Metro Weekly (Newspaper Magazine of Gay and Lesbian DC)

Virginia Adoption Bill Passed: Governor expected to sign legislation, which could further restrict LGBT adoption and foster parenting in the state

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:58:52 EST

News: The Virginia Senate today passed a bill that critics say indirectly bans LGBT people, and potentially other subgroups, from becoming adoptive or foster parents. All Republicans in the upper chamber, and two Democrats, Chuck Colgan (D-Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William Co.) and Phil Puckett (D-Norton, Radford, Wise, Buchanan, Russell, Tazewell and Pulaski counties), voted for passage in the 22-18 vote. Adam Ebbin (Photo by Todd Franson) The bill, SB 349, allows private child placement agencies to refuse to place children with prospective adoptive or foster parents if doing so is in violation of that agency's written or stated religious or moral convictions or policies, even if they receive state funding. The measure cements into law a 5-1 decision the State Board of Social Services made in December that allows state-licensed private adoption and foster care agencies to refuse prospective parents based on sexual orientation, religion, age of the prospective parents, gender, disability, family status or political beliefs. A duplicate bill, HB 189, passed the House of Delegates 71-28 Feb. 3 with all Republicans and three Democrats voting in favor. The measure is now slated to go before Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), who has indicated he will sign it into law. Opponents of the measure say allowing private agencies that contract with the state to claim religious or moral objections primarily singles out LGBT prospective foster parents, but could also be interpreted as justifying banning other classes of adoptive or foster parents, such as unmarried or divorced individuals. Virginia law already bans same-sex couples from adopting, leaving only married opposite-sex couples or single people – of any sexual orientation or gender identity, theoretically – able to adopt. The approved bill also prevents the denial of any application for or renewal of a license, grant, contract, or participation in a government program, for any agency due to refusal to place children in homes based on moral or religious objections. It also prevents those agencies from being sued for such refusals. Sen. Jeff McWaters (R-Virginia Beach) urged passage of the bill, saying it ''codifies and clarifies what we now call the status quo.'' McWaters told colleagues that the bill was not attempting to change existing state or federal law regarding adoption. But out gay Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax counties) told his colleagues that the bill was not about protecting religious views, but preventing LGBT individuals from adopting. ''This has been clear since its inception,'' Ebbin said of the bill on the Senate floor. ''In the all-out effort to stop LGBT people from adopting children, this bill not only limits the opportunities to children to find loving homes, it will actually endanger LGBT children, who make up a significant number of children in our foster care system.'' Ebbin said that while LGBT individuals can currently adopt using placement agencies that do not have stated or written religious or moral objections to homosexuality, he said that the bill's passage could result in any one of the 81 agencies that currently contract with the state adopting a policy or ''conscience clause'' tomorrow that would essentially ban LGBT individuals from becoming foster or adoptive parents. He added that he expects SB 349 to lead to legislation in the future that ''does directly what this bill does indirectly, achieving the ultimate goal'' of banning outright the ability of LGBT individuals to adopt. Some Democratic allies of the LGBT community unsuccessfully lobbied their colleagues to defeat the bill. Sen. John S. Edwards (D-Roanoke, Montgomery and Giles counties), one of two Democrats from southwestern Virginia, also spoke against passage. ''This bill treads on thin ice,'' Edwards said. ''It confuses the right of a person to hold their own religious views, which is sacred, and imposing those views on someone else.'' For example, Edwards said, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a ban on polygamy even th[...]

Chuckles for the Win: Watching Santorum ''rickroll'' Romney on Tuesday night had lots of LGBT people dancing the schadenfreude shuffle

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:47:20 EST

Opinion:

Perhaps my main disappointment in the Ninth Circuit decision finding California's Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional is that they couldn't wait a week to release it on Valentine's Day. Obviously there is no romantic bloc among the three judges who rendered the 2-1 decision.

I kid, of course. The bigger disappointment was the narrow scope of the ruling, that Proposition 8 was an unconstitutional taking away of already granted marriage rights, which is nice for those in the handful of states (plus the District) that have extended marriage equality to their gay and lesbian citizens, but a bit lacking for everyone else.

But that sounds curmudgeonly on an occasion that should warrant joy and celebration. It may not have come on Valentine's Day proper, but it was certainly Valentine's adjacent.

Also bringing tidings of joy and celebration of a more decidedly ironic nature on the same day was Rick Santorum's three-state sweep of victories over Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney. From my Twitter and Facebook feeds, it seemed much of the LGBT community was dancing the schadenfreude shuffle as the Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado results rolled in. Of course, our gay Republican and conservative friends weren't joining in, but at least we can note that the one thing that seems to unite Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud is a loathing of Rick Santorum. It's not exactly ''Kumbaya,'' but it's a bit of extra peace in the world.

Anyway, I caught some of Santorum's triumphant victory speech in the locker room at the gym — the only place I really see any cable news these days — and was suitably repulsed. There was the usual criticism that President Obama is an elitist who wants to tell everyone what to do, leveled by a rich white guy just itching for the chance to tell everybody what to do. Then there's the bit where Santorum pronounces that he's for all Americans, not just some of them.

Oh, do tell, mister man-on-dog. The sound you hear is the sound of millions of LGBT eyeballs rolling skyward.

I'll admit to doing a little ironic victory dance myself — though just a little, because dancing to cable news shows in a gym locker room is the kind of thing that's rightfully frowned upon. Not long ago, we were all agog with, ''Newt Gingrich could be the nominee? Are you shitting me? I can't wait for November!'' Now, after six weeks or so of Newt's lunar ambitions and his-and-her helmet hair, we have Santorum rising from the political ashes to make Romney's life a living electoral hell into the spring. The popcorn crowd that watches political contests purely for the theatrics — pretty much all of D.C. — couldn't ask for anything more.

Hey, Dan Savage, it really does get better!

Obviously, the inherent comedy factor of a potential Republican nominee who's so troglodytically homophobic that he's even behind my 99-year-old rural grandmother on gay issues is so compelling that it's pulling me away from my very serious and stern opinion that we should hope the Republicans nominate the best candidate possible, because the last thing our country needs is another worst case scenario.

I want to be serious, but how can I when Rick Santorum has won four states in the Republican primary season? Give me something to work with, GOP. Otherwise, I'm just going to have to give in, whip up some popcorn and enjoy the show.

