeNYC Festival. It strips away the filmâs focus on horror, replacing it with nutty,
off-kilter, sexualized humor.Four years ago the show ran off Broadway in a two-hour, two-act production that the New York
Times said was âstretched well past the point of inspiration.â Thatâs not the case at Studio, wheredirector Alan Paul has trimmed the fat into a lean, 90-minute, intermission-less show, set in Studioâs
intimate upper-level Stage 4 space â featuring a full bar. By the time youâve just about had your fillof the lewd sight gags, uproariously perverse rounds of dialogue and gleefully vulgar songs, itâs all
said and done.
Laura Jordan earns the biggest applause for her deadpan work in the tricky role of ClariceStarling, the aspiring FBI agent and âWest Virginia hickâ with a comically exaggerated lisp. Tally
Sessions is similarly jovial in his portrayal of an attractive, almost likeable Hannibal Lecter â thingsyouâd never say about Anthony Hopkinsâs cinematic monster. Even Tom Story manages to make
Buffalo Bill a more multi-dimensional character than the filmâs one-note transgressive transsexual.But it is Hayley Travers who steals the show in her dual role as little Catherine trapped in Billâs well
and as Catherineâs mother, U.S. Senator Ruth Martin. Her scenes are short but indelible â this moth-er and daughter are effectively portrayed as cut from the same cheap but sturdy T.J. Maxx cloth.
Even more fleeting are the ensemble adorned with white ears and hoofs, gamboling around the
stage and into the crowd. These little lambs will make you laugh and smile, and then laugh somemore. âDoug Rule
Silence! The Musical runs to Aug. 9 at Studio Theatre, 14th and P Streets NW.Tickets are $40 to $45. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org. l
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and Stephanie Waters performingâIsnât It Romantic?â accompanied byChristopher Wingert, on Friday, July24, at 9 p.m. and Saturday, July 25, at7 p.m.; and the popular âRevenge ofthe Understudies,â in which this pastseasonâs backstage divas â male andfemale â get to have their moment inthe spotlight, on Saturday, July 25, at 9p.m. Signature Theatreâs ARK Theatre,4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington.Tickets are $25 for each show, or $150
for a special All-Access Pass. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.orgfor a complete schedule.
THE OUTRAGEOUSSOPHIE TUCKERThe Washington DC Jewish FilmFestival presents a screening nextweek of William Gazeckiâs new docu-mentary The Outrageous Sophie Tucker, based on research by Susan and LloydEcker about one of Americaâs first pop-ular female entertainers from a centuryago. Also known as âThe Last of theRed-Hot Mamasâ for her frank andrisque songs and comedy about sex,the Ukrainian-born Sophie Tucker was
a vaudeville star who gained widerfame in television, including as a regu-lar guest on popular shows includingThe Ed Sullivan Show. Interesting sidenote: In addition to having widespreadindirect influence, Tucker specificallyinspired the career of Bette Midler aswell as the character of Mama Mortonin Chicago. Tuesday, July 28, at 7:30p.m. The Aaron and Cecile GoldmanTheater, Washington, D.C.âs JewishCommunity Center, 1529 16th St. NW.Tickets are $13. Call 202-518-9400 or visit washingtondcjcc.org.
THE SECOND CITYâS LETTHEM EAT CHAOS
Chicagoâs legendary improv troupereturns to present a D.C.-centric pro-duction at Woolly Mammoth TheatreCompany for the sixth time, after sell-out success with previous provoca-tive, political-skewering shows, from Barack Stars to American All Better!! To Aug. 2. Woolly Mammoth, 641 DSt. NW. Tickets range from $35 to $83.Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymam-moth.net.
WASHINGTON IMPROVTHEATER: WIT ATTACKS!No two performances are alikewhen performed by the WashingtonImprov Theater â D.C.âs answer to
those comedy star-making groupssuch as Chicagoâs Second City andL.A.âs Groundlings â especially sincetheyâre spurred on by audience sug-gestions. All of the companyâs improvensembles have devised new work forthis summerâs WIT Attacks!, includ-ing Commonwealthâs public radio-inspired That American Life, KingBeeâs production inspired by the AlfredHitchcock classic Rear Window anda short musical by iMusical. To Aug.1. Source Theater, 1835 14th St. NW.Tickets are $12 in advance, or $15 atthe door. Call 202-204-7770 or visitwashingtonimprovtheater.com.
