Arts & Entertainment
Rebel Wilson insisted on casting a gay actor for gay character in ‘Isn’t It Romantic’
Brandon Scott Jones plays the stereotypical Donny in the rom-com
Rebel Wilson insisted on casting an openly gay actor for the role of a gay character in her new comedy “Isn’t It Romantic.”
In the film, Wilson’s character hits her head and finds her life has transformed into a romantic comedy. Her neighbor Donny, who often has women coming and going from his apartment, is transformed into her sassy āgay sidekick, whoās setting gay rights back, like, a hundred years.ā
Wilson, who also serves as producer of the film, told the LA Times that she fought to have Donny’s character portrayed by an out actor.
“Being the producer of the film, it was really important to me that
“I think we make a really clever comment about how gay characters have been marginalized in the past few decades,ā Wilson continued āItās come a long way now like the work of Ryan Murphy, presenting such complex characters, but only 10 or 20 years ago that wasnāt represented.”
It’s later revealed in her real life that Donny is actually gay and the women stopping by are buying weed from him. The film attempts to show that a gay character doesn’t have to be stereotypical.
āSo, we really make fun of that in our film, and we gave Brandon his first co-lead in a feature film with this movie,ā Wilson went on. āIām so proud of him. He just smashes it out of the park.ā
Jones told the LA Times he was grateful for the film’s representation.
“Itās very cool that weāre getting a chance to see stories about queer people,ā but added that āsometimes theyāre played by queer people and sometimes theyāre not.ā
āBut I think weāre moving in a direction where weāre realizing, āOh wait, stories that arenāt about what weāve always seen Hollywood do are universal at the end of the day,ā Jones continued.
“Isn’t It Romantic” is currently in theaters.
Out & About
Celebrate spring with these D.C.-area events
Galas, Cherry Weekend, Pride, and more on tap
Temperatures outside are starting to rise and the sun is shining again. Hereās a list of upcoming D.C. events that can make enjoying the good weather even that much more thrilling.
Cherry Weekend Washington begins on Thursday, April 4. The Cherry weekend is a spectacular and joyous event held over four days featuring 16 world renowned DJs, nine different events and four fun daytime parties.
3rd Friday Night Open Mic will take place on Thursday, March 15 at 9 p.m. at the Bus Boys and Poets location in Brookland. This event will be hosted by Mariah Barber (they/she), a queer storyteller, consultant, spoken word artist, and activist who has been creating social justice-oriented art for the last 15 years. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
RuPaulās Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby will bring her Sasha Colby: Stripped Tour to the Howard Theatre on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased on the Howard Theatreās website.Ā
Decades DC returns with Throwback Thursdays on Thursday, March 14 at 10 p.m. This event will have an open air rooftop and the first drink is on the house. Entry is free until midnight and more details are available on Eventbrite.Ā
Skin and Wellness Center will host Equinox Celebration on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at 929 W. Broad St. This event will involve movement, breath work, meditation and community connection to celebrate the spring equinox and embrace energies of rebirth, fertility, creativity, balance, and expansive growth for mind, body, and spirit. Tickets cost $28.52 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Models Inc. will host The Front Row! Fashion Show on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre. This is the ultimate destination for designers seeking to showcase their talent and brand. This exclusive event provides a platform to promote artistry and visions, featuring various artists, creatives, fashion enthusiasts, models, stylists, and visionaries. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Spring Bling Adult Prom will be on Friday, April 26 at 8 p.m. at Graces Event Center. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite spring colors and show up for a night of dancing, food and fun.Tickets cost $92.55 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
TSR Productions will host Spring Salsa Bash on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. at The Salsa Room Tysons. This event will feature Hermanos Galvan and Orquesta live in concert playing the best salsa, bachata, and merengue. There will also be top DJs playing the best in Latin trap, urbana, reggaetton. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
We Will Survive Cancer will host Spring Fling Cocktail & Dance Party on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Whino. This event will be hosted by DJ Steve. Tickets cost $25 and all proceeds are donated to cancer patients. More details are on Eventbrite.
Chase Brexton Health Care hosts its 2024 Gala at the Baltimore Museum of Art, with the theme centered around the NEW Roaring ā20s on Saturday, March 30. Details at chasebrexton.org.Ā
CAMP Rehobothās annual Womenās FEST is scheduled for April 25-28. Lea DeLaria will headline with Crys Matthews opening. Visit camprehoboth.org for details.
