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EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman

ART DIRECTORTodd Franson

MANAGING EDITORRhuaridh Marr

SENIOR EDITORJohn Riley

CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORScott G. Brooks

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSean Bugg, Chris Heller, Connor J. Hogan,

Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield

WEBMASTERDavid Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHERRandy Shulman

BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETINGChristopher Cunetto

Cunetto Creative

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

Rivendell Media Co.212-242-6863

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERDennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINTBarbara “Barb” Baran

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYRoger Erickson

HAND LETTERINGChristopher Cunetto

METRO WEEKLY1425 K St. NW, Suite 350Washington, DC 20005

202-638-6830

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All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be

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© 2015 Jansi LLC.

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OCTOBER 1, 2015Volume 22 / Issue 22

NEWS 6

SHOULD CAITLYN JENNER SPEAK FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY ?

by John Riley

8 DEFENDING DAVIS

by John Riley

SCENE 10 MAUTNER PROJECT’S 25TH

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

photography by Ward Morrison

12 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FEATURES 16 WANDA S YKES

Interview by Doug Rule

21 STRATHMORE’S

W OMEN C HEFS: A RTISTS

IN THE K ITCHEN

by Connor J. Hogan

OUT ON THE TOWN 24 T HE M ARTIAN

by Randy Shulman

26 BLARIA LIVE! AT BENTZEN BALL

by Connor J. Hogan

28 CHRISTOPHER K. MORGAN & ARTISTS’

5TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

by Doug Rule

STAGE 30 ARENA’S D ESTINY OF D ESIRE

by Kate Wingfield

GAMES 32 FORZA 6

by Rhuaridh Marr

TECH 34 GOOGLE’S NEW NEXUS PHONES

by Rhuaridh Marr

NIGHTLIFE 37 MONDAY NIGHT SHOWTUNES AT JR.’S

photography by Ward Morrison

46 LAST WORD


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Should Caitlyn Jenner Speakfor the Trans Community?

A diversity of voices is necessary to highlight authentic trans experiences

Jenner on the Ellen Show

CAITLYN JENNER HAS PROBABLY EXPERIENCED

the most public transition in recent memory. Yetdespite only recently embracing her new identity, the

former Olympian and reality star of I Am Cait has hadmany expectations placed on her. The demand that she act as a

spokeswoman for the transgender community — and, by exten-sion, its LGB allies — is perhaps the most daunting.

As such, Jenner’s proclamations that she wasn’t on board

M

I C H A E L R O Z M A N / W A R N E R B R O S .

with the concept of same-sex marriage until recently and thatshe accepts the idea of a Caitlyn Jenner-themed Halloween cos-

tume have shocked and angered some in the LGBT community.But others are not surprised at all. Preston Mitchum, a Policy

Analyst at the Center for American Progress, recently penned a

column for the Daily Dot titled “Caitlyn Jenner Is Not a PerfectLGBT Rights Advocate,” challenging some of the assumptions

that have been placed on Jenner since her coming out.

L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.comMatt Damon thinks gay actors shoud remain closetedBen Carson blames gay marriage for fall of Rome

by John Riley


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“Just because she’s a trans woman doesn’t mean that Jenner

should understand why same-sex marriage is so importantto cisgender lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals,” Mitchum

wrote. “What people are expecting from Jenner is perfectionsolely based on her trans identity being made public, and that’s

a problem.”

Echoing his thesis, Mitchum argues that Jenner does nothave to be a perfect advocate for the LGBT community writ

large. She’s allowed to have a learning curve.“Her journey is hers and only hers alone, just like when I

was coming out as a queer guy. I was not perfect,” he says. “Mylanguage wasn’t perfect. I made a lot of mistakes, I was hypo-

critical, I contradicted myself, and I think that’s just the nature

of your social justice journey.... You have the right to experienceyour ride and your journey on your own time and terms.”

More importantly, those who expect solidarity from mem-bers of the transgender community need to reciprocate it in

their actions.“There seems to be this expectation of certain marginalized

communities wanting other marginalized communities to standup for them without ever offering a similar voice to stand up for

others,” Mitchum says. “I’ve encountered many cisgender LGB

individuals who have this expectation of Caitlyn Jenner andmany other trans individuals to stand up for them on issues like

marriage equality, but there’s this overwhelming silence when itcomes to trans deaths. If we want someone to stand up for us as

part of a marginalized community, we also need to stand up forother marginalized communities, and not play the ‘Oppression

Olympics’ games.”

Local transgender activist Dana Beyer considers Jenner’sprocess a vehicle for conversations surrounding transgender

issues. Even when Jenner doesn’t conform to people’s expecta-tions, or says something insensitive, her actions spark discus-

sions about transgender issues that can prove educational.“She’s not a spokeswoman and she’s not a leader. And to

the best of my knowledge, she’s never claimed that mantle, it’sbeen thrust upon her,” says Beyer. “She’s doing it her way, and

we have to do the best we can with that. All told, I think we’re

doing okay. And at a minimum, when she says something like,‘I wasn’t comfortable with gay marriage,’ well, that gets people

talking. That’s a good thing.”As for how someone gets selected as a “spokesperson,” Beyer

places the onus on the media and celebrity culture. Both conspireto choose the individual and hold them up as an example, regard-

less of their qualifications or desire to assume the position.

“Sometimes you get really lucky and you get a person likeLaverne Cox, who’s been an activist and knows how to handle it.

She knows the community, and she knows the movement,” saysBeyer. “And other times you get people who isolated themselves

from it, and you end up watching the education of a person — inprimetime, so to speak — and that can be ugly.

“That being said, [Jenner]’s done a remarkably good job,considering her complete ignorance of the movement and the

community.... Her most important contribution is that she’s

leveraging exposure. She’s creating a situation where now alarge plurality of Americans have to say they know a transgen-

der person through the media, and they’ve heard of this phe-nomenon. Nobody else that I know of in the community has the

ability to create such change. And for that, I applaud her, and Ithink we should all be very grateful.”

But the elevation of a particular person to represent a mar-

ginalized community always carries its own challenges. For

instance, because Jenner is wealthy, white and enjoys a unique

social platform, those who mistakenly assume she speaks fora broad swath of the transgender community risk erasing the

contributions made by transgender women of color or those oflower socioeconomic statuses.

“Caitlyn Jenner is not a reflection of black trans women,”says Elle Hearns, a transgender Black Lives Matter strategic

partner and GetEQUAL’s Central Regional Coordinator. Hearns

stresses the importance of individuals, particularly those in the

media or in positions of political or social power, developinggenuine, tangible relationships with transgender women ofcolor before purporting to speak on their behalf.

“You’ll never be able to change anything if you don’t actuallyhave black trans women actually speaking to their own experi-

ence,” says Hearns. “And only hiring one of us, that person will

still never be able to do the job of all of us, because that personalso only has one experience that mirrors the experience of the

majority.”Balance and a diversity of opinions are key, says Keith

Thirion, a transgender man serving as the acting director ofEquality Maryland.

“I think it’s more important to make sure there’s a diver-

sity of voices and to have authentic experiences shared from abreadth of perspectives, rather than picking one or two ‘right’

people, to making sure there’s space for as many people as pos-sible to share their stories,” says Thirion. “I don’t think you can

have too much diversity. It’s important to highlight differentaspects of life and different aspects of experiences.”

For instance, when Equality Maryland worked to push forpassage of a transgender nondiscrimination bill through the

General Assembly, they made sure to have people highlight

their individual stories of employment and housing discrimina-tion in order to compel legislators to pass the bill.

“No one person can speak for an entire community andrepresent an entire community’s experiences, because within

the trans community, there is diversity,” adds Thirion. “There’sdiversity with identity, with demographics, like race, age, gen-

der. And that makes it impossible for one person to say, ‘I under-stand and speak for the experiences of my entire community.’”

Similarly, relying on stereotypes or internal biases to focus

only on transgender women can ignore equally important issuesfacing transgender men. To combat those biases, he says, it is

up to the media and those in power to make inroads and buildworking relationships with other sources equally capable of

commenting on a certain issue.“Caitlyn Jenner has certainly been a visible spokesperson,

but in some way all transgender people turn into spokespeople

by virtue of educating other people about their experiences andtheir lives,” says Thirion. “Laverne Cox, who’s been a fantastic

spokesperson, has said herself that there’s a great need for adiversity of voices. So the people who are visible should also be

advocating for more voices to come to the forefront and for thatdiversity.”

