CONTENTS

OCTOBER 26, 2107 Volume 24 Issue 26

7 SCARE TACTICS
Busch Gardens ramps up the fear factor
on Halloween weekend

By Randy Shulman

SAVING LIVES
Don Blanchon wants to ensure that Whitman-Walker
Health remains a crucial lifeline
to the LGBTQ community

Interview by John Riley

Photography by Todd Franson
30
40 SPACE OUT
Star Trek: Discovery eschews utopia for war, while
The Orville offers classic Trek with a comedy twist

By Rhuaridh Marr

SPOTLIGHT: SCARE TACTICS p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.13

TAMING THE BEAST: DRAG TIPS p.14 SUZANNE WESTENHOEFER p.16
SCENE: HIGH HEEL RACE p.21 COMMUNITY: WALKING TO END HOMELESSNESS p.22
FORUM: CHAD GRIFFIN p.27 THE FEED p.28 COVER STORY: SAVING LIVES p.30
GALLERY: SUPERFIERCE p.37 FILM: KILLING OF A SACRED DEER p.38
FILM: SUBURBICON p.39 TV: STAR TREK: DISCOVERY/THE ORVILLE p.40
MUSIC: ST. VINCENT/TEGAN AND SARA p.42 NIGHTLIFE p.45 SCENE: COBALT p.45
LISTINGS p.46 SCENE: PEACH PIT AT DC9 p.52 LAST WORD p.54
Real LGBTQ 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 Andr Hereford,
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 Robert Blanchon Cover Photography Todd Franson

Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830
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2017 Jansi LLC.

4 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

 Spotlight
PHOTO COURTESY OF BUSCH GARDENS

Scare Tactics
Busch Gardens ramps up the fear factor on Halloween weekend

I
DONT KNOW THAT ANYONE HAS EVER FAINTED,
says Jeremy Wood, technical supervisor for consumer
events at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. Like so many
other theme parks across the nation, the park extends its season
into October by transforming into a Halloween fear fest. Most
of the time...people just start screaming to find the nearest exit.
There are more than a couple of exit points for people who cant
handle it. Those early exits get used frequently.
The park features seven full haunted houses, including
Circo Sinistro, Dead Line, Lumberhack, and Unearthed. New
this year is FrostBite, a (literally) chilling overhaul of the pop-
ular Dark Castle ride. The idea is that frosty giants have taken
over the castle, says Wood. As you get deeper-and-deeper
into the house, it gets colder, and the monsters become more
terrifying. Were able to crank the temperature way down to
give the whole thing more dimension.
Wood enjoys devising ways to scare patrons. I love to put
you in a room where we have fourteen mannequins dressed
the exact same way. Ive got three performers in there also
dressed the exact same way, posed the exact same way. You
have no idea which ones real and, which ones fake. Its one of
my favorite types of scares.
Another favorite has a name Wood jokes may not be print-
able. We might walk you through a hallway for a good 40, 50,
100 feet, without a scare. Then you walk into a room and there
might be four or five performers in there, and suddenly youre
getting it from all angles. I call them boo holes.
Randy Shulman

Remaining Howl-O-Scream dates are 10/26, 10/27, 10/28 and 10/29. The park is open by day and the haunted houses
open at 6 p.m. Hours and pricing vary. Visit seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-williamsburg for full details.

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 7

 Spotlight
NIGHT OF THE
LIVING ZOO
Friends of the National Zoo presents an
adults-only celebration of Halloween,
featuring performance artists, particu-
larly those working in the odd and eerie
realms, a costume contest, a DJ dance
party, craft beer, and food truck fare.
Friday, Oct. 27, from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW.
General admission is $90 for Night of the
Living Zoo. Call 202-633-4800 or visit
nationalzoo.si.edu.

DCS DIFFERENT DRUMMERS: DC SWING!

The intimate jazz ensemble of the local LGBTQ music organization
performs a swinging set of Big Band Era standards during a special
Sunday afternoon event. Cornelius Young conducts. Sunday, Oct. 29,
at 3 p.m. Second Floor of Mr. Henrys, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Free,
with suggested donation. Call 202-546-8412 or visit dcdd.org.

DXB PHOTOGRAPHY
ASSASSINS
Its not every year you get to see this less-
er-known Tony-winning Stephen Sondheim
show, but if you missed the recent Pallas
Theatre Collective production, youre in
luck. Virginias NextStop Theatre Company
offers its own version of the revue-style
portrait of attempted presidential murder-
ers, with Bobby Libby as Lincolns kill-
er John Wilkes Booth, Mikey Cafarelli as
John Hinckley (Reagan), Alex Zavistovich
as Samuel Byck (Nixon), Brice Guerriere as
Giuseppe Zangara (FDR), Katie McManus
as Sarah Jane Moore (Ford), Jaclyn Young
as Squeaky Fromme (Ford), and John Sygar
as Lee Harvey Oswald (JFK) and the shows
Balladeer. To Nov. 12. NextStop Theatre,
LOCK AND COMPANY

269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, Va.

Tickets are $20 to $60. Call 866-811-4111 or
visit nextstoptheatre.org.

8 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

 Spotlight
THE BOOK OF MORMON
Written by South Parks Trey Parker and Matt
Stone, the riotously funny, audacious musical,
which won a whopping nine Tony Awards,
is both cutting edge in shocking substance
yet traditional in style. The Book of Mormon
may weave in unexpected and provocative plot
twists and scenes as well as convey extreme-
ly modern sensibilities about life, culture and
organized religion. Yet it still hews to the stan-
dard musical mold, from repeated musical
lines and lyrics, to boisterous sing-along group
anthems, to sharp group choreography, includ-
ing a tap number. To Nov. 19. Kennedy Center
JOAN MARCUS

Opera House. Tickets are $59 to $250. Call 202-

467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED

TO BABY JANE?
Capital Classics, a new hump-day series at
Landmarks recently refurbished West End
Cinema, concludes its fall season with the 1962
camp classic that is once again all the rage
thanks to Ryan Murphys recent Feud FX series.
Robert Aldrichs shocker is still every bit as cap-
tivating today in its tale of a former child star
(a marvelously unhinged Bette Davis) who tor-
ments her crippled sister and ex-movie queen
(Joan Crawford). And if you liked Feud but

COURTESY OF WARNER BROTHERS

havent seen Baby Jane on a big screen, heres
your chance. Happy Hour-priced beer and wine
from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at
1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. Landmarks West End
Cinema, 2301 M St. NW. Tickets are $12.50. Call
202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

WE ARE THE 9
Folk-rock singer-songwriter Justin
Trawick formed this local collaborative
of fellow musical acts a decade ago as
a way to help book more shows and
perform at more venues. The show-
case readies its debut on the Wharf in
Southwest with a concert featuring per-
formances by Trawick, Vim & Vigor, Eli
Lev, Rock Creek Kings, Uptown Boys
Choir, Brave Like Us, Maryjo Mattea and
Louisa Hall. Thursday, Nov. 2. Doors at 7
p.m. Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St.
SW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-380-9620
or visit pearlstreetwarehouse.com.

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 9

LIANE BRANDON
Out On The Town

EDGAR ALLAN POE: BURIED ALIVE

Denis OHare (This Is Us, American Horror Story) stars and Kathleen Turner narrates the latest PBS documentary by Eric
Strange (The War That Made America). The focus is on the famous 19th Century Baltimorean who still reigns as one of
the most popular writers in American history, having helped develop the science fiction and horror genres, and also one
of the most misunderstood. Presented as part of the American Masters series, Buried Alive offers interviews with experts,
readings from Poes works, and reenactments from his life, all to expose the real Poe, as opposed to the long prevailing
misrepresentations of a drug-addled madman who was buried alive, as if ripped from the pages of his pioneering horror
stories. The film premieres nationwide Monday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. on PBS and will be available to stream across PBS apps
or purchase on DVD starting the next day, Halloween. Visit pbs.org/americanmasters for more details.

Compiled by Doug Rule
HALLOWEEN
A PEOPLES CHOIR DC:
HALLOWEEN NIGHT
Started in D.C. a few years ago, this
free monthly event at DC9 is a good
alternative to the typical holiday
fare of playing dress up for tricking
and treating. A Peoples Choir is all
about communal singing but its
more than simply group karaoke.
Here, a (hopefully) enthusiastic
crowd sings along to popular songs
using lyric sheets and music videos
displayed with lyrics. This months
theme is All Hallows Eve. Tuesday,
Oct. 31. Doors at 7 p.m. DC9, 1940
9th St. NW. Free. Call 202-483-
5000 or visit dcnine.com.
EDGAR ALLAN POE READINGS:
TALES OF MYSTERY AND
IMAGINATION
Every year actors from Guillotine
Theatre, formerly known as the
Georgetown Theatre Company,
gather to communicate with the
spirits and read a witches brew
of poems and short stories, all by
Americas 19th Century Master
of Horror. This years selec-
tions, presented in a cemetery
vault in Alexandria and a historic
Georgetown church, include The
Cask of Amontillado, Spirits of the
Dead, The Pit and the Pendulum,
The Tell-Tale Heart, Annabel Lee,
and The Raven. Saturday, Oct. 28,
and Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. The Receiving
Vault, Ivy Hill Cemetery, 2823 King
St. Alexandria. Also Sunday, Oct.
29, at 7:30 p.m. Grace Church, 1041
Wisconsin Ave. NW. Requested
donation of $10. Call 202-783-5000
or visit georgetowntheatre.org.
KLECKSOGRAPHY:
TOIL AND TROUBLE
New stage works are written,
rehearsed, and produced in just
seven days as part of Rorschach
Theatre Companys annual
extreme new play development
series. Named after a childhood
game that later inspired his famous
Rorschach Inkblot Test, Hermann
Rorschach is the driving force
behind Klecksography from the the-
ater company named in his honor
and led by artistic directors Jenny
McConnell Frederick and Randy
Baker. Enlisting local stage artists
to see what they see when given
the same theme, this years Toil
and Trouble focus is on famous
witches, fictional or otherwise. The
playwrights, directors, actors and
designers will showcase their ideas
in a one-night-only Halloween-
themed production. Saturday, Oct.
28, at 7 and 9 p.m. Lab Theatre II in
the Atlas Performing Arts Center,
1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $15 to
$20. Call 202-399-7993 or visit ror-
schachtheatre.com.
NEW ORCHESTRA
OF WASHINGTON
The Mexican holiday Dia de los
Muertos is celebrated in a classi-
cal concert by the small chamber
orchestra led by the husband-
and-wife team of artistic director
Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez and
executive director Grace Cho.
The National Cathedrals profes-
sional choir Cathedra joins NOW
to perform Mozarts magnificent
Mass for the Dead Requiem in
D minor. The program also toasts
Mexicos vibrant contemporary cul-
ture with Javier Alvarezs Metro
Chabacano and Emmanuel Arias Y
Lunas Sonoralia La Zacatecana,
both featuring NOWs new string
quartet-in-residence, the Aeolus
Quartet. Saturday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.
Mexican Cultural Institute, 2829
16th St. NW. Also Sunday, Oct. 29,
at 3 p.m. Westmoreland Unitarian
Christian Church, 1 Westmoreland
Circle NW. Tickets are $30 to $40.
Bethesda, Md. Call 240-235-5088 or
visit neworchestraofwashington.org.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
The AFI Silver Theatre offers its
annual week-long Halloween on
Screen series, this year including
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
with live accompaniment to the
silent film by Andrew Simpson,
Dario Argentos masterpiece
of horror, Suspiria, Phantasm:
Remastered, and a double feature
of I Was A Teenage Werewolf, star-
ring a very young Michael Landon,

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 13

 THE DEVILS ASSISTANT
Billed as the worlds first true
horror film, Robert Weines 1920
silent masterpiece The Cabinet of
Dr. Caligari has become an annu-
al Halloween offering at the Atlas,
presented as a double feature
with what organizers refer to as a
red-tinted hellscape, both accom-
panied by live, original music by
Andrew Earle Simpson. Caligari is
about a tyrannical hypnotist who
deploys a hapless sleepwalker to
commit murders, while Harry A.
Pollards 1917 Devils Assistant is a
tale of a doctor who seeks revenge
for being jilted in marriage by a
character played by Pollards wife
Margarita Fischer. Screenings in
the Silent Film series include free
popcorn, and naturally patrons are
encouraged to attend the Halloween
round in costume. Sunday, Oct.
29, at 4 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts
Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are
PEXELS

$18 to $20. Call 202-399-7993 or

visit atlastarts.org.

TAMING THE BEAST

THE LEGWARMERS
Its been 16 years since Gordon
Gartrell and Cru Jones started what
has long been heralded as D.C.s
premier 80s tribute band, per-
...and a few other pro tips if youre planning to do drag this Halloween. forming the many guilty pleasure

I
hits of the decade. The group,
whose members also include Chet
F YOU ARE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE A FULL WOMANLY FIGURE, YOU NEED TO TAME Reno, Lavaar Huxtable, Roxanne
the beast, says BaNaka. Like a magician, you have to make one thing disappear. There are Rio, Capt. Morgan Pondo and
many YouTube tutorials offering specific advice on this particular disappearing act. But, as Clarence McFly, has performed at
concert halls throughout the region
the local drag sensation notes, youll need duct tape, two Advil, and a lot of patience. and beyond. Yet its primary base
As a regular at Town, Cobalt JR.s, the Dirty Goose, and Number Nine, BaNaka is dolled up has been Virginias State Theatre.
nearly every night of the week. She has learned, over time, how to sometimes avoid the dreaded The band returns to the restored
duct tape. I cheat, she says. I wear flowing gowns. Art Deco building for two nights
during the last weekend in October,
One has to be taught, This is where you go to find this, this is where you go to find that, when the usual audience partici-
says Ziegfelds Ella Fitzgerald, the doyenne of D.C.s drag scene. You cant just go out and say, pation of dressing the part think
Well I can do that and not know any basics. shellacked big hair, lacy ankle socks,
stirrup and parachute pants will
Barring finding a local drag queen to mentor you at the last minute through your makeup and be amped up to 11, as both nights
wig application, try YouTube, which offers a treasure trove of tips in applying makeup, earrings feature a Halloween Costume
and wigs, the kind of things previously only found, says BaNaka, in the back of a smoky bar, Contest with cash prizes, along
from a half-drunk drag queen. with other spooky surprises. Friday,
Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, at
Still, when all is said and done, its all for naught if you cant walk the walk. 9:30 p.m. The State Theatre, 220
I dont care how pretty you are if you walk like a lumberjack, says BaNaka. Always test N. Washington St., Falls Church.
out the heels first. The old school saying is, If you can vacuum your house in your heels, youre Tickets are $18. Call 703-237-0300
or visit thestatetheatre.com.
good to go.
She offers one final, critical bit of advice for dressing in drag for Halloween: Have fun! Dont
take it so seriously! This drag Halloween season! Be safe! Be sassy! Be sexy! Doug Rule FILM
A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS
Releasing just after Halloween and
and the only worthwhile film John Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 9:30 p.m., Naturally, Oyamel is also decked out weeks before Thanksgiving, we
Landis ever made, An American Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m., in creepy sugar skulls and human have a Christmas-themed sequel to
Werewolf in London, whose pre- and Thursday, Nov. 2, at 9:30 p.m. skeletons that have come to symbol- 2016s surprisingly entertaining Bad
CGI transformation scene is one of AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville ize the holiday, meant to honor and Moms. Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell,
the all-time greats. But no fright- Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $13 remember friends and family mem- and Kathryn Hahn return as the
ening flick gets screened as often general admission, or $10 for mat- bers who have died. The festivities rule-breaking moms who refuse to
this year than Night of the Living inee screenings. Call 301-495-6720 include a special five-course dinner be perfect, only this time theyre
Dead, the 1968 no-budget, alarming- or visit afi.com/Silver. plus cocktails made with tequila terrorized by their own mothers
ly grisly thriller that kicked off the and mezcal only available on All (Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
worlds zombie craze and upped the OYAMEL: THE ULTIMATE Hallows Eve, or Tuesday, Oct. 31. and Susan Sarandon) visiting for
gore ante overall for horror films. HALLOWEEN NIGHT Oyamel Cucina Mexicana, 401 7th the holidays. If it can smooth over
Directed by George Romero, who Every year, Jose Andress temple of St. NW. Tickets are $75 per person, some of the cracks of the first film,
died earlier this year, the black and Mexican cuisine offers a special Day all-inclusive. Call 202-628-1005 or it could be good, if early, festive
white film is presented in a restored of the Dead-themed menu of food visit oyamel.com. fun. Opens Wednesday, Nov. 1.
format. Screens Saturday, Oct. 28, at and drinks and available through Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
10:10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 29, through the first week of November. THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (Rhuaridh Marr)