JULY 23, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM
Vocal ChordsSingers are the stars in charge at Maryland Lyric Opera
ITâS NOT THAT TALENTED SINGERS ARE NOT BORN ANYMORE,â SAYS HENRIETTELund. âBut they are, shall we say, âcoached to death.ââ
A vocal coach at Catholic University, Lund feels the quality of singing in opera hasdegenerated dramatically in the past 20 years. It is, at least in part, because elaborate staging
has become the norm. She recalls a recent production of Barber of Seville in which Figaro had
to sing while riding a bike, even while jumping off the handles at one point. When a singer hasto perform stunts, âphysically, you can maybe hit the notes, but you will never ever sing it well.â
Lund founded the Maryland Lyric Opera Company last year with Brad Clark in reaction tothe trend of prioritizing staging over singing. In Lundâs company, those who fundamentally
make opera what it is â the singers â are once again the stars in charge. âIn the old days it wasalways about the singers,â Lund says. âThe conductor would lead the orchestra to accompany
the singers. Today, the singers have to accompany the orchestra.â Not with her company, now
offering its second semi-staged production, Gounodâs Romeo et Juliette. In addition to a fullaccompanying orchestra, MLO has hired dancers and actors to perform in non-singing roles so
that the singers âcan move and stand and walk where they wantâ â freeing them to focus on
singing and finding their individual voices.âA good singer is always playing around with his sound,â Lund says. âHeâs always spontane-
ous, heâs never repetitive â because if he were you wouldnât get any life in the sound.â Yet sing-
ers are not trained that way today, the emphasis being on tangible, testable aspects, from howprecise one hits written notes to how many languages one can sing in. The result is singing that
is sanded down and bland. And this sets up a kind of âvicious circle.â
Explains Lund: âIf youâre a good stage director [confronted with] mediocre singing, you say toyourself, âWe got to do something about this. Get them more to do!â But the more you get them
to do, the worse theyâll sing.â â Doug Rule
Maryland Lyric Opera Companyâs Romeo et Juliette is Friday, July 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, July 26, at 3 p.m., at the Clariceâs Kay Theatre at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Tickets are $35 to $100. Call 301-405-ARTS or visit theclarice.umd.edu. l
GILBERT & SULLIVANEvery summer, the Capitol Hill ArtsWorkshop (CHAW) and its direc-tor Jill Strachan present a differentGilbert and Sullivan production. This year brings Trial by Jury and selectionsfrom Yeomen of the Guard . As always,the production features a cast primar-ily from the CHAW and LGBT com-munities. Opens Thursday, July 30, at7:30 p.m. Weekends to Aug. 8. CapitolHill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St. SE.
Tickets are $20. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.
INGENUE TO ICON: HILLWOODâSFASHION EXHIBITIONSubtitled â70 Years of Fashion from theCollection of Marjorie MerriweatherPost,â the Hillwood Museum offersa special exhibition focused on theelegant fashions and sumptuous fab-rics documenting the evolution of20th Century fashion â and all drawn,naturally, from the late Hillwoodowner who gave the place so muchstyle. To Dec. 31. Hillwood Estate, 4155Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested dona-tion is $12. Call 202-686-5807 or visit
HillwoodMuseum.org.
NATIONAL SYMPHONYORCHESTRA WITH WOLFTRAP OPERA ALUMNI Alumni of the Wolf Trap OperaCompany return for a first-ever spe-cial performance with the NationalSymphony Orchestra, as conducted by Daniele Callegari, offering a con-cert version of Verdiâs Aida. Weâretalking soloists whoâve become starsin the opera firmament: SopranoMarjorie Owens, who recently made
her Metropolitan Opera debut in Aida,as well as other Met vets includingtenor Carl Tanner and mezzo-sopra-no Michelle DeYoung, plus HoustonGrand Opera regular baritone ScottHendricks. Friday, July 24, at 8:15p.m.The Filene Center at Wolf Trap,1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are$22 to $75. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.
ROMEO AND JULIET: LOVEKNOWS NO AGEMarylandâs Unexpected Stage theatercompany presents a contemporaryinterpretation of Shakespeareâs classictragedy, in which Romeo and Juliet
are played by older actors, septuage-narians in an adult living community,with the Montagues and Capulets as
their adult children. This marks thefirst production of Shakespeare fromthe company known for its thought-provoking works. To Aug. 10. RandolphRoad Theatre, 4010 Randolph Road.Silver Spring. Tickets are $10 to $25.Call 800-838-3006 or visit unexpect-edstage.org.