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Partners on the Journey: A life's allies can be more than family and friends

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:41:51 EST

Opinion:

In late January I had the pleasure of celebrating my mother's 80th birthday as we pulled away from Cozumel (all passengers accounted for, thank you very much). However you slice it, 80 years is an abundant life. Looking at the breadth of hers, it's fascinating to see where she and society have been.

She tells me that when she was a little Baltimore girl, an older sister hoped to have a picnic in the backyard with her Unitarian youth group. Some of the kids in that group happened to be black, though, and my grandmother feared they would scandalize their 1940s neighbors. Less nuanced was the sign on the neighborhood pool: ''Gentiles Only.''

By midlife, the world was a much different place. Bigotry still existed, of course, but at least it was no longer respectable – unless you had sodomites in your sights. That really wasn't any concern of my mom's, though. She had her hands full with heterosexual dilemmas.

First, there was the family planning to tackle. There were two elements working against my practical mother's general aversion to surprises, a trait I inherited. A condition my mother had to meet in order to marry my father was converting to Catholicism. Not a good fit when you're hoping to keep control of your uterus. Then there was the fact that it was the 1950s and the mores of the day tended to favor men, to put it mildly. My father laid down the law when it came to birth control: There would be none. (Granted, she must've had some tricks up her sleeve in that she only had three children, as planned. Then again, if I was unplanned she probably wouldn't tell me.)

That long-ago scenario helped push my mother into the Planned Parenthood camp, where she has since remained. The Catholic Church no longer receives her tithe, but Planned Parenthood can always count on a donation.

Second, she landed in the divorce landscape sweeping late-1970s America. Though she'd worked as a teacher, a real estate agent and in other professional capacities over the years, she found herself in a common conundrum of the time. She was newly divorced, in her 40s, and had no established credit of her own. She managed the household finances, but the credit was in Dad's name, technically. There was one company who took pity on my poor mom, though: JC Penney. I can't recall the last time I was in a JC Penney, but it remains a revered brand in the family lore, the only company willing to give my mother the benefit of the doubt when she was down.

On that birthday cruise, my mother got the best gift we could give her, which was our love, our attention, and our bonhomie. From segregated backyards and anti-Semitic swimming pools, here she was in 2012. Eighty years from where she began, the president – for whom she voted – is African-American. Her youngest, me, was joined by his legally wed husband. She definitely gives one the impression that, at 80, it's so much easier to grasp what's meaningful versus what's just noise.

Another gift, of her own making, has been the recent headlines surrounding Planned Parenthood getting shafted by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the American Family Association's One Million Moms giving JC Penney grief for having the nerve to hire America's sweetheart, Ellen DeGeneres, as spokesperson. Essentially, that's the birthday card that reads, ''Congratulations on being on the right side of history.''

Add to that Shirley MacLaine's upcoming appearance on Downton Abbey and it looks like 80 is going to be a banner year for Mom.

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Vanity Affair: W.E.'s good moments are weighed down by Madonna's penchant for filming what seems to be the world's longest perfume commercial

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:37:24 EST

Film: One thing is clear in W.E., Madonna's mess of an attempt to pin "auteur" onto one of the few unoccupied spaces of her many-sided identity. This fact grabs you in the opening minutes and never lets loose, its grip tightening as cameras bounce from the sterile luxury of Sotheby's to the gilded opulence of Windsor Castle. It's the reason why W.E. won't just be considered a middling romantic drama, and it also explains why Madonna is unlikely to ever make a decent movie. If W.E. indicates Madonna's worldview -- and it most certainly does, in glaring haute fashion -- there's a single conclusion to follow: For a musician so known for her self-awareness, she doesn't have a lick of it as a filmmaker. In the most literal sense possible, this is her vanity project. W.E.  W.E. follows the stories of two women: the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough), who wooed England's King Edward VIII (James D'Arcy) to abdicate his throne for her love, and Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish), a woman who six decades later, struggles to satisfy her emotionally abusive asshole of a husband (Richard Coyle). While fantasizing about Wallis's romance during a trip to Sotheby's, where the couple's most famous possessions are being auctioned off, Wally meets Evgeni (Oscar Issac), a soft-spoken, poetry-reading security guard. He's everything her husband is not, and their friendship quickly blossoms. It doesn't take much to figure out what happens next. Despite its flaws of wealth and superficiality, there are moments when W.E. overachieves. There's something satisfyingly tender about Wally's relationship with Wallis, an emotional complement that bridges their stories across time. And while Cornish and the contemporary story she's in are uninspired at best, Riseborough and D'Arcy spark and smolder against one another in the other, embracing an absurdly spoiled lifestyle in a way turns out the movie's best moments. Without fail, though, Madonna turns Wallis's life into hero worship: She glosses over allegations that the couple were Nazi sympathizers, seemingly approves of her affair without reason, and depicts Wallis as a tragic figure, done in by the gossip-ridden world that shattered her private life. Think about that last bit for a minute, and it's easy to see why Madonna, a tabloid target in her own right, was attracted to this story. Ultimately, W.E.'s good moments are too few and far between, weighed down by Madonna's penchant for filming what would otherwise seem to be the world's longest perfume commercial. She zooms in, unfocused, on mouths. Scenes are broken up by clunky transition shots of each setting. Everybody looks slightly drugged up and drowsy. At unexpected times, for unexpected reasons, Wallis dances to the anachronistic beats of Sex Pistols and Chubby Checker. W.E. and 1/2 Starring Abbie Cornish, James D'Arcy Rated R 119 Minutes Opens Friday Area Theaters Which is to say, Madonna wants to this to be a love story and an art house flick, but has neither the vision nor the ability to follow through on that idea. Instead, she's made a wholly incomplete feminine fantasy, rife with storytelling flaws, which nods toward a place it doesn't belong or deserve. If any other person made W.E., it wouldn't be worthy of attention. It would fade from memory almost immediately, lamented as a good idea that suffered poor execution. But it wasn't, therefore it shouldn't be. So, what does it tell us about material girl behind the camera? She feels a strong kinship with a woman who was hated by an entire country. Wealth is a constant in her life, so she views the world through a pair of rose-tinted Diors. It's entirely likely that she hasn't spent time with an ordinary person in the last two decades -- in fact, her entire sense of the ordinary is anything but. W.E. can be a great movie if you relate to any of those sensibilities. Unfortunately, as she always has by design, Madge stands alone. ...more[...]

Honoring an Artist: Local lesbian photographer and activist Joan Biren receives prestigious award at Creating Change

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:34:15 EST

News:

Coming to Baltimore for the first time, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change, ''The National Conference on LGBT Equality,'' was bound to have local flavor. D.C.-based Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), for example, delivered the keynote address at the Jan. 25 to 29 event.

