Metro Weekly - 04-09-15 - Russell T Davies

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EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRandy Shulman

ART DIRECTORTodd Franson

NEWS & BUSINESS EDITORJohn Riley

ASSISTANT EDITORRhuaridh Marr

CONTRIBUTING EDITORDoug Rule

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERSWard Morrison, Julian Vankim

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORScott G. Brooks

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSChristian Gerard, Troy Petenbrink,

Kate Wingfield

WEBMASTERDavid Uy

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHERRandy Shulman

BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETINGChristopher Cunetto

Cunetto Creative

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVERivendell Media Co.

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DISTRIBUTION MANAGERDennis Havrilla

PATRON SAINTS (BRITISH)Vince, Stuart and Nathan

PATRON SAINTS (AMERICAN)Michael, Brian and Justin

COVER ILLUSTRATIONChristopher Cunetto

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

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APRIL 9, 2015Volume 21 / Issue 48

NEWS 8

POT, MEET KETTLE: V IRGINIA, MEET INDIANA

by John Riley

10 THE R ED DIVIDE

by Justin Snow

12 TODD B Y A LANDSLIDE

by John Riley

14 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FEATURES 18 R USSELL T. DAVIESinterview by Randy Shulman

illustration by Christopher Cunetto

22 PUSHING BOUNDARIES

by Rhuaridh Marr

OUT ON THE TOWN 26 ANTHONY WARLOW

by Doug Rule

28 PRUDENCE WRIGHT HOLMES

by Doug Rule

30 PRIESTS

by Doug Rule

STAGE 31 LIGHTS R AISE ON GRACE

by Kate Wingfield

EXHIBITS 33 SILENT WITNESS

by Doug Rule

TECH 35 MICROSOFT AT 40

by Rhuaridh Marr

NIGHTLIFE 37 JR.’S EASTER BONNET CONTEST

photography by Ward Morrison

SCENE 44 FREDDIE’S EASTER BONNET BRUNCH

photography by Ward Morrison

46 LAST WORD


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Pot, Meet Kettle:Virginia, Meet Indiana

Activists puzzled by attempt to portray Virginia as somehow more progressiveon LGBT rights than Indiana

McAuliffe

by John Riley

MAYBE TERRY MCAULIFFE

thought he was being clever.Maybe the governor of

the Old Dominion just sawan opportunity to serve as cheerleader

and economic salesman for his state, a

role he has embraced since taking officelast year. Perhaps he even relished the

opportunity to take a jab at fellow gov-

K A T E W E L L I N G T O N

ernor Mike Pence (R-Ind.), a former U.S.

House member and conservative iconpopular among the far right, whose name

has previously been floated as a potential

future president or vice president.Whatever the reason, amid the furor

directed at the state of Indiana — fol-lowing the approval of a law that would

allow private businesses to discriminateagainst LGBT people — McAuliffe (D)

crafted an open letter to Indiana busi-nesses sour about the law, urging them

to cut ties with the Hoosier State and

relocate to Virginia.

The letter, which was published inThe Indianapolis Star, urged businesses

to consider the commonwealth’s busi-ness-friendly, low-tax environment, its

natural resources and, most puzzlingly,the state of LGBT rights in Virginia.

McAuliffe’s pitch came amid a strong

backlash from the business community,which has largely embraced LGBT rights

to better enhance their bottom lines,

L G B TNews Now online at MetroWeekly.com15 Essential Albums of 2015 (so far)“Cock” wins the big one at the Helen Hayes


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LGBTNews

10

Requests seeking comment from the

governor’s office in response to Cobb’sassertions went unanswered.

Cobb’s comments, published in the Post without any significant pushback

from allies as to why nondiscriminationprotections are necessary, prompted

an exasperated response from Equality

Virginia, the state’s top LGBT rights

organization, which sought to respond tothe Family Foundation while also care-fully trying not to alienate McAuliffe,

who has been a strong ally.“Equality Virginia appreciates the

enthusiasm and support that GovernorMcAuliffe has shown the LGBT commu-

nity, and in making the commonwealth

a more inclusive place to live,” Equality Virginia Executive Director James

Parrish said. “We believe, and expectthat he would agree, as Executive Order

1 showed, that it is important to protect

LGBT people from discrimination in theworkplace and beyond.”

But Delegate Marcus Simon (D-FallsChurch, Pimmit Hills, Merrifield) offered

the most assertive pushback against thosewho would oppose LGBT protections. In

an interview with Metro Weekly, Simon,who was the chief patron of several mea-

sures dealing with employment protec-tions for LGBT people, fair housing and

amending the commonwealth’s laws to

reflect the on-the-ground reality of same-sex marriages in the state, said it is time

to take a harder look at those issues.“Can we claim to be a state that’s

against Indiana’s Religious Freedom

Restoration Act (RFRA) law.Although Hoosier lawmakers even-

tually passed a “fix” to the RFRA lawthat has seemed to placate the major-

ity of businesses and convince them that

the law will not allow discrimination orthe denial of services to LGBT people,

McAuliffe’s pitch still appeared to ringhollow to many closer to home. As soon

as the governor made his statements, thereality of the commonwealth’s laws came

into conflict with the governor’s rhetoric

touting Virginia as gay-friendly.For one thing, while McAuliffe’s first

executive order prohibited LGBT dis-crimination in state employment, mirror-

ing executive orders passed by previousgovernors Mark Warner (D) and Tim

Kaine (D), that order only remains ineffect as long as McAuliffe stays in office.

“It’s nice to have a friendly person

in government, but there’s a reason weput things in statute,” said Richard J.

Rosendall, president of the D.C.-based Gayand Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA)

when asked about McAuliffe’s comments.“[But] those protections go away when

McAuliffe does.... Public policy should not

just be based on a personality.”Moreover, there is no prohibition

from discriminating against someonebased on their sexual orientation or gen-

der identity in other forms of public orprivate employment, housing, credit or

public accommodations. Some legislativeallies have introduced bills dealing with

those issues, but only a handful have

ever passed the state senate and nonehave managed to make it out of subcom-

mittee in the House of Delegates, whichRepublicans control by a 67-32-1 margin.

Sensing a weakness that McAuliffehimself had exposed, Victoria Cobb, the

president of the Family Foundation of

Virginia, a socially conservative policyand lobbying organization with sig-

nificant clout in the General Assembly,pounced. Using McAuliffe’s pitch to

technology and other companies uncom-fortable with the Indiana law, Cobb

defended her organization’s oppositionto bills that expand LGBT rights.

“It’s good to see that the Governor

has conceded that Virginia does notneed to elevate sexual behavior to a

protected class in order to be an inclu-sive state, but it’s unfortunate that he

has joined the parade of those who aredistorting the true effect of Religious

Freedom Restoration Acts,” Cobb toldThe Washington Post in an email.

welcoming with a straight face, without

backing it up in our laws?” Simon ques-tioned.

Virginia had its own run-in withRFRA-style laws earlier in the year

when Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas,Manassas Park, Sudley, Bull Run) intro-

duced two measures that would allow

licensed businesses and state contrac-

tors to discriminate against LGBT peopleunder the guise of religious freedom.

“The challenge is in our messaging,”

Simon said of those who support theLGBT community in the commonwealth.

“It is a liberty issue, but not religious

liberty. It’s about the freedom to be whoyou are, and not be denied the liberty to

shop where you want, or be employed, oraccess housing.”

Simon also said that LGBT support-ers need to stop “talking like lawyers”

and start highlighting real people and

real-life examples of how any form ofdiscrimination infringes on the liberty of

fellow Virginians. He also said that moreof his fellow lawmakers need to be less

concerned about their political “brand-ing” or the idea that they might offend

people or be tagged as a “left-wing radi-cal” just for opposing discrimination and

supporting LGBT protections.

“The people who support theseRFRA laws really don’t want religious

liberty,” Simon said. “They want theright to be bigots. It’s a smokescreen.