Spotlighting positive stories of transgender people who aresuccessful and embraced by their families and communities will

help to make a difference, akin to highlighting the love and com-

mitment between same-sex couples — something instrumentalin changing hearts and minds on marriage equality.

“I think another element of that diversity of experiences isalso sharing the instances where trans people are thriving and

living life to the fullest, in addition to when discrimination andmarginalization happens,” Thirion says. l

METROWEEKLY.COM OCTOBER 1, 2015


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LGBTNews

8

KIM DAVIS SEEMS DETERMINED TO WRING EVERY

drop of attention from her fifteen minutes of fame.The Kentucky clerk was given the celebrity treat-

ment on Friday at the Values Voter Summit inWashington, D.C. — an event organized by the anti-gay Family

Research Council. Appearing with her lawyer Mat Staver, ofthe right-wing law firm Liberty Counsel, Davis was the belle ofthe ball at the annual gathering for social conservatives. Davis

was honored with the Cost of Discipleship Award after she was jailed for defying a judge’s order to allow her office to issue mar-

riage licenses to same-sex couples.Davis is also a favorite among politicians looking to shore

up support for next year’s election cycle. Sen. John McCain(R-Ariz.), who is up for re-election in 2016 and may face a

primary challenge, defended Davis’ actions to reporters. He

compared her objection over issuing same-sex marriage licensesto craft store Hobby Lobby’s objection to paying for insurance

to cover the costs of contraception for their employees. That

fight eventually resulted in a victory for the store’s conservativeChristian owners at the Supreme Court.“I think she was right in that she can exercise the dictates of

her conscience and everyone should respect that,” McCain told

reporters, according to Talking Points Memo. “I do not believetherefore she should violate the law. She should have just said, ‘I

refuse to do it.’ Just like [the] Hobby Lobby case, which we won,because those people were allowed to exercise their religious

beliefs by the United States Supreme Court.”A reporter asked: “You think that Kim Davis could say, ‘I

don’t want to perform this’?”“Yes,” McCain replied.

On Monday, Davis earned another supporter: Pope Francis.

During a flight returning to Rome from his recent U.S. trip,

Francis defended the concept of government officials refusingto do their jobs if it violates their religious conscience.

The pope made the remarks in response to a reporter who

asked: “Do you...support those individuals, including govern-ment officials, who say they cannot in good conscience, their

own personal conscience, abide by some laws or discharge their

duties as government officials, for example when issuing mar-riage licenses to same-sex couples?”

Although the pope did not specifically mention Davis or anyother case where a same-sex license was refused, he defended

the right of a government official to do so, saying, “I can say thatconscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human

rights. It is a right. And if a person does not allow others to be a

conscientious objector, he denies a right.”Francis also said that laws must make room for those who

object to same-sex marriage. Otherwise, government wouldbe favoring one person’s right over another’s. When asked if

that principle applied to government officials carrying out their

duties, he replied: “It is a human right and if a government offi-cial is a human person, he has that right.”

All of this comes on the heels of Davis’ defection from theDemocratic Party, something no political commentator could

have been surprised by. In fact, even prior to her party switch,her most ardent defenders were Republican presidential can-

didates Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who

promised to visit with Davis in jail and appeared at a rally heldin her honor upon her release.

On Friday, Davis said that she and her family switched theirparty allegiance because the Democrats no longer represent

their values.“My husband and I had talked about it for quite a while and

we came to the conclusion that the Democratic Party left us along time ago, so why were we hanging on?” she told a reporter

from Reuters.

In that same interview, Davis said she did not believe therewas a problem with the licenses that her deputy clerks have

issued since she returned to work on Sept. 14. Last week, shecame under fire for a decision to alter the licenses by removing

her name, title, and any reference to Rowan County, replacing asignature line for her deputy clerks with a place for them to ini-

tial, and a statement that says that the marriage license is being

issued pursuant to a federal court order.“I don’t think there should be much of an issue and the judge

didn’t have any problem accepting the licenses that were issuedwhen I was incarcerated, which had been altered, so I don’t see

that there should be an issue,” Davis told Reuters.The ACLU of Kentucky last week filed a motion with the

court accusing Davis of interfering with the issuance of mar-riage licenses by altering the forms. The ACLU contends that

such an action defies the order by U.S. District Judge David

Bunning, who warned Davis not to interfere with her deputyclerks who had agreed to issue marriage licenses.

If Bunning finds that Davis has defied his orders, the ACLUhas asked that Bunning either fine Davis or place the Rowan

County Clerk’s Office into receivership for the purpose of issu-ing marriage licenses. That means that a judge could appoint

an outside person to oversee the process and ensure that all

licenses being issued are valid. l

OCTOBER 1, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM

Defending Davis From awards to papal recognition, Kim Davis is being hailed

for blocking same-sex marriages

by John Riley


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

scene

Mautner Project’s25th AnniversaryCelebration - Dock 5at Union Market

Friday, September 25

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

WARD MORRISON

scan this tagwith your

smartphonefor bonus scenepics online!


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SMYAL’S REC NIGHT providesa social atmosphere for GLBT andquestioning youth, featuring danceparties, vogue nights, movies andgames. More info, [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for

youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay vol-unteer organization, volunteers forFood & Friends and Lost Dog & CatRescue Foundation at Falls ChurchPetSmart. To participate, visit bur-gundycrescent.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-ment). 202-291-4707 or andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.

BET MISHPACHAH, founded bymembers of the LGBT community,holds Saturday morning Shabbatservices, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddushluncheon. Services in DCJCCCommunity Room, 1529 16th St. NW. betmish.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, includ-ing others interested in Brazilian cul-ture, meets. For location/time, email [email protected].

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/ walking/social club welcomes alllevels for exercise in a fun and sup-portive environment, socializingafterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & PStreets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m. forfun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball teammeets at Turkey Thicket Recreation

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2FCPS PRIDE, a new group for LGBTeducators, allies and associates whowork for Fairfax County PublicSchools, hosts a First Fridays HappyHour. 4:30-7:00 p.m. Grevey’s, 8130 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA.

Adults only. Any questions, text 202-295-7939.

LGB PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP foradults in Montgomery County offersa safe space to explore coming outand issues of identity. 10-11:30 a.m.16220 S. Frederick Rd., Suite 512,Gaithersburg, Md. For more informa-tion, visit thedccenter.org.

The DC Center’s TRANS SUPPORTGROUP holds its monthly meetingto discuss issues surrounding genderidentity. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

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

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated dis-cussion for GBTQ men, 18-35, on thefirst and third Fridays of each month.8:30-9:30 p.m. The DC Center, 200014th St. NW, Suite 105. 202-682-2245,gaydistrict.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth Taylor

Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointmentcall 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming social group for ages 11-24. 4-6p.m. 1419 Columbia Road NW. ContactTamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)practice session at Takoma AquaticCenter, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9p.m. swimdcac.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group featuresmainstream through advanced squaredancing at the National City ChristianChurch, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517,dclambdasquares.org.

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social group meets for happyhour at Sheraton in Reston, 11810Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestri-angles.com.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointmentcall 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confiden-tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg,414 East Diamond Ave., and inTakoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins 2-6 p.m.For appointments other hours, callGaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or

Takoma Park, 301-422-2398.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. 202-567-3155or [email protected].

US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m.,3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The group isindependent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIPINSTITUTE for young LBTQ women,13-21, interested in leadership devel-opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL YouthCenter, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3163,[email protected].

Metro Weekly’s Community Calendar highlights important events in the D.C.-area

LGBT community, from alternative social events to volunteer opportunities.

Event information should be sent by email to [email protected].

Deadline for inclusion is noon of the Friday before Thursday’s publication.

Questions about the calendar may be directed to the

Metro Weekly office at 202-638-6830 or

the calendar email address.

LGBTCommunityCalendarCenter, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE, 2-4p.m. For players of all levels, gay orstraight. teamdcbasketball.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass forLGBT community, family and friends.6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For more info, visit dig-nitynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discussescritical languages and foreign lan-guages. 7 p.m. Nellie’s, 900 U St. NW.RVSP preferred. [email protected].

IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Takoma Park, 7676New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walk-ins 12-3 p.m. For appointments otherhours, call 301-422-2398.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group visits Freer Gallery of Art on the Mall before it shuts down for renovationsin January. Free, all welcome. Meetat 11:30 a.m. inside the Mall entrance,on Jefferson Drive at 12th Street,SW, near Smithsonian Metro station.Lunch follows. Craig, [email protected].

