Metro Weekly - 02-27-14 - Eytan Fox

2 FEBRUARY 27, 2014 METROWEEKLY.
COM
3 METROWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 27, 2014
4 FEBRUARY 27, 2014 METROWEEKLY.COM
Holder Raises the Bar
Attorney General tells state-level counterparts to defend principles of equality
Holder
by Justin Snow
A
TTORNEY GENERAL ERIC
Holder appeared to give state
attorneys general the green
light to stop defending bans
on same-sex marriage during a speech in
Washington Tuesday.
While not explicitly ordering his
counterparts in the states to defy state
law, Holder articulated a philosophy that
requires attorneys general to lead, par-
ticularly on civil rights.
Any decisions at any level not to
defend individual laws must be exceed-
ingly rare. They must be reserved only
for exceptional circumstances. And they
L
O
N
N
I
E

T
A
G
U
E

F
O
R

T
H
E

D
E
P
A
R
T
M
E
N
T

O
F

J
U
S
T
I
C
E
must never stem merely from policy or
political disagreements hinging instead
on rm constitutional grounds, Holder
said Feb. 25 at the winter meeting of the
National Association of Attorneys Gen-
eral, expanding on remarks rst made
to The New York Times. But in general,
I believe we must be suspicious of legal
classications based solely on sexual ori-
entation. And we must endeavor in all
of our efforts to uphold and advance
the values that once led our forebears to
declare unequivocally that all are created
equal and entitled to equal opportunity.
Holder spoke about his own experi-
ence in early 2011 when he and President
Barack Obama determined that the Jus-
tice Department would no longer defend
the constitutionality of Section 3 of the
Defense of Marriage Act, dening mar-
riage as between a man and a woman.
Our actions were motivated by the
strong belief that all measures that dis-
tinguish among people based on their
sexual orientation must be subjected to
a heightened standard of scrutiny and,
therefore, that this measure was uncon-
stitutional discrimination, Holder said.
According to Holder, all justice pro-
fessionals are called not merely to use
our legal system to settle disputes and
punish those who have done wrong, but
to answer the kinds of fundamental ques-
tions about fairness and equality that
have always determined who we are and
who we aspire to be, both as a nation and
L
G
B
T
News
Now online at MetroWeekly.com
Last Word: Jason Collins signs with Brooklyn
News: Jack Evans targets Arizona Super Bowl
Holder Raises the Bar
L
O
N
N
I
E

T
A
G
U
E

F
O
R

T
H
E

D
E
P
A
R
T
M
E
N
T

O
F

J
U
S
T
I
C
E
LGBTNews
6
eral Ellen Rosenblum joined attorneys
general in Virginia, Nevada and Penn-
sylvania in announcing she would apply
heightened scrutiny and not defend her
states same-sex marriage ban during
pending litigation.
The law in this area is developing
and it is now clear that there is no ratio-
nal basis for Oregon to refuse to honor
the commitments made by same-sex
couples in the same way it honors the
commitments of opposite-sex couples,
Rosenblum said in a statement. Because
we cannot identify a valid reason for the
state to prevent the couples who have
led these lawsuits from marrying in
Oregon, we nd ourselves unable to stand
before federal Judge McShane to defend
the states prohibition against marriages
between two men or two women.
Similar decisions were also made by
attorneys general in California and Illi-
nois before same-sex marriage was legal-
ized in those states.
With more than 40 lawsuits challeng-
ing same-sex marriage bans in dozens of
states, it seems likely Holders example
could lead more state attorneys gener-
al to abandon their defense of prohibi-
tions on same-sex marriage. According
as a people.
That decision by Holder and Obama
proved signicant for the two landmark
same-sex marriage cases that were
ultimately taken up by the Supreme
Court. During oral arguments before
the Supreme Court last March, Obamas
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli not
only argued against DOMA, but also
against Californias ban on same-sex
marriage. Junes broad Supreme Court
ruling striking down Section 3 of DOMA
in the Windsor case has led to a number
of victories for marriage equality in the
nearly eight months since, with every
federal judge whether appointed by
a Democratic president or a Republican
president to consider state same-
sex marriage bans nding them to be
unconstitutional, and in many cases
pointing to an aspect of the Windsor
decision in their rulings.
Earlier this month, a U.S. District
Court found Virginias same-sex mar-
riage ban unconstitutional. Virginia is one
of several states where the state attorney
general has chosen to not defend a state
ban on same-sex marriage, labeling such
a law unconstitutional.
On Feb. 20, Oregon Attorney Gen-
to Michael Cole-Schwartz, a spokesper-
son for the Human Rights Campaign,
Holders leadership should inspire state
attorneys general to consider how they
defend the indefensible.
With numerous courts nding bans
on marriage equality to be unconsti-
tutional, its clear that those standing
against denying marriage to loving and
committed couples will be on the right
side of history, Cole-Schwartz told
Metro Weekly.
During his remarks Tuesday, Hold-
er reiterated statements he made after
the Obama administrations decision
to not defend DOMA was announced,
stating that Americas most treasured
ideals were not given the full force of
law instantaneously. On the contrary:
Our ideals are continually advanced as
our justice systems and our Union
are strengthened; and as social science,
human experience, legislation, and judi-
cial decisions expand the circle of those
who are entitled to the protections and
rights enumerated by the Constitution,
Holder said.
As attorneys general, we are called to
serve, he concluded. We are expected
to lead. l
FEBRUARY 27, 2014 METROWEEKLY.COM
Greg Zehnackers
Death Hits Beyond
Green Lantern
Co-owner of D.C. bar remembered across various
communities for his charity and friendliness
C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y

G
R
E
E
N

L
A
N
T
E
R
N
by John Riley
G
REG ZEHNACKER, CO-OWNER OF THE GAY BAR
Green Lantern and a longtime xture in the D.C. areas
nightlife scene, died in his sleep Tuesday morning, Feb. 18,
according to a statement issued by the Thomas Circle venue.
Starting in the mid-1970s, Zehnacker began working in local
nightlife and restaurant establishments, rst as a coat check person
at Rascals, later working at Lost and Found, Pier 9, Badlands and
Peppers in a variety of roles, including lighting assistant, bartender
and general manager. Zehnacker also worked in real estate.
While acting as general manager at Peppers in 1995, Zehnacker
met John Colameco, who later became his business partner when
the two bought the Green Lantern in 2001.
He was the face, the driving force behind the Green Lantern,
says Colameco. He was Mr. Green Lantern. He made it from
marketplace
LGBTNews
8
raise money. He was always helpful, out-
going, the kind of person who youd like
to be around.
Chris Wilkins, another DCBC col-
league, remembers Zehnacker as an
instrumental part of DCBC from the
start. He also fondly remembers spend-
ing time at Zehnackers house in Lewes,
Del., with other DCBC members.
Greg was always full of energy, a
very nice guy, says Wilkins. He had
a quick wit about him, he was person-
able, and accommodating to anything we
wanted to do for the club. He was very
always smiling, friendly, and well-liked
by everyone who met him.
Employees and party promoters who
worked with Zehnacker point particu-
larly to his friendliness and willingness to
help so many in need.
Greg did as many things as he possibly
could for the [LGBT] community, says
Jeramy Scovell, manager of the Green
Lantern. He will be missed. He was one
of the nicest bosses weve worked for.
Thats why our turnover here has been so
low compared to other bars.
Mikey Adolphson, a DJ and party pro-
moter who worked with Zehnacker on
multiple events, posted a moving tribute
to Zehnacker on his Facebook wall.
nothing into what it is today.
Zehnacker used his position as co-
owner of the Green Lantern to host
several fundraisers and other events for
local charities and community organiza-
tions, including The DC Centers HIV/
AIDS Prevention Working Group and its
weekly condom kit packing parties, the
Centaur MC, the Washington Scandals
Rugby Club, and the Green Lanterns
annual Employee Turnabout Show fea-
turing employees in drag performances
to raise money for HIV/AIDS organiza-
tions. Zehnackers drag personality, Miss
Tokyo Rose, made a farewell appearance
in the 2006 show. Zehnacker also volun-
teered his space for meetings of the DC
Bear Club (DCBC), of which he was a
founding member.
Tom Huster, a member of DCBC,
met Zehnacker a month after the club
launched, in January 1995. Zehnacker
was active in the club, taking charge of its
Friends in Need fund, supporting local
LGBT- or AIDS-related organizations.
Zehnacker also sat on the DCBC commit-
tee for Bear Invasion, the clubs annual
charity-fundraising weekend.
He was a generous person, Huster
says of Zehnacker. He would host bar
nights at the Green Lantern to help us
Greg was a tremendous colleague,
wonderful person and a truly integral
part of my success in D.C. nightlife,
wrote Adolphson wrote, who has since
relocated to Chicago. Mostly, though,
he was a phenomenal friend to catch
up with every time I visited. Always
wise, upbeat and unwavering. To
everyone at the Green Lantern, his
partner and those in the D.C. nightlife
scene a wonderful light just went out.
Zehnacker was 55 years old. He is sur-
vived by his partner of 18 years, Thomas
Tarantino; his parents, Raymond and
Charlotte; his brother Mike; and sister-
in-law Carol. Details for a memorial and
funeral service should be released soon.
Greg loved bringing together people
from all walks of life and ensuring they
had a good time under Green Lanterns
roof, reads the tribute to Zehnacker on
the Green Lanterns Facebook page. In
that spirit, and as a way of honoring Greg,
we will be open during this difcult time
and encourage all to come in, raise a glass
to Greg, and share your favorite memo-
ries of our friend and colleague.
[Editors note: Staff writer John Riley was
employed by the Green Lantern between
2009 and 2011.] l
Catanias
Campaign Coup
As yet undeclared, gay councilmember wins
Victory Fund mayoral endorsement
by John Riley
D
.C. COUNCILMEMBER
David Catania (I-At Large)
has gotten a big-name
endorsement, even before he
ofcially announcing any candidacy.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, the
nations largest resource for out LGBT
individuals in politics, announced Tues-
day it is endorsing Catania, who has only
so far begun an exploratory committee,
for his possible campaign to become the
Districts rst out gay mayor.
As an independent, Catania faces no
primary and therefore does not have to
announce his intentions until after the
Districts four major parties hold their
primaries. But while Catania has said hell
run if incumbent Mayor Vincent Gray
(D) wins the Democratic primary, he has
declined to say whether he will run if
another Democrat wins.
David Catania brings an incredible
amount of passion and commitment to
his job, says Torey Carter, chief operat-
ing ofcer at the Gay & Lesbian Victory
Fund. He has helped guide Washing-
ton through an unprecedented period of
growth and revitalization. He is ideally
positioned to lead a city with such diverse
and dynamic people.
The Victory Fund also cited Catanias
legislative record since he was rst elect-
ed to the D.C. Council in 1997, citing his
work on school reform, linking District
residents with health insurance, and pass-
ing marriage equality. The organization,
which supports electing and appointing
qualied LGBT people to different levels
of political ofce, is expected to endorse
nearly 200 candidates throughout the
country for the 2014 cycle. l
W
A
R
D

M
O
R
R
I
S
O
N
marketplace
The Culture of Cash
Career and money coach to speak about the real impact of money mindsets
by John F. Stanton
I
TS NOT YOUR IMAGINATION.
In a 2010 study by the American
Psychological Association, 73 per-
cent of respondents indicated that
money was the chief cause of stress in
their lives.
When we dont stop to examine
where this stress is coming from, we
deny access to a wealth of knowledge,
well-being and financial security,
observes Cindy Morgan-Jaffe, a career
and money coach.
On Friday, Feb. 28, Morgan-Jaffe will
speak at the monthly Business Matters
Luncheon of the Capital Area Gay and
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (aka The
Chamber). Her focus will be on Money,
Work, How Our Money Mindset Drives
Results, an exploration of how our rela-
tionship to money creates our nancial
reality.
The relationships individuals and
companies have with money and work
can inuence outcomes, Morgan-Jaffe
explains. A scarcity mindset tends to
push wealth away, while an abundant
mindset attracts wealth. The saying
penny wise and pound foolish is classic
for good reason.
Our relationship to money begins in
childhood when we absorb ideas and
behaviors from our families, commu-
nities and culture. In many cases, we
C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y

