2 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 3 EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Randy Shulman APRIL 28, 2016 ART DIRECTOR Volume 22 / Issue 51 Todd Franson

MANAGING EDITOR Rhuaridh Marr NEWS 6 The British Aren’t Coming SENIOR EDITOR by John Riley John Riley

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 9 Dictionary Definition Doug Rule by Fallon Forbush SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim SCENE 10 GLAA’s 45th Anniversary Awards CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS reception at Policy Restaurant Scott G. Brooks, Christopher Cunetto photography by Ward Morrison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gordon Ashenhurst, Sean Bugg, Connor J. Hogan, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield 12 Community Calendar WEBMASTER David Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Julian Vankim FEATURES 16 Ring Master Interview by Doug Rule SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHER Randy Shulman

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE OUT ON THE TOWN 22 Cubs, Otters and Bears. Oh My! Rivendell Media Co. by John Riley 212-242-6863

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER 24 Bard in the USA Dennis Havrilla by Doug Rule

26 Scrambled Shakespeare PATRON SAINT by Kate Wingfield Brünnhilde

MUSIC 34 All Saints Red Flag by Gordon Ashenhurst COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Todd Franson GAMES 36 Ratchet & Clank by Rhuaridh Marr

METRO WEEKLY NIGHTLIFE 39 Uproar 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 photography by Ward Morrison 202-638-6830 MetroWeekly.com

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4 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 5 Now online at MetroWeekly.com Court refuses to hear case of bakery that turned away gay couple NewsLGBT Ted Cruz uses trans bathroom panic to garner votes PHOTO.UA The British Aren’t Coming Amid British travel warnings and boycott threats, businesses are experiencing the consequences of anti-LGBT laws

by John Riley

O SAY THE CITY OF NATCHEZ IS HIGHLY progressive-thinking than any other region in the state, dating dependent on tourism is an understatement. Situated back to the Civil War,” explains R. Wayne Bryant, director of on the Mississippi River, the port city makes use sales and marketing, public relations and events at Pilgrimage of its location, its history and its antebellum archi- Garden Club. Ttecture to draw in travelers. A substantial number of foreign That’s why it was so concerning when Mississippi lawmak- tourists, from countries like Germany, Australia and the United ers passed a purported “religious freedom” bill. As written, it Kingdom, come to Natchez to stay in the former mansions and would allow people to cite personal principles, religious beliefs, plantations that serve as bed and breakfasts. or moral objections as justification for refusing service to LGBT Because of that reliance on tourism, Natchez has been par- people or others who do not adhere to preferred social or sexual ticularly welcoming to tourists of all backgrounds, including mores. As soon as Gov. Phil Bryant signed the law into effect, LGBT people. opponents of the law, HB 1523, spoke out against it. Musicians “Natchez has always been a city that is more forward and and artists cancelled planned shows. Several multinational

6 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 7 LGBTNews

corporations with headquarters or operations in the state and-breakfast. However, he is “flabbergasted” that Mississippi denounced the law. And, following the example of major cities lawmakers would conform to stereotypes that the state is back- like Washington, San Francisco and New York, which banned wards when it comes to social issues such as LGBT rights. official government travel, some activists even suggested boy- “I, of course, intend to discriminate against no one,” says cotting the state in order to deal a financial blow. Burns, who is openly gay. “I just can’t imagine that such However, by attacking the entire state of Mississippi for the a law would be enacted in this day and time that would law’s passage, more progressive environs such as Natchez could promote discrimination.... Natchez is so progressive and end up as collateral damage. open-minded when it comes to social issues. Here, they’re “Tourism is our main industry. People want to stay in our not as hard-nosed as some of the conservatives in North prized, beautiful mansions,” explains Bryant. “If we are losing Mississippi.” conventions and we are losing destination weddings of LGBT In response to Britain’s travel warning, Burns says it’s sad it clients, then everyone is losing.” has to be done, but is the only fair thing to do to make sure U.K. Bryant has watched tourism and the event business in citizens abroad are forewarned of potential discrimination or Natchez decline since the law’s passage, even though it does not humiliation should they encounter business owners who don’t officially go into effect until July 1. Pilgrimage Garden Club lost wish to serve them. up to six figures in revenue from cancellations, with people spe- “Mississippi has opened the door for discrimination, so they cifically citing concerns over the law. That’s several thousand have to be prepared,” says Burns. “I have to be prepared. I could dollars in sales taxes that the state will not collect, as well as be discriminated against at some point.” the loss of local “heads-on-beds” taxes, which fund the Natchez But other business owners suggest that Mississippi lawmak- Convention and Visitors Bureau’s efforts to market the city as a ers will only learn if devastating economic consequences are place open to business or tourism. visited upon the Magnolia State. “This has all happened within the last two weeks, and clients “I just hate that bill. I hate it with a passion,” Linda Lewis have stated that the reason is they do not want to be associated Raney, owner of The Nests B&B in Oxford, Miss., says. “I hope with or spend their money in our state because of these ridicu- there’s a boycott, honestly. I wish anybody that would ever lous laws,” Bryant says. One of the groups was a non-LGBT come to Mississippi would change their minds and advertise it Republican organization based out of Texas, who cancelled in the newspaper, large and small, businesses and individuals. because many of their members objected to being associated It’s just a hateful bill to pass for no good reason.” with the new religious freedom law. Raney, who prides herself on running an LGBT-friendly Adding salt to an ever-increasing wound was a decision by business, says although she has not personally seen a negative the British Foreign Office to issue a travel warning for the states impact from the “religious freedom” law, she still thinks it was of Mississippi and North Carolina for passing laws deemed to be unnecessary. anti-LGBT. The guidance warns British LGBT travelers that the “I’d like to say that our legislatures are solving problems that United States is an “extremely diverse society,” where attitudes don’t exist, and not solving problems that do exist,” she says. “It towards homosexuality can vary wildly. was a huge waste of time while they were in session.” “There’s no reason to be afraid to come to Mississippi, Mary Walker, the British-born co-owner of Across the Pond especially the city of Natchez. Of everyone I know who owns Bed and Breakfast in Salisbury, N.C., says she, too, has not seen a business in the hospitality industry it this city, vendors who a decrease in business from North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law, provide services for events, I don’t know of any cake baker or which repealed local civil rights ordinances and mandated florist or business owner who would turn people down,” Bryant transgender people to use only bathrooms that correspond to says in response to the Foreign Office’s actions. “But if this law their biological sex at birth. But her business gets booked only remains in effect, and Great Britain has issued a warning against through its reservations page, meaning it’s hard to quantify how coming here, and people heed that warning, then we’re in seri- much potential business she may have lost from others who ous trouble.” didn’t complete the reservations process. In a press conference in London with Prime Minister David “We do not support the bill. We’re hoping it’s going to be Cameron, President Barack Obama attempted to assuage the overturned,” Walker says. “Our business is open to everyone, British people that Mississippi and North Carolina were not regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.” nearly as hostile towards LGBT people as they have been made Concern over the economic impact of anti-LGBT laws is out to be, even as he called both states’ anti-LGBT laws “wrong” not merely limited to businesses in the North Carolina and and said they “should be overturned.” Mississippi. Tennessee was beset with threats of an economic “[Mississippi and North Carolina] are beautiful states and backlash after legislators attempted to pass a “bathroom bill” you are welcome and you should come and enjoy yourselves,” similar in scope to the North Carolina law, which would have Obama said. “And I think you’ll be treated with extraordinary forced transgender people into bathrooms that do not con- hospitality.” form with their gender identity. It was for that reason that the But Cameron defended the Foreign Office’s advice, noting Nashville business community spoke out against the “bathroom that it was granted “dispassionately” and “impartially” about bill,” which ended up being pulled by its sponsor for the remain- laws that could affect British citizens abroad. der of the session for “further study.” “Our view on any of these kinds of things is that we should “The quick knee-jerk reaction was that bill had the poten- use law to end discrimination, rather than embed or enhance it,” tial to affect our business,” says Butch Spyridon, president of the prime minister said. “And that’s something we’re comfort- the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., when asked why able saying to countries and friends anywhere in the world.” his organization lobbied so heavily against the bill. “I think John Grady Burns, the owner of Beekman Place Livery in my initial quote was, ‘Anytime our state government starts to Natchez, has not noticed any major cancellations at his bed- introduce legislation that affects our ability to do business, it’s

8 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM LGBTNews time to rethink that legislation.’ Personally, I would prefer that that NCVC has asked Gov. Bill Haslam (R) to veto that mea- our government stick to the critical issues and stay out of moral sure, just as it did for the bathroom bill. issues, if you will.” Spyridon also takes seriously the prospect that any anti- Spyridon estimates the potential loss of business for LGBT legislation could win Tennessee a travel warning Nashville, had the bill passed, to be about $58 million. Since similar to the ones issued for North Carolina and Mississippi. the defeat of the “bathroom bill,” calls for economic boycotts That, he says, would be a drag on business. and threats of cancellations have largely died down, he says. “We have built our success on music and Southern hos- However, the American Counseling Association has indicated pitality. And neither of those things do we take lightly, and it might pull its 2017 national convention from Nashville should neither of those two things do we need to put in jeopardy,” he another bill, this one granting religious exemptions to counsel- says. “And, certainly, being a friendly and welcoming state is ors and therapists, be signed into law. important to our messaging. We’d like to stay on the good lists, “We didn’t catch the counselor bill fast enough, it kind of and have no desire to be listed on travel warning lists. We’ve blew through and passed before we realized it was there,” says worked way too hard on every front to elevate, in particular Spyridon. “That’s our fault, no excuse. We would have had a Nashville’s success, but even on a statewide basis. We want to harder lobby against it. But we didn’t see it coming.” He adds continue that.” l Dictionary Definition Merriam-Webster expands its lexicon to include cisgender, genderqueer and the gender-neutral title Mx.

By Fallon Forbush

UEER PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS FOUND WAYS TO ing diversity of words that people within the LGBTQ commu- bend the rules. The dictionary is just trying to keep up. nity use to describe their identities.” Last week, Merriam-Webster added the words cisgen- However, Lane cautions that while recognition from institu- Q tions like a dictionary might feel like a complete win, it is not. der, genderqueer and the gender-neutral title Mx. to its unabridged dictionary. “The presumably heteronormative folks over at Merriam- Nikki Lane, a professor at American University’s Department Webster get to say, ‘Look, we get it.’ But people whose gender of Anthropology, says calling people by their preferred pro- expression is nonconforming, they’re going to continue to be nouns can be complicated, but it comes down to something very placed in a position of needing to teach people what the words simple: respect. mean,” she says. “And it’s great that now they can point to the “One of the hardest things for people who are gender non- dictionary and say, ‘Here’s what it means to be cisgender.’ But conforming in any way is to be able to find and mark that expe- they’re still going to have to define cisgender privilege.” rience in their lives,” says Lane, a cisgender, black lesbian. “For While Merriam-Webster presumably had good intentions some people, using pronouns that are neither he nor she speaks with the inclusion of these new terms, Lane believes it’s not more to how they experience themselves in the world. Really, going to affect heteronormativity unless they’re also paired with what we’re looking at is this way that our language is being a redefinition of man and woman. Gender, according to Lane, is stretched and bent so that people of all genders can feel that not connected to biology, but is an inner-sense of what it means they’re being recognized.” for someone to be a man or woman. However, none of Merriam- As a result, identifying outside of the gender binary of mas- Webster’s definitions for male, man, woman or female offer culine and feminine may not be as queer as it used to be, thanks alternative definitions based on gender expression. to Merriam-Webster’s new definitions. They are as follows: Still, dictionaries and their definitions have not kept people Cisgender — a person whose gender identity corresponds with from finding or inventing new ways to talk about their experi- the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth; ences in the world. Words can take years before they meet Genderqueer — a person whose gender identity cannot be criteria for entry into a dictionary — for example, cisgender has categorized as solely male or female; and Mx. — gender-neutral, existed since the 1990s, according to Merriam-Webster. But used as a title for those who do not identify as being of a particu- that slow pace of change isn’t reflected in the LGBT community lar gender, or for people who simply don’t want to be identified at large, according to Lane. by gender. “I think that no one in our fast-paced, Internet-driven, con- “While plenty of definitions of these words are available temporary culture is going to feel like a dictionary is the only online, Merriam-Webster’s status as a linguistic authority lends place where they can find out what the meanings of words are,” legitimacy,” the Human Rights Campaign said in a blog post. Lane says. “Queer communities [don’t] require the dictionary to “The move helps [broaden] public understanding of the increas- acknowledge all of the words that they use.” l

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 9 scene

GLAA’s 45th Anniversary Awards Reception at Policy Restaurant Thursday, April 21

scan this tag with your smartphone for bonus scene pics online!

Photography by Ward Morrison

10 SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 11 LGBTCommunityCalendar

Metro Weekly’s Community Calendar highlights important events in the D.C.-area SUNDAY, MAY 1 LGBT community, from alternative social events to volunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email to [email protected]. ADVENTURING outdoors group takes a moderate 8-mile hike in the Blue Deadline for inclusion is noon of the Friday before Thursday’s publication. Ridge Mountains north of Shenandoah Questions about the calendar may be directed to the National Park to see spectacular dis- Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or plays of trillium and other wildflow- ers. Bring beverages, lunch, sturdy the calendar email address. boots, bug spray, and a few dollars for fees. Must purchase special state per- mit in advance online for $4. Carpool from East Falls Church Metro Station Kiss & Ride lot. Craig, 202-462-0535. adventuring.org.

