Metro Weekly - 12-08-16 - Tom Story

THE THREAT OF TRUMPS CABINET HAMILTON MIXES IT UP
CHARACTER
STUDY
For the one-man show
Fully Committed, Tom Story takes on
over 30 characters. Few actors
are better suited to the task.
Interview by Doug Rule
Photography by Todd Franson
Holiday Gift Guide
Visit the Holiday Gift Guide Online at metroweekly.com/giftguide
DECEMBER 8, 2016
19
CONTENTS
THREAT LEVELS
President-elect Trump is assembling a vehemently

anti-LGBT cabinet. We break down its members
by the threat they pose.
By John Riley
CHARACTER STUDY
For the one-man show Fully Committed, Tom Story

takes on over 30 characters. Few actors are
better suited to the task.
Interview by Doug Rule
Photography by Todd Franson
40
Volume 23 Issue 30
28
FREEDOM SOUNDS
The Hamilton Mixtape offers a fresh take on the

iconic musical, and Dragonette breaks their silence
with catchy synthpop
By Sean Maunier
SPOTLIGHT: MGM NATIONAL HARBOR p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.11

THE FEED: THREAT LEVELS p.19 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p.25 SISTAH TALK p.25
COVER STORY: CHARACTER STUDY p.28 GALLERY: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN UNSEEN p.39
MUSIC: HAMILTON MIXTAPE, DRAGONETTE p.40 NIGHTLIFE p.43 LISTINGS p.45
SCENE: TOWN p.45 SCENE: COBALT p.52 LAST WORD p.54
True LGBT News and Entertainment since 1994
Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Managing Editor Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editor Doug Rule
Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers Gordon Ashenhurst,
Sean Bugg, Frank Carber, Fallon Forbush, Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim
Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla
Patron Saint Florence Henderson Cover Photography Todd Franson
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DECEMBER 8, 2016 METROWEEKLY
TODD FRANSON
Spotlight
MGM National Harbor
OLLOWING TWO YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION AND A

$1.4 billion investment, the MGM National Harbor brings
a taste of Las Vegas to the nations capital. The massive
complex features a hotel with 234 guest rooms and 74 suites,
more than a dozen dining options, from fast-casual to upscale,
a 3,000-seat theater, a spa, retail outlets, and a casino with table
games and slot machines.
The hotels grand atrium boasts a glass ceiling that floods the
room with natural light, while soothing earth tones and natural
woods convey a relaxed, casual feel. A world class art collection
including a piece by Bob Dylan showcases works by local

and international sculptors, photographers and mixed-media
artists.
With Bruno Mars, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin
and Cher already part of the schedule of performers, MGM
National Harbors theater has garnered tremendous buzz prior
to the opening. Meanwhile, the casino at MGM National Harbor
is among the companys largest, occupying 125,000 square feet of
space with 124 table games and a whopping 3,300 slot machines.
Time to get your gamble on. Troy Petenbrink
MGM National Harbor is located at 7100 Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill, Md. The hotel and casino are open 24/7.
Hours vary for the restaurants, retail, spa and theater. Call 844-346-4664 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com.
BLACK NATIVITY
Spotlight
Theater Alliance offers a production of

Langston Hughess retelling of the Biblical
Christmas story from an Afrocentric perspective, incorporating gospel, blues, funk,
jazz and dance, with griot-style storytelling
from an ensemble cast. Black Nativity was
one of the first plays written by an African
American to appear on Broadway over 50
years ago. The winner of three Helen Hayes
Awards last year, the Theater Alliance production is directed and choreographed by
Princess Mhoon with music director eMarcus Harper-Short. Tony Thomas as Joseph
and Danielle Glover as Mary lead a 12-member cast. To Dec. 31. Anacostia Playhouse,
2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are $40 to
$50. Call 202-241-2539 or visit theateralliance.com.
HANDELS MESSIAH
Two of the areas great orchestras take on

Handels monumental Messiah the weekend
before Christmas. Laurence Cummings conducts the National Symphony Orchestra version
featuring the University of Maryland Concert
Choir and four soloists. Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7
p.m., Friday, Dec. 16, and Saturday, Dec. 17, at
8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. Kennedy
Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Meanwhile, Stan Engebretson conducts the
National Philharmonic and its Chorale plus
soloists soprano Danielle Talamantes, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wor, tenor Matthew
Smith and baritone Christopheren Nomura.
Saturday, Dec. 17, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec.
18, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are
$28 to $94. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
MELANIE KEHOSS: CURIOUS ORIGINS
BlackRock Center for the Arts offers a solo exhibition by this Arlington-based artist featuring a series of light boxes combining
paper-cutting, painting, sculpture and light, with an eye to exploring the influences that continually form and re-form culture
in the U.S. Through illumination, Kehoss brings her artwork to life, making the characters in her mysterious and sometimes
humorous vignettes literally glow. To Dec. 17. Terrace Gallery, 12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown, Md. Call 301-528-2260
or visit blackrockcenter.org.
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Spotlight
PANDAS: THE JOURNEY HOME
National Geographic captures on film the giant pandas living in Wolong

National Nature Reserve in China. One of the rarest species on the
planet, the ever-elusive, gentle creature is also on the brink of extinction due to centuries of human expansion and destruction of their habitat. Nicholas Browns 40-minute natural history film educates viewers
on the life and habits of pandas as well as scientific efforts to increase
breeding. In 3D. To Dec. 31. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St.
NW. Tickets are $7. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.
THE SECOND CITYS

BLACK SIDE OF THE MOON
An all-African American troupe of sketch and stand-up

artists satirize what it means to be black in our soon-to-be
post-Obama era. The shows Second City ensemble consists
of Angela Alise, Sonia Denis, Dave Helem, Torian Miller,
Felonious Munk and Dewayne Perkins. To Jan. 1. At Woolly
Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Tickets range from $20 to $59.
Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.
THE DOMA DIARIES
The Rainbow Theatre Project offers a staged reading of Kevin

Michael Wests Capital Fringe hit examining the Defense of
Marriage Act and the effects it has had on the lives of three LGBT
couples. West helms the reading with a cast including Renae
Erichsen-Teal, Joy Gerst, Nell Quinn-Gibney, Garrett Matthews,
Christian Rohde and Steven Wolf. Sunday, Dec. 11, and Monday,
Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call
202-204-7760 or visit rainbowtheatreproject.org.
BRITTANY DILIBERTO
Out On The Town
THE SECOND SHEPHERDS PLAY
If the annual onslaught of holiday Muzak and mass-produced Holiday magic are giving you existential angst, re-set your
psyche with the Folgers The Second Shepherds Play (HHHHH). A so-called mystery play hailing from the from the darkly
depths of the Middle Ages, this cozy medieval romp mixes the gentle shenanigans of cheery sheep-herders with the otherworldly (if anachronistic) announcement of the birth of Christ. Regardless of your place on the Believer spectrum, its
fascinating to see something this ancient brought to life, especially a play that was, without doubt, meant to be as funny as it
was holy. Clearly, it wasnt all Bergmans Seventh Seal back in the Dark Ages day. But its the Folgers inspired choice to add
interludes of music and song from the period that makes it such a welcome respite from the commercialized cacophony. Played
live on stage by three quietly charismatic (and in-character) musicians, the music is at times wistful, at times contemplative,
always beautiful. The actors join in at times for some rousing song with the Folger Consorts Emily Noel offering a particularly
charming and ethereal voice, especially as a magical visitor from on high. If this is more Folger-lite when compared to the
companys often gobsmackingly imaginative productions, it is nevertheless a truly peaceful refuge from the saccharine of the
season. Kate Wingfield
Compiled by Doug Rule
FILM
CHAPLINS THE KID
Composer/performer Andrew Earle

Simpson performs his new piano
score to Charlie Chaplins first feature-length film as a director, the
second offering in the Atlass new
Silent Film Series. Dating to 1921,
The Kid is an imaginative and affecting Chaplin comedy, widely considered one of the greatest films of the
silent era, and featured as Chaplins
co-star then-child actor Jackie
Coogan, best known as Uncle Fester
from The Addams Family. Sunday,
Dec. 11, at 4 p.m. Atlas Performing
Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets
are $20. Call 202-399-7993 or visit
atlasarts.org.
JACKIE
Natalie Portman puts herself in

Oscar contention by portraying
Jacqueline Kennedy in the wake
of President Kennedys assassination. Peter Sarsgaard plays Robert
Kennedy, Greta Gerwig is Jackies
Social Secretary Nancy Tuckerman,
and Billy Crudup is Theodore H.
White, whose work interviewing
and reporting on Kennedy family in
Life magazine is the focus of Pablo
Larrains biopic. Opens Friday, Dec.
9. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
MISS SLOANE
Jessica Chastain puts her reputation on the line as one of the

most sought-after lobbyists in
Washington, after she decides to
throw her weight behind a bill
imposing regulations on firearms,
taking on the omnipotent gun lobby.
John Madden directs what Variety

called a talky, tense political thriller, full of verbal sparring and fiery
monologues. Opens Friday, Dec. 9.
Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY
Hangover meets the holidays,

as a host of great comedic actors
(Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston,
Kate McKinnon, T.J. Miller, Olivia
Munn, Rob Corddry, Vanessa Bayer
and more) throw a final office
Christmas party for reasons we
couldnt care less about. It looks
dumb and fun and were totally
onboard. Opens Friday, Dec. 9. Area
theaters. Visit fandango.com. (RM)
STAGE
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Craig Wallace takes over from

Edward Gero as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in Fords
Theatres 35th anniversary production of Dickens Yuletide classic.
The music-infused adaptation was
originally conceived by Michael
Baron. To Dec. 31. Fords Theatre,
511 10th St. NW. Call 800-982-2787
or visit fordstheatre.org.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST

STORY OF CHRISTMAS
Olney Theatre Center presents

another seasonal run of the oneman portrayal of the Dickens classic by Paul Morella, who bases his
adaptation on Dickens original
novella and reading tour. To Dec.
31. The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre
11
ring Suzzanne Douglas and Brent

Harris that offers a sneak peek into
Center Stages Pearlstone Theatre,
in the final stages of a year-long
renovation. To Dec. 23. 700 North
Calvert St., Baltimore. Tickets are
$20 to $64. Call 410-332-0033 or
visit centerstage.org.
MISS BENNET: C
HRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY
PHOTO CREDIT
Lauren Gunderson and Margot

Melcons holiday play is set two
years after Pride and Prejudice, with
the focus (unsurprisingly) on Mary
Bennet. Eleanor Holdridge directs
favorite characters as they gather at Pemberley, the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Darcy, played by Danny
Gavigan and Erin Weaver. Katie
Kleiger is Miss Bennet. Now in previews. To Dec. 18. Round House
Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway,
Bethesda. Tickets are $55 to $70.
Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.
MOBY DICK
RAMSEY LEWIS & JOHN PIZZARELLI
On the eve of a weekend run of a holiday show featuring the jazz legends brother Freddy and
his band, Blues Alley co-presents a concert at Strathmore called A Nat King Cole Holiday.
Three-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis performs this tribute with jazz
singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli whose father Bucky Pizzarelli recorded with Cole featuring standards including Route 66, Mona Lisa and Unforgettable, among many others. Thursday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North
Bethesda. Tickets are $40 to $95. Call 202-342-6221 or visit thewashingtonchorus.org.
Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring

Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-9243400 or visit olneytheatre.org.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL MEMORY
Creative Cauldrons Laura Connors

Hull conceived of and directs
a world premiere of yet another twist on Charles Dickens. A
young girl reawakens memories
and spurs on renewal of a longlost tradition in her bah-humbug
family a tradition of reenacting
A Christmas Carol with puppets.
Jennifer Clements wrote the book
and Margie Jervis designed the sets,
costumes and puppets for this show
featuring a 12-member cast led by
David Schmidt, Kathy Halenda
and 5th grader Madeline Aldana
portraying little girl Charlotte. To
Dec. 20. ArtSpace Falls Church,
410 South Maple Ave. Falls Church.
Tickets are $30. Call 703-436-9948
or visit creativecauldron.org.
INTO THE WOODS
Fiasco Theaters streamlined

reinvention of one of Stephen
Sondheims most popular musicals,
with a cast playing instruments on
stage, was a surprise hit last year
12
in New York. Now the fairy tale

borne out of five classic Grimms
fairy tales ventures down to our
neck of the woods for a monthlong run over the holidays. To Jan.
8. Kennedy Center Eisenhower
Theater. Tickets are $45 to $175.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE

RADIO PLAY
The Washington Stage Guild

revives Joe Landrys adaptation
of the classic film tale as a radio
play after a successful run last year.
Joe Brack portrays the lead character, here named Jake Laurents,
in this production directed by
Laura Giannarelli also featuring
Vincent Clark, Jennifer Donovan,
Julie-Ann Elliott and Nick Depinto.
Steven Carpenter returns as the
shows Helen Hayes-nominated
sound engineer, operating in full
view of the audience. To Dec. 18.
Undercroft Theatre of Mount
Vernon United Methodist Church,
900 Massachusetts Ave. NW.
Tickets are $40 to $50. Call 240582-0050 or visit stageguild.org.
KING UBU
Helen Hayes Award-winning costume designer Frank Labovitz

makes his D.C. directorial debut
with a Pointless Theatre Company
adaptation of French pioneer Alfred
Jarrys early avant-garde 1896 work
Ubu Roi. According to Pointless,
King Ubu offers lowbrow humor,
ludicrous language and full-bore
puppet carnage all wrapped up into
a funhouse take on Macbeth and
classical tragedy. Haely Jardas is
Ma Ubu and Colin Connor is Pa Ubu
in an ensemble production featuring
music by Mike Winch. Costumemaking duty falls to another local
veteran, Ivania Stack. In previews
starting Thursday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m.
Runs to Jan. 7. Mead Theatre Lab at
Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. Tickets
are $15 to $30. Call 202-733-6321 or
visit pointlesstheatre.com.
LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES
Two French aristocrats challenge each other to seduce unsuspecting innocents in Christopher
Hamptons bracing drama of control and betrayal drawn from the
novel by Choderlos de Laclos. Hana
S. Sharif directs a production star-
Featuring
innovative
staging fused with bold trapeze and
acrobatic work, the Melville
classic is revamped in the famed
Lookingglass Theatre Companys
adaptation by David Catlin.
Christopher Donahue is Captain
Ahab leading the search for the
great white whale at Arena Stage,
in a co-production with Alliance
Theatre and South Coast Repertory.
To Dec. 24. Kreeger Theater in the
Mead Center for American Theater,
1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300
or visit arenastage.org.
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Closer to Brothers Grimm than

Disney, its a darkly elegant adaptation of the classic tale. Now in
previews. Runs to Jan. 8. (Synetic
Theater) Theater at Crystal City,
1800 South Bell St., Arlington.
Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 800494-8497 or visit synetictheater.org.
STRAIGHT WHITE MEN

Given the current nationwide
white-geist, Studio Theatre should
be applauded for their prescience
in bringing Young Jean Lees ballsy
comedy Straight White Men to the
capital. An artist whos fearless in
tackling touchy subjects, Lee delivers in one tight 85-minute play a
surgical dissection of the rites and
rights of the straight white male.
Helmed by director Shana Cooper,
this warmly accessible production doesnt disappoint in eliciting
laughs and sparking insight, with
its story of three adult sons at home
for what could be a testy Christmas
with their widower father. To Dec.
18. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets
NW. Tickets are $20 to $97. Call
202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.
org. (Andre Hereford)
p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m.

Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW.
Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 202328-6000 or visit gmcw.org.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCDD
GERALD CLAYTON & THE

ASSEMBLY
DC DIFFERENT DRUMMERS
The Capitol Pride Symphonic Band and other small ensembles from this LGBT music organization will perform concert versions of holiday tunes, from Sleigh Bells to Happy Xmas (War Is
Over) by John Lennon, at the free annual holiday concert that also doubles as a food drive for
Food and Friends. Sunday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. The Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East
Capitol St. NE. Free, with request for food drive donations. Call 202-269-4868 or visit dcdd.org.
TAME.
WSC Avant Bard presents Jonelle

Walkers LGBT spin on The Taming
of the Shrew, told from the point
of view of the woman being tamed
or more specifically, rid of her
homosexuality. In the heart of
Eisenhower America, a free-spirited young poet leaves Smith College
heartbroken over her lovers suicide, returning to her homophobic
conservative family and hyper-heteronormative Texas hometown.
Angela Kay Pirko directs this tale
starring Jill Tighe as Cat, a rebel
with claws. Closes Sunday, Dec. 11.
Gunston Arts Center, Theater Two,
2700 South Lang St. Arlington.
Tickets are $30 to $35. Call 703-4184808 or visit avantbard.org.
THE CHRISTIANS
Set in a large, contemporary Christian

church, Lucas Hnaths The Christians
offers an unflinching look at faith and
its power to unite or divide. Gregg
Henry directs a production featuring
Caroline Clay, Annie Grier, Michael
Russotto, Justin Weaks and Michael
Willis. A different local choir from
area churches performs each night of
the shows run. Closes Sunday, Dec.
11. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman
Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th
St. NW. Tickets are $37 to $57. Call
202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.
WICKED
Stephen Schwartzs hit musical

about the witches of Oz, with book
14
by Winnie Holzman, returns once

again to the Kennedy Center for
another month-long run. Opens
Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Runs to Jan. 8. Kennedy Center
Opera House. Tickets are $99 to
$359. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.
MUSIC
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA, STEP AFRIKA!
Jazz composer Paul Murtha has

created an entire, two-act Swingin
Nutcracker riffing off of Duke
Ellingtons reimagining of the
classic story. Nicholas Hersh conducts a semi-staged production of
a world premiere featuring vibrant
and percussive choreography by
dancers with Washingtons Step
Afrika! Thursday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Also Friday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m.,
Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 and 7:30
p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2
p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony
Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore.
Tickets are $12.50 to $60. Call 410783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.
CHERYL WHEELER
A Maryland native, Wheeler got her

start performing at clubs in D.C.
and Baltimore, though she has long
made her home in Massachusetts
with her wife of 15 years, Cathleen.
She shares the stage with John

Gorka. Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30
p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount
Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets
are $39.50. Call 703-549-7500 or
visit birchmere.com.
DRAGONETTE
The hip Canadian indie-dance band

takes a spin through its repertoire,
focusing on its just-released album,
Royal Blues, packed with dance-pop
tunes in the giddy and spirited style
that has become the bands signature sound an almost childlike
sense of wonder contrasted with
more adult-oriented lyrics generally about the need for relief and
release best found on the dance
floor. Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. U
Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW.
Tickets are $20. Call 202-588-1880
or visit ustreetmusichall.com.
GAY MENS CHORUS

OF WASHINGTON
Naughty and Nice is the Gay Mens

Chorus popular annual holiday
show, featuring bawdy and moving takes on gay and holiday favorite tunes. John Moran returns to
direct a production that this year
includes performances by the organizations GenOUT LGBTQ youth
chorus and GMCWs new dance
ensemble 17th Street Dance, led by
Craig Cipollini, who also co-choreographed the whole program with
James Ellzy. Saturday, Dec. 10, at
8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17, at 3 and 8
Commissioned by Duke University,

Piedmont Blues is a multimedia concert paying homage to the AfricanAmerican music and culture of the
tobacco-producing states of the
Southeast Virginia, the Carolinas,
Georgia. Jazz pianist Gerald
Clayton composed the music for the
concert, directed by Christopher
McElroen, that will incorporate
dancing, spoken word, film footage
and archival photography. But the
common thread running through
all of it is music chiefly jazz and
blues, as performed by Claytons
nine-piece band the Assembly,
including vocalist Rene Marie and
tap dancer Maurice Chestnut, plus
a bit of gospel music, via Patrick
Lundy & the Ministers of Music
choir. Saturday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $30 to $60. Call 202342-6221 or visit thewashingtonchorus.org.
HOT 99.5 JINGLE BALL
Meghan Trainor, the Chainsmokers,

G-Eazy, Fifth Harmony, Diplo, Ellie
Goulding, DNCE, Alessia Cara, Tove
Lo, Daya and Niall Horan from One
Direction are the performers at this
years local pop festival presented
by D.C.s #1 Hit Music Station,
part of the national iHeartRadio
Jingle Ball Tour. Monday, Dec. 12,
at 7:30 p.m. Verizon Center, 601 F
St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $200.
Call 202-628-3200 or visit verizoncenter.com.
KACEY MUSGRAVES
The pro-LGBT Follow Your

Arrow young country hitmaker
drops by for a holiday concert to
promote her new seasonal album,
A Very Kacey Christmas. Saturday,
Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. National Theatre,
1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets
are $53 to $68. Call 202-628-6161 or
visit thenationaldc.org.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS:

HOLIDAY CLASSICS
As far as we can tell, the Library

of Congress is the only place this
holiday season you can expect to
see Mr. Magoos Christmas Carol,
the 1962 animated, musical version
of the Dickens classic, featuring
music by Jule Styne and lyrics by
Bob Merrill, whose work on the
film inspired them to collaborate
on Funny Girl. Jim Backus stars
as Mr. Magoo/Ebenezer Scrooge
the film, which screens Saturday,
Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. A few days later,
Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m., the
Library of Congress screens another
forgotten tale The Homecoming:
A Christmas Story from 1971. A
made-for-TV movie about a family in Depression-era rural Virginia,

this drama by Earl Hamner, Jr.
launched the popular CBS series
The Waltons although only the
actors portraying the children and
Ellen Corby as Grandma Walton
carried over from the movie to the
series. Packard Campus Theater,
19053 Mount Pony Rd. Culpeper,
Va. Free, first come, first served.
Call 202-707-9994 or visit loc.gov/
avconservation.
MEGAN HILTY
Over the past decade, actress Megan

