PRIDE

CAPITAL PRIDE PARADE

On Saturday, June 8, more than 200 organizations and entities will make their way — by float, vehicle, or on foot — through 1.5 miles through two of D.C.’s historically LGBTQ neighborhoods, Dupont and Logan, while being cheered on by hundreds of thousands of supporters and spectators. Leading the masses are this year’s grand marshals: transgender activist and advocate Earline Budd, Pulse shooting survivor and gun-reform advocate Brandon Wolf, out Brigham Young University valedictorian Matt Easton (see page 31), and Hailie Sahar and Dominique Jackson (see page 53) of FX’s hit show, Pose. The parade kicks off from 21st and P Streets NW at 4:30 p.m. before winding its way through Dupont Circle, up New Hampshire Avenue, down 17th Street, over to 14th Street via P Street, then up to its end at T Street. Visit www.capitalpride.org.

CAPITAL PRIDE FESTIVAL & CONCERT

The LGBTQ community takes over America’s Main Street — Pennsylvania Avenue — between 6th and 3rd Streets NW beginning at noon on Sunday, June 9. The annual day-long Capital Pride festival features 300 exhibitors representing everything from community groups to businesses to vendors of food and drink, including multiple beverage gardens serving alcoholic refreshments. The festival also includes three performance stages, including the Monument Festival Stage, the Dupont Dance Stage, and the Capitol Concert Stage, the primary perch with the U.S. Capitol as backdrop. Presented by Hot 99.5 and Pride Radio, this year’s concert kicks off at 1 p.m. and features an eclectic lineup of local and national performers, plus a slew of headliners throughout the day (roughly one per hour) including top pop/EDM producer Marshmello, Swedish pop starlet Zara Larrson, gay American Idol/YouTube/Drag Race/Broadway sensation Todrick Hall, transgender singer-songwriter Shea Diamond, gay British pop singer-songwriter Calum Scott (see page 49), Nina West from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and gay DJ/rapper Big Dipper (see page 9). After the sun sets comes the festival’s official closing event, a two hour dance party featuring Washington-native DJ Tracy Young enticing Pride-goers to dance in the street — a truly only-in-D.C. kind of awe-inspiring affair. Visit www.capitalpride.org for the full lineup, more activities, and details about the VIP Concert Experience.

DC FRONTRUNNERS PRIDE RUN 5K

The popular local LGBTQ running and walking club offers its 7th annual Pride Run 5K at the Congressional Cemetery. The event is followed by a Finish Line Party, with beer and snacks for participants, a live DJ, entertainment, and race awards ceremony. This year’s race is sponsored by SoFi Lending Corp. and benefits the Team DC Student-Athlete Scholarship, the Wanda Alston Foundation, and Casa Ruby. Friday, June 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 1801 E St. SE. Reservations, requiring a refundable $30 deposit per participant, are officially sold out. Visit www.dcfrontrunners.org.

LGBTQ COMEDY NIGHT

To coincide with Capital Pride, the DC Comedy Loft (above the Bier Baron Tavern) presents a night of stand-up from gay comics and will also donate a portion of each ticket sold to SMYAL. Headliner Ian Harvie was Margaret Cho’s opening act for years before becoming known as a groundbreaking transgender comedian who made his acting debut as Dale in Amazon’s Transparent. The roster also includes New York-based trans actor/comedian Peter Smith, L.A.-based Baltimore-native Alex Powers — who has been described as a “pervy, middle-aged man trapped in the body of a cute lesbian” — and young, gay L.A.-based performer Jared Goldstein. Friday, June 7, at 9:45 p.m., and Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. 1523 22nd St. NW. Tickets are $18, plus a two-item minimum. Call 202-293-1887 or visit www.dccomedyloft.com.

LEZ B REAL PRIDE CELEBRATION FEAT. PINEAPPLECITI & POEISM

Songbyrd, Adams Morgan’s intimate music complex, offers a “Queer Poetry & Portraits” celebration in honor of Capital Pride co-presented by 8thaus and Sensorship. This Friday, June 7, starting at 11 p.m., comes a “Lez B Real” photoshoot combined with an open-mic night open to all queer poets and rappers and featuring feminist artist/poet/photographer Poeism and PineappleCITI, a gay, black “unapologetic trap bounce rapper” hailing from Newark. 2477 18th St. NW. Tickets are $15 to $20. Call 202-450-2917 or visit www.songbyrddc.com.

LGBTQ+ PRIDE READINGS

Petworth’s Loyalty Bookstore — formerly known as Upshur Street Books — presents two LGBTQ-themed events over the next week in honor of Pride Month. First up, Saturday, June 8, at 5 p.m, is a Pride Week Author Reading featuring poet Gregg Shapiro (More Poems About Buildings and Food) and fiction writer Philip Dean Walker (Read By Strangers, At Danceteria and Other Stories). After Capital Pride, Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m., comes an LGBTQ spin on the bookstore’s Poets In Protest Reading Series, during which LGBTQ poets will read a piece of their own and a piece written by a queer or trans literary predecessor, an acknowledgement of the community’s diversity, lineage, and evolution. The series features C. Thomas, the 2019 Finalist for Poet Laureate of Alexandria, and Melena Chertock (Crumb-sized), on the planning committee for D.C.’s LGBTQ literary festival OutWrite. 827 Upshur St. NW. Visit www.loyaltybookstore.com.

MILK BAR D.C. PRIDE EDITION BIRTHDAY CAKE & TRUFFLES CLASS

Local drag doyenne Ba’Naka co-hosts a special pride-themed class at chef/owner Christina Tosi’s new Milk Bar Flagship store in Logan Circle. There, attendees will be instructed in how to build their own 6-inch Milk Bar Birthday Cake, learning how to create vanilla funfetti layers, frosting, and crumbs, before turning their cake scraps into little Birthday Truffles. Milk Bar will have Please Bring Chips on the bar with drinks for sale. And a portion of the event’s proceeds will go to SMYAL. Friday, June 7, at 7 p.m. 1525 15th St. NW. Tickets are $95 plus $5 EventBrite fee. Call 202-506-1357 or visit www.milkbarstore.com.

MORTIFIED LIVE PODCAST: PRIDE EDITION

An unsent love letter he had written as a teenager didn’t just send David Nadelberg on a wistful trip down memory lane. It sparked the idea for a project focused on the strange, extraordinary, or just plain embarrassing things people create as kids. Launched in 2002, Mortified is a spin on the popular genre of curated storytelling shows in which strangers from all walks of life take to the stage — as well as the airwaves a la podcast — to “share the shame” of their “teen angst artifacts,” created when they were all so young and impressionable. Revealing such memorabilia, organizers say, can be a revelatory experience: “You’d be surprised what you discover in the process.” The June show features childhood diary entries, stories, and other adolescent scribblings “exploring sexual and gender identity, coming out, and other LGBTQ stories.” Friday, June 14. Doors at 8 p.m. Black Cat Mainstage, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $17 in advance, or $20 at the door. Call 202-667-4490 or visit www.blackcatdc.com.