WEEKLY EVENTS

LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULSMEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30 a.m., HighMass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave.NW. 202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.

BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressiveand radically inclusive church holdsservices at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practicesession at Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr.,SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DIGNITYUSA offers Roman CatholicMass for the LGBT community. 6p.m., St. Margaret’s Church, 1820Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome.Sign interpreted. For more info, visitdignitynova.org.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITEDCHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes allto 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW.firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

FRIENDS MEETING OFWASHINGTON meets for worship,10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,Quaker House Living Room (next toMeeting House on Decatur Place),2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbiansand gays. Handicapped accessiblefrom Phelps Place gate. Hearing assis-tance. quakersdc.org.


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HOPE UNITED CHURCH OFCHRIST welcomes GLBT commu-nity for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130Old Telegraph Road, Alexandria.hopeucc.org.

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORTGROUP for gay men living in the DCmetro area. This group will be meet-ing once a month. For information onlocation and time, email to not.the.

[email protected].

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUALDEVELOPMENT, God-centered newage church & learning center. SundayServices and Workshops event. 5419Sherier Place NW. isd-dc.org.

Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONALTEMPLE – UNITED CHURCH OFCHRIST for an inclusive, loving andprogressive faith community everySunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW,near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood.lincolntemple.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OFREFORMATION invites all to Sundayworship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare isavailable at both services. WelcomingLGBT people for 25 years. 212 EastCapitol St. NE. reformationdc.org

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITYCHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led by Rev. OnettaBrooks. Children’s Sunday School, 11a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax.703-691-0930, mccnova.com.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITYCHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted)and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday Schoolat 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-7373, mccdc.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIANCHURCH, inclusive church withGLBT fellowship, offers gospel wor-ship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional wor-ship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,a Christ-centered, interracial, wel-coming-and-affirming church, offersservice at 10 a.m. 680 I St. SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THEINCARNATION, an “interracial,multi-ethnic Christian Community”offers services in English, 8 a.m. and10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m.1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900,saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN CHURCH OFARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming-and-affirming congregation, offersservices at 10 a.m. Virginia RainbowUU Ministry. 4444 Arlington Blvd.uucava.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTCHURCH OF SILVER SPRING invites LGBTQ families and individu-als of all creeds and cultures to jointhe church. Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.10309 New Hampshire Ave. uucss.org.

UNIVERSALIST NATIONALMEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-ing and inclusive church. GLBTInterweave social/service group

meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5The DC Center hosts its monthly

VOLUNTEER NIGHT. Duties includesorting through book donations,cleaning up, taking inventory of safe-sex kits and more. Pizza provided6:30-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite105. For more information, visit thedc-center.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 927 OhioDr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holdspractice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. GarrisonElementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan-dals.wordpress.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. atQuaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. [email protected].

HIV Testing at WHITMAN-WALKER

HEALTH. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY(K.I.) SERVICES, 3333 Duke St., Alexandria, offers free “rapid” HIVtesting and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

703-823-4401.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. No appoint-ment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14thSt. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-

4467.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or test-

[email protected].

THE DC CENTER hosts Coffee Drop-In for the Senior LGBT Community.10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.


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US HELPING US hosts a black gaymen’s evening affinity group. 3636

Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATERPOLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m.Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 VanBuren St. NW. Newcomers with atleast basic swimming ability alwayswelcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, [email protected], wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTHHIV/AIDS Support Group for newlydiagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.Registration required. 202-939-7671,[email protected].

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6BOOK READING UPLIFTS HISSPIRITS (BRUHS), a book and filmdiscussion group for black GBT men,holds its monthly meeting at theMartin Luther King, Jr. Library. 6-9p.m. 901 G St. NW, Lower Level A,

Room A5. For more information, visitfacebook.com/BRUHSDC.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ASIANS AND FRIENDS weeklydinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area,6:30 p.m. [email protected], afwash-ington.net.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)practice session at Takoma AquaticCenter, 300 Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club serving greaterD.C.’s LGBT community and allieshosts an evening run/walk. dcfront-runners.org.

THE GAY MEN’S HEALTHCOLLABORATIVE offers free HIVtesting and STI screening and treat-ment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m.Rainbow Tuesday LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571-214-9617. [email protected].

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THEDC CENTER hosts “Packing Party,”where volunteers assemble safe-sex

kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m.,Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW.thedccenter.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confidentialHIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 EastDiamond Ave., and in Takoma Park,7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointmentsother hours, call Gaithersburg at301-300-9978 or Takoma Park at 301-

422-2398.

KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY(K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St., Alexandria, offers free “rapid” HIVtesting and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.703-823-4401.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. Appointmentneeded. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700.202-638-0750.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS—LGBTfocused meeting every Tuesday, 7p.m. St. George’s Episcopal Church,915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, juststeps from Virginia Square Metro. Formore info. call Dick, 703-521-1999.Handicapped accessible. Newcomerswelcome. [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center,410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL, 4107th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, [email protected].


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US HELPING US hosts a supportgroup for black gay men 40 and older.7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW.202-446-1100.

Whitman-Walker Health’s GAYMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS/STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 170114th St. NW. Patients are seen onwalk-in basis. No-cost screening forHIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chla-

mydia. Hepatitis and herpes testingavailable for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7BOOKMEN DC, an informal men’sgay-literature group, discussesFrank Bidart’s 2013 poetry col-lection, “Metaphysical Dog”. 7:30p.m. Cleveland Park Library, 3310Connecticut Ave NW. All welcome. bookmendc.blogspot.com.

THE ASK RAYCEEN SHOW, fea-turing Rayceen Pendarvis, hosts

its annual talent competition, withcash prizes to the top three audi-ence favorites. Plus an inteviewwith cast members from the webseries “District Heat” and a perfor-mance by the Imrpov Imps comedytroupe. Admission is free. 6 p.m. LivNightclub, 2001 11th St. NW. Formore information, visit facebook.com/AskRayceen.

THE TOM DAVOREN SOCIALBRIDGE CLUB meets for SocialBridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 7218th St. SE, across from the MarineBarracks. No reservation and partnerneeded. 301-345-1571 for more infor-

mation.

WEEKLY EVENTS

AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m.,Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome.For more information, call FaustoFernandez, 703-732-5174.

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURALHEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5p.m., and HIV services (by appoint-

ment). 202-291-4707, andromeda-transculturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) prac-tice session at Hains Point, 927 OhioDr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holdspractice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. GarrisonElementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscan-

dals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m.and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-WalkerHealth. At the Elizabeth TaylorMedical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max RobinsonCenter, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confiden-tial HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m.For appointments other hours, call

Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-gram for job entrants and seekers,meets at The DC Center. 2000 14th St.NW, Suite 105. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Moreinfo, www.centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offersfree, rapid HIV testing. No appoint-ment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14thSt. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing.11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite200, Arlington. Appointments:703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, socialclub for mature gay men, hostsweekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,Windows Bar above Dupont ItalianKitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl,703-573-8316.l


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HIS PAST SUMMER, WANDA SYKESpaid tribute to the LGBT pioneers who

paved the way for her success a half-

century later.“I didn’t even know about that groupof activists who actually started the

whole movement,” Sykes says. She’s

referring to the 40 gays and lesbians, led by D.C.’s FrankKameny and Philadelphia’s Barbara Gittings, who pick-

eted for gay rights at Philadelphia’s Independence Hallon the Fourth of July in 1965. Sykes emceed the National

LGBT 50th Anniversary Ceremony of the event, held inPhiladelphia as part of a weekend that also drew Jim

Obergefell, Edie Windsor, Judy Shepard and BishopGene Robinson. “It was very touching,” Sykes says. “I

was so happy that I was able to be a part of it.”

