Professional Documents
Culture Documents
7 MIND FULL
A new musical at Creative Cauldron
tackles Alzheimers
By Doug Rule
Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830
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2017 Jansi LLC.
Mind Full
I
DONT KNOW HOW SHES DOING IT, MARVELS Lacey first pitched the shows idea to Conner when
Stephen Gregory Smith. I created a near-impossible the actress was starring in Signatures Nevermore, also
thing for an actor to memorize. Smith is talking written by the duo. She thought that Alzheimers was
about Florence Lacey, star of Kaleidoscope, a new musical something that had not really been touched on yet at
co-written with his longtime collaborator (and partner), that time, Conner says. A decade later, Kaleidoscope is
composer Matt Conner. The show centers on an aging the third of five new musicals commissioned by Creative
stage diva struggling with early signs of Alzheimers. Cauldron.
Lacey, who replaced Patti LuPone in the original The show has already had an impact beyond sim-
Broadway production of Evita, told Smith she considers ply the composition or the staging. Weve had a lot of
this her most challenging role yet. She has to memorize talkbacks after the show where a lot of people have said
a series of monologues and speeches that are all variants, its very cathartic, Smith says. They saw their parents
that twist and turn in different ways, he says. And shes again, or their grandparents, and it kind of gave them
also the driver of the evening. Theres a supporting cast peace to see, perhaps, where they were in their mind, or
around her, but if she loses her place, [everything] will what they were experiencing. Its been a beautiful jour-
be derailed. ney so far. Doug Rule
Kaleidoscope runs to May 28 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Ave. in Falls Church, Va.
Tickets are $20 to $30. Call 703-436-9948 or visit creativecauldron.org.
LP
With shades of Gwen Stefani, this lesbian singer/song-
writer to Rihanna and Christina Aguilera has been
generating long-overdue buzz of her own with her most
recent two albums and prominent play on Orange Is
The New Black. The 9:30 Club presents an intimate con-
cert with opening acts Josiah and the Bonnevilles and
Lauren Ruth Ward. Sunday, May 28, at 6 p.m. U Street
Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-
588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
FINE ARTS FESTIVAL
More than 200 artists from around the nation will take part in this
26th annual event drawing over 30,000 people and organized by
the Greater Reston Arts Center. In addition to artworks in a variety
of media, from painting to photography to jewelry, the festival also
includes performances and family art-making activities. Saturday,
May 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Reston Town Center, 11900 Market St. Reston. Suggested dona-
tion of $5 provides festival program with dining certificates inside.
Call 703-471-9242 or visit restonarts.org.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG
A rare opportunity to catch the comedy and acting legend in an intimate setting for her thought-provoking commentary
including a Q&A with the audience. From The Color Purple and Ghost to The View today, Goldberg has shown her ver-
satility as an actress, comedian and talk show host and is part of the elite group of artists who have won Grammy, Oscar,
Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Awards. Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $65 to $130. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
MACBETH
The provocative Tony-nominated
director Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed)
helms a production of the Bards
exploration of murderous ambition,
fiendish equivocation, and a love
of terrifying intimacy. Shakespeare
RJ PAVEL
EGGED ON
Tim Getman and David Bishins.
To May 28. Sidney Harman Hall,
Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F
St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit
shakespearetheatre.org.
In Monumental Theatres new comedy, five women celebrate
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
their love of quiche Ten years ago, Constellation
Theatre Company launched its first
D
season with a production of Mary
URING THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS, WE WOULD ALL JUST DIE Zimmermans entrancing adapta-
laughing, director Jimmy Mavrikes says about Five Lesbians Eating a tion of The Arabian Nights. Now,
Founding Artistic Director Allison
Quiche. The characters are very serious about quiche and dont realize they Arkell Stockman closes out the 10th
are speaking in any sort of innuendo whatsoever. This is their lives. They love quiche. anniversary season by revisiting
They want to celebrate it. And its not anything more for them. the companys roots and reimagin-
ing the show, once again with live
The trick is for the actors to perform Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgoods work,
music by Tom Teasley. Veronica del
set in the closeted, claustrophobic mid-1950s, in full-on deadpan, truly celebrating Cerro leads the ensemble as famed
their common bond over eggy tart. Not that the play, which features audience-led storyteller Scheherazade. To June
improv, is all about quiche. In a turn of events, Mavrikes explains, careful not to 4. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets
$20 to $45. Call 202-204-7741 or
give away critical details, something big happens, and they all decide to become the visit constellationtheatre.org.
people that they truly are.