SAM SMITHW/JAZMINE SULLIVANThe gay pop star offers one of the
main concert draws of the summer,with opening act Jazmine Sullivan,who emerges after a hiatus to continuewhat she started â busting the win-dows out your car. Friday, July 24, at 8p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475Little Patuxent Parkway, Coltumbia,Md. Tickets are $45 to $97.50. Call800-551-SEAT or visit merriweather-music.com.
SIGNATURE THEATREâSCABARET SERIESSignature Theatreâs popular annu-al cabaret series runs through nextweekend. Remaining highlightsinclude: Mitchell Jarvis perform-
ing âJacques Brel is Alive and Welland Living Everywhere,â on Friday,July 24, at 7 p.m.; Will Gartshore
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FILM
MEAN GIRLS As part of its monthly âMean GirlMovie Night,â Nellieâs screens the2004 film featuring some juicy, laugh-out-loud lines from scripter Tina Feyand starring Lindsay Lohan, beforeshe became known as Hollywoodâsproblem child. Those part of theNellieâs clique â that is, those wearing
a âMean Girlâ Nellieâs t-shirt â getan entree at half-price and specialsincluding $3 Titoâs Vodka and $3Nellie Beer. Mean Girls membershipdoes have its privileges, after all. Everyfourth Monday, including this lMon-day, July 27, at 8 p.m. Nellieâs SportsBar, 900 U St. NW. Call 202-332-NELL or visit nelliessportsbar.com.
PIXELSSurprisingly, Pixels looks to finally buck the trend of awful Adam Sandlercomedies. Its premise? A space probesent by NASA carrying copies of vid-eogame classics such as Pacman and Donkey Kong was misinterpreted by
aliens as a declaration of war, causingthem to send versions of the gamesâcharacters back to earth to destroyhumanity. Christopher Columbusâsfilm looks to be silly, CGI-heavy fun.Opens Friday, July 24. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
SCREEN ON THE GREEN:THE POSEIDON ADVENTUREThe 17th annual film screening serieson the National Mall continues nextMonday, July 27, with one of the firstall-star disaster flicks, The Poseidon Adventure. Twenty-five years beforeTitanic, Ronald Neameâs flick about acapsized luxury liner in the Atlantic
was the box office champ in 1973and won a special Oscar for its visualeffects and another for Best Song forâThe Morning Afterâ as performed by Maureen McGovern. The cast wasled by Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsenand Shelley Winters. Monday, July 27,at sunset (around 8:30 p.m.). NationalMall, between 4th and 7th StreetsNW. Free. Visit hbo.com/scree-nonthegreen.
STAGE
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
HHHHH As directed by Keegan Theatreâs mar-ried leaders Mark A. Rhea and SusanMarie Rhea, this production of theTennessee Williams masterpiece putson full display the companyâs abilityto stage dramatic plays with a largecast in a small space. The play goes alot further in drawing out the homo-sexual longing at its root than thefamous movie with Elizabeth Taylorand Paul Newman ever did â yet atKeegan, you still donât feel the levelof sexual anguish in Kevin Hasserâsportrayal of Brick you might expect.
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Hasser instead makes his characterâsflaws all about alcohol and his fam-ilyâs mendacity, not about his immenseregret from having spurned the sexualadvances of his high school buddy, whocommitted suicide shortly thereafter.Kevin Adams is once again the fam-ily patriarch in a Keegan production,though even this fine actor seems tostruggle a bit to parse out the nuancesin his role as Big Daddy. Itâs a quandaryshared by most everyone else in the
cast, to varying degrees, in this longshow â which as a result feels longerthan its over three-hour runtime. To Aug. 1. Keegan Theatre, 1742 ChurchSt. NW. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call703-892-0202 or visit keegantheatre.com. (Doug Rule)
DEAR EVAN HANSEN Arena Stage has recruited some all-startalent for its world premiere musical Dear Evan Hansen, featuring a book bySteven Levenson ( Masters of Sex ) anda score by Tony nominees Benj Pasekand Justin Paul ( A Christmas Story ).Michael Greif ( Rent, Next to Normal ) directs this modern tale about a boy
preparing for a bright future â so longas his secret past doesnât come back tohaunt him. Ben Platt from Pitch Perfect stars. Now in previews. To Aug. 23.Mead Center for American Theater,1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $51 to $66.Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.