Join Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure and the National Brain Tumor Society for its 19TH ANNUAL RACE FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 28 FRIDAY, APRIL 29 SATURDAY, APRIL 30 HOPE 5K RUN AND WALK. Other activities include a kids’ run and Iona Senior Services presents GAMMA, a confidential support RAINBOW FAMILIES DC holds a Wall of Hope. Featuring special guest ESTATE PLANNING FOR THE group for men who are gay, bisexual, day-long FAMILY CONFERENCE appearance by former American LGBTQ COMMUNITY, a presenta- questioning and who are married or AND KIDS CAMP for LGBT fami- Idol winner David Cook. 8:30 a.m. tion going over various topics relat- involved with a woman, meets on lies, with workshops, networking Freedom Plaza, Pennsylvania Ave. ing to end-of-life planning, includ- the second and fourth Fridays of the opportunities and a keynote address NW between 13th and 14th Streets. ing health care power of attorney, month. GAMMA also offers addition- for parents and fun events for the For more information or to purchase advance directive, last will and testa- al meeting times and places for men kids. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Georgetown tickets, visit curebraintumors.org. ment, disposition of bodily remains in Northern Virginia and Maryland. Day School Lower/Middle School and more. 3-5:30 p.m. 4125 Albemarle 7:30-9:30 p.m. St. Thomas’ Parish Campus, 4530 MacArthur Blvd. NW. The 5TH ANNUAL RUNNING OF St. NW. For more information, visit Episcopal Church, 1772 Church St. For more information, visit rainbow- THE CHIHUAHUAS to celebrate iona.org. NW. For more information, visit familiesdc.org. Cinco de Mayo returns to D.C. GAMMAinDC.org. Proceeds benefit local animal chari- The DC ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT WEEKLY EVENTS ties. Featuring chihuahua races, food (DC AVP), the group dedicated to LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP for trucks, beer stands, dog contests, and combating anti-LGBT hate crimes, adults in Montgomery County offers , founded by live music. 1-4 p.m. The Wharf, 600 holds its monthly meeting at The DC a safe space to explore coming out BET MISHPACHAH members of the LGBT community, Water St. SW. For more information, Center. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, and issues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m. holds Saturday morning Shabbat visit cincodc.com. Suite 105. For more information, visit 16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512, services, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush thedccenter.org. Gaithersburg, Md. For more informa- WeddingWire, Inc. holds an “ASK tion, visit thedccenter.org. luncheon. Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St. NW. THE NEWLYWEDS” panel and social The LATINO LGBT TASK FORCE betmish.org. event for couples who are themselves holds its monthly meeting at The DC WEEKLY EVENTS interested in planning a wedding. Center. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, , includ- Cocktails, treats and a DJ follow the Suite 105. For more information, con- BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL ing others interested in Brazilian cul- panel discussion. Tickets are free, tact Brant Miller, brant@thedccenter. HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5 ture, meets. For location/time, email but must RSVP. 2-4 p.m. 2 Wisconsin org or 202-682-2245. p.m., and HIV services (by appoint- [email protected]. Cir., 3rd Floor, Chevy Chase, Md. To ment). 202-291-4707, andromeda- RSVP and for more information, visit WEEKLY EVENTS transculturalhealth.org. DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice go.weddingwire.com/gayweddings/ session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., events/2016/newlywed-panel.html. DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and les- DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org. bian square-dancing group features session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. WEEKLY EVENTS mainstream through advanced square SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org. DC FRONT RUNNERS running/ dancing at the National City Christian walking/social club welcomes all LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 METROHEALTH CENTER offers levels for exercise in a fun and sup- MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517, free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment portive environment, socializing celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m., High dclambdasquares.org. needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. afterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. 202-638-0750. Streets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m. for NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org. The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern fun run. dcfrontrunners.org. Virginia social group meets for happy PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT- DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice hour at Sheraton in Reston, 11810 affirming social group for ages 11-24. 4-6 DC SENTINELS basketball team session at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW. Contact meets at Turkey Thicket Recreation SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org. bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestri- Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org. Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4 angles.com. p.m. For players of all levels, gay or DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides straight. teamdcbasketball.org. Mass for the LGBT community. 6 US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics a social atmosphere for GLBT and p.m., St. Margaret’s Church, 1820 Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., questioning youth, featuring dance DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome. 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group is parties, vogue nights, movies and LGBT community, family and friends. Sign interpreted. For more info, visit independent of UHU. 202-446-1100. games. More info, catherine.chu@ 6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on- dignitynova.org. smyal.org. the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP Alexandria. All welcome. For more FRIENDS MEETING OF INSTITUTE for young LBTQ women, info, visit dignitynova.org. SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 WASHINGTON meets for worship, 13-21, interested in leadership devel- p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for 10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW, opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses Quaker House Living Room (next to Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, test- critical languages and foreign lan- Meeting House on Decatur Place), [email protected]. [email protected]. guages. 7 p.m. Nellie’s, 900 U St. NW. 2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbians RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@ and gays. Handicapped accessible gmail.com. from Phelps Place gate. Hearing assis- tance. quakersdc.org. 12 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at GROUP for gay men living in the DC Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW. metro area. This group will be meet- [email protected]. ing once a month. For information on location and time, visit H2gether.com. HIV Testing at WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH. At the Elizabeth Taylor INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW, DEVELOPMENT, God-centered new 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson age church & learning center. Sunday Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.- Services and Workshops event. 5419 4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202- Sherier Place NW. isd-dc.org. 745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY REFORMATION invites all to Sunday (K.I.) SERVICES, 3333 Duke St., worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare is Alexandria, offers free “rapid” HIV available at both services. Welcoming testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. LGBT people for 25 years. 212 East 703-823-4401. Capitol St. NE. reformationdc.org. NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C. Arlington. Appointments: services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted) 703-789-4467. and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638- SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 7373, mccdc.com. p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or test- a Christ-centered, interracial, wel- [email protected]. coming-and-affirming church, offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202- THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee Drop- 554-4330, riversidedc.org. In for the Senior LGBT Community. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202- UNITARIAN CHURCH OF 682-2245, thedccenter.org. ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming- and-affirming congregation, offers US HELPING US hosts a black gay services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow men’s evening affinity group. 3636 UU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd. Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100. uucava.org. WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL POLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m. MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom- Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van ing and inclusive church. GLBT Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at Interweave social/service group least basic swimming ability always meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m., welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secre- Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St. [email protected], wetskins.org. NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org. WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH HIV/AIDS Support Group for newly MONDAY, MAY 2 diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671, BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volun- [email protected]. teer organization, volunteers today for Volunteer Night, the first Monday of every month at The DC Center. To par- TUESDAY, MAY 3 ticipate, visit burgundycrescent.org. WEEKLY EVENTS The DC Center hosts a VOLUNTEER NIGHT for community members ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner to lend a hand with various duties, in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30 p.m. including cleaning, keeping safe-sex [email protected], afwashington.net. kit inventory, and sorting through book donations. Pizza provided. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) Suite 105. For more information, visit practice session at Takoma Aquatic thedccenter.org. Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walk- ing/social club serving greater D.C.’s DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac- LGBT community and allies hosts an tice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org. Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org. THE GAY MEN’S HEALTH DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds COLLABORATIVE offers free HIV practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison testing and STI screening and treat- Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan- ment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. dals.wordpress.com. Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic,

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 13 Alexandria Health Department, 4480 THE TOM DAVOREN SOCIAL King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571- BRIDGE CLUB meets for Social 214-9617. [email protected]. Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE (across from Marine THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE Barracks). No reservations and part- DC CENTER hosts “Packing Party,” ner needed. All welcome. 301-345-1571 where volunteers assemble safe-sex for more information. kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m., Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court The Unitarian Universalist Church NW. thedccenter.org. of Arlington presents the second session of BECOMING A TRANS* KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY ALLY, a four-part series looking at (K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St., the transgender community. The Alexandria, offers free “rapid” HIV topic for the night is “Why Bathrooms testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Matter,” presented by UUCA youth 703-823-4401. Evie Priestman, Jay Brown and Kate Oakley from the Human Rights OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS— Campaign. 7-8:30 p.m. 4444 Arlington LGBT focused meeting every Blvd., Arlington, Va. For more infor- Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. George’s mation, visit hrc.org or pofev.org. Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from Virginia WEEKLY EVENTS Square Metro. For more info. call Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicapped AD LIB, a group for freestyle con- accessible. Newcomers welcome. versation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m., [email protected]. Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call Fausto SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 Fernandez, 703-732-5174. p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, test- practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison [email protected]. Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan- dals.wordpress.com. SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL, HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH 410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m. Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@ and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N. smyal.org. Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549- 1450, historicchristchurch.org. US HELPING US hosts a support group for black gay men 40 and HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor NW. 202-446-1100. Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Whitman-Walker Health’s GAY Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.- MEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS/ 4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202- STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701 745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org. 14th St. NW. Patients are seen on walk-in basis. No-cost screening for IDENTITY offers free and confiden- HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chla- tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 mydia. Hepatitis and herpes testing East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m. available for fee. whitman-walker.org. For appointments other hours, call Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro- WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 gram for job entrants and seekers, meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30 p.m. BOOKMEN DC, an informal men’s 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more gay-literature group, discusses info, www.centercareers.org. “Bettyville,” George Hodgman’s memoir. 7:30 p.m. Cleveland Park METROHEALTH CENTER offers Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave free, rapid HIV testing. No appoint- NW. All are welcome. bookmendc. ment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th blogspot.com. St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750. THE ASK RAYCEEN SHOW features NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. a panel on LGBT health and wellness, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite moderated by Rayceen Pendarvis 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703- and featuring Nicole Cutts, Lanada 789-4467. Williams, Candice Camille, Dr. Linda Spooner, Eleasa Du Bois, and Ruby Lathon. Performances by music PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social group AFLOCENTRIC and poet and club for mature gay men, hosts burlesque performer Rae Monet after weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m., the panel. Also featuring Curt Mariah Windows Bar above Dupont Italian and DJ Honey. Admission is free. Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl, l 6 p.m. MLK Library, 901 G St. NW, 703-573-8316. Auditorium A-5. For more informa- tion, visit facebook.com/AskRayceen. 14 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 15 As head of The Washington Opera, Francesca Zambello strives to make the artform as accessible and relevant as possible. Including Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

Interview by Doug Rule Photography by Todd Franson

HEEPISHLY MENTION TO FRANCESCA costs and schedules are often a determining factor. Yet Zambello Zambello that you’ve never seen an opera and, stuck with the project, citing a “deep and passionate love for all with a smile, she’ll issue a simple challenge: things Ring.” Watch Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Raised in a family that valued music and the performing arts, In its entirety. Zambello was encouraged from an early age to appreciate opera. All 17 hours of it. That encouragement, and the love it engendered, fueled her pas- “Just try it,” the esteemed, abundantly awarded artistic direc- sion for the subject — as well as her conviction that newcomers, tor of the Washington Opera says. “When people say they’ve of any age, shouldn’t be intimidated by opera. Zambello is not — never been to an opera, I say ‘If you don’t try it, you don’t know we repeat, not — an opera snob. how great it is.’ It’s an amazing experience! Amazing! That “My whole goal is to make it accessible,” she says. “I want to acoustic sound of the orchestra and the voices — incredible.” make opera for everyone.” For those who don’t want to brave The Ring Cycle’s full Zambello loves all styles of opera, though she clearly regards running time, an epic, mythic tale spread out over four operas, Wagner’s as a cut above the rest. Unlike the beautiful Italian Zambello recommends The Valkyrie, second in the cycle, as a operas, with crazy twists and romantic trysts, Wagner’s works standalone. “Its story stands on its own, so you could just see are vigorous and somewhat more serious, focused on, as she puts that.” Performed in German (with surtitles), The Valkyrie’s uni- it, “exploring the core of what it means to be human” — whether versal, existential themes and enormous, overwhelming scale motivated by power, romance, or a sense of belonging. “We all has the power to entrance novices and opera veterans alike. It know what it is to hunger for something,” she says during an boasts one of the most famous pieces of music in opera’s canon hour-long interview in her Georgetown home. “And we’ve seen — “Ride of the Valkyries,” made instantly recognizable from its how desire can push people to do things they wouldn’t imagine overuse by pop culture (everything from the chopper scene in themselves capable of.” Apocalypse Now to Elmer Fudd warbling “Kill the Wabbit”). The And then there’s Wagner’s music, which Zambello considers time commitment for The Valkyrie? “Four and a half hours, with to be as primal as they come, to the point of being a potential two intermissions.” aphrodisiac. Individual operas from The Ring Cycle, which starts a three- “It’s just some of the sexiest music ever written,” she says. week run on Saturday, April 30 at the Kennedy Center, are often “This is music to not just be romantic to, it’s music to have sex produced as standalones within an opera company’s season. It’s to! It’s so powerful. I strongly recommend it!” rare — and something of a significant cultural event (not to men- tion herculean undertaking) — when a company mounts all four METRO WEEKLY: What on earth inspired you to take on the entire of Wagner’s behemoths at once. But that was Zambello’s chal- Ring Cycle? lenge to herself. It took a decade to fully realize, as production FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO: The Ring Cycle is the big chalice in our