Its not the kind of play that youre used to, where youre just sitting down in the THE HUNCHBACK
OF NOTRE DAME
theater and watching the characters come to life on stage, he continues. Its really a
Synetic Theaters Founding Artistic
show where the audience gets to be part of it and actually gets to be a character in the Director Paata Tsikurishvili brings
show. The cast does a really great job of including the audience into their sisterhood. his mind-bending, cinematic style to
The play is produced by Monumental Theatre Company, co-founded by Mavrikes, Victor Hugos gothic, heartbreaking
epic relayed, like many Synetic
Michael Windsor and Beth Amann a few years ago. We realized that we really want- productions, in wordless fash-
ed to celebrate millennial art and millennial artists, he says. A lot of times its hard ion, stripped of Hugos dialogue.
for a new performer or a new playwright or a new choreographer to get in the door. Vato Tsikurishvili is Quasimodo,
Phillip Fletcher is Frollo, and Irina
Its definitely different for everybody. There are some people who are successful
Kavsadze is Esmeralda. In previews.
right out of college. But there are also some people who need a little push or a little To June 11. Synetic Theater, 1800
step that theyre not getting elsewhere. And those are the people that we see things South Bell St., Arlington. Tickets
in, that we think other people should see things in, and want to celebrate them in our are $35 to $60. Call 800-494-8497
or visit synetictheater.org.
shows or do their shows. Doug Rule
THE TEMPEST
Marylands Port Tobacco Players
offers a community theater produc-
Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche runs to Monday, May 22, in Lab I
tion of Shakespeares final work,
at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $30. adding gender-swapping to put
Call 202-399-7993 or visit monumentaltheatre.org. women in a place of power and
NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC
Piotr Gajewski leads the orchestra,
the National Philharmonic Chorale,
the Strathmore Childrens Chorus
and soloists in Carl Orffs rous-
ing masterpiece Carmina Burana
featuring one of the most versa-
tile musical pieces in the entire
Western canon. You know the one,
the opening section O Fortuna,
which has been the soundtrack for
movies, ads, video games and sports
and other social events. Saturday,
May 20, at 8 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $48
to $86. Call 301-581-5100 or visit WASHINGTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
strathmore.org.
Now in its 27th year, the festival presents traditional film screenings as well as related
PREAKNESS INFIELDFEST: cultural and educational programs at six different theaters. Six films at this years fes-
SAM HUNT, ZEDD tival are Rated LGBTQ, exploring sexuality, gender and identity on screen: Cabaret,
Before the 142nd running of the the hit 1972 adaptation of the stage musical classic starring Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli,
Preakness Stakes comes music, this
year headlined by one of Nashvilles which screens Sunday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the Edlavitch DCJCC, and Saturday,
newest superstars, Sam Hunt, and May 27, at 12:30 p.m., at AFI Silver Theatre; Family Commitments, an outrageously
young German electronic-dance quirky comedy about a Jewish-Arab same-sex wedding, in its Mid-Atlantic Premiere
music producer Zedd on the Mug
Stage. The smaller DeKuyper Stage
Saturday, May 20, at 8:45 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema, and Saturday, May 27, at
will feature Baltimores own Good 6:30 p.m., at Edlavitch DCJCC; In Between, Maysaloun Hamouds remarkable feature
Charlotte and the Nashville duos debut about three Arab-Israeli women sharing an apartment in the vibrant heart of
Locash and High Valley. Saturday, Tel Aviv and struggling with contemporary and traditional pressures, which screens
May 20. Starting at 7 a.m. Pimlico
Race Course, 5201 Park Heights Wednesday, May 24, at 8:15 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema, and Sunday, May 28, at
Ave., Baltimore. Tickets are $100 1:45 p.m., at AFI Silver Theatre; The Freedom to Marry, a riveting ride through history
in advance, or $110 day-of, or $155 with Evan Wolfson and Mary Bonauto, who led the push for one of the most successful
for access to new The Mug & Vine
Lounge with separate bar, private
civil rights campaigns in modern history, screening on Sunday, May 21, at 5:15 p.m. at
restrooms and picnic lounge. Call AFI Silver Theatre, and Wednesday, May 24, at 7:15 p.m., at Edlavitch DCJCC; The
877-206-8042 or visit preakness.com. Guys Next Door, a lyrical documentary about the bonds between a straight family and
their gay neighbors, screening Sunday, May 21, at 6 p.m., at Landmark Bethesda Row
SIMONE BARON
As part of its 2017 Artist-in- Cinema, and Monday, May 22, at 6:15 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema; and Uncle
Residence mentoring program, Howard, a paean and an elegy to Aaron Brookners uncle and the film he made about
Strathmore offers solo concerts his friend William S. Burroughs before his premature AIDS-related death, screening
of its up-and-coming artists. Next
up is a hybrid jazz/classical vocal-
on Sunday, May 21, at 4:15 p.m., at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, and Monday, May
ist and accordion player who is 22, at 8:45 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema. Festival runs to Sunday, May 28. Tickets
reimagining the possibilities of her are $14.95 for regular screenings. Visit wjff.org.