The momentous occasion came just a week after


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another celebration for LGBT Americans: The Supreme Court’s decision in favor ofsame-sex marriage. “My wife and I went to West Hollywood and had dinner with a

couple of other married friends,” Sykes says. “West Hollywood was all buzzing with

everybody out celebrating.”It’s hard to believe almost seven years earlier California voters had passed Proposition8, excluding gays from obtaining marriage licenses in the state. It was the approval of that

measure by her neighbors that ultimately propelled Sykes to publicly come out, starting

her journey as one of the LGBT movement’s biggest celebrities and greatest comedians.By then, she was already well-known for her work in television as both a stand-up comic

and an actor, with taped comedy specials on HBO and Comedy Central and recurringroles on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and CBS’s New Adventures of Old Christine. A year

later, she would become the first openly LGBT performer to headline the White HouseCorrespondents’ Association Dinner, where she took provocative jabs at anti-gay radio

host Rush Limbaugh.These days, Sykes — who brings her latest stand-up show to the Warner Theatre next

month — is more likely to take aim at Donald Trump, the current front-runner in the 2016

Republican presidential race. Another likely target is Kim Davis, the Kentucky county


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clerk jailed for refusing to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling andissue marriage licenses to gay couples. Obviously, Sykes stays

on top of politics and current events, something she describes

as “painful,” at least in context of keeping up with the antics ofconservative Republicans. As a native of the metro D.C. area, a

fascination in all things political was all but assured.Sykes also devotes time to riff on something even closer

to home — her domestic life in Los Angeles with wife AlexNiedbalksi. Together they’re raising six-year-old fraternal twins,

Lucas and Olivia.Sykes anticipates more work in the years ahead, from more

seasons as executive producer of NBC’s Last Comic Standing to

a recurring role on ABC’s Blackish to voice work with Ice Age 5. Yet next month’s run of shows at the Warner Theatre, where she

filmed HBO’s I’ma Be Me special in 2009, should hardly be herlast in the venue. “I don’t ever stop doing stand-up,” she says.

“I’m always out.”

METRO WEEKLY: Because so much of your stand-up is political in

nature, let’s dive right in and talk about Donald Trump.

WANDA SYKES: It’s hard to do a Donald Trump joke because it’s

like doing a joke on a joke. You could just repeat what he says.And, of course, if Ben Carson says something else stupid, that

goes in.It’s funny, the difference between Democrats and Republicans.

Democrats are like, “Man, I really like Bernie Sanders. He’s say-ing a lot of good stuff. But he’ll never win.” And then on the

Republican side, you’ve got a guy like Donald Trump, who’s a

clown, and he is their front-runner. “Yeah, I’m gonna vote forthat guy. He could win!” It’s just really bizarre to me.MW: Your HBO special I’ma Be Me was taped at D.C.’s WarnerTheatre and it reflected the hopeful mood of the country after

President Obama’s election. How do you feel the president is doing?

SYKES: President Obama has been doing a great job. He’s done

so much. For people to say otherwise, they’re just lying. It kills

me how they can think stuff and say, “Oh, he’s terrible,” when

you look at the facts: Nine million people got health care whowouldn’t have health care otherwise, gay marriage, repeal ofDon’t Ask, Don’t Tell. You can just look at so many accomplish-

ments that he’s made. I don’t know where people get the sensehe’s not doing a good job. I mean, he saved the economy. We

were on our way out — the banks were crashing. We could havebeen Greece. I just don’t get it.

MW: At last month’s debate, GOP candidates were pinning many

world problems on Obama and his handling of foreign policy.

SYKES: Yeah, but that all started from President Bush going to

Iraq. Obama had to clean up his mess.MW: After the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision, we’ve

seen pushback across the country, most notably Kim Davis. Do youexpect we’ll see more of that, or will conservatives shift their focus?

SYKES: There will be more Kim Davises, the same as there has

been with African Americans. We’re still dealing with the effectsof the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow. There are always

cases like that. You have those people, they just can’t let it go.It’s the same thing with the Confederate Flag. The thing is, when

they try to get in the way of our rights and everything, then, youknow, put them in jail.

MW: Getting back to your comedy, how long have you been involvedwith Last Comic Standing ?

SYKES: The last two seasons. Our production company brought

it back. We — and when I say we, I’m talking about Push ItProductions that I run with a producing partner Page Hurwitz,

who is also a lesbian — have a First Look deal with NBC Studios,

and they wanted to bring Last Comic Standing back. I said, “Theonly way I’ll do it is if we step it up — I want great judges and

hosts, I want to be able to pick the comedians that are on the

show, and also that the judges are the only ones who get to pickthe winner.” I was not trusting America. [ Laughs. ]MW: This season I was rooting for Dominique, and not just becauseshe’s from D.C., though that helped.

SYKES: Ah, yeah! Right, right. I love Dominique. She just spenttoo much time on her eyelash joke in her last set.

MW: Has producing the show been rewarding in the sense that you’re helping groom a new generation of comedians. For example,

Amy Schumer, who took fourth place in 2007?

SYKES: Yeah, to know that you’re actually helping these comics’careers. They’ve been letting us know, “Hey, we’ve been selling

more tickets on the road.” They’re getting more booked shows.But it’s also helped me. In talking about comedy with the comics

and going over their material, it actually is a good exercise forme, too. The advice that I’ve given them is the same advice that

I can apply to my act.MW: How do you view the present and future state of comedy?

SYKES: I’m excited about it. For one, we have so many differ-

ent outlets now for comedy, with Netflix and everything andstuff online. I like having all the options, although I will say it

does allow for comedy that’s maybe not right to get out there,too. Overall, I’m very happy about it. There’s just more room

out there for women. Although, when you look at the late nightground, it’s all white guys. I’d love to see a little shakeup there.

I think it’s going to come down to more of what Amy’s

doing — creating our own movies, and trying to get a studio toget behind it. But I also love what Melissa McCarthy is doing —

she’s part of the all-female team redoing Ghostbusters. I’d like tosee more of that, and more women of color, too — someone like

Whoopi Goldberg, who has been the star of big movies that didwell. I’d like to do a big all-out comedy movie.

MW: How often do you get back to D.C., where you grew up and got

your start in comedy?

SYKES: Maybe like once or twice a year. My parents are down in Virginia. I have a brother in Northern Virginia. I grew up out inAnne Arundel County, so some of my friends are still out there. I

think we plan on taking the kids in November, now that they’re oldenough to at least appreciate the museums and buildings and all.

MW: Your kids are six, so obviously they’re way too young to go tothe show. They’re still basically babies.

SYKES: Don’t tell them that. They’ll say, “I am not a baby!” I do

use that to get them to do stuff. “Boy, you are really acting like ababy right now.” And they get mad.MW: How familiar are they with your work? Do they know that youtalk about them in your stand-up?

SYKES: Every now and then, if I mention them, then they kind ofget it. And my wife, she loves it when I talk about her: “Did you

talk about me today?” [ Laughs. ]

They get to see the animated films — the voice-over stuff —and the Ellen appearances. I try not to make a big deal, or show

them, “This is what I do,” because I just like to be a normalmom, I guess. You know, try not to make it all about me so much.

[ Laughs. ] I know, I know — it’s just like my job is all about me,but with them, I try not to. Whenever I’m out and I’m with my

kids and people approach me, I just say, “I’m sorry, I can’t — I’mnot working now, I’m just with my kids and I don’t want them to

feel overshadowed.”MW: And your wife is still supportive of your comedy and yourcareer?

SYKES: Oh, yeah. I get to do this because she understands. This


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is what I was doing when I met her, and what I love doing. She’svery patient, and she gets it. So we make it work when, if I’m

traveling, she’s around with the kids. And when she has to go,then I try to make sure I’m around.

MW: Do you think you’ll have more kids?

SYKES: Oh, hell no! [ Laughs. ] I mean, it would have to be dropped

off at my doorstep or something.MW: I know that when you came out publicly your parents were

still struggling with your sexual orientation. Has that changed?SYKES: Oh my goodness, they’re so much better now. We’re ina great place. When both of us are traveling — my wife travels

for her job too — or when we need help, my mom comes up andhelps out. So it’s been great.

MW: In addition to more LGBT people coming out, the LGBT move-

ment has made great progress in recent years in both film and TV. I can’t help but think of Fox’s hit series Empire.

SYKES: I love Empire. I love that they have the gay character,and he’s black and he’s strong. And easy on the eyes. That’s very

important. And I love that they played it so that the father hasan issue with his son being gay, because that’s real, especially

in our community. So I’m very happy about that. The more we

put these characters out there, it sparks conversation. It’s reallyimportant for the kids living out in the middle of the Bible Belt,

who feel alone, it’s good that they have these characters that theycan relate to.MW: You were in a production of Annie at the Media Theatre in

Pennsylvania. I had no idea you ever did theater.