And the more we call them out on it, thebetter off we’ll be.” l

APRIL 9, 2015 METROWEEKLY.COM

The Red Divide Religious freedom bills pit social conservatives

against corporate America

by Justin Snow

THE CONTROVERSY SUR-

rounding religious freedommeasures in Indiana and

Arkansas ebbed last week withthe signing of bills limiting the scope

of the two laws, but not before pulling

Republicans into a cultural battle manyseemed reluctant to fight and outraging

social conservatives.Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) signed a

“fix” on April 2 amending his state’s reli-gious freedom law explicitly stating busi-

nesses cannot discriminate on the basis ofsexual orientation or gender identity in the

11 jurisdictions that have existing LGBTnondiscrimination laws, according to The

Indianapolis Star. The fix does not extend

nondiscrimination protections to LGBTHoosiers in the rest of the state, as advo-

cates had pushed for. In Arkansas, Gov.Asa Hutchinson (R) signed an amended

religious freedom bill the same day that isless broad and mirrors the federal Religious

Freedom Restoration Act signed into law

by President Bill Clinton in 1993.The amended religious freedom mea-

sures in the two red states come after a


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12

And this isn’t the first time corporate

America has flexed its muscles in the faceof anti-LGBT measures. A year ago when

lawmakers in Arizona approved anti-LGBT legislation that would have effec-

tively made it legal for businesses to turnaway customers due to their religious

beliefs, corporate American unleashed

an unprecedented wave of opposition.

American Airlines, AT&T, Apple, DeltaAirlines, Intel, Marriott, PetSmart,Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Southwest

Airlines, Verizon and Yelp were just afew who said the bill would be bad for

business. CEOs of the Arizona Chamber

of Commerce and Industry, the GreaterPhoenix Chamber of Commerce, Greater

Phoenix Leadership and the SouthernArizona Leadership Council also voiced

their opposition, and the NFL indicatedit could move the 2015 Super Bowl out of

the state if the bill were signed. Arizona’s

Republican governor, Jan Brewer, ulti-mately vetoed the legislation.

But with the U.S. Supreme Court setto rule on nationwide marriage equal-

ity later this year, social conservativesseem to know they’ve lost the battle on

marriage, making the concessions on theIndiana and Arkansas measures particu-

larly maddening to social conservatives.

“The Fortune 500 is running shame-lessly to endorse the radical gay mar-

riage agenda over religious liberty, to say,‘We will persecute a Christian pastor,

a Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi.’ Anyperson of faith is subject to persecution

if they dare disagree, if their religious

week of national outcry, especially from

corporate America. Pressure from bigbusiness dominated the headlines as

some of the nation’s most well-knownCEOs voiced concerns that the two states

were adopting discriminatory policies

that would be bad for business. “There’ssomething very dangerous happen-

ing in states across the country,” outApple CEO Tim Cook wrote of religious

freedom bills in The Washington Post.Walmart CEO Doug McMillon called on

Hutchinson to veto the original Arkansas

bill, stating it threatened to “underminethe spirit of inclusion present throughout

the state of Arkansas.” And more than70 tech industry leaders signed a joint

statement calling on “all legislatures toadd sexual orientation and gender identi-

ty as protected classes to their civil rightslaws and to explicitly forbid discrimina-

tion or denial of services to anyone.”

While LGBT-rights advocates voicedtepid praise of the two laws, they were

still critical, stating that they fall short ofthe statewide LGBT nondiscrimination

protections both states need. Social con-servatives, on the other hand, were livid.

“Indiana’s elected leaders traded

religious freedom for the silver of BigBusiness. In doing so, they endorse gov-

ernment discrimination against peoplewho simply follow their beliefs about

marriage,” said Tony Perkins, presidentof the Family Research Council, in a

statement. “Unfortunately, Indiana lead-ers yielded to the cultural bullies and

the enticements of Big Business and the

result is they have sacrificed the essen-tial rights of their citizens.” According

to Perkins, religious freedom has been“held hostage by Big Business.”

The outrage from social conservativessheds light on an emerging theme that

could take hold among what is expected

to be a crowded Republican field for presi-dent. Big business and corporate America,

once thought of as stalwart backers of theGOP, see little benefit to discrimination

against LGBT people. Indeed, increas-ingly it is bad for businesses.

According to the Human RightsCampaign Foundation’s 2015 Corporate

Equality Index, 89 percent of Fortune

500 companies prohibit discriminationon the basis of sexual orientation and 66

percent prohibit discrimination on thebasis of gender identity. In 2002, 61 per-

cent of Fortune 500 companies had a sex-ual orientation nondiscrimination policy

and only 3 percent protected transgender

workers from discrimination.

faith parts way from their political com-

mitment to gay marriage,” said TexasSen. Ted Cruz, the only Republican to

officially declare his candidacy for presi-

dent so far. “The Fortune 500 has casttheir lot in with that, but sadly, a whole

lot of Republican politicians are terrifiedof this issue.”

While Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder,

a Republican, said if a standalone reli-gious freedom bill came to his desk hewould veto it and a proposed religious

freedom bill in Georgia died in the face of

national backlash, the debate is certainlyfar from over. And Cruz is offering just

the kind of red meat disheartened socialconservatives are looking for. “We have

watched a sad spectacle this week as oneRepublican elected leader after another

retreated on the rights of people of faith

to have space to express their religiousbeliefs and defend their conscience,” said

Tim Head, executive director of Faith& Freedom Coalition, in a statement.

“When criticized on the simple issueof the First Amendment right to exer-

cise one’s religion, they folded like acheap suit. It is time for Republicans to

grow a backbone when it comes to reli-

gious freedom and stand tall for religiousexpression, one of the most cherished

rights under our Constitution.”Added Head, “If the GOP can’t show

more spine on defending religious folk,then they should not count on a large

turnout of evangelicals in 2016. Given thedemographics of the electorate, that is arecipe for certain defeat.” l


Todd by a Landslide

Bowser protegee wins backing of LGBT Democratic group ahead of special election

by John Riley

MONDAY NIGHT’S GER-trude Stein Democratic

Club endorsement forum

wasn’t a competition. Itwas a coronation.

Brandon Todd, a Democrat who

previously served as Mayor MurielBowser’s (D) constituent services direc-

tor for her Ward 4 office and as financedirector for her mayoral campaign, won

the LGBT Democratic club’s endorse-ment for the April 28 special election

to replace Bowser on the D.C. Council.

Todd trounced his fellow competitors,five of whom were allowed to participate


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13

a labor lawyer and former opponent ofMuriel Bowser during her first two cam-

paigns for the Ward 4 seat, earned 3votes, or 8.1 percent, with Powell and

Leon Andrews each earning one vote.The remaining ballot was considered

“spoiled” and was not added to any can-

didate’s tally.Following his victory, Todd said he

was excited and enthusiastic about win-ning the endorsement, playing up his

campaign theme of being able to workcollaboratively with not only his fel-

low councilmembers, but the mayor, to

whom he has close ties. Still, he alsovowed that he would be an independent

voice for Ward 4.“I’ve had an opportunity to work

for Mayor Bowser for seven-and-a-halfyears, but I’m always going to go down

to city hall and make the best decisionfor the most people possible,” Todd

said. “The first people I will be respon-sible to will be the residents of Ward 4.They’re sending me down to city hall

to work on a very ambitious agenda:education, economic growth, senior

citizens, good constituent services, and,certainly, equality across our ward and

across the District.” l

made good points during the course ofthe forum, it was clear from the start

that the room was ridiculously slant-ed in favor of Todd, as nearly three-

quarters of the room had donned thetrademark green campaign stickers that

Todd’s field team has been distributingat similar events. The audience was

filled with a veritable “who’s who” of

government officials, including at leastsix prominent LGBT employees of the

Bowser administration, all in an unoffi-cial capacity, and Bowser’s own brother,

Marvin, who is openly gay.The overwhelming sentiment in favor

of Todd was so obvious that Powell,

a member of the D.C. Commission onHuman Rights, and one of two candi-

dates, the other being Toliver, who out-scored Todd on the Gay and Lesbian

Activists Alliance (GLAA) questionnaire,even acknowledged the “green elephant

in the room,” even as he pleaded withStein members to pick the person best

qualified for the job.

In the end, Todd was victorious ina landslide, earning 31 of 37 votes, or

83.8 percent, well above the 60 percentthreshold required to obtain an official

endorsement from Stein. Renee Bowser,

in the forum. Five others declined toreturn Stein’s questionnaire or attend

the forum, and another, Dwayne Toliver,arrived late but was not allowed to par-

ticipate, even though the club had notyet nominated any of the candidates, as

it was supposed to, in accordance withits bylaws. This was later resolved after

the forum when Christopher Dyer nomi-

nated all six en masse, which the clubmembers approved by voice vote.