instrument and collaborating with
everyone from dancers to puppe-
teers to visual artists. Baron cur-
rently performs in a chamber/jazz cert of four world premiers from elements as it explores non-tra- followed by A Body in Fukushima
ensemble with fellow Strathmore 2016-2017 choreographers Nancy ditional venues and responds to lecture and photo demonstration.
AIR participant Ethan Foote. Flores-Tirado (Apotheotik), Therese the innate characteristics of each Free. Call 202-269-1600 or visit
Wednesday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. Gahl (Spectra), Shira Klinger (Dis) specific place. At the core of each danceplace.org.
The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 (onnect) and Asami Seki (Bare Soul) variant is Otake alone on a color-
Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. featuring 30 professional and local ful futon, projecting and exploring JANE FRANKLIN DANCE
Tickets are $17. Call 301-581-5100 performers. The first performance solitude, gaze, fragility and inti- Named in honor of its late board
or visit strathmore.org. on Saturday, May 20, at 6 p.m., is macy. A MacArthur Genius Grant president, the Charlotte Hollister
followed by a short graduation cer- winner with her performance part- Annual Gala is the spring fundrais-
emony and reception for the Icon ner Takashi Koma Otake, the New er for this suburban Virginia-based
DANCE Smart Class of 2017. Also Sunday, York-based Japanese artist comes to company featuring performances by
May 21, at 7 p.m. Dance Loft on 14 D.C. via Dance Place to perform her company dancers with live origi-
CHOREOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE Theater, 4618 14th St. NW 2nd Floor. solo work twice outside. Saturday, nal music by guitarist and banjoist
DANCE LOFT ON 14 Tickets are $15 to $20. Call 202-621- May 20, at 11 a.m. Farmers Market Mark Sylvester. Includes silent auc-
Artistic Director Vladimir Angelov 3670 or visit danceloft14.org. on the Arts Walk at Monroe Street tion, light supper and wine tasting.
and Operations Director Diana Market, 716 Monroe St. NE. Also Sunday, May 21, at 6 p.m. Arlington
Movius, co-founders of Dance EIKO OTAKE Saturday, May 20, at 7 p.m. 3225 Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd.
Loft on 14, end the venues inau- A Body in Places incorporates both 8th St. NE, concluding in Dance Tickets are $70 through Saturday,
gural year with a thesis dance con- performative and non-performative Places Cafritz Foundation Theater, May 20, $80 at the door, or $100 for
ANDROMEDA
TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH
offers free HIV testing and HIV
services (by appointment). 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center,
1400 Decatur St. NW. To
arrange an appointment, call
202-291-4707, or visit androm-
edatransculturalhealth.org.
ning/walking/social club
welcomes runners of all ability
levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at
7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW.
For more information, visit
dcfrontrunners.org.