SYKES: [ Laughs. ] Yeah, I have so many friends who are in theater.But an opportunity came along to do a production of Annie, and

I played Miss Hannigan. I think it was a six-week run. It was a

nice intro into doing a play. How that works and if I would beable to do it. I thought, “Man, I don’t see how people can do it

night after night, sometimes two shows a day. And you have tosay the same exact thing.” But I was able to get a little taste of

it, and I did have fun with it. And it does change up each show.MW: I didn’t realize you were a singer.

SYKES: I’m not, that’s the funny part. I’m still not a singer. ButMiss Hannigan, it was all a character — it’s one of those talk-

sing things.MW: So we shouldn’t anticipate seeing you in a big Broadway musi-cal or anything?

SYKES: Don’t look for me in The Wiz , no.MW: What do you have planned after your current tour?

MW: This touring is the big thing — that’s what I have to reallyfocus on and it takes me through the end of this year. I want to

get this show nailed down, because I want to be able to shoot a

special. So hopefully I get this really, really tight to where I’mhappy about it. And then maybe at the top of the year I’ll be

ready to shoot the special.Also I’ll be doing work as a guest star on House of Lies and

Blackish — I’m doing a couple episodes. I’m very excited aboutthose two projects. I always like to work with Don Cheadle.

We’re also recording Ice Age 5 right now, so Granny is back. Andthen the production company, we have several projects that are

in the pilot stage right now. We’ll see what happens with that.MW: Do you see any early signs that either of your kids might

become a performer and follow in your footsteps?SYKES: My son is pretty funny. His timing is great. It’s physicalcomedy. But the thing is, a lot of time I can’t let him know that

he’s funny because then he just won’t stop.MW: Is that the way you were when you were a kid?

No, I was more yappy. Just running my mouth all the time

when I was a kid. Looking back at it, I go, “I think that was kindof funny what I said.” Because I would just say inappropriate

things. I would see someone’s wig was crooked, I just pointedit out. And I would get smacked — so that wasn’t really encour-

aged. [ Laughs. ]MW: Presumably you’re sleeping better now than you were a few

years ago, when your kids were infants.

SYKES: [ Laughs. ] Yeah, but I’m a night person, so the trick is,I have to start making myself go to bed earlier than I would

normally do. I could easily stay up until two, but now, when12 o’clock rolls around, I try to get in bed because I know that

somebody is going to be up at six. And it’s usually my daughter.She’s a typical girl. She thinks that, “Oh, if I get up, I can start

talking now.” There’s just not enough hours in a day for her toget out everything that she wants to say. So she literally walks

into the bedroom in the middle of a conversation. “So I was

thinking today, we should...” And I’m like, “Oh my God really?Just be quiet for five minutes, please. Five minutes!”MW: So it sounds like she’s taking after you then.

SYKES: It reminds me of me a little bit, yeah. My mom said I

talked a lot. But I don’t remember walking into my parents’ bed-room, just waking them up. I know that did not happen. At all.

MW: Returning to politics, the past two years you appeared in Amazon’s Alpha House, portraying the fictitious U.S. Sen. Rosalyn

DuPeche. Would you ever want to do that in real life, run for office?

SYKES: [ Laughs. ] I want to say no, I don’t think so.MW: But maybe if something happens along the way....

SYKES: Well, then I would become Donald Trump.MW: What do you mean?

SYKES: It would be like a joke.

Wanda Sykes performs Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8, at 8

p.m., at the Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Tickets are $73. Call 202-783-4000 or visit warnertheatredc.com. l


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W E ALL NEED FOOD TO SURVIVE. FORChef Marianne Ali of the DC Central Kitchen,food became more than a necessity — it savedher life. Despite growing up in a middle classMaryland family, Ali’s childhood was anything but suburban.At 13, she began experimenting with drugs. Four years later,

uinary Artshe was addicted to heroin. For two decades, Ali dealt with theagony of addiction and the physical and mental trauma that

encompasses. “When I finally was able to get myself clean,” sherecalls, “I had to figure out what I wanted to do.”

Her love for cooking led Ali to culinary school. After graduat-ing she began working with the DC Central Kitchen (DCCK), an

Stathmore’s Ati st s in th e Ki tchen explores 22 female chefs across the DC Metro region

By Connor J. Hogan

Chef Marianne Ali by Jacqui Crocetta - all photos courtesy of Strathmore


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organization dedicated to helping underserved and impoverished

people build the skills required to succeed in the food industry.“While I was working there, I saw all these people that I

would say ‘I recognize you. How do I know you?’” she says.

“I realized that these were people that I had been using with— people from my former life. I knew that I had to become a

training chef, and use my own life experience to transform otherpeople’s lives.”

Ali is now an integral part of DCCK, running their trainingprogram which helps those struggling with homelessness and

addiction. In her 15 year tenure she has seen 1500 graduates

pass through her program, each with a renewed outlook on lifeand marketable skills. For her work in the DCCK, Ali was given

the White House’s Champion for Change award for Reentryand Employment.

Ali’s incredible reinvention is being told as part of Strathmore’scurrent exhibit “Women Chefs: Artists in the Kitchen”. “When

you search for Chef on Google,” says Strathmore CuratorHarriet Lesser, “you come up with page after page of pictures

of male chefs, and when you do see a woman, it’s usually in a

pastry chef kind of role.” Eager to honor the influential womenworking in restaurants across the DC Metro region, Lesser com-

missioned 21 artists to create portraits of 22 female chefs, using

whichever medium they desired. “If we put together a visual art-ist and a chef,” Lesser says, “we can redefine what a portrait is.

It becomes a conversation between two different kinds of artists.

We’ll have produced a new way of seeing someone.”As part of the exhibit, Ali was partnered with Jacqui Crocetta,

an artist and designer based out of Rockville, MD. “When I firststarted talking to Marianne,” Crocetta says, “I expected her to

go on and on about food, but what struck me is that her passionreally isn’t food. Her passion is changing lives.” After two phone

calls, a few in person meetings, and several interviews with Ali’s

students, Crocetta set out to create the Chef’s portrait. “I knewI wanted something that was layered to reflect the kinds of food

that Marianne makes,” she says. “But I also wanted to representher ability to change and grow.” By weaving handmade paper

around a wire framed basket, Crocetta created a piece that wasat once fragile, but also surprisingly strong. “In the bottom of

the basket, I created a portrait of Marianne with poppy seeds,”she notes, “to represent not only her love for food, but also her

struggle with heroin.”

“She seemed to understand who I was on a level that wasunimaginable to me,” Ali says on her partnership with Crocetta.

Chef Carla Hall by Dani Dawson Chef Susan Delber by Catherine Kleeman


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“I’m not a celebrity chef. I don’t own my own restaurant, butI am very grounded and passionate about what I do. She just

captured me in a piece of art.” However, Ali wasn’t the onlyone touched by her portrait. Crocetta went through her own

transformation while constructing her piece. “I don’t typicallydo portraiture,” she says, “but, in getting to know Marianne, she

definitely has me thinking more about what I can do in my art

that also serves our society’s greatest needs.”

Ali’s portrait is only one part of a greater exploration andexhibition into women as groundbreaking culinary artists. Whilemen in white chef hats and blue aprons might dominate Google

searches, “Women Chefs: Artists in the Kitchen” provides sever-al opportunities to challenge the status quo of the food industry.

It’s also somewhat fitting that these great female chefs are beingcelebrated in art.

“There are clear similarities between an artist’s process and

a chef’s recipe,” Lesser says. “Both start with nothing and createsomething wonderful out of it.” l

“Women Chefs: Artists in the Kitchen” runs until November 8th at the Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD. For information on the exhibit, visit strathmore.org.

Chef Nora Pouillon by Kaltoum Maroufi

Chef Nona Nielsen-Parker by Ruth Lozner


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OCTOBER 1 - 8, 2015

24

Compiled by Doug Rule


S

OMEWHERE BETWEEN BRIAN DEPALMA’S MIS-

erable Mission to Mars and Alfonso Cuarón’s master-ful Gravity lies Ridley Scott’s mediocre The Martian

( HHHHH ). It’s a perfectly beige affair, ironic given it’s set ona red planet.

The movie is saved, somewhat, by Matt Damon’s light, lithe

lead performance as Mark Watney, an astronaut strandedon Mars after his departing fellow crewmates assume him

dead. Luckily, Mark has at his disposal a fully-pressurizedscientific habitat in which to fritter about. Of course, with

even a glimpse of rescue four years away — expressed in themovie using the Martian years, SOLs (which conveniently

also stands for “Shit Out of Luck”) — Mark must find a way to

survive 50,000,000 miles from home. NASA might have foundevidence of water on Mars, but they’ve yet to locate a 7/11.