16 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 17 business. I think it’s the greatest set of operas ever written. all the time because the music is hypnotic. It uses an orchestra of It constantly speaks to us, through its themes and music and 100 players, these voices that are sublime and huge, incredible words. Why wouldn’t you want to do it? It’s like directing all melodies that wrap around you, and get inside of your ear. of Shakespeare. It’s something that’s a real challenge, not just Wagner invented something called leitmotif — he created a for the director, for everyone involved. It’s a unique and often sound or a melody that represents a character or a feeling. And life-changing experience. It’s so powerful — and it’s primal. since the story is so complex, when you have that feeling or that The characters, their emotions, their story. When you hear this character, you hear that music. And that just bores down inside music everyday, day in and day out, it becomes like a drug. You of you. The orchestra is a huge protagonist in The Ring. Huge. get addicted. And I think audiences get addicted to it. That’s why And they keep answering and commenting and telling the story. there are people who travel the world just to see it. The same MW: What was the very first opera you ever saw? ZAMBELLO: Madama Butterfly. My father brought me to it. I don’t know if I loved it, but I was curious. I was probably six or seven. MW: What, then, was the first opera that you loved? ZAMBELLO: Probably Mozart, when I was a teenager. Just the It’s not always totally naturalistic. sounds and the beauty and the symmetry of the music. It was And music is primal. Music helps very contagious. MW: When did you know that convey drama.” opera — and directing in general — was what you wanted to do with your life? way people who have never seen it, and see it for the first time, ZAMBELLO: I don’t think you know that, so much as you’re inter- are completely drawn to it. nally, spiritually guided to it. By the time I was in college, I knew MW: Can you give an overview of the opera and its four parts? theater was what I was going to do. I didn’t know it was going to ZAMBELLO: The story, simply put, is about who has the ring. And be opera. Opera sort of came as I got more and more involved in the ring is the symbol of power and world domination. But it car- it. Opera gives you the chance to think in a big tableau, a big can- Alan Held as Wotan and Catherine Foster as Brunnhilde in The Valkyrie ries a curse — to make the ring work, you must renounce love. vas. And it’s not always totally naturalistic. And music is primal. And what happens is, it starts by a character named Alberich, Music helps convey drama. I was just swept away by a lot of it. who is a dwarf. He steals the ring, the gold that makes the ring, MW: You’ve directed big musicals as well, including Broadway’s from the Rhinemaidens — the River Maidens. And when he does The Little Mermaid. Did you ever consider focusing solely on one that, he destroys the natural order. He breaks nature. It’s like, or the other? “Don’t screw with Mother Nature.” He sets off a cataclysmic ZAMBELLO: Never. I think it’s give and take, back and forth. cycle. The ring goes from him to a series of other people, who They’re similar and dissimilar. I did Showboat here a few years each believe that it will give them total power, but it destroys ago, which we’ve done a lot of places. Showboat is kind of like an them. Eventually, a woman named Brunnhilde, who is the hero opera in a lot of ways — and we cast it with mostly opera singers. of The Ring Cycle, gets the ring back to the Rhinemaidens, and It has huge music, a big story. It’s a big story being told through restores a kind of world harmony. words and music. But is Showboat any different than The Ring? MW: Why has this production been christened The American Ring? Well, yes and no — both of them use music to tell huge, emo- ZAMBELLO: The designers and I were in Washington — the center tional dramas. of power — and the piece is about how greed and the quest for Musicals are American opera, in a sense. I think that in sub- power can destroy everyone, so it seemed kind of obvious. We ject matter, many musicals have gone to much greater psycho- used a lot of American visual context to tell the story. It’s not logical and emotional depths since World War II. So that con- like it hits you over the head, as though it’s set in the suburbs nects it to opera. I think the popularity of musicals in this coun- in a gas station. It’s much more about the power of the natural try is like the popularity of opera in the 19th century in, let’s say, world, America’s unspoiled, beautiful landscape in the 19th cen- Italy. They tell the story through music, but far apart because the tury. The way we do it, it moves forward through time, through kinds of voices and performers that we use are different. But the the American Industrial Age to the great Robber Barons, then musicals of today — is Hamilton an opera? It’s sung all the way to World War II, then to the 1960s, where everything is falling through like opera. It might be an opera. It might end up being apart, to a time that is slightly futuristic. It also draws on a lot of classified as an opera a hundred years from now. Musicals are American films, like Citizen Kane — who is very much like the new. They’re less than a hundred years old. So who knows? King of the Gods Wotan, who believes that he is untouchable. MW: There’s also a distinction in scale — everything in an opera is So it uses American myth, iconography, and a visual language to several times grander than in a musical. tell the story. ZAMBELLO: Right, but musicals used to have an orchestra the MW: What makes The Ring Cycle such a good work for interpreta- same size. When Rodgers and Hammerstein were writing, there tion? were fifty people in the pit. Not now. Economics have driven ZAMBELLO: It’s always been interpreted. It’s like a mirror to the that, more than taste. world. These themes of the environment and power — they’re MW: Does that account for part of the expense in staging an opera? universal and contemporary all at once. We think about the music ZAMBELLO: That’s one of the reasons — there’s a big orchestra.

18 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM SUCHMAN Alan Held as Wotan and Catherine Foster as Brunnhilde in The Valkyrie SCOTT

You have a chorus, which is usually at the least forty people. ZAMBELLO: That’s what opera does all the time. And again, it depends on the opera. When we do The Ring Cycle, MW: What would you say to those who may feel intimidated by the there are some nights where there are four hundred people idea of seeing an opera? involved — there are ninety people in the chorus, a hundred peo- ZAMBELLO: I’d say, “Why are you limiting yourself?” That’s like ple in the orchestra, fifty supers, extras, the crew, the wardrobe saying, “I’m going to cook without garlic.” Come on! What’s to department, and the performers. Sometimes I say I’m trying to be afraid of? Nowadays, you can get a reasonably priced ticket. figure out how to land at Heathrow. My job is like psychiatrist, Half the time it’s cheaper than going to a baseball game. Or a babysitter, air controller, planner, emotional/figure-out-your- rock concert. life person. MW: Or Hamilton. MW: People come to you for emotional support? ZAMBELLO: Forget it. That’s five times as expensive as what we’re ZAMBELLO: All the time. I guess they think I can help them. I charging. just ask questions. I’m a good question-asker. And I think when MW: The expense of going to the opera is a consideration for some, you’re trying to figure out things, it’s good to ask questions. though. MW: One key difference between operas and musicals is that many ZAMBELLO: We offer special pricing for the big hits. Next season of the great operas are not performed in English. we have special pricing for Madama Butterfly, The Marriage of ZAMBELLO: Right, but we’ve overcome that in some way with the Figaro, The Daughter of the Regiment — like 25 dollars or some- use of supertitles. Which I think musicals are probably going to thing. Really reasonable. That’s important to me. start to use soon. People want total clarity. They want to know MW: How are you able to lower the ticket prices, especially consid- every word that’s being said. ering the production costs of opera? MW: Is there an effort to try and accommodate both sides of the ZAMBELLO: Well, not every seat is inexpensive. But at WNO, we argument: opera purists who want the original experience, and do a lot of things like short new operas. We have a series called newcomers who are worried about the potential language barrier? the American Opera Initiative, where we do operas that are ZAMBELLO: For me it’s to make it as accessible as possible. That’s twenty minutes-to-an-hour long, in English. To draw people in, why, like this Ring, the way we’ve directed and designed it, is to we have special pricing, where we do certain performances that make it really feel in-your-face and part of your world. We make star all of our younger artists, that are very reasonably priced. it feel like the Gods are a dysfunctional family you would recog- And we’ve got people coming. nize. Some of the characters live in a trailer park, for example. It’s funny about opera, because so many people want every- It’s iconic images that immediately tell you something. thing short. And that’s why we started this thing of 20-minute MW: An operatic approach can also transform other subject matter. opera. But once you get into opera, sitting through 17 hours of I’ve seen Showboat as a musical, yet it didn’t have quite the same The Ring is like binge-watching House of Cards. impact as your opera version. MW: It’s odd that a lot of younger people wouldn’t sit through an

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 19 entire opera, yet they’ll happily binge-watch Netflix. and so you’re trying to get people to come for several days to ZAMBELLO: But they binge-watch. And I find that a lot of them see several operas — to really experience a festival. And we do a love opera. I find that we have a portion of a younger audience musical every year — but we cast opera singers. We do it with- who are drawn by the stories and the emotions. It’s not superfi- out amplification. This year we’re doing Sweeney Todd. We also cial. A lot of life is superficial. Opera goes deep. It speaks to you. do a youth opera for kids. We do concerts, a lot of them in new MW: Is there any genre of music you listen to apart from classical music that mixes styles. We do lectures — interesting speakers and opera? on really stimulating, intellectual topics. You can have a very ZAMBELLO: I like country western, like Iris DeMent or John broad experience. Prine. At WNO, mostly, you’re providing entertainment. They go MW: The two worlds never meet, do they? You would never hear a to work, they see a show, they go home. But when you go to a bluegrass singer in an opera. festival, people journey there, they’re there for a couple of days, ZAMBELLO: No, no. I’ve thought about it, but I haven’t brought and they really get into it. So that’s what makes it different by its them together yet. But next year we’re doing a jazz opera called nature. It’s a very small, intimate theater — only 1,000 seats — in a beautiful setting in rural, central New York. Dairy coun- try. So you hear this amazing music, go out and have a great “Is Hamilton an opera? It’s sung picnic. Hang out. Go hear a concert after you’ve heard an opera. It’s that kind of experi- all the way through like opera. ence. I love being there, and I love programming there. It might end up being classified as MW: Was it intimidating to take over from Placido Domingo as an opera a hundred years from now, head of the WNO three years ago? ZAMBELLO: No. I wanted to who knows?” focus on different things as a company, and so I felt I had a path. I wanted more American Champion. It’s about a boxer Emile Griffith and his Hispanic work, more American artists, more new music. Some different lover. All idioms work in opera. kinds of theatrical approaches. Build the young artist program. MW: Do you prefer directing operas or musicals? I had a viewpoint on it, which we’ve been executing. Which ZAMBELLO: I like directing anything, if I like the material. You has been great. I love Placido, and I love what he left us, a great have to love the material. The material has to grab you. Because legacy. if it doesn’t speak to you, you can’t help the performers find their MW: Have you had any challenges as a woman in this field and line way in it. of work? MW: Is there an opera that you have no interest in directing? ZAMBELLO: Oh, my whole life, sure. There’s hardly any women ZAMBELLO: There are operas that I’ve directed that I don’t need still doing this job. It’s terrible! There are very few women who to direct again, put it that way. are general directors on this level. Very few. There’s still incred- MW: Care to name any? ible sexism. ZAMBELLO: No, because we might be doing them in three years! MW: What about the presentation of women in opera? So I’ll get somebody else to do it. Opera lovers can be very ZAMBELLO: That’s tricky. A lot of women are characterized as divided. There are some who love Italian opera, some who love victims. You don’t always have to buy into it. You can work German opera, some who love French opera. I like them all. And around it, or reconceive it. When it’s appropriate, I do that. And there are a lot of people who like them all too. when it’s not, I don’t. I always think, tell the story. That’s my MW: What about American opera? job. What’s the plot? How do I make it clear? How do I make ZAMBELLO: Oh, I love American operas. I love contemporary the characters clear? If you like the characters, if you know the operas. I practically love that more than anything else. They characters, you can tell the story. If you don’t, don’t bother, you’ll resonate more. This year we did Appomattox, which was a new screw up. Philip Glass opera about the end of the Civil War and the Civil MW: Has your identity as a lesbian informed your work? Rights movement. I was very proud that we did it. Next year, ZAMBELLO: I don’t think it informs my work. I think being a we have several great new contemporary operas coming. One woman informs my work more. I think my work is political, is called Dead Man Walking, based on the film and the book. often, but not about a sexual choice so much as more about Another one is The Dictator’s Wife, which is a kind of satire socially responsible issues. Like this year, Appomattox, civil about a dictator’s wife and how she takes over a country. rights. We did another piece, Lost in the Stars, again about apart- The standard operas, as we call them — Puccini, Verdi — they heid. The Ring certainly has a feminist streak. It also has a streak don’t change. How you interpret them changes. Doing new about ecology and the environment. I think that political and operas — that’s what speaks to me. I love new music, and the social thinking is definitely part of what I think about. And what challenge of creating new work. I try to imbue in the pieces that I direct. MW: During the summer you serve as artistic director of the MW: Opera has a wealth of gay-friendly work to be explored. Glimmerglass Festival in New York. How does that compare to ZAMBELLO: There are hundreds of gay-themed operas. Benjamin your work with WNO? Britten, famous British composer — all his works, Billy Budd, ZAMBELLO: It’s different and the same. It’s a summer festival, Peter Grimes. There’s been an opera about Harvey Milk.