Additionally, Todd and three oth-ers did not follow instructions regard-

ing the return of Stein questionnaires,which moderators resolved by giving

Edwin Powell and Acqunetta Anderson,

the two who had been in compliance, anadditional minute in their introductory

statements.The forum covered several issues

raised at prior endorsement forums,most recently at Stein’s forum for the

Ward 8 special election endorsement.Candidates talked about economic

development, their outreach to and

familiarity with the needs of the city’stransgender community, bullying of

LGBT students in schools, and the needfor affordable housing.

While nearly all of the candidates

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 9, 2015


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PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming socialgroup for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia RoadNW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL’S REC NIGHT provides a social atmo-sphere for GLBT and questioning youth, featuringdance parties, vogue nights, movies and games.More info, [email protected].

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 p.m., byappointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, [email protected].

SATURDAY, APRIL 11ADVENTURING outdoors group saunters an easy5.5 miles in Rockville, Md. around Croydon CreekNature Center. Bring beverages, a snack, appropri-ate footwear, and $2 trip fee. Meet at 1 p.m. by thestation manager’s kiosk inside the Rockville MetroStation. David, 240-938-0375. adventuring.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group tours theNational Building Museum downtown at 401 F

Street NW. Admission $8 for adults, $5 for seniors.Lunch in Museum café follows. Meet at noon bythe Admissions Desk. David, 202-436-4198. [email protected].

The DC Center offers confidential FREE HIVTESTING. Know your status. Open to all. 4-7 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

The DC Center holds a VOLUNTEERORIENTATION for all interested persons. 12-3 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of theLGBT community, holds Saturday morning Shabbatservices, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon.Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St.NW. betmish.org.

BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others inter-ested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time,email [email protected].

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session atHains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/socialclub welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun andsupportive environment, socializing afterward.Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a walk; or10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball team meets at TurkeyThicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE,2-4 p.m. For players of all levels, gay or straight.teamdcbasketball.org.

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for LGBT community,family and friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. Allwelcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses critical languag-es and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellie’s, 900 U St.

NW. RVSP preferred. [email protected].

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

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for youngLBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership devel-opment. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7thSt. SE. 202-567-3163, [email protected].

FRIDAY, APRIL 10GAY MARRIED MEN’S ASSOCIATION (GAMMA)is a confidential support group for men who aregay, bisexual, questioning and who are marriedor involved with a woman, that meets regularly inDupont Circle and monthly in Northern Virginiaand Hagerstown, Md. 7:30-9:30 p.m. For moreinformation, visit gammaindc.org.

NEW LGB GROUP IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY,meets every Friday. This psychotherapy groupoffers a safe place to connect and explore issuesof identity. 10-11:30 a.m. 6220 S. Frederick Rd.Gaithersburg, Md. For more information, visit

thedccenter.org.

WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES, a social activityand discussion group for LBT women, meets at TheDC Center on the second and fourth Fridays of themonth. Social event to follow the meeting. 8-9:30p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-mation, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offersfree HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (byappointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatranscul-turalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice sessionat Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated discussion forGBTQ men, 18-35, first and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m.The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. 202-682-2245, gaydistrict.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At theElizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appoint-ment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIVtesting. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,

Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9BROTHER, HELP THYSELF holds a town hallmeeting to receive feedback from the communityabout their needs ahead of next year’s grant cycle.Event is free and open to the public. 7-9 p.m. TheDC Center, 2000 14th St. NW. For more informa-tion, visit brotherhelpthyself.net.

BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer orga-nization, volunteers today for Food & Friends. Toparticipate, burgundycrescent.org.

The LATINO GLBT HISTORY PROJECT presentsits annual “Mujeres en el Movimiento” awards cer-emony, honoring female community leaders as partof Women’s History Month. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jin, 201714th St. NW. To RSVP or for more information, visitlatinoglbthistory.org/women.

MCLEAN HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE COMPANY stages a production of The Laramie Project, April9-11 at 7 p.m. and April 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets $15.Laramie Legacy Festival preceding the show, with booths and displays on LGBTQ rights, HIV/AIDSawareness and anti-bullying. Additional screeningon Saturday, April 11 of documentary Matt Shepardis a Friend of Mine at 6pm. McLean High School,1633 Davidson Rd., McLean, Va. For more informa-tion, contact Amy Poe, [email protected].

QUEER FICTION CLASS, a four-week workshopfor aspiring fiction writers led by Sinta Jiminez,meets at The Writer’s Center. 6-8 p.m. 4508 WalshSt., Bethesda, Md. For more information, visitwriter.org.

SPORTSFEST 2015, the annual sports recruitmentevent for Team DC, returns, with representativesfrom 35 clubs in attendance. Those interested inplaying organized sports should attend. Admissionis free. 6-8:30 p.m. Room & Board, 1840 14th St.

NW. For more information, visit teamdc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features mainstream throughadvanced square dancing at the National CityChristian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia socialgroup meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

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.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 12BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organiza-tion, volunteers today for DC Central Kitchen. Toparticipate, burgundycrescent.org.

CAPS SOFTBALL holds a skills clinic and evalu-ation event for new players to be rated and deter-mine in which divisions they can play. New CAPS

players eligible for special registration rate of $50.Event is free and open to the public. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.L.P. Cosca Regional PArk, 11000 Thrift Rd., Clinton,Md. For more information, email [email protected].

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group tours highlightsof Abraham Lincoln’s March-April 1865 visit toCity Point and Petersburg, Va., south of Richmond.Non-members welcome. Bring beverages, a picniclunch, about $20 for fees, and money for dinner onthe way home. Meet at 8:30 a.m. by the station man-ager’s kiosk inside the King Street Metro Station in Alexandria to form carpools. Craig, [email protected].

WEEKLY EVENTS

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

BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive and radicallyinclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session atHains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., SW. 9:30-11 a.m. Visitswimdcac.org.

DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic Mass for theLGBT community. 6 p.m., St. Margaret’s Church,

1820 Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome. Sign inter-preted. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.

FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON meets forworship, 10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW, QuakerHouse Living Room (next to Meeting House onDecatur Place), 2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbi-ans and gays. Handicapped accessible from PhelpsPlace gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.

INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT,God-centered new age church & learning center.Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 SherierPlace NW. isd-dc.org.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF REFORMATION invites allto Sunday worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare is avail-

able at both services. Welcoming LGBT people for 25 years. 212 East Capitol St. NE. reformationdc.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OFWASHINGTON, D.C. services at 9 a.m. (ASL inter-preted) and 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday School at 11a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW. 202-638-7373, mccdc.com.

NEW HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT GROUP forgay men living in the DC metro area. This groupwill be meeting once a month. For information onlocation and time, email to [email protected].

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

UNITARIAN CHURCH OF ARLINGTON, anLGBTQ welcoming-and-affirming congregation,offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia Rainbow UUMinistry. 4444 Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 13Join the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN for areception honoring Jim Obergfell, recently nameda plaintiff in the marriage equality case pending before the Supreme Court. 6-8 p.m. 1640 RhodeIsland Ave. NW. For more information or to RSVP,email [email protected].

Registration for the CAPITAL TENNISASSOCIATION’s summer leagues opens April 13.Summer leagues run from May to August at severaldifferent locations and times. Registration fillsquickly, so don’t delay. For more information, visitcapital-tennis.org.

15

LGBTCommunityCalendar

METROWEEKLY.COM APRIL 9, 2015


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The DC Center hosts a meeting of its TRANSGENDER ADVISORYCOMMITTEE. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

The YOUTH WORKING GROUP of The DC Center holds its monthly meeting.6-7:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccen-ter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison Elementary,1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

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

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

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.

The DC Center hosts COFFEE DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBTCOMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

US HELPING US hosts a black gay men’s evening affinity group. 3636 Georgia

Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water Polo Team practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at least basic swim-ming ability always welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, [email protected],wetskins.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14The COMING OUT DISCUSSION GROUP meets at The DC Center. 7-8:30 p.m.2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

DC BI WOMEN, a group of The DC Center, meets in the upstairs room ofDupont Italian Kitchen. 7-9 p.m. 1637 17th St. NW. For more information, visitthedccenter.org.