O
F

T
H
E

C
H
A
M
B
E
R
learn more about what having or not
having money means than how to actu-
ally manage it. We learn that it can be
used for power and inuence that our
self-worth may be directly linked to our
net worth.
Morgan-Jaffe will talk about common
money scripts, or beliefs that drive our
behavior, as well as how we act these out
in our lives and how we can remove the
roadblocks to living a more peaceful and
prosperous life.
Some of these scripts include:
Being rich is selsh and not in sync with
my values
If I make a lot of money it will cause
tension in my family
I could never be wealthy
Money and doing good in the world
dont mix
Very often, we dont realize that our
beliefs about money are causing us so
much pain or holding us back, says Mor-
gan-Jaffe. We nd ourselves in relation-
ships where we dont talk about money,
try to buy happiness, are afraid to ask
for what were worth, or avoid thinking
about money altogether.
I know this from my own experience.
Taking a hard look at my relationship to
money has transformed my life, and I
want to pay it forward.
Morgan-Jaffe works as a nationally
certied counselor, and holds a masters
degree in education and human devel-
opment from the George Washington
University. She has worked in both the
nonprot and for-prot sectors, and has
more than 25 years experience in mar-
keting and communications. She offers
talks, presents seminars and works with
individuals and organizations on how to
foster abundant thinking at home and at
work.
For more information on creating a
positive mindset regarding money, Mor-
gan-Jaffe offers a free e-book on her
website, morganjaffe.com.
The Chambers Business Matters Lunch,
Money, Work, How Our Money Mindset
Drives Results, is Friday, Feb. 28, 11:30
a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1101 Connecticut Ave.
NW, Suite 300. The event is free for mem-
bers, $25 for non-members. To register,
visit caglcc.org.
The Chamber Means Business. For
more information visit caglcc.org or
facebook.com/CAGLCC. On Twitter,
follow @DCLGBTBIZ.
John F. Stanton, a CAGLCC member, is
the president of SRP & Associates Inc., a
strategic marketing and public relations
rm in Northern Virginia. l
L
G
B
T
Business
Chamber
Connections
marketplace
The Culture of Cash
Leadership and National Portrait Gallery. Free.
Lunch between sites. Meet 11 a.m. inside Fords
Center, 514 10th St. NW. Craig, 202-462-0535.
craighowell1@verizon.net.
WEEKLY EVENTS
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS MEMORIAL
EPISCOPAL CHURCH celebrates Low Mass at 8:30
a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300 Cathedral Ave. NW.
202-232-4244, allsoulsdc.org.
DIGNITY WASHINGTON offers Roman Catholic
Mass for the LGBT community. 6 p.m., St.
Margarets Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave. NW. All
welcome. Sign interpreted. dignitynova.org.
FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON meets for
worship, 10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW, Quaker
House Living Room (next to Meeting House on
Decatur Place), 2nd oor. Special welcome to
lesbians and gays. Handicapped accessible from
Phelps Place gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.
INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT,
God-centered new age church & learning center.
Sunday Services and Workshops event. 5419 Sherier
Place NW. isd-dc.org.
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF REFORMATION invites
all to Sunday worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Childcare is
available at both services. Welcoming LGBT people for
25 years. 212 East Capitol St. NE. reformationdc.org
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led by
Rev. Onetta Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11
a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-691-0930,
mccnova.com.
NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, inclusive
church with GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship,
8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas
Circle NW. 202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE INCARNATION, an
interracial, multi-ethnic Christian Community
offers services in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and
in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton St. NW. 202-
232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF
SILVER SPRING invites LGBTQ families and
individuals of all creeds and cultures to join the
church. Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New
Hampshire Ave. uucss.org.
MONDAY, MARCH 3
WEEKLY EVENTS
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.
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.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water Polo Team
practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300
Van Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome. Tom, 703-299-
0504, secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a social
atmosphere for GLBT and questioning youth,
featuring dance parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. catherine.chu@smyal.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 1
ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 8 strenuous
miles, 2,200 feet elevation gain, on Catoctin
Mountain. Bring beverages, lunch, sturdy boots,
about $12/fees. Carpool 8:30 a.m., Grosvenor-
Strathmore Metro. Devon, 202-368-3379.
adventuring.org.
DC SCANDALS GLBT rugby team holds Scandalous
Mardi Gras Recruitment Party. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cobalt,
1639 R St. NW. dcscandals@gmail.com.
BURGUNDY CRESCENT gay volunteer
organization helps at Food & Friends and at Lost
Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls Church
PetSmart. burgundycrescent.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH
offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV
services (by appointment). 202-291-4707 or
andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others
interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/
time, email braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at
Marie Reed Aquatic Center, 2200 Champlain St.
NW. 8-9:30 a.m. swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social
club welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, socializing afterward.
Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a walk; or
10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 11 strenuous
miles, Scotts Run Nature Preserve to Roosevelt
Island, via Potomac Heritage Trail. Bring beverages,
lunch, sturdy boots, a few dollars/fees. Carpool 9:15
a.m., Roosevelt Island parking lot. Devon, 202-368-
3379. adventuring.org.
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group visits exhibits
at Fords Theater Center for Education and
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27
WEEKLY EVENTS
offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services
(by appointment). Call 202-291-4707, or visit
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-
dancing group features mainstream through
advanced square dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.
Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. The
Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call 202-745-
7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and condential HIV testing
in Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and in
Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.
Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours,
call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park,
301-422-2398.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young
LBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership
development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410
7th St. SE. 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28
WEEKLY EVENTS
offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV
services (by appointment). 202-291-4707,
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of the
GLBT community, holds Friday night Shabbat
services followed by oneg social hour. 8-9:30 p.m.
Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St.
NW. betmish.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health,
Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. 202-745-7000, whitman-walker.org.
PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-afrming social
group for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road
NW. Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.
Metro Weeklys 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
calendar@MetroWeekly.com. Deadline for inclusion is noon
of the Friday before Thursdays publication. Questions about
the calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly ofce at
202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.
LGBTCommunityCalendar
Whitman-Walker Health HIV/AIDS SUPPORT
GROUP for newly diagnosed individuals, meets
7 p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671,
hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.
TUESDAY, MARCH 4
WEEKLY EVENTS
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY MENS HEALTH
AND WELLNESS/STD CLINIC 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 and herpes testing available
for fee. whitman-walker.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., Green
Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW. thedccenter.org.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21
meets at SMYAL, 410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy
Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a support group for black
gay men 40 and older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. 202-446-1100.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5
THE TOM DAVOREN SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB
meets for Social Bridge. No reservations or partner
needed. All welcome. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721
8th St. SE. For more information, 301-345-1571.
BOOKMEN DC, informal mens gay-literature
group, discusses Too Much Flesh and Jabez
by Coleman Dowell. 7:30 p.m. Tenleytown
Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW. All welcome.
bookmendc.blogspot.com.
WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets
about 7:45 p.m., covered-patio area of Cosi, 1647
20th St. NW. All welcome. Jamie, 703-892-8567.
PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club for mature gay
men, hosts weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian Kitchen, 1637
17th St. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316; or Bill,
703-671-2454. l
FOR MORE CALENDAR LISTINGS
PLEASE VISIT
WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM
marketplace
FEBRUARY 27, 2014
VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 43
PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman
ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
MANAGING EDITOR
Will OBryan
POLITICAL EDITOR
Justin Snow
STAFF WRITER
John Riley
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Rhuaridh Marr, Doug Rule
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Ward Morrison
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Christopher Cunetto, Julian Vankim
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Scott G. Brooks, Christopher Cunetto
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Daniel Burnett, Christian Gerard,
Brandon Harrison, Chris Heller, Troy Petenbrink,
Richard Rosendall, Kate Wingeld
EDITOR EMERITUS
Sean Bugg
WEBMASTER
David Uy
MULTIMEDIA
Aram Vartian
ADMINISTRATIVE / PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim
ADVERTISING & SALES
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Randy Shulman
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Media Co.
212-242-6863
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla
PATRON SAINT
Greg Zehnacker
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of
Ziv Sade/Washington Jewish Film Festival
METRO WEEKLY
1425 K St. NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20005
202-638-6830
MetroWeekly.com
All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be
reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes no
responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. All such submissions are subject
to editing and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Metro Weekly is supported by many ne advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims
made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or
their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or
advertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of
such person or organization.
2014 Jansi LLC.
17
BACK IN EARLY
2007 I found
myself sitting
in the fondant-
bedecked office
of a professional
we d d i n g - c a k e
baker in search of
the perfect (yet
still affordable)
three-tier cake for my upcoming wed-
ding. Early in the interview process,
after providing the wedding date but
before tasting samples, I gestured at
Cavin and said, This is going to be
our gay wedding. Is that going to be a
problem?
A month or so later when I saw the
same baker on Food Network compet-
ing to create the most elaborate prin-
cess cake, it was obvious my ques-
tion was superuous. But my wedding
was an important event for my life and
I wanted to make sure no surprises
popped up later.
This is one of the ways Im lucky
to live in an urban, largely progressive
and exceptionally competitive location
where the vast majority of businesses
want my money, regardless whom my
wallet shares a home with. The most
effective way of dealing with assholes is
to simply decline to deal with them at all.
Thats not the case for everyone, as
seen with the current brouhaha over the
Arizona GOPs attempt to pass a law giv-
ing religious believers the right to dis-
criminate against gays and lesbians. As
I write this, Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has yet
to announce whether shell veto the leg-
islation, which even some of the Repub-
licans who voted for it have asked her to
do now that theyve seen the sheer size
of the shit show theyve unleashed on
their state and its businesses.
It can be easy from the comfort of an
enclave to say that there should be some
level of exception for the religious,
which actually only means Christians
because the moment a Muslim brings
religion into a business the far right
starts screaming Sharia! because they
are supremely lacking in irony. But
while some have tried to claim that
the Arizona legislation (and the earlier,
failed Kansas attempt to do the same)
is only about protecting Christians
from having to participate in rites they
consider sinful, this is actually the lat-
est in a series of attempts to carve out a
separate enclaves for certain religions.
Dont forget that these are the same
people who have tried to exempt phar-
macists from dispensing medications
they consider immoral, such as morn-
ing after medication to prevent preg-
nancy. As with the current Arizona
proposal, supporters claim its about
one thing but write it so broadly that it
can easily become about many. Rather
than just marriage, Arizonas Legisla-
ture proposed a law that would give any
business, from a hairdresser to a theater
to a restaurant, the right to refuse ser-
vice to gays for some vaguely dened
religious dissent.
In essence, they want to secede from
secular society and the rule of law.
While the Arizona legislation is
doomed by either a veto or a court rul-
ing, its worth remembering that not
everyone has the luxury of choice in
the business of their lives. I grew up in
homogenous, rural America where the
response to discrimination isnt as sim-
ple as nding the next orist or baker or
reception hall. None of us want to work
with businesses and professionals who
regard us with disdain and hostility, but
some of us have few options.
The blowback on Arizona should
be a heartening sign for a changing
America. But it also should serve as a
reminder that the people who support
it are determined to reserve the right to
treat other Americans as less than. We
have a lot of work left to make sure we
are all considered equal in the world. l
Taking the Cake
Arizonas archaic attempt to enshrine discrimination against
gays is the last-gasp measure of a secessionist mindset
LGBTOpinion
by Sean Bugg
METROWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 27, 2014
FEB. 5 WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAY-
von Martins 19th birthday. Jordan Davis
would have turned 19 on Feb. 16. There are
too many other cases like theirs, and they
are not restricted to Florida. To be young
and black in America is to be the target of
an astonishing degree of savage, unearned
hostility.
Unlike George Zimmerman, who was
acquitted after killing Martin, Michael Dunn at least was con-
victed for shooting up an SUV full of black teens. But saying
he saw Davis with a gun was apparently enough to dodge the
murder one count, though Davis had no gun. Does anyone think
jurors would have bought the story had the races been reversed?
Another example of fear goggles, as Jessica Williams of
The Daily Show dubs the racial lens of chronically terried
white people, was the reaction when Richard Sherman of the
Seattle Seahawks offered up some adrenaline-fueled trash talk
to Foxs Erin Andrews after the NFC championship game. As
Mark Thompson noted on Sirius/XM Progress talk radio, youd
have thought Sherman were King Kong and Andrews were Fay
Wray.