The conference also put a spotlight on the area's richness of diversity by honoring local lesbian photographer, filmmaker and activist Joan E. Biren (aka ''JEB'') of Silver Spring with the Susan J. Hyde Activism Award for Longevity in the Movement.

(image)

Joan E. Biren

(Photo by Min Enterprises Photography)

In her acceptance speech, Biren, 67, offered four reasons why she was ''happy and humbled'' to receive the award, named for the woman who serves as director of Creating Change.

''First, it's named for Sue Hyde – talk about someone who keeps on truckin','' she began. She continued by acknowledging her gratitude for her longevity; expressing appreciation that others recognize art can help change perceptions; and recognizing the Task Force's work.

''I was so humbled and thrilled to get this award,'' Biren later told Metro Weekly. ''Everyone was just so genuine in their congratulations. It just made me very happy that I had done this work. I did it because I thought it was important. I didn't necessarily expect the value of it to be recognized till I was long gone.''

Biren, whose work included the groundbreaking 1979 photography collection Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians and 1987's Making A Way: Lesbians Out Front, also receives $10,000 as part of the award.

''After you've worked all this time with no one paying you, it's certainly amazing to have it recognized financially,'' said Biren, adding that her current work includes involvement with the Bayard Rustin centennial celebration, and that these days her mission may have less to do than creating than with preserving.

''At this point, I'm not making new work as much as I am making sure everything is archived well and helping other people in my generation make sure things are being preserved,'' she explained. ''I've always said my work was to make the invisible visible. But now it's to make sure it doesn't disappear again.''

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Fabulous Baker Boy: Maurice Hines pays musical tribute to Josephine Baker

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:29:12 EST

Stage:

''My grandmother was a Cotton Club showgirl and knew Josephine Baker,'' Maurice Hines says, referring to the famous Prohibition-era Harlem nightclub. ''My brother Gregory and I learned a lot about her early life in Harlem [through their grandmother].''

So when Alexandria's Metro Stage approached Hines to choreograph and direct a new musical about Baker, he couldn't pass it up. The resulting show, Josephine Tonight, ''is really about her early life, which is very interesting. It shows what a gigantic personality she became from this very innocent kind of waif.'' (See review, page 53.) The American Baker would go on to become a world-famous entertainer, a sexually provocative glamour-puss who repatriated to France and even spied on Nazi sympathizers for the French Resistance.

(image)

Josephine Tonight

(Photo by James Alexander)

Hines, of course, is a show business legend in his own right. He got his start as a tap-dancer, repeatedly performing as a child with his brother Gregory (who died in 2003) on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Since then the Tony-nominated, openly gay star has chiefly made his mark by acting in, choreographing or directing -- often all three -- theater productions that pay tribute to pioneering African-American entertainers, from Duke Ellington (Sophisticated Ladies) to Louis Armstrong (Satchmo). His choreography for Cool Papa's Party, which celebrates Sammy Davis Jr., earned him a Helen Hayes Award when Metro Stage premiered it in 2009.

Among many other projects, Hines is currently developing with D.C.'s Arena Stage what he calls a ''performance version of [Bravo's] Inside The Actors Studio.'' Hines plans to host this national television show to be set in Arena's ''spectacular new building.''

Several theater producers are already talking about transporting Josephine Tonight to New York. The show features original, ''beautiful'' music written by the late Wally Harper, who was Barbara Cook's longtime arranger and accompanist, and a ''very funny'' book – plus lyrics – by Sherman Yellen (TV's An Early Frost, Broadway's The Rothschilds).

Hines praises the cast, led by Zurin Villanueva as Josephine. ''These actors are so versatile, so wonderful," he exults. "A gift from the man above.'' '

Josephine Tonight plays to March 18 at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $45 to $50. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.

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News Briefs: Left to Right: HRC takes Occupy heat in New York, while AFA attacks Ellen

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:25:29 EST

News:

Queer OWS Hits HRC in New York

LGBT grassroots activists calling themselves the Queer Occupy Wall Street Caucus united outside of New York City's Waldorf-Astoria hotel Feb. 4 to demonstrate against a Human Rights Campaign gala honoring, among others, global investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs for its commitment to LGBT equality.

The Queer OWS Caucus released a statement reading, in part, "You do not speak for us." According to the statement, the group's chants included, "Hey, hey, HRC. Where is our equality?" and "Everyone pays their tax - Everyone but Goldman Sachs."

HRC recognized the firm in 2011 as the "Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality." And Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs's chief executive officer and chairman, recently became the first major business leader to join HRC's national media campaign in support of same-sex marriage.

According to the Queer OWS statement, a solidarity event was held simultaneously in San Francisco at the Harvey Milk Camera Shop, now an HRC boutique.

GLAAD Defends DeGeneres from AFA Flak

One Million Moms, a project of the the American Family Association, has called upon JC Penny to fire talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres after she was hired as the company's new spokesperson Jan. 25.

In a statement released Feb. 1, the One Million Moms organization wrote: ''Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families. More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly.''

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) immediately countered by launching an online campaign backing DeGeneres and raising awareness about employment discrimination faced by LGBT people.

GLAAD has called upon LGBT equality supporters to "Stand Up for Ellen" by contacting JC Penny and thanking them for making the right choice in hiring DeGeneres. More than 20,000 people have signed GLAAD's online petition thanking JC Penny, and many others have taken to Facebook and Twitter to express their support of the decision.

Michael Francis, president of the department store, also released a statement supporting DeGeneres. "We share the same fundamental values as Ellen,'' he said, in part. ''We couldn't think of a better partner to help us put the fun back into the retail experience."

The department store has come full circle since bowing to similar pressures from the American Family Association in 1997. Then, the retailer chose to drop its ad from Ellen's TV sitcom during the "Puppy Episode" in which DeGeneres revealed her sexual orientation on primetime television.

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Time To Talk: WWH launches monthly ''Community Conversations'' series

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:25:04 EST

News:

Whitman-Walker Health kicked off a new series of dialogues Jan. 26 titled ''Community Conversations.'' The first, ''New Year, New Start: Substance Abuse,'' will be followed this month with ''Healthier Hookups'' Feb. 23.

''The idea is from [WWH Executive Director] Don Blanchon,'' says WWH's Chip Lewis. ''He really wanted to spark some dialogue between Whitman-Walker and the community.''