Hilty has played Glinda in Wicked,
Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical
and Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes, but shes most widely
known as the ambitious Ivy Lynn
on Smash, the NBC television series
about the making of a new musical.
In recent years Hilty has turned to
a recording career, including her
debut pop set It Happens All The
Time, and especially to performing
cabarets. She returns to the Kennedy
Center for an intimate Christmas
concert, part of Renee Flemings
Voices series. Thursday, Dec. 8,
at 7 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 9, at 7
and 9 p.m. Kennedy Center Family
Theater. Tickets are $85 to $99. Call
202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
NATIONAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Happy Holidays features classical masterpieces along with

holiday classics in one program,
capped off by a carols sing-along.
Also appearing this year are guest
soprano Rebecca Littig and 12-yearold Brandon Du, the 2016 National
Chamber Ensemble Outstanding
Young Artist Achievement Award.
Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre, 1611 N.
Kent St. Arlington. Tickets are $33.
Call 703-573-SEAT or visit artisphere.com.
NSO POPS WITH LAURA OSNES,

SANTINO FONTANA
Two of todays hottest young

musical theater stars are the featured soloists at this years NSO
Pops holiday concert led by Steven
Reineke featuring classics and singalong carols accompanied by the
Washington Chorus. Laura Osnes
(Grease: Youre The One That I
Want, Anything Goes) and Santino
Fontana (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,
Disneys Frozen) are the two soloists, reunited after playing the leads
on Broadway in Cinderella. (Osnes
appears here in place of the originally scheduled Laura Benanti,
who had to bow out on account
of being in the throes of pregnancy.) Thursday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m.,
Friday, Dec. 10, at 2 and 8 p.m., and
Saturday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. Kennedy
Center Concert Hall. Tickets are
$24 to $99. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org.
16
THE INSERIES: GOYESCA
Inspired by Francisco de Goyas

paintings, composer Enrique
Granadoss opera/ballet, rarely
seen in the U.S., is a cloak-anddagger story of mistaken betrayals
spun with the passion of Spanish
dance. Jaime Coronado directs and
choreographs an InSeries production honoring the centennial of the
premiere of Goyesca, adapted by
Elizabeth Pringle, coupled with
Manuel de Fallas Seven Spanish
Popular Songs. To Dec. 18. GALA
Theatre at Tivoli Square, 3333 14th
St. NW. Tickets are $23 to $46. Call
202-234-7174 or visit inseries.org.
THE WASHINGTON CHORUS
Julian Wachner directs the annual

A Candlelight Christmas, featuring the 200-voice chorus singing
familiar carols and holiday songs,
plus audience sing-alongs and
a candlelight processional. The
Northwest High School Chamber
Singers of Germantown and the
H-B Woodlawn Chamber Singers
of Arlington will join the chorus.
Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m., Saturday,
Dec. 17, at 4 p.m., Monday, Dec.
21, at 7 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 20,
through Thursday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
Also Monday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $18 to $72. Call 202342-6221 or visit thewashingtonchorus.org.
THE WASHINGTON REVELS
Featuring a cast of over 100,

this group performs the annual Christmas Revels, this year
A Nordic Celebration of the
Winter Solstice in Music, Dance &
Drama, everything from Finlands
epic drama Kalevala to Icelands
Vivivaki to Swedens Sankta Lucia
to Norways Halling dance. Opens
Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. Runs
To Dec. 18. GW Lisner, The George
Washington University, 730 21st St.
NW. Tickets are $12 to $60. Call
202-994-6851 or visit lisner.org.
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

is the conceptual Yuletide rock
opera from the progressive-rock
juggernaut, touring this show to
over 60 cities throughout North
America. The show follows the
story of a young runaway who has
visions from the past after sneaking into an abandoned vaudeville
theater. This years tour includes
an all-new second set containing
some of Trans-Siberian Orchestras
greatest hits. Thursday, Dec. 15, at
7:30 p.m. Verizon Center, 601 F St.
NW. Remaining tickets, all fourth
floor nosebleed seats, are $46.50 to
$55.50. Call 202-628-3200 or visit
verizoncenter.com.
TURKUAS & THE NEW

MASTERSOUNDS
Referred to as the musical love

child of Sly & the Family Stone
and Talking Heads, Turkuas is a
nine-piece funk army from
Brooklyn. Digitonium, the bands
latest longplayer emphasis on
long evokes 80s dance music,
and will be brought to life on stage
through signature colorful costumes and choreographed dance
moves. Turkuas will share the stage
at a double-bill concert with British
four-piece jazz fusion/funk band
the New Mastersounds, touring in
support of its 10th studio set Made
for Pleasure, inspired by and recorded in New Orleans. Friday, Dec. 9.
Doors at 8 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St.
NW. Tickets are $22. Call 202-2650930 or visit 930.com.
DANCE
JANE FRANKLIN DANCE
The Migration Project is multimedia series set within a temporary art

installation and featuring dancers
and performers exploring human
flight through stories of relocation.
Torpedo Factory Art Center member Rosemary Feit Coveys largescale sculptural art, printed on
Dupont Tyvek banner media, lines
the interior walls for the project,
which also includes brief videos
combining drawings and documents
reflecting aspects of relocation by
Dawn Whitmore, resident artist of
Arlington Arts Center. Jane Franklin
Dance members Emily Crews,
Carrie Monger, Matthew Rock, Amy
Scaringe, Brynna Shank, and Rebecca
Weiss perform. Friday, Dec. 9, at 7:30
p.m. Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105
North Union St. Alexandria. Tickets
janefranklin.com.
THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER
A dozen all-star dancers, an on-stage

DJ and an electric violinist reimagine Tchaikovskys classic score for
a contemporary, all-ages audience
with hip-hop choreography and
digital scenery, all set in contemporary New York City. Friday,
Dec. 16, at 8 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $32
to $58. Call 301-581-5100 or visit
strathmore.org.
THE WASHINGTON BALLET: THE

NUTCRACKER
Every year for the past 12 years,

Washington Ballets artistic director Septime Webre has offered
his own twist on the family favorite, setting it in D.C.s historic
Georgetown neighborhood with
George Washington as the titular
figure and King George III as the
Rat King. After two weekends in
the intimate THEARC space in
Southeast D.C. as part of the companys efforts to spread and diversify its audience, the production sets
up shop for nearly all of December
at downtowns Warner Theatre.
Opens in a preview Thursday, Dec.
3, at 7 p.m. Runs to Dec. 27. Warner
Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Tickets
are $35 to $126. Call 202-889-5901
or visit washingtonballet.org.
COMEDY
THE BALTIMORE IMPROV
GROUP: BAH, HUMBUG!
Tiny Tim is sickly, Marley is dead,

and other plot points remain the
same, but the Baltimore Improv
Group offers An Improvised
Christmas Carol, with performers
using audience suggestions and
interaction to inspire wild deviations from the standard script.
Opens Thursday, Dec. 8, at 8
p.m. Runs to Dec. 17. Drafthouse
Comedy, 1100 13th St. NW. Tickets
drafthousecomedy.com.
THE SECOND CITYS NUTCRACKING HOLIDAY REVUE
Chicagos legendary sketch comedy

troupe offers one of a few seasonal
blends of hilarious, original improvised scenes and songs. Intended as
an alternative to the usual holiday
traditions, expect riffs on uneven
gift exchanges with your clueless
partner and couples therapy with
Joseph and Mary. Opens Friday,
Dec. 9, at 7:15 p.m. Runs to Dec. 18.
Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse,
2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington.
Tickets are $30 to $35. Call 703486-2345 or visit arlingtondrafthouse.com.
THE SECOND CITYS TWIST

YOUR DICKENS
The Kennedy Center offers the D.C.

premiere of the comedy troupes
twist on A Christmas Carol, an
irreverent and interactive parody
featuring a Second City cast including Frank Caeti, Jamie Moyer,
Aaron Bliden, Anne Bowles, John
Lescault, Tia Shearer and Jamie
Smithson. Marc Warzecha directs a
largely improvised tale with a script
based on Dickens but adapted by
former The Colbert Report writers Peter Gwinn and Bobby Mort.
Opens Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. To
Dec. 31. Kennedy Center Theater
Lab. Tickets are $49 to $79. Call
202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
READINGS AND
LECTURES
HOLIDAY
MARKETS
4615 THEATRE COMPANY: A

CHRISTMAS CAROL
DC MAKERS MARKET
As part of its Holiday Party, the new

East City Bookshop presents another adaptation of Charles Dickenss A
Christmas Carol, this time adapted
by Jordan Friend in his company
4615 Theatre Companys signature living novel style. Thursday,
Dec. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. East City
Bookshop, 645 Pennsylvania Ave.
SE. Free, including free cocktails
from neighbor Beucherts Saloon,
but RSVP required due to space
constraints. Call 202-290-1636 or
visit eastcitybookshop.com.
STORY DISTRICT
Divine Intervention: Stories about

when something saves the day or
turns the tide is the seasonal show
from this storytelling organization,
featuring a mix of first-timers and
regulars putting their personal
twists on the theme with 7-minute
stories each. Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 8
p.m. Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th
St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202630-9828 or visit storydistrict.org.
Local creators will be selling their

wares at the DC Makers Market at
the citys newest bookshop. Among
the items for sale: Sneekis, quirky
D.C. pride t-shirts, Grey Moggie,
unique letterpress cards for any
occasion, handmade journals
and paper goods from Moonlight
Bindery, Belle Epoques ceramic gifts
inspired by vintage design, watercolor prints by Marcella Kreibel and
the Hunny Bunny line of handmade
lotions, soaps and lip balms. Sunday,
Dec. 11, from 12 to 5 p.m. East City
Bookshop, 645 Pennsylvania Ave.
SE. Call 202-290-1636 or visit eastcitybookshop.com.
DEL RAY ARTISANS 21ST

ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET
Alexandrias quirky, members-only

art gallery offers its 21st annual holiday market, featuring unique handmade fine arts and fine crafts from
different local artists on a rotating
basis over the next three weekends.
The artists working in pottery,
photography, jewelry, fiber, paper
crafts and glass donate a percentage of their sales to help support
the gallery. Also available at the

market will be 2017 wall calendars,
upcycled tote bags and handmade
ornaments. Runs to Dec. 18. Del Ray
Artisans in the Nicholas A. Colasanto
Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria. Call 703-731-8802 or
visit thedelrayartisans.org.
ABOVE & BEYOND

BOUDOIR BURLESQUE: HEXMAS
Krampus, aka Buster Britches,

hosts this ribald telling of Creepy
Christmas Tales and Fae Folklore
featuring witches, sprites, nymphs
and demons going by names Blanche
Boudoir, Sally Cinch, Ophelia Hart,
Clementine ODonnell and Salem
Sirene. There will also be a special
group performance by the DC Gurly
Show. Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m.
Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22nd St.
NW. Tickets are $15 in advance,
$20 at the door. Call 202-293-1887
or visit inlovewithbier.com.
LA-TI-DO
Regie Cabico and Don Mike

Mendozas La-Ti-Do variety show
features higher-quality singing
than most karaoke, often from local
musical theater actors performing
on their night off, and also includes
spoken-word poetry and comedy.
Mendoza and Anya Randall Nebel
host the next event, the annual
I Hate the Holidays Show with

guest performers Ronald Brady Jr.,
Christine Callsen, Casey Garner,
Erin Granfield, Alexandra Linn,
Lexie Martin, Megan Mostow,
Paige Rammelkamp, Michael
Sandoval, Elle Sullivan, Lo the Poet
and more. Taylor Rambo accompanies. Monday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m.
Bistro Bistro, 1727 Connecticut Ave.
NW. Tickets are $15, or $10 if you
eat dinner at the restaurant beforehand. Call 202-328-1640 or visit
latidodc.wix.com/latido.
NATIONAL ZOOS ZOOLIGHTS
Every year the Smithsonians