When an All-Pro cornerback from the NFLs best defensive
squad needs to have his 3.9 GPA from Stanford cited to stop
white peoples quivering, we have a problem. Though not fatal
for Sherman as it was for Martin and Davis, it showed the same
instant demonization, the same culturally assigned otherness.
Why is this an LGBT issue? For one thing, African-Amer-
icans have been among the most prominent out gay people in
pro sports: Brittney Griner in the WNBA, Jason Collins in the
NBA (who just signed with the Brooklyn Nets), Michael Sam
before the NFL draft. All lacked the privilege taken for granted
by white heterosexual men. Facing greater bias, they summoned
greater strength. As the Scandal character Olivia Pope is told by
her father in the TV drama, You have to be twice as good as
them to get half of what they have. Many black overachievers
grew up hearing this.
But it is not just that black and gay overlap. We must work
together to defeat those who exploit fear and hatred to gain
power. This requires refuting their lies repeatedly over time.
The images of Sams athletic prowess are a powerful antidote
and promise a historic moment come May.
For the past few years I have mentored a black gay youth
from a troubled home who is now in college. Seeing his progress
renews my hope in the difference that teaching and guidance
can make. But there are many more like him. We nurture the
next generation one life and one mind at a time. As in a Paul
Laurence Dunbar poem about a father playing with his baby, we
know we cannot always protect our young from the world. My
mentee once told me, Im tougher than I look. Thank good-
ness. He wants to succeed so he can help others.
If we only speak out when its our turn in the crosshairs, we
do the haters prep work. To defeat them, we must recognize
our proper coalition partners, learn patience, and overcome our
mutual resentments. We have to make a leap of trust. The alter-
native is to lose our country.
A youth stands before us who is no longer a child but not
yet a man, armed with loud music or with Skittles and tea,
wrapped despite himself in the garb of other peoples bogey-
men. He started out, in Dunbars words, as a little brown baby
with sparkling eyes. There is no greater treasure for parent or
nation. His welfare is our mutual concern. We must reach past
our differences to help him survive and thrive, lest that light and
all its futures go out.
Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist. He can be reached at
rrosendall@starpower.net. l
18
LGBTOpinion
Twice as Good
America is at a cultural, social crossroads demanding a re-examination of privilege
by Richard J. Rosendall
A
FEW YEARS AGO FILMMAKER EYTAN
Fox was ipping TV channels in his Berlin
hotel room when he stumbled on the Euro-
vision Song Contest. Suddenly, I realized
that I didnt even know who was represent-
ing Israel that year, he says.
A lot had changed in the four decades since organizers of
the annual music competition had rst invited the small Middle
Eastern democracy to join its pop parade. Back then, in 1973, as
a kid growing up in Jerusalem, Foxs parents had invited all of
our neighbors over to our apartment to watch the contest. Six
years later, as a 14-year-old reporter on an Israeli TV show run
by kids, Fox was sent to cover that years Eurovision contest. I
was very proud of myself that I was part of this supposedly very
glamorous world of Eurovision, he says.
In the decades since, Fox had mostly forgotten all about
Eurovision, with notable exceptions, such as in 1998 when trans-
gender singer Dana International won representing Israel. Also
in that time Fox, who is gay, has become one of Israels most
popular lmmakers, responsible for several hit series on Israeli
TV. His feature lms constantly travel the international festival
circuit, particularly hitting LGBT and Jewish lm festivals. In
2006 the Washington Jewish Film Festival (WJFF) presented
Fox with an award for his contributions to the eld of Jewish
cinema.
Foxs lms, which include 2002s Yossi & Jagger, 2004s
Walk on Water and 2006s The Bubble, chiey focus on contem-
porary Israeli life, always present gay and straight characters
as close friends, colleagues or neighbors often all three. Most
notably, these gay-inclusive lms are always made with funds
from the Israeli government. The country has been supporting
my lms since the mid-90s, says the 49-year-old. Films that
always have gay characters, gay themes, gay love stories, gay sex
scenes.
Foxs latest, the sweet and uplifting Cupcakes, which closes
the WJFF Saturday, March 9, was inspired by Eurovision. The
focus is on a group of Israelis three straight women, one
lesbian and one gay man who compete at a Eurovision-style
competition. The groups leading competitor is a Russian hus-
band-and-wife duo, as fake and manufactured among other
things the husband is a closet case as this ragtag Israeli group
is authentic, even innocent.
The Israeli group competes by performing a song originally
written by Scott Hoffman, otherwise known as Babydaddy from
the Scissor Sisters. Scott is a friend of mine and my family, Fox
explains. At some point I said to him, Do you have a Eurovi-
sion-like song that you maybe wrote once and never published
or anything? And he said, You know what? A few years ago we
sat together, we had some drinks, we were kind of tipsy, and we
decided to write an ABBA-style song.
For Cupcakes, Fox made this song, originally called Right
Back, sweeter, more sentimental, more kitsch. And Song for
Anat is sung in Hebrew, a nod to what Fox said the competition
used to be.
It used to be, you came from Spain, you sang in Spanish. You
came from Germany, you sang in German, he explains about
Eurovision. And now, everyone sings this funny, bad English.
Bad accents and bad lyrics. So its become more and more of a
joke.
METRO WEEKLY: How would you describe Cupcakes?
EYTAN FOX: Well, it is, more than anything, your classic, feel-good
movie. Its a lm about friendship. How a group with a sense of
community can do a lot for each other. And its about the journey
that a group of neighbors take together. Its a very sweet, but
complicated, story.
I have lms of mine that I consider more serious, more
relationship stories. That are usually more politically oriented,
have to do a lot with Israels situation in the Middle East, and its
relationship with its neighbors. And masculinity in Israel. Gay
identity in Israel.
And then I have the lighter side of my lmmaking. Audi-
ences at the WJFF saw Mary Lou four years ago my television
miniseries, which was called in Washington an Israeli Glee. So I
have the sides in me that are more fun and games, music, danc-
ing, happy, colorful gay and straight characters. Cupcakes de-
nitely falls under that section of my lmmaking. Its somewhat
of a musical. I grew up to parents who came from the states and
moved to Israel when I was a kid. And my mom loved American
musicals, so a lot of my inuences come from there. Classic
MGM musicals from the 50s. And a lot of other inuences, like
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a group of French musicals by a
director called Jacques Demy.
MW: Cupcakes focuses on a Eurovision-style contest. Explain the
The
Fantastic
Mr. Fox
Eytan Fox with Cupcakes cast PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ZIV SADE & WASHINGTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
INTERVIEW BY DOUG RULE
As one of its most popular filmmakers, Eytan Fox has
helped turn Israel into a remarkably gay-friendly country
The
Fantastic
Mr. Fox
As one of its most popular filmmakers, Eytan Fox has
helped turn Israel into a remarkably gay-friendly country
signicance of that annual competition to you.
FOX: The Eurovision Song Contest has been something very sig-
nicant in a strange way in my life. It used to be an amazing song
competition or contest, where wonderful songs and singers from
all over Europe would come together and perform. When I was
a kid there was ABBA and Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John
and Celine Dion all these wonderful artists who started their
careers in this competition, with beautiful pop songs. I grew up
in a very nationalistic country, where any competition outside of
Israel where Israel took part, everyone was so into it. It didnt
matter if it was the Olympics or Eurovision or the Nobel Prize.
As long as Israel was competing, everyone was really into it. I
remember the rst year of Eurovision where Israel participated.
And it was all of us together. All the neighbors came together and
watched the competition and really cared about Israel and the
Eurovision Song Contest.
MW: I remember the transgender singer Dana International win-
ning Eurovision for Israel in 1998.
FOX: That was an amazing experience. Israel, again, its a very
nationalistic place, so in the beginning when we chose Dana
International to represent us in the Eurovision Song Contest, so
many people were criticizing that: How can you send a trans-
sexual to represent our holy land of Israel? That was what they
were saying. And they were demonstrating in the streets against
her going to Eurovision. Then she won! That was such a big
thing. After she won and came back to Israel, she went to the
Parliament, to the Knesset. And all these members of Parliament
who were against her shook her hand. Because who cares? She
won. It doesnt matter if shes transsexual, or this or that she
won for Israel. That was a big thing. A lot of people in Tel Aviv
were sitting watching this competition, being very proud of the
fact that Israel sent a transsexual to this competition, which was
very unusual at the time. And she was so good, and she won. And
all of us went down to the square in the center of the city with
rainbow ags. And we danced and sang. And it was an amazing
experience. And the funny thing was, the same night, the most
macho, even homophobic, soccer team in Israel won the cham-
pionship of Israel. The same night! And they went to the same
square. Guys with their soccer team ags. And were all dancing
together for the rst time in our lives. It was really a wonderful,
kind of communal experience.
MW: In preparing for this interview, I noticed that Dana Interna-
tional went back and competed again for Eurovision in 2011.
FOX: Yeah, for some strange reason. This competi-
tion is really changing in ways that I dont know how to
explain. But for some reason she didnt do that well.
MW: Has she had a successful career otherwise?
FOX: After Eurovision, Sony/BMG signed her up and tried to
create a career for her in Europe and internationally. It didnt
really work. Her people didnt know what to do with this sudden
success. She does tour Europe, in gay nightclubs and that whole
dance scene. She still has a career here in Israel. Shes had a few
hits since Diva, her big Eurovision hit. She had a talk show, and
now she has this game show where shes looking for the next girl
band in Israel, like an Israeli Idol/X Factor show.
MW: Has she ever played a part in your movies? Or have you
thought of including her?
FOX: The song Diva does appear as a musical number in Mary
Lou, and all of [Diva songwriter] Svika Picks songs. But work-
ing with her specically? You know, shes a friend. I love her. I
dont know. You never know. We paid homage to her in Mary
Lou. I think even in Walk on Water, the characters refer to her
and to her success. So I dont know, well see. Maybe.
MW: One thing I nd notable about your lms is that music is
always a factor. Sometimes its a small part, but always a signi-
cant part.
FOX: Yeah, it always is signicant. Music is important and sig-
nicant in everyones life almost everyone that I know. And I
use it in order to describe or characterize a character. Sometimes
different musical tastes dene different people, different worlds,
different psyches. In Walk on Water, I really have two characters
one very macho, straight, Mossad [Israeli security force]; the
other is a gay, young German. And they really have a ght about
their musical tastes. They have a constant argument about their
different musical tastes.
MW: Do you have a musical background?
FOX: I studied piano when I was a kid, but I was never really a
musician. I was actually a dancer. I thought Id be a dancer when
I was young. But then I had to join the Israeli Army at 18 for four
years, and realized I wont be a dancer. And chose to be a lm
director, which is probably for the best.
MW: You were born in New York, grew up in Jerusalem, then
moved to Tel Aviv for college, came out and never looked back?
Youre still living there to this day?
FOX: Tel Aviv is the city that all the young people and all the
modern, secular, normal people ee to. Its our big, modern,
vibrant city. Its a wonderful city.
But you know what? Israel has changed in amazing ways,
really. I mean, growing up in Jerusalem, the word gay did not
exist. We didnt even have the word. It was a very unknown
concept, homosexuality. But today, the world has become such
a small place. People who live in Jerusalem, young people, they
saw my lms and television work. They know that gays exist.
Theyre exposed to cable television and satellite and Internet.
And they watch all the television shows that come from all over
the world that have gay characters. And theyre exposed to gay
websites from all over the world. So, its not as much fun as it is
in Tel Aviv, I think, but there are gay people in Jerusalem.
MW: Thats one thing you capture in Yossi & Jagger, from 2002,
and the sequel Yossi from two years ago: the remarkable change
in only one decade in attitudes toward the LGBT community in
Israel.
FOX: Israel has changed in amazing ways. And Im really proud
to say that I think that Ive been part of that change. My lms
and television work Ive worked very hard at making these
changes happen. And Tel Aviv has become really a mecca, a par-
adise, for gay men and women from all over the world. Its really
amazing. Its so gay-friendly. Its full of options for gay people.
There are hundreds of gay couples with their kids roaming down
the streets of Tel Aviv. And there are parties and nightlife, and
so many things.
MW: How long have you and your partner Gal Uchovsky been
together? And are you one of those couples with kids roaming the
streets of Tel Aviv?
FOX: No. We dont have kids. We met 26 years ago, when I was a
young lm student. I was directing the Israeli Academy Awards
ceremony, something like that. I had just nished lm school
and they kind of took me to direct this big ceremony, and Gal
was a journalist at the time, writing about that ceremony. Thats
how we met.
MW: Whats the secret to your relationship? Its not only personal
but also professional, since you often co-write your lms together.
FOX: First of all, we dont really make lms together anymore.
We realized thats too much. To live together, maintain this
relationship and family, and work together. We try not to
work together as much anymore. What is the secret? You know,
the answers always sound like clichs. Friendship is the most
important thing.
MW: When did you come out?
FOX: When I was about 24. I nished my army service, I moved
to Tel Aviv, I started studying lm. And then I met Gal. I think
after I had Gal in my life, I was brave enough and strong enough
to go to my parents and say, Im gay, and this is my life, this is
my partner.
MW: I understand your parents passed away in recent years. Did
they ever come around to accepting you and Gal? Are you close to
your remaining family?
FOX: Yeah. My mother became very close to Gal immediately.
And my father went through a very interesting process, starting
with my coming out. He started going to therapy, which he never
did before, and really became a much better person. And he
became friends with Gal. It was a very nice journey that he took,
and I was there to see it happen. I think the last thing he said to
me before he died was something very nice about my relation-
ship with Gal. He said something about how he realizes that Gal
is so wonderful for me.
Both my brothers have gone back to the states. So its only me
and then all my alternative family, my close friends, and Gals
family is here. He has a relatively big family in Israel.
MW: You were closeted when you were in the army.
FOX: Of course. This was 1982, the world was a different place. Isra-
el was certainly a different place. It was war, so no one could know.
MW: I know its mandatory for every young Israeli to enlist, but,
for example, the openly gay character Tom in Yossi talks about the
possibility of leaving the army before completing his term, in order
to stay with his lover Yossi. How common is that?
FOX: Thats still a very radical, radical statement that he gives
there: That he will leave the army. Its kind of extreme. But Isra-
el has changed, and theres not only one option for young people.
The Israel I grew up in had only one option for every man who
grew up in it: You had to be straight, you had to be a soldier, you
had to be a certain kind of man, who does certain kinds of things.
And options have opened and changed.
MW: How much do you identify with the character of Yossi?
FOX: Yossi is probably the character I most identify with from
all my characters. I nd Yossi my most personal lm, and I feel
closest to it. It deals with all kinds of issues that I guess Im deal-
ing with like getting older, and asking questions about who
you are and what youve accomplished. And your past and your
traumas. And what youve managed to deal with, and what you
havent dealt with, and should be dealing with. All kinds of ques-
tions like that.
