METROWEEKLY.

COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman

FEBRUARY 4, 2016
Volume 22 / Issue 39

ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
MANAGING EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr
SENIOR EDITOR
John Riley
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim

NEWS

Gay Republicans React to IOWA

Helen Hayes Award Nominees

10

by John Riley

by Doug Rule

Community Calendar

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Scott G. Brooks, Christopher Cunetto
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Gordon Ashenhurst, Sean Bugg, Connor J. Hogan,
Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield
WEBMASTER
David Uy

FEATURES
14
Doug Schantz
Interview by John Riley

20

MetroStage: Creating a Legacy

OUT ON THE TOWN

22

Bizets Carmen in Havana

24

The Glass Menagerie at

Fords Theatre

by Doug Rule

STAGE

31

the

by Doug Rule

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Media Co.
212-242-6863
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINT
Eric Thomas

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Todd Franson

METRO WEEKLY
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by Doug Rule

Folgers
A Midsummer Nights Dream

by Kate Wingfield

GAMES

33

Lego Marvels Avengers

NIGHTLIFE

37

NYC Invades DC at Cobalt

SCENE

44

Wig Night Out at JR.s

46

Last Word

by Rhuaridh Marr

photography by Ward Morrison

photography by Ward Morrison

COURTESY LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS

LGBT

News

Now online at MetroWeekly.com

Rentboy.com owner indicted for prostitution

Grindr plays host to closeted Virginia lawmaker

Angelo

Gay Republicans
React to IOWA
Whether hoping for a Rubio surge or a Trump
rebound, LGBT issues bear little weight on gay
Republicans choice of candidate
by John Riley

HIS IS ONE OF THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES, Anthony LeCounte

says cheerfully, as he watches the results from Mondays Iowa GOP caucuses. Its clear the poll-ordained frontrunner for the nomination, Donald
Trump, has finished second, four percentage points and more than 6,000
votes behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
For LeCounte, a 26-year-old Republican from Prince William County, Va., who supports Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Trumps loss is cause clbre it wounds the man who
potentially poses the biggest obstacle to a Rubio win in the upcoming New Hampshire pri6

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

mary. Already, the pundit class is declaring

that the momentum is with Rubio, who
is receiving accolades for a strong third
place showing in the Hawkeye State. He
finished just 1 percent behind Trump, with
23 percent of the vote.
I kept saying repeatedly, It aint over
until all the votes are in, yall need to
relax, LeCounte says in his trademark
Southern drawl. Polls can say whatever
they want to, but weve had ample reason
in the past couple of years to be suspicious especially in a situation like the
Iowa caucuses, which are notoriously
hard to poll.
LeCounte has multiple reasons to be
pleased: besides significantly outperforming his expected vote share, Rubio netted
a key endorsement from South Carolina
GOP senator Tim Scott. Scott, one of the
South Carolinas most popular politicians,
is someone who could help the Florida
senator herd voters to the polls in the
GOP primary there on Feb. 20.
A strong showing in South Carolina
could help Rubio wrap up his partys
nomination, much in the same way that
Arizona Sen. John McCain emerged as
the consensus choice after his South
Carolina victory during the 2008 primaries. From LeCountes perspective, that
would be a plus, as he believes Rubio
is the Republican that Democrats fear
the most in a general election, and who
would provide the starkest contrast with
presumptive Democratic frontrunner
Hillary Clinton.
Gregory T. Angelo, executive director
of the national Log Cabin Republicans,
knows many members of his organization are making their own decisions
to support their preferred candidates.
However, Log Cabin will not be endorsing any candidate during the primary.
Once a nominee is chosen, LCRs board
will consider issuing a formal endorsement, but its still early. Board members have only just started conversations
about potential criteria to consider when
making an endorsement.
When you look at the field of GOP
candidates for president, its not as easy
to paint them as anti-gay as Democrats
would have you believe, Angelo says.
Clearly, theres a lot more advocacy that
needs to be done for just about every candidate for president of the United States.
But its also important to point out things,

METROWEEKLY.COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

LGBTNews
such as, Dr. Ben Carson sat on several boards of directors at a
time when they passed LGBT nondiscrimination policies.
Its important to point out that Donald Trump is on record
as saying he supports amending the Civil Rights Act to include
sexual orientation nondiscrimination.... You have Gov. Kasich,
who has attended a same-sex marriage. All of those things show,
at the very least, a sympathy for and an understanding of some
nuances with LGBT rights, even if candidates are not supportive
of, say, marriage equality.
But Angelo also notes that most LGBT conservatives are
not single-issue voters, swayed only by a candidates support
for pro-equality initiatives. Its a common refrain among many
gays who identify with the GOP on bigger issues ranging from
national security to taxes to health care.
Matthew Shuman, 27, of Washington, is a Rubio supporter
who says the senators outreach to millennial voters and his
reasonable stance on immigration, compared to other GOP
candidates, won him over. Rubios performance in Iowa met
his expectations, though he also adds that even a poor showing
would not have changed his candidate preference.
Sen. Rubio could come last in Iowa, and I would still support him, Shuman says. After all, Santorum won the Iowa
caucus, and, fortunately, he is not in the White House.
When it comes to LGBT issues, Shuman notes Rubio believes
sexual preference is something youre born with, even though
he also believes that the definition of marriage should be
between one man and one woman. But Rubios stance is consistent with Shumans own upbringing as a Christian conservative. Furthermore, he adds, Rubio believes that states should be
able to define marriage for themselves, without intrusion from
federal courts.
Sen. Rubio gives respect to all, and when he met me, an
openly gay Republican, he had no issues with that, Shuman
says. I think Marco Rubio is a very sincere and genuine man.
I dont think he is going to undo any of the pro-LGBT policies
that have come out the past few years. He did come out and
make a statement that he doesnt believe the courts should be
legislating, and I agree with that. I think many people in the gay

community also agree that courts should not be making laws if

they are actually involved in policy.
Meanwhile, Adam Savit, 35, of Washington, is solidly in the
Trump camp. He was moderately disappointed, but not devastated with Trumps showing in Iowa, but believes his candidate
will recover.
Much of his campaign is based on the momentum itself,
and on his personality, and therefore, the fact that he lost sort
of punctures that image, says Savit. However, when you look
at things realistically, hes polling ahead in every other state,
including New Hampshire. So when the fickle media gets
around in eight days to calling New Hampshire for him, the narrative will change again.
Savit believes Trumps populist appeals on the stump and
positions on issues resonate with many voters and make him the
most viable candidate in a general election.
I just think more important than any policy, because I
dont think he is a doctrinaire conservative [hes displaying] a
style that has been lacking the last eight years, which I believe
has been negative on the United States, Savit says. Shrinking
on the world scene, seeing American influence as a negative,
whereas, in the net, its a positive. We should be stronger.
As for LGBT issues, they really dont factor into Savits decision. Besides, he doesnt think Trump is anti-gay in any important sense.
I think the president, except for tone, has very little effect
on social issues, he says. I think weve seen that the Supreme
Court does have an effect on it, because of the way the cases
were brought, but generally speaking, its a matter of changing
peoples minds on a grassroots level, on a family-to-family level,
a local level.
My primary concern regarding LGBT issues is individual
rights, Savit continues. So my concern is having an America
thats confident and strong, and having it as an experimentation
ground for all sorts of social and economic issues, including
LGBT issues, leaving that to people, leaving that to state governments. And I dont think the president should or can be the main
mover on that. l

And the Nominees Are...

Arena, Constellation, the Shakespeare and Signature are among the most
nominated for the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards
By Doug Rule

ONSTELLATION THEATRE COMPANYS GAYfriendly puppet musical Avenue Q, a sold-out phenomenon over the summer, is now a Helen Hayes
Award-nominated phenomenon, too. The gay-friendly puppet musical snagged 14 nods, more than any other show
in the 2016 slate, announced Monday, Feb. 1, a week late due to
winter storm Jonas.
Avenue Q dominated in the Helen categories in this years
8

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

two-tiered slate of nominees, leaving it largely free of the

Washington theater scenes heaviest hitters. As with last year,
there are double the number of nominees. If a production
has fewer members of the Actors Equity union, it falls on the
Helen side; if it contains a majority members of Actors Equity,
it is classified under Hayes. The system was designed to create
a more equitable playing field.
This year, the Hayes side is dominated by The Shakespeare

Theatre, with 26 nominations, followed by Arena Stage with

24, Signature with 18, and Olney with 12. Most impressive is
that, just a few years after getting into the musical business, The
Shakespeare racked up half of its nominations for two musicals,
both directed by Alan Paul. Man of La Mancha earned seven
nods including one for outstanding director, and Kiss Me, Kate,
earned six nominations. Signatures popular and criticallypraised West Side Story earned 10 nominations.
Arenas new musical Dear Evan Hansen by Benj Pasek and
Justin Paul scooped up an impressive nine nominations, including Outstanding Original New Play or Musical, Outstanding
Ensemble and Outstanding Director yet not, oddly, for Ben
Platts performance as lead actor.
La Mancha/Kate director Alan Paul will also compete in the
Helen category for his work on Studios Silence of the Lambsparody, Silence! The Musical. Hell run against Avenue Qs Allison
Arkell Stockman, as well as Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory
Smith, the composing team (and real-life gay couple) who helmed
the world premiere of their musical The Turn of the Screw at
Creative Cauldron. Screw snagged three Helen nods, including
outstanding ensemble and outstanding supporting actor.
Perennial lead actor and actress nominees and multiwinners Bobby Smith and Holly Twyford, both gay, are on the
Hayes boards again this year, Smith for his work in Signatures
musical Simply Sondheim and Twyford for Olneys Bad Dog. The
most-nominated show from last falls Womens Voices Theater
Festival, Jennifer Hoppe-Houses Bad Dog earned a total of five
nominations, including Outstanding Play, Outstanding Director
(Jeremy B. Cohen), Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding
Supporting Actress (Naomi Jacobson). Douglas Sills earned
a nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Kiss Me,
Kate, but sadly, his co-star Christine Sherrill, stunning as
the shows namesake, was overlooked. Robyn Hurder, who
played Lois Lane, earned a well-earned nod for Outstanding
Supporting Actress.
Liam Forde from Studio Theatres Jumpers for Goalposts and
Craig Wallace from Fords The Guard are among those competing
as Outstanding Supporting Actor, in both cases for playing gay
characters. Also competing in the category is Michael Willis, the
only nod for Theater Js great gay-themed play Sons of the Prophet.
Among other notable nominees: Rick Hammerly for outstanding lead actor for his work in Adventure Theatre MTCs
Helen production of Oliver! (Arenas production of Oliver!
was completely shut out.) Hammerly will compete against
his castmate Franco Cabanas as well as Matt Dewberry of
Avenue Q. And as Outstanding Actor in the Hayes category,
Michell Hebert (Round Houses Uncle Vanya) will compete
against Michael Russotto (Rep Stages The Whale), Edward
Gero (Arenas The Originalist), Adam Wesley Brown (Folgers
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) and Ramzi Choukair
(STCs Salome).
This years John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging
Theatre Company will be a competitive one, rather than
announced in advance a signal of D.C.s ever-growing and
robust theater scene. Arts on the Horizon, Pallas Theatre
Collective and the Welders, a playwriting collective, were all
nominated for the recognition. l
The 2016 Helen Hayes Awards will be held on Monday, May 23, at
a venue to be announced. Visit theatrewashington.org for the full
list of nominees and more details.
METROWEEKLY.COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

LGBTCommunityCalendar
Metro Weeklys 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 calendar@MetroWeekly.com.
Deadline for inclusion is noon of the Friday before Thursdays publication.
Questions about the calendar may be directed to the
Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or
the calendar email address.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including

others interested in Brazilian culture,
meets. For location/time, email braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice
session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,
SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social club welcomes all levels for
exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing afterward. Meet
9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a
walk; or 10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

THURSDAY, FEB. 4

FRIDAY, FEB. 5

SATURDAY, FEB. 6

GAY MARRIED MENS

ASSOCIATION (GAMMA) is a

GAY DISTRICT, a group for GBTQQI

men between the ages of 18-35, meets
on the first and third Fridays of each
month. 8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information,
visit gaydistrict.org.