(image) BlanchonFile photo by Todd Franson

Lewis adds that the particular form these conversations are taking is thanks to Christopher Dyer, founder of D.C.'s Youth Pride Alliance and former-Mayor Adrian Fenty's liaison to the LGBT community, working as a consultant to WWH.

While skipping July and August installments, monthly conversations are otherwise scheduled through November, addressing a range of issues from ''Aging and the LGBT Community'' to ''Transgender Health.'' Although the initial conversation was held at WWH's Elizabeth Taylor Medical, other venues, such as The Center, will be tapped during the series. Lewis says WWH is still lining up venues and dates for the conversations in May and later.

A WWH release announcing the series quoted Blanchon, who said, in part, ''Throughout our history, Whitman-Walker has worked to meet the unique health care needs of the LGBT community. … One of our goals for these conversations is to empower participants with the knowledge and resources to improve not only their health, but the health of the family, friends and loved ones around them.''

Lewis adds that if this new series proves popular, WWH will likely continue it into 2013.

The ''Healthier Hookups'' Community Conversation is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m., at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW. For details about the series, call 202-745-7000 or visit whitman-walker.org.

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Mother Complex: Michael Lluberes's new, dark adaptation of ''Peter Pan'' draws on author J.M. Barrie's relationship with his mother

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:21:44 EST

Stage: Michael Lluberes's mother refuses to see his new show. ''She heard the title,'' he laughs, ''and she is not making an appearance.'' Michael Lluberes Technically, the show's title is Peter Pan. Nothing scary about that. But Lluberes has transformed the popular story for a new production presented by No Rules Theatre Company. And he's adopted an earlier title J.M. Barrie used for his story, creating a new subtitle: The Boy Who Hated Mothers. At first blush, you can understand why Lluberes's mother, who lives in his native Michigan, wants to sit this one out. "Barrie was obsessed with his mother,'' Lluberes explains. ''He wrote her into every one of his plays. He wrote a novel about her life.'' Barrie's mother was severely depressed after her eldest son died. She never really got over it, and never really warmed to the younger Barrie. ''I feel like that's where [Barrie's] story came from,'' says Lluberes. ''If you read his novel Peter and Wendy, it is dark, and it's about the pain of growing up. … I just wanted to put the play in that darker place, to pick up some of where Barrie was coming from.'' The 33-year-old Lluberes grew up in Okemos, Mich., near Lansing, with the musical film version of Peter Pan starring Mary Martin. ''I watched it obsessively, till the tape wore out.'' But unlike many children, his desire wasn't to be Peter Pan. ''I wanted Peter Pan to come and rescue me as a child,'' he says. ''I was a little gay kid in a small town in the middle of Michigan in the cold, longing for Neverland.'' Lluberes says acting was a key outlet for escaping a ''complicated childhood'' and a ''complicated relationship with my family.'' That family includes his mother, a younger sister and his father, who was born in the Dominican Republic. Lluberes left Michigan to study acting at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts, then moved to New York to become a stage actor. The past several years he's shifted his focus to concentrate on writing and directing. He's written the book and lyrics for one ''intimate'' musical, The Boy In The Bathroom, that currently four theaters around the country are staging. Though he also writes so-called straight plays, Lluberes finds the musical form more intriguing. ''The American musical is just so conservative and early in its form, I'm really interested in playing with that more,'' he says. ''[I'm] looking at musicals like independent film, [telling] really interesting, different, intimate stories in a way that musicals haven't done before.'' For Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers, Lluberes has ''written a lot of new dialogue … and about four or five new scenes.'' Among other changes bucking tradition, the lead character is played by a young man, John Evens Reese, and the actress playing Mrs. Darling -- Lisa Hodsoll -- later dons male drag to portray Hook. Lluberes asserts this was Barrie's ''initial impulse.'' It also helps bring to life the show's new subtitle. ''Mrs. Darling, the mother who loses this child,'' explains Lluberes, ''turns into this great villain, who's trying to kill all children.'' Obviously, the new production strays plenty from the familiar warm and fuzzy tale. ''I think this will be the darkest Peter Pan,'' Lluberes concedes. "But it's also joyful and celebratory -- dark in that sort-of childlike way.'' He compares it to Harry Potter in that it's intended for adults, but with appeal to children -- at least to those 10 and up. ''I wanted to create a world where you feel like a kid again,'' he says. ''Remember this moment when you grew up? Remember this moment before all the shit happened to you? When you were just a pure kid? Go back there and relive that. And go through this with us.'' Various aspects of the story have particular resonance with gays. Lluberes says that while there's nothing explicitly gay[...]

Five Dos and Five Don'ts for Mastering Valentine's Day:

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:15:55 EST

Feature Story: (image)

Not much is known of antiquity's Saint -- or Saints -- Valentine. Yet here we are, with Starbucks pushing hearts on paper cups, aisles of red-wrapped candies, and Groupon offering half-off Valentine's cards and mugs. You know exactly what time it is, and you cannot escape.

Though some people wouldn't have it any other way, it's Halloween – not Valentine's Day – that's earned the reputation of being ''gay Christmas.'' Relationships are trickier territory for us, politicized endlessly, red meat in the ''culture war.'' Who can blame us if we're a little queasy when it comes to romance?

With the politics come our pioneering spirits. As a community required to examine our sexual identities from the moment we realize they set us apart from the mainstream, our very nature moves us beyond traditional. Accordingly, we likely have disproportionate numbers of open relationships, of triads, of whatever we can think of.

But whatever it is, we're human. We love, and are loved. Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, like no other day on the calendar, demands we own up to that reality. For some, it's a celebration. For others, it's a shame. Whoever you are, in whatever relationship (or not) you find yourself, Metro Weekly hopes to improve your Valentine's Day experience with some simple dos and don'ts.