14 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

AUSTIN POWERS:
INTERNATIONAL MAN OF
MYSTERY
The 20-year-old original James
Bond spoof from Mike Myers
and co-starring Elizabeth Hurley
spawned two blockbuster sequels
and a whole bag of quotes. Its the
second in a new monthly series from
Virginias Alden Theatre, inspired
by the Rocky Horror Picture Show,
in which audience participation is
required. There will be a $5 prop
bag to help further act out scenes
as well as contests plus free pop-
corn! Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. Old
Firehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Rd.
Mclean, Va. Tickets are free. Call
703-790-0123 or visit www.mclean-
center.org/alden-theatre.

IN THIS OUR LIFE

Inspired in part by Feud, Ryan
Murphys series on FX, the Hill
Centers film and discussion series
Davis & Crawford, A Fabulous
Rivalry alternates between cine-
matic focuses on Bette Davis and
Joan Crawford. Hosts New Yorker
writer Margaret Talbot and Movie
Mom film critic Nell Minow
picked one off-the-wall selection
per diva, including this 1942 drama
directed by John Huston, starring
Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland
as sisters. Sunday, Nov. 5, at 4 p.m.
Hill Center, Old Navy Hospital, 921
Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Free, but reg-
istration recommended for guaran-
teed seating.. Call 202-549-4172 or
visit HillCenterDC.org.
JIGSAW
The Saw reboot/sequel no one
asked for, the eighth in the fran-
chise, picking up a decade after the
original. Peter Spierig directs with
his brother, Michael. If torture porn
is your thing, then this is for you.
But then again, so is therapy. Opens
Friday, Oct. 27. Area theaters. Visit
fandango.com. (RM)
THE ROCKY HORROR
PICTURE SHOW
Landmarks E Street Cinema
offers its monthly run of Richard
OBriens camp classic, billed as the
longest-running midnight movie in
history. Landmarks showings come
with a live shadow cast from the
Sonic Transducers, meaning its
even more interactive than usual.
Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct.
28, at midnight. Landmarks E
Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call
202-452-7672 or visit landmarkthe-
atres.com
STAGE
AN ACT OF GOD
Tom Story is the divine one in a
comedy by David Javerbaum, based
on the Daily Show writers book
The Last Testament: A Memoir by
God. Story shares the stage with
Evan Casey and Jamie Smithson
as archangels Michael and Gabriel,
JOHNNY SHRYOCK
THE ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN
Listing towards the tradition of childrens pantomime, Synetics The Adventures of Peter
Pan (HHHHH) is largely for the small fry in your life. The good news is that, unlike most
of the dross staged for children, this production showcases two things all kids should see:
creative theater on a budget and exciting dance. Its a testament to the fact that live enter-
tainment does not have to come in fancy, expensive packaging. Kids will be enthralled by
this shoestring and ceiling wax production because it has imagination and enthusiasm.
The evening is a fun adventure set to evocative music, easy dialogue, a bit of swaggery
humor courtesy of Captain Hook, and an abundance of high-energy dance and movement.
In the title role, Alex Mills is a happy, spectacularly fit Peter, carrying the production
with his unstoppable exuberance and boyish charisma. Mills is an exciting dancer and his
several pas de deux with Shadow, danced well by Zana Gankhuyag, are gorgeously fun and
full of enthralling muscularity. Another standout here is Kathy Gordon as Wendy Darling,
the big sister who craves adventure, just not at the cost of her younger siblings safety.
Miming and dancing Tinkerbell, Ana Tsikurishvili is obviously very much at home with
her mother Irinas signature moves, but brings her own distinct charisma to the capricious
fairy, making her a true crowd-pleaser. As Captain Hook, Ryan Sellers provides a bit of
pirate eye-candy, even if the panto bluster and jokes never quite fit. This isnt Broadway,
but it is a grand adventure evoked with joy and enthusiasm. To November 19 at Synetic
Theater, 1800 South Bell Street in Arlington, Va. Tickets are $15 to $75. Call 866-811-4111
or visit synetictheater.org. Kate Wingfield
helping God create an entirely new question, living, breathing people America, concludes its inaugural
set of Ten Commandments. To Nov. who smirk, cuddle, and lose their season with a new full-length play
26. Signatures Ark Theatre, 4200 tempers. A magnificent Cleopatra, exploring the life of Washington
Campbell Ave. Arlington. Call 703- Shirine Babb exudes the necessary socialite Clover Adams. Laura
820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org. countenance in the gorgeous garb of Rocklyn stars as Clover in a play
Mariah Hale. Babb is the reason to that she co-wrote with Allys artis-
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA see this production. The only regret tic director Ty Hallmark. Angela
HHHHH is that the revolving stage is not Kay Pirko directs a cast that also
Shakespeares Antony and activated during her death scene so features Nick Depinto as Henry
Cleopatra is an interesting animal: that more of the audience can see Adams and Tamieka Chavis as
her expressive face as she chooses Lizzie Cameron. Closes Saturday,
not quite historical drama, not
quite lovers tragedy. The already her fate. To Nov. 19. Folger Theatre, Oct. 28. Caos on F, 923 F St. NW.
small Folger Theatre goes super-in- 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are Tickets are $25. Visit allytheatre-
$35 to $79. Call 202-544-7077 or company.com.
timate by staging the production
visit folger.edu. (Kate Wingfield)
in-the-round and the intimacy gives
INTIMATE APPAREL
the play personality. In director
CLOVER Dawn Ursula star in this turn-of-
Robert Richmonds cozy circle are
Ally Theatre Company, focused on the-century tale about a talented
a real Antony and Cleopatra. They
presenting works or partnering with African American seamstress
may deliver grand and beautiful
organizations acknowledging and and the romance she shares with
language, they may go to war or
confronting systemic oppression in a Jewish fabric merchant. Lynn
die by asp, but they are without

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 15

 Nottages play, inspired by a true
story, gets a production in Baltimore
directed by Tazewell Thompson and
featuring Beth Hylton, Drew Kopas,
Steve Polites, Bueka Uwemedimo,
Jenn Walker, and Jade Wheeler.
To Nov. 19. Everyman Theatre, 315
West Fayette St. Baltimore. Tickets
are $10 to $65. Call 410-752-2208 or
visit everymantheatre.org.

SAFE AS HOUSES
Pinky Swear Productions worked
with playwright Natalie Piegari
for over a year to develop a drama
exploring the pull of family and
nature. Megan Behm directs this
play about a patchwork family pre-
paring a suburban house for a vio-
lent storm and deciding on whether
they should wait it out. A knock at
the door complicates things fur-
ther, as the past comes flooding in.
Now to Nov. 11. Trinidad Theatre
at Capital Fringe, 1358 Florida Ave.
NE. Tickets are $35. Call 866-811-
4111 or visit pinkyswear-produc-
tions.com.

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
ELLIE PEREZ

Blake Robison directs a produc-

tion of Lee Halls adaptation of the
bawdy Oscar-winning film from
1998, both riffing on and celebrating
the Bard. Nicholas Carriere stars as

LAUGHING MATTERS
Will among a large cast including
Avery Glymph, Jefferson A. Russell,
Liz Daingerfield, and Naomi
Jacobson as Queen Elizabeth.
In previews. Opens Thursday, Oct.
Suzanne Westenhoefer has come a long way as an openly gay comic pioneer 26. Runs to Nov. 26. Baltimore
Center Stage, 700 North Calvert

I
St., Baltimore. Call 410-332-0033 or
DONT EVEN KNOW IF ITS SOMETHING TO JOKE ABOUT, SAYS SUZANNE WESTENHOEFER. visit centerstage.org.
Is it? The veteran comic is well-known for being able to crack jokes over just about anything even
sensitive matters like cancer and chemotherapy. But at the present moment, she is still in shock over THE MISTRESS CYCLE
the sudden loss of her cat. Matt Conner directs a musical
Im in complete denial because it was so awful, so fast, she says. He was sick Thursday night for launching a season of plays devot-
ed to womens stories at Virginias
the first time.... It was so weird. Hes 12 years old, not super old, hes never been sick. A prompt visit to
Creative Cauldron. Written by Beth
the vet confirmed there was a fatal problem, with only two possible outcomes for Westenhoefer and her Blatt, and featuring music by Jenny
partner: Hes dying. Do you want to put him down or do you want to spend thousands of dollars to find Giering, The Mistress Cycle tells the
out why? Thats basically what we got told. story of five other women from
This is the first time in my adult life that Ive ever had just one animal in the house, and now I have history, including Anais Nin, famed
no animal, she continues. This isnt gonna last, you know it. First of all, were lesbians. Well probably sexual adventuress of the early 20th
century, Diane de Poitiers, mistress
get two cats. Well have to rescue. But were in that odd little space where Ive never been before.
of Henri II in 16th-century France
Westenhoefer probably wont share any of that in her stand-up act, including her annual return to the and Lulu White, a turn-of-the-last
Birchmere this Friday, Oct. 27. Unless Ive already rescued a cat by the show, I dont see how I can talk century New Orleans Madame.
about it, she says. Iyona Blake, Julia Capizzi, Erica
Instead, Westenhoefer will draw on other aspects of her life, including being one of the very first Clare, Abby Middleton and Justine
openly gay comedians in 1990. Back then, Westenhoefer couldnt talk about being gay without all these Icy Moral give these women
their due. Closes Sunday, Oct. 29.
kind of explaining jokes: What it means to be queer. She used to joke that we need someone to interpret ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South
for the homosexually impaired. Maple Ave. in Falls Church. Tickets
Shes also likely to rib a bit on her sister, who is expected to be in the audience. Although two years are $20 to $30. Call 703-436-9948
older, Joan didnt come out as a lesbian until almost a decade after Westenhoefer. or visit creativecauldron.org.
Whats funny about that now is, she was the one who played field hockey and didnt want to date
boys, [wore] boy jeans, and had the special girlfriend, Westenhoefer says. All that stuff. So she looked MUSIC
like the stereotype of whos gonna be a lesbian, whereas I was sort of slutty and I liked guys and I had
makeup and I never played sports. ATTACCA QUARTET
Even today, her sister still checks more boxes: She came out, met one girl, theyre still together. They This string quartet may be young,
but the Washington Post has already
got married two years ago in Rehoboth Beach. Shes a vegetarian! I mean, literally she drives a Subaru. I
praised them for coming very close
am not lying. These are all actual truths. Doug Rule to epitomizing the string quartet
ideal: four strikingly individual
players with the ability to speak elo-
Suzanne Westenhoefer performs Friday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m., at the Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave.,
quently in one voice. In a return to
Alexandria. Tickets are $45. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com. the acoustically rich Barns at Wolf