NATIONAL PRIDE SHABBAT

Rabbi Shira, Aaron Shneyer, and Rabbi Laurie Green of Bet Mishpachah, and members of GLOE at the Edlavitch DCJCC lead an inclusive Shabbat service celebrating the diversity of D.C. Jewish life on the eve of the Capital Pride Parade. The service, co-presented by Sixth and I and open to all, begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Juney 7, with dinner reception to follow. All Souls Unitarian Church, 1500 Harvard St. NW. Tickets are $15 to $30 including dinner reception. Call 877-987-6487 or visit www.sixthandi.org.

#NOH8 PHOTOSHOOT AT W WASHINGTON HOTEL

D.C.’s W Hotel is hoping to entice Pride-goers to check out its extensively renovated new digs with two events on Sunday, June 9. From noon to 2 p.m., comes a new version of the decade-old #NOH8 campaign, only now it’s styled as a visual protest in support of gender and human equality as well as the original push for marriage. Photos taken in the swanky setting will cost between $25 and $40, and there will also be specialty cocktails to try at the reimagined Living Room bar. Then, from 4 p.m. until close, the W’s all-new Corner Office restaurant, featuring artisan wood-fired pizzas and craft beers in a garden setting, will offer specials for happy hour. 515 15th St. NW. Call 202-661-2400 or visit www.wwashingtondc.eventbrite.com.

NOT THE WHITE HOUSE PRIDE PARTY

The women- and queer-owned and operated distillery Republic Restoratives is hosting a second annual pride brunch with LGBTQ44, billed as the unofficial network of Obama LGBTQ Alumni. Last year’s brunch raised over $10,000 for the legal advocacy group TransLAW, which remains the brunch’s beneficiary as “their work couldn’t be more crucial” at a time when trans rights are under sustained attack from the Trump administration. Food will come courtesy of the gay-owned BBQ Bus, which will be washed down with cocktails featuring in-house spirits, from Civic Vodka to Rodham Rye. DJ Tezrah will supply the groovy music. Sunday, June 9, from noon to 4 p.m. Republic Restoratives Distillery and Craft Cocktail Bar, 1369 New York Ave. NE. Tickets are $20. Call 202-733-3996 or visit www.republicrestoratives.com.

ONE VOICE

The Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle is celebrating Capital Pride with a summer-long art exhibition in its lobby featuring local LGBTQ artists and allies. Curated by Julie Ratner and Golie Miamee of Artworx Consultants, One Voice includes works by Tom Hill, Maggie O’Neill, Wayson Jones, and Rose Jaffe, in addition to several permanent works by world-renowned mixed-media artist Michele Oka Doner and Michael Crossett’s piece “Community,” which was commissioned for Kimpton in partnership with Shop Made in DC. Now through Sept. 2. 1731 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Suggested donation of $5 per person that will benefit Kimpton brand partner the Trevor Project. Call 202-234-3200 or visit www.carlylehoteldc.com.

PRETTY BOI DRAG: #PRETTYBOIPRIDE BRUNCH, #OPENKINGNIGHT

The art of drag kings lives on in D.C. via Pretty Boi Drag, co-founded by former DC King Pretty Rik E. And the organization presents two events in honor of this year’s Capital Pride. First up comes a brunch on Saturday, June 8, from noon to 3 p.m. at the organization’s usual host venue the Bier Baron Tavern, mere steps away from the official parade kickoff at 4:30 p.m. Brunch features an all-inclusive roster of performers as well as music from DJ Tezrah. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door, not including food, which is available a la carte, or drink, with $15 getting you bottomless Mimosas and $20 bottomless Bloody Marys. A week later, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, comes Pretty Boi’s first Open King Night “Pride Spectacular,” featuring performances from both veteran and amateur drag kings showing their pride — maybe even you, if you registered in advance. Also Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22nd St. NW. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $!5 at the door. Call 202-293-1887 or visit www.prettyboidrag.com.

PRIDE @ SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

You’ve likely noticed that the Old Patent Office Building has been aglow in rainbow lights all week long. The special pride lighting comes to an end this Sunday, June 9, when the Smithsonian American Art Museum will offer its first-ever all-day LGBTQ-inspired art and performance event. The centerpiece of the day’s programming is the East Coast debut of artist/choreographer Brendan Fernandes’s Free Fall 49, a dance-based installation responding to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando with DJ Lauren Flax and D.C.-area performance artists and dancers in the Kogod Courtyard from 3 to 6 p.m. Guests can also view works by LGBTQ artists Sadie Benning, Anna Anthropy, Barbara Hammer, and Wu Tsang in the “Feminist Pride Media Art Gallery,” or listen in on Collection Highlights Gallery Talks focused on LGBTQ artists and artworks represented in the galleries, and share their oral histories via American University’s Humanities Truck set up in the F Street Plaza. Food and beverages will be available for purchase during the museum’s opening hours of 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 8th and F Streets NW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.americanart.si.edu.

PRIDE + SHINE BRUNCH PARTY AT URBANA

The modern Italian restaurant inside the Kimpton Hotel Palomar, up the block from the start of the Capital Pride parade route, hosts its third annual daytime party this Saturday, June 8. “Vice President” Mike Hot-Pence — whose m.o. is “shaking my can for causes and committees under attack from the Trump-Pence administration” — makes a special appearance, collecting donations for the Trevor Project. DJ Trayze will turn the double-sided bar into a dance party with popular pride jams blasting throughout the restaurant, featuring a $50 pride bar package from noon to 6 p.m. including select beer, wine, mixed drinks, and unlimited pizza. The centerpiece is Chef Ethan McKee’s Bottomless Brunch, including stations for omelettes, charcuterie, and pizza, with cocktails, craft beers, rainbow Jell-O shots, and Pride-themed Bellinis prepared by bartender Andrea Tateosian. DJ Trayze will spin popular pride pop tunes from noon for a party that will spill over into the hotel’s banquet space and benefit the Trevor Project. Saturday, June 8, from noon to 6 p.m. Urbana, 2121 P St. NW. Free to attend, but reservations for front-row brunch seating strongly encouraged. Call 202-956-6650 or visit www.urbanadc.com.

PRIDE DRAGTEA

KC B. Yoncé, Ba’Naka, Sasha Adams, and Tatianna will perform at an afternoon tea party hosted by Lena Lett at the new Victorian Era-styled 14th Street hotspot The Crown & The Crow. DJ Sean McClafferty will work to get everyone dancing when they’re not eating food provided by District Taco. Proceeds from the event will benefit Strength in Our Voices, a D.C.-based mental health education and support organization. Sunday, June 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. The Crown & Crow, 1317 14th St. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-763-7552 or visit www.thecrownandcrow.com.