National Zoo presents ZooLights,
in which more than 500,000 colorful Christmas lights illuminate
life-sized animal silhouettes, dancing trees, buildings, and walkways,
plus a light show set to music. All
that, plus select animal houses
will be open and displaying nocturnal creatures, including the
Small Mammal House, the Great
Ape House and Reptile Discovery
Center. Every night except Dec. 24
and 25 until Jan. 1. National Zoo,
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free,
courtesy of Pepco. Call 202-6334800 or visit nationalzoo.si.edu. l
17
GAGE SKIDMORE / OFFICIAL PORTRAITS / WIKIPEDIA
theFeed
Clockwise from upper left : Sessions, Price, Carson, Pompeo, Devos, Haley, Chao and Mattis
THREAT LEVELS
Trump is assembling a vehemently anti-LGBT cabinet. We break down

its members by the threat they pose. By John Riley
ILL THE REAL DONALD TRUMP PLEASE STAND UP? ITS A TALE OF TWO
Donalds, or perhaps a strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, when it comes to the president-elects stance on LGBT rights. During the campaign, Trump tried to position himself
as a more reliable defender of LGBT rights than Hillary Clinton. In 2015, he said that sexual orientation shouldnt be a reason to be fired. He said that hed allow transgender reality star Caitlyn Jenner
to use whichever bathroom she preferred if she were to visit Trump Tower. He vowed to keep LGBT
people along with other Americans safe from the threat of ISIS. He even waved a rainbow Pride
flag given to him by a supporter at one of his rallies as a show of support for the LGBT community.
Yet for all his pandering, Trump has also catered to the Religious Right, courted evangelical
voters, and touted his opposition to same-sex marriage and reproductive rights. He supported North
Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory when he tried to justify signing the anti-LGBT bill HB 2. And Trump has
referred to allowing LGBT people to serve openly in the military as political correctness.
Its those contradictions that make many in the LGBT community nervous about what a Trump
administration will look like. Because he has never held elective office, even on-the-record statements by the president-elect are hypothetical conjecture. Thats why so many eyes are fixed on his
selections for various cabinet positions and why some observers are getting close to hitting the
panic button.
The first warning signs came with Trumps selection of his close advisers, none of whom require
confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Steve Bannon, the former chairman of the alt-right website Breitbart
News, has a history of expressing anti-gay sentiment and promoting stories with anti-LGBT viewpoints. Reince Priebus, the outgoing head of the Republican National Committee, has spent the
past few years leading a party that enshrined anti-LGBT attitudes into its official platform. National
Security Adviser Michael Flynn opposed allowing openly gay service members in the military, and
criticized the Obama administrations decision to lift the ban on transgender service members by
saying, War is not about bathrooms, war is not about political correctness, or words that are meaningless.
But advisers only have the presidents ear. Several of Trumps other picks who must be confirmed by the Senate pose a much greater threat to LGBT rights. Here, from most severe to least,
are Trumps confirmable (or rejectable) nominees that every LGBT person should be watching
closely.
THREAT LEVEL: 5 SCORCHED EARTH

1. JEFF SESSIONS
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Attorney General
LGBT RECORD: As senator from Alabama, Sessions opposed same-sex marriage, employment nondiscrimination legislation, partner benefits, lifting the militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy, and add-
ing LGBT people to protected classes

under the nations hate crime laws.
When he was Attorney General of
Alabama, Sessions attempted to use
his office to stop the University of
Alabama from hosting an LGBT conference, even taking the university to
court to defend a law that prohibited
using public money to fund, in any
way, a group that promotes actions
prohibited by the [states] sodomy and
sexual misconduct laws. That law has
since been overturned by the courts.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN:
As Attorney General, its doubtful
whether Sessions will enforce the
nations hate crime laws in instances
where people have been victimized
because of their sexual orientation
or gender identity. Other concerns
involve the governments future position on court cases revolving around
LGBT rights. Examples of these type
of cases include Hively v. Ivy Tech
Community College, where a lesbian
claims she was denied promotions
and her contract was not renewed
because of her sexual orientation,
or G.G. v. Gloucester County School
Board, where a transgender student
is suing to be able to use the boys
restroom in his high school.
2. TOM PRICE
POSITION NOMINATED FOR:
Secretary of Health and Human
Services
LGBT RECORD: Price, a conservative congressman from the Atlanta
suburbs, has accrued a vehemently anti-LGBT voting record during
his six terms in Congress. He boasts
a 0% rating for his voting record
on the Human Rights Campaigns
congressional scorecard. Hes voted
against an LGBT-inclusive version
of the Violence Against Women
Act, against workplace protections
for LGBT employees, and LGBTinclusive hate crime protections. He
has been a vocal supporter of state
bans prohibiting same-sex marriage.
More importantly, Price believes that
the LGBT lifestyle is more conducive
to health problems that may eventually cost government money. He has
suggested that any social legislation,
such as bills to advance LGBT rights,
not be passed until a thorough examination has been completed of the
cost of potential health problems that
could arise from promoting homosexuality.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: As
head of Health and Human Services,
Price could be influenced by his
extreme views and place LGBTrelated research or HIV-related
research on the back burner. Issues
of whether insurance companies
19
theFeed
must cover certain surgical procedures may also come to a head
under a Price-led HHS department. Lastly, Price is a fierce opponent
of the Affordable Care Act and has called for its complete repeal. This
could be problematic for LGBT people with pre-existing conditions
or low-income people who get their insurance and subsidies to pay
for it through the Obamacare health exchanges.
3. BEN CARSON
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development
LGBT RECORD: As a presidential candidate, Carson established
himself as a doctrinaire social conservative with anti-LGBT views.
Among Carsons more inflammatory statements are that same-sex
behavior by prisoners proves homosexuality is a choice, that gay
marriage was responsible for the fall of the Roman Empire, and that
transgender people cannot change their assigned sex at birth anymore than they can change their ethnicity. He has compared samesex marriage to bestiality, compared gay people to pedophiles, and
said that same-sex marriage is a Marxist plot to destroy Americas
moral foundations.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: Given Carsons parochial views on
gender, one of the likely targets of a Carson-run HUD may be a recent
update to the Equal Access Rule for shelters. Under the rule, adopted
in September, shelters that operate single-sex facilities or sex-specific projects must provide all individuals, including transgender and
gender nonconforming people, with access to programs, benefits,
services and accommodations based on their gender identity. Shelter
providers are not allowed to subject applicants to intrusive questioning about their gender identity or ask for documentation to prove
ones gender. If Carson is given free reign, these protections could
be repealed.
THREAT LEVEL: 4 RAGING INFERNO

1. MIKE POMPEO
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Director of the CIA
LGBT RECORD: During his three terms in Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike
Pompeo has largely been opposed to LGBT rights. He earned a 0%
rating on HRCs congressional scorecard for his votes on LGBT issues
during the 114th and 112th Congresses, and a meager 30% for his votes
during the 113th Congress. He is an opponent of same-sex marriage,
believing that Kansas definition of marriage as between a man and
a woman should supersede the federal governments definition of
marriage. He is a supporter of legislation that could potentially allow
individuals and businesses to discriminate against LGBT people
under the guise of religious freedom. He also voted against an
LGBT-inclusive version of the Violence Against Women Act.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: There arent many LGBT-specific
issues that are expected to confront Pompeo should he be confirmed,
but a general anti-LGBT animus may be concerning. There may
also be some questions around whether the CIA would become less
friendly to LGBT employees under the Trump administration.
THREAT LEVEL: 3 SETTING THE HOUSE ABLAZE

1. BETSY DEVOS
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Secretary of Education
LGBT RECORD: DeVos personal stance on LGBT issues is largely
a mystery, but she and her husband have donated to Focus on the
Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes LGBT rights.
Focus on the Family also promotes conversion therapy aimed at
changing sexual orientation or curbing the behavior of LGBT people
and those with same-sex attraction. Other members of her extended
family have donated to other anti-LGBT causes, including campaigns
to ban same-sex marriage in Michigan, Florida and California, and
to organizations such as the Family Research Council and Alliance
Defending Freedom.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: The chief issue with a DeVosrun Department of Education would likely be the position that
the department adopts with respect to transgender students and
20
whether they are protected under Title IX. DeVos position on the
Obama administrations current guidance for school administrators
is unknown, but her ties to right-wing groups have led transgender
advocates to call on Trump to rescind her nomination. Another issue
that may arise would be the use of federal education funds, in the
form of vouchers, to support private schools that encourage conversion therapy for LGBT-identifying youth.
THREAT LEVEL: 2 CAMPFIRE

1. NIKKI HALEY
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
LGBT RECORD: Haleys record on LGBT rights is mixed at best.
During her tenure as governor of South Carolina and as a state representative, Haley has not shown much support for LGBT rights. But
she also hasnt been openly hostile towards the LGBT community.
She was a fierce opponent of same-sex marriage, endorsing 2012
Republican nominee Mitt Romney only after learning he opposed
marriage equality. When South Carolina was sued over its voter-approved constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, she vowed to defend
the law and fight for it every step of the way.
That said, Haley has also shown a more moderate side, such as
when she referenced modern families in her response to President
Obamas 2016 State of the Union address and called for respect in the
ongoing social debates over same-sex marriage and adoption. She also
flatly refused to support an HB 2-style law that would have forced
transgender people to use restrooms inconsistent with their gender
identity, saying it was not an issue in South Carolina.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: The largest area of concern for Haley
will be whether she, like her predecessors in the Obama administration, Susan Rice and Samantha Power, will be willing to speak out
on behalf of LGBT rights around the globe. LGBT advocates say the
next UN ambassador should decisively state that the United States is
opposed to the discrimination, torture or killing of sexual minorities.
Whether Haley will promote those views remains to be seen.
2. ELAINE CHAO
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Secretary of Transportation
LGBT RECORD: Chao previously served as Secretary of Labor under
President George W. Bush and as Deputy Secretary of Transportation
under President George H.W. Bush. Neither administration was
known for being particularly friendly towards LGBT rights, and
the younger Bushs administration officially opposed bills like the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Chaos personal feelings on
workplace protections are unknown. As the wife of Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, Chao has campaigned on her husbands
behalf in Kentucky and defended his record, which is largely hostile
to LGBT rights. She also has worked at the Heritage Foundation, a
conservative think tank, and has served as a commentator for FOX
News Channel.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: Theres nothing specifically concerning with respect to LGBT rights, but advocates will be on watch for
any indications of anti-LGBT animus.
THREAT LEVEL: 1 SPARKS