16 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

Trap, Attacca performs a program
featuring Haydn, Beethoven, and
Ippolito. Sunday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m.
1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are
$40. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit
wolftrap.org.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA
Cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan per-
forming Tchaikovskys Variations
on a Rococo Theme is the featured
attraction, but theres plenty more
Romantic music in store at this
weekends concerts. Marin Alsop
leads the BSO in a program also
including Mendelssohns Overture
to A Midsummer Nights Dream,
Debussys Prelude to the Afternoon
of a Faun, and R. Strausss Der
Rosenkavalier Suite. Friday, Oct. 27,
at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 29, at 3
p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony
Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore.
Also Saturday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $30 to $99. Call 410-
783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.
THE BENTZEN BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL
COLD SPECKS W/LA TIMPA, BE
STEADWELL Lesbian comedian Tig Notaro (Amazons One Mississippi) curates this annual four-day
Theres a folky quality to the music event, presented by Brightest Young Things, that kicks off at the Lincoln Theatre on
Ladan Hussein makes under the Thursday, Oct. 26, with a show featuring Notaro and friends including Seaton Smith.
alias Cold Specks, a style that has
Other highlights of the weekend include: On Friday, Oct. 27, Youre The Expert Live w/
been dubbed doom-soul. The
Somali-Canadian female artist tours Chris Duffy, at National Geographics Grosvenor Auditorium; on Saturday, Oct. 28, Colin
with Nigerian-Canadian dream- Quinn with Haywood Turnipseed Jr, at the Lincoln, Andrea Gibson and Amber Tamblyn
pop musician LA Timpa, who pro- at the Kennedy Center, Story Districts Going Commando program of stories about
duced several tracks on Cold Specks
new album Fools Paradise, and also
roughing it at Grosvenor, and Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri, and Gabe Liedman in the Big
queer-pop artist Be Steadwell. In Terrific at the Lincoln; and on Sunday, Oct. 29, the closing program Al Franken: Giant
addition to using a loop pedal for of the Senate & Ira Glass: Giant of the Radio, at the Lincoln. Visit brightestyoungthings.
vocal layering, Steadwell sings, raps
com/bentzen-ball for tickets and more information.
and beatboxes in her intriguing,
memorable compositions, including
the sweet love letter to her D.C.
hometown, Not Gonna Move to Like You, and other songs featur- Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, temporaries Deerhunter and Lower
New York. Friday, Nov. 3. Doors at ing American jazz/hip-hop artist North Bethesda. Tickets are $90 Dens. Any fans of melodic electri-
8 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Kamasi Washington, Spanish hip- to $125. Call 301-493-9283 or visit fied rock will be hooked upon first
Tickets are $13 in advance, or $15 at hop artist Mala Rodriguez, Meshell nationalphilharmonic.org. listen to the hazy, moody rocker
the door. Call 202-667-4490 or visit Ndegeocello and former First Lady Told You What To Say, the first
blackcatdc.com. Michelle Obama (the latter via sam- NELLIE MCKAY track off new set Are These The
ples). Zarid Wilder opens under his Several years ago, this longtime Questions That We Need to Ask?
IBEYI R&B alias theMind. Wednesday, straight LGBTQ ally and eccen- A concert celebrating that Misra
An electronic soul-fired duo of sis- Nov. 1. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, tric jazz/folk/musical theater art- Records release also features local
ters with African roots but based 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call ist toured performing her original acts Go Cozy and Tony Kill, fol-
in France, Ibeyi will put you in 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com. musical revue A Girl Named Bill, lowed by a dance party with queer
mind of Les Nubians, the neo-soul about a real-life transgendered jazz local DJ Alex DB. Friday, Oct. 27.
partnership between the Faussart JANE MONHEIT musician from the past. She returns Doors at 8 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th
sisters who scored improbable suc- The jazz vocalist returns to Blues with a more traditional concert St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-
cess in the U.S. two decades ago, Alley with another run of shows focused on her latest album My 667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.
despite singing in French. But while paying tribute to her idol, Ella Weekly Reader, which is a little
Parisian-reared twin sisters Lisa- Fitzgerald. Last year she released lighter than her previous sets SHAWN COLVIN AND HER BAND
Kaind Diaz and Naomi Diaz do sing The Songbook Sessions: Ella more lilting in a Brazilian jazz kind Shawn Colvin had a pop hit and
in French, they also sing in English, Fitzgerald, the first release on her of way but every bit as quirky. snagged two Grammys with
Spanish and Yoruba the language Emerald City Records. Thursday, Saturday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. Amp by 1996s Sunny Came Home, and
of their Nigerian ancestors. And Oct. 26, thru Sunday, Oct. 29, at Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave. has been an influential mainstay
their music, with Lisa primarily on 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 North Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to in folk circles, as well as a regu-
piano and Naomi on percussion, Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $35. Call 301-581-5100 or visit amp- lar performer at The Birchmere.
especially reflects their pedigree as $40 to $45, plus $12 minimum pur- bystrathmore.com. She returns next week for anoth-
daughters of the late Cuban per- chase. Call 202-337-4141 or visit er two-night run, this time cele-
cussionist Anga Diaz, a member of bluesalley.com. PAPERHAUS brating the 20th anniversary of her
the Buena Vista Social Club, and The popular D.C. band, consist- Grammy-nominated hit-making
of French-Venezuelan singer Maya JOSHUA BELL ing of founder Alex Tebeleff, Matt album A Few Small Repairs featur-
Dagnino. Ibeyi, a word that means A recital by one of classical musics Dowling and Rick Irby, makes ing her one big hit. Colvin is joined
twins in Yoruba, tours in sup- most popular violinists, who per- rhythmically oriented, psychedelic by special guests Larry Campbell
port of new sophomore set Ash, forms with accompaniment by rock with a mournful edge, recall- and Teresa Williams. Monday, Oct.
which includes the standout Afro- Alessio Bax on piano. Sunday, ing everything from Joy Division 30, and Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7:30
Cuban-tinted anthem I Wanna Be Nov. 5, at 4 p.m. Music Center at and the Doors to experimental con- p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 17

 was a time, of course, well before
technology made Thomas Wilfreds
colorful moving light creations an
easy feat, and his contemporaries,
including Jackson Pollock, Lszl
Moholy-Nagy and Katherine Dreier,
recognized the Danish-American
artist as an innovator. Yet the dif-
ficulty to maintain his sculptures
is why, after faddish mid-20th cen-
tury popularity, theyve long been
relegated to the storage archives of
modern art museums, all-but for-
gotten along with the artist himself.
With works shown together for the
first time in nearly 50 years, Lumia,
organized by Keely Orgeman of
the Yale University Art Gallery, is
helping to restore Wilfreds works
and reputation as a modern art pio-
neer. Now to Jan. 7. Smithsonian
American Art Museum, 8th and F
Streets NW. Call 202-633-1000 or
visit americanart.si.edu.

PSYCHO MMM COLLECTIVE: MEETING

HHHHH BOWLS
Exploring new ways to gather
The areas two Angelika theaters close out their monthlong Hitchcocktober series of and interact in public places, this
Hitchcock classics with one of the directors most famous works. Made in 1960, Psycho Spanish art collective first installed
remains one of the greatest horror films in the history of cinema, single-handedly rein- its three large, semi-spherical sculp-
tures with open-air seating for eight
venting the genre. Anthony Perkins gives the performance of his career as Norman Bates, in the U.S. in New Yorks Times
the meek, neurotic owner of an eerily isolated motel where he lives with his domineering Square. Six years later, Arlington
mother. His life is forever changed when Marion Crane (the lovely Janet Leigh) stays for a Arts, through its Courthouse 2.0:
night. The film is celebrated for a shower to end all showers a master class in editing Reimagining the Civic public art
initiative, presents a local display
and for Bernard Herrmanns magnificent, instantly recognizable all-strings score. Psycho of the installation prior to a dis-
also features Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam and, in a blink-and-youll-miss it play at Art Basel Miami Beach later
cameo, Ted Knight, who a decade later would star as the dumbest anchorman alive on the this fall. Mmm Collectives other
projects include Baltimores prom-
Mary Tyler Moore Show. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market, 550 inent, permanent B-U-S sculpture
Penn St. NE. Also Angelika Film Center - Mosaic, 2911 District Avenue, Fairfax. Tickets installed in 2014. Through Nov. 1.
are $10. Call 800-680-9095 or visit angelikafilmcenter.com. (Randy Shulman) Public plaza at 1310 N. Courthouse
Road, Arlington. Call 703-228-1850
or visit arlingtonarts.org.
Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets
are $62.50. Call 703-549-7500 or
COMEDY EXHIBITS PARALLAX GAP
visit birchmere.com. The Smithsonian American Art
PAUL MOONEY & MARSHA AKI MATSURI FESTIVAL, BONSAI Museum tapped the design practice
WARFIELD: TRIBUTE TO DICK FALL FOLIAGE EXHIBIT FreelandBuck to create an immer-
DANCE GREGORY A month after it unveiled a new sive, ceiling-suspended structure
Last year, Mooney performed with pavilion for its collection of bonsai in the Renwick Gallery, exploring
LMNO3 Gregory, one of the first black trees designed by Hoichi Kurisu, the notion of craft in the field of
B.A.N.G.S.: Made in America uses comedians to gain popularity with the world-renowned designer of architecture. The installation com-
hard rap, body percussion and a predominantly white audiences. Japanese gardens, the National bines the practices of drawing, fab-
game show to repurpose the mark- Now Mooney, known for frequent Bonsai & Penjing Museum hosts the rication and architectural design
ers of identity that create the appearances on Chappelles Show second annual Aki Matsuri festival in an innovative overlap of disci-
shows titular acronym: Beauty, as well as helping to discover Robin on Saturday, Nov. 4. A day-long plines, embracing both Western and
Age, Number, Goodness, and Size. Williams and Sandra Bernhard, celebration of Japanese-themed Eastern concepts of perspective.
Called a kaleidoscopic pageant of among others, returns to the events, including music, food, and The resulting structure, consisting
status and femininity, the work Howard Theatre, this time for a book signings, and culminating in of hanging, overlapping synthetic
from New York-based trio fea- tribute to Gregory, who died this a Moon Viewing ceremony, Aki fabric and depictions of nine iconic
tures dancers exploring what they past August. Mooney is joined by Matsuri is followed by a weeklong American ceilings, is meant to be
are and arent qualified to do. Warfield, best known as the tough- Bonsai Fall Foliage Exhibit. The a visual puzzle that reveals itself
Evening includes partial nudity and talking, no-nonsense bailiff Roz museum is an international center to visitors as they move through-
explicit language. Saturday, Oct. 28, Russell on NBCs 80s sitcom Night for the display and study of bon- out the room creating a sense of
at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 29, at 7 Court, who only recently came out sai housed at the National Bonsai parallax, where the distance and
p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. as a lesbian. The two comedians Foundation on the grounds of the depth of the ceilings appear to vary
Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at have Richard Pryor in common: U.S. National Arboretum. 3501 New when viewed from different lines
the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit Mooney used to be a writer for the York Ave. NE. Call 202-396-3510 or of sight. Through Feb. 11. Renwick
danceplace.org. late comic genius while Warfield visit bonsai-nbf.org. Gallerys Bette Rubenstein Grand
was an ensemble member on the Salon, 1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.
The Richard Pryor Show. Saturday, LUMIA: THOMAS WILFRED AND Call 202-633-1000 or visit america-
Nov. 4, at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. The THE ART OF LIGHT nart.si.edu/renwick.
Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. The Smithsonian American Art
Tickets are $49.50 to $89.50, plus Museum presents a groundbreak- POTTERY ON THE HILL SHOW
$10 minimum per person at all ing exhibition of 15 spellbinding, AND SALE
tables. Call 202-588-5595 or visit image-projecting light sculptures Seventeen of the nations top
thehowardtheatre.com. created nearly a century ago. This ceramic artists collaborate in the

18 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

annual pottery show sponsored by
East City Art, offering something
for both the most avid pottery col-
lector and the casual observer, from
table platters to fanciful mugs to
cooking pots. Potters with works
on display this year include Trista
Depp Chapman, Dan Finnegan,
Matthew Hyleck, Donna Polseno,
Stacy Snyder, and Catherine White.
Preview Reception is Friday, Oct.
27, at 6:30 p.m. Show is Saturday,
Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and
Sunday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4
p.m. Hill Center, Old Navy Hospital,
921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Tickets
to the preview reception are $30
in advance, or $35 at the door, and
include complimentary hors doeu-
vres and refreshments; the show
itself is free. Call 202-549-4172 or
visit HillCenterDC.org.
SUSAN STACKS:
THE SANGUINE SUNRISE
Cosmic drawings in pencil and pen
are Stacks focus work, intricate and
ritualistic, with gold beams, cloud-
like swirls of dots and graphite spi-
rals overlapping elegantly. Stacks
practice is ultimately meditative
an intellectual exercise in moving
across the page and her varied
influences range from Netflix rec-
ommendations to Olbers paradox,
algorithms to mapping, Buddha
warriors to particle physics. Closes
Sunday, Oct. 29. Adah Rose Gallery,
3766 Howard Ave. Kensington, Md.
Call 301-922-0162 or visit adahrose-
gallery.com.
FOOD & DRINK
ROCK THE CORE CIDER FEST
Drink The Districts annual festival
devoted to hard cider moves this
year from Southeasts Yards Park
to a spot in Northeasts Edgewood
neighborhood, a few blocks west
of the Rhode Island Metro. More
than 100 varieties of cider, as well as
craft beer selections, will be avail-
able to taste. Attendees can enjoy
unlimited drinks, a live DJ, social
games, local artisan market and
access to food trucks. Friday, Oct.
27, from 7 to 10 p.m., and Saturday,
Oct. 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. or 6 to 9
p.m.. The parking lot at 600 Rhode
Island Ave. NE. Tickets are $50
each session, or $75 for a Cider
Lovers Package including a 12-pack
of curated ciders to go. Call 202-
618-3663 or visit drinkthedistrict.
com.
SMITHSONIAN FOOD HISTORY
WEEKEND
Authors Ruth Reichl, Joan Nathan,
Calvin Trillin, and Jessica B. Harris,
broadcaster Simon Majumdar,
Top Chef contestant Chef Sheldon
Simeon, TV personality Duff
Goldman, Pulitzer Prize-winning
Los Angeles Times critic Jonathan
Gold, and Francis Lam of NPRs
The Splendid Table are among those
attending an event organized by the
Smithsonian Museum of American
History. The third annual Food
History Weekend is focused on
exploring how food has been both
a bridge and a barrier to cultural
connection in America. It launch-
es with a Black Tie Gala featuring
food, drinks, and presentation of
the 3rd Annual Julia Child Award to
restaurateur Danny Meyer of New
Yorks Union Square Cafe and Shake
Shack, on Thursday, Oct. 26. The
next day offers a free, day-long sym-
posium about the migration of peo-
ple and food throughout American
history, followed by an evening
Dine Out program at select local
restaurants featuring a special dish
or drink inspired by Child. A festival
of free activities around the muse-
um, including demos, book signings
and film screenings, is Saturday,
Oct. 28, ending with an After
Hours event toasting the history of
American brewing, featuring The
Answer Brewpub, Harlem Brewing
Co., Highland Brewing Co., and
Weeping Radish Brewery. National
Museum of American History, 1400
Constitution Ave. NW. Call 202-
633-1000 or visit americanhistory.
si.edu for more information.
ABOVE & BEYOND
ALICE WATERS
The woman who helped launch the
local organic food movement via
her storied restaurant Chez Panisse
tells her remarkable story in the
new memoir Coming to My Senses:
The Making of a Counterculture
Cook. Through anecdotes, letters,
photos, and recipes, Waters lays
out how she came to fame as one
of the modern eras most decorat-
ed chefs, recipient of three James
Beard Awards and even the French
Legion of Honor. Waters will
appear for a signing only no read-
ing or discussion. Saturday, Oct. 28,
at 11 a.m. Union Market, 1309 5th
St. NE. Call 800-680-9095 or visit
politics-prose.com.
POP-UP MAGAZINE: FALL ISSUE
A night of new, true stories about
the fascinating world around us
billed as a magazine come to life,
featuring storytelling, photography,
film, radio, and original music. The
D.C. stop of the nationally touring
fall show features comedian Aparna
Nancherla (Master of None), novelist
Daniel Alarcon (At Night We Walk
in Circles), photographer Erin Trieb,
documentary filmmakers Donal
Mosher & Mike Palmieri (October
Country) and Juliana Schatz Preston
(PBSs Frontline), radio correspon-
dent Sean Rameswaram, journalists
Brooke Jarvis, Matt Thompson,
Mary Melton, Matt Wolfe, and
Robin Amer, and the Magik*Magik
Orchestra. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at
7:30 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St.
NW. Tickets are $29. Call 202-888-
0050 or visit thelincolndc.com. l
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 19
Scene
High Heel Race - Tuesday, October 24
Photography by Ward Morrison & Todd Franson
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 21

22 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
 Community
THURSDAY, Oct. 26
Join CENTER LATINX and the
DC ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT
for a fundraiser and letter
writing night to GiGi Thomas,
a D.C.-area social worker and
community organizer charged
and sentenced for murder in
an incident in which she acted
in self-defense. Thomas is cur-
rently serving her sentence in
a prison in Hagerstown, Md.,
where she has been discrim-
inated against, harassed, and
denied access to her medica-
tions. The event will help raise
funds for her commissary and
legal fees. DJ Mothershiester
of Anthology of Booty will
provide music for the event. 7-9
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. Visit thedccenter.org.
ROD HILL

Weekly Events

ANDROMEDA
TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH

WALKING TO END
offers free HIV testing and HIV
services (by appointment). 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center,
1400 Decatur St. NW. To

HOMELESSNESS
arrange an appointment, call
202-291-4707, or visit androm-
edatransculturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB practice

Friendship Places annual walk to combat homelessness has a big session at Takoma Aquatic
name sponsor and even bigger goals Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more infor-

S
mation, visit swimdcac.org.
EVERAL YEARS AGO, FANNIE MAE HELD A BIG WALK ON THE
National Mall to bring attention to ending homelessness in the D.C. Metro DC FRONT RUNNERS run-
ning/walking/social club
area, says Jean-Michel Giraud, executive director of Friendship Place. welcomes runners of all ability
When Fannie Mae stopped doing it, we decided, in our much smaller way, to take levels for exercise in a fun and
it over, and try to grow the walk over the years. supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
For the fourth year, Friendship Place will host Friendship Walks, a annual 1.5- distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at
mile trek around the Mall that raises money for the organizations various initia- 7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW.
tives, including programming geared toward homeless LGBTQ youth. For more information, visit
Just prior to the walk, which kicks off at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, dcfrontrunners.org.