DRINKING LIBERALLY, a national network of social get-togethers for progres-sives, is re-establishing its Washington, D.C. chapter with a kick-off at IrishWhiskey. Future gatherings to occur the second Tuesday of each month. Noentry fee or dress code. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 1207 19th St. NW. To RSVP, visit face- book.com/DrinkingLiberallyDC.

GAY & LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ALLIANCE meets at 7 p.m. in private home inDupont Circle to discuss strategies to avert Congressional interference with D.C.’srecently-enacted pro-LGBT laws. All welcome. 202-667-5139. www.glaa.org.

The DC Center’s LATINO LGBT TASK FORCE holds its montly meeting. 3-5p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30 [email protected], afwashington.net.

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

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social club serving greater D.C.’sLGBT community and allies hosts an evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.

THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE DC CENTER hosts “Packing Party,”where volunteers assemble safe-sex kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m., GreenLantern, 1335 Green Court NW. thedccenter.org.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS—LGBT focused meeting every Tuesday, 7 p.m.St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from Virginia Square Metro. For more info. call Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicappedaccessible. Newcomers welcome. [email protected].



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SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL, 410 7thSt. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, [email protected].

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

Whitman-Walker Health’s GAY MEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS/STDCLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701 14th St. NW. Patients are seen on walk-in basis.No-cost screening for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis andherpes testing available for fee. whitman-walker.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15BOOKMEN DC, an informal men’s gay-literature group, discusses selectedessays from “Love, Christopher Street: Reflections of New York City,” edited byThomas Keith. 7:30 p.m. The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. All arewelcome. bookmendc.blogspot.com.

CLAY, PRIDE & BOOZE, sponsored by Center Military and the 296 Project,invites LGBT veterans, military servicemembers and their families a chance tosocialize and work with ceramics. Ages 21 and up. 7 p.m. 2100 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va. For more information, visit the296project.org. To register for theevent, contact Eric Perez, [email protected] or 202-682-2245.

OUTWRITE 2015 holds its monthly meeting as part of the run-up to this year’sLGBT book festival from July 30-Aug. 1. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

THE TOM DAVOREN SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB meets for Social Bridge. 7:30p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St. SE, across from the Marine Barracks. No reser- vation and partner needed. 301-345-1571 for more information.

WOMAN TO WOMAN: A SUPPORT GROUP FOR HIV-POSITIVE WOMENWHO LOVE WOMEN, meets on the third Wednesday of the month. Lightrefreshments will be served. 5:30-7 p.m. The Women’s Collective, 1331 RhodeIsland Ave. NE. For more information, contact June Pollydore, 202-483-7003.

WEEKLY EVENTS

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

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m.,and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatranscultural-health.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison Elementary,1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club for mature gay men, hosts weekly happyhour/dinner. 6:30 p.m., Windows Bar above Dupont Italian Kitchen, 1637 17thSt. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316. l


OralFixation

you can listen to any stoy at

MetroWeekly.com just look for the“speak” button


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R “People open up to me and tell me their stories,”says the British television writer and producer.“Everyone is always walking around talking abouttheir stories, desperate to be heard. Most of the time we shutthem up. If I have a gift, it’s in not shutting people up.”

Good thing, too. Without his “gift,” the shows he creates —particularly the stunning, revolutionary British series Queer as

Folk and his latest entry to the queer cultural canon, Cucumber

and its companion, Banana — likely wouldn’t exist. A shrewd,clever storyteller, Davies knows precisely how to concoct an

alternate universe. And he knows that for those alternate uni-verses to hold our attention, they have to straddle both fantasy

and reality, containing enough veracity to allow us to recognizeversions of ourselves — sometimes uncomfortably — in the char-

acters he brings to life. And it all comes from years of listening to

gay men tell him their stories.In Britain, Davies is a household name, and has had a long,

storied career (see “Pushing Boundaries,” page xx). Here, inAmerica, he’s known mostly to Doctor Who fans. Despite his

legacy connection to Queer as Folk, he’s about to get a lot betterknown with the arrival of Cucumber and Banana, premiering

Monday, April 13, at 10 p.m. on Logo.The dramas work in tandem with one another in a narrative-

ly bold manner. The hour-long Cucumber is the story of Henry

(Vincent Franklin) a middle-aged, mild-mannered gay manwhose life is upended when a disastrous attempt at a three-way

drives a relationship-ending wedge between him and his part-ner of nine years, Lance (Cyril Nri). Other issues quickly arise.

Henry becomes obsessed with Freddie (Freddie Fox) a sexuallycharged, defiantly confident 24-year-old with whom he shares a

flat. And Henry’s big, secret shame is that he’s a gay man who is

“still a virgin.” He’s never had anal sex, from either position, andhas made avoiding even the prospect of penetration a veritable

art form. It’s a vital thread that runs through the 8-part series,propelling it forward.

Cucumber is compelling, magnificent television, yet it stillcleaves to narrative conventions (until episode 6, that is, when

Davies pulls out the stops in a stunning about-face of tone andstyle). The half-hour Banana, however, is downright brilliant

and groundbreaking in the way it takes characters merely

glimpsed in the main series and wraps entire, stand-alone storiesaround them — stories that have density, complexity and cover

everything from being unceremoniously dumped by last night’strick to being humiliated by a bitter ex on social media. It’s like

watching eight short films that have an underlying connectionand yet stand entirely on their own. Taken as a whole, Cucumber

and Banana comprise some of the best queer television we’ve

seen since... well, the original Queer as Folk.

METRO WEEKLY: Let’s begin with your early years.

RUSSELL T. DAVIES: I was born in Swansea, which is in South

Wales, many years ago — despite looking 21, as I still do. I went

to Oxford University, and from there started working in televi-

sion. I had my first job in television when I was 21 years old. AndI’ve never looked back since.MW: When did you first realize you were gay?

DAVIES: From about the age of 11. I always knew — there was noth-ing else in my head. There was no other option available. There

was no doubt, no confusion. It was always about the fellows.My family were absolutely fine with it — I came out in my

20s, completely normally. No one shouted. No one cried. I was

very, very lucky in that sense. And there was no one crushingthing that made me come out. There was no man, no crisis, no

discovery. It’s just growing up and slowly, eventually realizingthat it’s time. And knowing also that it was quite safe to do so, as

well. I would urge anyone to come out, but you’ve still got test it

out and make sure you’re going to be safe.MW: The first I became aware of you was with the British version of

Queer as Folk , which they showed in full at Reel Affirmations, our gay and lesbian film festival. I remember watching it in one sitting.

With regard to gay characters, I’d never seen anything like it. Itwas just ungodly good. Clearly it was pivotal for you.

DAVIES: It was, yes, very much. It was made for a channel herecalled Channel 4, which is designed to broadcast things like that.

It’s meant to be bold and radical and cutting edge. Up until that,I’d had a very successful career, but one of fitting into other peo-

ple’s strictures, other people’s shows, other people’s patterns.

That was really the first time I was allowed out on my own. Itreally was a chance for me to let rip. The channel wanted me to

write things like that, to be honest about life, to say the things I’d

always wanted to say. So it was a great opportunity. Frankly, thedoors that opened for me with Queer as Folk have stayed openever since. So I’m enormously grateful to it.

MW: We hadn’t seen that gay interpersonal relationships on televi-

sion up to that point, certainly not in that kind of detail or specific-ity. Were you pulling from personal experience?

DAVIES: It’s partly pulling from personal experience and theimagination. People think I’ve lived through everything I’ve ever

written, but there’s a very fine saying that goes, “A moment’simagination is worth a lifetime’s experience.”

But part of it came from anger at what we were having towatch. In Britain, we have such a thing as evening soap opera.

I know you have soap operas in the states, but they’re very,

Queer as RussellWith Cucumber and Banana, the man who gave us Queer as Folk and rebooted

Doctor Who explores the nature of love, loss, obsession and gay sex

Inteview by Randy ShulmanIllustation by Christopher Cunetto

USSELL T. DAVIES HEARS US. HE GENUINELY LISTENS.