MW: Its a really touching lm. And it takes a turn I didnt see com-
ing. Because it starts so stark, and kind of lonely, and then it ends
on a hopeful note. And sweet.
FOX: I was accused a few times in the past of being not as hopeful
as people wanted me to be. So I guess Im becoming more hope-
ful as years go by.
MW: Did you know you were going to do a sequel to Yossi & Jagger
years ago? Why did it take so long?
FOX: Not at all. Why did it take a decade? I dont really know.
It takes time to go back and reect on things that happen. You
dont do that after a year or two. You can, but you dont really
have the perspective and the time.
MW: Have you ever made an American lm, ever thought of going
Hollywood?
FOX: All my lms were and are Israeli. Walk on Water had a lot
of English in it. But no, most of the lms are in Hebrew small
Israeli lms.
Ive had my relationship with Hollywood throughout the
years. Somehow I never felt at home enough there. And its very
important to me, when I make lms, to really feel part of a family
that works together and makes lms together.
But my next lm is going to be a very big lm that Im doing
with a producer who works and lives now out of L.A. So it will be
a bigger kind of lm that might involve Hollywood, in some way,
Fox
Films
BY RHUARIDH MARR
E
YTAN FOX, THE GAY NEW YORK-BORN ISRAELI FILM DIRECTOR,
has a relatively short lmography. Directing his rst ofcial piece in
1994, he has gone on to helm just 11 projects in his 49 years. For-
tunately for Fox, however, of the few pieces he has helped craft, several
have become staples of foreign-language gay cinema. Fox doesnt shy from
acknowledging and celebrating his Israeli roots, and the challenges and ad-
versities that presents. His lms tackle a variety of issues: homophobia, rac-
ism, Arab-Israeli tensions, lost love, self-discovery. One even handles Jewish
attitudes toward Germany in the aftermath of World War II. Fox doesnt shy
from presenting the bleak aspects of life, but he also celebrates its beauty. It
also doesnt hurt that he has a penchant for musical numbers, regardless of
the lms tone. We revisited four of Foxs most famous lms, as well as his
latest, Cupcakes, to get a rm grasp on the directors canon.
Yossi & Jagger
2002
HHHHH
Its important to remember that Israel
has allowed openly gay servicemem-
bers in its armed forces since 1993.
Its also important to remember that
being out is still an incredibly hard
thing to do. Thats the basis for Yossi
& Jagger, a short, emotional drama
that nds its setting in a group of sol-
diers on the Israel-Lebanon border. The
lm follows troop commander Yossi,
and his relationship with his second-
in-command ofcer Lior, nicknamed
Jagger for his handsome looks and
lip-syncing to Mick Jagger. They keep
their love a secret from the other sol-
diers, using regular patrols to exercise
their need for one another having
sex, talking, enjoying the privacy, as
they roll around in the snow together.
At just 67 minutes and shot on a shoe-
string budget, it wont blow you away
manner or form. But I like doing my thing. I like doing my small,
independent, Israeli lms, where I can do whatever I want to
do. And where I work with people I love. And with budgets that
allow me to do whatever I want to do.
MW: What is the focus of that lm?
FOX: Its a biopic about a wonderful, beautiful Israeli singer in the
70s, called Mike Brant. Grew up in Israel. Was actually a son of
Holocaust survivors. A very poor family. Disturbed parents. Brant
never wanted to be a singer, never made it in Israel. Left Israel,
became a giant, giant superstar in France. And then at some point
became very depressed, and killed himself at the age of 27. But its
full of music that I love. And it has a lot of Israeli history, Jewish
history. Sex, drugs and rock and roll or more pop music than
rock and roll. It has France in the 70s, and that whole music scene
of France in the 70s. Its a wonderful story, Im really happy about
it. Were going to shoot it towards the end of 2014.
MW: Earlier you were talking about Tel Aviv being a mecca for
young people and gay people in particular. Is there anti-gay vio-
lence there of late?
FOX: There always is to some extent. But I have to tell you that I
think Tel Aviv is such a nice, gay-friendly city and environment.
We had this terrible story a few years back where a shooter
went into a gay youth community center and shot a kid. And two
kids were killed, and a lot of them were injured and crippled.
Just a year ago the police found the guilty person. And its a big
ordeal. So that was very bad, but after that, the whole country
got together to ght homophobia, and anti-gay violence. So its
really part of our awareness here in Israel.
MW: It often takes something tragic to bring people together or
open their eyes.
FOX: Yeah, sadly enough. But also you could say that the fact that
the country has been supporting my lms since the mid-90s,
constantly supporting my lms. These lms are made only with
lm funds. You cant really make these lms without the support
of Israeli lm funds. And these are government funds: money the
country is putting into lms, that always have gay characters, gay
themes, gay love stories, gay sex scenes. I remember traveling
the world, especially gay and lesbian lm festivals and Jewish
lm festivals, with the television series I made in the 90s called
Florentine. And this was before Queer as Folk, before that whole
Showtime television series, before you had all these gay charac-
ters and representations in American cinema and television, or
on European television. And people were shocked! How is it,
the holy land of Israel allows you to show these things gay love
story and scenes on primetime Israeli network television?
MW: Whats the answer to that? Why did Israel support that so early?
FOX: Its interesting. Israel is very full of contradictions. A very
strange place. A lot of humanity and love and acceptance and
inclusion. And then again a lot of fear, a lot of hatred, a lot of
survival issues. Traumas. Inability to really see today, our situ-
ation, and to be able to reach peace with our neighbors. And to
understand that there are certain things that we have to do in
order to solve the occupation problem, and the war problems,
and so on and so on. So its really such a mix.
How do you explain the fact that Israel has become one of
the most gay friendly, and accepting of gay people, cultures in
the world? But then again its so problematic and difcult as
far as accepting the Arab other or Palestinian other? There are
really very different views religious on the one hand and very
anti-religious/secular/progressive on the other hand. Its a very
interesting, crazy mix.
MW: Sort-of on that topic, 2006s The Bubble is about the so-called
bubble that is Tel Aviv. Residents live in peace while surrounded
by the broader Middle East region that is perpetually in a state of
conict. One of the lms storylines involves a young gay Israeli
who falls in love with a Palestinian. Was that inspired by a real-life
experience? Was it your own?
FOX: Partly. I never really had a serious love story with a Pales-
with production values. What it will do
is reduce you to an emotional mess.
Jagger wants to be open about their
love, to plan for the future. Yossi, deftly
portrayed by Ohad Knoller, is closeted,
apprehensive, scared. An impromptu
visit from an army colonel, announc-
ing a nighttime ambush, moves the
story along, bringing with it a base
full of soldiers who are exhausted and
weary, unwilling to risk their lives for
what they deem to be a pointless ex-
cursion. Fox maneuvers through the
base, and later the raid scenario, like
a y-on-the-wall. We eavesdrop on nu-
merous conversations, catch glimpses
of different personalities, and in such
a short space of time the entire cast
manages to create an authentic, be-
lievable atmosphere. Its what makes
the lms ending all the more devastat-
ing. We have come to care for these
soldiers, in particular Yossi and Jagger,
championing their love, their friend-
ships, their bonds. Yossis emotional
outburst, when he nally stops car-
ing what the other soldiers think, is
incredible. It may only be an hour, but
Yossi & Jagger explores a deeper, and
rawer, love story than most lms twice
its length.
Walk on Water
2004
HHHHH
Foxs lm about a Mossad agent hired
to be a guide for a German tourist
may not sound like much, but youd
be wrong. Eyal is a trained killer, ad-
ept at removing terrorist threats with-
out causing a scene. When he returns
home from a mission to discover his
wife has committed suicide, it sets
into motion a narrative that deals with
so many issues its almost too much
for Fox to handle yet it all some-
how works, and works well. Tasked
with monitoring Axel and Pia, German
grandchildren of a Nazi war criminal
long considered dead but discovered
alive in South America, Eyal poses as
a tour guide to shadow them in an at-
tempt to discover if they know of their
grandfathers whereabouts.
Lior Ashkenazi handles the various
complexities of Eyals personality well
his homophobia when he discovers
that Axel is gay; the irtatious nature
of his time spent with Pia (Caroline Pe-
ters), Axels sister; a torrent of barely
concealed anger when Axel sleeps
with a Palestinian man. Its in the re-
lationship between Eyal and Axel that
Walk on Water truly succeeds a
scene at the Dead Sea strips away the
emotional layers holding Eyal back and
he opens up to Axel as if he were a
true friend. Its beautifully handled by
Fox, Ashkenazi, and Knut Berger as
Axel. By the lms end, both men are
changed. Their effect on each other is
obvious, producing a work notable for
its focus on homosexuality being part
of a much larger fabric of events and
social issues. Dealing with homopho-
bia, transphobia, the Israel-Palestine
conict, anti-German sentiment, the
emotional cost of killing for a career,
lost love and new love, Walk on Wa-
ter threatens to drown itself under
its own ambitions, but the core story,
the friendship between its two lead-
ing men, keeps it aoat and makes it
something of a marvel.
tinian. I grew up in Jerusalem, and therefore the whole story of
living between Israel and Palestine the Jewish parts of Jeru-
salem and the Arab/Palestinian parts of Jerusalem are really
part of my biography. But having a love story with a Palestinian
is just my fantasy I guess. [Laughs.] I know a lot of people who
have had these kind of relationships, these very difcult, some-
times even tragic relationships. And I was trying to say some-
thing about our situation through this tragic love story.
MW: Are there many gay Palestinians around you today? Is Tel
Aviv a mecca for them too?
FOX: I dont know if there are many. But I think a lot of young, gay
Palestinians escape Palestine and come try to live in Tel Aviv. A
lot of them do encounter all the difculties that the main char-
acter, the Palestinian character in The Bubble, does. And a lot of
them decide to leave Israel, and leave the region, because they
cant live in Palestine openly gay, and they cant live in Israel
because theyre not accepted here as Palestinians. So a lot of
them do leave the whole Middle East and go live in Europe and
try to rebuild their lives someplace that is more normal for them.
MW: Do you have hope for a more peaceful Israel and Middle East?
FOX: Different things have to happen, but its clear that eventu-
ally well have to have two states here, Palestine and Israel. And
well have to nd ways to live together peacefully. Well have to
give up a lot of things that people are very afraid about. We have
to overcome fear, thats the most important thing, and go for the
right thing which is concessions and understanding that we
cant continue this way. The world is becoming so anti-Israeli
policies and occupation. And rightly so.
MW: What sense of obligation do you feel in commenting on politics
and current events in your work?
FOX: I always try to. Im working on this television series now.
Again, there are relationships between Israelis and Palestinians,
and trying to solve problems between them on a more human
level of relationships.
MW: What is the television series?
FOX: Its a new television series that Im shooting as we speak.
What would the American idiom be? Good Family. You say in
Hebrew, Its okay, he comes from a good family. And its about
parents, a family in Jerusalem, whose kids all escape Jerusalem
we were talking about this before and move to Tel Aviv.
And the parents are starting to get divorced, and the whole fam-
ily kind of reacts to that. And theres a nice gay character who is
part of this wonderful dance company in Tel Aviv, so well have
a lot of dance.
MW: So there are a lot of reections of you in there?
FOX: Yeah. Thats part of staying in Israel, making lms in Israel.
Because, really, I make lms about myself. I am a one-trick
pony. [Laughs.] I make lms about myself and things that I really
know, and know about and care about. Me, my friends, my fam-
ily, my loved ones.
MW: But you dont always write your screenplays. Are you co-
writing that TV series?
FOX: Yeah. I wrote the stories and the characters for all my lms.
But for different reasons I didnt take the credit for the screen-
plays. Lately I have decided to do that, kind of put my name on
the screenplays as well. Because I always did come up with the
story and the characters and what I was trying to say there. And
then always brought in a collaborator who wrote the screenplay
with me or for me.
MW: So you were a closeted writer before?
FOX: Yeah, exactly. Im working very hard at coming out of my
writers closet.
Eytan Foxs Cupcakes closes the WJFF on Saturday, March 9, at
7:30 p.m., at the Washington, D.C., Jewish Community Center,
1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $12. The festival runs from Thursday,
Feb. 27, through March 9, and a full festival pass is $85. Call 888-
718-4253 or visit wjff.org. l
The Bubble
2006
HHHHH
Its easy to see why Fox wanted to call
The Bubble Romeo and Julio. This
story of love between two people who
live on either side of a conict is very
similar to Shakespeares tragedy. Once
again tackling the Israel-Palestine con-
ict, Fox presents a tale of Noam
(Ohad Knoller), a Jewish man living in
Tel Aviv, who falls in love with Ashraf
(Yousef Sweid), a Palestinian man. The
title of the lm references the city of
Tel Aviv, a relatively peaceful part of Is-
rael where residents are said to live in
a bubble, separated from the conict
and trouble on Israels borders. Noam
spots Ashraf while working at a mili-
tary checkpoint, but has to return to
Tel Aviv as his military service has con-
cluded. Ashraf follows Noam to return
a passport that Noam dropped at the
checkpoint. The two meet and, natu-
rally, fall in love. Determined to keep
Ashraf in Tel Aviv where he can live
openly as a gay man, Noam conspires
to have him work in a restaurant under
the Jewish name Shimi.
Its from this point that the lm de-
scends into somewhat soap-worthy
fare, with Noams roommates Yali,
whos also gay, and Lulu intertwining
with the story. Lulus boyfriend discov-
ers that Ashraf is not Jewish and he
ees to Palestine. The Bubble is intent
on contrasting the very different lives
of the two men the majority of it
deals with Noam trying to get Ashraf
back, and Ashrafs very conservative
family conspiring to keep him clos-
eted. Theres a forced marriage to
Ashrafs cousin, a Jihad bombing in Tel
Aviv that directly impacts a character,
an Israeli response in Palestine which
affects Ashrafs family, and the whole
lm culminates, through emotional
scene after emotional scene, in Ashraf
taking his brother-in-laws place as a
suicide bomber. The ending of the lm
is arguably its most powerful moment,
and I wont spoil it, but its a slog to get
there. Fox seems intent on prodding
every issue Jihadists, bombs, mili-
tary attacks, the contrasting of life in
Palestine with life in Israel, not just for
gay men but for everyone. The soapy,
schlocky nature of certain portions of
the lm drag down what is otherwise
a very touching, heartfelt relationship
between two people who society and
culture wont let be together.
Yossi
2012
HHHHH
Foxs fth feature, a sequel to Yossi &
Jagger that takes place a decade after
that lms events, is also his best. It
strips away a lot of the social-issues
baggage Fox puts into other works and
presents a very raw, powerful tale of
one man trying to rediscover himself.
Ohad Knoller reprises his role as Yossi,
and delivers a standout performance.
As a closeted cardiologist, the lm
opens on a depressingly lonely per-
son. Yossi lives his life through his job,
taking night shifts and working himself
to the ragged edge. His eyes are con-
stantly surrounded by bags, theres a
permanent 10-day beard and he never
continues on page 37
FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 6, 2014
SPOTLIGHT
AMY SCHUMER
Only two years ago she was just a blip on even a
comedy connoisseurs radar, as a nalist on Last
Comic Standing. But now theres Comedy Centrals
Inside Amy Schumer, which is apparently popular
enough to allow her to perform her standup beyond
the small comedy club circuit. Saturday, March 8, at
8 p.m. D.A.R. Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. Call
202-628-1776 or visit dar.org/conthall.
ATLASS INTERSECTIONS:
A NEW AMERICA ARTS FESTIVAL
Every year, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, the
H Street Corridors hub, creates a true hubbub
in the neighborhood, attracting upwards of 9,000
26
Compiled by Doug Rule
C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y