20 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM Brokeback Mountain, even. And opera queens are a major part MW: It’s certainly the stuff from which operas are made. of an opera audience. ZAMBELLO: There have been plenty of operas about AIDS. MW: Was coming out challenging for you? And plenty of plays. Terrence McNally’s career was launched ZAMBELLO: To some degree, but I think that’s my age. I can’t say because of that. that the ’70s and the ’80s were the most welcoming time. I lived MW: Is that part of the future of opera? Keeping these issues alive in New York City and San Francisco — those were welcoming and relevant in our culture? cities, but there were still a lot of issues around it. A lot. Very ZAMBELLO: I think we have to keep making it socially relevant, political, very charged. You know, AIDS, fear, prejudice. It wasn’t because in its roots, that’s what it was. The composers who were like coming out for me personally was traumatic — my fam- writing in the 18th and 19th centuries were speaking to their ily was accepting. It was more about the world that we lived in. When I think that in my life- time, I’ve become legally mar- “[The Ring Cycle has] some of the ried to a woman, it’s a miracle. MW: Something you couldn’t sexiest music ever written. This is have imagined when you were coming out. music to not just be romantic to, ZAMBELLO: When I was 22, no. My best friend, who’s gay — we both got married around the same time. He reminded me that when we were that age, we did a show together. And at the party after, everybody was dancing. There were gay cou- ples — it was a theater party. But I said, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could marry the people public about ideas, social action. I think we have to turn back to who we love?” That would have been 1980, I guess. I wasn’t out that more. We are, in a way, turning back to it. at work, and I worked in the arts. MW: How do you switch off from work? MW: When did you come out at work? ZAMBELLO: I love nature. Walking, hiking, being outdoors. ZAMBELLO: Maybe in the ‘80s. Like out out, no — just discreet. I Anything outdoors, I’m happy. Also I’m a stepmother. Being was always discreet. I think I still am. I mean, I’ve never not said, with a kid is extremely liberating, because you don’t think about if somebody asks me, “Are you gay?” I’ve never lied, or anything yourself, you just think about them. He’s seven-and-a-half, so like that. But I don’t think I’ve ever been wearing a badge. he’s a full-time event. Being with him and his friends, I find I don’t think that younger people can understand it. Like with it very uplifting. Hard work, but uplifting. Kids make you see the Supreme Court ruling last summer — I remember hearing it, everything in a different way. They make you let go of a lot of I was in a room with a lot of performers who were a lot younger. your selfish stress. And I just started weeping. One of them said, “Why are you cry- MW: What book are you currently reading? ing so much.” And I said, “You didn’t experience prejudice.” For ZAMBELLO: Gianni Riotta’s Prince of the Clouds, a novel, I’ve been the most part. If you’re in Mississippi, it’s a problem. enjoying it. I also read a lot of history books. I just read a huge Time just moves so quickly. Laws move so quickly. For book on the French Revolution. For me, history is really the people in their twenties and thirties, to understand what people thing I enjoy the most. The other guilty pleasure I have is read- in their fifties even went through is very hard. And obviously, of ing cookbooks. History and cookbooks are like my porn. course, women suffered from AIDS, but they didn’t suffer like MW: Do you read for recipes, or just for pleasure? gay men did, it’s true. I lived in San Francisco in the ’80s, and ZAMBELLO: No, just thumbing through. Often to go to sleep, to I worked at the opera house. And the rampant fear — “I’m not calm down, I’ll read one. Seriously. I was reading a book about touching him, he’s gay,” those kinds of things — was everywhere. barbecuing last night. It’s hard when you come home from That was every day. And of course people died. Friends died. A rehearsing The Ring Cycle — I’m like, “Oh my God! I’ve got to lot of friends died. calm down!” l MW: And a lot of younger people probably don’t even know a lot of the details of that. Including the fact that lesbians were often help- The Washington National Opera presents all four operas in The ing gay men afflicted with AIDS. Ring Cycle three times — one each week for three weeks, making ZAMBELLO: All the time. I don’t think that story is told that much. three complete cycles, starting Saturday, April 30, and running to I really don’t. It was awful. And of course things like Harvey May 22, at the Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $75 to Milk are documented. And the world of the Castro. But when I $525 per opera. For specific performance dates and more informa- look back, I think, “Oh my god, I really lived through that. And tion, call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org. lived right near there.” It happened so fast. Everything was changing so quickly. People were dropping like flies. Each performance is preceded by a free lecture offering insights For everybody of that generation, to be in your twenties, to into that particular opera. deal with so much death — only a war would have made you deal with that before, friends dying, all of that. I had a really good For more information on the Glimmerglass Festival, which runs friend, she’s gay and her twin brother was gay. He died. It was throughout July and August in Cooperstown, N.Y., call 607-547- a different time. 2255 or visit glimmerglass.org.

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 21 Compiled by Doug Rule APRIL 28 - MAY 5, 2016

Cubs, Otters and Bears. Oh My! Gay Day at the Zoo brings the District’s gay community together for an animal-inspired fundraiser

OU’LL KNOW THEM BY THEIR T-SHIRTS. “It is simply a relaxed, fun day to be at the zoo and be with Last year, the National Zoo was beset by a sea of red other members of the LGBT community,” says David Mariner, Y as members of the LGBT community congregated and executive director of The DC Center. “It’s just a great opportu- took over the park. Every stand, every exhibit, every walkway nity to be out, enjoy the day, and to be visible in the community.” was filled with a smattering of red T-shirts as people posed for As part of Gay Day, various DC Center groups will organize selfies and made their way along the zoo’s many winding trails. “meet-ups” with their members, starting with Center Aging at 11 This year, organizers of the fourth annual “Gay Day at the a.m., followed by Rainbow Families DC and 495 Bears at noon, Zoo” are hoping you’ll see green. Bright green. Center Bi at 1:30 p.m., and members of GenderQueer DC, Gay Organizers are selling the Kermit-hued “Gay Day” T-shirts, District, Women in Their Twenties and Center Global congre- complete with an affectionate pair of cartoon pandas, for $15 each, gating at 2 p.m. with proceeds directly benefitting The DC Center. Prospective “It’s a great opportunity to connect with some of the groups zoo-goers can order their T-shirts online beforehand and pick that meet at the DC Center,” says Mariner. “So if you’re not them up at The DC Center on Saturday, May 30, or on Sunday at familiar with the groups that meet here, you can get to know the zoo’s main entrance on Connecticut Avenue NW. some of those folks.” —John Riley The social gathering and fundraising event is the brainchild of Jacob Pring, a local party promoter who was, at the time, Gay Day at the Zoo will take place on Sunday, May 1 from 11 a.m. volunteering for The DC Center. After the first year was so suc- to 5 p.m. at the Smithsonian National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. WAYE cessful, the LGBT community center made it a permanent fix- NW. Admission is free of charge. For more information, or to pur- ture — this year, they’re expecting almost 1,000 people to attend. chase Gay Day at the Zoo T-shirts, visit thedccenter.org. ANGELA

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Passionate or not, Ziegler is enthusiastic about the new exhibition she has curated at the Folger, focused on Shakespeare in America. “Shakespeare entered this country very early, coming in with the English immi- grants to the New World,” Ziegler says. “To be taxt or not to be taxt, that is the question,” is how American colonists spun one popular phrase from Hamlet. French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville famously wrote about seeing copies of Shakespeare alongside copies of the Bible in log cabins on his tour of the U.S. “Shakespeare’s language, like the language of the Bible, became part of the currency of American English,” Ziegler says. “And was used all through, from early times to the present.” Although English immigrants may have been the ones to seed Shakespeare, the America’s Shakespeare exhibition includes examples showing the language of the world’s most famous playwright/poet sprouting among other immigrant and ethnic groups, including Italian, Jewish and African-American. It also

LIBRARY documents Shakespeare’s influence on several notable American works, from Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story to Measure for Measure, a 2014 poem by Rowan Ricardo Phillips. Shakespeare has even inspired SHAKESPEARE American advertising copywriters. “I think Shakespeare was often used to sell things FOLGER

OF because of the idea of class,” Ziegler says. “It brought a cachet to whatever you were selling. We have a good example of that with a Coke ad. It shows that Coca- COURTESY Cola is American, but it’s also classy.” And the cultural exchange wasn’t just one-way. In the early 17th cen- tury, pamphlets reported on a shipwreck off the coast of Virginia. “It’s pretty obvious that he knew these reports Bard in the USA about the New World, and that that influenced him when he wrote The Tempest,” Ziegler says. America’s Shakespeare at the Folger documents The exhibition doesn’t include anything related to the Bard’s New World connection Ziegler’s personal interest, or to LGBT matters. “It is an important issue in this country, but I just didn’t deal with LIKE SHAKESPEARE, BUT I’M NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT issues of gender and sexuality,” Ziegler says. But she Shakespeare, to be perfectly honest,” Georgianna Ziegler laughs. agrees that it could prove interesting fodder for another I It’s a surprising admission, coming from the head of reference exhibition, one “beginning with the whole idea of boys and associate librarian at the Folger Shakespeare Library, who is also performing as women on Shakespeare’s stage, and then a past president of the Shakespeare Association of America. Ziegler you just kind of take it from there.” —Doug Rule even taught the Bard at the University of Pennsylvania. “I’ve taught a lot of other things besides Shakespeare,” she says. “My personal inter- America’s Shakespeare runs through July 24 in the Great Hall in est tends to be women writers, early modern women. I’m interested in Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Free. Call Shakespeare and women, and I’ve done some work on that.” 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

BOB BOILEN DISGRACED as a duet partner with Jussie Smollett SPOTLIGHT Your Song Changed My Life...35 Arena Stage offers a production of Avad on Fox’s Empire, performing her hit Beloved Artists on Their Journey and Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning incen- “Conqueror.” The Grammy-winning BEN CARVER: NEW ORLEANS the Music That Inspired It is an oral diary examination of one’s self and British soul singer continues to tour Local photographer/filmmaker Ben history written by the arbiter of pop one’s beliefs — of American identity and in support of her latest release True Carver spent three months walking the music. The host and creator of NPR’s South Asian culture. Timothy Douglas Romance. Special guest Familiar Faces. neighborhoods of New Orleans to cap- All Songs Considered podcast and Tiny directs Felicia Curry, Joe Isenberg, Thursday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Bethesda ture the city as it exists 10 years after Desk Concerts, one-time musician Bob Nehal Joshi, Samip Raval and Ivy Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 7719 Hurricane Katrina. White Room DC Boilen was in the band that first played Vahanian. To May 29. Kreeger Theater Wisconsin Ave. Tickets are $55 to $75. hosts two showings of selections from the original 9:30 Club 35 years ago. in the Mead Center for American Call 240-330-4500 or visit bethesdab- the 600-plus images that comprise the He’ll be in conversation at Sixth and I Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488- luesjazz.com. collection. Showings Saturday, April with Carrie Brownstein, co-creator of 3300 or visit arenastage.org. 30, and Monday, May 2, from 6 p.m. to Portlandia and a former featured guest NATIONAL SYMPHONY 10 p.m. White Room DC, 1240 9th St. on All Songs Considered. Monday, ESTELLE ORCHESTRA WITH STORM LARGE, NW. Visit whiteroomdc.com. May 2, at 7:30 p.m. Sixth & I Historic ”I’ve felt so much love and acceptance, HUDSON SHAD Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are it’s overwhelming,” Estelle told Metro Pink Martini vocalist Storm Large will $35 for one ticket, one book, or $50 Weekly in 2012. ”[And] gay people, sing a concert version of Bertolt Brecht for two tickets and one book. Call 202- it’s a whole different level.” The love and Kurt Weill’s delightful work The 408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org. has only grown stronger since then, Seven Deadly Sins, about a transgres- especially after her guest-starring turn 24 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM

sive young woman tempted by the gentlemen of the vocal quartet. Large makes her NSO classical subscription debut with the program, led by young American conductor James Gaffigan, and also including Rodgers’ Carousel Waltz, Dvorak’s American Suite, and Ravel’s La valse. Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

RE-BALL!: RAISE/RAZE IN THE DUPONT UNDERGROUND The long-shuttered, former streetcar station — and one-time food court — below Dupont Circle reopens after two decades. This site-specific instal- lation features the 650,000 translu- cent plastic balls from last summer’s Beach exhibit at the National Building Museum. The New York architecture and design studio Hou de Sousa has

WOOD assembled them into a fully recon- figurable block system — like sand in a giant sandbox — that visitors are TERESA encouraged to refashion into their own objects and spaces. Opens Saturday, April 30. Runs to June 1. The Dupont Underground, Dupont Circle NW. Admission by reservation only, with Scrambled Shakespeare priority given to those who donate $25 to the Indiegogo campaign Open These Doors. Due to the interactive Reduced Shakespeare offers a mild, blunt, family-friendly play nature of the installation, small groups only. Visit dupontunderground.org. NONSTOP CROWD-PLEASER FOR SHAKESPEARE-LOVERS, THE REDUCED Shakespeare Company’s William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) SUEDE (HHHHH) is a vaudevillian mashup of the Bard’s greatest hits and one-liners. Think Capitol Hill Arts Workshop presents a A return concert by the lesbian cabaret one part The Carol Burnett Show, one part children’s theater, and a dash of The Three Stooges artist. Suede has spent decades wow- (circa Joe), and you’ve got the idea. ing crowds with her rich contralto The hook here is a pretend first-ever play of the Bard’s in which everyone from Hamlet voice and playful, charismatic stage presence. She also occasionally plays to Puck appear in a jumble of a plot that — as will be obvious — draws from many of his later the trumpet, guitar and piano in her classics. The result of course is contained chaos. The fun for Shakespeare fans is in follow- performances of jazz standards, along ing the references of coauthors and actors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, as they graft with some pop and a lot of blues. together myriad plots, people and well-known lines into their own madcap play. With the two Thursday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. of them, and third man Teddy Spencer, playing all the characters in a whirlwind of cheesy Tickets are $30 to $50. Call 202-399- props, it’s fast and furious entertainment. 7993 or visit atlasarts.org. Will you find it clever and funny? Well, that’s a matter of sensibilities. Suffice to say that if you carry a tote with a pithy saying on it and believe your cat knows what you are thinking, THE INSERIES: COSI FAN TUTTE GOES HOLLYWOOD then this is likely right up your alley. If you are of a cynical bent and prefer your humor in the In Cosi Fan Tutte Goes Hollywood, Nick form of an acerbic bloodletting, you will find this heavier going. Olcott offers a funny English retell- But take it for what it is — broad entertainment for a narrow audience — and it will likely ing of Mozart/DaPonte’s masterpiece, please more people than it bores. Tichenor sets the tone, writing it big and bold, thoroughly turning it into a tale about two sisters from Sandusky, Ohio, who venture to enjoying himself and at the same time suggesting everyone is in on the joke. As for Martin, Hollywood in search of movie star- although he may not have the prettiest voice for Shakespeare, he certainly has the fluidity. dom and escorted by their fiancés, a More importantly for this accessible adventure, he manages to suggest a guy who was grill- vaudeville duo. Shirley Serotsky directs this InSeries production with maestro ing hamburgers a minute ago before deciding to join the dramatic fray. Rounding out the trio, Stanley Thurston and a cast including Spencer savors his campier moments and occasionally offers a glimpse of the kind of gravitas Melissa Chavez, Samuel Keeler, Sasha he no doubt brings to his “real” Shakespeare. But whatever the nuances, these three are richly Olinick, Erin Passmore, Sean Pflueger in synch and revel equally in the speed, antics and word play of the show. Just as importantly, and Randa Rouweyha. Remaining per- formances are Saturday, April 30, at they play to the audience, inviting everyone to bask in the atmosphere of grownups having fun. 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at 4 p.m. Still, in the tradition of educated parody, this is pretty mild stuff and it makes for a rather Lang Theater in the Atlas Performing blunt, family-friendly, object (and a few gay references are, in this day and age and metropoli- Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $22 to $45. Call 202-399-7993 or visit tan area, family-friendly). Unless they start putting on a better midnight show, this is strictly atlasarts.org. for “She Who Must Be Obeyed.” — Kate Wingfield THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) runs to May 8 at Folger Theatre. SHOW AT THE EAGLE Tickets are $35 to $75. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu. The DC Eagle is getting into the busi- ness of screening films. The leather and fetish complex plans to screen