Friendship Place will hold a short program on homelessness and its efforts to com- DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay
bat it, in order to get people energized. A short ceremony involving Mayor Muriel and lesbian square-dancing
Bowser will take place following the walk, which is expected to end around noon. group features mainstream
through advanced square
The day will also feature music by DJ EZ Street, a podcaster and former radio per- dancing at the National City
sonality for 93.9 WKYS. Christian Church, 5 Thomas
Amazon has announced that it will match all funds raised for the walk up to Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual
$1 million. Were hoping Amazons involvement can help attract more corporate dress. 301-257-0517, dclamb-
dasquares.org.
sponsors for future events and help make significant investments in the fight against
homelessness in our area, Giraud says. He is especially excited about funding a new DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
initiative known as Family Connect, launched last month. practice. The team is always
looking for new members. All
We are doing things that are very creative, blending some of our best practices welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King
to keep people in their homes, like rapid rehousing, employment-first, providing Greenleaf Recreation Center,
immediate cash assistance, food assistance, paying for security deposits or first and 201 N St. SW. For more infor-
last months rent, and paying to save storage unit contents, he says. Were just mation, visit scandalsrfc.org or
dcscandals@gmail.com.
doing anything we need to do to find solutions for these families. John Riley
THE DULLES TRIANGLES
The 4th Annual Friendship Walks is on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m.-noon. The Northern Virginia social
group meets for happy hour at
walk kicks off at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Mall. Sheraton in Reston. All wel-
To register, or for more information, visit friendshipwalks.org. come. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 23

Valley Drive, second-floor bar. For
more information, visit dullestrian-
gles.com.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and from
2-5 p.m. at 1525 14th St. NW, and
9 a.m-12 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. at the
Max Robinson Center, 2301 MLK
Jr. Ave. SE. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000 or visit whit-
man-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confi-
dential HIV testing at two separate
locations. Walk-ins accepted from
2-6 p.m., by appointment for all
other hours. 414 East Diamond
Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676
New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411,
Takoma Park, Md. To set up an
appointment or for more informa-
tion, call Gaithersburg, 301-300-
9978, or Takoma Park, 301-422-
2398.
METROHEALTH CENTER
offers free, rapid HIV testing.
Appointment needed. 1012 14th
St. NW, Suite 700. To arrange an
appointment, call 202-638-0750.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5
p.m., by appointment and walk-in,
for youth 21 and younger. Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-
3155 or testing@smyal.org.
STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-3
p.m. at both 1525 14th St. NW and
the Max Robinson Center, 2301
Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE.
Testing is intended for those with-
out symptoms. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000 or visit whit-
man-walker.org.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics
Anonymous Meeting. The group
is independent of UHU. 6:30-7:30
p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. For
more information, call 202-446-
1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ
women, 13-21, interested in lead-
ership development. 5-6:30 p.m.
SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th St.
SE. For more information, call 202-
567-3163, or email catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
FRIDAY, Oct. 27
GAMMA is a confidential, volun-
tary, peer-support group for men
who are gay, bisexual, questioning
and who are now or who have been
in a relationship with a woman.
7:30-9:30 p.m. Luther Place
Memorial Church, 1226 Vermont
Ave NW. GAMMA meetings are
also held in Vienna, Va., and in
Frederick, Md. For more informa-
tion, visit gammaindc.org.
24 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
The DC Center holds its CENTER
AGING MONTHLY LUNCH social
for members of D.C.s senior com-
munity. 12-2 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more informa-
tion, visit thedccenter.org or call
202-682-2245.
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 Friday of
each month. Group social activity
to follow the meeting. 8-9:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
more information, visit thedccen-
ter.org.
SATURDAY, Oct. 28
ADVENTURING outdoors group
hikes 10 strenuous miles with 2200
feet of elevation gain in the south-
ern section of Shenandoah National
Park. Bring beverages, lunch, bug
spray, sturdy boots, about $20 for
transportation and trip fees, and
money for dinner on the way home.
Carpool at 8:30 a.m. from the East
Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride
lot. Late return probable. For more
information, call Harris, 443-415-
7856, or visit adventuring.org.
Join The DC Center as it vol-
unteers for FOOD & FRIENDS,
packing meals and groceries for
people living with serious ailments.
10 a.m.-noon. 219 Riggs Rd. NE.
Near the Fort Totten Metro. For a
ride from the Metro, call the Food
& Friends shuttle at 202-669-6437.
For more information, visit thedc-
center.org or foodandfriends.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-
tice session at Montgomery College
Aquatics Club. 8:30-10 a.m. 7600
Takoma Ave., Takoma, Md. For more
information, visit swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club welcomes run-
ners of all ability levels for exercise
in a fun and supportive environ-
ment, with socializing afterward.
Route distance will be 3-6 miles.
Walker meet at 9:30 a.m. and run-
ners at 10 a.m. at 23rd & P Streets
NW. For more information, visit
dcfrontrunners.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.
IDENTITY offers free and confiden-
tial HIV testing at its Takoma Park
location. Walk-ins accepted from
12-3 p.m., by appointment for all
other hours. 7676 New Hampshire
Ave., Suite 411, Takoma Park, Md. To
set up an appointment or for more
information, call 301-422-2398.
SUNDAY, Oct. 29
ADVENTURING outdoors group
goes on a D.C. to Baltimore bike
one-way bike ride of approximate-
ly 50 miles, with terrain ranging
from flat to moderately hilly.
Mid-afternoon lunch in downtown
Baltimore followed by a short ride
to the train station for our return
to D.C. via the MARC Penn Lines
Bike Car. Bring a water bottle,
snacks, $2 in trip fees, and $8 for
train tickets. Meet at 8:30 a.m.
near the Columbia Island Marina
Building, accessed via the south-
bound lanes of the GW Parkway.
Closest Metro station is Pentagon.
For more details, visit adventuring.
org or call Jerry, 703-920-6871 or
jerryrcowden@gmail.com.
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
visits the Phillips near Dupont
Circle to see their exhibition Renoir
& Friends, focusing on the most
famous painting in the Phillips,
Luncheon of the Boating Party.
Refreshments nearby to follow.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10
for seniors. Meet at 12:30 p.m. by
the ticket office in the lobby at
1600 21st St. NW. Contact Craig,
202-462-0535 or craighowell1@
verizon.net.
Weekly Events
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive
and radically inclusive church
holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217
Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895,
betheldc.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a
practice session at Wilson Aquatic
Center. 9:30-11 a.m. 4551 Fort Dr.
NW. For more information, visit
swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club welcomes run-
ners of all ability levels for exercise
in a fun and supportive environ-
ment, with socializing afterward.
Route will be a distance run of 8, 10
or 12 miles. Meet at 9 a.m. at 23rd
& P Streets NW. For more informa-
tion, visit dcfrontrunners.org.
FAIRLINGTON UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH is an open,
inclusive church. All welcome,
including the LGBTQ commu-
nity. Member of the Reconciling
Ministries Network. Services at
9:30 and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King
Street, Alexandria, Va. 703-671-
8557. For more info, visit fairling-
tonumc.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 infor-
mation on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT, God-centered
new age church & learning center.
Sunday Services and Workshops
event. 5419 Sherier Place NW. isd-
dc.org.
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF
REFORMATION invites all to
Sunday worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m.
Childcare is available at both ser-
vices. Welcoming LGBT people for
25 years. 212 East Capitol St. NE.
reformationdc.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpret-
ed) and 11 a.m. Childrens Sunday
School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW.
202-638-7373, mccdc.com.
RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,
a Christ-centered, interracial,
welcoming-and-affirming church,
offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St.
SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF
ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcom-
ing-and-affirming congregation,
offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia
Rainbow UU Ministry. 4444
Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.
UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL
MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-
ing and inclusive church. GLBT
Interweave social/service group
meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,
Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.
NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.
MONDAY, Oct. 30
Weekly Events
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. For more information,
call 202-682-2245 or visit thedc-
center.org.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org.
WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH
HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP
for newly diagnosed individuals,
meets 7 p.m. Registration required.
202-939-7671, hivsupport@whit-
man-walker.org.
TUESDAY, Oct. 31
Queer-identifying women who
have survived violent or traumatic
experiences and are looking for
support are invited to take part
in a bi-weekly QUEER WOMEN
WORKING THROUGH TRAUMA
GROUP at The DC Center.
Participants are encouraged to
do an intake assessment with
moderator and social worker Sam
Goodwin. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more infor-
mation, email Sam at samantha@
thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB practice
session at Takoma Aquatic Center.
7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW.
For more information, visit swim-
dcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds prac-
tice. The team is always looking
for new members. All welcome.
7:30-9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf
Recreation Center, 201 N St. SW.
For more information, visit scan-
dalsrfc.org or 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. 703-
746-4986 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, 703-521-
1999. Handicapped accessible.
Newcomers welcome. liveandletli-
veoa@gmail.com.
STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at both 1525
14th St. NW and the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Ave. SE. Testing is intended for
those without symptoms. For an
appointment call 202-745-7000 or
visit whitman-walker.org.
Support group for LGBTQ youth
ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL. 5-6:30
p.m. 410 7th St. SE. For more
information, contact Cathy Chu,
202-567-3163, or 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, Nov. 1
BOOKMEN DC, an informal mens
gay literature group, discusses
The Best Little Boy in the World by
John Reid (Andrew Tobias) at the
Tenleytown Library. All are wel-
come. 7:30 p.m. 4450 Wisconsin Ave.
NW. Visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
The TOM DAVOREN SOCIAL
BRIDGE CLUB meets for bridge at
the Dignity Center, across from the
Marine Barracks. No partner need-
ed. 721 8th St. SE. Call 301-345-1571
for more information.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle con-
versation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All wel-
come. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)
holds a practice session at Dunbar
Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N
St. NW. For more information, visit
swimdcac.org.
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 infor-
mation, 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. 703-
549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-
gram for job entrants and seekers,
meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more info, centercareers.org.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV
testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N.
15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
STI TESTING at Whitman-Walker
Health. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at both 1525
14th St. NW and the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Ave. SE. Testing is intended for
those without symptoms. For an
appointment call 202-745-7000 or
visit whitman-walker.org.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org. l
Submit your community event for
consideration at least 10 days prior
to the Thursday publication in which
you would like it to appear. Email to
calendar@metroweekly.com.
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 25
26 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
 Forum

THE GOOD FIGHT

We have shown that when a politician attacks any one of us,
they are going to hear from all of us.

By Chad Griffin

T
HIS TIME LAST YEAR JUST A FEW WEEKS
before the 2016 election we welcomed to the
Human Rights Campaigns National Dinner leaders
like Congressman John Lewis and Senator Tim Kaine as
we celebrated our movements
historic progress and those who
nizations 37-year history. We know that the change we
seek comes from each and every one of us speaking out
and fighting back.
While last years National Dinner was held during a
moment of great hope, this year
we are coming together during

have championed civil rights for
decades.
But on November 9th, we woke
up to a very different America,
with a president-elect hell-bent
on undoing all our progress.
This weekend, many in the
HRC family will come together
for our organizations 21st annu-
al National Dinner at a moment
when our cause is more import-
ant than ever before.
In just ten months, the
Trump-Pence White House has
quickly become the most anti-
LGBTQ administration in mod-
ern history. Theyve targeted
trans students for bullying and
discrimination. Theyve appoint-
ed hateful extremists to top
administration positions and the
federal bench. Theyve reinstat-
The
a moment of resilience deter-
mined to prove that no presidency
can diminish the momentum of
Trump-Pence our movement. We will celebrate
inspiring figures, like Billie Jean
White House King and Uzo Aduba, who have
changed hearts and minds through
the stories they bring to the court
has quickly and to the screen. We will honor
allies like Jeff Bezos, one of the
become most influential CEOs in the world,
who made winning marriage
equality a personal cause. And we
the most will hear from visionary leaders,
like Secretary Hillary Clinton and
anti-LGBTQ Senator Kamala Harris, who are
standing with us in our march
towards full nationwide equality.
administration In this moment, we are called
to combat both longstanding
in modern challenges and new attacks.
Its understandable to be over-

history.
ed a ban on transgender service
members. Theyve turned their
backs on LGBTQ workers facing
discrimination. And theyve just
announced a sweeping order that
provides government workers and federal contractors a
license to discriminate against LGBTQ people, women, and
religious minorities.
But even in the wake of these unrelenting attacks on
our community, something amazing is happening in every
corner of this country. From the reddest of red states to
the bluest of blue states, on the coasts and in the heartland,
Americans have never been more eager to participate,
advocate, and fight back.
Together, weve rallied to support transgender stu-
dents, Muslims, immigrants, and women. Weve helped
defend attacks on the Affordable Care Act. Weve joined
as an organizational co-plaintiff in Lambda Legal and
Outserve-SLDNs challenge to the unconstitutional and
unpatriotic trans troop ban. And we recently announced
HRC Rising, the largest grassroots expansion in our orga-
whelmed, and its easy to grow
weary. But over the last ten
months, we have resisted this
presidency of prejudice with
pride in our hearts and power in
our voices. Whether its hate that has targeted Muslim ref-
ugees, undocumented immigrants, people of color, or trans
kids, we have shown that when a politician attacks any one
of us, they are going to hear from all of us.
Time and time again, the LGBTQ community has fought
back against hate and defied the odds. And today, HRCs
grassroots army of more than three million strong is con-
tinuing to move our country forward. The time for equality
has come and no one can stand in our way. l
Chad Griffin is the president of the Human Rights Campaign.
Follow him on Twitter @ChadHGriffin.
The opinions expressed in Forum do not necessarily reflect
those of Metro Weekly or its employees. Add your voice to
Forum. Discover how at metroweekly.com/forum.