T
E
A
M

P
E
A
C
H
E
S
I
TS NOT YOUR REGULAR OLD OSCAR PARTY,
Michael Fowler says of Glamour, Glitter & Gold. Its
The DC Centers Oscar party but on hyper-drive.
The hyper speed, it turns out, comes courtesy of local
drag act Team Peaches. Its going to be the rst year that
we actually have a live performance, says Fowler, new chair
of the board of directors for The DC Center, Washingtons
LGBT community center. The Team Peaches performance
during the show is going to be out of this world.
Fowler is working with Ian Smith on this years Glam-
our, Glitter & Gold, the Oscar-watch party taking place
Sunday, March 2, at Town Danceboutique. Besides Team
Peaches, Metro Weeklys editor-in-chief Randy Shulman
and local standup comedian Paul Tupper host the segment
between the live broadcast of the 86th Annual Academy
Awards. Glamour, Glitter & Gold sponsors have also con-
tributed prizes to be awarded throughout the night in a
silent auction and a rafe, including tickets to Rufus Wain-
wright at The Lincoln Theatre and to Sideshow, this sum-
OSCARS GLAMOROUS NIGHT
The DC Centers Glamour, Glitter & Gold Oscar-watch party teams up with talent
people over three weekends to its Intersections:
A New America Arts Festival. Now in its fth
year, Intersections features hundreds of artists,
most participating in multidisciplinary, curated
events intersections among different art forms,
such as lmmakers with musicians, or spoken-word
artists with dancers. Weekends to March 10. Atlas
Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Ticket prices
and passes vary. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.
org and intersectionsdc.org.
BOB MOULD
Twenty-ve years ago, the lead singer and guitarist
of the pioneering alt-rock band Hsker D and also
the pioneering power-pop band Sugar released his
debut solo album, Workbook. Bob Mould, of course,
is now best known in gay circles as one-half of
the pioneering gay-bear-dance-party and DJ duo
Blowoff. Less than two months after hosting the last
Blowoff of an 11-year-run, the 9:30 Club welcomes
back Mould as part of a small national tour celebrating
his solo careers silver anniversary. Longtime bassist
Jason Narducy joins Mould to perform songs from
Moulds oeuvre, but chiey Workbook, which has
been credited as partly inuencing Dave Grohl and
Ben Gibbard, among others. Wednesday, March
5. Doors at 7 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW.
Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.
Also visit 930.com/friends to sign up for the clubs
Friends With Benets rewards program offering
exclusive deals and discounts on tickets, drinks and
merchandise.
CHELSEA HANDLER
The edgy, racy and ber-gay-friendly Chelsea
Handler tours in support of Uganda Be Kidding Me
mer at the Kennedy Center.
This has always been one of our marquee events to
raise funds for The DC Center, Fowler says. The money
will cover general programming funds at the center, as well
as provide a cushion for future growth. We have had very
robust usage of the current space, Fowler says of The DC
Centers new ofces in the Reeves Center at 14th and U
Streets NW. The DC Center settled into the space last fall,
but already we are getting to the point where we are nd-
ing ourselves without space sometimes.
A move to a new location is from two-to-ve years away,
Fowler says, adding: We want to make sure we have strong
reserves so that we can sustain the center into the future.
Glamour Glitter & Gold is Sunday, March 2, starting at 7
p.m. at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th NW. Tickets are $15
general admission, or $45 for VIP, which includes special
seating, hors doeuvres and a swag bag. Call 202-234-TOWN
or visit towndc.com or thedccenter.org.
Team Peaches
a book that has very little direct connection to
the African country, other than to riff on its terrible
anti-gay policies. Instead, the focus as always is on
Handlers crazy life and wild adventures, beyond
what she shares on a daily basis with her hilarious
hit E! network talk show Chelsea Lately. Wednesday,
Victoria F. Gaitn, Blue Nude, Part 2, 2013
CREATIVE CAPITAL
WPAs Select 2014 at Artisphere focuses on contemporary art
I
TS A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN STARTING TO BUILD A COLLECTION, LISA
Gold sayS of Select 2014. Or people who are just interested in seeing whats happening in the region.
At least 75 percent of the works on display at this Washington Project for the Arts event, held this year at Arti-
sphere, comes from artists in the D.C. region, more than 100 strong. Nine curators, also mostly local, were tapped to select
the works for the show, a fundraiser for WPA.
Its all contemporary work and its in a variety of media, Gold, WPAs executive director, says including video,
sculpture, photographs and paintings.
We have work in a variety of price ranges too, she adds, noting that proceeds from the art auction will be shared by
her organization and the artists equally. I came from New York where a lot of organizations would just solicit donations
from the artists, and then they would keep all the sale proceeds. But since we are an artist service organization, we dont
feel like thats the right thing to do. So we help the artists by sharing 50/50.
Started 40 years ago, WPA represents about 800 local artists, helping them with professional development opportuni-
ties and showcasing them through a variety of events. WPA organizes some of these from its home base at Southwests
Capitol Skyline Hotel, including an event every summer in the hotel pool called Sink or Swim, which Gold describes as a
synchronized swimming performance art competition. From now until March 28 in the hotels lobby WPA offers a video/
performance series by New York-based Jacolby Satterwhite.
But Artisphere is this years home for Select 2014, which opens with a reception Thursday, Feb. 27. The works are on
view for three weeks, culminating in an Art Auction Gala Saturday, March 22, where people can purchase the works as
well as eat dinner, and even take a swing at some artist-designed piatas. Doug Rule
Select 2014 opens with a free reception Thursday, Feb. 27, from 7 to 10 p.m., and runs to March 21, with the Art Auction Gala
Saturday, March 22, from 7 to 11 p.m. Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Tickets to the gala are $35.
Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.
March 5, at 8 p.m. D.A.R. Constitution Hall, 1776 D
St. NW. Call 202-628-1776 or visit dar.org/conthall.
Handler also signs books Wednesday, March 8, at 2
p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW.
Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.
COMPAGNIE KAFIG/CCN CRETEIL
ET VAL-DE-MARNE
This France-based street art dance company makes
its debut at the Kennedy Center with Agwaand
Correria. Written and choreographed by the
companys Mourad Merzouki, this work features an
all-male Brazilian cast performing celebrated works
30
STAGE
BEACHES: A MUSICAL
Yes, its true: Signature Theatre presents a world
premiere musical adapted from the 1985 novel,
best remembered as the 1988 weepy lm starring
Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Signatures
Eric Schaeffer directs Mara Davi (Broadways
A Chorus Line and The Drowsy Chaperone) and
Alysha Umphress (Broadways American Idiot)
in this musical adaptation by original author Iris
Rainer Dart, with assistance from book writer Thom
Thomas and composer David Austin. To March 23.
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington.
Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.
ELLA FITZGERALD: FIRST LADY OF SONG
HHHHH
Freda Payne has absolutely no trouble channeling
the big voice of Ella Fitzgerald, and its actually
quite remarkable. Payne, who had a pop hit in
1970 with Band of Gold, hits all the right notes
singing, scatting, even occasionally ad libbing in
MetroStages latest bio-musical, Ella Fitzgerald: First
Lady of Song. But she isnt much of an actor. The
enthusiasm Payne has performing as Fitzgerald is
often lacking when merely portraying her, delivering
lines from Lee Summerss book as if unsure of
their veracity or her memory, or both. MetroStages
relatively barebones production doesnt give Payne
much wiggle room either. To March 16. MetroStage,
1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55
to $60. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
(Doug Rule)
HIGH
A month after presenting a pre-New York run of
Steven Faless Mormon Boy Trilogy plays, Virginias
LGBT-focused theater company Richmond Triangle
Players offers a production of Matthew Lombardos
drama High, about a nuns test of her faith as she
tries to help a 19-year-old meth-addicted hustler get
clean. George Boyd directs this production featuring
Jonathan Hardison, Melissa Johnston Price and
Kyle Cornell. As with Faless plays, Lombardos
High is presented as part of the Richmond-wide The
Acts of Faith Festival, putting spirituality onstage.
To March 15. Richmond Triangle Players, 1300
Altamont Ave., Richmond. Tickets are $30. Call 804-
346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT
REALLY TRYING
This 1961 musical just hasnt aged well. The satirical
story about ofce politics is not simply old-fashioned,
it is seriously out of date. In fact, I found it offensive
in its retrograde portrayal of a large companys
thoroughly sexist culture. Of course, its all meant to
be tongue-in-cheek, yet somehow the shows gleeful
attitude about a ruthless corporate culture really got
under my skin. I just couldnt bring myself to care for
many of the shows characters and Frank Loessers
music never really grabbed me. It never offers a
momentary escape of critical relief. Extended to
March 2. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy
Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are $32.50 to $65.
Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org. (Doug
Rule)
MISS NELSON IS MISSING
Jennifer Nelson directs an Adventure Theatre
MTC production of a musical based on the popular
childrens books by Harry Allard, with book, music
and lyrics by Joan Cushing. To March 9. Adventure
Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo,
Md. Tickets are $19. Call 301-634-2270 or visit
adventuretheatre-mtc.org.
inspired by hip-hop, bossa nova and capoeira, all
centered on the theme of water, both as a vital
human component and natural resource and a
symbol of renewal. Friday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m., and
Saturday, March 1, at 2:30 and 8 p.m. Kennedy
Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $22 to $60.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
DEMI LOVATO
X Factor judge and mentor Demi Lovato, who has
also appeared as a guest star on Glee, is now on
her The Neon Lights Tour, supporting her new
album Demi and its hit singles Heart Attack and
Neon Lights. British girl group Little Mix marks
its rst U.S. tour as one opening act. The other at the
Patriot Center is Fifth Harmony, X Factor nalists
turned girl group. Sunday, March 2. Patriot Center
at George Mason University, 4400 University Drive,
Fairfax. Tickets are $29.50 to $65. Call 703-993-3000
or visit patriotcenter.com.
JO KOY
The Chelsea Lately weekly regular is not gay, despite
what Chelsea Handler insists. But he sure is funny.
Variety has even named him one of 10 Comics to
Watch. Hes certainly become popular: His annual
run of stand-up shows at the DC Improv usually sells
out. So, you know, get tickets now if you want to go.
Thursday, Feb. 27, through March 1. DC Improv,
1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $30. Call
202-296-7008 or visit dcimprov.com.
KATHY MATTEA
The Grammy-winning Nashville hit-maker from the
80s and 90s has since gone in a more folk and roots-
driven direction, including covering classic coal-
mining songs with the recent Coal. Mattea returns to
the area for a concert presented by the Washington
Performing Arts Society. Saturday, March 1, at 8 p.m.
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. Tickets
are $35. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.
MASHA GESSEN
Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot
is a journalistic chronicle of the Russian feminist
punk/performance art group that you may have
heard of or even seen by now. Members of the
collective have been persecuted criticizing loudly
and widely Vladimir Putin and his anti-democracy
and of course anti-LGBT policies and practices.
The Russian investigative reporter Gessen, whose
earlier work includes The Man without a Face, a
critical biography of Putin, will discuss Pussy Riot
and todays Russia, which she has called despairing
and only getting worse. As a lesbian, Gessen recently
made the tough but understandable decision to leave
her homeland and take up residence in New York.
Saturday, March 8, at 6 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015
Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit
politics-prose.com.
THE WASHINGTON CHORUS
Julian Wachner leads the Washington Chorus in its
celebration of Giuseppe Verdi in honor of the 200th
anniversary of his birth. Sopranos Corinne Winters
and Othalie Graham, mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo,
tenor Issachah Savage and bass Peter Volpe are
featured soloists in The Essential Verdi, featuring
favorites from his operas, choruses and choral
masterworks, including highlights from Aida, La
Traviata and Il Trovatore. Sunday, March 2, at 5 p.m.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to
$70. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
ORLANDO
WSC Avant Bard presents Sarah Ruhls new
adaptation of Virginia Woolfs most imaginative
novel, a wild and wonderful romp through centuries
and across genders and based in part on the life of
Woolfs lover Vita Sackville-West. Amber Jackson
directs this regional premiere of Orlando featuring
company members Sara Barker and Jay Hardee.
To March 24. Theatre on the Run, 3700 South Four
Mile Run Drive, Arlington. Tickets are $25 to $35.
Call 703-418-4808 or visit wscavantbard.org.
ROCK OF AGES
Yes, this is a jukebox musical with cheesy rock and
noisy hair metal from the 80s, which just two years
ago was turned into a bad lm starring Tom Cruise.
Certainly, if you didnt grow up with Whitesnake
songs or those by REO Speedwagon, Foreigner,
Poison and the like Rock of Ages probably isnt for
you. But as Doug Rule wrote in a 2011 review of the
shows national tour: If can let go of your theatrical
pretensions and can stomach the cheese, the noise
and the poop jokes, youre likely to have nothin but a
good time, as they say. Rock of Ages, which debuted
on Broadway two years ago, isnt just a straight mans
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert or, for that matter,
Glee. Though the general story and selected music
is hetero-centric, there are a couple gay twists to the
story that will leave any queer theatergoer amused.
Sunday, March 2, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Warner Theatre,
513 13th St. NW. Tickets are $42.50 to $67.50. Call
202-783-4000 or visit warnertheatredc.com.
SEMINAR
Round House Theatre presents a new work by
Broadways most-produced female playwright
Theresa Rebeck. Seminar focuses on four aspiring
young novelists who sign up for private classes with
Leonard, an international literary gure who teaches
them lessons in survival as well as writing in this
comedy, directed by a Round House founder and
former artistic director Jerry Whiddon and starring
Marty Lodge, Tom Story and Alexander Strain. To
March 2. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West
Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are $50 to $60. Call 240-
644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
HHHHH
A late-Victorian romp lled with Oscar Wildes
relentless wit and merciless jabs at high society, the
Shakespeare Theater Companys The Importance
of Being Earnest may be just the ticket for a bitterly
cold winters evening. With wordplay that tickles
the brain, creampuff costumes, an all-around
insuppressible cheerfulness, and the kind of
elocution that borders on the hypnotic, its easy to
forget about things like snow, ice and unscheduled
leave as long as one doesnt also fall into a long
winters nap.
Which is to say that despite its confectionary-
like pleasures (including some ne sets) and its
exuberant good-naturedness, this isnt the most
riveting of productions. Though its hard to put a
nger on it, sufce to say its something to do with
a slight lag in rhythm, a slight lack of chemistry
and a slight imbalance between the smug and the
sardonic tones that must drive the play. Extended
to March 16. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW.
Tickets are $20 to $115. Call 202-547-1122 or visit
shakespearetheatre.org. (Kate Wingeld)
THE SCARLET LETTER
Focused on creating one-hour audio plays of
classics, Lean & Hungry Theater presents its rst
non-Shakespearean audio play with Nathaniel
Hawthornes American classic. In this version,
Hester Prynnes story of being socially ostracized
for getting pregnant is seen through the eyes of
Hawthorne himself. The author questions Ruby,
Hesters great-granddaughter, about the events that
took place in colonial Massachusetts. Renana Fox
directs the acting ensemble playing multiple roles,
with original music composed by Roc Lee and audio
design by R. Mehdi Raou. The performance will be
broadcast live on WAMU 88.5 FM. Friday, Feb. 28, at
8 p.m. The Dome Theatre at Artisphere, 1101 Wilson
Blvd., Arlington. Tickets are $15. Call 703-875-1100
or visit artisphere.com.
THE WEDDING DRESS
Spooky Action Theatre presents what is billed as
a visual feast lled with movement, by famous
Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues. A blend
of a lm noir murder mystery, love story and
portrait of madness and presented in the forms
of memory, hallucination and reality The Wedding
Dress focuses on the effects of a repressive society.
Specically, a woman and her family in the 1930s
and a Madam and her brothel and her lover 30 years
prior. Rebecca Holderness directs the production.
To March 9. Universalist National Memorial
Church, 1810 16th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $35.
Call 202-248-0301 or visit spookyaction.org.
THE YOUNG LADY FROM TACNA
Jose Carrasquillo from Puerto Rico directs the latest
show at GALA Theatre, La seorita de Tacna, written
by Peruvian 2010 Nobel Prize Laureate Mario Vargas
Llosa. This memory play, performed in Spanish with
English surtitles, is a moving and humorous portrait
of a family and its secrets, focused on a 100-year-old
spinster aunt and her canceled engagement to a
Chilean captain when she was young. Carlos Castillo
and Luz Nicolas star. To March 9. GALA Theatre at
Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $38 to
$42. Call 202-234-7174 or visit galatheatre.org.
TRIBES
Nina Raines Tribes covers a lot of ground and
conveys much about the strengths and weaknesses of
a tribe of any kind, be it a family or a community or a
culture. Far more than a play about the experience of
being deaf or an examination of deaf culture, though,
Raines play ultimately pivots on the twin issues
of language and communication. Even the most
minor subplots relate to these fundamental human
expressions. Studios interpretive production,
helmed by the companys artistic director David
Muse, only enhances Raines points. Closes this
Sunday, March 2. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW.
studiotheatre.org. (Doug Rule)
WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company offers Jackie
Sibblies Drurys We Are Proud to Present, billed
as a fast-paced, funny and wholly unique take
on race and empathy. The story revolves around
a group of idealistic actors half black and
half white who tell a little-known story of
a centuries-old conflict in South West Africa.
D
A
V
I
D