Continue reading:

DO - 5 Things to Do for Valentine's DON'T - 5 Things Not to Do for Valentine's ...more

Do These Five Things for Valentine's:

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:13:13 EST

Feature Story: 1. Give as Good as You Get It can be bought, it can be made. Regardless, a gift at Valentine's Day is like tipping -- whatever the circumstance, it's really never unwelcome. Even someone who makes a pretext of being offended by a tip will usually still take the money. Same goes for Valentine's Day. You're in a much better position if the worst you face is, ''We said we weren't going to get gifts for each other,'' rather than being ambushed by some tender token. The easy go-to gifts are candy and flowers. You won't win, however, being predictable. There will be points earned, yes, just not many. And where your relationship is concerned, Valentine's Day is as make-or-break as an anniversary, so put some thought into it. Does the object of your desire seem to care more for a pet than for you? No problem -- get the animal a gift. It's a good show of support. Maybe your relationship is more hot than homey. If you'd like to keep things that way, Valentine's Day is the perfect time for offering a sex toy. Nothing says ''I'm hot for you'' as well as a vibrating egg or flavored lube. Whatever gift you choose, it's going to carry more weight on Valentine's Day, so choose carefully. Is your relationship rocky? Then lucky for you that this day gets blown out of proportion. A V.D. fail is no more likely than a V.D. win, so choosing the just the right gift can take you from unwelcome to wanton in a snap. Maybe you're trying out a long-distance relationship. From airlines to buses to trains, chances are good you can find a gift certificate that – even if falling short of full fare – reminds your honey you'd rather be sharing the same space. The Valentine's Day gift is your big chance to say, ''I get you,'' a far more respectful sentiment than ''Be mine.'' If you truly do, then a little effort should lead you to the perfect present. As important as the gift is your presentation, just in case the meaning is not immediately apparent. ''A bottle of wine? Enh.'' ''No, dear, it's a bottle of wine from the year you were born.'' Skip to: DON'T - 5 Things Not to Do for Valentine's Introduction 2. Break Bread Sharing a meal is one of the most primal experiences in life. From the piranha swarming collectively over some struggling waterfowl, a pride of lions coming together for the hunt, or a cow nursing her calf, nourishment is intimate. The key to an appropriate meal on Valentine's Day is that, one, it not be too filling, and, two, at least some portion of it is eaten by hand. The first part helps ensure you're not feeling heavy and bloated, which could ruin the rest of your night. The second part – whether it's picking up oysters to slurp or biting into an apple in your hand – primes your appetites' pumps. Should your partner, however, have table manners that irritate you, keep it to yourself, at least for this one day. Or, even better, take the lead. She eats with her mouth open? Keep stuffing it with strawberries and you'll hardly notice. He holds his fork incorrectly? Find excitement in his savage disregard for pretense. Cooking the meal yourself could earn you points if you know what you're doing and you can live with leaving the dishes till Feb. 15. Getting your hands sudsy together might sound romantic, but that particular flame gets fully doused in application. It may be of even greater importance for single people to share some fellowship with a Valentine's dinner. On this particular day, ''soup for one'' tragically becomes ''soup for lonely.'' Instead, revel in your singlehood with a night out with other single friends. Look for blissful couples at the venue you choose and entertain yourselves by imagining what secrets they keep from each other, or how their relationships will eventually end. 3[...]

Don't Do These Five Things for Valentine's:

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:11:13 EST

Feature Story: 1. Don't Procrastinate We'll tell you right up front: If you're reading this during the mid-afternoon of Feb. 14, you might as well skip on down to No. 2. As for the rest of you, if you're reading this with any serious intent at all, then you already know you're cutting it close. You didn't book that dream vacation last month. You didn't make the reservations for a trendy restaurant two weeks ago before they all booked up. You thought you had time; you didn't. Valentine's Day procrastination is what leads to last-minute dashes through CVS and Target, desperately seeking any product with a heart on it and chocolate in it. The nation's homes are filled with unopened yellow boxes of Whitman's Samplers, their cross-stitched logos a forlorn and lasting reminder that you screwed up. Do not wait any longer. Call your local flower shop and see what it's going to cost you to pick up some last-minute roses. Forget about making it into the aura of a celebrity chef and think of smaller, neighborhood places where you and your partner have been to and enjoyed. If you have any kitchen skills whatsoever, make dinner. A little thought and a little effort will take you a long way, even if you're running a little late. Skip to: DO - 5 Things to Do for Valentine's Introduction 2. Don't Panic So, here we are. It's 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14. You are, as they say, fucked. Let's be honest: You don't have a lot of options if you're expected to arrive home with some physical token of your love. But really, don't panic. Take a deep breath. And another. One more. Okay, here's what we're going to do. First, you live and/or work in the D.C. area. It is highly likely that you have one of many small stores in your locale that sell quirky cards, gourmet chocolates or decadent cupcakes. None coming to mind? Stay calm. This is why we have the Internet – to do neighborhood-based Google searches. Still nothing? Stop shaking, we can get through this. Hit your browser again and see if you can get any advance tickets to shows, performances or concerts in the next two weeks. Don't forget to print out the receipt so you have some proof. Not finding anything? Oh, my. It's 5 p.m. You may want to run down to CVS before the only thing left is a pile of Whitman's Samplers. And don't forget to give the gift that every inveterate procrastinator should have at the ready: a heartfelt apology. 3. Don't Break Up You've only been dating for six months. She bores you with her work stories. He drives you nuts with his politics. So what? It's Valentine's Day. Dumping someone on Feb. 14 will forever brand you as a heartless cad who couldn't wait until the following Saturday to drop the ''It's not you, it's me'' bomb. For those of you already cohabiting for years or enjoying the benefits of legal marriage, this one goes double. Fine, you don't have to splurge on a dozen of the finest roses or a $500 tab for dinner and wine. Chances are, if you're actually considering breaking up on Valentine's – and, oh, it has happened – your rather understated gift this year will not come as a surprise. But save yourself and your soon-to-be ex-partner the most awkward Valentine's evening of your lives. Don't ruin the holiday for both of you in the future. Hold the break-up conversation until the next day. (On a more serious note, if you're in a relationship where you feel abused, threatened or otherwise in danger, don't stick around just because of a commercial holiday. Get some help and get out. You can find the LGBT resources you need at Rainbow Response: rainbowresponse.org.) 4. Don't Forget that Two's Company We get it. You have an adventurous streak that you'd like to explore with your new boyfriend. Or your appetite i[...]