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20/48


very different things to British soap operas. Ours go out in theevening, in prime time, and they’re the highest-rated shows on

television, apart from Doctor Who, of course. They’re not about

evil twins and kidnaps. British soaps are about working class,birth, marriage, death, romance, heartbreak, sadness, happiness

— everyday life in all its glory.So the soaps had started a good 15 years before Queer as Folk

putting gay characters on screen. They were the outliers, theywere the forerunners. They made mistakes, and they also did

very brilliant things. But they were having to fit into the overalltelevision network shape of things. And so, it was quite shocking

and controversial. Just a male character standing up at a pub

saying “I’m gay” caused headlines. They did that on a big BBCsoap opera and there were headlines the next day saying that the

BBC should be taken off the air. That was the mid-80s.By 1999, I was like, “I’ve had 15 years of that. Enough!”

Because while I do appreciate the early work that was done, Ididn’t think we had gay men or women in any complexity. There

was no darkness to be found. There was no passion. There was

no sexuality. There was no side to these people. They didn’tgenerate any sort of interest. I was angered by the stuff that was

failing to be done. And that was a great fuel when I wrote Queeras Folk. I wanted to correct a lot of the rubbish.

MW: Doctor Who is such a treasured show in your country. Was ita weight on you to take it on for a reboot?

DAVIES: I suppose it was a big weight. If it had failed, I wouldhave destroyed one of the things I truly loved in my life — and

I’m literally a fan since childhood. I can remember episodes

from when I was three years old. It’s one of my very earliestmemories. So I loved it. And although I was worried if I had got

it wrong, I would have damaged its chances of surviving in the21st century, I kind of knew how to do it. I was the greatest focus

group in history because I’d had 40 years of watching it. I knewexactly what to do with it. And I knew exactly how to make it

work. Obviously it could have gone wrong, but I was actually

quite confident about how good it could be, because it was all

that good in my head, to be honest.It’s hard to describe Doctor Who to people outside Britain. It’struly a cultural monolith. By the time we got the show working

properly, right about 2008, we were getting viewing figures thatyou would find at the Super Bowl. You won’t find an American

drama getting equivalent ratings of what we were getting for Doctor Who. It’s truly, truly monolithic in this culture. It has

vast impact. I don’t think you can bump into anyone in the street

of any age, any background in Great Britain who does not knowwhat Doctor Who is. It’s literally soaked into Britain.

And here we are. It’s just celebrated last weekend with itstenth anniversary — ten years, still number one in the ratings.

And it’s a science fiction show with lasers and monsters andspaceships and chases and jokes. For that to be number one

for so long is a miracle. So hooray. We live in a Doctor Who

world now.MW: Do you have a favorite doctor?

DAVIES: [ Laughs. ] I can’t answer that question, it’s not fair. I’veworked with these men, I couldn’t possibly single one of them

out. When I was young, it was Tom Baker who was Doctor Whoin the late ’70s and early ’80s. As a childhood favorite, there’s that.

MW: With the spinoff, Torchwood , you brought gay content to the fore. You represented us by including us. Which seems to be your

modus operandi — find a way to include us in all stories.

DAVIES: People give me a lot of credit for doing that — and theythank me for doing that — but to be honest, it’s kind of automatic.

No one would ever question a straight person putting straight

people into their shows. I’m gay. If you’re hiring me, that’s whatyou’re gonna get. It’s literally that automatic. I have yet to meet

an executive who would dare to ask me to remove a gay charac-

ter from a script. And honestly, I’m not even sure that executiveexists. If they do, they’re not working with me, they wouldn’t

want to work with me, they wouldn’t even approach my agent inthe first place, because that’s what you’re going to get with me.

I am very happy within my own world and feel I can push at theedges a bit. Certainly, in Britain anyway, these mysterious homo-

phobic executive producers tend not to exist. Of course theydon’t. They work in television, for god’s sake. They’re not priests.

MW: So you’ve never had an encounter where an executive has said,

“That may be too far, tone that down.”

DAVIES: No. Absolutely never. And that’s also because I work

very responsibly. I don’t put things in scripts that are just thereto shock. I absolutely, genuinely work hard and diligently.

And everything is up for debate. Other people pay you, they’regoing to ask me why stuff is in there, and I will genuinely have

a defense. My response is never to say that a scene is there to

shock or to be provocative or just to be silly. I’ve always, always,always got 27 reasons for whatever I’ve written. People like that.

That’s why they give me the money. I’m a hard worker and dili-gent worker and an imaginative worker. I earned my place there,

I think. I sleep at night.MW: Let’s talk about the new series. My approach was to watch one

episode of Cucumber and then Banana. Is that how you intendedthem to be viewed?

DAVIES: It’s designed so you can watch them anyway you want

to. It would be a bit odd to watch Cucumber in the wrong order,because that’s one long story. But it’s designed not to be compli-

cated because people’s lives are busy. Life is hectic. There’s noreason why television should complicate it even further.

It’s really simple. Cucumber is a strong, central mothershipof a show that’s about the life of Henry. The Banana episodes

— you can, if you want, watch them in any order you like. You

can just watch only a couple of Bananas if you want. I think

each Banana can be hived off into separate little indie films andsent around the world to film festivals. You could just watchthem completely isolated. If you do watch them in tandem withCucumber, you get a slightly richer experience, but it’s veryimportant to say that you don’t lose track of the plots and things

won’t not make sense if you don’t watch Banana in order. It’sbeen very carefully designed so you can just focus on one, you

can just focus on the other, you can focus on both, but you’ll

always follow what’s going on.MW: The first Banana enhanced the Cucumber storyline directly,

more so than the others, because it illuminated a principal charac-ter’s story in a way that deepened our understanding of him. That

said, you didn’t need to create a show beyond Cucumber. Whybring Banana into it at all?

DAVIES: Well, the heart of the series, in terms of Cucumber

being the mothership, is the life of a middle-aged man. And Iwas always very aware that for Cucumber to be written well,Cucumber would have to be very focused. It could never involvelesbian stories, or trans stories — these characters could pass

through Henry’s life, but the series isn’t about them. Thatwas something people complained about with Queer as Folk.

Lesbians were quite marvelously vociferous about saying thatthey weren’t represented on screen. My reaction to that is it’s not

about representation, it’s about a good drama.

Nonetheless, sixteen years later, I was very aware that hereI come again with another show that was going to be very, very

male-based — and could only be male-based. The series would


21/48


weaken if I tried to widen its focus. So in this world of digitalplatforms and multi-channel viewing experiences, I thought

there was room to do a spinoff that would get other voices

involved. And not in terms of characters, but also in terms ofwriting staff.

I wrote all of Cucumber, but I only wrote three episodes of Banana. There’s an entirely gay writing staff on Banana with

some very strong women’s voices in there, writing stories aboutyoung lesbians, about trans characters, about young gay men

who are not covered in Cucumber. The point is to get more of thegay experience on screen, to get more than just the monolithic

male culture.

I do think that things are still weighted culturally within gayfiction towards the men. And so Banana balances that out. It’s a

chance for different voices, different lives, different experiences,different ethnic representations, different sexual representa-

tions, different jokes, different dramas. There’s a lovely range ofstories across Banana. So put that spinning around Cucumber,

which is a very, very strong male experience and I think it’s quite

a nice snapshot of 2015.MW: I found the second Banana to be especially touching.

DAVIES: That director had only ever directed two episodes ofbroadcast television before. The last two episodes of Banana

were directed by a man who never had anything on televisionbefore — just a couple of short films online.

I’m 51. At this time of life, you start looking backwards andpaying it back. Getting the next generation of writers working,

getting the next generation of directors working. I know I’m

very lucky to sit in my position and to be paid very nice sumsof money to do these things with a lot of freedom, so you kind

of have to share that out. You have to look behind you and seewho’s coming up next, and give them a helping hand, just as I

was given a helping hand by the people before me. It’s a greathonor and privilege to do these things.

MW: There’s a third series, Tofu.

DAVIES: You’re not getting that in America and I’m not quite sure

why. They’ve got it in Australia, but maybe there’s just not roomon the local website or something. Tofu was a series of 10-min-ute documentaries that followed the transmission of Cucumber

and Banana. You get a 10-minute documentary talking aboutsex, talking about the subjects that were raised in each week’s

episodes. It sounds rather boring, but it was a fun show. It hadsongs, it had some comedy sketches. It also increased the range

of the sexualities covered.