CHEERS TO CHARITY
A Dacha Beer Garden happy hour raises funds for vulnerable LGBTQ people
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay
and lesbian square-dancing
group features mainstream
through advanced square
dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas
W
Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual
E [HAVE] A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH DACHA, SAYS CYNDEE CLAY, dress. 301-257-0517, dclamb-
the executive director of HIPS. It started last year, when Dacha Beer Garden dasquares.org.
hosted a fundraising happy hour for the organization to help finance initiatives DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
that serve sex workers, the LGBTQ homeless, and transgender individuals. practice. The team is always
We were able to raise $1,300 with Stonewall Dodgeball for our HIV/Hepatitis C testing looking for new members. All
services, she says. We had a great turnout, including a bunch of people who were just welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King
Greenleaf Recreation Center,
there to drink, who became part of our happy hour. 201 N St. SW. For more infor-
Clay is hoping for similar success on Tuesday, May 23, when Dacha once again hosts mation, visit scandalsrfc.org or
HIPS Pride Season Kickoff happy hour. All proceeds from the event go toward HIV/STD dcscandals@gmail.com.
testing, sex worker outreach initiatives, HIPS Peer Education program, and transportation The DULLES TRIANGLES
costs for clients expenses that the various grants that HIPS receives from government Northern Virginia social
agencies and nonprofits are unable to cover. group meets for happy hour at
Admission to Dacha is free, but patrons who make a suggested donation of $10 will receive Sheraton in Reston. All wel-
come. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise
a wristband that makes them eligible for extended happy hour drink specials until 8 p.m. Valley Drive, second-floor bar.
Dacha is a wonderful space, and its going to be a wonderful day, Clay says. Its a great For more information, visit
time to meet the HIPS family and support a worthy cause, while having some great food and dullestriangles.com.
drinking some great beer. John Riley HIV TESTING at Whitman-
Walker Health. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at
HIPS Pride Season Kickoff fundraiser is Tuesday, May 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Dacha Beer 1525 14th St. NW, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Garden, 1600 7th St. NW. Visit hips.org or call 202-232-8150. at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical
Center, 1701 14th St. NW, and 8
a.m-5 p.m. at the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave.
SE. For an appointment call
THURSDAY, May 18 The DC Center holds a meet- NIGHT at Agora Restaurant. 202-745-7000 or visit whit-
ing of its POLY DISCUSSION The Center will honor the man-walker.org.
SAGE and AARP hold an GROUP, for people interested Youth Advocate of the Year and
INTERGENERATIONAL in polyamory, non-monogamy Youth Champion of the Year, IDENTITY offers free and
DINNER at The DC Center as or other non-traditional rela- and will host a silent auction confidential HIV testing at
part of a movement aimed at tionships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th and raffle, as well as free appe- two separate locations. Walk-
building and strengthening St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedc- tizers, champagne, and happy ins accepted from 2-6 p.m.,
connections between different center.org. hour drink specials. Tickets are by appointment for all other
generations within the LGBT $20 online, and $25 at the door. hours. 414 East Diamond Ave.,
community. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th The DC Center hosts its annual 6-8 p.m. 1527 17th St. NW. For Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676
St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedc- YOUTH WORKING GROUP tickets and more information, New Hampshire Ave., Suite
center.org. RECEPTION AND AWARDS visit thedccenter.org. 411, Takoma Park, Md. To set
PRIDE:
PROTEST AND PROGRESS
By Ryan Bos
I
T WOULD BE EASY TO TURN THE RECENT and simply being present and visible.
discussions surrounding LGBTQ+ Pride into a This year people can show up to the Capital
politicized argument between different camps, Pride Parade, in solidarity with organizations they
but that would be unfair to the staff, boards, and affiliate with to proclaim they have pride, they can
thousands of volunteers across the United States show up for The Equality March for Unity & Pride
who help put on Pride and the millions of people to protest existing and potential actions against
who participate in those events. It would also be our community, and the Capital Pride Festival
unfair to LGBTQ+ people, who have long been where they will have the opportunity to engage
marginalized, are increasingly under threat, and with over 200 organizations that do much needed
bring critical concerns that our movement must work every day.
grapple with all stemming from the diversity of Pride is an individual experience, born of pro-
LGBTQ+ communities and intersectionality of the test and rooted in acknowledging and celebrating
many issues that affect us. who we are unapologetically. We need all types
Our community is like no other, representing of protest to create change. Admittedly, our move-
a microcosm of our culture in all its rich diversi- ment has a long way to go to be more inclusive, and
ty, cutting across age, race, gender identity, cul- we need to work together across issues as much
ture, economic status, political views, abilities, and as possible. After the repeal of Dont Ask Dont
every other identity. It is our greatest asset, but Tell and the victories for marriage equality, it was
also can present immense challenges. immediately clear that we had to devote even more
Instead, it may be useful to look at where we energy and resources to other, less visible issues,
share common ground. As hard as it may be, lets from LGBTQ+ youth homelessness to national
put away our assumptions and focus on what we employment protections for LGBTQ+ people to
know. My hope is that collectively and collabora- safety issues for the trans community and others
tively we can undertake this work so that together who are most vulnerable and marginalized.