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 27

 theFeed
VILE RESPONSE
Oregon councilor told gay man hed spit on his grave after he dies of AIDS By Rhuaridh Marr
A
CITY COUNCIL IN OREGON HAS BEEN FORCED
to apologize after one of its members told a gay man
he would spit on his grave after he died of AIDS.
Echo City Councilor Lou Nakapalau made the comments in
a Facebook post on the page of Kumu Hina, a documentary
by gay filmmaker Joe Wilson about a transgender Hawaiian
woman. In the since-deleted post, Nakapalau wrote: When
you croak of AIDS (Anally Injected Death Serum) Ill spit on
your grave. Right Wing Watch reports that he also included
an anti-gay slur.
His comments prompted widespread criticism, but
Nakapalau refused to apologize, forcing the Echo City
Council to vote on whether to issue its own apology. The
East Oregonian reports that councilors sat in silence for a
few moments after Councilor Robert Harris proposed an
official apology, prompting outcry from audience members
as it looked like the motion might die from a lack of a sec-
ond. Eventually, the entire council, including Nakapalau,
approved the statement.
The Echo City Council would like to extend its sincerest
TWISTED JUSTICE
Roy Moore: Supreme Courts gay marriage ruling worse than pro-slavery
decision in 1857 By Rhuaridh Marr
A
LABAMAS REPUBLICAN SENATE NOMINEE
and notorious homophobe Roy Moore believes that
the Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex mar-
riage was even worse than when it supported slavery in
1857. Moore, who was removed from office as Alabamas
Supreme Court Chief Justice for trying to avoid issuing
marriage licenses to same-sex couples, made the comments
in a 2016 interview that was recently discovered by Talking
Points Memo.
Moore told the Here I Stand podcast that the Obergefell
decision in 2015, which legalized same-sex marriage nation-
wide, was less favorable than the infamous Dred Scott ruling
from 1857, which saw the court rule that African Americans
were property and not citizens.
In 1857 the United States Supreme Court did rule that
black people were property, he said. Of course that contra-
dicted the Constitution, and it took a civil war to overturn it.
But this ruling in Obergefell is even worse in a sense because
it forces not only people to recognize marriage other than the
institution ordained of God and recognized by nearly every
state in the union, it says that you now must do away with
the definition of marriage and make it between two persons
of the same gender or leading on, as one of the dissenting
28 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
apology to those who were offended by comments made by
a council member in a Facebook dialog reported by the East
Oregonian, the statement says. Comments of individual
council members on their personal social media accounts
do not have any endorsement or approval of the council as a
whole nor do they represent city policy.
It notes that the city does not endorse disparaging state-
ments nor take actions or create policies that are in any
sense prejudicial or biased toward a class or group of people.
During public comments at the council meeting, Jenny
Sullivan, a resident of Hermiston, told the council that
Nakapalau should be removed from office. Im absolutely
disgusted, she said, and think any self-respecting council
would throw him off.
In an email to the East Oregonian, Pam Reese, a business
owner in Echo, said that the the public apology was the
least the council could do.
It was mystifying to watch a group of elected officials
struggle to understand how to do the right thing about the
hate speech of one of its members, she said. l
justices said, to polygamy, to multi-partner marriages.
Weve got to go back and recognize that what they did in
Obergefell was not only to take and create a right that does
not exist under the Constitution, he continued, but then to
mandate that that right compels Christians to give up their
religious freedom and liberty.
This is not Moores first time engaging in gross hyper-
bole on the issue of marriage equality. In a September 2015
speech to the anti-LGBTQ Eagle Forum, Moore claimed that
Christians were being persecuted for their views opposing
same-sex marriage, comparing such victims of same-sex
marriage to Jews killed in the Holocaust.
Just a few months later, Moore issued an order remind-
ing probate judges that an Alabama Supreme Court ruling
against same-sex marriage was still in effect, despite the
Supreme Courts decision in the Obergefell case. Moore
urged probate judges to defy the ruling and to refuse to grant
licenses to same-sex couples, an action that eventually led
to him being effectively removed from office in 2016 after
he was suspended for the remainder of his six-year term as
Alabamas Chief Justice.
John Carroll, a lawyer for the Judicial Inquiry
Commission that eventually penalized Moore for his actions,
 theFeed
said at the time, He was on a
mission not to recognize federal
law on same-sex couples.
In 2015, Moore argued that
courts had no right to redefine
marriage, saying, No court has
any authority to redefine what
God proposed in Genesis. The
definition of marriage, you want
it by man, it doesnt come by man,
it comes from God.
Moore has also repeatedly
stated that homosexuality should
be illegal, saying as much in two
separate interviews in 2005 and
2015. He also once wrote in a
court opinion that homosexuality
is a criminal lifestyle, an inher-
ent evil against which children
must be protected, and abhor-
rent, immoral, detestable, a crime
against nature, and a violation of
the laws of nature and of natures
god upon which this Nation and
our laws are predicated.
He has compared homosex-
uality to bestiality, polygamy
and incest, criticized same-sex
Moore
couples who undergo artificial
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
insemination, and has supported
banning all LGBTQ people from
serving in the U.S. military.
Roy Moore keeps getting fired
from jobs yet he continues to ask
the people of Alabama for a pro-
motion. Despite being removed
from office twice for ethical vio-
lations, Roy Moore has succeed-
ed in becoming the Republican
nominee for U.S. Senate, Eva
Kendrick, HRCs Alabama state
director, said in a statement earli-
er this year after he won the GOP
nomination to run for the Senate
in 2018.
Given Roy Moores track
record of flouting laws and attack-
ing the civil rights of LGBTQ peo-
ple across our state, we already
know he wont stand up for all
Alabamians when it matters most.
In the run up to December 12,
we urge every fair-minded person
across Alabama to say #NoMoore
and reject the politics of bigotry
and hate. l
Additional reporting by John Riley.
29
 Saving Lives
Don Blanchon wants to ensure that Whitman-Walker Health
remains a crucial and viable lifeline to the LGBTQ community.

Interview by John Riley

Photography by Todd Franson

D
ON BLANCHON KNOWS THE WHITMAN-WALKER CLINIC TOOK
a risk when they hired him in 2006. I didnt fit the prototype for an
executive director of Whitman-Walker, says Blanchon, a straight, mar-
ried man whose predecessors included local gay luminaries Cornelius
Baker and the late Jim Graham. At the time, the organization was pri-
marily known for its work serving the LGBTQ community and people
living with HIV or AIDS.
Blanchon won over any doubters by demonstrating his commitment to Whitman-
Walkers core mission: serving vulnerable and marginalized communities in the D.C. Metro
area. At the heart of Whitman-Walker is equality and social justice, he says. We want
people to feel welcomed here, to feel affirmed here. I use the term all the time, that we want
people to feel loved.
Eleven years later, under his leadership and a name change that proved essential
in broadening its mission Whitman-Walker Health is thriving. Guided by Blanchons
emphasis on long-term sustainability, the community health center no longer finds itself in
the type of repetitive boom-and-bust cycles that, in past years, often left it careening from
one financial crisis to another.
Blanchon devised a plan to ensure Whitman-Walker isnt susceptible to economic
downturns or cuts to government funding. Two years ago, the center moved its medical
and pharmacological services to an impressive new building at 1525 14th St. NW, marking
the first step in a plan to leverage the real estate value of older properties to help fund its
medical, HIV and STD testing, and counseling services.
Recently, Whitman-Walker broke ground on a new building at its Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center site, at 1701 14th St. NW. The new building will feature 155,000 feet of
office, apartment, and retail space all of which will generate revenue to help strengthen
Whitman-Walkers overall financial health.
Blanchons commitment to long-term sustainability goes beyond keeping Whitman-
Walker solvent. Its rooted in his belief that keeping the health center operational is
essential to saving lives something partially informed by his experience watching his
brother Robert struggle with HIV, before eventually succumbing to AIDS-related health
complications in 1999.
I made the decision to come to Whitman-Walker for very personal reasons, he says.
I dont know if I would ever have gone and made my way here in other circumstances if
it wasnt for the issues with my brother. But I did, and its been the best job, and the best
thing Ive ever done with my time.
Each year, Whitman-Walker Health hosts its annual Walk & 5K to End HIV. Now in
its 31st year, and with a goal of raising at least $850,000, the walk will be held this Saturday