J
.

M
A
R
T
I
N
No, Walsh didnt get a nose job. His life-enhancing target was moving to New York. From the time I was 6 years old
thats what I wanted to do, he explains. But Walsh, who grew up in suburban Detroit, and then Phoenix as a teenager,
curbed his Big Apple cravings once he graduated from Arizona State University. After a stint in Los Angeles, Walsh moved
to D.C., where his mother had grown up and his parents had married. He might have stayed longer than ve years, but after a
bad breakup he needed to ee D.C. Already geographically closer than ever to his dream deferred, why not nally go for it?
Sixteen years later, Walsh chronicles his adventures in Wasnt Tomorrow Wonderful?, which Magnus Books will publish
next week. The title comes from a song by the new-wave band The Waitresses, and the subtitle A Memoir is a bit mis-
leading. I consider it a book of essays, Walsh says, because its not really chronologically put together like a traditional
memoir. Two of the essays previously appeared as shorter pieces in Instinct magazine, and a few others were expanded
from posts to Walshs personal blog, Kenneth in the (212).
There were some rough years of bad dates and [unfortunate] online hookups, Walsh concedes, though hes been with
his partner Michael for 12 years. And after seven years, he got laid off in 2010 from his dream job at The New York Times.
Now an editor for the Wall Street Journals website WSJ.com, Walsh also hopes to write a second book at some point,
another work of personal nonction. I just nd truth is so much more interesting than anything anyone could dream up.
You could say hes living proof. Doug Rule
Kenneth Walsh appears Sunday, March, at 3 p.m., at Number Nine, 1435 P St. NW. Call 202-986-0999 or visit
NumberNineDC.com or kennethinthe212.com.
But the actors own stories, subjectivities and
ingrained prejudices rise to the surface. Michael
John Garcs directs the production that includes
Dawn Ursula, Andreu Honeycutt, Joe Isenberg and
Holly Twyford. To March 9. Woolly Mammoth, 641
D St. NW. Tickets range from $35 to $72.50. Call
202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.
MUSIC
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Marin Alsop leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
in a program focused on two Russian romantic
composers: Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.
Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg joins to perform
the centerpiece, Shostakovichs Violin Concerto No. 1,
on a bill that also includes Rachmaninoffs Symphonic
Dances and Vocalise. Thursday, March 6, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Also Friday, March 7, and Saturday,
March 8, at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall,
1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $29 to $94.
Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.
BOHEMIAN CAVERNS JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Every Monday night the 17-piece jazz orchestra
performs a variety of music from the big band
repertoire including pieces by Duke Ellington,
Count Basie, Billy Strayhorn and Maria Schneider,
plus originals from band members at its namesake
venue. Founded by baritone saxophonist Brad Linde
and club owner Omrao Brown, features some of
D.C.s best jazz musicians, including Linde and
trumpeter Joe Herrera, who co-direct. Performances
at 8 and 10 p.m. every Monday night. Bohemian
Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-
299-0800 or visit bohemiancaverns.com.
BRIAN DARCY JAMES
This Tony-nominated actor (Shrek, Next to Normal)
is the latest to get Barbara Cooks Spotlight for a night
of cabaret at the Kennedy Center. Friday, March 7, at
7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets
are $45. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.
org or washingtonballet.org.
BIG APPLES
LATE-BLOOMER
Kenneth Walsh shares adventures in realizing
a dream deferred
S
OMETIMES PEOPLE GET THIS IDEA IN THEIR HEAD,
blogger and journalist Kenneth Walsh says. Oh, if I get a nose job,
my life will be so much better.
Almost immediately, naysayers chime in: Dont put so much focus on
this one thing that you think you want.
Walshs advice? Ignore them. Its everything I dreamed it would be,
and everything I wanted to have happen in my career, he says about his
life now, at age 46.
GEMS
The 9:30 Club and Brightest Young Things present
this concert of the D.C. dream-pop duo of Lindsay
Pitts and Clifford Johns. As Gems, the two weave
a dark, cinematic web of intimate male and female
vocals, hazy guitars and lush synthesizers. Saturday,
March 1, at 7 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St.
NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-588-1880 or visit
ustreetmusichall.com.
HABIB KOIT
Rolling Stone calls Habib Koit Malis biggest pop
star, and hes one with his own distinctive guitar
style, strumming tunes that fuse West African
traditions with global rock sounds. Having recorded
with Bonnie Raitt among others, Koit stops at Wolf
Trap on a tour specically in support of his just-
released set So. Wednesday, March 5, at 8 p.m. The
Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets
are $35. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.
HOOSHIR A CAPPELLA, POTOMAC FEVER
HooShir, Indiana Universitys premier co-ed a
cappella group, with Jewish roots, joins Potomac
Fever, the Gay Mens Chorus of Washingtons select
a cappella pop ensemble, in a special program at the
Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia.
Saturday, March 8, at 8 p.m. Jewish Community
Center of Northern Virginia, 8900 Little River
Turnpike, Fairfax. Tickets are $29. Call 703-323-
0880 or visit jccnv.org.
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Christoph Eschenbach conducts the NSO in
a performance of Beethovens First and Second
Symphonies. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff joins to
perform the U.S. premiere of Widmanns Violin
Concerto. Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.; and Friday,
Feb. 28, and March 1, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center
Concert Hall. Tickets are $10 to $85. Call 202-467-
4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
Strathmore presents a 40th anniversary celebration
of the Grammy-winning, D.C.-based, all-woman
gospel a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock,
founded by Bernice Johnson Reagon, mother of
lesbian blues singer Toshi. And theyve proven their
mettle as a gay-friendly group: A few years ago they
sang My Family, which they penned for the gay-
inclusive HBO documentary A Family Is a Family Is
a Family: A Rosie ODonnell Celebration. Saturday,
March 1, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $29 to
$70. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA
Herman Melvilles classic Moby-Dick is now a
triumphant opera with music by Jake Heggie and a
libretto by Gene Scheer, featuring massive nautical
sets, dazzling visual effects, a beautiful score and a
talented cast. The Washington National Opera offers
the East Coast premiere of this English-language
opera about Captain Ahab and the whale, originally
commissioned by the Dallas Opera Company and
conducted by Evan Rogister. Carl Tanner and
Stephen Costello lead the cast. To March 8. Kennedy
Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $305. Call
202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
DANCE
THE WASHINGTON BALLET
If youve grown a little weary of the latest
anniversary-pegged Beatlesmania in America, at
least the Washington Ballet broadens the focus.
British Invasion: The Beatles & The Rolling Stones
features two rock ballets: Trey McIntyres Beatles-
set A Day in the Life and Christopher Bruces
34
8 p.m. D.A.R. Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. Call
202-628-1776 or visit dar.org/conthall.
READINGS
ERIC SCHMIDT, JARED COHEN
Now out in paperback, The New Digital Age:
Transforming Nations, Business and Our Lives, tackles
the multifaceted topic of technology as seen from
Google Mountain. After all, Eric Schmidt is the
executive chairman and former CEO of Google and
Jared Cohen is director of Google Ideas. Thursday,
Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600
I St. NW. Tickets are $18 including one book, or $28
including two. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.
Rolling Stones-set Rooster plus, out of left eld,
Christopher Wheeldons There Where She Loved,
set to the music of Kurt Weill and Frederic Chopin.
Opens in previews Wednesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m.
To March 9. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater.
kennedy-center.org or washingtonballet.org.
COMEDY
AMY SCHUMER
Only two years ago she was just a blip on even a
comedy connoisseurs radar, as a nalist on Last
Comic Standing. But now theres Comedy Centrals
Inside Amy Schumer, which is apparently popular
enough to allow her to perform her standup beyond
the small comedy club circuit. Saturday, March 8, at
GALLERIES
A NEW AGE OF EXPLORATION:
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AT 125
As part of an organization-wide toast to the rst
125 years, the National Geographic Museum offers
a visual and interactive exhibition celebrating
modern exploration by featuring some of the most
iconic moments from the institution and its bedrock
magazine. Entered through an archway made of
hundreds of issues of National Geographic magazine,
the exhibition in the complexs 17th Street gallery
features the work of National Geographic explorers,
photographers, scientists and journalists everyone
from Jacques Cousteau to James Cameron and is
sponsored by GEICO, with the North Face a sponsor
of giveaways and events throughout its run. Through
June. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St.
NW. Tickets are $11. Call 202-857-7588 or visit
ngmuseum.org.
ASCAP: ONE HUNDRED YEARS AND BEYOND
The Library of Congress offers an exhibition featuring
45 objects celebrating the work of the leading
organization advocating on behalf of musical artists.
Included in this centennial toast to the American
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is
the original manuscript of Henry Mancinis The
Pink Panther theme, Paul Williamss lyrics for
The Rainbow Connection, and the original lyrics,
including the many drafts and revisions, to the Barbra
Streisand staple The Way We Were, written by
Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Theres also interactive,
audio and video stations, and the screening of a lm
featuring artists explaining ASCAPs work. Through
July 26. Performing Arts Reading Room Gallery,
the Library of Congresss James Madison Memorial
Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Call 202-707-
8000 or visit loc.gov/concerts.
CREATING THE IDEAL HOME, 1800-1939
Housed in the same building as Constitution Hall, the
D.A.R. Museum offers a new exhibit exploring the
evolution of household comfort and conveniences,
and how American inventors patented all sorts of
laborsaving and leisure-providing home devices,
from the vacuum and the washing machine to the
telephone and television. Through Aug. 30. D.A.R.
Museum, 1776 D St. NW. Admission is free. Call 202-
879-3241 or visit dar.org/museum.
GENOME: UNLOCKING LIFES CODE
Thanks to the work of the decade-long, $3 billion
Human Genome Project, human society has
gained much greater insight into our bodies and
our health. Scientists have identied genes that
contribute to disease, stoking hope for ways to treat
or eradicate cancer among many other ailments.
This new Smithsonian exhibition, which will travel
the country later next year, explores the work and
growth in sequencing technology that helped spark
this medical and scientic revolution. Through
September. National Museum of Natural History,
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-
633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
HOMOCATS: FIGHT THE POWER
Transformer presents New York-based artist J.
Morrisons playful large-scale installation, featuring
drawings and prints exploring both the abundance
of cat culture on the Internet and the intersection
of art and activism. This Valentines Day-pegged
exhibition questions the state of modern love.
Through March 15. Transformer, 1404 P St. NW.
Call 202-483-1102 or visit transformerdc.org.
35
HUMAN, SOUL & MACHINE:
THE COMING SINGULARITY!
Baltimores American Visionary Art Museum opens
its 19th original thematic yearlong exhibition this
weekend. Human, Soul & Machine is a playful
examination of the serious impact of technology
on our lives, as seen through the eyes of more
than 40 artists, futurists and inventors in a hot-
wired blend of art, science, humor and imagination.
Through August. American Visionary Art Museum,
800 Key Highway, Baltimore. Call 410-244-1900 or
visit avam.org.
MAKE SOME NOISE: STUDENTS AND THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Pegged to the 50th anniversary of the March on
Washington and just one of several exhibitions at the
Newseum marking the occasion, Make Some Noise:
Students and the Civil Rights Movement explores
the new generation of student leaders that emerged
in the 1960s to ght segregation and ght for civil
rights. John Lewis, now a U.S. representative from
Georgia, and Julian Bond, a former chair of the
NAACP, are among the leaders highlighted here.
Through 2015. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave.
NW. Tickets are $21.95 for general admission. Call
888-NEWSEUM or visit newseum.org.
MICHELLE PETERSON-ALBANDOZS REWOOD
Long View Gallery offers another show from
Michelle Peterson-Albandoz, a Chicago-based artist
whose large, hanging-wood sculptures are made
from reclaimed wood, often found in dumpsters
and back alleys, she told Metro Weekly a couple
years ago. Through March 16. Long View Gallery,
1234 9th St. NW. Call 202-232-4788 or visit
longviewgallery.com.
MIKE WEBERS SYNCHRONICITY
Former D.C.-based gay artist returns for a show
at Long View Gallery with Synchronicity, which
starts with photographs of tame animals as seen
on sustainable farms or within rescue centers.
Weber then layers additional materials to create
both a sense of chaos and harmony simultaneously.
Through March 13. Long View Gallery, 1234 9th St.
NW. Call 202-232-4788 or visit
longviewgallery.com.
NANCY AGATI,
ROSA SPINA AND RADIO SEBASTIAN
Hillyer Art Space presents three solo exhibitions in
the month of February, including two contemporary
ber artists, Nancy Agati and Rosa Spina, each
presenting a new body of work that uses sewing as an
alternative approach to drawing. The third exhibition
is from Radio Sebastian, presenting a series of
mixed-media pieces using layered ink, paint and
pencil depicting their personal interpretation of
the void, or a space thats not exactly empty but
lled with possibilities and occurrences. To March
1. Hillyer Art Space at International Arts & Artists,
9 Hillyer Court NW. Call 202-338-0680 or visit
artsandartists.org.
ONE LIFE: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
One Life: Martin Luther King Jr. features historic
photographs, prints, paintings and memorabilia,
mostly drawn from the National Portrait Gallerys
extensive collection, tracing the trajectory of Kings
career. Through June 1. National Portrait Gallery,
8th and F Streets NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit
npg.si.edu.
OUR AMERICA:
THE LATINO PRESENCE IN AMERICAN ART
Drawn entirely from the museums pioneering
collection of Latino art, most of which was acquired
in the past few years, this exhibition features works
three-week exhibition and auction offers something
for collectors both seasoned and aspiring. Through
March 21. Gala is Saturday, March 22, from 7 to 11
p.m. Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Call
703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.
WINDOW TO WASHINGTON
Window to Washington: The Kiplinger Collection
at HSW is an exhibition at Washingtons Carnegie
Library that traces the development of the nations
capital from a sleepy Southern town to a modern
metropolis, as documented through the works
of artists. The Historical Society of Washington,
D.C., exhibition was made possible by a donation
from the Kiplinger family. Its also an early step in
a reorganization effort by the society, which has
struggled to revive ever since its short-lived effort
a decade ago to run a City Museum of Washington
proved too ambitious. Open Mondays and
Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursdays
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Historical Society of
Washington, D.C., at the Carnegie Library, 801 K
St. NW. Call 202-393-1420 or visit historydc.org. l
POST-OIL CITY
Originating in Germany, the Goethe-Institut
presents this international planning and landscape
architecture exhibition subtitled The History of
the Citys Future focused on innovative projects
around the world tackling an urgent question: How
will the transition from fossil fuels to renewable
energy affect the process of urban planning and the
city? Through March 1. University of the District of
Columbia, Architectural Research Institute, 4200
Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-274-7124 or visit
goethe.de/washington.
WHATS UP: NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN ART
Strathmore presents an exhibit focused on how
technology innovation is revolutionizing the
art world, with displays featuring some of the
most provocative new media. Among these is
software artist Scott Dravess Electric Sheep, a
collaborative, crowd-sourced abstract art project
that shows how technology is changing the way art is
made challenging standard concepts of ownership
and control in the process. Through March 2. The
Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North
Bethesda. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
WPAS ANNUAL ART AUCTION: SELECT 2014
Select 2014 from the Washington Project
for the Arts is touted as the highlight of D.C.s
contemporary art world season. Featuring works
by more than 100 established and emerging artists
from around the region and beyond, as selected by
local curators and the WPAs board of directors, the
in all media by 72 leading modern and contemporary
artists. Through March 2. Smithsonian American Art
Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Call 202-633-1000
or visit americanart.si.edu.
OVERDRIVE:
L.A. CONSTRUCTS THE FUTURE, 1940-1990
Organized by L.A.s J. Paul Getty Museum, this
exhibition traces the citys transformation into
an internationally recognized destination with its
own design vocabulary, canonized landmarks and
coveted way of life. Through March 10. National
Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $8. Call
202-272-2448 or visit nbm.org.
PASSION OF THE EMPRESS:
CATHERINE THE GREATS ART PATRONAGE
In the 18th century Catherine the Great reigned
over a golden age of Russian culture, founding what
would become the State Hermitage Museum and
transforming St. Petersburg into one of Europes
cultural centers. Hillwood Museum presents Passion
of the Empress, which presents a selection of dazzling,
nely crafted decorative art pieces in gold, silver,
porcelain and enamel from Hillwoods collection
as well as other pieces from the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum,
Dumbarton Oaks, the Birmingham Museum of Art
and private collections. To June 8. Hillwood Estate,
4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $12.
Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.
FOR MORE OUT ON THE TOWN LISTINGS
PLEASE VISIT
WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM
looks like hes had more than a couple
hours asleep. A female co-worker pines
for him, a male co-worker is desperate
to take him to a bar and get him laid
to a woman, of course. Yossis scenes at
home are in a dimly lit apartment, eating
takeout and masturbating to scenes of
youthful gay men having sex on sandy
beaches. That Knoller has gained weight
between the two lms adds literal and
metaphorical depth to his character. He
doesnt care about himself. Hes de-
pressed, alone, and is still trying to rec-
oncile a love lost 10 years ago.
What follows, after a series of events
that lead him to head out into the desert
on an impromptu vacation, is a character
study in a man trying to nd meaning in
his life. Knollers ability to convey a com-
plex range of emotions adds greatly to
Yossis character. He can move between
bemusement, joy and isolated depres-
sion in just a few subtle facial expres-
sions. After meeting a group of soldiers
on his way to Eliat, one of whom is gay,
Yossis transformation slowly occurs. We
see him struggle with his condence,
his sexuality, his body issues. His lust for
the handsome soldier is constantly tem-
pered by his own self-loathing and feel-
ings of inadequacy. A later scene, where
he nally comes to terms with his own
looks, and that someone could nd him
attractive, is devastating and uplifting at
the same time. A somewhat trite end-
ing cant spoil a lm that takes great joy
in its raw approach to romance and self-
discovery. Its a big-budget lm without
any of the entrapments that brings.
Cupcakes
2013
HHHHH
Forgive the pun, but Cupcakes, Foxs
latest feature lm, is incredibly sweet.
Entirely inconsequential, but nonethe-
less very endearing. It follows a group
of normal people, who all share an apart-
ment block, as they nd themselves
representing Israel at the Universong
contest a global singing competition
that takes liberal inspiration from Eurovi-
sion. It offers clichs and tropes aplenty,
but its saccharine nature wont have
you reaching for your dentists phone
number. Its well-acted, colorful, and is
guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Watch it with a glass of wine and low ex-
pectations, and youll likely come away
happy, unless youre a complete miser.
It does have some emotional depth.
Ofer has a closeted boyfriend whose
family sponsors the Universong com-
petition; Anats husband leaves her be-
cause she doesnt pay enough attention
to him; Keren is an awkward blogger
who writes about things she would
never actually do in the real world; Efrat
is a lesbian songwriter who wrote the
song that is taking them to Universong
but who cant get anyone to watch her
perform live; Dana is smothered by her
conservative father; and Yael is trapped
in a job and life that constantly refer-
ences her former modeling career. Each
one of these stories helps carry the lm
through its short length, and all are re-
solved with happy endings as the credits
roll. Cupcakes is a lm you watch when
you just want to sit back, smile and not
really think about things. Its main cast
is a very likeable, watchable group. Its
not Foxs deepest work and its cer-
tainly not his best but its a fun little
ditty that adds a burst of welcome joy
to a canon otherwise marked by mature,
emotionally resonant offerings. l
FOX FILMS
continued from page 25
Cupcakes
Yossi
Yossi and Jagger
38
T
HERE IS A SPECIAL HELL FOR SERIOUS
music-lovers, and in one molten corner
resides a certain kind of contemporary
classical that puts more emphasis on
atonality and stridency than any actual reason for
it. Anyone who has felt those particular ames
licking at their heels will be forgiven for thinking
twice before allowing themselves to be sealed into
the red cocoon of the Opera House with modern
fare on the menu.
Thus it is with much relief that one nds that
with his hot-off-the-presses Moby Dick, composer
Jake Heggie is never different for differences sake.
He is, quite to the contrary, working hard and
exploring sensitively within many of the traditions
of classical opera. And why not? Who says new
KATE WINGFIELD
opera has to be weird?
And if Heggie may not quite (yet) transcend the
derivative feel that comes from this embrace of his
classical ancestors, and his Moby will inevitably be
compared to Benjamin Brittens masterworks of Billy
Budd or Peter Grimes, there is nevertheless a big idea
here. And its name is Accessibility.
With Elaine J. McCarthys vast and spectacular
projections, a score that swells lyrically and cin-
ematically on waves of emotion, conict and danger-
ous seas, and a familiar tale of man against beast (and
himself), this is a highly theatrical and watchable
opera. It benets tremendously from Gene Scheers
libretto, which not only pares Melvilles dense novel
into a tight and dramatically potent story, but also
serves to anchor the emotional intensity of Heg-
OPERA
Spectacular projections, a score that swells, and a familiar tale make
Moby Dick a highly theatrical and watchable opera
Matthew Worth as Starbuck (top), Carl Tanner as Captain Ahab (bottom)
MOBY DICK
HHHHH
To March 8
WNO
Kennedy Center
Opera House
$30-$305
202-467-4600
kennedy-center.org
Whale Song
S
C
O
T
T

S
U
C
H
M
A
N
continues on page 42
T
HEY SAY HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY, SO
let me preface this by saying Ive never played a Thief
game. The original trilogy, which spanned six years
and two developers, is beloved by many as a classic
standard for the stealth genre of video games. It dropped players
into a steampunk world and gave them the tools to strip their var-
ious locations to the bones, collecting any and all loot they came
across. What that means is that this reboot, from Canadian devel-
oper Eidos Montreal, has a lot of expectation and nostalgia riding
on its shoulders. It has to carry the franchise into the modern era
of video games, offering enough to placate fans worried that the
company will ruin the Thief name while simultaneously giving
new gamers to the series like myself sufcient reason to stay
and explore master thief Garretts world. Its such a shame, then,
that Thief ultimately straddles a confused middle ground where
half-baked ideas and shoddy programming rub shoulders in the
shadows with moments of sheer genius.
Of course, itd be remiss of me not to mention Thiefs big-
gest problem: Dishonored. One of the surprising hits of 2012,
the worlds of Dishonored and Thief offer many similarities.
Both are played from a rst-person perspective. Both feature
stealth-based gameplay. Both offer a story rich with super-
natural elements, power-hungry tyrants, underground move-
ments and cities rife with poverty and pestilence. Dishonored
undoubtedly draws inspiration from the original Thief trilogy,
but thats also this new reboots biggest problem. In a post-
RHUARIDH MARR
Dishonored world, it was always going to draw comparisons.
The fact that the games have so many similarities, despite as-
surances that its entirely coincidental, guaranteed this. While
Dishonored may not be as good a stealth game, and certainly
doesnt offer the masterful thievery of Thief, it was inherently a
good game. Thief just isnt.
If rst impressions count, then Thief was already off to a
poor start. The opening scenes of the game were plagued by
bugs and issues: framerate drops during cut scenes, lip-syncing
that was anything but synced, shoddy sound mixing and a plot
set up with all the hallmarks of something weve seen many
times before. The rst act did Thief no favors. However, once
it was out of the way and I was dropped into the city proper, it
began to open up to me.
It helps that Thief can be a truly beautiful game. In one
scene, I found myself running across rooftops in the midst of a
thunderstorm. The lightning crashed around me, thick, billow-
ing clouds raced overhead, rain poured from the sky and ran in
rivers across the tiles and chimneys, dripping down from win-
dows and doorways, illuminating with every ash of lightning.
Candlelight ickered through stained-glass windows, shadows
moved across the scenery and any plant life jostled and rustled
as the wind caught it. Whether traversing buildings, sneaking
through cobbled, narrow streets, clambering up the side of a
tower or deftly swooping between shadows in a dimly lit man-
sion, Thiefs world has the raw power to truly dazzle you. Char-
GAMEFACE
In Thief, half-baked ideas and shoddy programming rub shoulders in the shadows
with moments of sheer genius
Steely eyed stealer: Thief
39
Stolen Opportunity
S
Q
U
A
R
E