PRIDE PARADE PREGAME PARTY AT THE SALLY

The new restaurant and lounge at the renovated hotel The Fairfax at Embassy Row throws open its doors — and its newly unveiled outdoor terrace overlooking Massachusetts Avenue — on Saturday, June 8, beginning at 2:30 p.m. The occasion is the Capital Pride Parade, which kicks off one block away. Guests at The Sally can enjoy drink specials — including pride-themed concoctions “Strawberry’s Field,” a mix of Wheatley Vodka, Licor 43, kiwi, and strawberry, and “Real Ladies Never Blush,” a fizzy blend of prosecco, limoncello, and pomegranate. Both cocktails will go for $9, while two craft beers will set you back $5 each: Fordham & Dominion Brewing’s Cherry Blossom Lager or Sapporo Nippon Lager. Seasonal menu items from executive chef Ricardo Planas’s menu will also be available, as will pride party favors and festive music. 2100 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Call 202-293-2100 or visit www.thesallydc.com.

SPECIAL PRIDE SWEETS & TREATS

A number of restaurants and bakeries are getting in on the Pride act through the creation of specialty desserts, most of which are doubly sweet by virtue of benefiting LGBTQ charities. On the day of the Capital Pride Parade, the curbside Glaces de Diplomate ice cream cart at Le Diplomate (1601 14th St. NW) will include a colorful Rainbow Cone featuring a creamy French-style glace made in-house and covered completely in rainbow sprinkles. All proceeds from sales of the $5 cones will be donated to the Capital Pride Alliance. Call 202-332-3333 or visit www.lediplomatedc.com. At Osteria Morini (301 Water St. SE) in the Navy Yards, pastry chef Tova Hillman has fashioned the colorful and decadent Rainbow Italian Almond Cake, a five-layer creation interspersed with raspberry and apricot jam and coated in a silky dark chocolate glaze. The cake will be available for dine-in only through Sunday, June 9, at a price of $11, with 20-percent of proceeds going to Casa Ruby. Call 202-484-0660 or visit www.osteriamorini.com/washington-dc. Also available for dine-in only until Sunday, June 9, is the Pride Sundae at Nicoletta Italian Kitchen (901 4th St. NW), the newest restaurant in Mt. Vernon Triangle. Rainbow-colored cake bites are added to fior di latte vanilla soft-serve ice cream and then coated in sweet chocolate sauce and finally decorated with festive rainbow sprinkles. The Trevor Project will receive 20 percent of proceeds for each $7 sundae sold. Call 202-697-6888 or visit www.nicolettakitchen.com. Finally, New York’s famed Magnolia Bakery now has a location in Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave. NE), where this week the store is focusing on Pride Cupcakes, made with rainbow confetti and topped with vanilla buttercream icing and an edible rainbow decoration ($3.95 each). But all month long, the store will be dolloping Pride Pudding, with layers of vanilla, vanilla wafers, and bananas, and topped with rainbow sprinkles, in quantities ranging from a small single-serving ($4.50) to a large party bowl ($75), with proceeds donated to the Trevor Project. Call 202-424-2224 or visit www.magnoliabakery.com.

RISE UP: STONEWALL AND THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT

A groundbreaking exhibition commemorating the events at New York’s Stonewall Inn fifty years ago this month, when patrons stood up against the widespread police raids and anti-gay harrassment of the era. As seen through artifacts, images, and historic print publications, the Newseum’s Rise Up spotlights the Stonewall uprising as the key spark helping ignite the modern LGBTQ movement. Yet the exhibit also puts things in proper perspective by examining other pivotal moments of history, including the 1978 assassination of Harvey Milk, one of the country’s first openly gay elected officials; the creation of the rainbow flag as a powerful symbol to represent the community; the pioneering advocacy of early movement leaders, none more so than hometown hero Frank Kameny; the impact of the AIDS crisis; and the more recent cultural progress in terms of military representation and marriage equality. The role of the news media and popular culture in general is also naturally touched on in an exhibit hosted by the Newseum’s Freedom Forum Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for a free press and the First Amendment. Now to Dec. 31. 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $22.95 for general admission. Call 292-6100 or visit www.newseum.org.

STONEWALL AT 50: LGBTQ+ ACTIVISM IN THE UNITED STATES

The Library of Congress celebrates “LGBTQ+ Pride Month” with a new display commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. Drawing from the papers of early LGBTQ rights pioneers Lilli Vincenz and Franklin Kameny, the exhibit puts that turning point in the LGBTQ movement in context with materials representing activism from the time periods before — those from the education-focused homophile movement of the 1950s — and after, or the more radical gay liberation movement. The display also includes flyers and ephemera from the very first pride event, the Christopher Street Liberation Day in 1970. On display through July 11. The Great Hall in the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Call 202-707-8000 or visit www.loc.gov/events.

T-CABARET & T-DANCE FEATURING JOEY ARIAS

New York’s bawdy and eccentric singing drag artist Joey Arias returns to D.C. for two events over Capital Pride weekend. The first stop is his old D.C. cabaret roost — although the intimate Adams Morgan venue is no longer the gay-owned L’Enfant Cafe. Given that the occasion is a show starting at 11:30 p.m. and billed as an “outrageous cabaret,” expect there to be many jokes referencing the hip burger joint’s name, Lucky Buns. The night ends in a post-show disco party. The next day, Arias hosts a T-Dance from 4 to 8 p.m., a “classic disco”-driven event in the mold of historic gay afternoon soirees in Fire Island and Provincetown. Abigail, 1730 M St. NW. Tickets are $15 to $20 and include one shot of Tom of Finland Organic Vodka (proceeds of which benefit the Tom of Finland Foundation and its work to preserve and promote erotic art). Visit www.DCPrideParty.com.

YOGA AT THE MAYFLOWER

CorePower Yoga leads a special yoga class to get you pumped for the Capital Pride Parade later in the day. Saturday, June 8, at 11 a.m. The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. Call 202-347-3000 or visit www.themayflowerhotel.com.

YOUTH PRIDE DANCE 2019

The Kimpton Hotel Palomar plays host to this annual event, open to any young LGBTQ individuals ages 13 to 21. The substance-free dance is hosted by SMYAL along with the Youth Pride Alliance, Damien Ministries and Capital Pride. Saturday, June 8, at 7 p.m. 2121 P St. NW. Free. Call 202-956-6650 or visit www.youthpridealliance.org.

WITNESS: STONEWALL RIOTS DISCUSSION AT LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM

A few days after Capital Pride wraps, the National Law Enforcement Museum hosts a panel discussion with the full title “Witness: Stonewall Riots: Fifty Years of Change for Law Enforcement and the LGBT Community.” The discussion moves beyond the famous New York police raids of the Stonewall Inn, which helped spark the whole LGBTQ movement, to the present day relationship between the police and the community, nationally as well as in D.C. Panelists include David Carter, author of Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution, Lt. Brett Parson, the manager of the LGBT Liaison Unit of the D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, and Lucian Truscott IV, a former Village Voice staff writer and columnist for Salon who has written about his experiences being on the scene during the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m. National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building, 444 E St. NW. Free for the first 50 guests courtesy of Target, otherwise $19.95 to $21.95 for museum admission. Call 202-737-3400 or visit www.lawenforcementmuseum.org.