30 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 31
morning, Oct. 28. It kicks off at 9:15 a.m. at Freedom Plaza, near
the intersection of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
But if you cant manage five kilometers, do the next best thing
eat.
That same morning, and on Sunday, Oct. 29, as well, select
local restaurants will participate in the second annual Brunch
to End HIV, donating a percentage of brunch proceeds.
Blanchon is humbled and overwhelmed by the support that
the Walk to End HIV gets from the local community year after
year.
It takes the community to make Whitman-Walker go, he
says. The single biggest asset Whitman-Walker has is the sup-
port of the LGBTQ community and their straight allies. Thats
why this place has been able to thrive.
METRO WEEKLY: When you first joined Whitman-Walker, what
was your vision for the clinic?
DON BLANCHON: I want to be really pragmatic, because I dont
want you to think that Im a visionary, because I dont see myself
as a visionary. Having lived here for almost two decades and
being in healthcare and losing a loved one to HIV, I knew how
important this place was. Whitman-Walker was just coming off
some really difficult times in 2005. At the same time, we also
knew that we were not making inroads in the fight against HIV,
and were still seeing far too many people being newly diagnosed.
So, you had the epidemic still in the community, and you had
Whitman-Walker not as vibrant as it should be. When I joined,
I thought the most important thing I could do is to try and bring
some stability so that people knew that they could count on us.
I didnt want people worried about whether we were going to
be open, because at the time we had had financial difficulties. I
wanted people to know that they could come in and get tested
for STDs and HIV. I didnt want anybody worried about wheth-
er or not we could fill their medications, because if we didnt
have enough money we wouldnt be able to stock the shelf for
medications.
Things like that are really basic, but I was trying to build a
sense of Whitman-Walker as a sanctuary, as a safe haven. I felt
like we needed to be that place again, so I started with this prem-
ise: Lets be stable and constant for people. Regardless of how
bad it is in the outside world, were still here.
If youve followed our history, weve had like seven financial
problems of significance in less than 35 years, and its taxing on
our team. Its taxing on the community for us to be in financial
trouble every three-to-five years. Its clearly upsetting to our
employees, clearly upsetting the patients. Now, its a little bit like
weve come back from the ashes. We were in a really difficult and
challenging place for a number of years. Now were out of that.
MW: As a straight man running a health center still primarily
known for serving the LGBTQ community, have you ever experi-
enced any reverse discrimination or skepticism?
BLANCHON: Absolutely. This place, and rightly so, has been
overtly political from the day it was founded. Why? Because
theres so much stigma and discrimination and bias around
gender identity, orientation, HIV status, race, class, immigration
status, you name it. This place has been a safe haven, and so it
has at its heart not just health, but social justice and a pursuit
towards equality.
If youre a member of the LGBTQ community and you were
employed here in 2006, and all of a sudden the board of directors
hires a straight person that nobody knows, would you welcome
that person with open arms? The short answer is some didnt.
32 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
There was a lot more willingness to support me here than I
think some people realize, because people were tired of being
in this financial difficulty and tired of struggling, and they were
like, Please. We dont care whether youre gay, straight, or
questioning. Can you get us through this? It wasnt personal. It
wasnt about me. It was about this place being so important to
Metro D.C.s LGBTQ community that weve got to do whatever
we can to make it vibrant.
MW: After you took over, Whitman-Walker shifted focus from a
clinic to a community health center. Was there any resistance to
those changes?
BLANCHON: The short answer is yes. Were all human and we
dont like change. We just dont. I think the difficulty was if
you think about this place as a safe haven or a sanctuary for the
LGBTQ community, but you only do HIV or STD [testing and
treatment], by your very programming nature, youve excluded
a whole bunch of individuals from the community. They think,
Well, I cant just see a doctor whos affirming around trans
health because Im not here for HIV or STDs. Im here for hor-
mone therapy. Or if youre a bisexual or lesbian woman, you
think, Okay, I need someone to help me with mammograms
and pap smears for cancer testing and screening. Because of
the nature of what we did over a long period of time, we really
werent for everybody in the community, and you had different
groups that had more power. So there were individual concerns
around change, and then there were group dynamics, so there
were some really interesting internal discussions.
We were an AIDS service organization for 25 years. We did
all things related to HIV, food, housing, legal, and then, over a
five- to 10-year period, weve become a neighborhood health
center with the focus on the LGBTQ community. After 2000,
when most of the community had access to antiretrovirals, our
mission became about how you could deliver really affirming
health care, how you made sure that someone whos living with
HIV was getting their care and staying in treatment. Our model
needed a shift post-2000. It took us a while to adjust to that.
MW: What percentage of Whitman-Walkers clientele is LGBTQ?
BLANCHON: Its somewhere between 55 and 58 percent. Its been
creeping up a little bit in the last couple of years because of the
fact that we take health insurance, and so LGBT community
members who are HIV-negative who are looking for primary
medical care, behavioral health, or dental can use our facility.
MW: What percentage of your clientele are HIV-positive?
BLANCHON: About 3,500 individuals living with HIV out of
about 18,000 individuals using some service, and roughly 2,500
people of our 10,000 primary care patients are HIV positive, so
about a quarter of our primary care patients.
MW: In the 11 years youve worked at Whitman-Walker, what
accomplishment means the most to you?
BLANCHON: Itd be simple to point to something very physical,
like the new building were sitting in, or what were doing with
the Elizabeth Taylor site, but thats not it. I think the single big-
gest accomplishment that my team has achieved is people are
looking to us with a sense of hope that this is a place they can
be really proud of, where they can be affirmed for who they are,
where they can get great care.
MW: Whats been your teams biggest frustration, in terms of some-
thing that hasnt been achieved?
BLANCHON: If Im candid with you, we havent done enough yet
to support east of the river and the communities and individuals
that live there. There are reasons why weve chosen to do what
weve done on 14th Street, but we have a lot of work left to do
east of the river, and that, quite frankly, is kind our single biggest
priority right now: to figure out our long-term commitment there.
Ive used the analogy that Jim Graham and others brought us
to 14th Street many years ago, when this was an area that was a
really difficult, challenging neighborhood for a host of reasons.
We put a flag in the ground at S Street, then we put a flag in the
ground at R Street, and we were here for three decades. The
neighborhood has changed significantly, but it will continue to
take care of people.
We need to think like that for east of the river. Whats our
investment? Whats our commitment to those communities? We
face some of the very same challenges that were here back in the
80s and early 90s, whether its HIV, whether its healthcare, difficulties where he was bullied significantly in high school.
whether its mental health services, whether its treatment for
addiction, you name it.
MW: What are the hurdles in expanding
your footprint east of the river? This place has been
BLANCHON: One element is just the prac-
ticalities of our overall financial health.
overtly political
The first five years I was here, it was a from the day it was
pretty significant struggle almost every
year. The last five or so, weve been able founded. Why?
to generate small operating margins and
reinvest that. I give our board of direc-
Because
tors a tremendous amount of credit for
their vision and leadership around think- THERES SO MUCH
ing about using the Elizabeth Taylor
Center and the economic value of that STIGMA AND
to reinvest. Its my hope that we will, in
turn, use the value from Elizabeth Taylor
DISCRIMINATION
to do something significant east of the AND BIAS AROUND
river. The idea is weve had that land and
those buildings appreciate over 25 years. GENDER IDENTITY,
Lets use that economic value and make
a significant investment across the river
ORIENTATION,
for those communities. HIV STATUS,
I think theres also a pragmatic side,
which is 40-plus percent of our patients RACE, CLASS, AND
walk to this health center. So there were
logistical issues with 90 percent of our
IMMIGRATION
work taking place at the Elizabeth Taylor STATUS.
building, and we were running out of
space. We had to deal with that first. We
could have made the decision not to do that and move east of the
river, but we would have created immediate problems for the
people that get services here. Thats not an excuse, but thats the
rationale for why we did what we did.
MW: Lets talk about your first experience with the HIV epidemic.
BLANCHON: My first experience goes all the way back to 1986.
I was in New York City in graduate school. I was in the public
health program, and some of my classmates started getting sick,
and then two of my classmates passed away. Living in New York
in the late 80s was eye-opening, and it wasnt just that I lived
there and read about it. I mean, there were people in my class
who were there, and then, within six months, werent there.
People were like, What is going on? There was so much cover-
age in New York, both in the gay press and otherwise. It was so
scary at that time. And then by the time I got to 1990, we were
dealing with my younger brother, Robert.
MW: Did you have a good relationship with Robert?
BLANCHON: Im from outside of Boston, in Foxborough,
Massachusetts we have something up there called Irish
twins, if youre pretty close, birth order. Robert was 14 months
my junior, and we lived in the same room for about 17 years
in bunk beds. He was with me all the time. We were lovingly
known as the little ones in our family and spent a ton of time
together. But he was very different than I was. I teased him all
the time. He was better looking, he was funnier, he was smarter
than I was. His creativity was unbelievable, and he had an energy
about him and it was just a joy to be around him. There isnt a
day Im not here that I dont think about him. Its hard not to.
MW: Did he identify as gay?
BLANCHON: Yes.
MW: When did he come out to you?
BLANCHON: I would have been 17, and he was 16. He got into
Again, where were from, its not the most progressive part of the
planet, and, at that time, in the early 80s,
he was picked on for being effeminate, to
the point where my parents felt like they
had to do something about it. He actually
switched high schools in the middle of
his freshman year. It was terrible.
I remember, to this day, having peo-
ple that I knew who were in my high
school, in my class, picking on my broth-
er and having to get into arguments,
and in one incident, get into a fight with
somebody about, You need to leave him
alone. It was hard to watch, because it
was my brother. And it was also hard to
watch because it involved people I grew
up with the fact that they could be that
mean-spirited and had that much hatred
in them was just something else.
MW: Were you surprised when he came
out to you?
BLANCHON: Nope, not at all. Id been
with him the whole time. I knew who
he was. I guess because it was just my
age and I didnt have a lot of precon-
ceived notions. I mean, I had whatever
bias or stereotypes I had, but he was my
brother.
MW: What was your brothers response
when he learned he had HIV?
BLANCHON: He was very active in ACT UP and, as an artist, he
channeled a lot of his energy towards his art. If you go online and
look at some of his work, he did a number of pieces in Chicago
around some things that Mayor Daley did, which was still pretty
funny.
He had a lot of anger about growing up where he grew up
and the fact that a lot of people turned their back on him, and
that was really tough. He went and found and made his family
by choice. He was out in California for a while. He was in New
York for a while. He ultimately was in Chicago, where he died
in 99, and he had a group of people that clearly loved him and
supported him, and he got that emotional support from them.
But there were fundamental dynamics in my family and where
we grew up. Were talking about the 80s and early 90s. Its not
2017 where people have a lot more understanding and are a lot
more accepting of people for who they are.
I visited him a number of times when he was sick. I remem-
ber one time he lived in Soho in a small apartment, and I remem-
ber coming in, and it was like those old images youve seen in the
plays or movies about the epidemic, where there are just bins of
medications, and something on the refrigerator that looks like a
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 33
Gantt Chart, with when he was to take everything and how. I just
looked at him, like, How do you remember to do this? I was
just dumbfounded. I give him a lot of credit. He had a fighters
spirit. He always had from the day he was born.
MW: Did you see a physical difference in him as the disease pro-
gressed?
BLANCHON: Oh, my Lord. From 96 on. The last three years of his
life, he was markedly different. At the end of his life, he had CMV
and had lost his sight in one eye. He had Kaposi sarcoma. He
probably weighed 130 pounds, if that.
Basically three, four days before
he passes away, he made the decision
that he doesnt want to live anymore.
My brother turns
Hes like, I want off the ventilator. around and looks
I want off of everything. Im done.
I said, Are you sure? And he goes, at me. He couldnt
Yes.
He knew I was upset. I was just so
talk because of the
sad. I couldnt believe this was going ventilator. But he
to happen, and he turns around and
just kind of looks at me. He couldnt writes down,
talk because of the ventilator. But he
writes down, You know, no matter
what I look like right now, Ill always
YOU KNOW, NO
be better looking than you. Thats
who he was.
MATTER WHAT
MW: Lets talk about the Walk & 5K to
End HIV. Some people still call it the
I LOOK LIKE
AIDS Walk, and its been an annual
event for over 30 years. How has it RIGHT NOW, ILL
changed since youve become executive
director? ALWAYS BE BETTER
BLANCHON: Being old enough to
have done some of the earliest walks LOOKING THAN
in New York, and knowing of the
walk here before I started working at YOU. THATS WHO
Whitman-Walker, there was this real
urgency around it when people were HE WAS.
dying. Then, when the medications
came along and there was more government funding, there was a
little bit of waning. The community was like, Okay, theres stuff
available, either services or medication or tests, and then at the
same time, there were a whole bunch of other issues in society
and walks for other causes, and so that started a competitive
dynamic with other issues affecting the community.
In 2009 and 2010, because the city started making significant
improvements in fighting HIV, there was kind of this renewed
sense of, Wow, if we could take this large plan we have across
testing and treatment on demand and using treatment as preven-
tion, we could really potentially get new infections to zero. So,
for the last five years or so, theres really been this energy around
that optimism. Weve had seven straight years of declines in new
infections in the city. So I think interest waned for a period of
time and then we made progress as a community, and now peo-
ple think, Were making a real difference.
I think the other issue, just from the branding perspective,
Im old enough to know what AIDS is, but if you talk to people
under the age of 25, its HIV. Were trying to communicate with
a new generation of people that have never lived through the
AIDS epidemic. So I may want to call it AIDS Walk for the rest
of my life because of who I am and how I remember this, but
if that doesnt reach this younger group of people, what have I
done? Ive created a barrier for them to engage with us, so thats
34 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
part of the reason why we did the name change.
MW: Is there a renewed sense of urgency given what were seeing
from the federal government in terms of proposed budget cuts to
HIV care?
BLANCHON: Absolutely. People ask me what keeps me up at
night. Its crazy federal policy, whether its about PrEP, PEP,
whether its about funding ADAP, or whether its about what
we can or cant do in terms of sex ed. Thats the kind of thing
that keeps me up. I dont have control over that. I can advocate
as Whitman-Walker. I can advocate
and resist with other groups, but at
the end of the day, the federal gov-
ernment says X, and then we have
to figure out how were going to deal
with that.
Funding is a big deal, because if
you look at Whitman-Walker now, it
is not a small entity. Were close to
300 employees. With our pharmacy,
were close to about $95 million in
revenue. Ive got five or six sites that
are operating. We see 18,000 people
in a year. This is not a small operation,
and so we have to think about How
do we protect against those crazy
decisions that come up? The thing
that keeps me up is that were going
to have to make one or more of those
decisions that hurts this place and sets
us backwards. Thats part of the rea-
son youve seen us work on real estate
and other projects: weve got to find
other ways to get stable funding, and
some of them have to be outside of
the government, because government
isnt always stable. Theres a height-
ened anxiety. Theres a sentiment of
that right now in the community, and
its palpable.
MW: When you talk about crazy federal policy, is there ever a
thought that one of these decisions is going to exacerbate the HIV
epidemic, and were going to see people dying again?
BLANCHON: No. The great thing about people is that we, by and
large, actually do learn from the past and we try not to repeat
those mistakes or experiences. The community knows how to
fight HIV in D.C., and I would expect if the federal government
reduced funding significantly that the community as a whole
would step forward and say, Were not gonna lose ground
because the federal government changes how theyre going to
pay. I would expect Whitman-Walker and myself to be a leader
in that cause. l
The 31st annual Walk & 5K to End HIV is Saturday, Oct. 28 from
8:30-11 a.m. at Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, with
the 5K run kicking off at 9:15 a.m. and the walk starting at 9:30
a.m. All proceeds benefit Whitman-Walker Healths HIV testing,
prevention, counseling, and outreach efforts. To register, visit
walktoendhiv.org.
The second annual Brunch to End HIV will be held at select restau-
rants from Saturday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 29, with a set percent-
age of brunch proceeds benefiting Whitman-Walker Health. For a
list of participating restaurants, visit walktoendhiv.org/brunch.
 Gallery
Superfierce:
Art of Resistance
A
CCORDING TO STATISTICS FROM THE NATIONAL
Endowment for the Arts, while approximately 51
percent of visual artists are women, less than 5 per-
cent are represented in major museums around the world.
Maggie ONeill started the organization SuperFierce as a
support system to help connect, inspire, mentor and exhibit
fellow female artists. Its 2017 exhibition features over 30
Maggie ONeill - Fearless Girl
female artists, selected by a panel of local visual art experts,
and including, among others, Behnaz Babazadeh, Kimberly
Cunningham, Lana Gomez, Linda Hesh, Akemi Maegawa,
Anne Marchand, Cara Peterson, Caitlyn Price, Amber Robles-
Gordon, and Antonia Tricarico. A Haute Halloween Party is
Oct. 27. On display to Nov. 4. Blind Whino, 700 Delaware
Ave. SW. Call 202-554-0103 or visit superfierce.org.
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 37
A24
Movies

And by punish, Martin means to force

Daddy Dearest Steven to choose which member of his

beloved family Anna, Kim, or Bob will
be subject to Martins four-step plan for
revenge.
Tis the season of extremely bad dads being forced to consider What a charming boy, Anna remarks
the sacrifice of one or more of their cubs. By Andr Hereford after meeting her husbands mysterious

T
new acquaintance. She might be joking,
HE THRILLERS OF 2017 ARE A GRISLY LOT, FEATURING A RAFT OF in addition to being woefully uninformed.
deadly and deadbeat dads. The maligned or merely misunderstood Mother! blew Definitely Lanthimos is having his fun,
a few minds before skittering off with its high-toned tail between its legs, yet It since Martin, as conceived in the script
still lurks in the cultural periphery, overshadowing the wretched serial killer murk of co-written with Efthymis Filippou (The
The Snowman. Lobster), is about as charming as a zombie
Meanwhile, the batty Lodge family are being terrorized in the Clooney and Coen Norman Bates, only far more self-assured.
Brothers collaboration Suburbicon (HHHHH), and filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has Keoghan, a standout good guy in
unleashed even bleaker horrors upon the unfortunate Murphy family in The Killing of Dunkirk, exudes the wily intelligence of a
a Sacred Deer (HHHHH). In the words of the internet bard: hide your wife, hide your troubled mind, and some measure of bad-
kids, hide your husband, theyre shooting everybody out here. No one is safe, especially boy confidence. But Martins single-mind-
those most vulnerable. ed obsession with Steven and his family
Consistently, each of the aforementioned films pinpoints a dastardly father figure as is never anything other than pathological.
a source of evil, hatred, or pain within the home. There must be something in the air Lanthimos amplifies the boys creepy
lending potency to these paranoid tales of abusive patriarchs who would sacrifice their demeanor by coaxing from Keoghan and
progeny to protect themselves. the entire cast a bone-dry, monotone
In The Killing of a Sacred Deer, surgeon Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) might be the delivery thats either an acquired taste,
target under attack, but its his wife, Anna (Nicole Kidman), and adolescent children, or just plain ridiculous. If the deader than
Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and Bob (Sunny Suljic), who are bound to suffer. Privileged to sit deadpan line readings are better viewed
safely on the sidelines of battle, Steven attempts to negotiate some rapprochement with as a conceptual game than as a compelling
a highly motivated enemy, while his young flesh and blood endure injury and torture acting exercise, then Farrell at least wins
on the front lines. points for a surgically precise performance
The good doctor has developed a dangerously close friendship with a fatherless thats dynamic in its flatness.
teen, Martin (Barry Keoghan), whos decided he wants to punish Steven for something. Steven somehow registers as a brilliant

38 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

surgeon and a sad victim of his own hubris, a caring provider and
an oblivious prick who deserves every bit of pain thats inflicted
upon him. But Anna, Kim, and Bob dont deserve to suffer for the
sins of this father. Therein lies the cruelty of Martins vengeful
plan, and in the films rather sadistic treatment of the Murphy
children.
They and Anna are just pawns in the war between Steven and
his stalker. Despite a vivid turn from Kidman, the underwritten
Anna exerts little force in the story, or as a guardian of her chil-
drens safety.
Rather than resist their fate, the Murphys slide inexorably
towards their doom in unconvincing fashion. Cinematographer
Thimios Bakatakis evocative tracking shots grease the momen-
tum, and Jade Healys production design is elegant and spooky,
but the tone is uncannily cold, even flippant, for a film encom-
passing religion, redemption, revenge, and torture.
The joke, whether its on the audience, on Stevens bourgeois
family, or on poor Martin, desperately looking for paternal love
in all the wrong places, is not sufficiently amusing.
that poses a greater threat to his life than the racial hostility
thats dividing the town.
In an all-around stellar performance, Jupe makes middle
schooler Nicky a clever, indomitable foe for every villain who
comes for him. And he and Damon enact a delicate dance
between devotion and distrust that grounds this gruesome, out-
landish caper in an authentic father-son feeling. For the most
part, Clooney shoots for a genuine rather than farcical rendering
of the Coens story, and it works. The tone is arch and playful, or
savage and scary, but never too far detached from the emotion.
Moreso than Murphy in Sacred Deer, this dad puts some skin
in the game. A grim parental figure, Gardiner Lodge is snarky
and selfish and mean, but he gets beaten and battered along
with his family. Glaring past a pair of broken specs, Matt Damon
hasnt been this good since his talented Mr. Ripley lied and mur-
dered his way across Europe. Maybe its the glasses.
Even the mighty Moore playing twins can barely steal focus
from Damons simmering intensity. Oscar Isaac, another Coen
alum, steals a few scenes as an uber-efficient claims adjuster

SUBURBICON, ON THE OTHER

HAND, plies its murder and gore
with poignancy and panache.
Further advancing this seasons
macabre trend of thrillers depict-
ing shocking domestic violence,
this dark number dallies in matters
of religion, real estate, revenge, tor-
ture, and race and manages to
make it all witty and insightful.
Leave it to screenwriters
Joel and Ethan Coen, along with
director George Clooney, to pull
off socio-political, Hitchcockian
suspense thats nearly as fun as
Fargo. Concerned with the con-
spicuous integration of an all-
white suburban enclave in 1959,

Clooneys nifty period piece
depicts all hell breaking loose in
a subdivision of Suburbicon, USA,
when the Myers family, who are
black, move onto the block.
Wide-eyed kid Nicky Lodge
(Noah Jupe), whose familys backyard shares a fence with the
Myers, has a front-row seat for the brewing turmoil as his African-
American neighbors are harassed by mobs of belligerent citizens.
Nicky witnesses a campaign of racist attacks take shape, led by the
towns good Christian men, who gather outside the Myers home at
night to disturb the familys sleep by shouting hymns.
Nicky is too young to fully grasp the hypocrisy, but he does
have a nose for falsehood. Despite a world of distraction outside
his door, he picks up on some odd goings on inside the home he
shares with his stern father, Gardiner (Matt Damon), his wheel-
chair-bound mother, Rose, and her identical twin, Margaret
(both played by Julianne Moore). After a terrifying home inva-
sion shatters the Lodge family and leaves Gardiner more and
more unhinged, Nicky begins to piece together a nefarious plot
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
with a knowing spring in his step. The film itself projects the
same bouncy confidence as Isaacs character. That sprightly
buzz helps sell the serious (and seriously funny) commentary
such as the recurring joke that the townspeople blame the Myers
family for stirring up all this racist hatred and violence. It seems
weve heard that one somewhere before.
Strikingly, one dad keeps a cool head throughout the esca-
lating chaos that overtakes Suburbicon: Mr. Myers (Leith M.
Burke), a slim, poised black man, who utters barely a word, as he
boldly walks the walk of peaceful resistance against relentless
hostility. Hes the dad all the other dads in the neighborhood
should be looking to as a role model, if only they werent so
busy marching in lockstep behind ignorant, loudmouthed rab-
ble-rousers. l

Suburbicon is rated R, and opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, October 27. Visit fandango.com.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is rated R, and is currently playing in theaters everywhere. Visit fandango.com.