The third episode of Tofu is my absolute favorite because itspoke to people not having sex, it spoke to asexuals, it spoke to

celibates, and it talked to virgins. And it is a beautiful piece ofwork because while Cucumber and Banana are literally focused

on sex and have a mission to explore sex in all its complexityand detail, to have this spin-off documentary show you a world

in which sex wasn’t important to any of these people was a glo-

rious, glorious thing. It’s probably available online, to be honest.Go and have a look. You’ll find it.MW: It’s like you’re creating a thesis on gay sex with these threeshows.

DAVIES: Yeah, it was a triptych as we used to call it. I discov-ered this when I did Doctor Who. We spun off Doctor Who intoTorchwood . We spun off a children’s version of Doctor Who called The Sarah Jane Adventures. We took an old companion

of Doctor Who’s called Sarah Jane Smith and did a children’sGoosebumps type series. Much better told than Goosebumps, Imust say. Plus there were website spin offs. At one point there

were seven different programs, including behind-the-scenes

programs. It was mad. But it really taught you a lot in this dayand age about building a factory, and sort of weaponizing these

shows to get out there and be seen and to be successful. It’s all

about visibility now, because it’s a noisy, loud world. It wasinteresting bringing some of that over into adult drama, looking

at Cucumber and saying actually, “How can we maximize this?”So now, if I was to walk into a television studio with just

Cucumber, their first question would be, “What else can we do?What can our digital platforms do? What spinoffs are there?

What documentaries are there? What are the DVD extras, canwe do commentaries, can we do this, can we do behind the

scenes?” It’s kind of automatic. And those spinoff things are

usually quite rubbish because they’ve been thought of second.They’re just added, they’re just extra, they’re just kind of flat

because they don’t have much inspiration in them. I like Banana and I like Tofu, because they are part of the original inspiration.

They bring a lot of energy with them because they’re genuine spin-offs. They’re integral to the whole thing. They’re part of the

viewing experience.MW: Let’s talk a bit about the central character of Henry and his

fear of penetrative anal sex, which as a gay man I find –- I don’t

want to say it’s implausible but it just seemed kind of odd.

DAVIES: Really? I think you’re completely wrong. Part of the

reason you’re finding it implausible is because these men don’tspeak up, or they’re not heard. They exist in the absolute thou-

sands, if not millions, worldwide. But certainly within the West,there are thousands and thousands and thousands of men like

this. Your reaction simply shows how silent they are.MW: Well, it’s particularly interesting that Henry and his partner,

Lance, have been together nine years and this has not been resolved

between them in any kind of capacity. Obviously, you need that asa plot catalyst, the conflict it creates propels the narrative. But you

say that there are thousands of men silent on this issue? How do you know this?

DAVIES: I meet them. I keep meeting them time after time after

time. I wrote Queer as Folk after 15 years of going out clubbing

and meeting that classic couple of two best friends, one who issecretly in love with the other — that Stuart and Vince relation-ship, which was the entire core of Queer as Folk. I met those men

time and time and time again until I thought, “I have to writeabout these two.”

With Henry and Lance, I keep meeting the couples time andtime again who only when drunk or depressed or lonely or when

pushed will confess that they don’t have penetrative sex. If you

don’t want to have penetration, that’s completely fine, but why isit a secret? Why are you keeping quiet about it? The fact that it’s

kept quiet indicates that there’s something wrong — not some-thing wrong with you, but something wrong with the world.

I’m a huge consumer of gay culture, gay artifacts, I read themagazines, go through websites and think “This isn’t being

spoken about.” If you look online, if you look in the magazines,

if you go on Grindr, we’re all tops or bottoms or vers — it’s allwe are. When actually there are a thousand more categories —

all the kissing or the blow jobs or the intimacy or the mutualmasturbation or whatever you want to indulge yourself in,

there’s a million different forms that simply are fitting. Andwith the advent of technology now, where you have to define

yourself in three words online, the definition, rather thanbecoming broader, is becoming more strict. It is top, bottom,

vers. Top, bottom, vers.MW: How do you define sex then?

DAVIES: Well, I don’t. That’s the point. We’re defining ourselves

by who we fuck and how we fuck. Kissing’s fine, the blow job’s


22/48


RUSSELL T. DAVIES HAS NEVERshied from pushing boundaries.

In a career spanning thirty

years, Davies has brought LGBT

issues to the forefront of his various works,

adding to the national dialogue in his native

Britain. Indeed, during the ’90s and early

’00s, as British gays toiled under “Section

28” — a law preventing local government

from teaching students that being gay

was perfectly normal — Davies fought to

confront bigotry and stigma in his various

works, to present LGBT characters as regu-

lar humans, with the dramas and emotions

that entails.

Take a show from 1993, as an example.Davies freelanced on Children’s Ward , a

medical drama for children, offering scripts

which included a teenage boy who had

been infected with HIV via a blood transfu-

sion, at a time when the notion that only

gay people contracted the disease was still

prevalent. “You must be a poof if you’ve

got AIDS,” one bully posited. “I’m not

gay, and I haven’t got AIDS,” the char-

acter responded. “I’m HIV positive.” For

children’s television, this was groundbreak-

ing, and Davies would later win a BAFTA

(the British equivalent of an Emmy) for an

episode dedicated to the online threat of

pedophiles in chatrooms.Davies applies the same frank,

unabashed storytelling to his adult works.

He continued to challenge society’s expec-

tations of content with the series he wrote

for. In soap opera Revelations , Davies

— inspired by the ordination of the first

female vicars in the Church of England —

introduced a lesbian vicar, who came out

in a dramatic two-hander episode. With

The Grand , set in a Manchester hotel in

the 1920s, Davies explored homosexuality

and societal attitudes at the time with a

closeted barman. That was part of a series

that also dealt with abortion, murder, army

have children. Bob wasn’t bisexual, which

further confounded people, but Davies had

him sum his sexuality up thusly: “I fancy

men. And her.”

Simultaneously, Davies was again

challenging societies attitudes towards

homosexuality. A subplot involving Bob’s

mother and the fictional “Parents Against

Homophobia” saw the group campaign-

ing for the repeal of Section 28, including

protesting a coach company that donated

money to keep the law in place — a very

real parallel to a renowned British coachcompany that donated to efforts to main-

tain the homophobic law. Section 28 would

be repealed in 2003, two years after Bob

and Rose ’s one series had ended its criti-

cally successful, but commercially disas-

trous, run.

It was in 2005, however, that Davies

would find himself at the forefront of

British drama. A Doctor Who fan since

childhood, Davies’ lobbied the BBC for

years to revive the sci-fi show until they

eventually awarded him the chance to do

so. His changes to the original format were

sweeping — doubling the episode length,

desertion and the death penalty.It was Davies’ own sexuality, and his

experience with a drug overdose and

subsequent existential crisis, that led to

perhaps his most popular LGBT work:

Queer as Folk . Revolutionary at the time,

it depicted sexuality in a way no show had

before. It was a sexy, honest, open por-

trayal of the gay scene in Manchester, the

sort of hedonistic life Davies was trying to

leave behind. Its pilot episode premiered

as the British parliament was discussing a

bill that would reduce the age of consent

for homosexual couples to 16, match-

ing their heterosexual counterparts. The

series generated praise from many, witha record numbers of viewers, but also a

large amount of controversy. British regula-

tors received complaints for its content, a

renowned conservative activist decried it,

while the parents of Charlie Hunnam, who

played 15-year-old Nathan Maloney, were

opposed to their son’s character having sex

with an older man.

The British version ran for just one

full season, plus a two-episode sec-

ond season that wrapped up the story.

Showtime partnered with Canadian net-

work Showcase for an American remake,

which ran for five seasons and tackled

issues such as HIV and same-sex mar-riage, becoming immensely popular in its

own right, but Davies wasn’t involved.

Instead, he was doing what he does best:

stirring up more debate.