FILM

DARK PHOENIX

The latest X-Men film tries to right the wrongs of 2006’s The Last Stand, which somewhat botched its introduction of Phoenix. After 2014’s Days of Future Past erased the events of Last Stand (it’s confusing, but bear with us), producers are trying again, with Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey set to transform into the powerful and dangerous Phoenix after a mission to space sees her hit with a solar flare. The usual cast — including James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence — are all here, and Oscar-nominated producer and writer Simon Kinberg (The Martian) steps behind the camera for his directorial debut. Opens Friday, June 7. Area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

ECHO IN THE CANYON

Andrew Slater’s documentary traces L.A.’s 1960s pop explosion as folk went electric by virtue of hitmaking acts including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and the Mamas and the Papas. This look at the origins of the California Sound features Jakob Dylan, who uncovers never-before-heard personal details behind the bands and their songs and how the music continues to inspire artists today — everyone from Beck to Regina Spektor, Norah Jones to Fiona Apple. Echo in the Canyon also includes the very last film interview with Tom Petty. Opens Friday, June 7. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE

Next up in the popular Capital Classics series at Landmark’s West End Cinema is the comedy that came in at No. 83 on “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Laughs” list from 2000. This is the Vincente Minnelli hit from 1950 starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor — and not Charles Shyer’s dreadful 1991 remake with Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams. Halfway between this year’s Capital Pride weekend and Father’s Day comes a rare chance to see the original take on Edward Streeter’s novel of the same name. Wednesday, June 12, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50. Call 202-534-1907 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

HALSTON

Acclaimed filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng focuses on America’s first superstar designer, weaving together rare archival footage and intimate interviews with everyone from collaborator and close friend Liza Minnelli to filmmaker Joel Schumacher to his favored troupe of models known as the Halstonettes. The Iowa-born Roy Halston Frowick created a multimillion dollar empire and personified the dramatic social and sexual revolution of the last century — as a regular habitué of Studio 54 and as an openly gay man who was taken far too soon, in 1990 at only 57, as a result of an AIDS-related illness. Opens Friday, June 7. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

NETWORK

The American Film Institute continues its important “The Fourth Estate Film Series” showcasing a handful of Hollywood’s most acclaimed journalism-themed hits, with The Front Page and His Girl Friday still to come. Next up is Sidney Lumet’s brilliant, prescient examination of the modern news media, depicting a cruel, ratings-hungry world in which populism is exploited for profit. The 1976 classic garnered 10 Oscar nominations and acting wins for Peter Finch as Howard “Mad as Hell” Beale, Faye Dunaway, and Beatrice Straight, as well as for Paddy Chayefsky’s screenplay. The screening is followed by a discussion with Chuck Todd of NBC’s Meet The Press, Beth Reinhard, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter, and Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune columnist, moderated by Paul Glastris, editor-in-chief of the Washington Monthly. Thursday, June 13, at 7 p.m. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $13 general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

ROCKETMAN

Rocketman isn’t a straight-laced biopic. It’s best described as a musical fantasy biopic drama — a mouthful that only begins to scratch the surface of its enjoyable take on Elton John’s early years, his first break into music, and then his descent into drug-and-alcohol-fuelled hedonism. And it does it all while being a sung-through, choreographed, honest-to-goodness musical. Director Dexter Fletcher’s film is a constant visual splendor, held together by Taron Egerton’s incredible performance. Egerton makes Elton’s songs his own, and in turn produces a characterization that, while injected with perhaps a touch too much square-jawed machismo, brings to life a charismatic, deeply flawed, sympathetic man who has it all but deep down yearns only to be loved. In a world of straight-laced biopics, Rocketman tries for something different, and it thoroughly succeeds. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com. (RM)

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Landmark’s E Street Cinema offers its monthly run of Richard O’Brien’s camp classic, billed as the longest-running midnight movie in history. Landmark’s showings come with a live shadow cast from the Sonic Transducers, meaning it’s even more interactive than usual. Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8, at midnight. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2

Patton Oswalt replaces Louis C.K. as the voice of spoiled terrier Max in this sequel to the 2016 animated comedy from the studio Illumination (Despicable Me) and Universal Pictures. Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family‘s Cameron Tucker) returns as unruly canine Duke, two companions owned by Ellie Kemper. Other actors lending their voices as pets in a film directed by Chris Renaud and Jonathan del Val include Kevin Hart as a white rabbit, Tiffany Haddish as a Shih Tzu, Lake Bell as a morbidly obese tabby cat, Dana Carvey as an elderly Basset Hound, Hannibal Buress as a laid-back dachshund, Bobby Moynihan as a hyperactive pug, and Harrison Ford as a Welsh Sheepdog. Opens Friday, June 7. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

UNION MARKET DRIVE-IN: CON AIR

Nicolas Cage is a newly paroled ex-con and former U.S. Ranger and John Malkovich as the criminal mastermind in this 1997 Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action blockbuster, directed by Simon West, next up in the monthly warm weather Drive-In Series at Union Market. You don’t have to have a car to take it all in — just grab a viewing spot in the free picnic area. Food and beer are available, delivered to you or your car window by the DC Rollergirls. Other films to screen on first Fridays this summer include A League of Their Own, Jaws, Coco, and The Wiz. Friday, June 7. Gates at 6 p.m., with the movie starting after sunset at 8:45 p.m. In the parking lot at 1305 5th St. NE. Free for walk-ups or $10 per car. Call 800-680-9095 or visit unionmarketdc.com.

STAGE

A NEW BRAIN

Before the Kennedy Center presents the touring revival of Falsettos, Iron Crow Theatre, billed as “Baltimore’s award-winning queer theatre,” offers another musical from the team of composer/lyricist William Finn and writer/director James Lapine. The surprisingly joyous and funny musical A New Brain, which ran Off-Broadway in 1998, was inspired by Finn’s own life — specifically, the puzzling seizure he suffered shortly after the success of Falsettos that spurred him to reevaluate and better appreciate his life and work as well as the healing power of art. Sean Elias directs. Closes Sunday, June 9. Theatre Project, 45 West Preston St. Baltimore. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 410-752-8558 or visit www.theatreproject.org.