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 39

 TV

Star Trek: Discovery

CBS

Its a bold vision, one that has angered

some hardcore Trekkies. It wasnt

SPACE OUT
Star Trek: Discovery eschews utopia for war, while The Orville
helped by a stunningly cinematic opening
two-parter that offered a glimpse of anoth-
er show entirely, one where Michelle
Yeohs engaging and principled Captain
offers classic Trek with a comedy twist By Rhuaridh Marr Philippa Georgiou isnt killed, and instead
together with First Officer Michael

A
Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green)
T A TIME WHEN HUMANITY INCHES EVER CLOSER TO MIDNIGHT boldly goes on the episodic adventures
on the Doomsday Clock, there is something endlessly appealing about escap- many know Star Trek for.
ism. Whether literature, television, or film, getting lost in a new world can be a Instead, we have war. Ten years
much needed distraction from nuclear war, angry tweets, and the impending collapse before the Kirk-starring original series,
of democracy itself. the Federation is in the nascent stages
It is in this fantastical, all-consuming realm that science fiction has long flourished. of battling the Klingons. Burnham, the
More than just a means to escape, the best science fiction has often drawn from and franchises first non-captain and African
reflected upon real world events, offering its own utopian, destructive or morally con- American female lead, is a mutineer, one
templative take on reality. The War of the Worlds was a harrowing commentary on evo- who accidentally martyred a Klingon,
lutionary theory and British imperialism. 2001: A Space Odyssey tackled technology and leading to thousands of Federation deaths
artificial intelligence. Dune contemplated the politics of humanity as we battled over and the outbreak of conflict. By the third
resources, drawing on environmentalism, gender dynamics, and the decline of empires. episode, she is rescued from prison by
Somewhat uniquely, Gene Roddenberrys Star Trek opted for a utopian future Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) to
for humanity. Amid politics of division, as the Cold War raged and segregation still help with the Discoverys ultra-advanced
ran rampant, Roddenberry conceived a five-year mission in the 23rd century, where spore drive engine.
humans and aliens, united together, would boldly go where no man had gone before. In Everything about Discovery is shroud-
its various incarnations, Star Trek has long attempted to deal with real world issues ed in mystery, from its mission goals to
race, religion, culture, gender, ageism through the more advanced minds of its imag- its technology to the people that inhabit
ined future. Our petty squabbles over borders and bibles meant nothing in 300 years. it. Unlike the core crew in Treks past,
Its why, as we watch the White House become an adult day care center and entire who worked together to advance their mis-
communities divide along racial and political lines, its tempting to escape to Star Treks sion, the individuals here all have under-
utopian future. How handy, then, that Star Trek: Discovery exists. lying issues to varying degrees, not least
Unfortunately, not even Star Trek can avoid the darker times we live in. This is a Burnham, whose Vulcan upbringing and
meaner Trek, a more morally dubious, less regimented, and more serialized Trek than conflict between logic and emotion (as
ever before. In the six episodes thus far, Discovery (HHHHH) has proven that it has no well as knowing shes hated by pretty much
time to coddle viewers with utopia. everyone who hasnt met her). Six episodes

40 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

in, were still entirely unclear who anyone really is, whether they
even like one another, and what exactly is going on.
The ultimate goal is oblique, beyond eventually wrapping all
of this up for the Kirk era to begin in ten years. And while its
frustrating to have so many questions unanswered, its also fit-
ting. Burnham isnt a captain she, and by extension the viewer,
shouldnt know everything. And none of it makes Discovery any
less watchable. For starters, name another show that offers this
much quality. While its scripts contain some of sci-fis clunkier
analogies, the reported $8 million per episode budget oozes from
every digitized pore. The makeup is stunning, the direction is
confident, the character designs are well realized, the ship bor-
rows the moody, military aesthetic of Picards Enterprise-E, and
the CGI is cinema-quality. Discovery is one of the most polished,
well-made shows on television.
The acting, too, is on point. Martin-Green is exceptionally
well cast as Burnham. As a character in constant conflict with
her actions and upbringing, she manages to be both perfect
and flawed, a know-it-all who inspires others to look past her
mutiny and instead find the real person underneath. Jason
Isaacs is a powerful presence as the enigmatic Captain Lorca, a
man damaged both physically and mentally by prior decisions.
Doug Jones works through dense layers of makeup to give
Lieutenant Commander Saru the right balance between neuro-
sis and nuance. Mary Wiseman is perfectly cast as Tilly, whose
comic relief is more than welcome in some of Discoverys darker
moments.
The show is not without its flaws. Chief among all of this
is the science at its core, the spore drive that allows Discovery
to jump to any part of the galaxy at will. It doesnt exist in any
future Trek franchise, is utterly ludicrous, and will at some point
have to be discarded. Any scene with extended periods of slow,
laborious talking by the Klingons kills the momentum. And
Discovery currently lacks a cohesive group of core characters to
drive its narrative like Treks of yore. But theres promise.
Amidst all of this, theres still flashes of utopia. Take Science
Officer Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Medical Officer Hugh
Culber (Wilson Cruz). Discovery feels no need to push their
relationship to the fore. It would have been easy to celebrate
the franchises first openly gay characters (the reveal of Sulus
sexuality in the Abrams films notwithstanding), showing view-
ers that yes, theyre gay! And together! How progressive! But
no. Their relationship is instead teased out over the first few
episodes, with glances, comments, and nuanced moments, until
the reveal that the men are together. Sexuality, at least in 2256,
doesnt matter.
At a time when reality becomes ever more depressing,
it would be easy to pine for a more traditional Trek, one
which offers single-episode moral quandaries, neatly resolved,
as everyone gets along swimmingly. While Roddenberry might
not have approved of this darker iteration, Discovery is a bold
interpretation of what it means to go where no man has gone
before. For everyone else, theres always reruns of classic Trek
on Netflix.
Or, you could switch over to Fox. There, youll find The
Orville (HHHHH), one of this years most divisive shows.
From the mind of Star Trek fan and animation juggernaut Seth
MacFarlane it is, essentially, Star Trek: The Next Generation with
dick jokes.
Equal parts homage, satire, and blatant rip-off, it would be
Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes every Sunday on CBS All Access. The Orville airs Thursdays, 9/8c, on Fox.
FOX
The Orville
easy to dismiss. Attempting to mix utopian space exploration
drama with sitcom-style comedy, the first few episodes are
rough. From dated cultural references (apparently nothing has
happened of note between the 21st and 25th centuries) and shoe-
horned jokes, to lazy metaphors and clunky dialogue, The Orville
does not make a great first impression. Its not helped by a third
episode that tries to heavy handedly discuss issues of gender and
sex, as two members of an all-male race have a female baby and
consider whether to fix her through surgery. What could have
been a powerful discussion ends up using offensive terms (sex
change) and leaving a mixed message about its desired goals.
MacFarlane, while a talented voice actor, remains a fair-
ly bland presence in the captains chair he clearly wanted to
inhabit as a Trek-watching youth. Meanwhile, compared with
Discovery, the production values look like the crew was given
access to some old Next Generation props and some early 90s
special effects computers.
But something happens during the fourth episode. As
Discovery delves further into darkness and mystery, The Orville
finds its footing albeit one obviously moulded by Next
Generation. The jokes, which grated against the more dramatic
elements, start landing. And while the crew isnt united they
bicker, lie, and tease one another, and MacFarlanes Captain Ed
Mercer butts heads with ex-wife and First Officer Kelly Grayson
(Adrianne Palicki) they feel more like real work colleagues
than in some of Treks more idealistic moments. Unlike Next
Generation, Orville is utopia with cynicism.
This deviation from the Trek formula, while still largely fol-
lowing a similar plot structure, has allowed for some genuinely
funny comedy when MacFarlane refrains from frat-boy humor.
But it also allows for the sort of moral dilemmas that plagued
Treks captains. Do you blow up a ship containing the enemys
children to save a human colony from destruction? Or risk every-
thing to find another solution?
The Orville isnt for everyone, and its certainly not in the
same production league as Discovery, but what MacFarlane
and co. are offering is something altogether different. This isnt
a gritty, serialized drama wrapped around familiar themes.
Instead, its a lighthearted, often gripping dramedy about a
future where humanity is still very much flawed, but things are
much, much better.
Either option, really, is better than watching another minute
of the Trump show. l
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 41
Music
years best singles, is a melancholy, almost
maudlin breakup ballad to a place as much
as a person, but Clarks coda to the only
motherfucker in this city who can stand
me lends a tinge of wry self-deprecation
to even this track. (In fairness, the overtly
quirky music video takes some of the edge
out as well.)
The St. Vincent we hear on
Masseduction is many things, but above
all she is contagiously irreverent. In this
album we hear the end result of an upward
spiral of confidence and self-awareness in
her work. In some ways, Masseducation
represents the logical next step for St.
Vincent, who stepped out of her shell
in her 2014 self-titled album. As she has
grown used to the spotlight, she has got-
ten more comfortable playing with the
bizarre and avant-garde, and as shes got-
ten weirder she has become more adept at
laughing at herself.

IN 2007, TEGAN AND SARA released

what would become one of their best-
loved albums. From the outside, The Con
must have looked like an unremarkable
work, but its jaunty, garagey indie rock
blended with just enough synthpop
resonated with a wide range of listeners,
earning the duo a fan base that remains
loyal to this day. A decade on, the Quin
sisters have chosen to pay tribute to The
Con with an album of 17 covers.
Going through The Con X (HHHHH),
its clear that the artists were given free
rein to interpret the songs how they saw
fit. The result is an incredibly varied
album. Ruth Bs I Was Married and
Shamirs standout cover of Like O, Like
H offer stripped back acoustic versions
of their respective songs that carry the
St. Vincent passion of the originals and preserve the
DIY aesthetic of the 2007 album. Other
artists make the songs their own, as with

Self-Defined
St. Vincents new album seeks self-definition, while Tegan and Sara
Shuras version of the title track and City
and Colours Hop a Plane. Back In
Your Head is covered twice, first by Ryan
Adams, who hews closely to the original
commemorate the tenth birthday of a defining album By Sean Maunier raucous energy of the original, and then by
Cyndi Lauper, who gives it more of a syn-

O
thpop gloss. In selecting their lineup for
VER THE COURSE OF FIVE ALBUMS, ANNIE CLARK, BETTER KNOWN this cover album, the Quins made a point
as St. Vincent, has morphed from a talented indie vocalist to a strange and of choosing LGBTQ or LGBTQ-allied art-
campy creature of pop. She never lacked for confidence, as the stark vulner- ists, a fitting choice for an album whose
ability of Strange Mercy clearly proved, and eccentricity was always there to some proceeds will go directly to the Tegan and
degree. However, with her latest album she has wholeheartedly embraced it, and on Sara Foundation, an organization set up to
Masseduction (HHHHH) we see Clark at her most out there. support and advocate for LGBTQ women
On her fifth record under the St. Vincent moniker, Clark prioritizes fun at her crit- and girls.
ics expense, while preserving the rawness that has long characterized her songwriting. To understand why they chose to com-
The third track, Pills, is aggressively fun and catchy, in stark contrast with its subject memorate their fifth studio album, nei-
matter. But its twisted fun becomes uncomfortable in retrospect when we get to Young ther their commercial nor critical break-
Lover, a song that sees said lover overdose on, well, pills. New York, easily one of the through, we have to look at what it meant

42 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

for a generation of fans that
first heard it ten years ago.
The release of The Con was,
for many of their fans, akin
to a coming-of-age experi-
ence. Artists like Shura are
of a generation now well into
their twenties that would like-
ly have first heard The Con in
their teens.
In a volatile and emotional-
ly fraught period of their lives,
they would have heard sharp,
unapologetic lyrics, fiercely
individual artists, and, most
important of all, music that
existed outside the crushing,
pervasive heteronormativity
of both pop and indie rock
alike. For many who were not
accustomed to hearing music
made for them, Tegan and
Saras songs for the first time
felt like a lifeline. And in the
hands of these artists, they still
resonate. l

Masseducation and The Con

PAMELA LITTKY
X are available to buy from
Amazon and iTunes, and
through streaming services. Teegan & Sara

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 43

NightLife
Photography by
Ward Morrison

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 45

 Scene
Cobalt - Saturday, October 14
Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