Bob and Rose sounds like any other

romantic drama. Boy meets girl, boy falls

in love with girl — except here, the boy

is gay. It created a storm of controversy

among some gay viewers, who viewed

it as conforming to the ideals of religious

activists who maintain that homosexuality

is a choice, but for Davies it was based on

fact. A friend, who was openly gay, met

a woman and decided to marry her and

Pushing BoundariesRussell T. Davies hasn’t shied from tackling a wide variety of issues,

but it’s his LGBT content he’ll be most remembered for

By Rhuaridh Marr

fine, whatever. I’m certainly not going to sit here and give a defi-nition because, I think as a writer, I’m here to watch the parade,

not lead the parade. It’s a fascinating area.MW: Do you think apps like Scruff and Grindr, which factor intoboth shows, are harmful to our sexual socialization?

DAVIES: I don’t know if they’re harmful. I think it’s easy to lookfor the harm, but you can also look for the joy in them. I met

someone yesterday who is actually in a six-month relationshiphaving met on Grindr. So I can’t look him in the eye and say it’s

a bad thing.

I think we’re living through a very odd period of history,where we all type with each other. We’re really not designed to

type with each other. The written word is a very different thing

to speech and contact and human body language. And one daythey’ll make period dramas about the year 2015 and audiences

will all roll with laughter as we all type to each other. So whetherthat’s good or bad, I just can’t tell at the moment. I think it’s

very strange, but we’ll pass through it. This will look like a verystrange little hiccup in history.

MW: Where do you see gay and lesbian stories going in 15 years?


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APRIL 9 - 16, 2015

SPOTLIGHT

CANDICE BERGEN Murphy Brown actress shares the big events in herlife, including learning to live — and love again —after the death of her late husband, French directorLouis Malle. Bergen discusses her latest memoir A Fine Romance in a conversation with MadhulikaSikka, executive editor for NPR News. Monday, April 13, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600I St. NW. Tickets are $20, or $32 with one book, $45for two tickets and one book. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

COUNTDOWN TO YURI’S NIGHT

Intended as a “holiday for space,” this annual eventcelebrates the world’s first manned space flight byRussian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in the most non-scientific of ways: A zany night of visual art, perfor-mance and music. Presented by a group of offbeatartists and entertainers known as Astro Pop Events(A.P.E.), the event returns to Artisphere this year.Saturday, April 11, starting at 9 p.m. Artisphere, 1101Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Tickets are $25 in advance,or $30 day of show. Call 703-875-1100 or visit arti-sphere.com.

HRC SPEAKER SERIES:LGBT INCLUSION AND THE WORLD BANKPhil Crehan and Jake Fagan’s new 12-minute shortfilm Sexual Minorities & Development is the jumping-off point for a discussion hosted by the Human

Rights Campaign about discrimination against sex-ual minorities in the developing world. Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. HRC Equality Center, 1640 RhodeIsland Ave. NW. Tickets are free with RSVP. Call800-777-4723 or visit hrc.org/equalitytalks.

SIMPLY SONDHEIM

HHHHH

Signature Theatre’s Simply Sondheim is billed asa “completely new revue” running for a couple ofweeks, after which it “will never be seen again.” Ofcourse, revues of Stephen Sondheim’s oeuvre pop uphere and there every couple years, and full Sondheimmusicals are produced even more frequently. In fact,this revue offers a tantalizing preview of one lesser-known Sondheim work Signature will produce nextwinter, Road Show, with the song “The Best Thing

That Ever Has Happened.” Nevertheless, any musi-cal theater fan will find delight in this revue itself,co-developed by David Loud and Eric Schaeffer anddirected and choreographed by Matthew Gardiner.Jon Kalbfleisch leads a 16-piece orchestra from thestage every bit like a pops night at the symphony.Sondheim standards are cleverly intertwined andperformed by six Signature vets, most notably thesuperb Donna Migliaccio, lovable gay everymanBobby Smith, pristine-piped Stephanie Waters andthe swoon-worthy Kellee Knighten Hough. Runs toSunday, April 19. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $95. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org. (Doug Rule)

26

Compiled by Doug Rule

S C O T T S U C H M A N

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME COMING TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND

I’ve fallen in love with it,” Anthony Warlow says. “The plethora of

theater in this city is extraordinary, and the quality of the productions

is just unmatched.... There’s something about the true art that is formed here.And I love that side of it.”Director Alan Paul selected Warlow, one of Australia’s leading actors, to

star in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Man of La Mancha

after seeing him as Daddy Warbucks in the 2012 Broadway revival of Annie.

“I’ve always said he’s like the King Lear of music theater,” Warlow says of DonQuixote. “It’s one of the toughest roles to convey, but the payoff is extraordi-

nary.”

It’s actually the second time Warlow has portrayed the musical Quixote.“This is a far more superior telling of the story” than the one he starred in 15

years ago Down Under. “I think sometimes one can try to gild the lily with pro-ductions that have been done many, many times. I think what Alan has done

very cleverly is take the cliché out of this production, and make it somethingthat really stands up for today’s audience.”

This production is darker — it has “more gravitas,” as Warlow puts it — thanother versions of the classic by writers Dale Wasserman and Joe Darion andcomposer Mitch Leigh. Precisely because it doesn’t shy away from intimations

of a gang rape, among other injustices, the production is also more uplifting.Warlow compares it to his own bout with cancer when he was 30. “My whole

philosophy...was think positively. There will be light at the end of the tunnel,”he says.

“The show has a redemption quality about it,” he says. “The fact that it’s sobeautifully staged, I think that story becomes very real to people.” — Doug Rule

Man of La Mancha runs to April 26 at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.


PossibleDream

Anthony Warlow portrays the“King Lear of music theater” in

Man of La Mancha


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MIXTAPEShea Van Horn and Matt Bailer have thrown their popular dance party Mixtapeall over town for more than six years, from Town to the 9:30 Club. This Saturday,the duo returns to the Howard Theatre — though it’ll be Van Horn’s drag alterego Summer Camp that will be spinning tunes alongside Bailer. Saturday, April 11.Doors at 11 p.m. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. Tickets are $10 in advanceor $12.50 day-of show. Call 202-588-5595 or visit mixtapedc.com.

THE TING TINGSThe kind of silly, kind of fun British disco/punk duo of Katie White — that is hername — and Jules De Martino tour in support of last year’s neo-disco set SuperCritical. Saturday, April 11. Doors at 6 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets

are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

THE WASHINGTON BALLETThe company offers a production of Swan Lake, considered by many as the great-est classical ballet of all time. The Evermay Chamber Orchestra accompanies thecompany as it takes on this mysterious, lyrical and dramatic ballet with famousmusic by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.Friday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 11, at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., andSunday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater.Tickets are $45 to $225. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

FILM

SUNSET BOULEVARDTo wrap up its two-month series “Leading Ladies of Hollywood’s Golden Age,”

the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre turns to actress Gloria Swansonand Billy Wilder’s 1950 B&W classic, billed as the best film ever made aboutHollywood. Swanson stars as the bitter has-been Norma Desmond while WilliamHolden is a struggling screenwriter and Desmond’s kept man. Sunday, April12, at 1 p.m., Monday, April 13, through Thursday, April 15, at 4:45 p.m. AlsoWednesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m., and Thursday, April 16, at 9 p.m. AFI SilverTheatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $9 to $12. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOWLandmark’s E Street Cinema screens the biggest cult classic of them all once amonth as part of its regular midnight screenings of classics. The screening comeswith a live cast, meaning it’s even more interactive than usual. Friday, April 10,and Saturday, April 11, at midnight. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW.Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

TIGER ORANGE

Reel Affirmations presents this film about the conflict between two brothers, both gay, played by Mark Strano and Frankie Valenti, better known as formerporn actor Johnny Hazzard. After their father’s death, the estranged brothersreturn to their small central California hometown where one is more willing to be openly gay, and both struggle to like, or even act brotherly toward, each other.Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. HRC Equality Center, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 or $25 for VIP including one cocktail, one popcorn anddesignated seating. Call 202-682-2245 or visit reelaffirmations.org.