we can be more powerful and successful. I also As Executive Director of the Capital Pride
hope we share common goals, such as equality Alliance, I affirm my commitment to work with our
for all and a safe world in which to live, work, and Board of Directors, volunteer leadership, and our
thrive. Our paths may differ but our destination is LGBTQ+ partner organizations on the concerns
the same. addressed at our recent Community Dialogue that
We know this year is different, for obvious directly impact our Pride activities, but also our
reasons. People are scared and traumatized, and greater LGBTQ+ community in the national capital
our internal struggles are manifesting themselves region and beyond. For example, we are already
in ways that we must all appreciate and examine working with community leaders to have trans
as we approach Pride 2017 and beyond. If we do it queer youth, one of our most marginalized and
right, our impact as a community will be powerful, threatened communities, lead our 2017 parade.
positive, and permanent. For Pride 2017 in the nations capital, my goal
No one person, organization, or community is for us to come together in celebration and pro-
owns Pride, and we all have the right to experi- test, to be visible and show the nation and the
ence it in our own way. One of our primary respon- world that our community represents the best of
sibilities is to create opportunities that allow indi- America. The real America, made up of incredibly
viduals to experience Pride in the way they feel diverse, different, and proud people who believe in
most comfortable. This provides space for protest the principles and values of social justice, equality
through marches, celebration, education, laughter, and community. l
Ryan Bos is the Executive Director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which produces Capital Pride. What are
your thoughts on Capital Pride? Have your say at metroweekly.com/forum.
P
RIDE ORIGINATED AS A COMMEMORATION tion, police violence, and disruptive deportations for
of the Stonewall Riots a groundbreaking years. Whether Pride is a protest or a celebration, by
moment of rebellion against state violence, welcoming these law enforcement agencies, Capital
with trans women of color and low income folks at Pride is turning their backs on these efforts.
the forefront. Certainly there are some LGBTQ police offi-
Today, Pride has become an institution. cers, and some do genuinely seek to do well by
Corporations eager to market their products to afflu- our community. But those individuals experiences
ent LGBTQ people have stepped in to provide funds cannot erase the fact that choices made by the MPD
that promise to make each coming Pride celebration have pushed D.C.s incarceration rate off the charts,
larger, more elaborate, and more expensive than ever allowed officers to harrass and kill members of our
before. In exchange, corporations and state institu- community, and left young LGBTQ people to die
tions get to wrap themselves in the rainbow flag and in our jails. At a time when dog whistles like law
showcase their allyship. But in pursuing bigger and order and blue lives matter are being used to
and better, Capital Pride has abandoned the prin- intimidate and further criminalize black and brown
ciples of freedom, liberation, and self-determination people, and the abuse of trans women by police is
that make Pride a tradition worth celebrating. well-reported, we must demand more from institu-
Today, Capital Pride colludes with forces that tions who want to share in our Pride.
actively oppress large swaths of the LGBTQ and two How can Pride stand for any of us, if it doesnt
spirit community. Last year, our parade included stand for the most marginalized members of our
members of the Federal Bureau of Prisons; weapons community? Capital Pride has been asked on many
manufacturers and border securitization contrac- occasions to recognize this fact by rejecting spon-
tors; banks that profit from mass incarceration and sorship from Wells Fargo and other harmful corpo-
pipelines that desecrate indigenous land; and people rations, not partnering with police and immigration
who helped Donald Trump get elected and today enforcement, and making their leadership struc-
serve in his administration. Corporations that spend ture more representative of D.C.s queer and trans
millions of dollars lobbying for policies that keep our community. These actions would demonstrate that
people impoverished and imprisoned do not belong Capital Pride is about something more important
in Pride. than big crowds, glitter, and consumerism. These
Ironically, Capital Pride has also come to include actions would demonstrate that Capital Pride stands
the police the very entity responsible for the vio- for justice for all LGBTQ people. So far, Capital Pride
lent raids on Stonewall that started it all. The pres- has refused to take action.