DOUBLE TROUBLE(AKA THE PARENT TRAP)Bethesdaâs youth-oriented theatercompany Imagination Stage offers aworld-premiere musical based on ErichKastnerâs novel Lottie & Lisa as adapted by David S. Craig, with music by MarcSchubring. The focus is on 10-year-old
twins who are being raised separately,unknowingly, by their divorced par-ents. To Aug. 14. Imagination Stage,4908 Auburn Ave. Bethesda. Ticketsare $10 to $25. Call 301-280-1660 or visit imaginationstage.org.
GARFIELD, THE MUSICALWITH CATITUDE Adventure Theatre MTC presents thismusical for all ages based on the adven-tures of the sarcastic, tubby cat, witha book co-written by creator and car-toonist Jim Davis and Aventureâs ownMichael J. Bobbitt. John L. CorneliusII wrote the music and lyrics. To Aug.23. Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300
MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Ticketsare $19.50. Call 301-634-2270 or visitadventuretheatre-mtc.org.
NEIGHBORHOOD 3:REQUISITION OF DOOMFocused on Grand Guignol-inspiredhorror theater, the Molotov TheatreGroup is also a favorite of the CapitalFringe Festival, and its latest produc-tion is pegged to Fringe. The focusis on Jennifer Haleyâs play about apsychologically addictive video gamethat emulates playersâ actual neigh- borhoods as the on-screen environ-ment. Moving from one level to thenext means destroying armies of
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ONCE
HHHHH
Once is one of those quiet, under-stated shows that will sneak up andsurprise you. Featuring a book by cel-ebrated Irish playwright Enda Walsh,Once focuses on a man, Guy (StuartWard), who is about to give up onhis music until a mysterious woman,Girl (Dani De Waal), enters the pic-ture and becomes his muse. Soon thepair are making hauntingly beautifulmusic together, which is all the morepowerful because it expresses their
love for each other in a way that theynever fully realize otherwise. Music becomes the coupleâs primary outletfor conveying their feelings towardone another. And several of GlenHansard and Marketa Irglovaâs dra-matic folk-inflected rock songs herewould be chart-toppers if there wereany justice in the pop music worldâ or at least if this were an earlierera when musicals had that kind ofmainstream sway. Every actor in Once plays an instrument, and the ensemble becomes the showâs orchestra, sittingon the edge of Bob Crowleyâs set tug-ging on strings when not part of thecentral action. The effect is as sub-
tly smart and seamless as everythingelse about this show, including StevenHoggettâs graceful choreography. To Aug. 16. Kennedy Center EisenhowerTheater. Tickets are $65 to $160. Call202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org. (Doug Rule)
PETER PAN 360Inspired â to put it mildly â by Cirquedu Soleil, Herrick Entertainment andThreesixty Theatre brings to life J.M.Barrieâs famous family tale under a100-foot-high tent with projection,
puppets and acrobatic sequences.Thom Southerland directs the produc-tion featuring a set designed by WilliamDudley, choreography by Gypsy Sniderand original music by BenjaminWallfisch and Howard Herrick. To Aug. 16. Threesixty Theatre in TysonsCorner Center, 8200 Watson St.,McLean. Tickets are $25 to $125. Call202-397-7328 or visit peterpan360.com.
PSYCHO BEACH PARTYThe Richmond Triangle Playersoffer the perfect summer stage show,Charles Buschâs campy ode to theoriginal surfer flicks â imagine Gidget
crossed with Mommie Dearest. Penny
Ayn Maas directs. Opens Thursday,July 23, at 8 p.m. Weekends to Aug.15. Richmond Triangle Players, 1300 Altamont Ave. Richmond. Call 804-346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.
SILENCE THE MUSICAL A musical spoof based on the 1991Oscar-winning thriller The Silence ofthe Lambs, Studio Theatre stages thisOff-Broadway hit cabaret-style witha full-service bar. Alan Paul directsthis production by writer Hunter Belland composer/lyricists Jon Kaplan
and Al Kaplan, featuring a cast includ-ing Tally Sessions as Hannibal Lecter,Laura Jordan as Clarice Sterling and
Tom Story as Buffalo Bill. To Aug. 9.Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW.Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiothe-atre.org.