1. JAMES MAD DOG MATTIS
POSITION NOMINATED FOR: Secretary of Defense
LGBT RECORD: Mattis has little or no record of public comments
on LGBT issues. However, ThinkProgress and the blog LezGetReal
reported in 2010 that Mattis was one of several generals that were
more hostile towards the idea of repealing the militarys Dont Ask,
Dont Tell policy banning gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers from
serving openly.
BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN: If President-elect Trump is willing to
push the Pentagon to reverse its decision allowing transgender military members to serve openly, it appears that Mattis would wholeheartedly support such a change. That said, people on the political left
are more likely to be concerned about his hawkish stance toward Iran
and combative style than his position on any LGBT issue. l
Community
THURSDAY, December 8
Weekly Events
ANDROMEDA
TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH
offers free HIV testing, 9-5

p.m., and HIV services (by
appointment). Call 202-2914707, or visit andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

practice session at Takoma
Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St.
NW. 7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay
and lesbian square-dancing
group features mainstream
through advanced square
dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas
Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual
dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
PHOTO COURTESY MON
practice, 7:30-9:30 p.m. King

Greenleaf Recreation Center,
201 N Street SW. All welcome.
For more information, visit
scandalsrfc.org or email dcscandals@gmail.com.
Mon
SISTERLY SUPPORT
The DULLES TRIANGLES

Northern Virginia social
group meets for happy hour
at Sheraton in Reston, 11810
Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-
SisTah Talk provides a forum for transgender women to share stories,

advice and experiences with one another
FTER I WAS INCARCERATED, TRANSITIONING BACK INTO SOCIETY WAS

a lot harder for me, says Shareese Mon, founder of The DC centers newest group,
Sistah Talk. So I wanted to start a group for other trans girls that would address
some of the issues that we go through in the course of a day.
Originally, Mon had considered creating a Bad Girls Club for transgender women,
particularly those who had been incarcerated. But her supervisor balked at the negative
connotation surrounding the name.
I was talking to one of my girlfriends, she says, and then I realized, This is the group
right here. So we named it Sistah Talk.
The group has broadened its reach and scope since Mon devised the idea. For starters,
it has extended an open invitation to cisgender women, although presently none are in the
group. The group also serves as an open forum for transgender women of color to share
their triumphs and sorrows with other women experiencing similar situations.
[Its] like the blueprint, the manual of being a girl, says Mon. Sistah Talk [is] about
everything from your transitioning to your problems with your boyfriend to makeup tips
whatever youre going through that day. John Riley
SisTah Talk meets the middle of each month at 7 p.m. at The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW.
The next meeting will be Dec. 15. For more information on the group and its 2017 meetings,
follow The DC Centers calendar listings at thedccenter.org or contact
Shareese Mon at shareese@thedccenter.org.
Walker Health. At the Elizabeth

Taylor Medical Center, 1701
14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At
the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30
p.m. For an appointment call
202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and

confidential HIV testing
in Gaithersburg, 414 East
Diamond Ave., and in Takoma
Park, 7676 New Hampshire
Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins 2-6
p.m. For appointments other
hours, call Gaithersburg, 301300-9978, or Takoma Park,
301-422-2398.
METROHEALTH CENTER
offers free, rapid HIV testing.

Appointment needed. 1012 14th
St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing,

3-5 p.m., by appointment and
walk-in, for youth 21 and
younger. 202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a
Narcotics Anonymous Meeting,
25
6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.

NW. The group is independent of
UHU. 202-446-1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ
women, 13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m.

SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th St.
SE. 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
FRIDAY, December 9
GAMMA, a confidential support
group for men who are gay, bisexual, questioning and who are
married or involved with a woman,
meets in Washington on the second
and fourth Fridays of each month.
GAMMA also also offers additional
meetings in Northern Virginia and
Frederick, Md. 7:30-9:30 p.m. St.
Thomas Episcopal Church, 1772
Church St. NW. For more information, visit GAMMAinDC.org.
The DC Center holds a meeting of

a new DC LGBTQIA DISABILITY
GROUP to support, educate and
empower people with disabilities.
8-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. Contact Andy Arias, andyarias09@gmail.com.
WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES

(AND THIRTIES), a social discus-
sion and activity group for queer

women, meets at The DC Center
on the second and fourth Fridays of
each month. Group social activity
to follow the meeting. 8-9:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit
thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
practice session at Hains Point,

927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-
affirming social group for ages

11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road
NW. Contact Tamara, 202-3190422, layc-dc.org.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a

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

the LATINO LEATHER CLUB. 3-5
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedccenter.org
The DC Center holds an LGBTQ
ASL CLASS for people who wish to
learn American Sign Language. 1-3
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by
members of the LGBT community,

holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by
Kiddush luncheon. Services in
DCJCC Community Room, 1529
16th St. NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time, email
braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
practice session at Hains Point, 972

Ohio Dr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club welcomes all

levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing
afterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd &
P Streets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m.
for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SENTINELS basketball
team meets at Turkey Thicket

Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan
Ave. NE, 2-4 p.m. For players of all
levels, gay or straight. teamdcbasketball.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for
LGBT community, family and

friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel
Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary
Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For
more info, visit dignitynova.org.
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses

critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RSVP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, December 11
Weekly Events
inclusive church. Member of the

Reconciling Ministries Network.
All welcome. Services at 9:30
and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King Street,
Alexandria. 703-671-8557, fairlingtonumc.org.
FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,
10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,

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

GROUP for gay men living in the
DC metro area. This group will be

meeting once a month. For information on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
Join LINCOLN
CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST for
an inclusive, loving and progressive

faith community every Sunday. 11
a.m. 1701 11th Street NW, near R in
Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN
VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led
by Rev. Emma Chattin. Childrens

Sunday School, 11 a.m. 10383
Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-6910930, mccnova.com.
NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN

CHURCH, inclusive church with
GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE

INCARNATION, an interra-
cial, multi-ethnic Christian

Community offers services in
English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and
in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton
St. NW. 202-232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING
invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to

join the church. Services 9:15 and
11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire
Ave. uucss.org.
SATURDAY, December 10
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS
MONDAY, December 12
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
celebrates Low Mass at 8:30

a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300
Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-232-4244,
allsoulsdc.org.
Human Rights First and the

Human Rights Campaign, in
coordination with the Council for
Global Equality, hosts ADVOCATES
visits Virginia Museum of Fine

Arts in Richmond to see exhibits on Faberge Eggs and on the
artistic connections between
Edvard Munch and Jasper Johns.
Admission $15 for adults, $12
seniors, plus about $12 for transportation, and lunch in museum
cafe. Carpool from King Street
Metro Station. Craig, 202-4620535. craighowell1@verizon.net.
26
MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

972 Ohio Dr., SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
FAIRLINGTON UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH is an open,
AND ALLIES IN THE GLOBAL

EQUALITY MOVEMENT: A
CELEBRATION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS DAY at the Law Offices
of Baker & McKenzie. The event

will honor Caleb Orozco, executive
director of United Belize Advocacy
Movement (UNIBAM) and lead
plaintiff in the case that overturned

Belizes sodomy law, and Olena
Hloba, co-founder of Parents
Initiative Tergo, an ally organization for parents of LGBT people in
Ukraine. 6-8 p.m. 815 Connecticut
Ave. NW. For more information,
visit globalequality.org.
Weekly Events

927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at

Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave.
NW. getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV test-
ing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite

200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT

COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay

mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300

Van Buren St. NW. Newcomers
with at least basic swimming ability
always welcome. Tom, 703-2990504, secretary@wetskins.org,
wetskins.org.
TUESDAY, December 13
GAY & LESBIAN ACTIVISTS
ALLIANCE holds a meeting to elect
new officers and discuss plans and
priorities for 2017. All welcome.
Meeting begins at 7 p.m. in private home in Dupont Circle. For
location and more information,
contact Rick, 202-328-6278 or visit
glaa.org.

its COMING OUT DISCUSSION
GROUP for those navigating issues
associated with coming out and
personal identity. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
Also at the DC Center, the TRANS
SUPPORT GROUP meets for
transgender people and those
who identify outside of the gender
binary. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information,
visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly
dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle

area, 6:30 p.m. afwash@aol.com,
afwashington.net.
practice session at Takoma Aquatic

Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.
7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club serving greater D.C.s LGBT community and

allies hosts an evening run/walk.
dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 7:30-9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf

Recreation Center, 201 N Street
SW. All welcome. For more information, visit scandalsrfc.org or
email dcscandals@gmail.com.
THE GAY MENS HEALTH

COLLABORATIVE offers free
HIV testing and STI screening

and treatment every Tuesday.
5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday
LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health
Department, 4480 King St. 703746-4986 or text 571-214-9617.
james.leslie@inova.org.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT focused meeting every

Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georges
Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland
Ave., Arlington, just steps from
Virginia Square Metro. For
more info. call Dick, 703-5211999. Handicapped accessible.
Newcomers welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ

YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at
SMYAL, 410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m.

Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a support
group for black gay men 40 and

older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. 202-446-1100.
WEDNESDAY, December 14
OUTWRITE, D.C.s annual LGBT
book festival, holds a planning

meeting for the upcoming event at
The DC Center. Meeting is open
to the public. Come to share ideas,
join subcommittees, or add your
own contributions. 6:30 p.m. 2000

14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB
meets for Duplicate Bridge. No

reservations needed. All welcome.
7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th
Street SE (across from Marine
Barracks). Call 202-841-0279 if you
need a partner.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle con-
versation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,

Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a

group for LGBT people looking
to quit cigarettes and tobacco use,
holds a weekly support meeting at
The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH
offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.

and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job entrants and seekers,
meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
more info, www.centercareers.org.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV
testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N.
15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club
for mature gay men, hosts weekly
happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl,
703-573-8316. l
Submit your community event for
consideration at least 10 days prior
to the Thursday publication you
would like it to appear. Email to calendar@metroweekly.com.
27
Character Study
For the one-man show Fully Committed, Tom Story takes on
over 30 characters. Few actors are better suited to the task.
Interview by Doug Rule Photography by Todd Franson
OM STORY ALMOST BECAME A DOCTOR. LUCKILY

for the D.C. theatre scene, he changed his mind.
It was the 1990s and Story had been studying medicine at Duke University. I went to my advisor and
said, Im gonna go to Juilliard, Story recalls. They were like,
Okay. And then I auditioned and got in, even though I had no
idea what I was doing.
Michael Kahn, artistic director of Shakespeare Theatre
Company and former head of the drama department at Juilliard,
watched Storys initial audition for the prestigious New York
drama school. Kahns advice to the young man? If you get a
callback, you should do it just like that.
In the two decades since graduating, Story has become one of
D.C. theaters mainstays, and has never met a professional challenge he wouldnt undertake. Any other actor might have opted
for some much-needed time off after months of exhausting work
portraying the gut-wrenching role of Prior Walter in Angels in
America, but a month after Round House and Olney Theatres
productions of Tony Kushners two-part AIDS epic closed, Story
is back in the spotlight, this time in a one-man show he calls the
hardest thing Ive ever attempted.
The comedy, Fully Committed, is a departure for the
28
Alexandria-based MetroStage, which for years has presented A