ADVENTURING outdoors group

hikes 9 miles along the sometimeschallenging Potomac Heritage
Trail from Rosslyn to Chain Bridge,
returning via the C&O Canal and
Key Bridge. Bring beverages, lunch,
winter-worthy boots and $2 trip fee.
Meet at9:30 a.m. inside the Rosslyn
Metro Station. Contact Jerry, 703920-6871. adventuring.org.

confidential support group for men

who are gay, bisexual, questioning
and who are married or involved
with a woman. GAMMA meets in
Frederick, Md. on the first Thursday
of each month. GAMMA also offers
additional meeting times and places
in Northern Virginia and D.C. 6:308:3 p.m. Grace United Church of
Christ, 25 E. 2nd St., Frederick,
Md. For more information, visit
GAMMAinDC.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

practice session at Takoma 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 through advanced square
dancing at the National City Christian
Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30
p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517,
dclambdasquares.org.
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern
Virginia social group meets for happy
hour at Sheraton in Reston, 11810
Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor
bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. 202-567-3155
or testing@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics

Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,

3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group is
independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ women,
13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163,
catherine.chu@smyal.org.

10

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP for

adults in Montgomery County offers
a safe space to explore coming out
and issues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m.
16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512,
Gaithersburg, Md. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The DC Center hosts a monthly meeting of its TRANS SUPPORT GROUP
for transgender people and those who
identify outside of the gender binary.
7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

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

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment

needed. 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, laycdc.org.

SMYALS REC NIGHT provides

a social atmosphere for GLBT and

questioning youth, featuring dance
parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. More info, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for

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

METROWEEKLY.COM

BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay

volunteer organization, volunteers

today for Food & Friends and Lost
Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls
Church PetSmart. To participate, visit
burgundycrescent.org.

CENTER GLOBAL, a group focusing

on various issues and anti-gay laws

affecting the LGBT community across
the globe, holds its monthly meeting
at The DC Center. 12-2 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.

CENTER GLOBALS RESOURCE

GUIDE GROUP holds a planning

session following Center Globals

monthly meeting. 2-4 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group

visits the recently-renovated Renwick

Gallery near the White House. Free,
non-members welcome. Lunch in
area follows. Meet at 11 a.m. inside
the main lobby at 17th & Pennsylvania
Avenue NW. Craig, 202-462-0535.
craighowell1@verizon.net.

WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707 or andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by

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

DC SENTINELS basketball team

meets at Turkey Thicket 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-theHill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria.
All welcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses

critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St. NW.
RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@
gmail.com.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential

HIV testing in Takoma Park, 7676

New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walkins 12-3 p.m. For appointments other
hours, call 301-422-2398.

SUNDAY, FEB. 7
ADVENTURING outdoors group
hikes an easy 3.5 miles along the
Georgetown Branch Trail between
the Bethesda and Silver Spring Metro
Stations. Refreshments in Silver
Spring follow. Bring beverages, lunch,
$2 trip fee. Meet at 11 a.m. at the top
of the Bethesda Metro escalators, at
the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue
and Old Georgetown Road. Craig, 202462-0535. adventuring.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive
and radically inclusive church holds
services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota
Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice
session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,
SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,

10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,

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

METROWEEKLY.COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

11

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT

GROUP for gay men living in the DC

metro area. This group will be meeting once a month. For information on
location and time, visit H2gether.com.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL

TEMPLE UNITED CHURCH OF

CHRIST for an inclusive, loving and

progressive faith community every

Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW,
near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood.
lincolntemple.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. No appointment needed. 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: 703-7894467.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for

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

services at 11 a.m., led by Rev. Onetta

Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11
a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax.
703-691-0930, mccnova.com.

THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee DropIn for the Senior LGBT Community.
10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202682-2245, thedccenter.org.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN

CHURCH, inclusive church with

US HELPING US hosts a black gay

mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THE

INCARNATION, 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 UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING

invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to join
the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15
a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave.
uucss.org.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER

POLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m.

Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van

Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at
least basic swimming ability always
welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH

HIV/AIDS Support Group for newly

diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.
Registration required. 202-939-7671,
hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9
The DC Center holds a meeting of its

COMING OUT DISCUSSION GROUP

MONDAY, FEB. 8
WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio
Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at

Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW.
getequal.wdc@gmail.com.

ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner

HIV Testing at WHITMANWALKER HEALTH. At the Elizabeth

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

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

METROWEEKLY.COM

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY

(K.I.) SERVICES, 3333 Duke St.,

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

WEEKLY EVENTS

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th

St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max
Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave.
SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

12

for those navigating issues associated

with coming out and personal identity.
7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30 p.m.

afwash@aol.com, afwashington.net.

practice session at Takoma Aquatic

Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9
p.m. swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social club serving greater D.C.s

LGBT community and allies hosts an
evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.

THE GAY MENS HEALTH

COLLABORATIVE offers free HIV

testing and STI screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m.

Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic,

Alexandria Health Department, 4480
King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571214-9617. james.leslie@inova.org.

THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE

DC CENTER hosts Packing Party,
where volunteers assemble safe-sex
kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m.,
Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court
NW. thedccenter.org.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT focused meeting every
Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georges
Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave.,
Arlington, just steps from Virginia
Square Metro. For more info. call
Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicapped
accessible. Newcomers welcome.
liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5
p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,
410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
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, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a support

group for black gay men 40 and older.
7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY

MENS HEALTH AND WELLNESS/

STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701

14th St. NW. Patients are seen on

walk-in basis. No-cost screening for
HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis and herpes testing
available for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10
RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition dedicated to combating LGBTQ
intimate partner violence, holds its
monthly meeting at The DC Center
on the second Wednesday of every
month. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,

Suite 105. For more information, visit

rainbowresponse.org.

THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets

for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity
Center, 721 8th St SE (across from
Marine Barracks). No reservations
needed. All welcome. 202-841-0279 if
you need a partner.

WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome.
For more information, call Fausto
Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison

Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH

offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.

and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-5491450, historicchristchurch.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confiden-

tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414

East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m.
For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-

gram for job entrants and seekers,

meets at The DC Center. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. 6-7:30 p.m. For more
info, www.centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers

free, rapid HIV testing. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th
St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social

club for mature gay men, hosts
weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl, 703573-8316. l

METROWEEKLY.COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

13

Neighborhood
trophy

In 2007, Doug Schantz shelved a career in advertising to open a gay sports bar.
Nine years later, Nellies is a thriving, U Street institution.
Inter view by John Riley
Photography by Todd Franson

ELLIES OWNER DOUG SCHANTZ KEEPS THE ATMOsphere at his bar upbeat and lively. But even he was unprepared for the how rowdy his patrons became when Barack
Obama was elected president over John McCain in 2008.
We had only been open a year, and we were just hitting our
stride, says Schantz. And people knew we had thirty TVs.
We were packed to the point that there were people standing
on the stairs. [Obama] won, and everyone ran out in the street,
not paying their tabs, taking all of my glassware, with beer
bottles, running down the street, screaming.
After the revelry subsided, Schantz was able to herd the
tab-skippers back inside. He wasnt so lucky when it came to
the glassware.
We found some five days later, down the street, like, Hey,
theres a Nellies cup, he laughs.
In the nine years since Nellies first opened, Schantz has
emphasized its versatility. Besides beer and spirits, Nellies
touts its full-time kitchen staff and a menu that goes beyond
fried finger food. Patrons can also take part in a variety of
nightly events, each bringing their own unique crowds. Mondays
belong to poker players and drag bingo and karaoke have a foothold
on Tuesdays. Wednesdays draw the brainy and the quick-witted for
weekly trivia night. Saturdays and Sundays offer the famous drag
brunches, sold out a month in advance.
The thing about Nellies that I didnt expect to be so successful
is that every night is busy, but with a completely different group
of people, Schantz says. We just did, with that snowstorm that
happened, a What the Duck? onesie party. It was packed here.
And the people who you havent seen for a while were here, lining
up, just wearing onesies. And walking out in the snow in onesies.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, were watching this exciting
playoff game between the Patriots and the Broncos. Off the charts

14

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

crazy-busy there. And on the next level, a different universe.

At the same time, Schantz has also stressed consistency and
reliability to appeal to the local residents in the U Street and
Shaw neighborhoods and keep his regular customer base satisfied. Those customers want somewhere they know they can get
quality service, wall-to-wall coverage of sports, and a comfortable atmosphere where they can unwind after work or socialize
on the weekends.
When I opened Nellies, I put peoples pictures up: local
friends, people jogging, races, guys hanging out in football
league, whatever, Schantz says. I asked the leagues to bring
stuff in, and banners from some of the schools, so that, within
the first month, it felt like it had been there forever. That whole
concept was based on the idea that this isnt going to change.
Schantz attributes part of his success to the hard work and
loyalty of his staff, most of whom have been working at Nellies
for more than four years something almost unheard of in an
industry frequently plagued by high turnover. He also abides by
several guidelines that hes put in place that help promote the
bar as open and welcoming to all who enter.
When I opened Nellies, I told people: were never going to
charge at the door, because its a neighborhood, friendly, open
atmosphere. We dont have a VIP area, so we dont rope off
something. You can always count on coming in to Nellies and it
will be open for you throughout the building. We dont charge
for space, Schantz says. This is a neighborhood bar that you
can walk in and count on, just like the show Cheers.
METRO WEEKLY: What was your childhood like?
DOUG SCHANTZ: I was born in Phoenix, Arizona. But when I was

growing up, I spent summers in Emporia, Kansas, where Nellie

is from. My family moved there in 1865, so were fourth- or fifthgeneration Kansans. I went on to college at the University of
Colorado. And moved to D.C. from New York in 1995.
MW: When did you realize that you were gay?
SCHANTZ: I grew up in very conservative states, in both Arizona
and Kansas. I probably knew when I was very young, but it was
such a foreign concept that I didnt really identify with it. It was
also back in a time when no one was really out, and all that sort
of thing.
So I came out very late in life, when I was 29. In college, my
experience was completely straight. The University of Colorado
didnt have a large gay population that I knew of or at least I
didnt recognize it. I was in a fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon,
and had a fantastic college experience dating women. But I was
also realizing at that time that this is probably not who I really
am.
MW: What did you imagine your life would be at the time?
SCHANTZ: When I thought about the future, I just didnt know. I
basically buried it, and didnt really think about the future that
way until I moved to Chicago when I was 29. I was working in
advertising. And I started to meet a much more diverse group of
people. I had a gay friend at the time. He knew I was gay. And I
did, too, but I just didnt want to take that step. He encouraged
me to come out, and I did.
MW: What was your familys reaction?
SCHANTZ: I hadnt told anybody in Chicago when I came out. I
moved to New York. My mother came to visit me in New York.
She actually went to Jackie Onassis funeral that week. She and
I were at a flea market, and we were having a bagel. And I told
her that I was gay. She just looked me right in the eye and said,
I love you, no matter who you are. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