26 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM The Rocky Horror Picture Show the MOTHER’S DAY last Saturday in April, when local per- Here’s a starry cast, with Julia Roberts, formers The Sonic Transducers shad- Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Jason owcast the iconic cult film with props Sudeikis, Timothy Olyphant and and lighting effects — just as they’ve Margo Martindale, among others. done the second weekend of every They’re starring in another of those month for more than seven years at holiday ensemble films from Garry Landmark’s E Street Cinema. Patrons Marshall (Valentine’s Day, New Year’s are encouraged to dress up in costume Eve, etc.) we all know and loathe love. — and not just the usual leather or Mothers and daughters clash, have gear. Saturday, April 30, at midnight, problems, and worry about their lives preceded by social hour starting at while surrounded by cliches. Opens 10 p.m. The Exile in DC Eagle, 3701 Friday, April 29. Area theaters. Visit Benning Rd. NE. Tickets are $10, or fandango.com. (RM) $15 for guaranteed seating, $40 for a VIP Frank N Furter Package including RATCHET & CLANK premium seating, a prop goodie bag, Call us crazy, but we’re totally on and wristband for open bar. Call 202- board with Sony adapting their hit 347-6025 or visit dceagle.com. PlayStation game series into a feature animated film. The titular duo has always enjoyed some of the funniest, FILM prettiest cutscenes in gaming, with rich characters, intriguing lore, and FEMALE TROUBLE plenty of opportunity for expansion into a full-length product. It retells the It doesn’t get much trashier or camp- events of the first game in the series, ier than this, and if it’s not a per- as Ratchet, a Lombax mechanic, and fect fit for the Cine-Insomnia series his robot friend Clank set out to save of cult-popular midnight movies at the galaxy from destruction. Expect Landmark’s E Street Cinema, then I absurd weapons and beautiful anima- don’t know what is. The “sublime- tion. Opens Friday, April 29. Area the- ly sordid saga” of Dawn Davenport aters. Visit fandango.com. (RM) (Divine), the 1974 Female Trouble is considered by some to be John Waters’s Citizen Kane. Friday, April THE MEDDLER 29, and Saturday, April 30, at mid- Susan Sarandon is an aging widow night. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, who moves to Los Angeles with her 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or daughter (Rose Byrne), only to end up visit landmarktheatres.com. meddling incessantly in her life. The film was conceived by writer/direc- KEANU tor Lorene Scafaria as a love letter to her mother, and Sarandon is drawing While Key & Peele may have ended, praise for her performance as Marnie. fans can look forward to more from Opens Friday, April 29. Area theaters. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Visit fandango.com. (RM) Peele in Keanu. Here, Rell (Peele) adopts a kitten, Keanu, after a painful breakup, only for him to be stolen. Rell and Clarence (Key) then set out to find STAGE him, posing as drug dealers to infil- trate a notorious gang, while trying 110 IN THE SHADE to prevent their suburban identities Marcia Milgrom Dodge directs and from being discovered. It’s an absurd choreographs a new production of premise, but if anyone can make a this old-fashioned musical, set dur- movie about finding a kitten hilari- ing a sweltering Texas summer in the ous, this duo can. Opens Friday, April mid-1950s and featuring a lively score 29. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. from the creators of The Fantasticks. (Rhuaridh Marr) The focus is on a self-proclaimed rain- maker who promises to reverse for- tunes in the drought-stricken town, to say nothing of its leading spinster,

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 27 played by Tracy Lynn Olivera. To May band of brothers in Colombia, adapt- presents this one-woman show by live accompaniment. To May 22. Source 14. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. ed by Jorge Triana and performed Leila Buck, an interactive explora- Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are Tickets are $28 to $69. Call 800-982- in Spanish with English surtitles. tion of what it means to be American $35 to $45. Call 202-204-7741 or visit 2787 or visit fordstheatre.org. To May 8. GALA Theatre at Tivoli in this probing portrait of a young constellationtheatre.org. Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are woman’s Lebanese grandmother. ALL THE WAY $20 to $42. Call 202-234-7174 or visit Performances are Saturday, April 30, MOMENT Robert Schenkkan’s 2014 Tony- galatheatre.org. at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. Director Ethan McSweeny makes his winning drama examines the red, and 8 p.m. Kogod Cradle in the Mead Studio debut with Deirdre Kinahan’s white and blue-blooded leadership of DETROIT ‘67 Center for American Theater, 1101 6th Irish tale about a family reunion and President Lyndon B. Johnson. Now in Center Stage offers a production of St. SW. Tickets are $60. Call 202-488- long-simmering sibling resentment. previews. To May 8. Fichandler Stage Dominique Morisseau’s sharp-eyed 3300 or visit arenastage.org. With a cast of eight, including Dearbhla in the Mead Center for American drama about racial and generational Molloy, Emily Landham, Peter Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are differences during the riots of the HUGO BALL: A SUPER Albrink, Caroline Bootle Pendergast, $40 to $70. Call 202-488-3300 or visit Motown era. Kamilah Forbes directs SPECTACULAR DADA and Ciaran Byrne. Extended to April arenastage.org. this co-production with Detroit ADVENTURE 30. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets Public Theatre and offered at Towson A one-of-a-kind performance loosely NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studio- BLACK PEARL SINGS! University, while Center Stage reno- based on the life of one of the found- theatre.org. Over 20 American folk and spiritu- vates its downtown Baltimore venue. ers of the Dada anti-art movement. al songs factor into Frank Higgins’ To May 8. Mainstage at Towson Pointless Theatre Company’s latest PROOF story inspired by the real-life discov- University’s Center for the Arts, 1 Fine experimental, multi-disciplinary pup- Alex Levy directs actors Katrina Clark, ery of Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter Arts Dr., Towson, Md. Tickets are pet theater piece explores art, love Ray Ficca, Sam Ludwig and Liz Osborn by folklorist John Lomax. Sandra $10 to $59. Call 410-986-4000 or visit and faith — and contains “puppet in Virginia’s 1st Stage production of Holloway directs this MetroStage centerstage.org. sexuality, profanity and violence.” To David Auburn’s 2001 Pulitzer Prize production featuring Roz White as May 14. Logan Fringe Arts Space’s winner. To May 8. 1st Stage, 1524 Alberta “Pearl” Johnson and Teresa EMPEROR’S NIGHTINGALE Trinidad Theatre, 1358 Florida Ave. Spring Hill Rd. Tysons, Va. Tickets are Castracane as Susannah Mullally. To Adventure Theatre MTC presents a NE. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 202- $30, or $200 for 2016 1st Stage benefit May 29. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal re-imagining of the Hans Christian 733-6321 or visit pointlesstheatre.com. performance on Friday, May 6, which St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55. Call Anderson fairytale about an aim- includes food and drink and starts at 6 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org. less prince who ultimately becomes JOURNEY TO THE WEST p.m. Call 703-854-1856 or visit 1ststag- king. Natsu Onoda Power directs Constellation Theatre Company’s etysons.org. CHRONICLE OF A DEATH Damon Chua’s adaptation. To May Allison Arkell Stockman directs the FORETOLD 30. Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 fanciful global tale adapted by Mary THE BODY OF AN AMERICAN MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Tickets Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novella is Zimmerman from an ancient Chinese Theater J presents the regional pre- are $19. Call 301-634-2270 or visit the source for another stage adapta- novel about a Buddhist monk who trav- miere of Dan O’Brien’s breathtak- adventuretheatre-mtc.org. tion, though this time as a straight els in search of sacred scriptures, meet- ingly provocative drama, based on a play, unlike the 1995 Tony-nominated ing a monkey, a pig, a river monster and true story, about the friendship that musical. Jose Zayas directs GALA HKEELEE (TALK TO ME) a monk along the way. Tom Teasley develops between a playwright and a Theatre’s production of the tale about As part of its Voices from a Changing returns to Constellation to provide his photographer and traverses Rwanda, a murderous mission of revenge by a Middle East Festival, Mosaic Theater percussive-based world music style of Afghanistan and the Canadian Arctic.

28 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM Jose Carrasquillo directs a production 641 D St. NW. Call 202-393-3939 or featuring Eric Hissom and Thomas visit woollymammoth.net. Keegan. Now in previews. Opens Tuesday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. Pride TRANSMISSION Night is Thursday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. A three-year-old D.C.-based play- Runs to May 22. The Aaron and Cecile writing collective, and one of this Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.’s year’s Helen Hayes Award winners Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th as Outstanding Emerging Theatre St. NW. Call 202-777-3210 or visit Company, the Welders offers its latest theaterj.org. production, an immersive, participa- tory “performance play” written and THE ELECTRIC BABY performed by Gwydion Suilebhan. Known for ambitious stagings Devised for a small audience of 20 of eccentric or out-there tales, people, all seated in 1930s armchairs Rorschach Theatre presents Stefanie clustered around period radios, Zadravec’s lyrical play exploring Transmission focuses on the viral evo- the theme of loss with humor and lution of culture, from the radio age to folklore. Reviewing another produc- the present day. Touted as part-jazz, tion, a critic for the Pittsburgh Post- part-science lecture and part-”ritual Gazette was both “charmed” and invocation”, the show investigates “enthralled” by “its delicacy and its what it means to be inundated in our strength.” Randy Baker directs a pro- always-connected, always-sharing cul- duction featuring William Aitken, J. ture, which demands skepticism and Shawn Durham, Jennifer J. Hopkins, inquisitiveness. Opens in previews Cam Magee, Kiernan McGowan and Thursday, April 28, and Friday, April Sarah Taurchini. Now to May 15. Atlas 29, at 8 p.m. Runs to May 28. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. NE. Tickets are $15 to $30. Call 202- Tickets are $15 to $30. Call 202-399- 399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org. 7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

THE MYSTERY OF LOVE & SEX Signature Theatre offers this play from Bathsheba Doran, a writer bet- COMMUNITY STAGE ter known for his work on premium cable, from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire THE LION IN WINTER Baltimore’s Vagabond Players offers and Showtime’s Masters of Sex. The this story of the battle for the royal Mystery of Love & Sex is an unex- crown from James Goldman. Steve pected story of an evolving friendship Goldklang directs Eric C. Stein as King between a man and a woman, who Henry II and Cherie Weinert as his aren’t quite straight and aren’t quite in estranged Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine love with each other — but they con- in this witty political drama. Weekends sider romance anyway, for the sake of to May 5. Vagabond Theatre, 806 S. the parents. Pride Night is set for April Broadway, Baltimore. Tickets are $10 29. Runs to May 8. Signature Theatre, to $20. Call 410-563-9135 or visit vaga- 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call bondplayers.org. 703-820-9771 or visit signature-the- atre.org.