Broadway Christmas Carol, a popular Dickens-themed musical
parody, over the holidays. But the theaters artistic director,
Carolyn Griffin, was eager to try something new. And she wanted Tom.
Carolyn came up with this idea, Story says. It was really
hard for both of our schedules, but she said, Ill do whatever it
takes. I want us to do this. Alan Paul, one of Storys best friends,
and the associate artistic director at the Shakespeare Theatre,
agreed to direct.
Fully Committed is not full out holiday fare, admits Griffin.
But there is a slight holiday theme along with a heart and soul
and great entertainment as we watch Tom play impossibly
demanding characters.
Story gamely went along with photographer Todd Fransons
suggestion to photograph the actor in multiple configurations,
a nod to the 32 characters he portrays in Fully Committed.
Each portrait tells its own story, and each is its own gem. As
for Toms story one that reaches back to a Southern Baptist
upbringing in Arkansas and leads to a thriving, virtually nonstop career on D.C. stages who better to tell it than than the
man himself?
METRO WEEKLY: How many characters are you playing in Fully

Committed?
TOM STORY: Well, actor Mark Setlock and playwright Becky
Mode devised the show together more than 15 years ago, but
when Jesse Tyler Ferguson did it on Broadway earlier this year,
they rewrote it. Some of the characters from the original production have been cut or updated, so I dont actually know the
full count of characters in the current script, but its around 40.
Ive been acting for at least 25 years, including high school.
This is the hardest thing Ive ever attempted to learn in a long
career including big Shakespeare roles, Angels in America Part
One and Two. Its the hardest thing Ive ever learned, by miles
actually.
MW: Is this the first one-man show youve done?
STORY: It is. Theres something about talking to yourself you
dont get anything from the other person because the other
person is you. Its a lot harder. Dawn Ursula, my friend who was
in Angels, last year did a one-person show at Theater J, Queens
Girl in The World, which was really extraordinary. She told me,
Its very hard. You have no one to save you. Its just you making it all. And thats why I wanted to do it, because Im always
looking for different kinds of challenges, and Ive done a lot of
different kinds of things. And I get bored easily, so this was on
my list to do. Ive never been on stage by myself.
MW: What is the setting of the play?
STORY: It takes place in the bowels of a restaurant, in the reservations office in a restaurant in Manhattan. The restaurant is
described as molecular gastronomy its scientific, super-fancy, super-trendy, very expensive, an A-list kind of place to go
where all of these celebrities and power people are trying to
29
get reservations. And theres this guy, Sam, just this normal
guy, who is struggling as an actor, and his boyfriend just broke
up with him hes a little down and out. He shows up and no
one else is there so he has to manage the phones, right before
Christmas. And so you meet all of the elites and wannabes and
celebrities and all of the people who are trying to get reservations. Theres a character named Bryce, who works for Gwyneth
Paltrow, and he keeps calling. And there are warring socialites
from New York City. And then just random people who call in to
try to get a spot at this very, very trendy place.
And then its all of the personalities who make the restaurant
work. Theres a French maitre d, theres a sweet, frazzled hostess, theres the business manager, then theres the actual reservations manager who hasnt shown up that whole day, which is
why Sam is in trouble. And the chef is a little bit of an overgrown
30
frat boy a celebrity TV personality with all of the ego and the
fragility.
MW: Do you go to trendy restaurants? Are you connected to that
world?
STORY: You know what, I feel lucky because I make my living as
an artist in an expensive city, which is not an easy thing to do.
But I have a lot of friends and family members who have treated
me to some pretty great meals at some of the finer restaurants
here. I really do love restaurant culture and good food. Roses
Luxury was a wonderful experience and ridiculous in a fun
way, the wait and all. I love Rasika, love Blue Duck Tavern, still
love i Ricchi. The best meal Ive ever had was in the kitchen at
Tosca for Michael Kahns birthday. Truly extraordinary.
I started working in D.C. in 2000, but I was hired out of New
York to come down to do shows. In New York I lived with a
woman who worked in PR for food people. And we went to all

these places when one of Mario Batalis restaurants opened, I
sat next to Harrison Ford and ate a weird beef rib for free.
MW: There must be some shared personality traits between restaurant types and actors.
STORY: Definitely. I remember meeting some people in the
restaurant world and thinking, Theyre kind of like actors. Like
all creative people, we have our flairs and our craziness and our
oddities and our insecurities and all of that. Particularly the chef
in Fully Committed I feel like I know who he is in terms of his
insecurity and his ego and his temper. He could be Jamie Oliver
meets Mario Batali meets Bobby Flay, just this sort of bro-y food
dude. Hes like a frat boy who figured out how to cook.
MW: As much of a mental and physical challenge as it is, this show
must be quite different to the emotional and psychological inten-
sity of Angels.
STORY: Its more physical, yeah. I mean, there is a story there and
theres depth to the play. I dont want to diminish it, because I

think that they are different forms of acting and expression. Its
exhausting and exhilarating in different ways than Angels in
America, and just as hard.
To do Angels in America and this back-to-back is pretty fascinating, actually. Because Angels in America was almost debilitating for me. I loved it so much, but to go through it every night....
Sometimes I roll my eyes when actors get actor-y I took my
role home or I killed my wife because of the part I was playing
or whatever. But Angels in America I had trouble letting go. I
loved it, and I felt as connected to it as Ive ever been connected
to anything Ive ever done. And also, on the eve of the election, I
thought, Its important to be saying these words.
31
I was so connected to it, and that character in particular goes

through so much, that I was destroyed by the end of it. I couldnt
sleep. I felt a responsibility to that play. And it had been with
me for so long. I wanted it to mean something, and I was scared
that the world was gonna change. And then it did. Ive not quite
recovered from that. So there was Angels in America, I moved
the day after it closed, Trump got elected, and then I directed a
play, and now Im doing this one-person show. Its been a really
strange time. And Ive been grateful in a lot of ways to have so
much work. I have so much to focus on.
MW: I imagine those days when you performed both plays in repertory could be particularly trying.
STORY: Particularly by the end of Part II: Perestroika, I did feel
kind of exhausted at the end of the run, yes, but even on a
nightly basis. Its seven hours long, and you know, we did both
32
parts. And Prior is sick from the second scene until the end. So
while it was going on, all of us in the show talked about how
tired we were, all the time. I think the eight of us, we just felt a
responsibility. And when you work on that material, you think,
Well theres not a lot of things like this. And theres not a lot of
opportunities to get to do things like this. And also, it has not
been that long since AIDS happened. And so it is at once like a
memorial to that time and Im too young to have really been
in it, but I am old enough to have lived in a world where, I never
was an adult without HIV [consciousness]. I came of age where
that was what was happening. So I do think that it exhausted
everyone. This is a great work of art. And we want to do it justice. And we also want to remind people of what that time was.
And we also want to say, This is prophetic: Whatever this was
could happen again in a different form. You could be abandoned
by your government, and you could be ostracized by your family. And the politics of that play initially I was worried it was
going to feel dated, and it felt incredibly modern and incredibly
important. And then it closed, and then Donald Trump was
elected president, so you know.
It was important, and I would not trade it for anything ever. I
mean, it was one of the great experiences in my life.
MW: In Perestroika, you exposed yourself in more ways than one,
as you stripped naked at one point.
STORY: Ive worked my whole life and never done that before. In
some ways, it was the least part of it. It was almost like, Okay,
here it is.
MW: Youve never gotten naked on stage before?
STORY: I dont think Ive ever worn shorts on stage, to tell you
the truth. And I was kinda worried about it, but then it was
pretty liberating, too. Now I might go to a nude beach, finally. I

come from a really free family they were always naked and I
was always wrapped up in a sheet and basically a burka. I never
took my shirt off at the beach, you know what I mean? Just like
a little freak.
MW: Tell me more about your family. Are you from here?
STORY: No, my family is from Arkansas originally. My family is
super-Southern. My dad was a helicopter pilot in the Army, so
when I was a kid, we moved to Panama. I was in Panama for all
of elementary school. And then we moved to D.C. when I was in
7th grade and my dad went to the Pentagon. So I grew up here.
And I had this amazing drama teacher in high school. And she
was on to it You know we can get tickets for $10. Lets go see
plays! So all through high school I saw everything at Arena,
I saw everything at Shakespeare, I saw everything at Studio,
33
and some things at Woolly. I usually saw one or two things a

weekend. So when I was growing up I was like, Oh, D.C. is an
incredible theater town. And it was less than it is now much
less. It was the beginning of all this.
MW: Why didnt you initially study theater in college?
STORY: I was pre-med at first. I went to Duke, and I was gonna
be a doctor. If you grew up in the South, Duke is, its Harvard,
you know? So I was always told that thats where I should go.
And I got in, it was a beautiful place. I remember taking organic
chemistry, went to the class for a week, and I was like, I dont
actually know that this is me. I think this is hard in a way thats
exciting, but I dont think its where I should be putting my life
and my energy. I think I want to be an actor and I need actor
training. So I kind of figured it out that first semester in college,
and that was kind of the end.
34
MW: Im curious whether there might have been a particular play

you saw that contributed to that decision?
STORY: I do remember there was a kind of turning point. I
remember when I was 17 years old, after I had gotten accepted to
Duke, I saw two plays at Arena Stage. I saw The Seagull, and Id
never seen Chekhov, and I saw Merrily We Roll Along, Stephen
Sondheim. Those two plays started to make me realize that I had
to somehow be a part of that live theater, dramatic literature,
maybe performance, maybe not, I didnt quite know. But that
was where I turned.
MW: Speaking of D.C. theater, you met your boyfriend, Chris
Dinolfo, when you were based in New York, but on assignment at
Studio Theatre.
STORY: I met Chris while doing The Pillowman at Studio. He had
just graduated from college and was randomly working there. At
first, we were just dating and I was bouncing around the country
doing theater, like Id been doing for the past 10 years, until I
thought, You know, I love D.C. And I work here and I feel valued
here and I feel like I can contribute. And its much easier than living in New York. And I actually think this is where I should be.
MW: How long have you been together now?
STORY: Nine years. Long time. We just had to move from
Kalorama because our apartment building was sold. So we live
in Adams Morgan now and are adjusting to our new place. But
everything is good. Hes 11 years younger than me, so were at
different kind of places. He works multiple jobs, but yes, he has
also been working consistently as an actor. Hes done Veep, and
hes done some commercials and some theater. I just directed him in a play The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at
Adventure Theatre.
MW: Have you ever directed a show for children before?