I said, I can fly back to Emporia and tell Dad if you want.
And she said, No, let me do it. And when she told him, he was
fine with it. So Im very, very lucky. I have a very loving, close
family. So many people dont, and thats sad. Not lately, not as
many, but Ive heard some really sad things. And I know friends
who have bad situations.
I also have one brother that Im incredibly close to, Tim. And
I had told him earlier. My partner and I lived in a fantastic house
that had two bedrooms, and one bedroom was made up like it
was my room, and it actually was not. And my brother came into
the house, walked right to the back room, because theres a big
master bedroom where we clearly slept, and the back bedroom
had a little bed that was almost a cot. He sat down and said, So,
this is your room and fell through. And he looked at me and
said, Yeah, you sleep here. And thats basically how I told my
brother.
MW: Tell me about your first experience in a gay bar.
SCHANTZ: That was very uneasy, because I wasnt out. It was in
Chicago, called Sidetrack. And Roscoes I actually went to
both that night. It was frightening, but it was also enlightening.
It was just refreshing to see that there were people who were gay
and having a good time.
MW: How long was your first relationship?
SCHANTZ: I was working on advertising for Ace Hardware. And
I met a guy who was my first boyfriend Tim about a month
into it. We just started to hang out together, and became a
couple. We moved after about a year to New York together, as a
couple. And so, throughout the time I lived in New York, for six
years, I was coupled with this person.
In New York, we had a great life. We went to all of the different clubs there, it was an exciting time to live in New York the
Roxy and all these places were just opening up. It was a very
club-oriented, edgy time. Wed go out to the Hamptons, wed go
out to Fire Island, and I had a great experience, right off the bat.
But I had never really experienced the single life, as a new
gay. We are still very close, but we just decided to part. He ended
up staying in New York, and I moved here to D.C. in 1995.
MW: What was your first impression of Washington?
SCHANTZ: I loved it. When we broke up, I wanted to move back to
a city like Chicago, but that wasnt so cold. I wanted rowhouses
and such. So I came here. Tim actually came first, and thought he
might move here and work on a political campaign. Then I came
and fell in love with the city. I got a job at Earle Palmer Brown,
and then I got a job at RTC Direct, which is in Georgetown. And
loved it, and loved the gay scene.
When I decided to move here, I lived at 17th and Q. I could
literally see Trumpets from my window. And JR.s was right
around the corner. Cobalt had just opened up. It was really fun,
we went all the time. I probably went to JR.s five days a week,
just to hang out there. I had lots of friends. Id throw parties all
the time. I was famous for Sunday brunches where people would
come, but wed never have any food. It was just a huge vat of
Bloody Mary mix. That was breakfast.
The way I met some of my best friends, who are still my
friends 21 years later, is I walked through JR.s the second week I
lived here, and handed out my card, and said, Im going to have
a brunch. Please come.
MW: When did you first decide you wanted to go into the nightlife
business?
SCHANTZ: Well, back in the day when I was in my fraternity, even
when I was in high school, I was very social. I was the Social
Chairman for my fraternity for two-and-a-half years, and youre
only supposed to be it for one semester. But I was good at it.

and they like your bar, you win. So one of the strategies behind
Nellies was to open a sports bar that would have a captive audience.
When I started to really look at the sports bars in D.C., there
were none. Back when I opened Nellies in 2007 though I
started in 2005 there was ESPN Zone and all the big ones
downtown, and there were several in Virginia, but none of them
had the personality that I wanted to portray.
MW: What were you aiming for?
SCHANTZ: More of a neighborhood bar, with good food. You
know, fresh salads, and creative items and wraps, and no one
had that. We also have 25 to 50 people call in for carry-out. I
guarantee you other sports bars, besides for big events, dont
have that as a regular restaurant-type thing. That was my sports
bar idea, overlapping the neighborhood idea, capitalizing on the
Chicago things I saw, and so this is a perfect opportunity to have
this corner bar, here in D.C., where the neighborhood literally
grew up around it.
MW: Where did the name Nellies originate from?
SCHANTZ: Nellie is actually my great-grandmother. Shes my
grandfathers mother. I did not know her. She came from another time. Her mothers name was actually Nellie, and they were
a high Victorian family. Nellie was a total character in terms of

I was famous for Sunday brunches

where people would come, but
wed never have any food.

It was just a huge vat of Bloody

Mary mix. That was breakfast.
So I worked at these different ad agencies, and in the back
of my mind, was always thinking that Id like to start my own
business. I was seeing all these ads a bar called Splash was just
opening in New York, and the guy that did all the graphics was
working at Ogilvy & Mather, and there were several people like
that, who had opened different businesses, and I thought, This
is so exciting, and I would love to do something like that.
There was this place called Champs in New York, that was
this big sports bar idea, but not like Nellies it didnt have food.
And I thought, I should do something like that, but make it more
of a neighborhood bar, like I experienced in Chicago. Chicago
has hundreds of bars. Every other corner has a corner bar. And
people would hang out there. Thats all you do, because theres
eight feet of snow. So they would hang out there, and they all
knew each other. I thought all of these different things could
connect the dots for what I wanted to do.
So when I came here, I worked for another five or six years,
but from the moment I moved here, with my newfound friends, I
started to talk about opening a sports bar. And it was just because
I had the concept down of what I wanted to do.
MW: Why a sports bar?
SCHANTZ: Because it was a new idea. When I was going to the gay
bars, they were either clubs or corner bars, but they all played
the Madonna and Cher videos, and all that sort of thing. I had
friends who were playing softball in Chicago, and then in New
York, there were some football teams, and they really didnt
have a place to hang out. I thought, This is an untapped market. They were also so loyal. If you get a sports group together,

social [situations], and just had a lot of fun in life. Aunt Bertha,
her younger sister, would tell me stories about that.
Also, the name Nellie, you know, if youre nelly, youre not
good at sports, and I thought, This is fabulous. I can name it
after a real person, and it can also have a secondary meaning
thats fun. Now, I will say, when I first opened Nellies, there
were a couple of people who emailed me or wrote me that I
was taking gay sports back a step. Because insinuating that gay
sports people are nelly. And I wrote back: Im proud of my
great-grandmothers name, and hope to see you at Nellies. You
cant argue with them. Ironically, one of those people [who complained] is now one of our better customers.
MW: Some sports bars make money, others dont. What is it that
sets Nellies apart that allows this business model to flourish,
beyond what youve already mentioned?
SCHANTZ: Basically, Nellies is a gay neighborhood sports bar. So
we have captured all three of those audiences, and given that my
background is marketing, in the gay aspect, Im gay, I have gay
friends, and its name speaks for itself. The neighborhood aspect,
were in this neighborhood and its become a place for people
to have dinner, watch TV, socialize with their friends. So thats
another group of people who may not be gay, but also fill seats.
And the sports bar aspect, I didnt hang my hat on just that. So
the first two help to balance the entire business model.
I tell my staff Were not ever advertising for the Super Bowl,
were not advertising on New Years Eve, were not advertising
on playoffs. We dont need to put ads in a magazine saying,
Come to Nellies for the Super Bowl. Because we dont need
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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

17

to, thats low-hanging fruit. But, like you said, Saturday mornings
in the middle of June are pretty dead, theres not a lot of sports
going on. So you have to fill that with other things, which are the
neighborhood aspect, or whatever we have going on.
MW: What do you attribute to your success? Do you feel you have
to compete for customers with other gay bars?
SCHANTZ: The key to success of a marketer is not to convince
people who arent your target to become your target. Its to identify your target, and get their friends or like-minded persons to
come. So thats what we do. As far as competition goes, I focus
on what Nellies purpose is. Of course Im aware of whats going
on outside of my business, but I dont consider any of the gay bar
or any of the neighborhood bars or any of the sports bars specific
competition.
Look at the neighborhood. This was a field, now its luxury
condos over here. Weve got a movie theater, theres a Whole
Foods going in. So we definitely arent the lone cruise ship out
here, weve got to adapt to what the clientele is, and what the
neighborhood is. You want to make sure youre keeping up with

wildly successful. And Team DC has grown with us. And thats
a very good example of a group that benefitted from Nellies
being open, and us benefitting from all the leagues they come in
contact with.
MW: What do you see in the future? Is there any project you have
your eye on, or something that you think is a good idea on the
horizon?
SCHANTZ: Yes, I think that Im a very conservative person in
terms of opening a lot of people are saying you should open
a second or third Nellies, or in a different city, or what have
you and I look back over the nine years, and we have this solid
business model. In the nine years, Ive purchased the building,
Ive paid back all the investors. Im set, probably, to do something else, and I have a few ideas. There are things in the works.
MW: Is that still on the table, the idea of opening in another city?
SCHANTZ: It could be. It could be. I have different options. Its
nice to have options.
MW: Whats the best party youve ever thrown?
SCHANTZ: The best party would be theres a lot that were
unique but I guess Nats Night OUT is a good
one. That basically brought all these people
here, who were coming from a game, and leavTheres cer tain par ts of Nellies that are just
ing together, and having a great time. In the
magical. When people are gathered together
summertime, we did Guil-Tea, the tea dance,
that was a really good one. And that was with
in the dining room, and theres an exciting
Shea Van Horn, whos incredibly talented and
game, and everyones chanting and
a good friend, and we hit it out of the part with
Guil-Tea. It was just a timely party.
screaming its just amazing.
MW: And the worst?
SCHANTZ: We were giving away a free piece of
pie Thanksgiving week, with a promotion of
the times, and what youre offering. If were just a sports bar, we Just come in, and youll get a free piece of pie. And so I bought
probably wouldnt have drag bingo, because thats really not a 300 pies. [Laughs.] And I thought for sure it would work. I gave
sport. But you have to adapt and listen to your customer base and away like three slices.
see what their needs are.
So every time a friend would come over, or the kitchen crew
was leaving, or the servers, Id say, Take a pie with you. And
MW: On the topic of adaptation, what do you say to people who
comment that Nellies is attracting an increasingly straight crowd? they were everywhere, all over the walk-in, they were back in
SCHANTZ: Well, Marketing 101 is first you want to make sure
the food cabinets. We had pies left over for about two weeks. It
you have a solid customer base. Everybody who works here was a nightmare. And so my friend, Eric Thomas, who passed
has worked here a long time. So what we do with Nellies is we away, was one of my dear best friends. He was just very to the
deliver great service, a friendly atmosphere, great food, all that. point. He turned and said, They cant all be winners. [Laughs.]
Thats going to appeal to, hopefully, everybody.
MW: Everyone was on their diet.
We have a thing called Join Our Team, where people fill SCHANTZ: Now, if they come up with a vodka pie, Im going to go
out their name, their address, their birthday. And its a very back to that promotion, and do a free slice of vodka pie. And itll
successful program. We send out about 1,500 birthday cards be fantastic.
a month, and we get about 35 to 40 percent of them back. My MW: What are your plans for Super Bowl Sunday?
mother and I and our friends who were helping me during those SCHANTZ: Were going to be open. We have $15 buckets all day.
first few days were saying, when people were coming in to fill Theres not a lot to say. Were out there. People know were here
them out, were opening a straight-friendly gay bar. So if Im as a sports bar. I just hope its an exciting game. Like the first
going to open something thats a neighborhood bar, its going to playoff game versus the second playoff game, its fun when its
include all types of people. And the customer base here mirrors really exciting.
the staff: theres women, theres men, every minority. Every walk
Theres certain parts of Nellies that are just magical, and one
of life is represented in both the staff and our customer base.
of them is when people are gathered together in the dining room,
MW: Whats your relationship like with Team DC?
and theres an exciting game, like the World Cup or something,
SCHANTZ: Its very good. Brent Minor and I are friends. Hes and everyones chanting and screaming its just amazing. I
someone who, at the beginning, when I opened, the first thing meet people on the street who know that I own Nellies, and
we did was Nats Night OUT, and we were packed, and we didnt theyll say, I just go there, and Im happy. Its a happy, fun
know what we were doing. It was a disaster. [Laughs.] It wasnt a place. l
disaster it was just fun, pure fun. Weve done Nats Night OUT
for nine years in a row. I invested in t-shirts so that everybodys Nellies Sports Bar is located at 900 U St. NW, and will be open
wearing Nellies one, to get the Nellies name and brand out on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more
there, and two, to let people proudly walk around at the Nats information and daily hours, call 202-332-6355 or visit nelliessgame to be identified as a group that came here. And it was portsbar.com.
18

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Roz White, Rayshun LaMarr, Anthony Manough, Lori Williams

Creating a Legacy

At MetroStage, Thomas W. Jones II develops profound, engaging works that embrace the African American experience
By Doug Rule // Photography by Chris Banks

RESH OUT OF COLLEGE, THOMAS W. JONES

II thought about becoming a comedian. I really
got into performance that was really engaging an
audience, he says. You know, where it was just
the performer and the audience.
Jones quickly realized stand-up wasnt the
performance art for him.
I tried that once and said, Im going to leave that to the professionals. Im going to go into the theater where people arent
drunk and heckling at two in the morning.
So into the theater Jones went, as an occasional performer
but mostly as a writer, director and choreographer, with musicsteeped shows generally with some larger thematic import. As
a child of the Black Arts Movement (mentored by one of the
movements pioneers, Sonia Sanchez), the New York native says,
I always saw a kind of kinetic connection between social and
political issues and the role of the theater in advancing that.
Jones has long been a familiar presence in Washington theater, having won six Helen Hayes Awards with one of his very
first shows, 1995s Bessies Blues, written with composer Keith
Rawls, and presented by the Studio Theatre. Over the past 15
20