THE NETHER MUSIC Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company presents Jennifer Haley’s modern ARTURO SANDOVAL crime drama, exploring themes of A protégé of the legendary jazz mas- desire, technology and morality in ter Dizzy Gillespie, the Cuban-born a futuristic Earth wasteland. Shana Sandoval was granted political asylum Cooper directs a cast led by Edward in the U.S. decades ago. He’s revered Gero, in his Woolly debut, support- as one of the world’s best jazz trum- ed by Woolly company members peters and flugelhorn players, as well Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey and Tim as a renowned pianist and composer. Getman. To May 1. Woolly Mammoth, Thursday, May 5, through Sunday, May 8, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Blues

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 29 Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. CAPITAL CITY SYMPHONY GEORGETOWN CHORALE at 1 p.m. Alden Theatre at the McLean Tickets are $50 to $55, plus $10 mini- “Great Masters, Young Stars” fea- Live at 10th and G presents Vaughan Community Center, 1234 Ingleside mum purchase. Call 202-337-4141 or tures Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, blend- Ave., Mclean, Va. Tickets are $12. Call visit bluesalley.com. F Major and Brahms’ Violin Concerto ing the poetry of Walt Whitman with 703-790-0123 or visit www.mclean- in D Major, the latter performed with a cry for peace, is the centerpiece of a center.org/alden-theatre. BALTIMORE SYMPHONY Lara Boschkor, the winner of the spring concert that also includes clas- ORCHESTRA Johansen International Competition. sic choral works by Handel and Parry MIAMI HORROR Dariusz Skoraczewski performs Sunday, May 8, at 5 p.m. Atlas and features soprano Laura Choi. Although named after the city, this Tchaikovsky’s cheerful and demand- Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. Saturday, April 30, at 3 p.m. Live! at indie-electronica band hails from ing cello showpiece, Variations on NE. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 202- 10th and G, 945 G ST. NW. TIckets Australia and now calls Los Angeles a Rococo Theme, as part of a pro- 399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org. are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door, home. The resulting music is a melt- gram led by Andrey Boreyko that which includes post-concert dessert ing pot reflecting all three locales: A also features Prokofiev’s triumphant CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN reception with wine and beer. Call slightly hazy, sunny, trippy, uptempo Symphony No. 5 — a work about “the National Symphony Orchestra pres- 202-628-4317 or visit facebook.com/ sound. After debuting in its space last greatness of the human spirit” writ- ents this gifted young American liveat10thandg. year, U Street Music Hall presents the ten in the midst of World War II. organist who will take to the four-piece at the 9:30 Club in support Also includes Victoria Borisova-Ollas’ Rubenstein Family Organ to play a ITZHAK PERLMAN of their eclectic new record All Possible Futures — though three months later The Kingdom of Silence. Friday, April recital of Bach, Franck, Bach, Alain, AND EMANUEL AX and Vierne. Wednesday, May 4, at 8 than originally intended, yet another 29, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at Washington Performing Arts presents p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. victim of January’s Snowzilla. Friday, 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony a concert by two celebrated states- Tickets are $15. Call 202-467-4600 or April 29. Doors at 10 p.m. 9:30 Club, Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. men of classical music, touring in sup- Also Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m. visit kennedy-center.org. 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call port of a new Deutsche Grammophon 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 recording of Faure and Strauss violin Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. FAIRFAX SYMPHONY WITH sonatas. This is the rescheduled date MURRAY PERAHIA Tickets are $10 to $99. Call 410-783- AWADAGIN PRATT for the concert, originally scheduled Washington Performing Arts presents 8000 or visit bsomusic.org. Peabody Conservatory graduate, one in September but postponed due to a concert by this Grammy-winning of Ebony Magazine’s “50 Leaders of Perlman’s emergency gallbladder classical pianist, described by the Los BEN FOLDS WITH YMUSIC Tomorrow,” will perform Beethoven’s surgery. Tuesday, May 10, at 7 p.m. Angeles Times as “one of the most Six months after his performance with Piano Concerto No. 3 in a program led Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets satisfying, illuminating and all-around the National Symphony Orchestra, by FSO artistic director Christopher are $55 to $135. Call 202-467-4600 or impressive pianists of any genera- extraordinary classical crossover art- Zimmerman and headlined by the visit kennedy-center.org. ist Ben Folds returns to the Kennedy German giant’s Symphony No. 3, tion.” Murray Perahia will perform a program of sonatas by Mozart and Center Concert Hall, this time with known as “Eroica.” Also on the bill is JOHN EATON the extraordinary contemporary clas- the East Coast premiere of Bresnick’s Beethoven and several intermezzos A regular at the Barns at Wolf Trap, by Brahms. Sunday, May 1, at 4 p.m. sical ensemble yMusic. The focus The Way It Goes. Saturday, April 30, this local jazz veteran and pianist will be on his stellar 2015 solo album at 8 p.m. George Mason University Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 offers one of his “Jazz Masters” Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. So There. Tuesday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond themed educational concerts, this Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets Drive, Fairfax. Tickets are $34 to $58. Tickets are $45 to $100. Call 301-581- time at McLean’s Alden theatre. The 5100 or visit strathmore.org. are $25 to $55. Call 202-467-4600 or Call 888-945-2468 or visit fairfaxsym- focus is on the work of jazz master visit kennedy-center.org. phony.org. Hoagy Carmichael. Saturday, April 30,

30 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM NATIONAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE THE WASHINGTON CHORUS X AMBASSADORS Allison Silberberg, Mayor of The Rubenstein Family Organ at After opening for Muse at the Verizon DANCE Alexandria, guest hosts a Mother’s the Kennedy Center will sound for Center in January, the upstate New Day Concert, “All About Dvorak,” a “Parisian Spring” program featur- York quartet returns to town to offer CITYDANCE’S DREAMSCAPE featuring music by one of the most ing French organist Thierry Escaich, another round of its emotional, blue- CityDance presents its annual gala enchanting composers of all time, accompanying the chorus led by sy, syncopated chants (“Renegades,” performance co-produced with Rasta including “Songs My Mother Taught music director Julian Wachner and “Hang On,” “Nervous”) that you’ve no Thomas, in which Thomas and danc- Me” and his Piano Quintet in A Major. the Washington National Cathedral doubt heard in commercials. Maybe ers with the CityDance Conservatory Saturday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. Rosslyn Choir of Boys and Girls. The pro- you’ve seen images of the band’s lead and students from its Dream pro- Spectrum Theater, 1611 North Kent gram showcases glorious gems of singer Sam Harris, whose as easy on gram appear alongside guest art- St., “LL” Level. Arlington. Tickets are the French repertoire, including the eyes — bald and bearded — as ists: Matthew Golding of the Royal $33. Call [703-276-6701 or visit nation- the sumptuous Requiem by Maurice his voice is on the ears. Los Angeles- Ballet, Anna Tsygankova of the Dutch alchamberensemble.org. Durufle, considered one of the great based dance-pop provocateur Robert National Ballet, Pete Walker of Aspen choral masterworks, Louis Vierne’s DeLong opens along with Sara Santa Fe Ballet, Anna Gerberich of the OPERA LAFAYETTE Kyrie and Gabriel Faure’s Cantique Hartman. Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m. Joffrey Ballet, Cartier Williams Dance “Opera and the French Revolution” de Jean Racine. Also on the bill is Echostage, 2135 Queens Chapel Rd. Theatre, Gallim Dance and more. is a fully staged program, directed by Wachner’s At the Lighting of the NE. Tickets are $35. Call 202-503- Saturday, May 7, at 8 p.m. Lincoln Mirenka Cechova, with three dramat- Lamps, written in the French cho- 2330 or visit echostage.com. Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are ic scenes from classical Greek trag- ral style. Sunday, May 1, at 5 p.m. $25 to $38. Call 202-328-6000 or visit edies set by Martini, Cherubini and Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets YUNA citydance.net. Sacchini and staged during the revo- are $18 to $72. Call 202-467-4600 or Malaysia’s first international pop star visit kennedy-center.org. lution. Friday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. has been making the rounds of area NEJLA YASEMIN YATKIN DANCE/ GW Lisner, The George Washington concert venues, hitting roughly one a NY2DANCE University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets WILD BELLE year in recent years, from GW Lisner What Dreams May Come is a multi- are $30 to $50. Call 202-994-6851 or “Nobody move, nobody get hurt,” to Rams Head on Stage. Now the 9:30 media dance solo from the Chicago- visit lisner.org. Natalie Bergman sings in a slow, Club presents the most intimate venue based choreographer, exploring reggae-inflected drawl on “Thrown yet for this 29-year-old artist, whose oppression, freedom, identity and THE RE-LIVES: A TRIBUTE TO Down Your Guns,” drawn from new engaging voice, similar to Feist and anonymity, and incorporating con- album Dreamland by Bergman and Lorde, is matched by a melodically temporary movement with traditional LUTHER VANDROSS her multi-instrumentalist brother rich blend of pop, folk and R&B and William “Smooth” Wardlaw, said to Turkish dance elements and video Elliot. Wild Belle’s first single “Keep songs you feel you’ve heard before — be the spitting image and sound of the projection body mapping designed by You” was featured in the original Pitch and often, you have, accompanying man known as “The Velvet Voice,” video artist Enki Andrews. Saturday, Perfect in 2013. Since then the band, performances on So You Think You will lead this tribute performance to April 30, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, May whose music is as psychedelic as it is Can Dance, for example. Atlanta-bred the late R&B superstar. Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. soulful and thoroughly steeped in the hip-hop/house artist Bosco opens. 6, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 Caribbean, has worked with Diplo and Friday, April 29, at 7 p.m. U Street Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda. at the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit Major Lazer. Sunday, May 1. Doors at Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets Tickets are $25 to $35. Call 301-581- danceplace.org. 7:30 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. are $25. Call 202-588-1880 or visit 5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com. Tickets are $15. Call 202-667-4490 or ustreetmusichall.com. visit blackcatdc.com.

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 31 Geographic, uses stunning photo- African-American girl by Amy Sherald COMEDY graphs, immersive video, interactive of Baltimore. Among the 43 finalists, ABOVE AND BEYOND migration maps, cultural objects, more than a half-dozen are LGBT- LEWIS BLACK and original artwork to explore the themed, including: Jess T. Dugan THE ASK RAYCEEN SHOW Known for crotchety delivery and compelling story behind some of the of St. Louis and her masculine self- Rayceen Pendarvis hosts this monthly acerbic satire from his former “Back most amazing animal migrations portrait; a print of two transgender LGBT event, a combination panel dis- in Black” segments on The Daily Show on the planet. To Sept. 30. National teenagers in love by Evan Baden of cussion and variety show. The May with Jon Stewart, the Silver Spring Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. Oregon; an oil painting focused on edition features a discussion on health native returns to the area for a run of NW. Free. Call 202-857-7588 or visit a recently married, older gay couple and wellness featuring Nicole Cutts, stand-up on his “The Emperor’s New ngmuseum.org. by Paul Oxborough of Minnesota; Lanada Williams, Candice Camille, Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour.” and a flamboyant, patriotic paint- Dr. Linda Spooner, Eleasa Du Bois, Thursday, April 28, through Saturday, STORIES OF MIGRATION: ing by D.C.’s Tim Doud featuring and Ruby Lathon. Performances will April 30, at 8 p.m. Warner Theatre, CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS his spouse, cultural theorist Edward come from music group AfloCentric 513 13th St. NW. Call 202-783-4000 or INTERPRET DIASPORA Ingebretsen, in full plume. Through and poet/burlesque performer Rae Jan. 8. National Portrait Gallery, 8th visit warnertheatredc.com. The George Washington University Monet. Curt Mariah will be the and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 Museum presents this extremely announcer, with tunes spun by DJ or visit npg.si.edu. WOLF TRAP’S 28TH ANNUAL timely juried and invitational exhi- Honey. Wednesday, May 4. Doors at 6 EVENING OF COMEDY bition, through which 44 artists p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Will Durst, Bob Nelson and Maureen share personal and universal sto- TWISTED TEENAGE PLOT Library, 901 G St. NW. Free. Visit face- Langan are the stand-up comedians ries of migration. Through Sept. 4. Named after the band featuring artist book.com/AskRayceen. who will provide the laughs at this The George Washington University Kevin MacDonald, the Apler Initiative year’s annual event in the Wolf Trap Museum, 701 21st St. NW. Call 202- for Washington Art offers this exhi- THE EVASONS Barns. Friday, May 1, at 8 p.m., and 994-5200 or visit museum.gwu.edu. bition at the American University Circus of Wonders, an area pre- Saturday, May 2, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 Museum showcasing other local visual senter of magic and variety shows, p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 THE OUTWIN 2016: AMERICAN artists who also played in bands in the welcomes to Baltimore an act billed late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Represented Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25 PORTRAITURE TODAY as a “World Famous Mind Reading in the exhibition — which includes Duo.” Jeff Evason and Tessa Evason to $28. Call 703-255-1900 or visit Every three years the Smithsonian’s sound recordings, posters and vid- are said to offer mind-blowing feats wolftrap.org. National Portrait Gallery presents eos — are Dick Bangham, Michael of telepathy and ESP, even enticing finalists of the Outwin Boochever Baron, Jay Burch, Kim Kane, Clark skeptics with promises of a $100,000 Portrait Competition, named for a Vinson Fox (aka Michael Clark), reward for proof of advanced scouting late volunteer and benefactor. The Steve Ludlum, Michael McCall, JW or sleuthing of information beforehand GALLERIES portraits are works drawn from all Mahoney, Michael Reidy, Robin Rose, — they promise they do no such thing. over America, mostly featuring unher- EXPLORING YELLOWSTONE’S Judith Watkins Tartt and Joe White. Saturday, April 30, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. alded, everyday citizens and generally Through May 29. American University Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 West GREAT ANIMAL MIGRATIONS presented in innovative ways through Museum’s Gallery 252 at the Katzen Preston St. Baltimore. Tickets are $50, Part of the National Park Service’s various media, from standard photog- Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. or $100 for a bonus show after the centennial celebration. This Invisible raphy to three-dimensional installa- NW. Call 202-885-1300 or visit ameri- main show, or $80 to $120 for VIP Boundaries exhibition, in conjunc- tion. This year’s winner is a stunning, can.edu/cas/museum. options. Call 410-752-8558 or visit the- tion with the May issue of National slightly surreal painting of a young atreproject.org. l

32 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 33 music

Return of the Saints

a return to form, but a bold stroke forward. Stitching together All Saints’ cool and emotional pop, RnB, tribal, adult contemporary and gospel, it all works as if they had never been away. The common thread is the blend of brand of pop exceeds their distinctive, streetwise but unjaded voices. Album opener and first single “One Strike” emerges from the shadows with brooding synths, clearing the air beautifully with expectations a sombre, yet lethally effective, chorus. The soothing harmony that ignites the chorus is a delicious heartache remedy. When by GORDON ASHENHURST the girls softly chant as Natalie Appleton poignantly croons “bro- ken promises, time to leave. I had everything that you needed”, HILST MOST GIRL BANDS IN THE LATE there’s a palpable chemistry that will surely strike a chord. Such ‘90s were in the shadow of the Spice Girls, All an intimate sense of connection is not surprising given that the Saints held firm to their own musical iden- inspiration for the group’s main songwriter Shaznay Lewis was W tity, favouring sleek RnB influences over the a phone call with fellow member Nicole Appleton on the subject instant gratification posturing of their power-pop competition. of her divorce from Oasis singer Liam Gallagher. While both groups sometimes overlapped in style, the market- Orchestral and deceptively groovy, the heavenly chorus in ing and image of each was defiantly different. That the Saints “One Woman Man” is girl band perfection. Between swooping favoured a more sultry sound is likely why they have arguably choruses, we’re treated to judicious turns from Lewis and Mel more seamlessly continued where they left off. Blatt, with the former’s particularly gritty middle eight climax- Red Flag (HHHHH), their first album in ten years, is not only ing with the neo-camp delivery of “didn’t she hear me say? I