ence of uniformed police officers in Pride makes it Whether or not Capital Pride decides to adhere
fundamentally unsafe and unwelcoming to members to our demands and return Pride to the people, the
of our community who face discriminatory policing community that has come together under the banner
like that which drove our ancestors to rebel at of No Justice No Pride is not going away. Across
Stonewall every day. the country, a movement is growing rapidly within
Celebrating police officers as allies without the LGBTQ community. Lines are being drawn
addressing the vast injustices carried out by the between those who value their own comfort, secu-
police as an institution puts Capital Pride on the rity and privilege, and those who recognize that the
wrong side of a critical issue. LGBTQ people pursuit of justice and freedom for LGBTQ people is
especially those who are black, trans women, immi- inseparable from the pursuit of racial, economic, and
grants, undocumented, Muslim and Latinx have social justice for all. Its time for all of us especially
been at the forefront of fights to end mass incarcera- Capital Pride to choose a side. l
Angela Peoples is the Executive Director of GetEqual and a member of the No Justice No Pride Coalition.
What are your thoughts on Capital Pride? Have your say at metroweekly.com/forum.
F
ROM AN EARLY AGE, RAFFI FREEDMAN- an impromptu rally across from the White House. NCTE and
Gurspan was destined to become political- other LGBTQ groups were protesting a pending executive order
ly involved. Raised in the tradition of Reform that was expected to allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination under
Judaism, the child of two social workers has the guise of religious freedom. (President Trump later signed a
always seen it as her lifes mission to stand up different order.) Reflecting on the protest, Freedman-Gurspan
and fight for equality. At 14, she was a full-fledged particularly hones in on the words of one speaker, who said, If
gay rights activist, protesting harmful budget cuts outside of the you think that theyre not coming for you, youve got to be out of
Massachusetts State House. your mind.
Equal treatment and justice for those that are vulnerable I think thats the thing for the gay community, in particular,
in society was always just at the forefront of my childhood, and to remember 10 years ago, they were coming after us, and they
made me decide early on that I wanted to be involved in social still are, she says. I look at it in the context of being a Jew Im
justice work, she says. I didnt know at the time, of course, reminded lately of just how much anti-Semitism is out there. Its
what that would exactly be. the same thing for the gay community and the queer community
As an adult, Freedman-Gurspan worked for the Massachusetts at large, to say, Look, just because we have these rights doesnt
Transgender Political Coalition while it was trying to convince mean that people dont want to come after us.
lawmakers to pass a nondiscrimination law protecting trans- Freedman-Gurspans work on a multitude of issues affecting
gender residents. From there, she worked for State Rep. Carl the LGBTQ community has earned her a wealth of praise, and
Sciortino (D-Medford) as his legislative director, becoming recently, the Trevor Project announced it will honor her with its
the first openly transgender person to hold that position in the Outstanding Public Service Award at its Night Out for Trevor
Massachusetts House of Representatives. benefit on Friday, May 19.
Freedman-Gurspan later moved to Washington to work for Raffis whole career has been about lifting up transgender
the National Center for Transgender Equality, and once again folks, says Amy Loudermilk, the Trevor Projects director of
made history when she was hired by the Obama administration, Government Affairs. Particularly transgender people of color...
becoming the first out transgender White House staffer. who often struggle with suicidal ideation. Raffi was really well-
My parents often joke, Where did you get this political thing versed in suicide, she really understood the issues. She did a
from? she says. My mom was a bureaucrat, but I just fell in lot for our cause, which tends to go a little unnoticed in the
love with legislating and policy advocacy work. community. She worked hard with HHS and SAMHSA to make
On the day of this interview, Freedman-Gurspan, now the sure they heard from the community about their mental health
director of external relations for NCTE, had just returned from needs, challenges, and access to care. And she did that around
Truth Celebration
Capital Trans Pride allows D.C. trans folk to celebrate their identity in
Studio Theatre I had to turn people away
this year. I have a six-deep waiting list.
Goldman believes that part of what
makes Capital Trans Pride so special is that
a safe space and a loving environment By John Riley the day is a truth celebration.