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

years, Jones has become closely associated with Alexandrias

MetroStage, which revived Bessies Blues last year. As the 32-yearold companys most frequent collaborator, Jones helms at least
one show a season, usually focused on retelling and relating the
life and times of an influential African-American artist, everyone
from Bessie Smith to Langston Hughes to Sammy Davis Jr.
Jones never lost his comedic sensibility, which shows up in
the way he describes his work. I developed this thing of wanting to do doggie-bag theater, he says. You want to take some of
this home with you.
Certainly Carolyn Griffin has taken his work home, as well as
to heart. I think Tom is one of the finest lyricists out there, bar
none, says Griffin, producing artistic director of MetroStage.
What he writes as a lyricist is pure poetry.... Theres a rhythm
and a lyricism to his writing, even a lot of his dialogue, that I
really respond to.
Jones and Griffin began working together just before
MetroStage founded in 1984 as the American Showcase
Theatre Company opened in its current 130-seat location in
2001, in a retrofitted lumber warehouse near the Alexandria
waterfront. What started as a couple of readings of his musical

Knowles, Hubbard and Jones

works has blossomed into a home, and a place where I get to work with friends, amazing artists
who dont always get a chance to be out there, says Jones. This family of artists includes composers William Hubbard and William Knowles, as well as tap legend Maurice Hines and actress
Roz White. We all kind of migrated here, he says. We kind of nested here creatively.
This nesting of talent has resulted in what Griffin refers to as many shows about groundbreaking African-American musical icons, from Cool Papas Party to Three Sistahs, from Pearl Bailey...
by request to Ladies Swing the Blues, the shows.
[These shows] have great entertainment value and very significant meaning in the historical,
sociocultural, political, racial life of the 20th century, says Griffin. There was no greater plan
that created this. It just evolved because I, as the artistic director, get to choose what we do. And
these are the stories Im interested in, and the music Im interested in, and the artists Im interested in showcasing.
To celebrate her association with Jones, Griffin asked him to develop a new show that synthesized his work for MetroStage. The resulting production, Shake Loose: An Evening of Moods, Blues
& Icons, is more than a musical revue.
Its not a jukebox musical, she says. These are songs and scenes that take you from start to
finish through the 20th Century. It covers everything all the stories, all the eras, all the decades, all
the events that were iconic events in our lives in the 20th Century through the prism of AfricanAmerican artists. Four singers longtime Jones collaborator White, Lori Williams, Anthony
Manough and Rayshun Lamarr perform the evenings 37 songs with accompaniment by a fivepiece band led by Knowles. Anybody who has been to a MetroStage musical over the years will

no doubt recognize at least a

couple of these songs which
may sound like jazz, blues or
R&B standards, but in fact are
all original compositions.
Shake Loose doesnt explicitly touch on LGBT themes,
though it does include a
couple of songs from Two
Queens, One Castle, a 2006
musical Jones co-wrote with
Jevetta Steele exploring the
phenomenon of down low
outwardly straight AfricanAmerican men who are married to women but secretly
having sex with men on the
side.
Jones, who is straight, continues to explore LGBT topics and is currently developing
a play about Sir Lady Java,
a Los Angeles cabaret artist
and early transgender activist. Java was allegedly a mistress of Redd Foxx and Sammy
Davis Jr., says Jones. She
succeeded in challenging, all
the way to the state Supreme
Court, a local ordinance that
made it illegal to dress against
ones gender.
At the heart of all of Joness
work is the principle of living your life authentically....
I think the idea of trying to
live your life unapologetically
is what underscores all of it.
All signs point to more
Jones-helmed productions at
MetroStage. Says Griffin, I like
the way he writes, I like the stories he tells, and certainly I like
what comes out of his collaborations with William Knowles
and William Hubbard.
For Joness part, he says
MetroStage is a space where
were able to do the kind of
work that not only is where
our strengths are, but also
stretches us. Carolyn lets us
play. And thats always a good
thing. l
Shake Loose: A Musical
Evening of Blues Moods
& Icons runs to March 6 at
MetroStage, 1201 North Royal
St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55
to $60. Call 800-494-8497 or
visit metrostage.org.

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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

21

FEBRUARY 4 - 11, 2016

Compiled by Doug Rule

SPOTLIGHT

LPIMAGERY

CARMEN:
AN AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ MUSICAL

InSeries 2010 collaboration with TWB, WAM! (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Bizet
in
Havana
The Washington Ballet stages a Cuban-based, cross-genre collaboration with The InSeries

UBA IS A COMMON THREAD RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE LIFE AND WORK OF SEPTIME
Webre. The first work he developed as artistic director of the Washington Ballet traced his Cuban
roots, and Webre, who grew up in Texas, also led the company on a tour of the communist country
in 2000 making it the first American ballet to perform there in 40 years.
So when the idea came up to stage Bizets Carmen in a cross-genre collaboration with the music-oriented
InSeries, Webre decided to give it a Cuban twist.
Carmen has been told in so many different ways and this seemed to be an interesting in to illuminate a
new facet of Carmen, by invoking Havana in the 1920s, he says. You know, Carmen in a tobacco factory,
and including music from the island kind of blending Spanish and Cuban culture.
Webre has co-staged the production with the ballets associate artistic director David Palmer, creating original choreography set to balleros popularized by the film Buena Vista Social Club. Webre has also
reworked choreography from his 2000 ballet Juanita y Alicia. Yet the bulk of the movement comes from his
dance adaptation of Carmen in 2001, set to the Spanish-inflected score by French composer Georges Bizet.
Music director and pianist Carlos C. Rodriguez whom Webre calls a really fine musician will render
the music live, accompanied by percussionists Ivan Navas and Gary Sosias.
Carmen in Havana is the sixth collaboration in ten years between the ballet and presenting organization
the In Series. Previous productions explored topics ranging from Mozarts childhood to the art songs and
chansons of mid-century France. Its essentially a blending of genres, opera and dance, Webre says. It is
both a classical music experience and a dance experience, with singers and dancers integrated fully.
Six singers perform Bizets classic tragedy, including the great Anamer Castrello in the role of Carmen
and theyre complemented by nearly 20 dancers from the Washington Ballets Studio Company, an ensemble
of aspiring dancers aged 18 to 22. Really powerful dancers, great technique, very international from
Brazil, China, South Africa, France, the United States, Canada, really all over the world, Webre says. They
bring a kind of fresh energy to the project.
By looking at Carmen, this important work of theater and opera, in a new way, he continues, we hope
to illuminate some aspects of the production that havent been seen before. Doug Rule
Bizets Carmen in Havana will be performed Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m., and
Sunday, Feb. 7, at 4 p.m. Lang Theatre at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE.
Tickets are $46. Call 202-204-7763 or visit inseries.org.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

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Some of Broadways best writer/

director Moises Kaufman (The Laramie
Project) and choreographer Sergio
Trujillo (Jersey Boys) among them
are behind this world-premiere adaptation of Bizets opera as a musical
set in 1958 revolutionary Cuba. Olney
Theatre presents a co-production with
Kaufmans Tectonic Theater Project
featuring lyrics by Kaufman and a book
co-written by Kaufman and Eduardo
Machado, with music composed and
adapted by Arturo OFarrill. The
18-person cast stars Brandon Andrus
as Jose, Caesar Samayoa as Camilo and
Christina Sajous as the tragic titular
diva. Opens in previews Wednesday,
Feb. 10, at 8 p.m. Runs to March 16.
Mainstage at Olney Theatre Center,
2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney,
Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

GMCWS ROCK CREEK SINGERS,

POTOMAC FEVER

The Atlas presents a special concert

showcasing the Gay Mens Chorus
of Washingtons two select vocal
ensembles, the 14-voice close-harmony a cappella group Potomac Fever
and the 34-singer eclectic chamber
ensemble Rock Creek Singers. The
Way We Were program offers a sentimental trip down memory lane and
revisits some of the ensembles best
songs. Friday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m., and
Saturday, Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Lang Theatre in the Atlas Performing
Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are
$20 to $39. Call 202-399-7993 or visit
atlasarts.org.

JOE GOODE
PERFORMANCE GROUP

The Resilience Project aims to explore

how humans deal with trauma, using
storytelling and performance as a way
of finding universality and strength in
the face of adversity. The company
interviews returning veterans from
Iraq/Afghanistan about their recovery or ongoing process of adjustment,
with the resulting staged work consisting almost verbatim of their stories and accounts. Friday, Feb. 5, and
Saturday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. American
Dance Institute, 1501 East Jefferson
St. Rockville. Tickets are $30. Call 301984-3003 or visit americandance.org.

MAESTRO

The Arlington Philharmonic presents

an exclusive area screening of this

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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

23

new documentary by director and

producer David Donnelly, who will
appear for a Q&A. To be released in
the U.S. later this year, Maestro focuses on renowned conductor Paavo Jarvi
and the contemporary world of classical music and features, among others,
Lang Lang, Joshua Bell and Hilary
Hahn. The screening comes as part
of the philharmonics 10th anniversary season. Thursday, Feb. 11, starting
with a social hour, light fare and live
music at 6 p.m., with film screening
at 7 p.m. Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre,
1611 N. Kent St. Arlington. Tickets are
$30 in advance or $40 at the door. Call
703-910-5161 or visit arlingtonphilharmonic.org.

SCOTT SUCHMAN

SENORITA Y MADAME

Reflective Menagerie

Fords Theatre stages a resonant Tennessee Williams classic

HOMAS KEEGAN STANDS TALLER THAN EVERYONE ELSE LITERALLY

and figuratively in the production of The Glass Menagerie now at Fords Theatre.
Keegan is playing Jim OConnor, Lauras Gentleman Caller, in Tennessee
Williamss classic play, and against all odds, we pin our hopes on Jim as the savior of Laura
Wingfield, a slightly disabled, horribly shy young woman, who is also pretty, pure and sweet.
Williamss sideways tribute to a real-life sister, The Glass Menagerie (HHHHH) is the
type of play you warm up to. Its the type of play we see shades of ourselves in and other
people in our lives. The play doesnt truly come to life until the tete-a-tete with Jim and
Laura at the conclusion.
Director Mark Ramont has assembled a solid cast, led by Madeleine Potter as the domineering, dispirited matriarch Amanda. Jenna Sokolowski effectively portrays Laura as the
fragile unicorn eager to shed her horn, thinking naively that will make her feel like the rest
of the equines in her glass collection. Tom Story adds shades of creepy and aloofness to
Tom, Lauras realistic, if not exactly sympathetic, brother. The Glass Menagerie is every bit
as much of a thinking play, at least when staged in the kind of reflective and resonant manner as Ramont has done here.
Theres little about Timothy R. Mackabees set from the austere backdrop of a network of metal fire escapes to the small, old-fashioned living room that provides a sense
of warmth or comfort. And yet, it certainly has the look of home, or at least a home youve
known. Equally familiar yet unsettling are Clint Allens projections of black and white family photographs chiefly of the always-there, always-smiling father, who long ago left the
family high and dry.
Theres a sense about the whole affair of history repeating itself and of anxieties becoming self-fulfilling. And yet we hold out hope for Laura until the bitter end. Its the true
marker of a powerful, compelling production. Doug Rule
The Glass Menagerie runs to Feb. 21 at Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17 to
$64. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fordstheatre.org.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

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GALA Theatre presents this show,

subtitled The Secret War of Elizabeth
Arden and Helena Rubinstein, a comedy exploring the clash between two
icons of beauty and marketing that
helped revolutionize the fashion
industry and change societal views
about beauty. Consuelo Trum directs
Gustavo Otts play, presented in
Spanish with English surtitles. Opens
Thursday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. Runs
to Feb. 28. GALA Theatre at Tivoli
Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are
$38 to $42. Call 202-234-7174 or visit
galatheatre.org.