Love, Actually: Tom Story and Chris Dinolfo aren't just portraying a gay couple onstage in ''Next Fall,'' they're living it as well

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:07:55 EST

Feature Story: As a result of the play Next Fall, Chris Dinolfo came out to his dad. ''I actually came out to my dad and my stepmom after we did the first sit-down read [in rehearsals],'' Dinolfo says. He stars as Luke in Round House Theatre's production of the 2009 Tony-nominated play by Geoffrey Nauffts, which is both humorous and incredibly touching. ''Next Fall'' at Roundhouse: Tom Story and Chris Dinolfo The play centers on gay couple Adam and Luke, and the consequences of Luke not coming out to his clueless dad before Luke suffers a terrible accident that leaves him comatose. ''I could have you thrown out of here and there's nothing you could do about it,'' the father, played by Kevin Cutts, tells Adam, played by Tom Story, during a pivotal moment in Luke's hospital room. ''It's such an awful thought that people are still subjected to that discrimination,'' says Dinolfo. Especially so, since to a large extent it's self-inflicted discrimination, a factor of remaining closeted. ''It's not worth it to keep something like this from your family,'' Dinolfo reasons. ''If you love them and you want relationships with them, you have to be fully open and honest about it.'' ''It's the most amazing thing that that happened,'' says Story about Dinolfo coming out to his dad after what Story adds was a particularly emotional rehearsal. Dinolfo and Story, in fact, aren't just playing a couple onstage in Bethesda. They actually live as one in the Kalorama neighborhood of D.C. And in several respects, Next Fall parallels their real life, including how they met five years ago. In between acting gigs, Dinolfo signed up to be on the crew at Signature Theatre during its production of The Pillowman, which starred Story. ''I walked in on the first day [and] Tom Story was one of the first people I saw,'' says Dinolfo. ''It was sort of an instant reaction. And then we flirted with each other hardcore for about three weeks before anything really happened.'' Dinolfo did everything he could to get close to Story, just as Luke sticks close to Adam when they first meet in Next Fall at a party. Dinolfo introduced Story early on to his mother. ''I remember my mom said to me, 'Be careful,''' he says, because of the age difference: At the time, Story was 33, Dinolfo 22. And Story is Dinolfo's first serious boyfriend. For his part, Story says his friends would say, ''Oh, this is just a rebound,'' as Story was just getting out of a previous relationship. ''From the beginning, because of the big age difference,'' says Story, ''I would say to him, 'too much future,' when we would talk about what was going to happen. Let's just be in this moment and not worry too much about next year or whatever.'' The two actors first appeared together on stage a few years ago in a production of Henry IV: Part I at Folger Theatre. ''We played brothers, oddly enough,'' laughs Dinolfo. ''We had a short exchange [onstage], but that was the extent of it.'' For Next Fall, Story was cast as Adam well before Dinolfo as Luke. In fact, Dinolfo was initially reluctant to take on the role, unsure if the theater would even allow a couple working together, and concerned about what people would say. In the end, Story persuaded Dinolfo to try out for the role. ''I remember when I read the play I thought, this is such a good part for Chris,'' says Story. So Dinolfo called to inquire about an audition. He only got the part after a callback and the director, Mark Ramont, cleared it with Story and the show's producers. Both actors say being intimate in front of hundreds of people isn't a challenge. ''[Ultimately] it's not our lives up there,'' says Story. ''It's not the Chris and Tom story, it's the Luke and Adam story. And that story is differe[...]

Remembering Deoni Jones: Vigil draws crowd to bus stop memorial, community calls for justice for slain transgender woman

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:52:11 EST

News: About 200 people gathered Tuesday evening at the intersection of East Capitol Street and Sycamore Road NE in the city's Benning Heights neighborhood for a candlelight vigil to remember 23-year-old Deoni Jones, the transgender woman who was stabbed in the head while waiting at a bus stop on the evening of Feb. 2. Jones, whose birth name was JaParker and was also known as Logan, died at around 2:35 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 3 after being transported to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Md. According to information from police and transgender advocates who work closely with the Metropolitan Police Department, Jones was stabbed following an altercation at the bus stop with her attacker. A third person was at the bus stop and witnessed the attack, initially attempting to chase the attacker but ceasing pursuit after realizing Jones was in need of medical attention. At the vigil, Jones's family and friends were joined by members the LGBT community, politicians, clergy and representatives from various government or nonprofit agencies. Around the bus stop and a nearby tree, mourners placed stuffed animals, pictures and other items at a makeshift shrine to Jones. One man held up a large poster reading ''The Lord is My Shepherd.'' As dusk fell, the mourners passed around a megaphone and shared stories about Jones, who they remembered as a gentle, loving person. Jones's father, referring to her as JaParker, said his ''son didn't have a violent bone in his body.'' Several other speakers praised Jones's bravery for embracing her identity as a transgender woman. Several attendees from the LGBT community sadly noted that the spot where Jones was killed is a little more than a mile from where 23-year-old transgender woman Lashai Mclean was gunned down in July 2011; five blocks from the intersection where transgender woman Tyra Hunter died after being refused medical treatment in 1995 by emergency personnel after a car accident; and where two other transgender women, Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis, were shot to death in 2002. ''It's tragedy that we stand here again on another day to commemorate and recognize the loss of another soul within our community,'' said Jeffrey Richardson, director of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs. ''I cannot believe that we're standing out here because somebody did not recognize the humanity in this beautiful soul.'' The vigil served not only as a cathartic event for people to purge their grief and frustration, but as a call to action. ''In the last three months, we've had three vigils in this community,'' said Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceaholics, a nonprofit working with at-risk youth focused on reducing violence, and a Republican City Council candidate for Ward 7. ''This is too much. … We have to come together and demand better of ourselves, our leaders, and support our young people.'' Moten also emphasized the need for anybody with information to come forward so that Jones's killer would be caught and brought to justice. ''Negative things happen when positive people do nothing,'' Moten said. ''Somebody saw what happened. And let me tell you something: There's a difference between snitching and citizenship. Snitching is when you commit a crime with somebody, and then you tell on them so you can get off. Citizenship is when you protect and serve your community, and you fight for people like Deoni, who lived a good life, who helped people, who made people smile every day.'' At one point, Moten paused while a young protégée of his released several brightly colored balloons into the night sky, one for each transgender woman who has been killed in the past 10 years, as attendees called out the [...]

Outspoken #48 - Bearing It All: DC Bear Crue Scruff Party at Town

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:40:14 EST

Video:

In this edition of Outspoken, Ebone Bell enters the bear cave at Town's weekly Bear Happy Hour, to find out what bearlebrities people love most and how many bear types they can name.

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PFOX Pushes Student Outreach: Montgomery County ''ex-gay'' group sends its message home with high school students' report cards

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:30:49 EST

News:

Parents of students at Kensington's Albert Einstein High School got a surprise along with their children's report cards, Feb 1.

Typically, individual public schools will send home approved fliers four times a year with quarterly report cards. Most fliers are from the county school system, the local PTA, government agencies, local businesses and local nonprofits, often advertising groups or afterschool activities such as scouting, clubs or summer camps.