“Luckily, I’m a botanist,” Mark chirps to his GoPro camera

video log. “Mars will come to fear my botany powers!... I’mgoing to have to science the shit out of this.” And that’s exactlywhat he does, using his personal waste to fertilize a big old

crop of potatoes.Ever the problem-solver, Mark finds a way to communi-

cate with NASA, letting them know he’s alive and well and

ready to end his Martian holiday. Meanwhile, he spends hisdays taking in the planet’s rugged scenery like a professional

tourist. “Everywhere I go, I’m the first,” he says. “Four anda half billion years, nobody was here and now, me.” Mark’s

placid demeanor even carries through to extreme circum-stances. The film is less about the sheer will to survive and

more about how to survive through focused, methodicalproblem solving. To put it another way, it’s like watching

algebra spring to life.

Based on a popular novel by Andy Weir, The Martian is anoddity for Scott, a director not known for lighthearted spacenarratives. Yes, there are occasional perils — a crack in a hel-

met is cause for both intense panic and deep admiration for

the adhesive, oxygen preserving powers of duct tape — butthere are no major discoveries, no battles with acid-blooded

aliens, not too much of anything. Mark just waits to be res-cued, stuck with some old Happy Days episodes and an assort-

ment of ’70s disco music.The other half of the movie is about achieving Mark’s

rescue, and while I’m not one to toss out a spoiler, it’s pretty

darn evident from the start that every option NASA attemptswill fail until the only alternative left lies with the homeward

bound crew of the Ares III. The Martian is the kind of predict-able movie where the head of NASA, played with stone-faced

resolve by Jeff Daniels, says “He’ll have just enough foodassuming nothing goes wrong,” and in the very next scene

something on Mars goes disastrously wrong.The beauty of Gravity, which The Martian aspires to be a

cousin to, is that you never quite knew whether or not Sandra

Bullock’s character would survive its taut, tense 90 minutes. The Martian, on the other hand, serves up an obese 141 min-

utes, and while it’s climax is stunningly executed by Scott,there’s no edge-of-your seat thrill. You just settle back and

casually wait for the inevitable. — Randy Shulman

Anti-Gravity Ridley Scott’s The Martian lacks thepropulsion to make it stellar

The Martian is rated PG-13 for mild profanity. Opens Friday at area theaters.


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has donated its space for the tribute.Saturday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. TownDanceboutique, 2009 8th St. NW.Call 202-234-TOWN or visit theacad-emyofwashingtoninc.com.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KINGMUSICAL A tapestry — or really just another jukebox — of a musical focused onthe inspiring story of this singer-songwriter’s rise to stardom, toldthrough Douglas McGrath’s book aswell as the songs she co-wrote withher husband Gerry Goffin and friends.This national touring production ofthe 2014 Tony-winning hit stops by

the Kennedy Center in the same year

L U K E F O N T A N A

King was fetted by the institution as aKennedy Center Honoree. Marc Brunidirects. Opens Wednesday, Oct. 6, at7 p.m. To Oct. 25. Kennedy CenterOpera House. Tickets are $39 to $175.Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

CAKE OFFSignature Theatre presents the world-premiere of a wild musical satire abouta battle-of-the-baking-sexes starringSignature star Sherri L. Edelen andTodd Buonopane from Broadway’sCinederella. Joe Calarco directs theshow written by Sheri Wilner ( KingdomCity), Julia Jordan ( Murder Ballad )

and Adam Gwon ( Ordinary Days ). Now

to Nov. 22. Signature Theatre, 4200Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.

JEFFREY JOHNSON’S EDIE BEALE:LIVE AT RENO SWEENEYJeffrey Johnson first took on the roleof Edie Beale in 2009 through is formerLGBT theater company Ganymede Arts. He developed the comedic cab-aret show with his longtime friendGerald Duval, who had co-writtenthe original cabaret performed by thismid-20th century socialite, a first cous-in to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, whosepeculiar domesticity was capturedin the documentary Grey Gardens.

Johnson, best known as “The Pink

SPOTLIGHTA CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR CARLRIZZI AKA MAME DENNISTitled Love, Love, Love, this revue hon-ors the life of Carl Rizzi, who was bestknown around gay D.C. as drag per-former Mame Dennis, who founded the Academy of Washington, which amongother distinctions, became instrumen-tal in fundraising for Whitman-Walker back when AIDS was ravishing thecommunity in the ‘80s. A small groupof the late Rizzi’s friends, includingFrank Nowicki and Jim McGlade,will pay their respects in a special

event at Town Danceboutique, which

The Black DariaPhoebe Robinson brings her sarcastic humor to this year’s

Bentzen Ball

PHOEBE ROBINSON USED TO THINK THAT STAND UP WASstupid. “I didn’t really think of it as a career choice,” she says. “But I

had a friend who wanted to take a stand up class and didn’t want to go

alone. So I went with her.”Almost a decade later, what Robinson initially saw as an obligation to a

friend has blossomed into a career. Today, she runs her own podcast, writes

for Glamour, and has been seen on several

television shows including The Daily Show and Broad City. The powerhouse comedian

— named by Flavorpill as one of “11 essen-tial young comedians in New York City” —

will appear this weekend at Brightest Young

Thing’s comedy festival, the Bentzen Ball.Robinson’s dry humor is drawn from her

experience as a black woman. “People alwayssaid, ‘Oh you’re just like a black Daria,’” she

says. “I always liked that, so I combinedthe words for my blog and got Blaria.” Her

straightforward stand up got her noticed by

more than just TV execs and magazine editors,however. After a chance appearance on a Daily

Show segment, Robinson met Jessica Williams— a regular on the comedy news show. “She

said, ‘I know who you are, I’ve been followingyou,’” Robinson recalls. “I told her about my

podcast, and she came on as a guest.” The rest,as they say, is history. Williams and Robinson

became fast friends and collaborators.

On Saturday night at the Lincoln Theatre,Williams and Robinson will perform a live

version of the Blaria podcast, hashing outrecent events in pop culture that deal with

racial and feminist issues. But Blaria wasn’talways as focused in its subject matter. “When

I first started it, I kind of hoped people would

just come with me on this journey,” she says.“But I realized, I was kind of a big feminist.”

It was then that Robinson found her voice asa political comedian.

And where better for someone likeRobinson to tour than Washington, D.C.?

“Jess and I are really excited to bring theshow to D.C. We love performing on the

road,” she says. “And the crowds in D.C. are just so smart. It really feels like you can get alot of people on board, and even try out some

new stuff.” The other thing she’s lookingforward to? Tig Notaro. “I’ve never worked

with her before, but I think she’s so amazing.Whenever you watch her, it’s like a master

class in comedy.” – Connor J. Hogan

Robinson (front) and Williams

Blaria Live! will perform at the Lincoln Theatre at 1215 U St NW, Washington, D.C. on Saturday, October 3rd.

Doors open at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $25. For more information on the Bentzen Ball Festival, visitbrightestyoungthings.com/bentzen-ball.


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STAGE

BAD DOG A deliciously dark comedy featuringsix of Washington’s greatest actress-es, including Holly Twyford, NaomiJacobson and Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan,about a dysfunctional family and anintervention gone awry. Written byJennifer Hoppe-House, whose televi-sion credits include Showtime’s Nurse

Jackie and Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.This is Olney’s contribution to theWomen’s Voices Theater Festival.Now to Oct. 25. The Mulitz-GudelskyTheatre Lab at Olney Theatre Center,2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney,Md. Tickets are $42. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

FRIENDSHIP BETRAYEDWSC Avant Bard presents a rarelyproduced comedy by Spanish play-wright Maria de Zayas y Sotomayor, afour-centuries-old play with a proto-feminist story that doesn’t feel dated.Kari Ginsburg directs a “comedyabout liberated ladies in love and lust,”

re-staging it in the roaring twenties.To Oct. 11. Gunston Theater II, 2700South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are$30 to $35. Call 703-418-4808 or visitavantbard.org.