STORY DISTRICT

Local storytelling organization formerly known as SpeakEasyDC

offers its eighth Sucker for Love,
a Valentines Day-themed event with
true tales about loves found, lost and
imagined. Unlike other storytelling
organizations, Story District is focused
on congenial camaraderie not competition no judged Story Slams here.
Those presenting this year are Amanda
Sapir, Annie Lipsitz, Cait Reilly, Keith
Mellnick, Laura Feiveson, Michael
Cotter, Morgan Givens, Nupur Mehta
and Sarah Weber. Mike Baireuther
hosts this show that he co-directed
with Stephanie Garibaldi. Saturday,
Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215
U St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202328-6000 or visit thelincolndc.com.

THE CITY OF CONVERSATION

Doug Hughes directs an in-the-round

production at Arena Stage of Anthony
Giardinas play, offering an inside
look at the theater of politics as seen
from the vantage point of a fictional
Georgetown hostess and her Ferris
family clan. Margaret Colin stars
in this show also featuring Michael
Simpson playing her sons. Now to
March 6. The Fichlander in the Mead
Center for American Theater, 1101 6th
St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

THE SWEATER SET

Listen Local First presents a free

concert by the local folk duo of Sara
Curtin and Maureen Andary, who
make original music using an impressive variety of instruments, from the
accordion to the flute, ukulele to the
glockenspiel. The Sweater Set performs a Valentines Day-themed cel-

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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

25

ebration of vintage love songs also

featuring the duo of Jess Eliot Myhre
of the Bumper Jacksons and Letitia
VanSant. Thursday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
Tickets are $69 to $265. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

FILM
HAIL, CAESAR!

The Coen Brothers (Fargo), Joel and

Ethan, offer up a comedy following a single day in the life a studio
fixer. The all-star cast includes Coen
staples George Clooney and Frances
McDormand, plus Tilda Swinton,
Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett
Johansson and Channing Tatum.
Opens Friday, Feb. 5. Area theaters.
Visit fandango.com.

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT

FILMS 2015: ANIMATED,
LIVE ACTION

Once again Landmark Theatres, in

partnership with ShortsHD, offers
two feature-length programs of the
short films nominated at the upcoming
Academy Awards: a program with the
animated shorts, featuring films from
Chile, Russia, the U.K. and two from
the U.S., including Pixar Animations
Sanjays Super Team; and a program of
live action shorts, including films from
Germany, Ireland and the U.S., plus
two set in the West Bank and Kosovo.
Now playing. Landmarks E Street
Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-4527672. Also Bethesda Row Cinema, 7235
Woodmont Ave. Call 301-652-7273.
Visit landmarktheatres.com.

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT

FILMS 2015: DOCS

In addition to the animated and action

programs, Landmark Theatres this
year also presents a feature-length
program of documentary shorts.
All five Oscar-nominated films will
screen, including the Liberian Body
Team 12 set in the height of the Ebola
outbreak, Chau, Beyond the Lines
about an Agent Orange-disabled child
and aspiring artist in Vietnam and
The Price of Forgiveness, focused on
a rare survivor of honor killings in
Pakistan. Among two American documentaries is Last Day of Freedom,
about a war veteran who faces criminal charges, racism and ultimately the
death penalty. Opens Friday, Feb. 5.
Landmarks West End Cinema, 2301
M St. NW. Call 202-534-1907 or visit
landmarktheatres.com.

STAGE
AGENTS OF AZEROTH

Daring theater company the

Washington Rogues offers a production, courtesy of CulturalDC, of
Jennifer Lanes provocative play that
pivots from the data point, revealed by
Edward Snowden, that the NSA and
CIA have spent vast time and resources investigating World of Warcraft.
26

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

Megan Behm and J. Shawn Durham

portray government agents and Dillon
Greenberg and Grant Cloyd gamers
watching the watchmen in this show
directed by the Rogues Ryan S. Taylor
and examining weighty topics including security and surveillance, cyberbullying and identity in our electronic
age. Now to Feb. 14. Mead Theatre
Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW.
Tickets are $20. Call 202-315-1310 or
visit washingtonrogues.org.

AS YOU LIKE IT

In a new staging of the Bards crossdressing, escapist romantic comedy,

Wendy Goldberg decided to present an all-female ensemble. This
400-year-old play is the most gender-bending play in Shakespeares
canon, she tells Metro Weekly. It
is an invitation to explore gender and
identity, and the fluidity of gender.
Her all-female approach to the production by Center Stage is the inverse
of that from Shakespeares day, when
all characters, male and female, were
played by men and boys. Even today,
its far more common to see an allmale production of Shakespeare. To
Feb. 14. Towson Universitys Center
for the Arts, 1 Fine Arts Dr., Towson,
Md. Tickets are $10 to $59. Call 410986-4000 or visit centerstage.org.

BACK TO METHUSELAH

Washington Stage Guild concludes a

multi-year cycle of George Bernard
Shaws visionary classic with part
3, subtitled As Far As Thought Can
Reach. Bill Largess directs the show,
one of the first works of science fiction ever put on stage. To Feb. 21.
Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon
United Methodist Church, 900
Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are
$40 to $50. Call 240-582-0050 or visit
stageguild.org.

BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY

Yet another boisterous and unflinchingly dark comedy from Stephen Adly
Guirgis, whose play The Motherfucker
with the Hat received much critical
praise at Studio Theatre a few years
ago. Between Riverside and Crazy
was the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer
Prize for Drama and is focused on an
ex-cop who is facing eviction, battling City Hall and struggling over
the recent death of his wife. To Feb.
28. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets
NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ANTS

The Anacostia Playhouse partners

with Marylands Restoration Stage
for the world premiere of Steven
A. Butler, Jr.s intense drama about
being black and male in modern-day
America. Courtney Baker-Oliver
directs the production featuring
Suli Myrie, David Lamont Wilson,
Clermon Acklin, Tillmon Figgs, Wilma
Lynn Horton, Kandace Foreman,
Christopher Ezell, Marquis Fair and
Charles W. Harris Jr. Closes this
Sunday, Feb. 7. Anacostia Playhouse,

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2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are

$35 to $50. Call 202-714-0646 or visit
restorationstageinc.com.

EQUUS

Peter Shaffers Tony-winning tale

about a troubled teenagers dangerous obsession with horses is the latest
show to get the Constellation Theatre
Company treatment. Amber McGinnis
Jackson directs the production with
a cast including Michael Kramer,
Kathleen Akerley, Michael Tolaydo,
Laureen E. Smith and Ryan Tumulty.
To Feb. 14. Source Theatre, 1835 14th
St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call
202-204-7741 or visit constellationtheatre.org.

FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE

WARS

Round House Theatre offers a production of this explosively powerful

Civil War-era drama from SuzanLori Parks (Topdog/Underdog),
which follows a slave from Texas to
the Confederate battlefield. Timothy
Douglas directs this Greek tragedyinspired trilogy with a cast including Ian Anthony Coleman, KenYatta
Rogers, Craig Wallace, JaBen Early
and A. Stori Ayers. To Feb. 21. Round
House Theatre, 4545 East-West
Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are $50 to
$60. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

FIRST CITIZEN

Billed as a contemporary response to

Shakespeares Coriolanus,
the female-focused, Shakespearestirring company Taffety Punk presents a workshop reading of new work
through its Punk Generator project.
Anna Lathrop and Katherine Clair
have put together a show that subverts Shakespeares work, by foregoing the powerful and looking at the
same whirlwind of political events
that shook the foundation of Rome
through the eyes of commonfolk.
Kelsey Mesa directs this new take on
the old story of the powerful military
leader. Saturday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m.
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th
St. SE. Call 202-355-9441 or visit taffetypunk.com.

GEORGIE: THE LIFE AND DEATH

OF GEORGE ROSE

Helen Hayes Award-winning actor

Ed Dixon (Signature Theatres Sunset
Boulevard) wrote and stars in this
tribute to his friend and mentor, a
Tony Award-winning character actor
(My Fair Lady) who was a bon vivant
with a flair for the dramatic and the
eccentric. Eric Schaeffer directs the
Signature Theatre production of
this human tale about art, personal
connections and the struggles of life
and death. Closes this Sunday, Feb.
7. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell
Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $25 to
$45. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.

I SHALL NOT HATE

Gassan Abbas, one of Israels leading

Palestinian actors, performs this memoir-based story adapted by the Israeli
director Shay Pitovsky. Performed in
Hebrew and Arabic with English surtitles, this is the second of five productions part of the four-month Voices
from a Changing Middle East Festival,
the provocative series that eventually
became too hot for original presenter
Theater J and has now been revived
by ousted Theater J director Ari Roth
at his new company. To Feb. 14. Atlas
Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE.
Tickets are $20 to $40. Call 202-3997993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

JACK AND PHIL,

SLAYERS OF GIANTS

Janet Stanford directs Imagination

Stages tongue-in-cheek adaptation
of the classic fairy tale Jack and the
Beanstalk in this Theater for Young
Audiences production by Charles Way.
The focus is on Jack, a sporty, popular
kid whose mother is facing foreclosure
on their house and enlists his smart yet
nerdy neighbor Phil to accompany him
to the pawnshop to trade in his grandfathers gold watch for some magic
beans. Now to March 13. Imagination
Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave. Bethesda.
Tickets are $10 to $25. Call 301-2801660 or visit imaginationstage.org.

MONSTERS OF THE VILLA DIODATI

Virginias emerging theater company

Creative Cauldron presents the world
premiere of yet another musical by
writer Stephen Gregory Smith and
composer Matt Conner, the local theater actor husbands who collaborated
on the lyrics. Monsters of the Villa
Diodati delves into a Lake Geneva writers retreat from two centuries ago,
hosted by Lord Byron (Sam Ludwig),
which inspired Mary Shelley (Caitlin
Shea) and John Polidori (David
Landstrom) to write the Gothic classics Frankenstein and The Vampyre,
respectively. This is the second installment in Creative Cauldrons five-year
commissioning project Bold New
Works for Intimate Stages, after last
years The Turn of the Screw, also written by Smith and Conner. Now running
to Feb. 21. Premiere Gala is Saturday,
Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. ArtSpace Falls Church,
410 South Maple Ave. Falls Church.
Tickets are $26. Call 703-436-9948 or
visit creativecauldron.org.

PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE

Now that Bright Star has wrapped its

pre-Broadway Kennedy Center run,
Keegan Theatre offers a production of
another work by comedian/composer
Steve Martin which previously ran Off
Broadway. Picasso at the Lapin Agile
is a slightly absurd look at the famous
Spanish painters life and that of
Albert Einsteins too before they
changed the world through their work.
Chris Stezin directs a cast including Matthew Keenan, Bradley Foster
Smith, Allison Leigh Corke, Kevin
Adams, Michael Innocenti, Sherri S.
Herren and Jessica Power. To Feb. 13.
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW.
Tickets are $40. Call 703-892-0202 or
visit keegantheatre.com.

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SCARLETS CAKE AUCTION AND BAKE SALE

Edible cakes in crazy shapes human body parts, say or decorated in wild
themes, including tributes to gay icons, activities and proclivities, are par for
the course at Scarlets Bake Sale. Thats the DC Eagles annual cake auction
fundraiser started 45 years ago by Ed Scarlet Nesbitt and Neil Mei Ling
Redman. All manner of people bake and donate the cakes, from commercial
companies to leather clubs to individual bakers. This years theme is Show
Us Your True Colors, with awards given out for Best Club Entry and
Best Individual Entry. Proceeds from the auction of baked goods and other
assorted leather items go to Pets-DC and a new scholarship program by the
Scarlets Foundation for college juniors and seniors. Sunday, Feb. 7, from 1 to
7 p.m. Cake donations should be made by 3 p.m., with the auction starting at
3:30 p.m. DC Eagle, 3700 Benning Rd. NE. Visit dceagle.com.
STONE TAPE PARTY

D.C.-based, female-driven theater

company Nu Sass Productions offers
Danny Rovins play, which won Best
Comedy and Best Show Overall at
Capital Fringe 2014. Angela Kay Pirko
directs an all-female cast in a quickwitted tribute to the post-college
struggles from hedonism to misanthropy of the Millennial Generation.
Briana Manente leads a cast also
including Ariana Almajan, Jill Tighe
and Casey Leffue. Closes this Sunday,
Feb. 7. Atlas Performing Arts Center,
1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $30.
Call 202-399-7993 or visit nusass.com.