DrinksDragDJsEtc... GREEN LANTERN TRADE BALTIMORE EAGLE bars featuring Smirnoff,

Happy Hour, 4-9pm Doors open 5pm Huge Baltimore Bear Happy 11-11:30pm and 1-1:30am
Ladies Drink Free Power Happy Hour: Any drink Hour, 5-9pm, all liquors, DJ MadScience upstairs
Hour, 4-5pm Shirtless normally served in a cock- beers and wines up to DJ Keenan Orr down-
Thursday, Beige Hip-Hop Dance Party
in the Nest, featuring DJ
Thursday, 10-11pm tail glass served in a huge 50% off Bad Bears After stairs Ultron Halloween
October 26 Waterzz, 10pm-close
Men in Underwear Drink
Free, 12-12:30am DJs
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
Dark in the Code Bar,
9pm $5 Cover Thats
Party with Costume
Contest at midnight
thebaltimoreeagle.com
BacK2bACk only $4 Talent Weekly Open Mic $1000 prize to winner
9 1/2
Contest in the Nest, hosted $10 cover, 10pm-close
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NELLIES SPORTS BAR ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS by Washington Heights, 21+
drink, 5-9pm Multiple Happy Hour: $6 Top Shelf,
Beat the Clock Happy Hour All male, nude dancers 7:30-9:30pm $25 Prize
TVs showing movies, $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light,
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), DJ 9pm Cover 21+ each week, with $250 FREDDIES BEACH BAR
shows, sports Expanded 4-9pm Apocalypse:
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of Grand Prize after finals Crazy Hour, 4-8pm
craft beer selection Halloween Edition,
Beer $15 Drag Bingo on Dec. 15 Summer Karaoke, 9pm
Music videos featuring 10pm-close DJs Sean
Knights XXX Cabaret in the
DJ Wess Morris and MadScience
$500 Costume Contest
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
Friday, Nest, 10:30pm-midnight
$12.50 Cover at the Door
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
BALTIMORE EAGLE at midnight, hosted by
Happy Hour, 5-9pm, Adonis $3 Rail Drinks,
drink, 5-9pm No Cover October 27 Elyx Vodka and Any Red $5 Smirnoff, all flavors,
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all liquors, beers and 10pm-midnight $4
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wines up to 50% off Peroni, $8 Peroni with
Happy Hour, 4-7pm Open at 5pm Happy com Duvel present Uncut,
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Underwear Night, Honey) Doors open
Moon, $5 Rails and House 5-9pm Friday Night COBALT/30 DEGREES guest Queen Bee Ho
9pm-2am For men in 10pm, 21+ No Cover
Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas Videos, 9:30pm Rotating Happy Hour: $6 Top Shelf, Costume Contest with
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Football Pitchers of DJs Expanded craft beer $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, $200 Top Prize Free
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Beer and Food Specials, selection No Cover 4-9pm $8 Grey Goose admission before 11pm,
Underwear Contest at Crazy Hour, 4-8pm
7pm-close $6 Smirnoff all night $10 Cover after
Midnight Code enforced Karaoke, 9pm
$8 Incredible She-Hulk
in Code Bar after 9pm
and Red Hulk Drinks
House and Top 40 DJ in
Two 30-minute open
the Tavern, 9pm-close

46 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

NELLIES SPORTS BAR contest at midnight with
DJ Matt Bailer Videos, prizes: $500 for first place,
Dancing Beat the Clock $250 for second place,
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm), and $150 for third place
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) Drag Show starts at
Buckets of Beer $15 10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
NUMBER NINE Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee,
Open 5pm Happy Hour: Riley Knoxx and BaNaka
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm DJ Wess upstairs, DJs
No Cover Friday Night BacK2bACk downstairs fol-
Piano with Chris, 7:30pm lowing the show GoGo
Boys after 11pm Doors
SHAWS TAVERN open at 10pm For those
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3 21 and over, $12 For
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, those 18-20, $15 Club:
$5 Rails and House Wines 18+ Patio: 21+
& Half-Priced Pizzas
Comedy Show, Second TRADE
Floor, Doors open 7pm Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
TOWN normally served in a cock-
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Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm glass for the same price,
$3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 5-10pm Beer and wine
Bud Bottles Free Pizza, only $4
7pm No cover before
9:30pm 21+ Stranger ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Queens Halloween Party, Men of Secrets, 9pm
10pm-close Costume Guest dancers Rotating

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 47

DJs Ladies of Illusion 9:30pm-close $10 Cover
Drag Show Doors at thebaltimoreeagle.com
9pm, Shows at 11:30pm
and 1:30am DJ Don T. in COBALT/30 DEGREES
Ziegfelds Cover 21+ Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2pm
and 2-4pm Featuring
Kristina Kelly and the
Saturday, Ladies of Illusion
October 28
Bottomless Mimosas and
Bloody Marys Happy
Hour: $6 Top Shelf, $3
9 1/2 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Cherry: Avenged Infinity,
drink, 2-9pm $5 Absolut 10pm-close $1,000
and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, Costume Contest at mid-
9pm-close Expanded night Special Guest DJs
craft beer selection Joe Pacheco and Kenneth
No Cover Rivera Special Guest
Appearances by Quency
BALTIMORE EAGLE Valencia and Kristina Kelly
$5 Drinks all day Leather $4 Peroni, $8 Peroni
and Fetish Saturdays, and a Shot of Jack (Fire
Code Bar, 8pm-2am or Honey) $8 Incredible
Code enforced after 9pm She-Hulk and Red Hulk
in the Code Bar Centaur Drinks Doors open 10pm
Samhain: Join Centaur MC, 21+ $10 Cover
Potomac MC, Shipmates
of Baltimore, and Three FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Rivers Leather Club of PA Saturday Breakfast Buffet,
for their Joint Halloween 10am-3pm $14.99 with
Bar Night, 8pm-1:45am one glass of champagne
Jello Shots, Ambrosia or coffee, soda or juice
Shooters $2500 Costume Additional champagne $2
Contest: First Place $1500, per glass Crazy Hour,
Second Place $750, Third 4-8pm Freddies Follies
Place $250 VIP Option: Drag Show, hosted by Miss
$75 to get in with no wait Destiny B. Childs, 8-10 pm
Dance Party in the Nest, Karaoke, 10pm-close
48 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
GREEN LANTERN $5 Rails and House Wines with host Ella Fitzgerald (excluding energy drink
Happy Hour, 4-9pm & Half-Priced Pizzas Doors at 9pm, Shows mixers) thebaltimoreea-
$5 Bacardi, all flavors, The Harvey Sometimes at 11:30pm and 1:30am gle.com
all night long Skin Band, 9pm DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Tight USA and JOX GL DJ Steve Henderson in COBALT/30 DEGREES
Underwear Night present TOWN Secrets Cover 21+ Happy Hour: $6 Top
Hot Horror Halloween, Ghost Town, 10pm-close Shelf, $3 Rail, $3 Bud
8pm-close Hosted by Halloween Costume Light, 4-9pm Punished:
Battle Boy Ryan, featuring Contest at midnight: Halloween Party $8
DJ David Merrill and
performance by Shirley
$1,000 for First Place, $500
for Second Place, $250
Sunday, Peroni and a Shot
Homowood Karaoke,
U. Jest Halloween for Third Place Upstairs: October 29 hosted by Robert Bise,
Costume Contest with over Music by DJ Ed Bailey 10pm-close No Cover
$1,000 in Prizes Super Downstairs: Music and 9 1/2 21+
Suit Rentals, $5 each video by DJ Wess Drag Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
$10 Cover Show starts at 10:30pm drink, 2-9pm $5 Absolut FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Hosted by Lena Lett and and $5 Bulleit Bourbon, Champagne Brunch Buffet,
NELLIES SPORTS BAR featuring Tatianna, Shi- 9pm-close Multiple TVs 10am-3pm $24.99 with
Guest DJs Zing Zang Queeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx showing movies, shows, four glasses of champagne
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer, and BaNaka Doors open sports Expanded craft or mimosas, 1 Bloody
House Rail Drinks and 10pm $15 Cover from beer selection No Cover Mary, or coffee, soda or
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm 10pm-12am $12 after juice Crazy Hour, 4-8pm
Buckets of Beer, $15 midnight 21+ BALTIMORE EAGLE Karaoke, 9pm-1am
Lizzie Beaumont and
NUMBER NINE TRADE Betty Whitecastle present GREEN LANTERN
Doors open 2pm Happy Doors open 12pm Huge Queens Who Brunch, Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, Happy Hour: Any drink 12-2pm $34 per person Open Mic Night Karaoke
2-9pm $5 Absolut and $5 normally served in a cock- includes All You Can with Kevin downstairs,
Bulleit Bourbon, 9pm-close tail glass served in a huge Eat Free pitcher of 9:30pm-close
Jawbreaker, featuring glass for the same price, Mimosas per 4 admissions
DJs BacK2bACk, 9:30pm 12-10pm Beer and wine Reservations highly NELLIES SPORTS BAR
only $4 suggested and can be Drag Brunch, hosted by
SHAWS TAVERN made online beforehand Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
Brunch with Bottomless ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS T-Dance Sundays, 4-9pm $20 Brunch Buffet
Mimosas, 10am-3pm Men of Secrets, 9pm-4am Buy a cup for $5 and fill House Rail Drinks, Zing
Happy Hour, 5-7pm $3 Guest dancers Ladies it with any Absolut Flavor Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, of Illusion Drag Show and Mixer for $3 each time Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 49
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
$4 all day SIN: Service
Industry Night, 11pm-2am
any drink, 2-9pm $5 First Well Drink or
Absolut and $5 Bulleit Domestic Beer Free 10%
Bourbon, 9pm-close Pop off your Food Order all day
Goes the World with Wes thebaltimoreeagle.com
Della Volla at 9:30pm
No Cover COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Top Shelf,
SHAWS TAVERN $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light,
Brunch with Bottomless 4-9pm Monday Nights A
Mimosas, 10am-3pm Drag: Phoenix Reborn, fea-
Stoli Sundays: $5 Stoli turing Miss Kristina Kelly
Specials with DJ, 3:30pm $3 Rail, $4 Peroni, $8
Happy Hour, 5-7pm $3 Peroni with a Shot of Jack
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, Doors open at 10pm
$5 Rails and House Wines Showtime at 11:30pm
& Half-Priced Pizzas No Cover 21+
TRADE FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Doors open 12pm Huge Crazy Hour, 4-8pm
Happy Hour: Any drink Singles Night Half-Priced
normally served in a cock- Pasta Dishes Karaoke,
tail glass served in a huge 9pm
glass for the same price,
12-10pm Beer and wine GREEN LANTERN
only $4 Happy Hour all night
long Singing with the
Sisters: Open Mic Karaoke
Night with the Sisters
Monday, of Perpetual Indulgence,
9:30pm-close
October 30
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
9 1/2 Beat the Clock Happy Hour
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
drink, 5-9pm Multiple $4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
TVs showing movies, Beer $15 Texas Holdem
shows, sports Expanded Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
craft beer selection
No Cover NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
BALTIMORE EAGLE drink, 5-9pm No Cover
Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines up SHAWS TAVERN
to 50% off Micro Brew Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3
Draft/Bottle Mondays Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
50 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY
$5 Rails and House Wines
and Half-Priced Pizzas
Night, 7-10pm Dance
Floor opens 10pm
Wednesday, 9pm-close Featuring DJ
MoMoney Sexy Dancers
Shaw Nuff Trivia, with Featuring DJ MadScience November 1 Free before 10pm with
Jeremy, 7:30pm $4 Smirnoff, $4 Peroni, text DHEVENTS to 64600
$8 Peroni and a Shot of 9 1/2
TRADE Jack $500 Costume Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Doors open 5pm Huge Contest at 11pm, hosted by drink, 5-9pm Multiple SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
Happy Hour: Any drink Miss Kristina Kelly 21+ TVs showing movies, and 9pm Prizes include
normally served in a cock- shows, sports Expanded bar tabs and tickets to
tail glass served in a huge FREDDIES BEACH BAR craft beer selection shows at the 9:30 Club
glass for the same price, Crazy Hour, 4-8pm Taco No Cover $15 Buckets of Beer for
5-10pm Patio open until Tuesday Karaoke, 9pm SmartAss Teams only
11pm Beer and wine BALTIMORE EAGLE Bring a new team member
only $4 GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all and each get a free $10
Happy Hour all night long, liquors, beers and wines Dinner
4pm-close up to 50% off Domestic
Bottles are $3 all day NUMBER NINE
Tuesday, NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
Team Trivia, 8-10pm
thebaltimoreeagle.com
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
October 31 $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of COBALT/30 DEGREES SHAWS TAVERN
9 1/2 Beer $15 Karaoke and Happy Hour: $6 Top Shelf, Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any Drag Bingo $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
drink, 5-9pm Multiple 4-9pm $4 Stoli and Stoli $5 Rails and House Wines
TVs showing movies, NUMBER NINE Flavors and Miller Lite all and Half-Priced Pizzas
shows, sports Expanded Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any night Wednesday Night Piano Bar with Jill, 8pm
craft beer selection drink, 5-9pm No Cover Karaoke: Scary-oke Edition,
No Cover hosted by India Ferrah, TRADE
SHAWS TAVERN 10pm-close No Cover Doors open 5pm Huge
BALTIMORE EAGLE Half-Priced Burgers and 21+ Happy Hour: Any drink
Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all
liquors, beers and wines
Pizzas, 5-10pm $5 House
Wines and $5 Sam Adams FREDDIES BEACH BAR
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
up to 50% off Well Halloween Bingo and Crazy Hour, 4-8pm $6 glass for the same price,
Bomb Shots $4 all Day Costume Contest, hosted Burgers Drag Bingo 5-10pm Beer and wine
Rocky Horror Picture by Miss Kristina Kelly, Night, hosted by Ms. only $4 l
Show, by Buns of Steel 8:30pm Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Burlesque, 6-8pm Dinner Bingo prizes Karaoke,
and Show, $45, Show only TRADE 10pm-1am
$25 Tickets available at Doors open 5pm Huge
tinyurl.com/RHDS2017 Happy Hour: Any drink GREEN LANTERN
thebaltimoreeagle.com normally served in a cock- Happy Hour all night
tail glass served in a huge long, 4pm-close Bear
COBALT/30 DEGREES glass for the same price, Yoga with Greg Leo, 6:30-
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Top Shelf, $3 Rail, $3 Bud only $4 DH Events presents Devils
Light New Mutants: Playground Masquerade
Cobalt-Con Gaymer Underwear Party,
 Scene
Peach Pits 8th Anniversary at DC9 - Saturday, October 21
Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

52 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY

OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY 53
 LastWord.
People say the queerest things

LGBTQ people arent going to just disappear because

you put your head in the sand.
Out actor WILSON CRUZ, in a Facebook post leveled at critics who have complained about his character of Dr. Hugh Culber, who is
dating Science Officer Paul Stamets, played by Anthony Rapp, on Star Trek: Discovery. Im not here for your comfort, wrote Cruz.

Weve gone from a White House lit in all the colors of Pride to
a White House that literally preaches division and
discrimination.
Actress KERRY WASHINGTON, star of ABCs Scandal, speaking at the 2017 GLSEN Respect Awards, where she received the
Inspiration Award. Washington said LGBTQ people were living through a horrific dream with Trump as president.

It is completely inappropriate to use state funds to pay for

sex change operations for children.
Pennsylvania State Sen. DONALD WHITE, the sponsor of a bill that would prohibit children from receiving gender-related care
under the states Childrens Health Insurance Program. The ban on such care would apply to both
surgical and hormonal treatments for gender dysphoria.

The entire future I had planned for myself was crumbling around me.
To be told that you are less than...
is a terrible feeling.
REGAN KIBBY, a transgender student at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, speaking to the Associated Press about how
President Trumps ban on transgender service members has affected his life. Kibby is one of the plaintiffs in Doe v. Trump,
one of four lawsuits challenging the ban.

That always bugged me when people said,

Do you think youre being a stereotype?
TV personality ROSS MATHEWS, speaking to The Huffington Post about his stint on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2001. Mathews
says his unapologetic flamboyance annoyed some LGBTQ people, who wanted him off the air because they thought he was setting the
LGBTQ rights movement back. I was being myself, he added, and I thought that they celebrated me more than anything.

54 OCTOBER 26, 2107 METROWEEKLY