STORY: Never. A lot of my friends have directed shows at
Adventure, and lots of my friends have been in them, so Ive seen

lots of theater for young audience shows, but Ive never done one
and Ive never worked on one. I really loved it. I think it really
makes you get to the core of things, because there are many different ages seeing the show, so you want to make sure the story
is super-clear. What is the most direct way to tell the story?
MW: How did you come to direct the show?
STORY: Chris had already been cast and the director dropped
out about six months ago, so I knew they needed a director and
I had my friends in the theater call Michael Bobbitt and say,
Tom should really direct this play. Michael Kahn, who runs
the Shakespeare Theatre, and Joy Zinoman, who was the artistic
director of Studio, both of them, whom Ive worked with tons
35
as an actor, have really tried to support and encourage me and

push me to direct more shows. So they both told Michael that I
should do something there, so he took a chance on me, because
hes never seen any of my work.
MW: Who else is in the cast besides Chris?
STORY: Audrey Bertaux, who is kind of new in town. I saw her
in Hay Fever at Olney with Chris, they played brother and sister.
And now theyre playing all the roles. Its under an hour and
really athletic vocally domanding and physically demanding.
Its also very beautiful. Theyre both doing great. Im very proud
of it and excited for people to see it.
MW: You mentioned that Chris has done some work in TV. Have
you enjoyed much success in that field?
STORY: Early on I did, in New York, but not since Ive lived
in D.C. Mostly when anyone ever calls me for stuff, I cant go
because Ive pretty much been in a play for 10 years. I say that to
people and theyre like, Wait, what? Were you in Les Miz? No,
but for the past 10 years I have basically had no time off. I havent
had much downtime for 10 years. Ive done a lot of shows.
MW: Have you traveled much or taken days off?
STORY: A few. A lot of times, Chris travels without me. We both
love Provincetown, and early on in our relationship we went
there twice, but since Ive not been able to go. I tell him, Go
without me. Hes got a group of friends who all went to Catholic
with him, and are in entertainment jobs in New York City, and
they go to P-Town together. We went to Fire Island two years
ago. Id never been, but I could only go for two days. Because
Im always in a play.
MW: Its the tradeoff of being in demand, I guess.
STORY: And thats the thing. Im doing this because I love it. If
there was another thing that I could do, that would make me
happy, I would have done it a long time ago, because this is not
an easy life. And I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to
do all the stuff that people have let me do. And I also know that
it could all be taken away in a second.
MW: Is there a play or a role that you really loved or that is particularly special to you?
STORY: Well the very first thing I did in D.C., and the reason I
kind of have a career here, was this Tom Stoppard play called
The Invention Of Love at Studio Theatre. I played a young
A.E. Housman, the poet. And that play kind of changed my life
because it was a big role in the town I grew up in. And people
saw it, and I got other jobs because of it. So that kind of started
it all. A lot of the stuff Ive done at Studio, actually, has kind of
been markers of my life.
MW: Does your family still live in the area?
STORY: All of them are still here. My parents live in Lake Ridge/
Occoquan/Woodbridge in Virginia. My sister, who married a
guy I went to college with, and kids live in Arlington. Everyones
really close.
MW: Do you celebrate Christmas with them?
STORY: Yeah. My family loves Christmas. I have three nephews
and a niece who I adore. Not a huge family, but I have my parents and my sister and her husband and her kids. And so I celebrate with them on Christmas Eve, and then we have a brunch
with them on Christmas Day, and then I go to Chris familys
house for Christmas Day dinner. And then on New Years Day,
theres a guy who lives in Alexandria, whos a huge supporter of
the theater, and he has a lobster party. And this little group of
men and women, like his little family, comes together for New
Years Day and we celebrate that with him. So I have lots of little
families. Im very close to my own family, and Chriss family, but
I also have a little D.C. family too that I really love.
36
MW: Did you grow up Southern Baptist?

STORY: Yeah, but we never really went. I kind of was suspicious
of it early on.
MW: Do you discuss politics with your family?
STORY: Even though Im from a super-Southern family, I was
never bombarded with religion or fundamentalist politics. My
family is incredibly reasonable. I dont think anyone voted for
Trump in my immediate family. Certainly my sister and her
husband didnt, and my mother is repulsed by him. But theyre in
Northern Virginia, which did not vote for Trump.
MW: Although Virginia threatened to go red on election night.
STORY: Oh my god, I was terrified! I just had a bad feeling.
MW: When did you develop the bad feeling?
STORY: I had it early. After talking to a friend in politics in New
York City, I started getting scared. I actually had to lie down.
I was like Blanche DuBois at one point. Chris said, I have to
get out of the apartment. He went to LEnfant Cafe, about two
blocks from our new apartment, and I met him there. And then
when Virginia was so close, I thought, something is wrong.
Somethings wrong. It was a nightmare. That night was a nightmare. I didnt sleep. I kept waking up thinking it was not real.
MW: Have you ever thought about politics or running for office
yourself?
STORY: Ive done too many filthy things in my life to ever run for
anything. Im not electable.
MW: Many people said the same about Trump.
STORY: No, I mean, I love politics. I love living in a place where
politics is the main industry and not being part of that. I love
being an artist in this city. I love it. It can be hard sometimes, you
kind of feel like a freak. Ive found a little circle of friends who
are not lawyers or lobbyists or working for Obama or whatever
although I have friends in all those places too. But it is different
than New York City. Sometimes there are weird things like that,
living here. Where youre like, Oh, Im not like the other people
who make their living here. But I like that.
Another thing about D.C. that is amazing is that there is so
much appreciation of the arts. Theres so many smart people
so many. So many people who have the money to spend on
theater. So, you know, all of that Im very grateful for.
MW: And you remain fully committed to it?
STORY: Yes, and committed to doing it here. When I was
coming up, there were more rep companies in America, and
I thought, Oh! Thats what I want to do. I want to be in a
company where I can play a small role, and then a huge role,
and then maybe direct a play, and blah blah blah. And those
companies have kind of dissolved, but I feel like this city as a
whole is almost the closest approximation to that that I could
find. Im very committed to local artists all local artists, but
particularly local playwrights and directors and designers and
actors. Theres an incredible amount of talent here, and I feel
lucky and proud to be a part of it. And I also feel, in some ways,
it was my destiny. It was the thing that I loved as a kid, when
we moved here and I saw all this great theater. I feel like this is
where Im supposed to be and how Im supposed to contribute. l
Fully Committed, now in previews, opens Sunday, Dec. 11, and
runs to Jan. 8, at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St. in Alexandria.
Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe runs to Dec. 31 at
Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo.
Tickets are $19.50. Call 301-634-2270 or visit adventuretheatre-mtc.org.
Gallery
Alexander McQueen: Unseen

Photographs by Robert Fairer
Hardcover, 352 pages, 9.9 x 1.3 x 13.4 inches, Yale University Press
$65 available at Amazon
39
Music
Spektor
Freedom Sounds
The Hamilton Mixtape offers a fresh take on the iconic musical, and
Dragonette breaks their silence with catchy synthpop By Sean Maunier
E ALL KNOW SOMEONE WHO WONT SHUT UP ABOUT HAMILTON.

Since Lin-Manuel Mirandas hip-hop ode to Americas founding fathers
first premiered, it has attracted a seemingly endless tide of publicity, critical
acclaim, and commercial success. After over a year on Broadway, it continues to play
to sold-out crowds and shows no signs of going away anytime soon. With all this in
mind, the release of a 23-track mixtape inspired by the musical might make us stop and
wonder: Did we really need more Hamilton in our lives?
Of course we did. The Hamilton Mixtape (HHHHH) is a massive, eclectic tribute
that offers covers, demos, and inspired-bys. It speaks to the incredible cultural impact
of Hamilton that the Mixtape project attracted so many high-profile collaborators.
Indeed, its hard to imagine another musical that could bring together a roster of artists
that includes Ashanti, Sia, Usher, Jimmy Fallon, Queen Latifah, Kelly Clarkson, Chance
the Rapper, and Alicia Keys.
40
What is most interesting about the

Mixtape is that is shows us just how easily
the songs of Hamilton can stand on their
own, outside the context of the musicals narrative. Notwithstanding Jimmy
Fallons slightly cringeworthy voiceover
at the beginning of Youll Be Back,
handing the tracks over to artists to offer
their interpretations allows the numbers
to take on lives of their own. The obvious example is Sias soaring, knockout
cover of Satisfied, which dropped in
the weeks leading up to mixtapes release
and features Queen Latifah and Miguel.
Sias contribution alone is enough to justify the albums existence, but there are
plenty of other worthwhile moments on
display. The potential payoff is best realized in the mixtapes two versions of Dear
Theodosia. Regina Spektors bright, quivering piano pop cover sounds like some-
thing straight off one of her own piano pop albums, while
Chance the Rappers reprise delivers a cracking falsetto that
turns the short, expository number into an emotional gutpunch.
The project offers more than just covers of Hamiltons wellknown tracks. The sharp, sardonic Congratulations was
scrapped when the show moved to Broadway, but a version
by rapper Dessa is included here. Other tracks appear only
on the mixtape, most notably the opening number No John
Trumbull, which serves as both a prologue and a powerful reminder of the fundamental truth of Hamilton that
Americas founding moments are, at their core, far more complicated, messy, and human than any painting or monument
could do justice.
Hamilton, of course, is not going anywhere. By now, its status as a cultural icon is a given the cast album has sold over
two million copies, tickets to the musical continue to sell out
in minutes, and its recent run-in with the future Vice President
has certainly not hurt its profile. The Hamilton Mixtape allows
us to experience Mirandas expert songwriting through fresh
eyes, and in doing so, serves to remind fans that there is more
to Hamilton than clever wordplay and stellar performances.
Its tracks are certain to boost the musicals profile and keep
people talking about it in the weeks and months to come. Not
that it needed the help.
ELECTROPOP FANS, BREATHE a sigh of relief. Four
years after the release of the critically acclaimed Bodyparts,
Dragonette has finally returned. The bands fourth studio
album Royal Blues (HHHHH) was written and produced amid

the separation of frontwoman Martina Sorbara and bassist
and producer Daniel Kurtz, the duo at the heart of Dragonette.
Hints of the emotional upheaval are alluded to in the albums
lyrics, but the bands tone remains as sunny and upbeat as ever.
Some of the tracks on Royal Blues were definitely worth the
wait. Lonely Heart is by far the standout of the album and
an example of the band at its best. While the lyrics deal unambiguously with heartbreak and loneliness, the song is anything
but a downer, with triumphant synths and Sorbaras voice
defiant throughout. The wide-eyed confidence never quite
peaks again like it does on this track, but is sustained through
the rest of the album.
What Royal Blues suffers from is a tonal sameness.
Sustaining the brightness all the way through doesnt always
work to the bands advantage, and as a result, many of the
tracks come off as lesser versions of its high points. The vocal
harmonies that work so well on the opener Let the Night
Fall, feel somewhat out of place on the title track. Dragonette
has made a distinct sound for themselves, but the album falls
into the trap of repeating the things that work to the point
where the overall effect is dampened.
Its flaws aside, Dragonettes newest album is still full of
examples of the raw talent that made them famous to begin with,
and the band reliably delivers the stellar production and absurdly catchy hooks we have come to expect from them. Royal Blues
may not stand out as a particularly memorable album, but at its
best, it is expertly-produced and incredibly enjoyable. l
The Hamilton Mixtape and Royal Blues are available now from Amazon and through streaming services.
41
NightLife
43
Scene
DrinksDragDJsEtc...
Thursday,
December 8
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: Tops Down $6
Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3
Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
Locker Room Thursday
Nights $3 Rail Drinks,
10pm-midnight, $5 Red
Bull and Frozen Virgin
Drinks DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Best
Package Contest at midnight, hosted by BaNaka &
Kristina Kelly $200 Cash
Prize Doors open 10pm,
21+ $5 Cover or free

with college ID
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
Strip Down Thursdays
Happy Hour Shirtless
guys drink $2 off all
drinks, 8-10pm Jock or
underwear gets $2 off all
drinks, 10pm-midnight
Highwaymen TNT hosts
Hot Jock Contest, 11:30pm
Prizes include cash and
tickets totaling over $250
No Cover 21+
FREDDIES 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
Britneys Birthday at Town - Saturday, December 3

Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Open at 5pm Beat the
Clock Happy Hour $2
(5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4
(7-8pm) Buckets of Beer
$15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
SHAWS TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 Rails and House Wines
& Half-Priced Pizzas $
Heineken and Coronas,
5pm-close
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
9pm Cover 21+
Friday,
December 9
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
5-9pm Friday Night
Videos with Justin, 9:30pm
Expanded craft beer
selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail and
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out $6 Grey Goose
all night Two 30-minute open bars featuring
Grey Goose, 11-11:30pm
and 1-1:30am DJ
MadScience upstairs DJ
Keenan Orr downstairs
$10 cover 10pm-close 21
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
Happy Hour, 8-10pm
$2 off everything
Leathermen of Color 2017
Meet the contestants
and help out the fundraiser
at the Club Bar DJ Theo
Storm presents Drenched:
A Journey through the
Decades 3rd Floor Exile
$5 Cover Sequence in
the Annex 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat the Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover Friday Night
Piano with Chris, 7:30pm
SHAWS TAVERN
& Half-Priced Pizzas Live
Magic, 8pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
PBR, $2 Yuengling, $3 Rail,
$5 Appetizers Extended
Happy Hour, 7-9pm, with
only $1 increase in price
TOWN
Patio open 6pm DC Bear
Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm
$3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 Bud
Bottles Free Pizza, 7pm
No cover before 9:30pm
21+ Drag Show starts
at 10:30pm Hosted by
45
Lena Lett and featuring

Miss Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, DJs BacK2bACk
downstairs following the
show GoGo Boys after
11pm Doors open at
10pm For those 21 and
over, $12 For those
18-20, $15 Club: 18+
Patio: 21+
Saturday,
December 10
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
normally served in a
cocktail glass served in a
huge glass for the same
price, 5-10pm Beer and
wine only $4 DJ Jeff
Prior, 10pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch at
Level One, 11am-2pm and
2-4pm Featuring Kristina
Kelly and the Ladies of
Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody
Marys Happy Hour:
Tops Down $6 Top Shelf,
Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud
Light, 4-9pm NYC Takes
Over DC Dance Party,
10pm-close Doors open
10pm $5 Cover 21+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion Drag Show
with host Ella Fitzgerald
Doors at 9pm, Shows
at 11:30pm and 1:30am
DJ Don T. in Secrets
Cover 21+
46
9 1/2
drink, 2-9pm $5 Absolut
& Titos, $3 Miller Lite
after 9pm Expanded craft
beer selection No Cover
various DJs
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 5:30pm
Leatherman of Color 2017
Contest, 6:30-8:30pm
Happy Hour, 8-10pm
$2 off everything
Highwaymen TNT on Club
Bar Distrkt C Dance
Party: Distrkt C Dirty Santa
Featuring DJ X Gonzalez
and DJ Deanne, 10pm-8am
3rd Floor Exile

Tickets available online at
ticketleap.com and at the
door 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Drag Queen Broadway
Brunch, 10am-3pm
Starring Freddies
Broadway Babes Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Freddies
Follies Drag Show, 8-10pm,
hosted by Miss Destiny B.
Childs No Cover
GREEN LANTERN
Bacardi, all flavors, all
night long
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Doors open 2pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
2-9pm $5 Absolut and
$5 Bulleit Bourbon
Jawbreaker, with Chord
Bezerra, 9:30pm $ Deep
Eddy and $2 Shot Specials,
11pm-12am
SHAWS TAVERN
Bottomless Mimosas,
10am-3pm Happy Hour,
5-7pm $3 Miller Lite, $4
Blue Moon, $5 Rails and
House Wines & Half-Priced
Pizzas
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TOWN
Patio open 2pm DJ
Matt Bailer, 10pm-close
DJ Wess spins music
and video downstairs
Tatianna from RuPauls
All Stars comes home to
Town for a Meet-and-Greet
Tickets available online
via Flavorus.com Meetand-Greet, 9pm (ticket
required) Drag Show
starts at 10:30pm Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee,
Riley Knoxx and BaNaka
GoGo Boys after 11pm
Doors open 10pm for
the general public $12
Cover 21+
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion Drag Show
with host Ella Fitzgerald
Doors at 9pm, Shows
at 11:30pm and 1:30am
DJ Don T. in Secrets
Cover 21+
Sunday,
December 11
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Homowood Karaoke,
hosted by Robert Bise,
10pm-close 21+
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 12pm
off everything $2 Bud
and Bud Lite Draughts
all day and all night
Leatherman of Color 2017
Victory Brunch, 2-5pm
No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch
Buffet, 10am-3pm Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Karaoke,
8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke downstairs,
9:30pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 2-9pm No
Cover
SHAWS TAVERN
Happy Hour, 5-7pm
$3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue
Moon, $5 Rails and House
Wines & Half-Priced
Pizzas Football Specials,
1pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
9pm Cover 21+
Monday,
December 12
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Monday Nights A Drag,
hosted by Kristina Kelly
Doors open at 10pm
Showtime at 11:30pm
$3 Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy
and Red Bull $8 Long
Islands No Cover, 18+
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
off everything Endless
Happy Hour prices to anyone in a DC Eagle T-Shirt
Free Ballin Mondays: Free
Pool All Night and Day
$1 Bud and Bud Light
Draughts all night No
Cover 21+
47
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Singles Night Karaoke,
8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Open Mic Night Karaoke,
9:30pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
and Half-Priced Pizzas
Trivia with Jeremy, 7:30pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
48
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
only $4
Tuesday,
December 13
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
DJ Honey Happy Hour:
Tops Down $6 Top Shelf,
Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud
Light, 4-9pm SIN Service
Industry Night, 10pm-close
$1 Rail Drinks all night
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
After 9pm, $3 Absolut,
Bulleit & Stella
SHAWS TAVERN
Half Priced Burgers &
Pizzas, 5pm-close $5
House Wines & Sam
Adams Drafts, 5pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
only $4
Wednesday,
December 14
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite all night
Customer Appreciation
Night No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
and 9pm Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only
Bring a new team member
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
and Half-Priced Pizzas
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don
T. in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+
Thursday,
December 15
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
DJ Wess
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Locker Room Thursday
Nights $3 Rail Drinks,
10pm-midnight, $5 Red
Bull and Frozen Virgin
Drinks DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Best
Package Contest at midnight, hosted by BaNaka &
49
Kristina Kelly $200 Cash

Prize Doors open 10pm,
21+ $5 Cover or free
with college ID
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm Strip
Down Thursdays Happy
Hour Shirtless guys
drink $2 off all drinks,
8-10pm Jock or underwear gets $2 off all drinks,
10pm-midnight No Cover
21+
FREDDIES 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
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
50
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
Closed for a private event
until 9pm Piano Bar,
9pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Thursday DJ
9pm Cover 21+ l
Scene
52
Fancy Ass Friday at Cobalt - Friday, December 2

Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene
53
LastWord.
People say the queerest things
us she moved here to get her children away from the gays. She went on to tell us how
Basically she toldhorrified
she was when her son got turned down for prom because
the girl was already planning on going with her
girlfriend.
LEXI MAGNUSSON, a resident of Silverdale, Wash., explaining to BuzzFeed why she chose to decorate her lawn with a rainbow
Christmas light display. She decided to decorate the lawn as a sign of support for the LGBT community after
her new neighbor made disparaging comments about gay people.
gay his orientation is definitively more towards the men and the boys.
As it goes on Harry is definitely
I think he will use sex with women to get information but
his definite persuasion what he goes home and
thinks about is men.
RUSSELL TOVEY, talking in a Facebook Live chat with TV Guide about his character Harrys sexual orientation on Quantico.
People are still biased. Thats why no one will hire us, except in the nonprofit sector, and
we have no choice but to beg or do sex work.
LAXMI NARAYAN TRIPATHY, a founder of the Asia Pacific Transgender Network, speaking at a panel hosted by the Thomson Reuters
Foundation and Asia Society. Despite India having some of the most progressive laws on transgender issues, many gender
nonconforming Indians find themselves the victims of discrimination and abuse.
young people in general are usually a lot more, I guess, open-minded to change. Especially when
Kids andyoure
really little in elementary school, you dont expect a lot of things from people, so
if somebody says, Im switching genders, youre
sort of like, OK, thats new. But cool.
NICOLE MAINES, one of 11 transgender Americans profiled in a new HBO documentary, The Trans List, about the experience of
being transgender in society. In 2014, Maines successfully sued her school district to be allowed to use
the girls restroom at her middle school.
Regardless of our decision to make a statement about all this craziness, or not, I ask that
people please! respect @KateAurthur & @ginamei.
CHIP GAINES, co-star of the HGTVs Fixer Upper, in a Tweet defending BuzzFeeds Kate Aurthur and Cosmopolitans Gina Mei after
the two wrote articles about the anti-LGBT views of Chip and Joanna Gaines pastor, Jimmy Seibert. Aurthur and Mei questioned
whether the Gaineses are against same-sex marriage, and why the show has never featured the Gaineses helping
a same-sex couple renovate their house in the past four seasons.
54

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THE THREAT OF TRUMPS CABINET HAMILTON MIXES IT UP

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Visit the Holiday Gift Guide Online at metroweekly.com/giftguide

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For the one-man show Fully Committed, Tom Story

The Hamilton Mixtape offers a fresh take on the

SPOTLIGHT: MGM NATIONAL HARBOR p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.11

2016 Jansi LLC.

DECEMBER 8, 2016 METROWEEKLY

MGM National Harbor

OLLOWING TWO YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION AND A

including a piece by Bob Dylan showcases works by local

Theater Alliance offers a production of

Two of the areas great orchestras take on

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DECEMBER 8, 2016 METROWEEKLY

National Geographic captures on film the giant pandas living in Wolong

THE SECOND CITYS

An all-African American troupe of sketch and stand-up

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The Rainbow Theatre Project offers a staged reading of Kevin

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THE SECOND SHEPHERDS PLAY

Composer/performer Andrew Earle

Natalie Portman puts herself in

Jessica Chastain puts her reputation on the line as one of the

John Madden directs what Variety

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

Hangover meets the holidays,

Craig Wallace takes over from

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST

Olney Theatre Center presents

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Lauren Gunderson and Margot

RAMSEY LEWIS & JOHN PIZZARELLI

Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring

A CHRISTMAS CAROL MEMORY

Creative Cauldrons Laura Connors

INTO THE WOODS

Fiasco Theaters streamlined

in New York. Now the fairy tale

ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE

The Washington Stage Guild

DECEMBER 8, 2016 METROWEEKLY

Helen Hayes Award-winning costume designer Frank Labovitz

LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

Closer to Brothers Grimm than

STRAIGHT WHITE MEN

p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DCDD

GERALD CLAYTON & THE

WSC Avant Bard presents Jonelle

Set in a large, contemporary Christian

Stephen Schwartzs hit musical

by Winnie Holzman, returns once

Jazz composer Paul Murtha has

A Maryland native, Wheeler got her

DECEMBER 8, 2016 METROWEEKLY

She shares the stage with John

The hip Canadian indie-dance band

GAY MENS CHORUS

Naughty and Nice is the Gay Mens