A MISANTHROPE

Matt Minnicino’s new contemporary distillation of Molière’s classic comedy The Misanthrope is the last show of WSC Avant Bard’s 29th season. Where the 17th-century original skewered the hypocrisy of the French aristocracy, A Misanthrope is set in the present, and further characterized per official publicity materials as “a send-up of trendy suck-ups and phonies during a booze-fueled pool party with the wealthy and wanna-be famous.” The 90-minute intermission-less production is overseen by Megan Behm, directing a sizable 10-member cast including Sara Barker, Elliott Kashner, Thais Menendez, Tendo Nsubuga, and Hannah Sweet. In previews. Runs to June 30. Gunston Arts Center Theatre Two, 2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $40. Call 703-418-4804 or visit www.wscavantbard.org.

ANTIGONICK & THE FRAGMENTS OF SAPPHO

Taffety Punk Theater Company, whose tagline is “We Will Rock You” and styles itself as a theatrical rock band, presents a 90-minute double feature of Greek classics both translated by poet Anne Carson. There’s her new telling of the Sophocles classic Antigone, about a female hero who stands against tyranny and injustice, and featuring rich poetic language that drives the action of an ensemble of actors, dancers, and musicians directed by Kelsey Mesa. Meanwhile, another ensemble explores the tensions of loss in Carson’s translation and all that remains of Sappho’s poetry. Choreographer Katie Sopoci Drake and director Marcus Kyd oversee The Fragments of Sappho. To June 8. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St. SE. Tickets are $15. Call 202-547-6839 or visit www.taffetypunk.com.

DESCRIBE THE NIGHT

The stories of seven lost souls are connected across decades by history, fiction, lies, and blood in the latest play from Pulitzer Prize-finalist Rajiv Joseph (Guards at the Taj), based on the diary of Russian Jewish writer Isaac Babel. Recipient of the 2018 Obie Award for Best New American Play, Describe the Night makes it D.C. debut in a Woolly Mammoth Theatre production directed by John Vreeke and featuring Tim Getman and Kate Eastwood Norris as part of a cast also including Moriamo Temidayo Akibu, Regina Aquino, Danny Gavigan, Jonathan David Martin, and Justin Weaks. Now to June 23. 641 D St. NW. Call 202-393-3939 or visit www.woollymammoth.net.

FALSETTOS

It’s a notable achievement that William Finn and James Lapine’s musical is touring the country now, nearly 30 years after the show became one of the first to present gay life and same-sex love on Broadway. Yet far from being outdated, the two-time Tony-winning musical has proven it still resonates with contemporary audiences, even those seeing it for the first time in the current Lincoln Center Theater production, once again directed by Lapine. For one thing, there’s the story, which fundamentally is about the rewards and ramifications of coming out and being true to oneself — as timely as ever. And then there’s the music, which elevates the show to another level, says Nick Adams, currently playing the role of Whizzer opposite Max von Essen as Marvin. “The score really has some of the most beautiful melodies in the musical theater catalog,” Adams says. “And that’s the thing — people get wrapped up in the emotion that’s carried in the songs. It’s just fantastic. But as a full piece, to see it — God, it’s a ride.” Opens Tuesday, June 11. Runs to Sunday, June 23. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $49 to $139. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

FAME

Alan Parker’s Oscar-winning 1980 movie about talented, hyper-emotional, horny New York City high schoolers learning drama, dance, and music cast a perfect mold for theatrical reinvention. The magnetic energy and appeal harnessed by director-choreographer Luis Salgado and his estimable cast in GALA Hispanic Theatre’s production creates strong connections. The show is performed in both Spanish and English (all supertitled), and the cast slides easily between both tongues, registering a profound and accurate representation of today’s American high school. To June 9. 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $65. Call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org. (André Hereford)

GREASE

Go for a drive up to Columbia if you’d like to go back in time — all the way back to the 1950s — for Toby’s Dinner Theatre’s production of Grease, the hit musical circa 1971 by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical-writing duo set the show in a mid-20th century American high school — one where even cool kids can’t resist breaking out into the sing-along fun of such hit staples as “Summer Nights,” “You’re The One That I Want,” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” Mark Minnick directs and choreographs a that stars Matt Hirsh as Danny and Nicki Elledge as Sandy. To July 28. 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. Columbia, Md. Tickets are $47.50 to $63, including buffet-style dinner and coffee and tea. Call 301-596-6161 or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

HELLO, DOLLY

Tony-winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Cats) stars as Dolly Levi, following in the formidable footsteps of Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters (and way before them, Carol Channing and Barbra Streisand). The touring production of Jerry Herman’s masterpiece, per Jerry Zaks’ swell Tony-winning revival, now settles in for a month-long run at the Kennedy Center. Also starring Lewis J. Stadlen. To July 7. Opera House. Tickets are $49 to $159. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

JUBILEE

Arena Stage presents a world-premiere a cappella-infused play written and directed by Tazewell Thompson and featuring spirituals including “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” Dianne Adams McDowell serves as music director and vocal arranger for this chronicle of the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, an African-American troupe who shattered racial barriers as they captivated royalty and commoners alike while travelling the globe. The 13-person cast includes Shaleah Adkisson, Joy Jones, Zonya Love, Sean-Maurice Lynch, and Jaysen Wright. Extended to June 9. Kreeger Theater in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $41 to $95. Call 202-488-3300 or visit www.arenastage.org.

KLYTMNESTRA: AN EPIC SLAM POEM

Danielle Drakes directs the latest Theater Alliance production, a dynamic one-woman show written and performed by local black trans woman Dane Figueroa Edidi. A saga of strong women, the men who seek to destroy them, and the dangerous extremes this kind of society can have if left unchecked, Klytmnestra is a multicultural retelling of the classic Greek myth written to vindicate a mother slain by her own son’s hand, incorporating Kabuki and African dance elements along the way. Now to June 16. Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are $30 to $40. Call 202-241-2539 or visit www.theateralliance.com.

LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST

Shakespeare’s spry romantic comedy full of lovers and clowns, foolery and the follies of the heart closes out the season at the Folger Theatre in a production directed by Vivienne Benesch and designed by Lee Savage. Set at the time of the 1932 opening of the Folger Shakespeare Library — and pegged to the Folger’s current exhibition about the library’s founding, A Monument to Shakespeare (see separate entry under Art & Exhibits) — the production features a cast of 15 led by Amelia Pedlow from CBS’s The Good Wife as the Princess of France, Kelsey Rainwater as her witty companion Rosaline, Joshua David Robinson as the King of Navarre, and Zachary Fine as Berowne. To June 9. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $42 to $85. Call 202-544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

MARY STUART

Jason Loewith directs an Olney Theatre Center production of Friedrich Schiller’s bracing, 19th Century Shakespearean political drama about one of England’s most storied rivalries, that between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I. Catholic Mary is a threat to Protestant Queen Elizabeth’s reign, but her murder isn’t a clear or easy way to eliminate the threat — especially considering the fact that the two are cousins. To June 9. Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org.