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Copy of flyer posted at Fox 5 DC

But last Wednesday students received fliers from Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX) to take home to share with their parents.

The PFOX handbills advised there is no scientific evidence of sexual orientation being innate; that people can choose to be heterosexual; and encouraged readers to contact PFOX and like-minded groups.

According to David Fishback of the Washington area chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), PFOX has previously distributed fliers at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.

According to Dana Tofig, a spokesman for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), the school system must allow any nonprofit that can prove it is a registered 501(c)3 to send home fliers with students. That requirement stems from a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruling that Montgomery County's refusal to allow an evangelical Christian organization to send home fliers constituted viewpoint discrimination.

As a result, the county established specific criteria for nonprofits by which they are allowed to participate in the flier distribution program. The fliers from nonprofits must also include a disclaimer that reads, ''These materials are neither sponsored by nor endorsed by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, the superintendent, or this school.''

Fishback argues, however, that PFOX can be considered harmful to LGBT youth because of the group's emphasis on reparative therapy, which the American Medical Association opposes.

''Any discussion of PFOX should include what has been its prime focus from its inception: convincing gay people that they can change their sexual orientation,'' Fishback said in a related PFLAG release. ''This message is dangerous and destructive to health.''

Fishback also told Metro Weekly that promoting the idea of ''assumed willful differences'' - that gay people can choose to be straight - contributes to atmospheres that are conducive to bullying, which, in turn, can lead teenagers to consider suicide.

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Transgender Woman Killed (UPDATED): Victim suffers fatal stabbing at Northeast bus stop

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:13:14 EST

News:

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death of a transgender woman who was stabbed yesterday at a bus stop in the District's Benning Heights neighborhood, on the border of Northeast and Southeast D.C.

According to police reports from the Sixth Police District, the woman was stabbed at the bus stop at the intersection of East Capitol Street SE and Sycamore Road NE at around 8:15 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2.

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Bus stop at East Capitol and Sycamore NE

(Photo by JD Uy)

According to a press release from the D.C. Transgender Coalition (DCTC), an altercation between the victim and her attacker broke out at the bus stop, which resulted in the victim being stabbed in the cheek. A third person at the bus stop reportedly chased after attacker, but ceased pursuit in order to assist the victim upon realizing she was in serious need of medical attention.

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Alvin Bethea, father of JaParker (Deoni) Jones, at the bus stop where the incident took place

A press release from MPD states that witnesses flagged down a Metro Transit Police officer who responded to the scene, finding the woman suffering from her wounds and unconscious. Officers from the Sixth District, as well as units from D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, also responded to the scene.

WUSA reported the victim was transported to PG Hospital Center in critical condition. According to MPD, the victim died at 2:35 a.m. today, Feb. 3. The victim has not yet been identified by police.

UPDATE: At approximately 4:30 p.m., Feb. 3, Mara Keisling, executive director of the D.C.-based National Center for Transgender Equality identified the victim as 22-year-old Deoni Jones. DCTC’s Jason Terry provided the same information. MPD has not yet confirmed the victim’s identity.

DCTC has asked members and allies of the transgender community to notify them if they know of anyone who is missing, in hopes of identifying the victim. DCTC also took local media outlets to task for incorrectly referring to the deceased as a ''man living as a woman'' and for emphasizing the discovery of her natal sex in their news coverage.

''We condemn in the strongest possible terms the transphobic language deployed by several media outlets last night and this morning,'' DCTC's Jason Terry said in a Feb. 3 statement. ''While we certainly agree that the general public needs to be aware of trans communities' losses and successes, it is imperative that members of the press refer to trans people in a way that respects each person's gender identity or expression.''

MPD is asking anyone with information to call 202-727-9099 or submit anonymous tips via text to 50411. MPD currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 dollars to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person wanted for any homicide in the District.

Police have released this video of a person of interest:

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Henry: This medical professional from Alexandria likes TV talent shows and tennis matches

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:01:14 EST

Coverboy Interview: Alexandria native Henry is eager to get home to the D.C. area. For now, however, the 27-year-old is paying dues by completing his surgery residency in Virginia Beach. But Henry's not at all impatient, as his coming-out experience shows. ''I'm totally a late bloomer,'' he says. ''I didn't come out to myself till medical school. I'm definitely a lot happier.'' He's also holding out for some things worth waiting for, like a husband and kids, as well as his own medical practice. When he's feeling more spontaneous, however, you might find Henry on the Town dance floor, far from the bar. ''I'm not much of a drinker. It doesn't take much for me to get tipsy.'' What's on your nightstand?Earplugs -- I'm a very light sleeper -- a lamp, and I usually have a book. Henry What's in your nightstand drawer?There's no drawer. So where do you keep condoms and lube?Next to all my medical books, tucked in between. What are your television favorites?I'm a big sucker for reality shows – The X Factor, The Voice, American Idol. Grey's Anatomy, House. I love Nip/Tuck. What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?Anything on Nickelodeon. Ren & Stimpy, Rugrats. Of course I still watch The Simpsons. What superhero would you be?Superman. I actually have a Superman shirt. Who's your greatest influence?My grandma. She's 84 now. Growing up, with my parents working, she raised me. She doesn't know any English at all, but taught us ABCs and multiplication tables. She's great. What's your greatest fear?I don't want to die alone. I want to share life with someone. Pick three people, living or dead, who you think would make the most fascinating dinner guests imaginable.Mariah Carey, Martina Hingis, and a hot guy – Chris Pine. What would you serve?Thai. How would you describe your dream guy?Light-colored eyes. Fit. I like a pretty face, clean-cut. Someone who can make me laugh, who values family and is pretty ambitious. Define good in bed.Someone who knows how to kiss and cuddle. I love a great kisser. Who should star in a movie about your life?A really young B.D. Wong. Who was your first celebrity crush?Jesse from Full House, John Stamos. Who gets on your nerves?I'm not a fan of super-effeminate gays. Someone flamboyant and in your face. If your home was burning, what's the first thing you'd grab while leaving?Probably my $500 Armani blazer. That's the most expensive item in my apartment. What's your biggest turn-on?Kissing. And a sexy grin, a devilish smile. What's your biggest turn-off?Guys who chew their fingernails. What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet tried?I've always wanted to go watch Wimbledon, then the French Open. What's something you've tried that you never want to do again?A blind date with someone from an online site I'd not really talked to. They may look great in photos, but not know how to hold a conversation. Who's your favorite musical artist?Mariah Carey. What's your favorite website?Facebook. What's the most unusual place you've had sex?A library basement, after hours. How did you get in?We stayed past closing. We slept there all night. What position do you play in the big baseball game of life?I like having control – the surgery mentality. Probably the umpire is the most equivalent. What's your favorite retail store?Express. What's the most you'll spend on a haircut?I would pay up to $100 for a very good haircut. It would have to include shampoo and highlights. What about on shoes?If I had the income, up to $1,000 for a very good pair. What's your favori[...]