SWEENEY TODD-PROGMETAL VERSION Yes, Stephen Sondheim really did givethe quirky and risquĂ© Landless TheatreCompany permission last year to adapthis most commercially successfulmusical as a âprog-metalâ piece, whileleaving the lyrics and Hugh Wheelerâs
zombies, but what does it mean forthe neighbors who arenât playing thegame? David Dieudonne directs a castincluding Jen Bevan, Yoni Gray, BrianKraemer, Annette Mooney Wasno and Alex Zavistovich. Weekends to Aug.2. District of Columbia Arts Center(DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are$17 plus cost of a $7 Fringe button. Call202-462-7833 or visit molotovtheatre.org.
OLIVER! Adventure Theatre MTC offers a pro-
duction at Bethesdaâs Round HouseTheatre of Lionel Bartâs bittersweetclassic musical, based on the Dickensnovel, about the porridge-demand-ing orphan. Joseph Ritsch directs acast including local knockouts RickHammerly and Felicia Curry. OpensFriday, July 24, at 7 p.m. Runs to Aug.16. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are$50 to $60. Call 240-644-1100 or visitadventuretheatre-mtc.org.
Literary OfferingsThe OutWrite Book Festival provides a forum for
diverse perspectives in writing and publishing
âI always say that the reason a community center like us does artsevents is because itâs important to tell our stories,â says David Mariner,
executive director of The DC Center. âCelebrating who we are isimportant.â
And the Center hopes its upcoming OutWrite LGBT Book Festivalcan serve as a public forum for those stories. Now in its fifth year, the
annual two-day event showcases various LGBT literary works and
authors.Things kick off on Friday, July 31, with a tribute to James Earl
Hardy, whose bestselling B-Boy Blues series is celebrating its 20thanniversary. On Saturday, there will be two separate series of work-
shops, one focused on the writing process, the other featuring readingsor spoken word performances by authors and artists. A used-book fair
featuring more than 25 different vendors selling thousands of LGBT-themed books, some for as little as a dollar, will run throughout the day.
Other events over the weekend include Trans* Self-Publishing, a
Black Writerâs Forum (an annual favorite), and âFade to Hot,â whichdeals with how to write literary sex scenes.
Mariner is especially excited about a childrenâs workshop co-hostedwith the D.C. Public Library. âTheyâre going to have readings of books
that are targeted to LGBT families,â Mariner says. âSo weâre superexcited about that, because we havenât had quite as many events where
you can bring your kids to the Center.â â John Riley
The 5th Annual OutWrite LGBT Book Festival will take place on July 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Aug. 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 6
p.m. at the Reeves Center, 2000 14th St. NW. Admission is free. For more information, visit thedccenter.org/outwritedc. l
A guest browses books at 2015âs OutWrite
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book intact. âProg-met al is actu-ally a very complex, a very precise,almost classically based metal,â direc-tor Melissa Baughman explains. âItâsnot just, âLet me rock your face off.ââLandlessâs Andrew Baughman, whodevised the prog-metal concept, playsthe title character. During its debutrun last summer, Landless repeatedlysold out performances â and it alsogarnered the company its first threeHelen Hayes Awards nominations,
including for Outstanding Musical andOutstanding Director. For this yearâsremount, Landless stages the showat the Atlasâs 260-seat Lang Theatre,which is more than twice the size oflast yearâs venue Warehouse Theater.To Aug. 2. Atlas Performing ArtsCenter, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are$29. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atla-sarts.org.
THE BOOK OF MORMON Yes indeed, the biggest show onBroadway in the last decade returnsto the Kennedy Center after 2013âsinitial sold out run. Tickets are thank-fully easier to come by the second
time around, particularly since itnow runs for two months. Written by South Parkâs Trey Parker and MattStone, the riotously funny, audaciousmusical, which won a whopping nineTony Awards, is both cutting edge inshocking substance yet traditional instyle. The Book of Mormon may weavein unexpected and provocative plottwists and scenes as well as conveyextremely modern sensibilities aboutlife, culture and organized religion. Yet it still hews to the standard musi-cal mold, from repeated musical linesand lyrics, to boisterous sing-alonggroup anthems, to sharp group chore-ography and a tap number. To Aug. 16.