RICHARD III

Synetic Theater offers its 14th “wordless Shakespeare” production, an athletic, futuristic, cyberpunk adaptation of King Richard III’s Machiavellian rise to power, highlighting the terrifying extremes made possible through the abuse of modern technology. Synetic’s Paata Tsikurishvili directs Alex Mills in the title role, with Irina Tsikurishvili portraying Queen Elizabeth. The cast also includes Matt Stover, Maryam Najafzada, Thomas Beheler, Philip Fletcher, Jordan Clark Halsey, Aaron Kan, Tim Proudkii, Nutsa Tediashvili, Ana Tsikurishvili, and Scean Aaron. To June 16. 1800 South Bell St., Arlington. Call 800-811-4111 or visit www.synetictheater.org.

SOONER/LATER

Mosaic Theater Company of D.C. presents a world premiere offering a metaphysical twist on romance, marriage, and parenting, while exploring the pains and pleasures of all three. Developed as part of Locally Grown Mosaic, a series nurturing and commissioning works by local artists, Allyson Currin’s play follows a teenage daughter as she helps her reluctant single mother to reenter the dating scene. Gregg Henry directs Cristina M. Ibarra, Erica Chamblee, and Tony K. Nam. To June 16. Sprenger Theatre in the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $30 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit www.atlasarts.org.

SPUNK

An unearthly Guitar Man and Blues Speak Woman interweave three tales based on short stories by the Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston and adapted by Jelly’s Last Jam‘s George C. Wolfe. The Signature Theatre production is directed by Timothy Douglas and stars Jonathan Mosley-Perry and Iyona Blake, with Drew Drake, Marty Lamar, Ines Nassara, and KenYatta Rogers. Mark G. Meadows (Ain’t Misbehavin’) serves as musical director for the show, which is infused with live blues music composed by Chic Street Man. To June 23. The Ark, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit www.sigtheatre.org.

THE CHILDREN

David Muse directs Lucy Kirkwood’s taut and disquieting thriller, a hit in London and New York, about responsibility and reparation, and what one generation owes the next. Jeanne Paulsen and Richard Howard play a married pair of retired nuclear physicists whose peaceful existence in a remote cottage on the British coast is upended by a former colleague, played by Naomi Jacobson, who offers a proposal that threatens more than their marriage. To June 9. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org.

THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING

An evocative, poetic coming-of-age drama adapted from the novel of the same name, Carson McCullers’ play is set in rural Georgia during the summer of 1945. The Member of the Wedding focuses on the relationship between 12-year-old Frankie Addams and her family’s housekeeper Berenice Sadie Brown, a surrogate mother to Frankie who struggles under the weight of the deeply entrenched racism she endures. Zoe Walpole and Deidra LaWan Starnes star. Cara Gabriel directs. Extended to June 16. At 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Rd. Tysons, Va. Tickets are $15 to $39. Call 703-854-1856 or visit www.1ststage.org.

MUSIC

BRANDI CARLILE W/LUCIUS

Twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth write, sing and play with lesbian frontwoman Brandi Carlile, whose music is an intriguing country-rock blend, with additional influence from gospel and folk — think Indigo Girls blended with Johnny Cash and a touch of Elton John. And then there’s Carlile’s eminently captivating voice, supple and expressive, not too dissimilar from Sia’s. Carlile continues to tour in support of sixth set By The Way, I Forgive You, full of dramatic story-songs. The four-piece indie-pop band Lucius, known for the tight harmonies between dual lead vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, opens. Friday, June 14. Gates at 5:30 p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are $46 to $76. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit www.merriweathermusic.com.

CAPITAL JAZZ FEST

As much about pop and R&B/soul as it is jazz, this annual three-day festival returns to Merriweather Post Pavilion, kicking off Friday, June 7, with gates at 6:30 p.m., for performances by Gladys Knight and Babyface. Highlights to come Saturday, June 8, include Gregory Porter, India.Arie, Gerald Albright with special guest Selina Albright, “Something She Can Feel: A Tribute to Queen Aretha,” and Regina Belle on the Pavilion Stage, and Brian McKnight, Marsha Ambrosius, Kenny Lattimore, and Leela James on the Symphony Woods Stage. Sunday, June 9, offers Patti Austin, Black Violin, The Baylor Project, and Isaiah Sharkey on the Pavilion Stage, and George Clinton’s Farewell Tour featuring Parliament/Funkadelic, Stephanie Mills, and Raheem DeVaughn on the Symphony Woods Stage. 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Tickets are $59.50 to $225 per day. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit capitaljazz.com.

DC JAZZ FESTIVAL

Billed as the fastest-growing jazz festival in the U.S., as well as the largest and most diverse music festival in D.C., this 15th annual event offers 150 performances in 40 venues around town, from the Phillips Collection to Twins Jazz Club. On Friday, June 7, Hamilton Live kicks off a string of shows over the next week with the Anat Cohen Quartet, followed by Cecile McLorin Salvan with Fred Hersch on Saturday, June 8, and Hailu Mergia, on Sunday, June 9. Sunday also ushers in the launch of the Nat King Cole Centennial Series on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage with a concert from Kelly Green, followed on successive days by Amy K. Bormet, Trent Cokley, Noa Fort, Barry Gurley, Micah Smith, Alison Crockett, and concluding Sunday, June 16 with the Eric Byrd Trio. Other highlights over the next week include: Jazz in the ‘Hoods concerts with Julia Nixon at Asbury United Methodist Church on Friday, June 7, Eliot Hughes & Brad Linde at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on Monday, Jun 10, and “Finding Strayhorn: Exploring the Billy Strayhorn Collection at the Library of Congress” on Wednesday, June 12; the “Celebrating Randy Weston” concert with Vijay Iyer, Marc Cary and Rodney Kendrick TK Blue, Alex Blake, and Neil Clarke, at the Kennedy Center on Sunday, June 9, Etienne Charles Creole Soul on Thursday, June 13, at City Winery, and the Kevin Cordt Quartet Friday, June 14, at Mr. Henry’s. The second weekend of the festival, presented by EventsDC, offers marquee events at venues on the Southwest Waterfront, chiefly the free DC JazzFest performances on outdoor stages at the District Wharf, along with concerts by Snarky Puppy and José James on Friday, June 14, and Jon Batiste & Stay Human and Brass-A-Holics on Saturday, June 15, at the Anthem. The festival closes Sunday, June 16, with a Great Masters of Jazz concert in tribute to Quincy Jones, Roy Hargrove, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn, and Fred Foss, in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Call 855-332-7767 or visit www.dcjazzfest.org.