34 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM Natalie issues the most exquisitely delivered vocal of her career. Nothing short of ravishing, her dulcet tones combine with the gorgeous arrangement to transform a relatively simple song into something hauntingly artful. Exploiting a brighter pop sound, “Puppet on a String” is positively dripping with energy, hanging off a Caribbean cur- rent of electronica and faint splashes of house music. Expanding their repertoire to reggae and dancehall is nothing new for the group, and here the more boisterous “Ratchet Behaviour” offers a similar, if heavier, dosage of it. The elastic rhythms and self- conscious sass may prove to be an acquired taste for some, but arguably the move pays off on repeated plays when its melody works its way under the skin. Off the cuff, outlandish, thumping, jarring, bitchy and faintly embarrassing, it is surely destined to become a fan favourite for a variety of reasons. Elsewhere, the stylishly hooky “Red Flag” and “Tribal” are both tempered with worldly atmospherics and unexpect- ain’t going nowhere” sung at her vocal bursting point. Pushed to edly lo-fi dance beats. The album’s biggest strength is their vocal the top of the album for good reason, if there were any justice it vigor, making these songs sound incredibly liberated. As on would also be pushed to the top of the charts. “Pieces”, they often sound on the verge of simply sighing along Always at ease with a funky RnB soundscape, “Make U Love to the dreamy backdrops. Sometimes singing softly on top of Me” recalls Luscious Jackson in Fever In Fever Out, and sprin- lustrous and breezy beats is all it takes. kles their discerning knack for a haunting pop hook or two on If in their hey day All Saints could often be accused of focus- top. A subdued, guitar-laden track, it is a strangely exotic sound, ing more on groove and texture than on fully-fledged, memo- with lyrics almost sweet enough to disguise the threat. With a rable pop songs, Red Flag not only retains their elegant, laid-back twang of country blues, “Summer Rain” equally stretches both aesthetic, but shapes their sound into something more multi- the group’s genre-shifting and vocal range. One of the album’s layered and introspective. It pulsates with a sense of renewed most obvious flourishes of personal reflection, Lewis’ breath- thirst and discovery. l less vocal is a gutsy approach that works wonders alongside the unexpected musical direction. Red Flag is available now from Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and “Who Hurt Who” is half Janet Jackson, half The Carpenters). through streaming services.

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 35 games

Reimagination

14-year-old PlayStation 2 classic. Ratchet & Clank may retread familiar Ratchet & Clank ( ) on PS4 isn’t strictly a remake. Instead, it’s a “reimagining” of the original, through the lens of ground, but it does so in addictive, a soon-to-be-released animated film, that is itself a remake of the story told in the PS2 version. Still with us? As such, while a lot of the content will be familiar to anyone who played through engaging, and beautiful fashion the duo’s first game, there are tweaks, additions, and changes as a result not only of the film, but of the sixteen years Insomniac by RHUARIDH MARR Games have had to further hone their craft. The end product is a game that’s as instantly addictive as it is intoxicatingly nostalgic. HIS GENERATION OF CONSOLES HAS BECOME For anyone not au fait with Ratchet and his robotic buddy something of a punchline for relying on dressing up clank, let’s get you up to speed. Clank is a “manufacturing defect” older games in high-def clothing in order to provide from a factory tasked with churning out giant, robotic soldiers. T content. As gamers cry out for more and better The tiny, self-aware robot escapes after learning that the Blarg, games to run on their Xbox Ones and PlayStation 4s, it can be all a fishy race ruled by Chairman Drek, plan to use the robots to too easy to take a gaming classic, slap a fresh coat of digital paint take control of entire planets. Clank’s ship crashes on Veldin, on it, and demand hard-earned dollars. It’s perhaps with more home to Ratchet, a lonely Lombax. Ratchet dreams of being a than a hint of irony, then, that one of the best games released Space Ranger — a group of heros led by Captain Qwark — and so far for either console isn’t a new game — it’s a remake of a upon stumbling across Clank and fixing him up, the two set out

36 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM to warn the Rangers about Drek’s plans. quently, too. Tightly choreographed platforming sections will test your hand eye coordination, waves of enemies will tax your There are differences to the original story, however. Here, aiming skills, while inventory management becomes key as you Qwark, an incompetent, deluded coward who loves the lime- work through your ammo reserves — but the game is still so well light, narrates Ratchet’s story to the inmates of a prison he finds balanced that, should you find yourself with just your wrench himself in. It’s incredibly meta — a prisoner tells Qwark about a and a sliver of health left, it’s possible to dispatch enemies and game based on Ratchet’s life, Qwark asks if he means a film, the advance to the next ammo and health cache. prisoner responds that both are being released — and Qwark’s Thankfully, one of the series’ biggest draws remains as narration becomes a mainstay of this reimagined game. As you addicting and compelling as ever: smashing stuff. Swinging your navigate through the various worlds in Ratchet & Clank, Qwark’s wrench through crates, lamp posts, toolboxes, signs, flower pots bombastic, blowhard narration will follow you, to frequently — anything that looks remotely destructible — rewards players humorous effect. He’ll get exasperated if you wander off course, with a shower of the game’s currency: nuts and bolts. Collecting comment on certain actions, and praise himself should the play- them becomes a quest in an of itself, finding every nook and er encounter any statues or memorabilia of Qwark in-game. It’s cranny in a level to extract as many as possible, then using them all Insomniac’s way of appealing to fans new and old — if this is to buy new weapons or refill depleted ammo reserves. It helps your first encounter with the series, the story is here to entertain. immensely that each explosion, every shattering crate, all of If you already know what’s going to happen, there’s in-jokes, those glimmering nuts and bolts that rain down on Ratchet and meta humor and Qwark’s narration to enjoy. Clank look so incredibly beautiful. Really, though, the rich humor, gorgeously animated Back in the hazy days of 2002, Ratchet & Clank was a rev- cutscenes (several ripped straight from the film), and well-paced elation. Its vibrant color palette, impressive particle effects story all take a backseat to the main star of the show: gameplay. and expansive levels were a joy to behold. When the PS3 rolled Ratchet & Clank is bursting at the seams with the same wonder- around, Tools of Destruction wowed gamers with the power ful, enjoyable, beautifully polished gameplay that has kept the of Sony’s console, presenting a brighter, more colorful, more series going across multiple games on multiple consoles. luscious experience. But with its outing on PS4, the series has At its core, Ratchet & Clank is a third-person platformer, reached an almost unbelievable new height. As beautiful as it with the duo bouncing around levels and exploring areas as they is breathtaking, Ratchet & Clank is a constant, welcome assault complete whatever arbitrary tasks have been assigned when on the retinas. Expansive, impeccably detailed vistas await, they land on the planet. It’s everything in between, however, that whether navigating a gargantuan, towering city, sliding along makes it such a joy to play. The series has always been known rails in a frozen wasteland, or blasting a jetpack over seas of for its outlandish, oversized weaponry, and here it’s no different. lava. Lighting, texture work, character models, particle effects, While Ratchet starts with his trusty OmniWrench for swatting weapon fire, enemy movement, destruction animations, graph- at enemies and bashing open crates, players will quickly amass ics, holograms, 2D animated infobot cutscenes — whatever an almost bewildering array of weaponry. Ratchet & Clank throws at players, they can be assured that it Many are from the first game: the Bomb Glove, which lobs will be impossibly pretty. deadly explosives at enemies; the Pyrocitor, which is essentially It’s matched by audio that’s as crisp as the animation. a supercharged flamethrower; and the Glove of Doom, which Dialogue, of which there is a lot, be it cutscenes, banter between spawns kamikaze robots. But there are also several weapons characters, or Qwark’s narration, is among the best you’ll hear in from later games — and their inclusion here is greatly appreci- gaming. The various weaponry on offer explodes, shoots, blasts ated, as Insomniac crafted some truly inspired creations in the and ricochets with a cacophony of sound. Music blends seam- years that followed the original. They include the Sheepinator, lessly between various genres, depending on location, danger which turns enemies into fluffy sheep; the Pixelizer, which turns level and whether or not you’ve just thrown out the Groovitron enemies into giant, pixelated versions of themselves, complete — something you should absolutely be doing on a regular basis. with retro sound effects; Mr. Zurkon, a flying robotic sidekick There’s also the added benefit of both longevity and replay- who shoots enemies and makes frequently hilarious quips ability. Collectibles abound, including Gold Bolts, which unlock thanks to a sadistic sense of humor; and the Groovitron, one of extras such as image galleries and cheats, and cards, which the most famous weapons in the series, which lobs a giant disco can be collected to unlock additional upgrades, weapons, or ball that causes any enemy within range to be compelled to bust boost stats. Finding everything the game has to offer will suck a groove, rendering them an easy target for other weapons. up numerous hours. There’s also Challenge Mode, which is Ratchet & Clank forces players to constantly mix up their unlocked after beating the game. Players will start the story arsenal, thanks in part to a paucity of ammo. You won’t always again, but keep all weapons, upgrades, and nuts and bolts. get ammo for the weapon you use most, so you’re encouraged to Enemies will be harder to beat and there’s the added incentive experiment with different setups. It helps that every weapon can of unique, powerful upgrades to weapons — Omega versions, as be levelled up, making it more powerful, as well as upgraded to they’re known. increase ammo capacity, or unleash more projectiles, or further It bears repeating, but it’s truly incredible that Ratchet & its range, among others. Snipe enemies from a distance, run in, Clank is as good as it is. Even if you’ve played it before, that same lob a Groovitron, break out Mr. Zurkon and then tag team danc- itch to smash crates, obtain every weapon and find every nut ing foes with rockets and gunfire — that’s just one of countless and bolt quickly sinks in. For both new players and old, this is a strategies for navigating your way through the game, all thanks beautifully rendered, wonderfully polished, eminently enjoyable to its slick controls and satisfying gunplay. game. Who cares that, in 2016, one of the best games out there It’s also refreshing that, even fourteen years later, this isn’t an is a title from 2002? When the end result is as good as Ratchet & easy game. There’s a casual mode for younger gamers, but even Clank, it’s PlayStation 4 owners who are reaping the rewards. l on its normal setting, Ratchet & Clank isn’t afraid to challenge. Health and ammo appear frequently, but they’ll be drained fre- Ratchet and Clank is available now on PlayStation 4.

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 37 38 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM NIGHT LIFE LISTINGS

THURS., 04.28.16

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 • $3 Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight, $5 Red Bull, Gatorade and Frozen Virgin Drinks • Locker Room Thursday Nights • DJs Sean Morris and MadScience • Best Package Contest at midnight, hosted by Ba’Naka • $200 Cash Prize • Doors open 10pm, 18+ • $5 Cover under 21 and free with col- lege 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 • Strip Down Thursdays — Happy Hour starts with shirtless men drink free rail and domestic, 5-8pm • Men in jocks drink free rail and domestic, 10pm-12am • DJ Switch starts spinning, 9pm- 1am • No Cover • 21+

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

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

JR.’S All You Can Drink for $15, 5-8pm • $3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2 JR.’s drafts, 8pm-close • Flashback: Music videos from 1975- 2005 with DJ Jason Royce,

8pm-12am t

METROWEEKLY.COM 39

scene

Uproar Friday, April 22

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Photography by Ward Morrison

t NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR TRADE DC9 NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR TRADE • Pandora Boxx “The Worst Beat the Clock Happy Hour 1410 14th St. NW 1940 9th St. NW DJ Matt Bailer • Videos, 1410 14th St. NW Show Ever!” Comedy Show, — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour, 5-8pm • Dancing • Beat the Clock Doors open 5pm • Huge 8:30-9:30pm • Risque $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Happy Hour: Any drink dcnine.com Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), Happy Hour: Any drink Dance Party, sponsored by Beer $15 • Drag Bingo normally served in a cocktail $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • normally served in a cocktail Swiss Navy, 10pm-close glass served in a huge glass DC EAGLE Buckets of Beer $15 glass served in a huge glass • Featuring DJ Chi Chi NUMBER NINE for the same price, 5-10pm Doors open at 5pm • Happy for the same price, 5-10pm LaRue with Jack Hunter and Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any • Beer and wine only $4 Hour, 5-8pm • $2 Bud and NUMBER NINE • Beer and wine only $4 Wesley Woods • Doors drink, 5-9pm • No Cover Bud Light Draughts, $3 Open 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 open 10pm • $7 cover ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Domestic Bottles, $4 Rail for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS before midnight, $10 cover SHAW’S TAVERN All male, nude dancers • and Import Bottle Beer, $6 No Cover All male, nude dancers, after • 21+ Happy Hour, 4-7pm • Dining Shirtless Thursday • DJ • Call • Geared Up at the hosted by LaTroya Nicole Out For Life, 5pm-Close 9pm • Cover 21+ Exile on 3rd Floor, 10pm-3am SHAW’S TAVERN • Ladies of Ziegfeld’s, DC9 • Magician Danny Dubin, • Featuring DJ David Merrill Happy Hour, 4-7pm • Luke 9pm • Rotating Hosts • 1940 9th St. NW 7:30pm • Tickets $15, available at Shaffer sings live, 8pm DJ in Secrets • VJ Tre in Happy Hour, 4-6pm • FRI., 04.29.16 EagleNExile.Ticketleap.com Ziegfeld’s • Cover 21+ dcnine.com THROBBING THURSDAYS • Fetish Friday — Two for TOWN @THE HOUSE 9 1/2 One drinks, 8-10pm • No Patio open 6pm • DC Bear DC EAGLE NIGHTCLUB Open at 5pm • Happy Hour: Cover • 21+ Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm SAT., 04.30.16 Doors open at 8pm • Happy 3530 Georgia Ave. NW 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • $3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 Bud Hour, 8-10pm • $2 Bud Diverse group of all male, all • Friday Night Videos with FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Bottles • Free Pizza, 7pm • 9 1/2 and Bud Light Draughts, $3 nude dancers • Doors open resident DJ Shea Van Horn Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • No cover before 9:30pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Domestic Bottles, $4 Rail 9pm • Shows all night until • VJ • Expanded craft beer Karaoke, 8pm 21+ • Drag Show starts at drink, 3-9pm • $5 Absolut and Import Bottle Beer, $6 close, starting at 9pm • $5 selection • No Cover 10:30pm • Hosted by Lena & Tito’s, $3 Miller Lite after Call • Rocky Horror Picture Domestic Beer, $6 Imports GREEN LANTERN Lett and featuring Miss 9pm • Expanded craft beer Show in all its glory with the • $12 cover • For Table COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee, selection • No Cover • Sonice Transducers shad- Reservations, 202-487-6646 All You Can Drink Happy Smirnoff, all flavors, all Riley Knoxx and Ba’Naka Music videos featuring vari- owsing this iconic film with • rockharddc.com Hour • $15 Rail and night long • DJ Wess upstairs, DJs ous DJs props and lighting effects • Domestic, $21 Call & BacK2bACk downstairs • Doors open 10pm • Show TOWN PATIO Imports, 6-9pm • Guys JR.’S GoGo Boys after 11pm • COBALT/30 DEGREES starts at midnight • Tickets Open 6pm • Happy Hour All Night Out • Free Belvedere Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm Doors open at 10pm • For Drag Yourself to Brunch available at EagleNExile. Day, $4 drinks and draughts Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6 • $2 Skyy Highballs and $2 those 21 and over, $10 • For at Level One, 11am-2pm Ticketleap.com • No Cover • 21+ Belvedere Vodka Drinks all Drafts, 10pm-midnight • Pop those 18-20, $15 • 18+ and 2-4pm • Featuring • 21+ night • DJ MadScience and Dance Music Videos Kristina Kelly and the Ladies upstairs • DJ Keenan Orr with DJ Darryl Strickland • of Illusion • Bottomless FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR downstairs • $10 cover $5 Coronas, $8 Vodka Red Mimosas and Bloody Marys Drag Queen Broadway 10pm-1am, $5 after 1am Bulls, 9pm-close • Happy Hour: $3 Miller Brunch, 10am-3pm • • 21+ Lite, $4 Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm Starring Freddie’s Broadway

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 41 Babes • Crazy Hour, 4-7pm TOWN ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS • Freddie’s Follies Drag Patio open 2pm • DC Men of Secrets, 9pm • Show, 8-10pm, hosted by Rawhides host Town & Guest dancers • Ladies Miss Destiny B. Childs • Country: Two-Step, Line of Illusion with host Ella No Cover Dancing, Waltz and West Fitzgerald • Doors at 9 p.m., Coast Swing, $5 Cover to first show at 11:30 p.m. • GREEN LANTERN stay all night • Doors open DJs • Doors open 8pm • Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 6:45pm, Lessons 7-8pm, Cover 21+ Bacardi, all flavors, all Open dance 8-10:30pm • night long • SkinTight CTRL Dance Party, 11pm- presents First Annual Mr. close • Music and videos SUN., 05.01.16 Green Lantern Competition, with DJ Wess downstairs 9pm-2am • Thorgy Thor of RuPaul’s 9 1/2 Drag Race performs in the Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any JR.’S Drag Show • Thorgy Thor drink, 3-9pm • Multiple TVs $4 Coors, $5 Vodka Meet and Greet, 9pm • $20 showing movies, shows, Highballs, $7 Vodka Red Cover for Meet and Greet sports • Expanded craft beer Bulls • Tickets available online selection • No Cover at Flavorus.com • Drag NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Show starts at 10:30pm • COBALT/30 DEGREES Guest DJs • Zing Zang Hosted by Lena Lett and $4 Stoli, Stoli flavors Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer, featuring Miss Tatianna, and Miller Lite all day • House Rail Drinks and Shi-Queeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx Homowood Karaoke, hosted Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm • and Ba’Naka • For general by Robert Bise, 10pm-close Buckets of Beer, $15 admission, doors open 10pm • 21+ • $12 Cover • 21+ NUMBER NINE DC9 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any TRADE 1940 9th St. NW drink, 3-9pm • No Cover 1410 14th St. NW Happy Hour, 2-6pm • Doors open 2pm • Huge dcnine.com SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour: Any drink Bottomless Mimosas, 10am- normally served in a cocktail DC EAGLE 3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • glass served in a huge glass Doors open at 12pm • $2 The Harvey Sometimes Band for the same price, 2-10pm Bud and Bud Light Draughts on 2nd Floor, 9pm • Beer and wine only $4 all day and night, $3 Domestic Bottles, $4 Rail and Import Bottle Beer, $6 Call • Sunday Buffet — $10

42 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM includes first rail or domestic ROCK HARD SUNDAYS MON., 05.02.16 Men in DC Eagle T-Shirts TRADE FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR drink • Check Facebook @THE HOUSE get Happy Hour, 8pm-close 1410 14th St. NW Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • page for menu • No Cover NIGHTCLUB 9 1/2 • $3 Domestic Bottles, $4 Doors open 5pm • Huge Karaoke, 8pm • 21+ 3530 Georgia Ave. NW Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Rail and Import Bottle Beer, Happy Hour: Any drink Diverse group of all male, all drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs $6 Call • No Cover • 21+ normally served in a cocktail GREEN LANTERN FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR nude dancers • Doors open showing movies, shows, glass served in a huge glass Happy Hour all night long, Champagne Brunch Buffet, 9pm • Shows all night until sports • Expanded craft beer FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR for the same price, 5-10pm 4pm-close 10am-3pm • Crazy Hour, close, starting at 9pm • $5 selection • No Cover Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • • Beer and wine only $4 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm-1am Domestic Beer, $6 Imports Karaoke, 8pm JR.’S • $12 cover • For Table ANNIE’S Birdie LaCage Show, TUES., 05.03.16 GREEN LANTERN Reservations, 202-487-6646 4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm • GREEN LANTERN 10:30pm • Underground Happy Hour, 4-9pm • • rockharddc.com $4 Small Plates, $4 Stella Happy Hour all night long • (Indie Pop/Alt/Brit Rock), 9 1/2 Bears Can Party, 6-10pm • Artois, $4 House Wines, Puppy-Oke: Open Mic Night 9pm-close • DJ Wes Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Featuring DJ Jeff Eletto • SHAW’S TAVERN $4 Stolichnaya Cocktails, Karaoke, 9:30pm-close Della Volla • 2-for-1, 5pm- drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs Mama’s Trailer Park Karaoke Bottomless Mimosas, 10am- $4 Manhattans and Vodka midnight showing movies, shows, downstairs, 9:30pm-close 3pm • OVDC presents The Martinis JR.’S Naturals: “Born to Do This” Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm sports • Expanded craft beer NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR selection • No Cover JR.’S Cabaret Show on 2nd Floor, COBALT/30 DEGREES • Showtunes Songs & Beat the Clock Happy Hour Sunday Funday • Liquid 7:30pm • $15 Cover at Door Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3 Singalongs, 9pm-close • — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), ANNIE’S Brunch • Doors open at Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm DJ James • $3 Draft Pints, $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of 4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm • 1pm • $2 Coors Lights and TOWN PATIO • Monday Night’s A Drag, 8pm-midnight Beer $15 • Karaoke and $4 Stella Artois, $4 House $3 Skyy (all flavors), all day Open 2pm • Cornhole, Giant hosted by Kristina Kelly • Drag Bingo Wines, $4 Stolichnaya and night Jenga, and Flip-cup Doors open at 10pm • $3 NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Cocktails, $4 Manhattans Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy and Beat the Clock Happy Hour NUMBER NINE and Vodka Martinis NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR TRADE Red Bull • $8 Long Islands — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Drag Brunch, hosted by 1410 14th St. NW • No Cover, 18+ $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm Doors open 2pm • Huge Beer $15 • Texas Hold’em COBALT/30 DEGREES Safe Word: A Gay Spelling DJ Honey Happy Hour: • $20 Brunch Buffet • Happy Hour: Any drink DC9 Poker, 8pm • Dart Boards Bee, 8-11pm • Prizes to the $2 Rail, $3 Miller Lite, $5 House Rail Drinks, Zing Zang normally served in a cocktail 1940 9th St. NW top three spellers • After Call, 4-9pm • SIN Service Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer glass served in a huge glass Happy Hour, 5-8pm • NUMBER NINE 9pm, $3 Absolut, Bulleit Industry Night, 10pm-close and Mimosas, $4, 11am- for the same price, 2-10pm dcnine.com Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any & Stella close • Buckets of Beer, $15 • Beer and wine only $4 drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • $1 Rail Drinks all night DC EAGLE SHAW’S TAVERN DC9 NUMBER NINE ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Doors open at 5pm • Happy SHAW’S TAVERN Half Priced Burgers & Pizzas, 1940 9th St. NW Pop Goes the World with All male, nude dancers • Hour, 5-8pm • $1 Bud and Happy Hour, 4-7pm • Trivia 5pm-Close • $5 House Happy Hour, 5-8pm • Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm Decades of Dance • DJ Bud Light Draughts • Free w/Jeremy, 7:30pm Wines & Sam Adams Drafts, dcnine.com • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Tim-e in Secrets • Doors Pool all day and night • 5pm-Close drink, 3-9pm • No Cover 9pm • Cover 21+

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 43 TOWN PATIO DC9 NUMBER NINE Open 6pm • Yappy Hour • 1940 9th St. NW Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Bring Your Dogs • $4 Drinks Happy Hour, 5-8pm • drink, 5-9pm • No Cover and Draughts dcnine.com SHAW’S TAVERN TRADE FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Happy Hour, 4-7pm • Piano 1410 14th St. NW Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • $6 Bar Second Floor, 8pm-Close Doors open 5pm • Huge Burgers • Drag Bingo Night, Happy Hour: Any drink hosted by Ms. Regina Jozet TOWN PATIO normally served in a cocktail Adams, 8pm • Bingo prizes $4 drinks and draughts, glass served in a huge glass • Karaoke, 10pm-1am 5-9pm • Nashville for the same price, 5-10pm Wednesdays: country music • Beer and wine only $4 GREEN LANTERN and line dancing, with line Happy Hour all night long, dancing lessons from DC 4pm-close Rawhides every other week WED., 05.04.16 JR.’S TRADE 9 1/2 Buy 1, Get 1 Free, 4-9pm 1410 14th St. NW Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any • Trivia with MC Jay Ray, Doors open 5pm • Huge drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs 8pm • The Feud: Drag Happy Hour: Any drink showing movies, shows, Trivia, hosted by Ba’Naka, normally served in a cocktail sports • Expanded craft beer 10-11pm, with a $200 prize glass served in a huge glass selection • No Cover • $2 JR.’s Drafts and $4 for the same price, 5-10pm Vodka ($2 with College ID or • Beer and wine only $4 COBALT/30 DEGREES JR.’s Team Shirt) Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm • NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR All male, nude dancers • Wednesday Night Karaoke, SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm Shirtless Night, 10-11pm, hosted by Miss India Larelle and 9pm • Prizes include bar 12-12:30am • Military Houston, 10pm-2am • $4 tabs and tickets to shows at Night, no cover with military Stoli and Stoli Flavors and the 9:30 Club • $15 Buckets ID • DJ Don T. in Secrets • Miller Lite all night • No of Beer for SmartAss Teams 9pm • Cover 21+ l Cover • 21+ only • Bring a new team member and each get a free $10 Dinner

44 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 28, 2016 45 “We see...how swiftly progress can hurtle backward, how easy it is to single out a small group and marginalize them because of who they are or who they love.”

—First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA, referencing Mississippi’s recently passed anti-LGBT law during an address at Jackson State University. “We’ve got to stand side by side with all our neighbors — straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender; Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu immigrant, Native American,” she continued.

“I’m taking a Glock .45 to the ladies room. It identifies as my bodyguard.” —ANITA STAVER, president of Liberty Counsel, the right-wing organization that defended Kim Davis in court, on Twitter. Staver is one of many Republicans turning trans bathroom access into a “wedge issue,” with her inflammatory tweet aimed at Target, which recently reiterated that transgender customers can use the restroom of their choosing in its stores. “I want protection from the perverts who will use the law to gain access to women,” Staver continued.

“We abhor this senseless act of violence and urge the Government of Bangladesh in the strongest terms to apprehend the criminals behind these murders.” —U.S. Ambassador MARCIA BERNICAT, responding to the news that Xulhaz Mannan, a U.S. Embassy worker and founder of Bangladesh’s only LGBT magazine, had been hacked to death along with a friend in his apartment. Islamic militants are suspected in the attack, which also injured a third person.

“We know the cancellation of these shows is disappointing to our fans, but we trust that you will stand united with us against this hateful law.”

—DEMI LOVATO, announcing that she and Nick Jonas have cancelled a joint concerts in North Carolina in protest over the state’s anti-LGBT laws.

“I’m not serving them two.”

—A DOLLAR STORE CASHIER in New Orleans, refusing to serve a lesbian customer and the man who defended her. After hearing the female employee making homophobic jokes, Melissa Langford informed her that she was gay, which the employee angrily responded to. Dollar Store is investigating the incident, which was recorded on Langford’s phone, after the store’s manager failed to respond appropriately.

46 APRIL 28, 2016 METROWEEKLY.COM