E
N
I
X
+t

u
t u
acter models in cutscenes are occasionally
lled with details, dust clings to the air in
darkened hallways, ash falls like snow in a
level set in a crematorium. Thiefs develop-
ers have put a lot of effort into crafting its
world, and it shows. But its evident that
thoroughly testing that world wasnt high
on the list of priorities. For every beautiful
moment in Thief, theres an out-of-place
texture, a noticeable drop in framerate or
a character lip-sync that is so out of time
or nonexistent its laughable. It doesnt
completely pull you from the setting, but
little bugs like these mar the experience.
Sound design, too, is a hit-or-miss pack-
age. All too often Id be carefully picking a
lock or sneaking through a room, when Id
be loudly interrupted by abrupt conversa-
tion or heavy footsteps. Panicking, Id hide
in the nearest shadow and wait for the
guard or individual to walk past me. They
never would. Instead, they would more
than likely be outside the building I was
in, simply walking on the other side of the
wall. Thiefs sound-mixing is incredibly
inconsistent in this manner. Location-
based noises can occasionally work beau-
tifully, such as a mufed conversation be-
tween disgruntled locals becoming fully
audible as you slide beneath their window,
but this was the exception, not the rule.
What Thief does get right is its music,
which eschews a purely classical score,
adding some incredible electronic lay-
ers that really pump up the atmosphere
when they kick in. Accidentally crunch-
ing over some broken glass I hadnt spot-
ted, I ran to a darkened corner as a near-
by guard was alerted to my presence. The
in-game music dropped a heavy bass,
punctuating the silence like an audible
heartbeat, as I sat, concealed, waiting
for the threat to dissipate and the guard
to resume his patrol. Played with a good
set of headphones, Thief can be an aural
pleasure at times.
Of course, what most people will be
coming to Thief for is the gameplay, its
classic mix of stealth-em-up and rob-
everything-and-anyone that the originals
did so well. Played in a certain way, Thief
can be a masterful experience. Certain
scenarios offer a variety of options. Do
I sneak up the side of the building, drop
underground and work my way through
tunnels? Or dash between shadows avoid-
ing the numerous guards who patrol each
locale? This is where an individuals per-
sonal style is allowed to ourish. Favor the
brute approach? Equip a re arrow and
cause a gas pipe to explode, incapacitat-
ing your enemies. Spot a chandelier with
a rather weak chain? Grab a blunt arrow
and send it crashing onto any poor souls
below. Prefer to sit further back from the
action? Pick a spot on the edge of a rooftop
and send arrows hurtling into the skulls of
any sod stupid enough to enter your cross-
hair. Prefer to remain in the shadows? Use
water arrows to extinguish ames, envel-
oping your surroundings in darkness. Use
Garretts swoop ability to quickly dash
between hiding spots. Send arrows lled
with knock-out gas into a group of enemies
and run away. Catch someone sleeping or
wandering away from you with their back
exposed? Silently run up and knock them
out with one hit.
Of course, its also possible to com-
plete every level without directly interact-
ing with anyone else and thats where
Thiefs true challenge lies. Sitting patient-
ly, watching the movements of patrols,
plotting out your next move this is what
fans of the stealth genre will love. Eidos
deliberately made combat a punishing ex-
ercise; you can be quickly overwhelmed by
just one or two guards. Accidentally drop
from the rafters into a room with an ene-
my wandering past, and itll be a desperate
escape to try and evade them, particularly
on the higher difculty levels.
Of course, should you want the ulti-
mate, Thief offers customizable challeng-
es. Complete a level and it opens up to al-
low for replaying later on, with selectable
options to enhance your playthrough. You
can turn off navigation hints and rely sole-
ly on your sense of direction. Hate seeing
your health and focus meter? Turn them
off. Feel like removing the UI completely,
with no indicators or help at all? You must
be crazy, but its all do-able. The game of-
fers fantastic amounts of re-playability,
with leaderboards letting players chal-
lenge their friends to match their skill lev-
els or beat their playthrough time.
What really characterizes Thief games,
though, is the thievery. Obviously. Gar-
rett has a kleptomaniacal need to steal
everything in sight. Pens, candlestick
holders, jewelry, money, ancient artifacts,
purses, letter openers. You name it, and
if its shiny and can be sold, Garrett will
take it. Picking locks, slicing paintings
from their frames or feeling around their
edges for secret switches to open safes,
rummaging through drawers and closets,
grabbing bags of money from the belts of
unsuspecting guards, solving challenging
mini-games and intricate puzzles to un-
lock an ancient treasure Thief gets the
basics right. With each item stolen, Gar-
retts money pile increases money that
can then be used to upgrade his arsenal
of weapons and gadgets. Stronger arrows,
warm clothing to increase health, a more
accurate bow, a wrench to access vents or
wire cutters to disable machinery, just a
few of the things available to purchase.
Garrett can also upgrade his Focus
ability. Its gained after a supernatural
accident in the games opening act, and
allows him to study his surroundings,
nding objects that can be manipulated,
secret switches connected to hidden
doors, chests that can be opened, locks to
be picked. It also alerts him to guards, en-
hances his sneaking ability and overlays a
cool, blue effect to the world that singles
out points of interest. Its limited, and
doesnt recharge, relying on scarce ow-
ers to be picked and eaten to regenerate
its levels, which stops players from abus-
ing the system in every area they enter.
Unfortunately, while early stages are
lled with stealing, exploring, sneaking
and delighting in solving the games many
puzzles, by the later acts, repetition starts
to creep in. Every time you enter a build-
ing through a closed window, youre re-
quired to mash a button to lever it open.
Same goes for sneaking through narrow
gaps, where youre usually confronted by
a fallen beam in need of lifting. Prepare to
mash! Stealing things can quickly become
tiresome, too. When picking the lock on a
chest, for instance, Garrett doesnt auto-
matically open it. The same mechanic ap-
plies to doors: You can pick the lock then
peek through the keyhole to make sure its
safe to move through. But this is a chest.
I want Garrett to pick it and immediately
open it. And heaven forbid theres more
than one item inside, as Garrett will slow-
ly grab them one-by-one, each requiring
its own key press. Its a small irritant, but
one that gradually grates. Why cant he
simply open the chest after unlocking and
grab everything at once?
These confusing moments extend
elsewhere. Eidos has mapped running
and jumping to the same button, which
means climbing is entirely contextual
you can only go where they want you to.
Often, this leads to frustration. More than
once my destination was above me, but I
couldnt climb onto the box immediately
beneath it because Eidos wanted me to
take a more circuitous route. Same applies
for dropping from ledges. Occasionally its
automatic, sometimes it requires its own
button press. Often, when it would be a
much quicker route, Im not allowed to do
it. Even the open exploration of areas is
limited. Only a few set pieces offer a truly
wide variety of entry points. More often
than not youre left to choose between
sneaking through a low vent or tunnel or
climbing up through an open window.
These set pieces are further hampered
by incredibly long loading times. If ever
Thief felt like one of the original games,
its in these loading screens. Each section
of the map is cordoned off into its own lit-
tle hub. Each hub is fairly expansive, and
can be traversed at will, but the loading
time between them can stretch up to 20
seconds. It may not seem long, but if you
need to swiftly move between several ar-
eas, it quickly becomes a drag.
Thief also suffers from a lot of bugs
and inconsistencies. AI would miss me
when I stood in front of them, or would
see me through a stone wall. I would want
Garrett to jump from beam to beam, but
hed tumble to the ground and Id be sur-
rounded by guards. Characters would of-
ten talk, but their mouths wouldnt move.
At one point, I was tasked with cracking
a safe except the game didnt load the
button prompt that would allow me to
interact with the combination lock. I had
to restart the whole area to make it work,
as reloading my checkpoint save provided
the same result.
This is all before tackling Thiefs big-
gest problem: its story. Its terrible. Poorly
scripted, awkwardly acted, badly plotted
its a series of set-pieces and bombas-
tic moments drawn from other games,
mashed together in a supernatural plot
that just hampers the world Garrett lives
in. Several areas completely pull you
from the core mechanic sneaking and
stealing just to force you to run from
enemies or make you navigate through a
burning house. The plot itself is convo-
luted and the ending is weak. None of the
characters are particularly inspiring
though Garrett himself comments on his
surroundings as you play the game and
these often provide a nice little touch or
break from the action. If some of Thiefs
best moments are to be found in hiding in
the shadows, waiting for the perfect mo-
ment to strike a guard or steal a necklace,
why does the story require so many mo-
ments where this master thief becomes
an errand boy or a common criminal?
Brilliant moments, such as the creepy
asylum and beautifully realized brothel
complete with a very risqu sex scene
suggest that Eidos is capable of offering
a full game of great areas to explore and
interact with. It would just rather have
boss battles instead.
Ultimately, my time with Thief was one
of mixed emotions. The basics of game-
play are spot-on. Garrett interacts with
his world in incredible ways, from the
use of his bow to his penchant for shad-
ows. My advice to players would be to
complete the game, and then go back and
devise challenges for you and your friends
to complete in each of the games areas.
Who can steal the most stuff in 20 min-
utes? Can you navigate that section with
no UI and the difculty at maximum? Is
it possible to kill every guard in an area
without ever being detected? When using
the tools Eidos has given you without the
plot theyve strung around its neck, Thief
is a brilliant example of the stealth genre.
Where it falls apart is in trying to be
a game for everyone. The story throws a
lot of concepts that gamers are enticed by,
but none of them particularly work in the
context of a Thief game. It uses odd button
combinations and awkward repetition to
remove a lot of the fun from stealing. Its
littered with small bugs that can be amus-
ing at rst, but simply annoying at later
stages. It teases choice, but then restricts
or removes it. Some may love its punishing
higher difculties, its challenge modes.
Some may even like the story. As for me,
my time with Garrett was one where I felt
like I was completing the game simply for
the purpose of this review. Thats not what
a game should be, at least for me. I slogged
through the last acts long after my inter-
est had checked out. Worst of all, playing
Thief made me want for something else,
something more polished, something with
a better grasp of its mechanics and plot.
Thief made me want to play Dishonored.
That I wanted to play a game that took its
inspiration from the franchise Thief is at-
tempting to reboot pretty much says it all.
Thief (HHHHH, $59.99) is available on
PS4 (as tested), Xbox One, PC, PS3 and
Xbox 360. l
OPERA
continued from page 38
gies musical ights. Add the simple but
dramatic rendering of the ship in Robert
Brills sets and this is a whole that is in
many ways bigger than its parts.
And as such, it represents a place
where a new generation may not fear to
tread. And if they tread here, they may
nd they can also tread backward to
those operas that have so fruitfully and
successfully inspired Heggie.
Of course, with such larger-than-life
theatrics, there is always the danger that
the characters themselves will get swal-
lowed up, and not just by a whale. Here,
Carl Tanner as Captain Ahab, the whal-
ing-boat captain who will stop at nothing
to nd and kill the whale that took his
leg, has no trouble commanding not just
his boat but also his stage. An impressive
and rather dashing gure, Tanner has the
kind of charisma that makes one forget
hes hiding half a leg somewhere. (Well,
almost. He wore an intriguingly designed
coat.) His virile baritone sails easily over
the Washington National Opera orches-
tra (playing with power and exuberance
under the baton of Evan Rogister), and yet
he brings much tender spirit to Heggies
more soulful moments.
A charismatic and vocal counter-
point to Tanner is the superb baritone
Eric Greene, who gives his Queequeg an
enthralling presence and authenticity that
stops dead any chance that this noble
savage might become the clich so often
made of such characters. Greene offers
a sonorous yet silky sound that matches
well the understated power and expres-
siveness of Queequeg. Dramatically, he
pairs well with Greenhorn, the young
seaman who soon sees that there is more
to Queequeg than meets the Western
eye. Tenor Stephen Costello lls Green-
horns not overly written character with a
thoughtful energy, and by the second act
his voice has warmed into expressiveness,
even if a duet with Queequeg never quite
takes off.
Another standout is Talise Trevigne
in the trouser role of Pip, the cabin boy.
Her strikingly rich and beautiful soprano
glides through Heggies score like a knife
through butter a sheer joy to the ears.
Though she may give Pip a slightly incon-
gruous maturity, she captures well his
young stride and the theatricality the role
requires. As Ahabs rst mate Starbuck,
baritone Matthew Worth may get a bit
close to a nibble on the scenery, but he
sings with expression and holds his own.
As shipmates Flask and Stubb, Alex-
ander Lewis and Christian Bowers acquit
themselves well as they come and go from
the crowded deck scenes, which raises
an inevitability of this production: crowd
control. With a deck for a set (except for
a few scenes) the crew-member chorus
creates quite a crowd. Though they are
pulled together effectively (and sing with
unied gusto) for their two tour de force
moments, the rhythm of shipboard life
otherwise is never quite captured, espe-
cially during the interlude in which they
dance and sing of the Spanish ladies.
With the challenge of an oceangoing
opera there must come such dilemmas.
Here there is room for a tighter, more
cohesive feel.
Having said that, the ght scenes
generally not a strong point in opera are
here effectively choreographed by Robb
Hunter. The less crowed moments also
carry well, especially those in which the
crew members leave the ship to harpoon
the whales in small boats. These scenes
balance projections with the athletic use
of the sets curved walls in ways that are
imaginative and well executed.
Still, even if the crowds within dont
always work, the crowds without are
likely to be pleased. With familiar themes
simply told, Heggies grand and accessible
score, and sets and projections that deliv-
er an exceptionally atmospheric experi-
ence, this production will, no doubt, con-
tinue to make waves. (Sorry.) l
(clockwise from top) Alexander Lewis as Flask, Eric Greene as Queequeg, Talise Trevigne as Pip, and
Christian Bowers as Stubb
S
C
O
T
T

S
U
C
H
M
A
N
caption
Waiting for Romeo
Fi ngers are crossed for Fi at to
return i ts sporty cel ebri ty to
the U. S. i n 2014
Fiat, which currently owns Alfa, has been promising a return
for years. Initially pegged for 2012, its been continually shunted
back, but now they promise that a launch is denitely, probably,
most likely going to happen at some point this summer. Accord-
ing to The Detroit News, Alfas will be sold through participating
Maserati and Fiat dealers though only the best-performing
ones will be selected for the brand, as there are just 1,000 cars
arriving in the rst year. The reason is simple: Alfa will only be
selling one model, its gorgeous 4C coupe.
The 4C eschews the bigger-is-better mentality of most mod-
ern cars. Weighing in at just over 2,000 pounds, the 1.8-liter,
240hp, rear-wheel drive coupe will rocket from 0 to 62mph in
just 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 160mph. The interior
is stripped of all but the essentials, the body is lightweight, and
the wheels are fat and designed to stick to the road. Its a car for
driving, and a pretty beautiful one at that. Alfa also guarantees
exclusivity as there will only be 2,500 produced each year world-
wide. Expect it to cost around $50,000 when (if?) it launches in
the U.S. this summer.
TOYOTA IS CELEBRATING this week, though I feel someone
should perhaps show them the dictionary denition of celebrate.
The mid-size 4Runner SUV turns 30 this year, a milestone few
car models are lucky enough to achieve, and one surely worth
more than what Toyota has cooked up. Forget balloons or stream-
gears
BY RHUARIDH MARR
Alfa Romeo 4C
I
TS A WEEK OF BIRTHDAYS, POTENTIAL RETURNS
and reincarnations in the car world. As one manufacturer
takes its rst tentative steps back on American shores and
another celebrates a signicant milestone for one model
with a rather tepid party, the National Corvette Museum has
revealed plans for the eight cars swallowed by a sinkhole that
opened up underneath the building.
First, lets start with Alfa Romeo. For many, the Italian brand
is one synonymous with true automotive enthusiasts. Top Gear
will happily tell you that you cant call yourself a true car nut un-
less youve owned an Alfa. Trouble is, for Americans, thats not
really possible as the brand crashed out of the market years ago.
ers, put your party pants back in the closet and throw away the
cake knife. Toyotas big celebration is... a mild discount. Yay?
For those in the market for a 4Runner, you can now get $500
off the SR5 and Trail editions, $750 discounted from Premium
models and a sweet $1,000 removed from the sticker price of
Limited spec. The discounts are available now and will run for
the entirety of 2014, so no rush. Still, we cant help but feel that
30 years warrants a little more than a discount. Seriously, Toyota.
No strip-o-gram?
THE NATIONAL CORVETTE Museum has announced its plans
for the eight models retrieved from a sinkhole under the Bowl-
ing Green, Ky., museum. For those who missed it (vette fans may
want to turn away now), on Feb. 12, a giant sinkhole opened up
beneath the museums Skydome area, swallowing eight Cor-
vettes, including a 1962 model, a 1993 ZR-1 Spyder, a 2001 Mallett
Hammer Z06 and two models on loan from GM. According to
the Detroit Free Press, the museum plans to offer fans wishing
to pay their condolences to the damaged cars the opportunity to
view them in their damaged state before theyre sent to the GM
Heritage Collection in Warren, Mich., for restoration.
The museum has yet to start retrieving the cars from the
sinkhole, though it says that work should start in the next cou-
ple of weeks. In the meantime, if you own a Corvette, it might
be prudent to start checking the concrete oor of your garage.
Just in case.
Contributing Editor Rhuaridh Marr covers the automotive indus-
try for Metro Weekly. Read his daily updates on our auto blog,
Gears, at MetroWeekly.com/auto. l
2014 Toyota 4Runner
The National Corvette Museum
T
O
D
D