IBEYI

An electronic soul-fired duo of sisters with African roots but based in France, Ibeyi will put you in mind of Les Nubians, the neo-soul partnership between the Faussart sisters who scored improbable success in the U.S. two decades ago, despite singing in French. But while Parisian-reared twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz do sing in French, they also sing in English, Spanish and Yoruba — the language of their Nigerian ancestors. And their music, with Lisa primarily on piano and Naomi on percussion, especially reflects their pedigree as daughters of the late Cuban percussionist Anga Diaz, a member of the Buena Vista Social Club, and of French-Venezuelan singer Maya Dagnino. Ibeyi, a word that means “twins” in Yoruba, returns to the 9:30 Club for a concert with an opening set from Los Angeles-based experimental R&B artist Sudan Archives. Sunday, June 9. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN: BILLY PRICE, SHANNON GUNN

A summertime staple for 19 seasons, the National Gallery of Art offers free outdoor concerts immediately after work every Friday through late August. Bands offering a range of jazz styles, from swing to Latin to ska, perform amidst the museum’s collection of large-scale sculptural works while patrons enjoy food and drinks, including beer, wine, and sangria, as sold by the Pavilion Café. New menu items for 2019 include the popular vegetarian Teriyaki Impossible Burger, a Bahn Mi Turkey Burger with ginger soy aioli, and more traditional sandwiches of pulled pork and beef brisket, all available at grill stations throughout the Sculpture Garden. The series continues with a DC Jazz Festival concert featuring jazz trombonist Shannon Gunn, on June 7, and reggae from Adwela & the Uprising on June 14. Evenings from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sculpture Garden, between 7th and 9th Streets NW. Call 202-289-3360 or visit nga.gov.

MARYLAND LYRIC OPERA: AN EVENING OF PUCCINI

Excerpts from La boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca — three of the Italian opera master’s most beloved emotion-filled works — will be performed by featured vocalists sopranos Maria Natale and Youna Hartgraves, mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin, tenors Yongxi Chen, Mauricio Miranda, and Marco Cammarota, and baritone SeungHyeon Baek. They will be accompanied by the 50-member Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra under the baton of Louis Salmeno, along with concertmaster Jose Miguel Cueto and lighting designer Joan Sullivan Genthe. Friday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 9, at 2 p.m. Kay Theatre in the Clarice at the University of Maryland, University Boulevard and Stadium Drive. College Park. Tickets are $10 to $60. Call 301-405-ARTS or visit www.theclarice.umd.edu.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: DVOŘÁK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

Antonin Dvořák’s folk-inspired Ninth Symphony closes out the National Symphony Orchestra season under the helm of Gianandrea Noseda. The Czech master’s grand and dramatic work comes as part of a program with two additional folk-inspired classical works: Manuel de Falla’s “Seven Popular Spanish Songs” featuring mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and Aaron Copland’s cowboy ballet Billy the Kid, which evokes the grit of the Wild West anti-hero and the optimism of the everyman. Thursday, June 6, at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 8, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, June 9, at 3 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $10 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

PRIESTS

The weekend after Capital Pride, this largely LGBTQ-identified, mixed-gender, hard-charging D.C. band returns to the 9:30 Club to celebrate the release of its second full-length album The Seduction of Kansas. Led by the strong, elastically voiced Katie Alice Greer and featuring drummer Daniele Daniele and guitarist G.I. Jaguar, the band’s cheekily religious name originated in part from Greer’s upbringing as the daughter of a Methodist minister. The band will be joined by bassist Alexandra Tyson in performance on tour, along with the post-hardcore quartet Mock Identity, a D.C.-rooted group consisting of vocalist Adriana-Lucia Cotes, guitarist Jeff Barsky, bassist Joshua David Hoffman, and percussionist Nate Scheible that will open the show. Saturday, June 15. Doors at 10 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

THE WASHINGTON CHORUS

The two-time Grammy Award-winning symphonic choral organization featuring more than 130 singers will give voice to the full range of the human experience in a season-closing concert pairing two deeply moving works from the 20th century. The program features French composer Maurice Duruflé’s ineffably beautiful Requiem along with Scottish composer James MacMillan’s Cantos Sagrados, a modern masterwork reflecting on political oppression in Latin America. Special guests for the concert include organist Todd Fickley, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, baritone Kerry Wilkerson, and cellist Katlyn DeGraw. Sunday, June 9, at 5 p.m. National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave. NW. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-342-6221 or visit www.thewashingtonchorus.org.

WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN PHILHARMONIC: SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN COMPOSERS

Women composers are woefully underrepresented in the performance repertoire of the largest American orchestras — we’re talking a mere 1.8 percent — a trend that this progressive-minded organization, under Music Director Ulysses S. James, has been intentionally bucking over the past year. A whopping 14 of 16 works on the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic’s current season docket were composed by women, two of which comprise the season’s final all-female program. Amy Beach’s Symphony No. 2 in E Minor aka her Gaelic Symphony, based in part on four Irish folksongs, established her as a prominent female composer of the early 20th century. The work is performed along with Eugène Ysaÿe’s Amitie, Poem for Two Violins and Orchestra, an evocative symphonic poem dedicated to a longtime friend of the composer’s and featuring the acclaimed violin/viola Marcolivia Duo of Marc Ramirez and Olivia Hajioff. Saturday, June 8, at 7 p.m. Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW. Also Sunday, June 9, at 3 p.m. The George Washington Masonic Memorial Theatre, 101 Callahan Dr. Alexandria. Tickets are $25. Call 703-799-8229 or visit www.wmpamusic.org.

WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS GOSPEL CHOIRS: LEVEL NEXT

Fixtures of the regional gospel scene, with more than 50 years of gospel music history between them, the two namesake choirs of the organization Washington Performing Arts — the Men and Women of the Gospel and the Children of the Gospel — take the stage together for an evening of celebration and affirmation, closing out the season with a bang. Grammy-nominated singer and D.C. gospel legend Richard Smallwood and the D.C.-based singer and choir director Monique Steele-Griffiths will make special guest appearances at the concert, intended as both a showcase of gospel’s proud legacy as well as a glimpse into its future. Theodore Thorpe III leads the adults while Michele Fowlin is the artistic director for the children. Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $40 to $75. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

COMEDY

FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE

“Funny never gets old” is the tagline to this all-female comedy show focused on comics over the age of 50. As seen in a recent Showtime comedy special, the lineup includes Carole Montgomery, Vanessa Hollingshead, and Kerry Louise. Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703-549-7500 or visit www.birchmere.com.

READING

KIM HOOVER: GIRL SQUAD

A mother goes missing from a small town during a lazy summer in 1970s Texas, and the quest to solve the mystery propels the gender and sexual awakening of her daughter Cal, her best friend Rachel, and her future girlfriend Jane. Author Kim Hoover, a lawyer by training who raised two daughters with her wife in D.C. before they uprooted to Miami, returns home for a discussion and signing of her new book, which Kirkus Review identifies as “a mystery/thriller wrapped in a hopeful coming-of-age and coming-out tale.” Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit www.kramers.com.