Were not protesting, were not put-
T
ting our hardships and our problems out
HE MOST MEMORABLE CAPITAL TRANS PRIDE WOULD HAVE TO BE THE there. Were not pretending they dont
first, says SaVanna Wanzer, who cofounded the event in 2007. There was this exist, but for one day, were putting them
sense that the community had waited so long, and wed received the greatest aside and celebrating the fact that were
gift. Wanzer, who sits on the board of Capital Pride, highlights Trans Prides transfor- trans and that were all the same, and that
mation station, where a team of hair stylists and makeup artists help attendees change we love each other. Whether its someone
their outward appearance to match their gender identity. who transitioned 40 years ago, or someone
The moving part is when they look in the mirror and see the person that they want who transitioned the day before, thats
to be, Wanzer says. We had one lady last year, where it was the first time she had ever what makes it special. It really, truly is for
dressed up as a woman and been around other people. You should have seen the happi- everyone. l
Capital Trans Pride is Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. For more information,
visit capitalpride.org/events/capital-trans-pride or facebook.com/capitaltranspride.
I
Walk into Alien: Covenant without hav-
T IS ETERNALLY PERPLEXING TO ME WHY FILMMAKERS CHOOSE TO ing seen at least Prometheus, if not the
endure the creative duress of prequels. While the lure of exploring an origin story original Alien, and youll find yourself lost
is clearly compelling, allowing a filmmaker to bring greater depth and understand- in a thicket of nuance. Covenant shares
ing to previously created subject matter, it must also be like trying to jam a square peg remarkably similar DNA to Alien, and the
into a round hole. Sometimes, it works witness what Francis Ford Coppola achieved new film is littered with references to the
with Godfather, Part II and sometimes it doesnt (yes, George Lucas, were looking at 1979 classic, including a tough-minded
you), even though the intent is to create a chronology for future generations to watch a heroine, a possibly duplicitous synthetic,
story from the very beginning to the very end. a dulcet-voiced mother, and even, at one
The problem with a prequel, however, comes with alignment. A good sequel point, a familiar drinking bird. But these
advances a premise, taking it in new, unexpected directions. Prequels, on the other are details the real similarity is in the
hand, are tethered to and constrained by the original subject matter. Theyre stuck on a telling: Covenant might as well be Alien
pre-defined track that, no matter how many swerves and detours are taken, must wind with a special effects facelift.
up at exactly the right spot, lest continuity suffer. The plot goes something like this: The
Wrenching a narrative into place takes effort. And creativity. And, it would seem, Covenant is a massive and gorgeous
time. Lots and lots of time. No longer can anything be achieved with just one film. Now colonization ship toting several thousand
we need two, or three, or, in the case of the Alien franchise, god knows how many. All frozen humans and embryos to a far off
I know is, director Ridley Scott isnt getting any younger. And neither are we. It would world, presumably to get away from an
be nice to see this saga wrap up before were all dead. Earth ravaged by climate change deniers,
And yet, by the time Alien: Covenant ( ) has ended, and revealed its (some- Republicans, and any remaining Trump
what unsurprising) secrets, you realize that, much like 2012s Prometheus, only a tiny progeny. The ship is tended to by a placid
shred of information, leading to the events of the ill-fated voyage of the Nostromo in synthetic named Walter, an upgrade from
Alien: Covenant is rated R for intense gore. Opens Friday, May 19, at area theatres. Visit Fandango.com.
serious work.
Greek Myths
In this rendering, Timon is seen first as
a successful businessman, but beneath his
well-groomed exterior lies an unsettled,
neurotic soul. Whether it suggests latent
Folgers Timon grapples with a challenging play, while MetroStage mental illness or a psyche too sensitive
offers an engaging Master Class By Kate Wingfield for his world (or both), it makes for a val-
iant attempt at explaining the plays long
L
second-half, in which Timon is lost in a
IKELY CO-WRITTEN WITH THOMAS MIDDLETON, SHAKESPEARES wilderness, both literal and psychological.