Kennedy Center Opera House. Ticketsare $43 to $250. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
THE PRODUCERSMark Waldrop directs an OlneyTheatre production of the zany MelBrooks musical, based on the zany,nearly 50-year-old Mel Brooks film,following the adventures of washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystockand his mousy accountant Leo Bloomwho scheme to get rich by producingthe most notorious flop in the his-tory of show biz. Michael Kostroffplays Max and Michael Di Libertoplays Leo at Olney. Closes this Sunday,
July 26. Olney Theatre Center, 2001Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md.Tickets are $55 to $65. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.
TWELVE ANGRY MENIn 1994, Reginald Roseâs jury dramawas the very first show from Virginiaâs American Century Theater. Now, itwill also serve as its very last. DirectorJack Marshall has assembled hisâdream castâ among TACT veterans,including Craig Miller, Steve Ferry,Michael Replogle, Joe Cronin, EvanCrump, Michael Sherman, Bruce AlanRauscher, Steve Lebens, Lyle BlakeSmithers, David Jourdan, Brian Crane
and John Tweel. To Aug. 8. Gunston
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Theater Two, 2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $32 to $40. Call703-998-4555 or visit americancentury.org.
COMMUNITY STAGE
ALTAR BOYZBaltimoreâs Spotlighters Theatre offersa community-theater productiondirected by Jillian Bauersfield of thefoot-stomping, rafter-raising musicalcomedy about a fictitious Christian boy band. Dating to 2005, the show,featuring music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walkerand a book by Kevin Del Aguila, ranksas the ninth longest-running musicalin Off-Broadway history. To Aug. 2.Spotlighters Theatre, 817 St. Paul St.,Baltimore. Tickets are $20. Call 410-752-1225 or visit spotlighters.org.
COMMANDER As part of the Baltimore PlaywrightsFestival, Baltimoreâs VagabondTheatre, a community theater, stagesMaroi Correaâs play about a gay politi-cian who decides to see if America isready for a gay president â thoughheâs not helped by personal demonsand a troubled partner. Chelsea Dovedirects the production. Closes thisSunday, July 26. Vagabond Theatre,806 S. Broadway, Baltimore. Ticketsare $12. Call 410-563-9135 or visit vaga- bondplayers.org.
MONTY PYTHONâS SPAMALOTMarylandâs Port Tobacco Players offersthis musical retelling of the classicfilm Monty Python and the Holy Grail,directed by Brooke L. Howells-Weiser.Weekends to Aug. 9. Port TobaccoPlayers, 508 Charles St., La Plata, Md.Tickets are $14 to $17. Call 301-932-6819 or visit ptplayers.com.
MUSIC
BILLY JOELFive years ago this straight rock pianoman teamed up with his gay counter-part Elton John for a doubleheader atNationals Park. After knocking it outof the D.C. baseball park again lastsummer, this year Joel returns to theregion for another nostalgia-laced sta-dium show, only this time heâs aimingfor a touchdown further up I-95 wherethe Baltimore Ravens play. Saturday,July 25, at 8 p.m. M&T Bank Stadium,1101 Russell St. Baltimore. Tickets are$54.50 to $129.50. Call 800-745-3000or visit livenation.com.
CASTLETON FESTIVALCelebrated classical music maestroLorin Maazel, who died last year, start-ed this festival with his wife DietlindeTurban-Maazel principally as a wayto boost the careers of young artists,pairing them with professional men-tors to produce full-scale operas andfirst-rate concerts. Taking place atthe Maazelsâ picturesque property in Virginiaâs Rappahannock County, thenot-exclusively classical event, now inits seventh season, runs through Aug.
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Johnny Mercerâs prolific songbookto weave together stories about theman along with his music, includingthe standards âMoon River,â âAutumnLeaves,â âBlack Magic,â and âComeRain or Come Shine.â Friday, July 31,and Saturday, Aug. 1, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave.North Bethesda. Tickets are $35 to$45. Call 301-581-5100 or visit amp- bystrathmore.com.
LITTLE BOOTS, PRINZE GEORGE Victoria Hesketh, better known byher alias Little Boots, makes some ofthe smartest house-steeped pop musicaround, and certainly any fan of Robynor Kylie Minogue should take heed.The British singer-songwriter offers arare U.S. tour in support of her cohe-sive new album Working Girl, with astop at U Street Music Hall presented by the 9:30 Club and featuring openingact Prinze George, a synth-pop trio outof Prince Georgeâs County led by theLana Del Ray-esque vocalist Naomi Almquist. Saturd