Fly Guys: In ''Chronicle,'' rookie director Josh Trank chains himself to a distracting gimmick

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:31:22 EST

Film:

There's not much depth to Chronicle. In spite of a unique take on the traditional superhero origin story, rookie director Josh Trank and screenwriter Max Landis fizzle out by chaining themselves to a documentary-style gimmick that's both unnecessary and distracting.

Fueled by anger about his drunken dad and terminally ill mom, Andrew (Dane DeHaan) buys a video camera and starts to record every minute of his life. When he gets yanked to a high-school rave with his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), with camcorder in tow, all-around popular stud Steve (Michael B. Jordan) urges them to check out a hole in the ground he found out in the woods. The trio finds a pulsing blue crystal deep underground, gain telekinetic powers after touching it, then do what any group of teenagers would do – prank a ton of strangers.

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Chronicle

At first, Trank's found-footage style complements that story well. Andrew admits that he films everything to put a barrier between himself and others, later using his growing powers to levitate the camera and offer a creative excuse to shoot from odd angles. The move also gives the early scenes an intimacy that makes them surprisingly fun, as the gang goofs off with their newfound skills.

But before long, Chronicle mucks itself up with unbelievable reasons to keep that found-footage lie going. (See: the bland love interest, played by Anna Wood, with a video-blogging hobby.) Why not simply ditch the format once it gets too cumbersome? Why value thematic integrity over narrative function?

With some tinkering, Chronicle could have been a cool bit of low-budget entertainment, a refreshing alternative to tired comic book adaptations. Instead, it's got too many pieces it doesn't need and too few to finish the job. Everything that works so well – the immature rapport between DeHaan, Jordan and Russell; Trank's keen eye for excitement; Andrew's spiraling descent into villainy – all of that is obscured for the sake of cinematographic consistency.

CHRONICLE (image) (image) (image) Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell Rated PG-13 83 Minutes

Asking what could've been, though, may be too much for a movie like Chronicle. Isn't it fair to lower the bar for a superhero movie though? We want to see feats of strength from the genre, unreal shows of inhuman talent. Trank and Landis understand and tap into that fundamental brand of excitement with ease – until Andrew breaks bad, we're just watching some teenage guys who are psyched to have super powers. There's plenty to rag on, yet nothing completely sinks the innate fun of that premise.

Sure, Chronicle may not soar, but let's not forget the fundamental rule of the superhero movie: It's always cool to see people fly.

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What's your favorite Glenn Close performance?: Take our poll. Win free movie passes!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:33:45 EST

Poll: //

Read this related article: Albert's Champion -- An interview with Glenn Close

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Review: The Two Gentlemen of Verona: P.J. Paparelli's reimagines Shakespeare's comedy as a tragic destination with too much bloodshed

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:15:25 EST

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Two Gentleman from Verona at Shakespeare Theatre

Matters of the heart take a rather bloody turn in director P.J. Paparelli's vision of Shakespeare's comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona, now onstage at the Lansburgh Theatre. Contemporary references abound, as Paparelli correlates social status and royal power in 16th century Italy to the corporate-dominated culture of today (logos incorporated into Walt Spangler's industrial-chic set reference everything from Apple to ING to Campari). And when things get complicated after Valentine (Andrew Veenstra) and Proteus (Nick Dillenburg) make their way to Milan and both fall for the Duke's daughter, Silvia (Natalie Mitchell), out come more firearms than you'd see on the latest episode of Hawaii Five-0.

The gunplay is overwrought and overdone, as is the climactic fight between Valentine and Proteus as they beat each other to a pulp before reconciling. An ill fit, too, are Paul Spadone's costumes, which combine Renaissance and contemporary looks in an odd hybrid style that feels inconsistent with Spangler's set.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (image) (image) (image) To March 4 Shakespeare Theatre Company Lansburgh Theatre 450 Seventh St. NW $39-$90 202-547-1122 shakespearetheatre.org

Veenstra and Dillenburg can be rather charming, when they're not pointing guns at themselves or each other, or bloodying up each other's handsome faces. And consistently delightful are Adam Green and Euan Morton (not singing as usual, but with a dog!) as the servants Speed and Launce. At least they never forget -- even if Paparelli seems to at times -- that Verona isn't a tragic destination.

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Review: The Innkeepers: With ''The Inkeepers,'' Ti West provides minimalist horror with slow-burning scares and unbearable tension

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:12:25 EST

Film:

 

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The Innkeepers, like all of Ti West's horror, is an exercise in slow-burning scares. He short-circuits nerves with anxiety, using sober creeps to ratchet up tension to an unbearable degree, then tacks on a few more for good measure. His is a throwback style, a minimalist horror that's inspired by Stanley Kubrick, but not ashamed to pluck anything else that came before it either.

If nothing else, that method is good for great horror. West's The House of the Devil was an unsettling take on the slasher flick, while 2005's The Roost did the same for zombie fare. For Innkeepers, West turns his eye to the classic haunted house story. And while it may be a bit conventional for those familiar with his past work, it nonetheless packs just as strong of a fright.

In the waning days of the Yankee Pedlar Inn, a century-old hotel that's about to close down, employees Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) decide to try their hands at ghost hunting. (The inn, based on and filmed at a hotel of the same name in New England, is notorious for being haunted.) Abruptly, their lightly comedic romp for the ghoulish shifts to the all-out horror of discovering a ghost – it's the spirit of an abandoned bride who was stuffed in a storage room more than 100 years prior, and it's pissed.

THE INKEEPERS (image) (image) (image) (image) Starring Sara Paxton, Kelly McGillis Rated R 100 Minutes

While the premise is by-the-numbers as far as horror is concerned, Innkeepers nonetheless stands out for the allegory it weaves between scares. Claire and Luke are minimum-wage nobodies, straddling the line between immaturity and adulthood – facing off against the macabre is a sly way to symbolize that transition. Coupled with West's technical know-how, that's enough to make Innkeepers a worthwhile, if too slightly polished, treat.

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