Timon of Athens (HHHHH) is something of an odd, uneven play. It starts with Does it work? Not wholly. Part of the
the promise of gratifying comeuppance the wealthy Timons realization that problem lies with the play itself and its
his supposed friends are the kind that disappear when the money runs out. But there is unconvincing transitions, but it is also
little more, and certainly no real exploration, before Timon is angrily serving up (liter- the challenge of sustaining the sense of
ally) a communal rebuff. The play then changes tone, pivoting to Timons angry self-ex- the executive gone semi-mad. Peakes is a
ile from Athens, where he continues to be visited by users and a few compatriots. There nuanced and understated actor and it works
is never much of a catharsis other than his evolving conclusion that humanity sucks. to great effect in the first part of the play in
Timon never quite endears himself enough to be tragic, nor do his enemies truly interpreting Timon as a (secretly) socially
get their just desserts, unless you count a significant dry-cleaning bill. Subplots about awkward and nave man, blind to his false
the political health of Athens and Timons friend Alcibiades, ably played by Maboud friends. But his extroversion first with
Ebrahimzadeh, hang largely unresolved. Ultimately, it feels like some kind of morality the confrontational banquet and then the
play that deflates into a long-winded, anatomy of a bagman. assertive self-exile make for a harder sell.
It cant be easy to stage, but thats probably why the unstoppable folks at Folger took Given the concept, it might almost have
it on. They do like a challenge, and they know how to rise to it. made more sense to give him a corporate
In this case, Tony Ciseks cleverly evocative set moves the action into the future, tower in which to cloister himself.
suggesting efficiencies that have eroded personal contact, perhaps to the kind of dys- Sustaining Timons feverish state of
topian levels that could explain Timons rejection of his world. And it is in explaining maddened disillusion during the second
this man that director Robert Richmond and Ian Merrill Peakes, in the title role, do the half of the play is another challenge. Its a
Master Class runs to June 11 at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60.
Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
Timon of Athens runs to June 11 at The Folger, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35 to $75. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
Daddy Issues
daughter or a different person altogether,
a stranger. Still sharp and cantankerous,
and anchored in the reality of his charm-
ing Paris apartment, Andr is increasingly
The right actor for a brilliant play, Ted van Griethuysen leads a affected by his minds steep decline. His
wonderful production of The Father By Andr Hereford thoughts flicker heedlessly, like the strobe
lights racing over and around set designer
A
Debra Booths cleverly specific scenery.
STARK DRAMA TILTED ACUTELY TOWARDS THE DROLL HUMOR OF Not entirely unaware, Andr rails in
its octogenarian title character, The Father (HHHHH) also offers a walloping his fog against the painful loss of clarity
dose of what feels like the truth. Florian Zellers illuminatingly dark and pierc- and agency. Van Griethuysen, in a round-
ing comedy translated from its original French by Christopher Hampton is brutal ly sympathetic portrayal, makes sublime
but not cold in its honesty. It handles an audience much like the daughter at its center, comedy of the mans rancor and befuddle-
Anne (Kate Eastwood Norris), handles her mercurial, elderly father, Andr (Ted van ment, without a hint of parody. Beautifully
Griethuysen) with firm directness, guided by warmth and patience. rendering Andrs layers of confidence
A lightning wit and devilish flirt, Andr has just scared off his latest housekeep- gradually torn away by confusion van
er/personal caretaker, Isabelle. Though never seen in the play, the young womans Griethuysen, abetted by director David
absence is felt by Anne, who believed she finally had found the person who could be Muses powerful staging and transitions,
nurse, companion, and lion tamer to tend to her dad on a daily basis, thus enabling Anne persuasively relays Andrs shaky, shifting
to focus on managing her own life. point of view.
Andr was certain that the girl was stealing from him, and had taken to setting traps Andr cant trust his memories, or rec-
around the house to prove his suspicions. So Anne brings in a new girl, Laura (Caroline ognize all the faces around him, and, in
Dubberly), who seems competent and serene in equal measure. Finally freed from some what seems like a moment, a decade might
responsibility, Anne can move forward with less guilt, and consider taking a big step pass. Its humbling, horrifying, and utterly
with her boyfriend, Pierre (Manny Buckley). Or was it Antoine (Daniel Harray)? true, whether stood on Annes or Andrs
From one moment to the next, Andr isnt certain if Anne is still married to that side of the line. Zellers play taps into the
pesky Antoine, or if Antoine is Pierre, or if the woman standing before him saying universal fear of getting old, as well as the
The Father runs until June 18, at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $85.
Call 202-332-3300, or visit StudioTheatre.org.