F
R
A
N
S
O
N
K-9 Corps members parade their pooches
Pet Cemetery
Congressi onal Cemetery has
gone to the dogs, and thi ngs
coul dn t be better
W
ALKING YOUR DOG IN A CEMETERY MAY
seem a somewhat creepy way to exercise your
canine. Then again, particularly when you
live in a crowded city, what could be better
than acres of fenced-in, rolling lawns? The local folks of the K-9
Corps might argue its the perfect spot, as theyve been organiz-
ing a dog-walking program at D.C.s Congressional Cemetery
for years.
They stared in the early 90s when the cemetery was in bad
shape and in need of help, explains Paul K. Williams, president
of the cemetery. Its a really great program, now being copied
by other cemeteries around the country.
Whats being copied is the win-win nature of the program.
Consider whats asked of those wanting to use the cemetery
as a dog run. First, there are the dues and fees. Thats $225 for a
household annually albeit as a tax-deductible donation plus
$50 per dog, up to three. Beyond the dog dollars, theres the dog
duty: 12 hours of labor per year to benet the cemetery.
It can be as easy as planting bulbs, stafng a check-in table
during a function or cleaning headstones, says Williams. A lot
of people put in a lot more than eight hours.
As Williams explains it, the K-9 Corps brings in roughly
$200,000 annually about 20 percent of the cemeterys operat-
ing revenue and untold hours of no-cost labor. In return, mem-
bers get exclusive access for themselves and their canine com-
rades to 35 secure acres of green space along the Anacostia River.
Adding to the wins, these dedicated dog walkers also serve
as unofcial cemetery sentinels, helping by their mere presence
pets
BY WILL OBRYAN
T
O
D
D

F
R
A
N
S
O
N
to dissuade vandals and other scofaws who might otherwise damage the grounds in
some way. Then theres the call of nature. Some might worry that dogs going about
their business might somehow desecrate the cemeterys hallowed grounds. Not so.
First, there are designated poop patrols responsible for clean sweeps of the cemetery
lawns. And should a dog wish to leave a liquid remembrance on a headstone, the granite
wont be bothered. Bird droppings particularly those of ubiquitous Canadian geese
on the other hand, may cause a problem. The dogs keep out the Canadian geese, says
Williams, offering yet another pooch plus. Other cemeteries have problems with huge
numbers of geese, and geese can damage the stones.
As Williams shares the details of the
K-9 Corps with other cemeteries, thats
a big selling point, usually after an initial
reaction along the lines of, We dont even
allow dogs.
But the popularity of the program is
undeniable.
For the rst time, we have more than
600 people on the waitlist, notes Wil-
liams, adding that hes in a position to
be envied by nonprot presidents every-
where. We have 600 people waiting to
give us money.
While the program caps out at about
770 dogs and 550 people, the turnover can
be fairly brisk.
People move, dogs pass away. We
probably remove about 200 off the list
every year, Williams estimates. Still, for
those hoping to join the ranks of the K-9
Corps, Williams advises signing up as
soon as possible and settling in for a wait.
For those who do make the cut, theyd
better be conscientious of the corps rules.
After all, there are a few hundred others
vying for your spot in the cemetery.
For more information about the K-9 Corps
at Historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801
E St. SE, call 202-543-0539 or
visit cemeterydogs.org. l
T
O
D
D

F
R
A
N
S
O
N
Shifra
Daryl Loves 2-year-old Pit Bull
Shifra loves to dress up and try on clothing and costumes. She likes
winter and snow, because she has an opportunity to wear one of her
many coats or sweaters.
P
e
t

P
i
x
P
e
t

P
i
x
Submitted by Metro Weekly readers
NIGHT
LIFE
49 METROWEEKLY.COM
M
THURS., 02.27.14
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour,
4pm-7pm $4 Small
Plates, $4 Stella Artois,
$4 House Wines, $4
Stolichnaya Cocktails, $4
Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
GREEN LANTERN
Shirtless Men Drink Free,
10-11pm
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs,
$2 JR.s drafts, 8pm to
close Top Pop Night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat The Clock Happy
Hour $2 (5-6pm), $3
(6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim E in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+
FRI., 02.28.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
5-9pm Friday Night
Videos with resident
DJ Shea Van Horn VJ
Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
LISTINGS
51
V
ISITORS TO BEACON BAR & GRILL
will get a treat if theyre served a drink
by Coverboy Ron, who enjoys creating
cocktails to meet even the most discriminating
palates preferred tastes. The 31-year-old, who
also works at The Fireplace, views himself as an
artist behind the bar, always trying to think up
new concoctions for his customers. Raised in
rural Oregon, Ron spent his high school time as
a scholar-athlete before moving to D.C. to work
on Capitol Hill. But his love of politics eventually
faded, prompting him to change careers and
pursue bartending, where hes been able to
interact with and entertain people with his quick
wit and subtle yet sexually tinged humor.
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1,
11pm-midnight Happy
Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm $5
Coronas, $8 Vodka Red
Bulls, 9pm-close
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
M
bartenders
COVERBOY
EDITION
PHASE 1
DJ Styalo Dancing
$5 cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
9855 Washington Blvd. N
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Drag Show in lounge
Half-price burgers and
fries
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by
Lena Lett and featuring
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-
Lee, Jessica Spaulding
Deverreoux and BaNaka
Doors open at 10pm For
those 21 and over, $5 from
10-11pm and $10 after
11pm For those 18-20,
$10 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Ladies of Illusion with
host Kristina Kelly, 9pm
Cover 21+
SAT., 03.01.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
5-9pm $5 Absolut &
Titos, $3 Miller Lite after
Interview by John Riley // Photography by Julian Vankim
Shot on location at The Beacon Hotel in Washington.
Visit beaconhotelwdc.com.
52
9pm Expanded craft
beer selection No cover
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Diner Brunch, 10am-3pm
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke and/or live
entertainment, 9pm
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka
highballs, $7 Vodka Red
Bulls
NELLIES
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
DILF 9:30pm Host
Michael Hodges DJ
Dean Doors 5pm
drink, 5-9pm $5 Absolut
and Bulleit after 9pm
No Cover
PHASE 1
Dancing, 9pm-close
PWS SPORTS BAR
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Karaoke in the lounge
Charity Bingo with Cash
Prizes 3rd Sat. of Every
Month
TOWN
Electric Mardi Gras
Music by DJ Kidd
Performance by The
Firm DJ Wess Drag
Show starts at 10:30pm
Hosted by Lena Lett
and featuring Tatianna,
Shi-Queeta-Lee, Jessica
Spaulding Deverreoux and
BaNaka For those 21
and over, $8 from 10-11pm
and $12 after 11pm 21+
Whats on your nightstand?
Two glasses of wine and an empty
condom wrapper.
Whats in your nightstand drawer?
Lots more condoms. A couple of
cockrings, lube. Its a storage place for fun.
If you could have one superpower, what
would it be and why?
Hands down, teleportation. Can you
imagine where youd go?
Pick three people, living or dead, who
you would like to spend the day with.
And what would you do?
Alexander the Great, because I would
want to see how he interacted with
troops. Zach Braff I think hes hilarious.
The other one would be Donald Faison. I
would pick those two, and be like, Lets
re-enact Scrubs.
53
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All nude male dancers,
9pm Ladies of Illusion
with host Ella Fitzgerald,
9pm DJ Steve
Henderson in Secrets DJ
Spyke in Ziegfelds Doors
8pm Cover 21+
SUN., 03.02.14
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
cover
FIREPLACE
Skyy Vodka, $3 $5 cover
with $1 off coupons
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch
Buffet, 10am-3pm
Crazy Hour, 4-8pm
Drag Show hosted by
Destiny B. Childs featuring
performances by a rotating
cast, 9pm No cover
Karaoke follows show
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights &
$3 Skyy (all favors), all
day and night
NELLIES
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
8pm Cover 21+
MON., 03.03.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
5-9pm Multiple TVs
showing movies, shows,
sports Expanded craft
ANNIES
Martinis
FREDDIES
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ Jamez $3 Drafts
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Hour $2 (5-6pm), $3
(6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
Poker Texas Holdem, 8pm
NUMBER NINE
No Cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Buzztime Trivia
competition 75 cents off
bottles and drafts
TUES., 03.04.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
5-9pm Multiple TVs
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
JR.S
Underground (Indie Pop/
Alt/Brit Rock), 9pm-close
DJ Wes Della Volla
2-for-1, all day and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Hour $2 (5-6pm), $3
(6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
Karaoke
NUMBER NINE
No Cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
75 cents off bottles and
drafts Movie Night
Whats the worst thing a friend could
do to you?
Steal a boyfriend. Thats the worst thing
I think a friend could do.
Whats your greatest fear?
To be alone.
Whats your guilty pleasure?
Alcohol. And sex. And chocolate. And all
three together.
What turns you on?
That sense of intimacy is a big thing,
but when Im looking at a guy, its arms.
I like arms, I like chests. I like to grab
them, lay on them.
What turns you off?
Arrogance, completely.
Dene good in bed.
The bottom controls what happens in
bed. So its a top that listens to what
the bottom wants. If the bottom isnt
enjoying it, the tops just being selsh.
Sex isnt just about getting one person
off, its about getting both people
enjoying that intimate contact.
Can men fake it?
Men can denitely fake it. Its the
O face, the grunting. Thats a lot of
it. Maybe men fake it as saying they
havent come yet, when they want to
keep going.
Name two people you dont ever
want to picture having sex.
Madeline Albright. And John Goodman.
Together or separately.
Youre stranded on a desert island
with one person. Who do you pick?
Let me give you traits: Taller than me.
Great arms. Male, obviously. Black. And
someone with at least nine-and-a-half
inches.
What annoys you?
Indecisiveness. If youre coming up
to my bar and being bitchy, saying,
Excuse me, I need service, and then I
come up and ask What do you want?
And youre like, I dont know, what do
you have?
What pleases you?
A sense of intimacy, whether with
friends or a lover.
54
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour,
4pm-7pm $4 Small
Plates, $4 Stella Artois,
$4 House Wines, $4
Stolichnaya Cocktails, $4
Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
GREEN LANTERN
Shirtless Men Drink Free,
10-11pm
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs,
$2 JR.s drafts, 8pm to
close Top Pop Night
WED., 03.05.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
5-9pm Multiple TVs
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm Drag
Bingo, 8pm Karaoke,
10pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour Prices,
4pm-Close
JR.S
Trivia with MC Jay
Ray, 8pm The Queen,
10-11pm $2 JRs Drafts
& $4 Vodka ($2 with
College I.D./JRs Team
Shirt)
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Hour $2 (5-6pm), $3
(6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Half-Price Burger Night
Buckets of Beer $15
SmartAss Trivia, 8pm
NUMBER NINE
No Cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Free Pool 75 cents off
Bottles and Drafts
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
New Meat Wednesday DJ
Don T 9pm Cover 21+
THURS., 03.06.14
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
cover
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Hour $2 (5-6pm), $3
(6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim E in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+
FRI., 03.07.14
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy
5-9pm Friday Night
Videos with resident
DJ Shea Van Horn VJ
Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 9pm
Whats your favorite late-night eats?
Stoneys. I go to Stoneys after work.
Its right on P Street. Its a great
industry place late at night. Their
chicken Reuben is amazing.
When you go to a bar, what do you
order?
Jameson. Maybe a beer or ginger ale to
chase it.
Gin or vodka?
Vodka.
Scotch or bourbon?
Bourbon.
Wine or beer?
Wine.
Mustard, mayo or ketchup?
Ketchup.
Gaga or Britney?
Gaga. Hands down.
Whats your favorite cocktail to
make?
I like stuff that Ive invented, and
people enjoy. I have this drink here
at the Beacon called the peppercorn
martini. I use a Hendricks gin, a little
bit of dry vermouth, and a black-pepper
simple syrup. Its delicious. You get the
sweetness of the gin at rst, and the
heat of the black pepper on the end.
If you could change one thing about
your body, what would it be?
I look at pictures and say, Oh, I miss
my hair.
You become master of the world.
Whats your rst act?
Lower the drinking age in the U.S. Its
stupid how it is. Most of our alcohol
problems are because we dont start
legally drinking until 21.
What age would you lower it to?
Eighteen. If you can go into the military,
if you can vote, but you cant drink at
18, how is that a world that makes
sense? You can get shot, but you cant
legally drink?
55
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1,
11pm-midnight Happy
Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm $5
Coronas, $8 Vodka Red
Bulls, 9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
No Cover
PHASE 1
DJ Styalo Dancing
$5 cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Drag Show in lounge
Half-price burgers and
fries
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by
Lena Lett and featuring
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-
Lee, Jessica Spaulding
Deverreoux and BaNaka
Doors open at 10pm For
those 21 and over, $5 from
10-11pm and $10 after
11pm For those 18-20,
$10 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Ladies of Illusion with
host Kristina Kelly, 9pm
Cover 21+ l
What are you most grateful for?
I love my friends. But Im most grateful
for being able to do what I want.
What would you die for?
My parents, my family. Im not in a
relationship right now, but I would hope
I would die for my partner.
Whats your motto?
Be me. Dont be anything youre not.
Watch Rons video interview at
MetroWeekly.com/nightlife/coverboy. l
56 SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE
scene
JR.s
Sunday, February 23
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
CHRISTOPHER CUNETTO
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
scene
Scruffed Up
Saturday, February 22
Town
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
59 PURCHASE YOUR PHOTO AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE/
scene
Ziegfelds/Secrets
5th Anniversary
Friday, February 21
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
61 PURCHASE YOUR PHOTO AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE/
I didnt know who I was, but I certainly knew what I wasnt. And I knew I wasnt a heterosexual male. The whole idea of
being gay absolutely terried me.
Fashion consultant and television personality TIM GUNN discussing his struggle with accepting his sexuality and coming out.
Gunn grew up in D.C. and attempted suicide at 17 after years of bullying and changing schools.
(Hufngton Post).
Make no mistake, this is the new segregation,
yours is a Jim Crow law, and you are about to make yourself ground zero.
Actor GEORGE TAKEI, in an open letter entitled Razing Arizona posted to his blog. Takei is specically mentioning Senate
Bill 1062, passed by the Arizona Senate last week, which permits business to deny service to any customer based on an owners
religious beliefs. Takei is calling for a boycott of the state should the law be enacted.
(Allegiance Musical)
Now that this law has been enacted,

we are beginning an internal review of our relationship
with the Government of Uganda.
Secretary of State JOHN KERRY, in a statement, discussing the United States relationship with Uganda in the wake of the passing
of Ugandas anti-gay law, which increases the punishment for homosexuality to life in prison.
(Reuters)
There are many businesses that are thriving providing this kind of commodication of human esh so that they can follow
the trend and have two men try to raise a baby. What a travesty.
What a collective sense of child abuse it is.
RICHARD LAND, former president of the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, in a speech at
Truett-McConnell College in Georgia, in which he lambasted same-sex couples using surrogates in order to have children.
(Right Wing Watch)
We dont accept homosexuality here.
God made men and women so they can bear children.
Zimbabwe President ROBERT MUGABE, in part of a speech at his 90th birthday celebration. Mugabe has frequently shown
support for the persecution of homosexuality, and later in his speech called sex between two men unnatural acts.
(BBC)

Metro Weekly - 02-27-14 - Eytan Fox

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Metro Weekly - 02-27-14 - Eytan Fox

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2 FEBRUARY 27, 2014 METROWEEKLY.

Now that this law has been enacted,

You might also like