SWEAT

Arena Stage offers a world-premiere

production, co-commissioned with the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival, of a new
gripping tale about loss, redemption and
redefinition in a new era from Pulitzer
Prize winner Lynn Nottage (Ruined).
Kate Whoriskey directs this co-commission with the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival and featuring among its cast
local actors Johanna Day, Kimberly
Scott, Tramell Tillman and Jack Willis.
To Feb. 21. Kreeger Theater in the
Mead Center for American Theater,
1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or
visit arenastage.org.

THE CRITIC/THE REAL

INSPECTOR HOUND

Michael Kahn directs this double bill

of one-act comedies about behind-thescenes life in the theater. An ensemble cast takes on multiple characters
bringing to life Jeffrey Hatchers fresh
take on Richard Brinsley Sheridans
18th-century romp The Critic and Tom
Stoppards absurdist tour-de-farce
The Real Inspector Hound. To Feb.
14. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St.
NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG

Twenty-two years after its Broadway

debut and 10 years after its awardwinning
playwrights
untimely
death, Theater J presents The Sisters
Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein.
Kasi Campbell directs this heartfelt
comedy about three very different
siblings, reunited for one remarkable,
revealing weekend, and portrayed
by the sharp team of Susan Lynskey,
Susan Rome and Kimberly Schraf. Josh
Adams, Edward Christian, Michael
28

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

Russotto, James Whalen and Caroline

Wolfson round out the cast. To Feb.
21. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman
Theater, Washington, D.C.s Jewish
Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW.
Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

COMMUNITY STAGE
THE LARAMIE PROJECT

Marylands Kensington Arts Theatre

offers a production of Moises Kaufmans
examination with the Tectonic Theater
Project of the small Wyoming town forever changed by the hate-crime murder
of Matthew Shepard nearly 18 years
ago. John Nunemaker directs the production. Opens on Friday, Feb. 5, at
8 :15 p.m. Performances weekends to
Feb. 20. Kensington Town Hall, 3710
Mitchell St., Kensington, Md. Tickets
are $20. Call 240-621-6528 or visit
katonline.org.

OUR TOWN

Baltimores Vagabond Theatre, a community theater, offers a production

of Thornton Wilders Pulitzer Prizewinning drama about small-town
family life that features three pairs of
real-life family members, including the
casting of son and father Will and Chip
Meister, and daughter and father Ryan
and Brian Gunning. And then theres
the two people running the show: Eric
C. Stein as director and his wife Angela
Stein as stage manager. Closes this
Sunday, Feb. 7. Vagabond Theatre, 806
S. Broadway, Baltimore. Tickets are
$12. Call 410-563-9135 or visit vagabondplayers.org.

MUSIC
21ST CENTURY CONSORT

The Smithsonian American Art

Museums contemporary music
ensemble-in-residence
presents
Crosscurrents, a program drawing
on the transatlantic modernist influences evident in the museums exhibition of the same name. The program
includes Bela Bartoks Sonata for Two
Pianos & Percussion, John Adams
Hallelujah Junction, Eugene OBriens
Close Harmony and Luciano Berios
Circles featuring soprano Lucy Shelton.
Artistic director Christopher Kendall
leads the 21st Century Consort, which

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he founded 40 years ago with a roster including principal players from

the National Symphony Orchestra
as well as prominent chamber musicians from the region and elsewhere.
Saturday, Feb. 6, at 5 p.m. preceded
at 4 p.m. with a pre-concert discussion.
Smithsonian American Art Museums
McEvoy Auditorium, Lower Level, 8th
and F Streets NW. Tickets are free,
beginning at 3:30 p.m. the day-of. Call
202-633-3030 or visit americanart.
si.edu.

ANDREW BAYER AND THE

ANJUNABEATS TOUR

Fans of London-based DJ/production

outfit Above and Beyond, or trance
and deep and melodic EDM in general,
are in luck at Echostage this Saturday,
Feb. 6. Thats when Club Glow-DC
presents a night featuring behind
the clubs decks the brightest talents
from the popular label Anjunabeats,
most notably Andrew Bayer, the D.C.
native co-producer of recent Above
and Beyond albums and the groups
Grammy-nominated single Were All
We Need. Ilan Bluestone and Jason
Ross are two other newer stars of
Anjunabeats on the tour, with special guest Seven Lions. Saturday, Feb.
6. Doors at 9 p.m. Echostage, 2135
Queens Chapel Rd. NE. Tickets are
$40. Call 202-503-2330 or visit echostage.com.

ALAN CUMMING

Broadways Cabaret and TVs Good

Wife star offers a Valentines Day
treat for lovers and especially lovers
of the sappy silly love songs everyone secretly adores. Among songs by
Annie Lennox, Billy Joel and Bertolt
Brecht, you can can expect an Adele/
Lady Gaga/Katy Perry mashup the
Scottish entertainer calls Someone on
the Edge of Firework. Hell be supported by music director Lance Horne,
cellist Eleanor Norton and drummer
Michael Croiter. Sunday, Feb. 14, at 8
p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $35 to $85. Call 301-5815100 or visit strathmore.org.

ANDRE WATTS WITH BALTIMORE

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

One of the most celebrated living pianists and a graduate of Baltimores

Peabody Institute, Andre Watts
returns as a guest soloist with the

BSO to perform Mozarts witty

and poignant Piano Concerto No. 9
Jeunehomme. Mario Venzago conducts the BSO in a program that also
includes Schumanns sunlit Symphony
No. 4 and selections from Glucks
Armide. Thursday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Also Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday,
Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St.,
Baltimore. Tickets are $10 to $99. Call
410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

BROOKLYN RIDER,
GABRIEL KAHANE

Washington Performing Arts presents

the annual concert at Sixth and I by
this classical string quartet, whose
music works to expand the boundaries
of the genre by incorporating elements
from world music and folk. Joining
Yo-Yo Mas Silk Road Ensemble really
opened up our ears and eyes to the
world, violinist and lead composer
Colin Jacobsen explained to Metro
Weekly last year. This year Brooklyn
Rider performs with another boundary-pushing artist, fellow Brooklynite
and classical/indie folk composer and
performer Gabriel Kahane. Saturday,
Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. Sixth & I Historic
Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are
$35. Call 202-408-3100 or visit washingtonperformingarts.org.

HEY MARSEILLES

On song after song, this slightly twee

indie/chamber-rock Seattle quintet
sounds remarkably like a more dramatic, classically minded version of
fellow Washington state outfit Death
Cab for Cutie first and foremost
on account of singer Matt Bishops
Ben Gibbard-channeling vocals. The
band, which includes a cellist and a
violist, tours in support of their selftitled third set. Friday, Feb. 12. Doors
at 7 p.m. The 9:30 Club presents this
concert. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U
St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-5881880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

KID CUDI

The rock-oriented rapper who has

dabbled in acting as well as serving
as a television bandleader on IFCs
Comedy Bang! Bang! tours in support of last years Speedin Bullet 2
Heaven. I.M.P. Productions presents
this concert, rescheduled from a can-

celled December date. Thursday, Feb.

11, at 9 p.m. Echostage, 2135 Queens
Chapel Rd. NE. Tickets are $55. Call
202-503-2330 or visit echostage.com.

LUPE FIASCO

A socially conscious hip-hop artist

somewhat in the mold of his fellow
Chicago native Common, Lupe Fiasco
first rose to fame a decade ago championed by another Chicago rapper.
But Fiascos style is more cerebral and
studious, as well as jazzier and a bit
trippier than Kanye Wests, though
Fiasco also isnt above stoking political
controversy. He tours with the Boy
Illinois, Billy Blue and ZVerse in support of new album Tetsuo & Youth
but heres hoping hell indulge the
crowd with some of his recent pop/rap
collaborations with Ed Sheeran (Old
School Love) and Jennifer Hudson
(Remission, with Common), to say
nothing of the older Grammy-winning
work with Jill Scott (Daydreamin).
Sunday, Feb. 7. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30
Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $40.
Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

Music Director Piotr Gajewski leads

Strathmores resident orchestra
in a program focused on Mozarts
Symphony No. 35, dubbed the Haffner
Symphony after the wealthy merchant
who often helped the young Austrian
composer with money and favors.
Brian Ganz joins to perform Mozarts
gorgeous and moving Piano Concerto
No. 20 in D Minor. Saturday, Feb. 6,
at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 7, at 3
p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $38 to $79. Call 301-5815100 or visit strathmore.org.

SHENZHEN POP MUSIC SHOW

As part of events ringing in the Chinese

New Year, the Kennedy Center presents a free concert featuring some of
Chinas youngest pop stars, including
the band Jam You, singers Tsinger,
Majia Jiado and Ray M, and rapper
Too Phat. Friday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
Tickets are free. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org.

SOLAS

The Washington Post has called this

quintet, which got its start playing in
Irish bars in New York, one of the
worlds finest Celtic-folk ensembles,
with music ranging from innovative original songs to Irish classics.
Having first performed as a group at
Georgetown University, Solas marks
its 20th anniversary this year with
a tour featuring founding members
Seamus Egan and Winifred Horan.
Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, at
8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635
Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25
to $28. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit
wolftrap.org.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA

Following his turn with WNO in The

Flying Dutchman, renowned bassbaritone Eric Owens stars in Kurt
Weills final work for the stage, merging influences from Broadway, gospel,
African spirituals and the blues. A collaboration with Maxwell Anderson,
Lost in the Stars is a musical tragedy
based on Alan Patons novel Cry, The
Beloved Country. The Kennedy Center
offers a free preview of the work on the
Millennium Stage featuring members
of WNOs Domingo-Cafritz Young
Artist Program on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at
6 p.m. Full performances of the opera,
a production from Cape Town Opera
and directed by Tazewell Thompson,
in the Eisenhower Theater begin on
Friday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m., and run
to Saturday, Feb. 20. Kennedy Center.
Tickets are $69 to $265. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

DANCE
33RD ANNUAL
CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE

A co-presentation with the MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning

Commission, the annual showcase
at the Clarice features some of the
regions most talented emerging artists. This years selected choreographers are: Sarah Beth Oppenheim,
Monique Walker, Hayley Cutler of
darlingdance, Meghan K. Abadoo,
Kasi Aysola and Athena Powell and
Gabrielle Odom. Saturday, Feb. 6, at 3
p.m. and 8 p.m. Dance Theatre at the

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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

29

Clarice at the University of Maryland,

University Boulevard and Stadium
Drive. College Park. Tickets are $25.
Call 301-405-ARTS or visit theclarice.
umd.edu.

ALVIN AILEY
AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

The vaunted American dance company returns to the Kennedy Center

for its annual week of performances.
This years program includes three
new works: Awakening, by the companys artistic director Robert Battle
and set to a symphonic score by John
Mackey, Exodus by hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris and set to
house dance music, and Open Door
by Ronald K. Brown fusing African
and modern dance and set to recordings by Arturo OFarrill & the Afro
Latin Jazz Orchestra. Also on the
bill are new productions of works by
the companys former artistic director Judith Jamison as well as a couple from its late namesake. All five
mixed-repertory programs conclude
with Revelations, the masterpiece by
Ailey, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1989. Remaining performances are Thursday, Feb. 4, through
Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. Also
Saturday, Feb. 7, and Sunday, Feb. 8, at
1 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $49 to $199. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

30

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

CLOUD GATE DANCE THEATRE OF

TAIWAN

Torontos Globe and Mail touted

Cloud Gate as one of the finest dance
companies in the world, while a
critic for the Washington Post said
that watching the Taiwanese company leaves you gently seduced into
rethinking your ideas about dance.
Lin Hwai-min leads the company he
founded in the D.C. premiere of Rice,
a multimedia work Lin created in 2013
to celebrate his homeland on the occasion of Cloud Gates 40th anniversary. Friday, Feb. 12, and Saturday,
Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. Kennedy Center
Opera House. Tickets are $19 to $75.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedycenter.org.