STAGE

ARDEN OF FAVERSHAMBrave Spirits Theatre presents this riff on Elizabethan plays, incorporating actualShakespearean passages, as a housewife plots with her lover and two incompe-tent hit-men to murder her husband. Dan Crane directs the production from thefour-year-old Brave Spirits, which focuses on staging dark, visceral, intimateproductions. Opens Friday, April 3, at 8 p.m. To April 18. Atlas Performing ArtsCenter, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

DON’T DIE IN THE DARKCity Artistic Partnerships presents this one-act play shedding light on the per-sonal and patriotic motivations behind one of America’s most shocking acts ofterror, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Matty Griffiths produces this the-ater piece starring playwright/performer Joe Brack as John Wilkes Booth andBradley Foster Smith as “Guitar,” providing music and conscience to the piece.“Out of respect for Mr. Lincoln,” the producers note, “we are not performing thisplay in a theater.” Opens Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m. To April 26. Studio 1469,1469 Harvard St. NW. Call 202-213-2474.

SWING TIME! THE MUSICALMike Thornton, an actor who has worked with the satire group the CapitolSteps, and his wife, Cecelia Fex, have teamed up as co-producers for this big band-era musical revue about a group of performers putting together a wartime



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radio broadcast. Featuring film clips plus a live jazz band, the show features tunes made popular by DukeEllington, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, TommyDorsey and Cab Calloway. Next performances areThursday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April15, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m.Select dates to June 27. U.S. Navy Memorial’s BurkeTheater, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $19or $49. Call 202-393-4266 or visit swingtimethemu-sical.com.

THE ORIGINALIST

Molly Smith directs an Arena Stage world premiereof John Strand’s play about one of the biggest ene-mies to the LGBT cause and civil rights in general:Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. It’s hard toget excited about this one, although no doubt four-time Helen Hayes Award winner Edward Gero willdo Scalia justice. The play is performed in the MeadCenter’s Kogod Cradle in a new three-quarter thrustconfiguration. Extended to May 31, with a two-week break at the start of May. Mead Center for AmericanTheater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visitarenastage.org.

THE SORROW MESSAGEBaltimore’s adventurous company Daydreams +Nightmares Aerial (DNA) Theatre presents this darkand fantastical play by Annelise Montone about a

boy who runs to the ocean after witnessing his par-ents fighting. A thoroughly homegrown production,The Sorrow Message incorporates aerial acrobaticsand high technology in addition to more standardtheater fare. Opens Thursday, April 9, at 8 p.m. To April 19. Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 West PrestonSt. Baltimore. Tickets are $24. Call 410-752-8558 or visit theatreproject.org.

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE Arena Stage offers the first production of this com-edy since it won the Tony Award for Best Play last year. Aaron Posner, most recently known for hisChekhov-inspired plays Stupid Fucking Bird and Life Sucks (or the Present Ridiculous), directs ChristopherDurang’s sendup of Chekhov full of wit and savagehumor with a cast including Signature star Sherri

L. Edelen as well as Jefferson Farber. Opens in pre- views Friday, April 3. To May 3. Arena Stage — MeadCenter for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

MUSIC

ALICE SMITHSoul-pop singer-songwriter Alice Smith is as under-stated and sophisticated as Christina Aguilera can be exaggerated and overdone, and she’s every bit as vocally talented. Her music, including her astonish-ing sophomore set She, is better than Aguilera’s, too.Released in 2013, She charts the ups and downs andins and outs of love, even just friendship, with musi-cal twists and lyrical turns as sharp and surprisingas they come. Next Friday, April 17, the Brooklyn- based Smith returns once again to her hometown ofD.C. “You want to do good at home,” she told MetroWeekly in 2012. “Whenever I go, and there’s peoplethere, somehow it’s always a little surprising, butit’s also always really exciting.” Friday, April 17, at8 p.m. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. Ticketsare $25 to $60. Call 202-588-5595 or visit thehow-ardtheatre.com.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAMarin Alsop conducts flutist Adam Walker in theEast Coast premiere of Kevin Puts’s Flute Concerto as part of a program headlined by the second mas-terpiece in Tchaikovsky’s great final symphonic tril-ogy, the passionate Symphony No. 5. Thursday, April9, at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall,

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E A L D E N

Willa’s Way Prudence Wright Holmes pays tribute to LGBT icon Willa Cather

E VER HEAR OF WILLA CATHER?

“I feel like if young gay people heard her story, it would touch

their hearts and really inspire them and know that they’re not alone,”Prudence Wright Holmes says. The second woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for

literature nearly a century ago, Cather may not have ever called herself lesbianor transgender — but she did ask people to call her William.

“Cather should be an LGBT icon because she was so out there and unapolo-

getic at a time when it was really not done. And that took a lot of courage,” saysHolmes, who has developed the one-person show, Call Me William: The Life

and Loves of Willa Cather. While growing up and going to college in Lincoln,Nebraska, Holmes explains, “Cather cut her hair off and said, ‘Call me William.’

And her neighbors were absolutely horrified as was the family, but they kind ofhad to deal with it because she was so brilliant and so accomplished. Kind of like

the star of her little town.”Cather is inspiring in other ways as well, including the fact that she left the

Great Plains to achieve her literary dreams in New York. “She didn’t know any-

body [and yet] she worked her way into the most famous literary circles in New York of the day. She was hanging out with Mark Twain and Theodore Dreiser.”

But she spent most of her time with other women, including the Pittsburghsocialite Isabelle McClung, who “basically bankrolled Willa Cather in the begin-

ning of her career.... They were together for 10 years, then Isabelle ended up

marrying a man, which was the big tragedy of Cather’s life.”Holmes plays all the significant people in Cather’s life in her show, which

she will perform next weekend at McLean’s Alden Theatre. While Holmes isworking on another one-person show — about British crime novelist Agatha

Christie — she’s best known for appearing in larger productions on Broadwayand in Hollywood. In fact, she’s still reaping some earthly rewards from her role

as a nun in the first two Sister Act films. “I actually just got a residual check ofalmost $500 — and that movie was over 20 years ago.” — Doug Rule

Prudence Wright Holmes appears Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m.,

at the Alden Theatre, 1234 Ingleside Ave, Mclean, Va. Tickets are $20.

Call 703-790-0123 or visit aldentheatre.org .



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1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Also Sunday, April 12, at 3 p.m. Music Center atStrathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $32 to $100. Call410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

BOHEMIAN CAVERNS JAZZ ORCHESTRAEvery Monday night the 17-piece jazz orchestra performs a variety of musicfrom the big band repertoire — including pieces by Duke Ellington, Count Basie,Billy Strayhorn and Maria Schneider, plus originals from band members, at itsnamesake venue. Founded by baritone saxophonist Brad Linde and club ownerOmrao Brown, featuring some of D.C.’s best jazz musicians, including Linde andtrumpeter Joe Herrera, who co-direct. Performances at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. everyMonday night. Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-

299-0800 or visit bohemiancaverns.com.

FOLGER CONSORTIn conjunction with the Folger Library’s current exhibition, the resident earlymusic ensemble offers a scientific and satirical exploration of Baroque master-pieces with “Ships, Clocks and Stars: Music of Telemann and Other BaroqueMasters.” Telemann’s amusing suite based upon Gulliver’s Travels is one of thestandouts, as is Clerambault’s fiery, graceful cantata Orphée, a vivid retelling ofthe story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Soprano Yulia Van Doren is also featured.Friday, April 10, at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 11, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $37. Call202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

JANE MONHEITOne of the most touted female talents in contemporary jazz, Jane Monheit has asound that blends “natural elegance with potent yet impressively controlled pre-sentation,” says All Music Guide. Perhaps best known for her duet with Michael

Bublé on the Jerome Kern classic “I Won’t Dance,” the New Yorker performs aconcert billed as blending the spirit of jazz with the swagger of cabaret. Thursday, April 9, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $30to $35. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org. Also Friday, April 10, at 8 p.m.Ram’s Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis. Tickets are $39.50. Call 410-268-4545 or visit ramsheadonstage.com.

LOUDOUN LYRIC OPERA“Scene and Aria or Mozart’s Impresario Re-imagined” is the title of the latestrun of performances by the Loudoun Opera, which focuses on Byron Jones’snew English adaptation of Mozart’s short comic parody of the unchecked egosof operatic divas, with a libretto by Gottlieb Stephanie. Friday, April 10, at 8p.m. Oatlands Carriage House, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg.Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m., Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 605 W. Market St.,Leesburg. S

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Metro Weekly - 04-09-15 - Russell T Davies