ART & EXHIBITS

BIENNIAL EXHIBITION OF THE CREATIVE CRAFTS COUNCIL

This 32nd biennial event showcases some of the finest crafts and craft makers from Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., including handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and woodwork. Opening Reception is Thursday, June 6, at 7 p.m. To July 31. The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

A MONUMENT TO SHAKESPEARE

A temporary exhibition highlighting how Henry Clay Folger and his wife Emily Folger set out to create their shrine to the Bard as a gift, in 1932, to the American people — examining the Folger Shakespeare Library’s architecture and looking to its future. To Jan. 5. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit www.folger.edu.

LGBTQ+ ART SHOW

Housed in the former Palmer Ford building along with the original Vigilante Coffee, Maryland’s Studio SoHy — short for South Hyattsville — readies its next exhibition: a group show curated by KAY with a focus on works by 13 local LGBTQ artists as diverse as they are and the community is. 4327 Gallatin St., Hyattsville, Md. Visit www.studiosohy.com.

MAY IS ALL ABOUT TRANS: ART EXHIBITION

This year’s month of programming celebrating D.C.’s transgender community, launched by Trans Pride founder SaVanna Wanzer, introduces an exhibition featuring 30 pieces of art from a diverse and talented group of 15 area artists identifying as transgender, non-binary, genderfluid, Two-Spirit, and/or agender. Westminster Presbyterian in Southwest D.C. hosts a show featuring: Alex Ramirez, Ameirah Neal, Autumn Towne, Dorian Blue, Edith Flores, Kay Wrenn, Sir Max Even, Molly Stratton, Nona Conner, Star Bennett from Check It Enterprises, and Zayn Thiam, plus Ahanu, Alexa Elizabeth Rodriguez, Kariwase Duprey, and Xemi Tapepechul from the Nelwat Ishkamewe Two-Spirit Art Collective. To June 14. 400 I St. SW. Call 202-484-7700 or visit www.mayistransdc.com.

PERFUME & SEDUCTION

The captivating evolution of perfume bottles and accessories from the 18th through the mid-20th centuries is told through the display of nearly 150 pieces, those taken from Hillwood’s collection as well as from Givaudan, the Swiss manufacturer of fragrances and cosmetics. Complementing the exhibition are a “scented suite of workshops.” To June 9. Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $18. Call 202-686-5807 or visit www.HillwoodMuseum.org.

QUEENS OF EGYPT

A new exhibition at the National Geographic Museum puts a rare spotlight on the queens of ancient Egypt, including Hatshepsut, Nefertari, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra VII. The life and leadership of these legendary figures, whose rule ranged from the New Kingdom (1539-1514 B.C.) to the Ptolemaic dynasty (51-30 B.C.), is told with the help of more than 300 ancient Egyptian artifacts, including monumental statues, sparkling jewelry, and impressive sarcophagi — plus the use of advanced virtual reality technology providing a 3D flythrough tour of one of the most well-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Queens, that of Queen Nefertari. Many of the objects on display come courtesy of the Museo Egizio of Turin, Italy, one of the international cultural partners in the exhibition. And much of the research is based on the work of renowned Egyptologist and National Geographic Explorer Kara Cooney, author of the companion book When Women Ruled The World: Six Queens of Egypt, published by National Geographic Books last fall. To Sept. 2. The museum is located at 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $10 to $15. Call 202-857-7588 or visit www.ngmuseum.org.

QUEER AS GERMAN FOLK: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF TRANSATLANTIC RAINBOW FRIENDSHIP

The Goethe-Institut Washington and the DC Center for the LGBT Community have teamed up for a joint, two-part exploratory exhibition featuring a hands-on deconstructed archive that visitors can browse at their own pace and according to their own interests. The archive includes materials drawn from the Schwules Museum Berlin as well as D.C.-based archives and partner resources such as the Rainbow History Project, Whitman-Walker Health, local photographer Elvert Barnes, and the DC Public Library. The similarities and differences in the push for LGBTQ equality in both capitals will be highlighted. Now to Aug. 23. Goethe-Institut/German Cultural Center, 1990 K St. NW. Ste. 03. Also The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW. Ste. 105. Free. Visit www.goethe.de/washington and www.thedccenter.org.

THE LIFE OF ANIMALS IN JAPANESE ART

This major exhibition at the National Gallery of Art covers 17 centuries of animal-inspired art — from the 5th century to the present — and across a wide variety of media, everything from sculpture to painting, ceramics to textiles, metalwork to woodblock print. In total, the exhibit includes more than 300 works spread across 18,000 square feet. Artists represented include Sesson Shūkei, Katshushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Kusama Yayoi, Issey Miyake, Nara Yoshitomo, and Murakami Takashi. Now to Aug. 18. Concourse Galleries in the East Building, 3rd Street at Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-737-4215 or visit www.nga.gov.

FOOD & DINING

CHEF’S BEST DINNER & AUCTION

Forty chefs and mixologists from restaurants in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia assemble to prepare dishes and cocktails for attendees — in the process raising funds to support the work of presenting nonprofit Food & Friends. Kevin Tien of Hitmitsu serves as this year’s Chef Chair, recruiting as key participants Autumn Cline of Emilie’s, Amy Hosseinnian of Buffalo & Bergen, Ari Gejdenson of Mindful Restaurants Group (Acqua al 2, Ghibellina), Cable Smith of The Royal, and Olivier Caillabet of Toki Underground. U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), chair of the Congressional House Hunger Caucus and co-chair of the Food is Medicine Working Group, is this year’s featured speaker. The night also offers the chance to bid on silent and live auction items from fantastic trips to one-of-a-kind experiences and private dining opportunities. Monday, June 10. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with live auction bidding around 8:30 p.m. Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $350. Visit www.foodandfriends.org/ChefsBest.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

POLITICS & ART: DISTRICT VOX

Now in its 5th year, this annual “Made in D.C.” performing arts showcase features 15 acts from across the city and genre, representing everything from hip-hop and spoken word to folk/bluegrass and rock. Presented by Councilmember David Grasso and Washington Performing Arts via its Mars Arts D.C. partnership with Virginia candy giant Mars, Incorporated, the 2019 concert lineup includes performances from Flo Anito & Seth Kibel, Hannah Jaye and the Hideaways, the Heritage Signature Chorale, Konshens The MC/Classically Dope, Nelwat Ishkamewe, Songrise, students from the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, and Uptown Boyz. Rayceen Pendarvis of The Ask Rayceen Show serves as emcee. Thursday, June 13, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are free, but registration recommended. Call 202-785-9727 or visit www.washingtonperformingarts.org.

WIKIPEDIA EDIT-A-THON: LGBTQ+ EDITION

The Smithsonian American Art Museum hosts a workshop at which participants — of all levels of technological proficiency — will learn to edit and create new articles on Wikipedia, specfically about artists and on themes from the LGBTQ community. The free program kicks off with a special tour of works by LGBTQ artists from the museum’s collection. Saturday, June 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. MacMillan Education Center, 8th and F Streets NW. Free but registration recommended. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.americanart.si.edu.