CONTRA-TIEMPO

Inspired by Shakespeares The

Tempest and Oya, the Afro-Cuban
deity of wind and storms, Agua Furiosa
is a visually stunning and thoughtprovoking evening of dance from the
company led by artistic director and
choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez.
Michael Garces directs the production
also featuring contributions by sound
designer d. Sabela Grimes, vocalist
Pyeng Threadgill, and lighting designer Masha Tsimring. Saturday, Feb.
13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 14, at
4 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE.
Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at
the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit
danceplace.org.

METROWEEKLY.COM

COMEDY

ABOVE AND BEYOND

RICKY VELEZ

A BURLESQUE TRIBUTE
TO DAVID BOWIE

A correspondent on Comedy Centrals

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,
Ricky Velez is a New York-based
comic recently named by Variety as
one of 10 Comics to Watch. Alex
Barbag opens for Velez in this free
program presented as part of the
Comedy at the Kennedy Center series.
Friday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. Kennedy
Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are
free, distributed in the States Gallery
starting at approximately 5:30 p.m.
the day-of. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER:

ROAD SHOW!

D.C.s leading company for longform

improv such as that popularized
by the Upright Citizens Brigade and
Second City offers a Wintry Mix,
a series of vignettes featuring different ensembles, with each plot
developed on-the-fly, spurred by a
single audience suggestion. To Feb.
13. District of Columbia Arts Center
(DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets
are $12 in advance, or $15 at the door.
Call 202-462-7833 or visit washingtonimprov.org.

Organized as a fundraiser for local

LGBTQ teen homeless organization
the Wanda Alston Foundation, the
Rock and Roll Hotel hosts this variety
show with the full title The Life and
Times of Major Tom: A Chronological
Burlesque Tribute to David Bowie.
Isabelle Epoque and Bella La Blanc
lead a bill of burlesque and sideshow
entertainers in this sure-to-be flamboyant and touching tribute to the
recently passed Thin White Duke.
Thursday, Feb. 11, at 9:30 p.m. Rock
and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE. Tickets
are $15 in advance, or $20 day-of show.
Call 202-388-ROCK or visit rockandrollhoteldc.com.

DC HER HRC 2016 DJ BATTLE,

WITH WICKED JEZABEL

The Human Rights Campaign and

Booz Allen Hamilton present the
2016 Her HRC DJ battle in which
four of the areas best female DJs will
duke it out during a night at Town.
Popular lesbian all-covers party-rock
band Wicked Jezabel will start the
evening as featured musical guest,
followed by hour-long sets from, in
order: DJ Che Parlay, DJ Adotnet, last
years winner DJ Jacq Jill and DJ Jai
Syncere. Sunday, Feb. 14, starting at 7
p.m. Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th
St. NW. Tickets start at $20. Call 202234-TOWN or visit towndc.com. l

stage

Bottoms Up
The true phenomenon in Aaron Posners
gloriously irreverent Midsummer Nights
Dream is Holly Twyfords Bottom
by KATE WINGFIELD

TERESA WOOD

T THE RISK OF OVERSELLING, IT HAS TO

be said that the Folgers A Midsummer Nights
Dream (HHHHH) is one of the funniest, most
free-spirited and gloriously irreverent interpretations of the Shakespeare favorite this town has seen.
Is that surprising? For those familiar with director Aaron
Posners sensibilities the playwright who brought us Stupid
Fucking Bird not really. Who better for some seriously-accessible Shakespeare than the kind of mind who can twirl Chekhov
into something funny, hip and affectingly relevant?
That said, anything this good needs a shared vision and the
ensemble here is so snuggly with each other they exude the family-like cohesion of a traveling theatrical troupe one whove
been sharing a bathroom. Of course, the Folger in general tends
to create this intimate vibe, but Posner captures its particular

power with his comment that his actors brought their own
hearts, minds and spirits to the roles. They truly do, even if its
within Posners own enthralling and entertaining architecture.
Not everyone likes their Shakespeare messed with and some
shrink from the Gap styles and OMG demeanors, but its worth
the open mind. Not only is it almost endlessly giggle-worthy,
it makes for an attractive contrast with Posners fairy realm: a
cooler, more sensual place in which Jethro Tull (the band, that
is) might have happily frolicked.
And these are choices that also cleverly acknowledge that
Midsummer is a circus of a play: first with its quartet of histrionic, would-be lovers and the adults getting in their way, and then
with the mercurial fairies whose tempestuous personal politics
quickly overflow into the human world. It may be controlled
chaos, but it needs a ringmaster and Shakespeare offers Puck as
fairy guide and interloper.
In this key role, Erin Weaver makes for an interesting
choice. She may exude an all-American vibe with her fresh face,
polished pixie-coif and personal trainer pecs and abs, but she
quickly commands the dark-carved intimacy of the Folger with
a fierce intensity, inventive moves and seriously-slick streetmagician skills. This is a Puck who, true to nature, cannot be
contained on her fairy world. But as she mixes it up with the lovers and the audience it is with an attachment and affection
that makes her one of the most intriguing and intimate Pucks
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youll likely ever see.

Still, as original as this Puck is, the true phenomenon is Holly
Twyford as Bottom, traditionally played as the bombastic member of a small band of townsmen preparing a comedy for the
nuptials of local Duke, Theseus. Utterly reinventing the concept,
Twyford plays him here as a ridiculously self-adoring her: a
teacher at a girls school, the kind wanting to play every part in
the school play.
And Twyford couldnt pitch this more perfectly. She plays it
up hilariously, never overdoing it before or after her transformation at the hands of the fairies. Yet, even with all this, she also
delivers a quite extraordinary turn as the play-within-a-play
finally unfolds. Playing Pyramus, thwarted lover of Thisbe,
Twyford in a moment as magical as any spell cast by the fairies drops all pretense of humor and delivers a heartbreaking
monologue of loss.
Following close on her heels is another cornerstone performance, that of Eric Hissom in the role of Oberon, King of the
Fairies. Although his mortal Theseus is nicely distinct and ready
with his own kind of comedy, it is as Oberon that Hissom fascinates. Fluid and compelling as he delivers his Shakespeare, an
intense yet understated expressiveness makes this king not just
otherworldly, but vivid and funny. Hissom has superb comic
timing and is the very picture of irony. As the Dukes bride-to-be
Hippolyta and Titania, feisty wife of Oberon, Caroline Stefanie
Clay luxuriates in the language and gives her fairy much sensual
charm.
When it comes to thwarted young lovers, the challenge is
big: if the personalities arent clear and the mood lacks energy,
their machinations can feel like a lot of tedious whining. Here,
with Posner at the helm and four exciting actors, they are,

32

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

quite simply, incredibly fun to watch. Top billing goes to Adam

Wesley Brown, for an adorably nerdy Lysander, who between
his superb comic timing and an obvious pleasure in the language,
never misses a beat. The other standout is Kim Wong as the
hard-done-by Helena. Its not easy to pull her off: she may be
unrequited but her pushiness isnt exactly sympathetic. Posner
cleverly ups the comic ante and Wong positively flies. Indeed,
she exemplifies the winning strategy of the whole approach. She
may be in F*ck Me shoes and a mini dress, but she is too funny
and lovey to give offense.
Also making up the foursome is Betsy Mugavero as a sweet
but gutsy Hermia, seamlessly going between love-struck, weepy,
and raging mad while showing easy facility with the Bards language. Nicely understated, Desmond Bings Demetrius is a good
counterpoint to Browns more agitated Lysander. Bing knows
how to deliver a line for laughs.
The list goes on, but mention must be made of Monique
Robinson who delivers the most self-possessed Snout ever and
Richard Ruiz playing Peter Quince, here a long-suffering drama
teacher trying to herd Bottom and the schoolgirls. Ruiz may not
have the biggest part, but he plays it with the kind of fine, understated wit that tempers some of the campier moments.
Which leads to the only pause for thought. The use of music
and song here from ballad to chart-topper absolutely works.
The big final number, on the other hand, is more of a meh a
production this damn good just doesnt need it.
But the bottom line? Dont miss this Bottom. l
A Midsummer Nights Dream runs to March 6 at Folger Theatre,
201 East Capitol Street, SE. Tickets are $25 to $75. Call 202-5447077 or visit folger.edu.

games

Hardly Marvellous
Lego Marvels Avengers is tired,
boring and not worth your time
watch the films instead
by RHUARIDH MARR

M OFFICIALLY DONE WITH LEGO GAMES.

Thats the opener I want. Its the opener that every
fiber of my being is screaming for me to commit to. Its
the opener that a game riddled with bugs, lazy gameplay
choices, confusing prompts, mediocre level design and intolerable levels of repetition deserves.
And yet, for as much as I was so disappointed with Lego
Marvels Avengers, I know Ill return to the blocky, plastic franchise in the future. Ill be too curious to see if developers can
revitalize the flagging Lego franchise. Ill be too eager to awkwardly laugh at attempts to shoehorn humor into a known story.
Perhaps most of all, Ill return because the core gameplay still
has that hook weve seen it countless times before: Dammit, I

need to collect more Lego studs.

Oh Lego, you make it so easy to hate you, but so hard to let go.
First, the basics. Lego Marvels Avengers (HHHHH) is technically a spin-off from 2013s Lego Marvel Super Heroes. Instead
of Marvels wider canon, this is unsurprisingly focused on
Marvels Avengers franchises. It not only takes players through
blocky recreations of both Avengers films, it also contains
Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark
World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier in its many
levels. If youre a fan of Marvels cinematic universe, theres a
lot to like here.
The typical Lego flair is present in almost all of the games
various set pieces, from the grandiosity of the New York hub
to the thrills of the train sequence from Captain America.
Backgrounds are 3D recreations of the locales nothing has
come close to the entirely block-based splendor of The Lego
Movie Videogame, but these are certainly pretty enough.
Unfortunately, Marvels films are known for their visual density and there are numerous moments where the challenges of
recreating a set piece from a film plays havoc with conventional
game design. Too often the game forces players into corridors
or behind parts of the environment, obscuring characters from
view, while the clash between the blocky, destructible objects
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33

and the cartoony style of the sets can make certain scenes far
too busy. Details can be lost and objectives would be easily
missed were it not for the series nagging identifiers. There are
also invisible walls everywhere, some impede player movement
simply to force them to take a predetermined path. Why cant
I fly Iron Man over that tiny bump? Why do I have to walk ten
steps around it?
Cutscenes, however, are glorious. Lego Marvels Avengers
nails the plastic sheen that The Lego Movie evoked so well. Even
in comparison to Lego Jurassic World, theres a complexity and
tactility to the plastic Marvel characters and a richness to the
animation that made rewatching scenes from films weve all
seen before a treat.
Well, almost. Of course, it would be ludicrous to expect the
original actors to reprise their roles just to repeat their lines for a
game, but Ill never be satisfied with Legos penchant for culling
audio directly from films for use in their games. Its always too
muffled, or robotic, or echoey, or at complete odds with the crisp
audio of properly dubbed in-game characters. Cobie Smulders
(Maria Hill), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson) and Hayley Atwell
(Peggy Carter) recorded original audio for Marvels Avengers,
and while its welcome, it only makes the differences with the
culled audio that much more obvious. Plus, the editing and
shoehorning to fit with the games slightly altered plots can be
downright painful at times.
What also doesnt help is that Marvels Avengers delivers
perhaps the the franchises weakest humor to date. Hindering
them greatly is that Joss Whedon did such an incredible job of
peppering both Avengers films with witty, humorous dialogue.
Theres little Lego can do to increase the comedy. Attempts
such as Nick Fury constantly sucking on a pink slushie