IRONBOUNDFor its contribution to the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, Round HouseTheatre Company presents a work

part road movie, part character study,with some critics calling it Reynolds’s best work. Anna Boden and RyanFleck ( Half Nelson ) write and direct.Opening Friday, Oct. 2. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

THE ROCKY HORRORPICTURE SHOWEvery Friday and Saturday Landmark’sE Street Cinema shows films at mid-night that are more risqué or campy

than the usual fare. And, no surprise,once a month brings screenings ofa certain cult classic. Each screen-ing is accompanied by the “shadowcast” Sonic Transducers, who act outthe film in front of the screen withprops and costumes. Friday, Oct. 9,and Saturday, Oct. 10, at midnight.Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11thSt. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visitlandmarktheatres.com.

THE WALKRobert Zemeckis, the director of Forrest Gump and Cast Away, directsa re-telling of the incredible storyof Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-

Levitt), who in 1974 launched a wire between the Twin Towers of theWorld Trade Center — digitally recre-ated to incredible, and poignant, effect— which Petit then proceeded to walkacross. It’s in 3D, so if you’re evenremotely acrophobic, don’t watch it.Now playing. Area IMAX theaters. Visit fandango.com.

Haired One” Special Agent Galactica,has been portraying Beale off and onin the years since. Tuesday, Oct. 6, andWednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. Cobalt,1639 R St. NW. Pay-What-You-Can atthe door. Call 202-232-4416 or visitcobaltdc.com.

THE BIG HOPE SHOWBaltimore’s American Visionary ArtMuseum offers its 21st annual exhibi-tion, featuring over 25 artists offering

works in various media that cham-pion the radiant and transformativepower of hope. It’s an original andunabashedly idealistic exhibition,curated by Rebecca Alban Hoffberger,founder and director of this originaland unabashedly unusual 20-year-oldmuseum. And it opens with a previewparty Friday, Oct. 2, starting at 7 p.m.,and featuring light hors d’oeuvres, beverages, music and fun. The exhibi-tion is on display until Sept. 4, 2016. American Visionary Art Museum, 800Key Highway. Baltimore. Tickets are$15.95, or $20 for the preview party.Call 410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.

FILM

MISSISSIPPI GRIND An endlessly unlucky gambling addict,played by Ben Mendelsohn, teamsup with a younger gambler (RyanReynolds) and sets off on a road tripto try and win back the debts he owes.It’s a dramedy that’s part buddy film,


by Polish-born Martyna Majok, whorecently won a major theater prizedesignating her an Emerging AmericanPlaywright. Daniella Topol directsMajok’s Ironbound , a humorous andheartfelt look at a hard-working immi-grant struggling as a single motherin modern-day America. AlexandraHenrikson, Jefferson A. Russell, JosiahBania and William Vaughan make upthe cast. Closes this Sunday, Oct. 4.Round House Theatre, 4545 East-WestHighway, Bethesda. Tickets are $36 to$51. Call 240-644-1100 or visit round-housetheatre.org.

TRUTH & BEAUTY BOMBS:A SOFTER WORLDKnown for ambitious stagings ofeccentric, or just plain out-there, tales,Rorschach Theatre offers a new proj-ect based on the web series A SofterWorld by Emily Horne and JoeyCorneau. As conceived of and directed by Jenny McConnell Frederick, Truth& Beauty Bombs focuses on a photog-rapher who sets out to capture as muchof the world as he can before he goes blind. Randy Baker, Norman Allen,

Heather McDonald, Shawn Northipand Alexandra Petri assisted with thewriting. To Oct. 4. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are$20 to $30. Call 202-399-7993 or visitrorschachtheatre.com.

WOMEN LAUGHING ALONEWITH SALADKimberly Gilbert, a Helen Hayes


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Award winner as Marie Antoinette last season, is once again the rightfulstar in an eccentric and very adultseason opener at Woolly MammothTheatre Company. Women Laughing Alone with Salad by Sheila Callaghan(2009’s Fever/Dream ), also the com-pany’s contribution to the Women’s Voices Theatre Festival, is a bawdy, gender-bending comedy about sex,desire and shame, and a biting cri-tique of our image-obsessed culture.

Kip Fagan directs a cast also featuringMeghan Reardon, Janet Ulrich Brooksand Thomas Keegan. To Oct. 4. WoollyMammoth, 641 D St. NW. Ticketsrange from $45 to $73. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.

MUSIC

ALL THINGS GO FALL CLASSICOver the past four years, the D.C.- based All Things Go has grown fromits roots as a music-promoting websiteand blog to a presenter of concerts — both locally and nationally. This week-end the company offers the second Fall

Classic on the outdoor stage at D.C.’ship Union Market. Just as last year’sevent headlined by Future Islandsand Tove Lo, the lineup this year is astrong showcase of many of the most buzzed-about indie acts around, led by up-and-coming Norwegian danceartist Kygo as well as sharp neo-dis-co New York band The Knocks. “Wecertainly pride ourselves on a certainlevel of discovery,” All Things Go’sWill Suter told Metro Weekly last year.Curated food selections will also beon offer in Dock 5 from popular ven-dors including Maketto, Takorean,the Bespoke Kitchen and Dolcezza.Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at noon,

at Dock 5 at Union Market, 1309 5thSt. NE. Tickets are $60 in advance or$80 day-of. Call 800-680-9095 or visitallthingsgofallclassic.com.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONYORCHESTRABSO’s new Principal Guest ConductorMarkus Stenz brings his opera back-ground to bear on an all-Mozart pro-gram capped off with scenes fromthe anti-hero classic Don Giovanni featuring eight soloists. Thursday,Oct. 1, at 8 p.m. Joseph MeyerhoffSymphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St.,Baltimore. Also Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301

Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.Tickets are $20 to $99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

MEGAN HILTYOver the past decade, actress MeganHilty has played Glinda in Wicked ,Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical and Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but she’s most widely knownas the ambitious Ivy Lynn on Smash,the NBC television series about themaking of a new musical. Hilty makesher debut at the Barns at Wolf Trapperforming theatrical favorites andsongs off her debut pop album, It Happens All The Time. Friday, Oct. 8,

B R I A N N E B L A N D


WE’RE A LITTLE YOUNG FOR A RETROSPECTIVE,” CHRISTOPHER MORGAN

says about the eponymous dance company he founded in 2011. It’s also a littleearly to celebrate the company’s first five years. But who says you have to wait

when things are going this well?“I had a five-year plan with hopes that it would go a certain way,” Morgan says, “and it’s

actually far exceeded what I could have hoped in terms of the amount of growth and theopportunities that we’ve had.”

Morgan moved to D.C. to work at CityDance in 2007, but started his company after

CityDance folded its ensemble and made him its resident choreographer. Four and a half

years later, the company includes a core of six dancers and is now in residence at Rockville’swell-regarded American Dance Institute. That’s where Morgan will present his 5th yearanniversary program next weekend, a mixed-repertory show featuring 10 dancers and includ-

ing important pieces from the company’s first few years — plus a decade-old solo work byMorgan.

It also includes a preview of a new work that Christopher K. Morgan & Artists will pre-

miere next March at Dance Place. Pohaku, Hawaiian for stone, “is the first work that I’vemade that’s really kind of integrating those different sides of my identity,” says Morgan,

who is half-Hawaiian and first learned to dance the hula — though he was born and raisedin California, where as a teenager he first tried ballet and modern dance. “It uses traditional

hula and chanting, some storytelling and modern dance to reflect on my mixed identity andalso tell a little bit about the history of the Hawaiian people.”

Aside from the Pohaku preview, Morgan singles out another short piece as a particular

highlight. Inconstancy, about the wandering — or at least wondering — nature of humanbeings in relationships, is one of those that, no matter how many times he sees it, “still makes

me laugh and still makes me weep.” By the time his company actually turns five next year,Morgan expects it to be a fully fledged nonprofit and one with increasing national and inter-

national exposure.On a personal front, Morgan is considering becoming a Washington-area homeowner with

his husband Kyle Lang, who he met 10 years ago when both were dancers in New York.“We never really thought we’d settle here for as long as we have,” Morgan marvels, “and

now we feel like we’re really growing roots in this community.” —Doug Rule

Christopher K. Morgan & Artists’ 5th Anniversary Concert is Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m.,

Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the American Dance Institute, 1501 East JeffersonSt., Rockville. Tickets are $30. Call 301-984-3003 or visit christopherkmorgan.com.