feel hackneyed. Some punchlines do land, though. Theres an

inspired slapstick routine when Bruce Banner first transforms
into The Hulk onboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier: he bangs
his head multiple times, stubs his toe, even stands on a rake, all
conspiring to make him angrier and angrier before he changes
into the big green brute. Unfortunately, these moments are few
and far between. Lego Jurassic Park transformed films that frequently relied on horror into a broad, laugh-out-loud comedy,
but the same humor just isnt here. Instead, its all a little bland.
That same theme carries into gameplay. Its somewhat troubling that just a few levels in, I was already on autopilot. It
certainly doesnt help that I ran into a game-breaking bug in the
first level: Captain America was blown into a pile of rubble and
nothing I did could free him. I had to quit and restart the entire
level, which is hardly the best introduction to a game.
Once you get going, the gameplay is an odd mix of slow,
complex and boring. Combat feels laborious, with enemies dispatched by hammering X (I reviewed the game on Xbox One)
until they fall apart, or by tapping B for a takedown. These takedowns are cool, usually accompanied by a quote from the character, and kill the enemy in one go but they take far too long to
animate and complete. Each character also has a unique ability:
heat lasers, explosives, invisibility, etc., but keeping track of each
can become overwhelming. Who do I use to break through those
silver barriers again? Coulson, Fury or Hill? (Its Coulson, for
future reference.)
And on top of all of this, the puzzles are perhaps the simplest
Ive ever seen. Button prompts are reduced to either following
three directions on screen, Simon Says-style, or moving a cursor and clicking on a predetermined point. You can still build
items to work through certain tasks, but theyre so obvious as
to be insulting. Not once was I stuck during my time with Lego
Marvels Avengers bugs notwithstanding and that meant I
rarely felt challenged by it.
But... I still played it. I worked through every level even
if I was on autopilot. I went back in free play and mixed up my
characters, exploring every corner of every level for traffic lights,
special bricks, purple studs, and Stan Lee. (Yes, the Marvel creator moves from cameo to recurring guest star here a fact he
references, amusingly.) Bashing every object in sight to collect
the studs that spill forth remains as satisfying as it ever has been.
Completing everything isnt difficult, but its time-consuming
and rewarding. And thats including unlocking every character
in the games impressive roster, everything from out-of-costume
heroes to less well-known Marvel characters to even Lou
Ferrigno and Lou Ferrigno as Hulk.
And thats the dichotomy of this game. I wouldnt recommend it. I didnt particularly enjoy playing it, either. Instead, Id
suggest you pick up a copy of the Lego Movie Videogame and rent
the various films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Still, I played Marvels Avengers to completion. I was compelled, like with every Lego game, to uncover its many hidden treasures. Theres nothing new, revolutionary, or even
particularly fun here, and co-op play is almost insulting in that
it frequently leaves the second player with nothing to do. Its
testament to just how compelling the core gameplay concept is
smash stuff, get studs, repeat that were still playing Legos
games after so many entries. Now, if only a developer could do
something innovative with that central hook. Thats a game I
really want to play. l
Lego Marvels Avengers is available on PC, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U,
PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

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FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

NIGHT

LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 02.04.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection
Music videos featuring
DJ Wess
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite,
$4 Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Stonewall Darts Season
3, Game Day 4, 6-10pm
$3 Rail Drinks, 10pmmidnight, $5 Red Bull,
Gatorade and Frozen
Virgin Drinks Locker
Room Thursday Nights
DJs Sean Morris and
MadScience Best
Package Contest at midnight, hosted by BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
open 10pm, 18+ $5
Cover under 21 and free
with college ID
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call
Mid-Atlantic Kennel Korps
on Club Bar, 9pm-midnight
$2 Draughts, Jello Shots
and Raffle Puppy Mosh
No Cover 21+

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Ladies Drink Free Power
Hour, 4-5pm Shirtless
Thursday, 10-11pm DJs
BacK2bACk

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

METROWEEKLY.COM

37

38

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

scene
NYC Invades DC at Cobalt
Saturday, January 30
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

Photography by
Ward Morrison

JR.S
All You Can Drink for $15,
5-8pm $3 Rail Vodka
Highballs, $2 JR.s drafts,
8pm-close Throwback
Thursday featuring rock/
pop retro hits
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
THE PINCH
3548 14th St. NW
The DC Gurly Show burlesque troupe presents:
Heartbreakers! Doors
open at 8:30pm, show
starts at 9pm Tickets $9
if purchased online or $12
at the door To purchase,
visit dcgurlyshow.com
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge

glass for the same price,

5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
9pm Cover 21+
FRI., 02.05.16

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
5-9pm Friday Night
Videos with resident DJ
Shea Van Horn VJ
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail and
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all
night DJ MadScience
upstairs DJ Keenan Orr
downstairs $10 cover
10pm-1am, $5 after 1am
21+

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call
Fetish Friday men in
biker jackets get special
prices No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $5
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long OtterDen DC
presents Otter Crossing,
9pm-close $5 Cover
after 10pm
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1,
4-9pm $2 Skyy Highballs
and $2 Drafts, 10pmmidnight Retro Friday
$5 Coronas, $8 Vodka Red
Bulls, 9pm-close

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat the Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN
DC Bear Crue Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm No
cover before 9:30pm
21+ Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee,
Riley Knoxx and BaNaka
DJ Wess upstairs, DJs
BacK2bACk downstairs
GoGo Boys after 11pm
Doors open at 10pm For
those 21 and over, $10
For those 18-20, $15 18+
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-

tail glass served in a huge

glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Ziegfelds,
9pm Rotating Hosts
DJ in Secrets VJ Tre in
Ziegfelds Cover 21+
SAT., 02.06.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm $5 Absolut
& Titos, $3 Miller Lite
after 9pm Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover Music videos
featuring various DJs
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2pm
and 2-4pm Featuring
Kristina Kelly and the
Ladies of Illusion
Bottomless Mimosas and
Bloody Marys Happy
Hour: $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm

METROWEEKLY.COM

Rumba Latina: Drunk in

Love, 10pm-close Drink
specials all night Doors
open 10pm $7 cover
before midnight, $10 cover
after 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 4-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
Happy Hour, 8-10pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call Mr.
DC Eagle 2016 hosting
Club Bar $2 Draughts
No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Drag Queen Broadway
Brunch, 10am-3pm
Starring Freddies
Broadway Babes Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Freddies
Follies Drag Show,
8-10pm, hosted by Miss
Destiny B. Childs No
Cover

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

39

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
$5 Bacardi, all flavors,
all night long Rewind:
Request Line, an 80s/90s
Dance Party, 9pm-close
Feautring DJ Darryl
Strickland No Cover
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka
Highballs, $7 Vodka Red
Bulls
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm No Cover
TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step,
Line Dancing, Waltz and
West Coast Swing, $5
Cover to stay all night
Doors open 6:45pm,
Lessons 7-8pm, Open
dance 8-10:30pm
Mardi Gras, featuring DJ

40

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Chris Cox, 10pm-close

Featuring performances
from the Ladies of Town
and The Firm With GoGo
boys, Stilt walkers and
Beads Music and video
downstairs by DJ Wess
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee,
Riley Knoxx and BaNaka
Doors open 10pm $12
Cover 21+
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 2pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion with host Ella
Fitzgerald Doors at 9
p.m., first show at 11:30
p.m. % DJs Doors open
8pm Cover 21+

SUN., 02.07.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 3-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli, Stoli flavors
and Miller Lite all day
Homowood Karaoke,
hosted by Robert Bise,
10pm-close 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 2-6pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 12pm
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call
Buffet, 2-7pm Like on
Facebook for menu options
45th Annual Scarlets
Bake Sale come bid
on confections for charity,
3-6:30pm Super Bowl

Sunday Super Bowl

on Big Screen $2 Bud
and Bud Light Draughts all
day and night No Cover
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Freddies Zodiac
Monthly Contest, hosted
by Regina Jozet Adams,
8pm Karaoke, 10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke downstairs,
9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights and
$3 Skyy (all flavors), all
day and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am3pm $20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15

NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 3-9pm No
Cover
ROCK HARD SUNDAYS
@THE HOUSE
NIGHTCLUB
3530 Georgia Ave. NW
Diverse group of all male,
all nude dancers Doors
open 8pm Shows all
night until close, starting
at 8:30pm $5 Domestic
Beer, $6 Imports
$10 cover For Table
Reservations, 202-4876646 rockharddc.com
TOWN
Flip Out DC League Flip
Cup games, 4pm Doors
open 3:30pm 21+
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 2pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
2-10pm Beer and wine
only $4

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
9pm Cover 21+
MON., 02.08.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Monday Nights A Drag,
hosted by Kristina Kelly
Doors open at 10pm
$3 Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy
and Red Bull $8 Long
Islands No Cover, 18+

DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5pm
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
$1 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts Free Pool all
day and night Men in
DC Eagle T-Shirts get
Happy Hour, 8pm-close
$2 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts, $3 Domestic
Bottles, $4 Rail and Import
Bottle Beer, $6 Call No
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Michaels Open Mic
Night Karaoke, 9:30pmclose
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1,
4-9pm Showtunes Songs
& Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ James $3 Draft
Pints, 8pm-midnight

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
TUES., 02.09.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya

METROWEEKLY.COM

Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
SIN Service Industry
Night $1 Rail Drinks
all night
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
JR.S
Birdie La Cage Show,
10:30pm Underground
(Indie Pop/Alt/Brit Rock),
9pm-close DJ Wes
Della Volla 2-for-1, 5pmmidnight
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

41

Beer $15 Karaoke and

Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
Safe Word: A Gay Spelling
Bee, 8-11pm Prizes to
the top three spellers
After 9pm, $3 Absolut,
Bulleit & Stella
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
WED., 02.10.16

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3

42

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM

Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm

Gay Mens Chorus Open
Mic Night and Wednesday
Night Karaoke, hosted
by Miss India Larelle
Houston, 10pm-close $4
Stoli and Stoli Flavors and
Miller Lite all night No
Cover 21+
DC9
1940 9th St. NW
Happy Hour, 5-8pm
dcnine.com
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am

ID or JR.s Team Shirt)

NELLIES SPORTS BAR
SmartAss Trivia Night,
8pm and 9pm Prizes
include bar tabs and tickets to shows at the 9:30
Club $15 Buckets of
Beer for SmartAss Teams
only Bring a new team
members and each get a
free $10 Dinner
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close

TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4

JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1 Free, 4-9pm
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Feud: Drag
Trivia, hosted by BaNaka,
10-11pm, with a $200
prize $2 JR.s Drafts and
$4 Vodka ($2 with College

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don T. in
Secrets 9pm Cover
21+ l

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

43

scene
Wig Night Out
Fundraiser for the
Point Foundation
at JR.s
Saturday, January 30
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

Photography by
Ward Morrison

44

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

METROWEEKLY.COM

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

45

Hard work is how we passed health care reform and how we expanded Social Security its how
we fought for civil rights, voting rights, workers rights,
womens rights, and LGBT rights.
HILLARY CLINTON, in an email to supporters of her campaign thanking them after she narrowly beat
Senator Bernie Sanders in the Iowa Caucus.

Im not gonna make excuses for the

failure of his administration to address the AIDS crisis
when it was going on.

PATTI DAVIS, daughter of President Ronald Reagan, in an interview with James Duke Mason. Davis contended that part of
the blame in Reagans delayed response to the AIDS crisis lay with his advisors. There were people around him
who did not want him dealing with the AIDS crisis, she said.

TitanMen has a history of signing iconically handsome men with both brains and brawn, and
Aaron Schock fits that profile to a T.
KEITH WEBB, Vice President of porn studio TitanMen, announcing that they have offered boyishly handsome and muscular
disgraced congressman Aaron Schock $1 million to star in a series of hardcore gay porn films.

Hes a total sweetheart.

Hes sort of turned into a father figure to me.

Olympic skier GUS KENWORTHY, speaking with Rolling Stone about Anderson Cooper. The pair have become friends after
Kenworthy came out last year. He reached out and offered advice after I came out. Basically, he said,
If you need anything, just ask. I understand what its like to be out in the public eye.

I have nothing to prove.

NICK JONAS, speaking with Complex magazine. Jonas has come under fire for making ambiguous comments regarding his
sexuality in a bid to court gay fans. Theres always going to be negativity toward anything that is a
positive effort toward change, he said.

46

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

METROWEEKLY.COM