Early CelebrationChristopher Morgan is presenting a dance retrospective

slightly ahead of time


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woman, coming out and living free-ly. Loosely based on the life story offilmmaker Kimberly Reed, this one-act opera was composed by LauraKaminsky with a libretto by MarkCampbell and features a male baritone(Luis Alejandro) and a female mezzo-soprano (Ashley Cutright), both per-forming as Hannah. Director OctavioCardenas took an abstract approachto the staging, granting the audienceaccess to Hannah’s internalized strug-

gle. Performances are Saturday, Oct.3, at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m.,Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m., and Saturday,Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Ticketsare $28.50 to $33. Call 202-399-7993or visit urbanarias.org.

COMEDY

AL MADRIGAL As part of its Comedy series, theKennedy Center presents a con-cert in recognition of NationalHispanic American Heritage Month by The Daily Show’s Senior Latino

Correspondent, who last appearedin the Concert Hall during the 2014Mark Twain Prize ceremony honoringJay Leno. Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater.Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

JO KOYKnown from his weekly stints on the

RICKY MARTINThe gay Latin heartthrob drops bywhat was formerly known as thePatriot Center on the campus ofGeorge Mason University. Friday, Oct.9, at 8 p.m. EagleBank Arena at GeorgeMason University, 4400 UniversityDrive, Fairfax. Tickets are $40.50 to$126. Call 703-993-3000 or visit eagle- bankarena.com.

SAEED YOUNAN

Want to support an internationallyknown but thoroughly local DJ? Stop by Flash Saturday night, to hear thegreat D.C.-based progressive/techhouse DJ Saeed Younan, who firstcame to attention as the lead half ofhouse duo Saeed & Palash. Saturday,Oct. 3. Doors at 10 p.m. Flash, 645Florida Ave. NW. Cover is $10. Call202-827-8791 or visit flashdc.com.

STEVIE WONDERMarking the final performances in alive setting in the U.S., the legend-ary keyboardist stops by the VerizonCenter as part of his Songs in the Keyin the Key of Life Performance Tour.

Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. VerizonCenter, 601 F St. NW. Tickets are$62.05 to $464.06. Call 202-628-3200or visit verizoncenter.com.

URBANARIAS: AS ONE As One, a new contemporary operapresented by UrbanArias, eschewsopera’s traditional grandiosity to tellthe story of Hannah, a transgender

at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.and 9:30 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap,1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are$45 to $50. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

MELODY GARDOTInternationally heralded singer-songwriter drops by two venues nextweek in support of her sultry, sump-tuous and socially conscious new setCurrency of Man. The album is a per-

fect blend of jazz and R&B, brimmingwith funky bass rhythms, evocative vocals, retro-soul brass arrangements,euphoric gospel singers and esotericorchestrations. Monday, Oct. 5, at 8p.m. Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St. Annapolis. Ticketsare $49.50 to $69.50. Call 410-263-5544 or visit ramsheadonstage.com. Also Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. TheBirchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $69.50. Call703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.

NATIONAL SYMPHONYORCHESTRAClassical guitarist Milos Karadaglic

makes his NSO debut performingRodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez in aprogram of classics from France andSpain conducted by Ludovic Morlot.Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, at8 p.m., at the Kennedy Center ConcertHall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.


former E! show Chelsea Lately, Jo Koyis not gay but he sure is funny. Variety has even named him one of “10 Comicsto Watch.” He’s certainly become pop-ular: His annual run of stand-up showsat the DC Improv generally sells out,and now LiveNation has added himto this fall’s hot lineup of stand-upat the Warner. Friday, Oct. 2, at 8p.m. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW.Tickets are $30. Call 202-783-4000 or visit warnertheatredc.com.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVALComedy writers Joe Pickett and NickPrueher, whose credits include TheColbert Report and The Onion, returnfor another round of this festival, acollection of found videos and livecomedy drawn from garage sales,thrift stores, warehouses and dump-sters around the country — includingcuriously produced industrial train-ing videos and cheesy exercise vid-eos. Among the finds this time around,centered around the theme “Salute to

Weirdos” and drawn from VHS, areDee Gruenig and her Magical RainbowSponge and an angry bagpiper fromDC public access. Beers will be onhand by presenting sponsor BrooklynBrewery. Friday, Oct. 8, at 8:30 p.m.Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11thSt. NW. Tickets are $13 in advance or$15 day-of. Call 202-452-7672 or visitfoundfootagefest.com.l


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Latin Style

Destiny of Desire is a farce that

emphasizes entertainment overmaking a statement

ALatin-flavored farce with the fun of an old-fash-

ioned comedy and the OTT flair of a telenovela,

Karen Zacarias’ Destiny of Desire ( HHHHH ) isfor a crowd that likes it sweet but not saccharine,

cute but not sarcastic, and thoughtful but not irreverent. Putanother way: Zacarias may have a little gentle fun at the expense

of both sides of Hispanic-American culture, but no one is going

to leave the house offended.A tale of changelings, mothers good and bad, star-crossed

lovers, honest peasants, and outraged patriarchs, Destiny runs onplot twists, one-liners, and the creatively concise choreographyof Robert Barry Fleming. It all ends up right-side up, but the

tumbles and near misses are thoroughly fun. Director Jose Luis Valenzuela gets the pleasure in the pacing of such a farce and

does a masterful job of keeping all the puzzle-pieces moving justas they should.

That said, Zacarias does have one or two points to make —

some rueful, some poignant — but they come obliquely, or withhumor, or sugar-coated inside a pretty song. Put another way,

she may be a little political, but she isn’t preachy and she isn’tgoing to let it get in the way of the entertainment. It’s a clever

approach and it works.

by KATE WINGFIELD

stage


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Another interesting angle here is the way the cast of Destiny arrive and assemble before the action starts, much like players in

an old-fashioned theatre troupe. It adds to the play at hand, but

it also speaks to untapped potentials. Those who experiencedthe Clark Street days of Avant Bard will recall the extraordinary

flavor a small but cohesive company can bring to a season. The Destiny actors work so well together, one can’t help but imagine

a whole season of plays (hopefully edgier and more irreverentthan this one) with this ensemble trading roles.

Of course, being a farce, every player has a place and pur-pose here, but there are a few roles that will always make or

break a mood. Playing it appropriately larger-than-life, Gabriela

Fernandez-Coffey nails it with her glamorously selfish step-mother Fabiola Castillo. She is hilarious for her general state of

outrage and outrageous outfits, but she is also memorably fresh.No easy feat considering all the Fabiola-like characters already

in the public imagination.Another standout is Marian Licha, who gives her pious Sister

Sonia, Fabiola’s moral counterpoint, a scene-stealing gravitas

and displays a talent for making her one-liners zing. But Licha isalso nuanced. Her Sonia serves not just as witness to the chaos

of human frailty, but also a deadpan foil for much of its humor.As the well-meaning peasant mother Hortensia del Rio,

Rayanne Gonzales shows an impressive ability to movebetween sincerity, irony and flat-out comedy without bat-

ting an eye. She also reveals an attractive soprano in asweetly-delivered second act song. As her husband Ernesto

del Rio, Carlos Gomez is a memorable presence playing his

honest farmer straight until he takes his own comical turn.Delivering the goods with plenty of verve, Castulo Guerra

is convincing as the patriarch Armando Castillo and Oscar

Ceville plays his soulless Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza with therequisite stiffness, if not quite enough irony.

As the young people at the center of the shenanigans, there

is no shortage of female leg and male torso, which brings a littlepizzazz to the action — but it’s nothing a maiden aunt (or uncle)

can’t handle. Elia Saldana’s Victoria del Rio is the most well-rounded, giving her sweet young woman the right mix of appeal

and determination. She is a good match for Fidel Gomez’ comi-cally lumbering, and nicely delivered, Dr. Diego Mendoza.

As the rich daughter of the casino empire, Pilar Castillo,Esperanza America is a fascinating presence in her tiny shorts

and skirts and she has a keen sense of comic timing, but there is

something a tad one dimensional — especially vocally — in herprivileged woman. It’s not easy to make something of a rather

simply-drawn character but that is the challenge. As the dashingSebastian Jose Castillo, Nicholas Rodriguez certainly looks the

part and exudes the right quotient of charisma along with thetongue-in-cheek, but he is another who does not quite revel in

his character, even as he appears to enjoy himself. Perhaps play-

ing to the audience a tad more might work? Still, when he sings,Rodriguez knows how to bring down a house.

This is also a musical work and Rosino Serrano’s scorepotently accompanies the interludes of song and dance and, best

of all, carrie

metro weekly - 10-01-15 - wanda sykes

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