Trans Pride Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Saturday, May 18. The full day of conference activities will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Visit transpridewashingtondc.org for details.
The Bladeās 17th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach is scheduled for Friday, May 17; details to be announced soon.
D.C.ās 49th annual Pride celebration kicks off May 31-June 9, culminating with the parade and festival. Visit capitalpride.org for details. The annual Pride on the Pier with fireworks celebration is slated for Saturday, June 8, 2-9 p.m. at the Wharf. Visit prideonthepierdc.com for details.
The Tryst Puerto Vallarta begins welcoming discerning gay guests this spring, just in time for the Mexican resort city’s Pride celebrations.
The 55-room resort includes a penthouse suite featuring two terraces, three large suites with expansive living areas and terraces and several junior suites with unique features. A highly anticipated rooftop pool with a bar area and restaurant offering fine Mexican cuisine are just some of the highlights.
āYou can stay here and never leave the resort,ā said Tristan Schukraft, the driving force behind Tryst Hotels, and self-described CEO of “everything gay.”
While he started out in his career working in the early days of electronic ticketing, Schukraft may be more known for his work with MISTR, a popular online source for PrEP. He also recently entered into an agreement to purchase the Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif.
With Tryst he promises “itās a fun, exciting atmosphere.”
“The idea is not just the guests are coming to the resort, but locals,” said Schukraft. “So, when you stay here itās the way to mingle with the local gay community.ā
To welcome and include both guests and locals, the resort will host drag brunches in the hotel restaurant. Weekend parties featuring DJs on the eighth floor pool and bar area also seeks to make this not just a place to stay, but one to celebrate with the community.
Schukraft hopes visitors will get to know guests or locals poolside, or in the restaurant, and make lifelong friendships.
Or perhaps find a bit of romance: After all the hotel is set in the famed Zona RomƔntica.
āTryst Hotels are not merely luxury destinations; they are a celebration of gay culture, where every guest is embraced,” said Schukraft. “Our mission is to create spaces where luxury and identity flourish without compromise.ā
The D.C. Travel and Adventure Show took place last month in D.C., and LGBTQ-specific travel was among the topics the convention highlighted. The Washington Blade in its preview of the expo noted LGBTQ travelers may book a resort or vacation that promises “everyone is welcome,” but upon arrival feel uncomfortable by reactions of staff or other guests due to expressing their identity as queer people.
Schukraft has experienced this.
āI was at a hetero-friendly hotel Miami, but it was also marketed to gay men,” he explained. “So, you have two guys kissing at the pool and you have a straight couple looking over and wondering are they staying at a gay hotel. Itās sort of an awkward occurrence.ā
Everyone, therefore, is welcome at Tryst resorts, but it is not being marketed outside of the community.
āMy boyfriends and I have even experienced side-eye glances for our choice of swimwear,” Schukraft said. “You wonāt find that at Tryst Hotels.ā
Speaking of attire: Many luxury guesthouses, inns and hotels catering to gay men offer clothing-optional zones for guests. Itās an allure for some travelers.
But, not at Tryst.
āDonāt get me wrong, clothing optional resorts are fun, but thatās not our concept. Our concept is a luxurious, inclusive resort,ā Schukraft said with a touch of elan apropos for the “CEO of everything gay.” āOf course wear your thongs [and] Speedos.ā
Tryst Puerto Vallarta and Tryst San Juan in Puerto Rico, which is slated to open in 2025, are being marketed as gay-owned, gay-focused resorts with luxurious offerings and amenities. Many resorts known to epitomize luxury may be seen as slightly conservative or āstuffy.ā
Luxury promises not to come only in the form of superior bedding, bathrobes, slippers and skincare products, but also in the stunning interiors.
The Puerto Vallarta property engaged the same studio known for their acclaimed work at the Four Seasons Tamarindo. Designers from Estudio Esterlina bring a refined mix of minimalism, modernism and Mexican.Ā
āWhy canāt you have fun and luxury in the same space? Here, you let your hair down by the pool, enjoy a pool party, a fine Mexican meal in our full-service restaurant, a drag brunch on weekends and socialize with new friends all while feeling safe,” Schukraft said. “Our goal is to show luxury doesnāt have to mean stuffy.ā
Theater
D.C.ās spring theater scene offers āMacbeth,ā āPeter Pan,ā Sedaris and more
Queer themes well represented in seasonās productions
Thereās a lot on for theater this spring. And hereās a queer heavy sampling.
If itās āCompanyā youāre after, try the Kennedy Center. The national tour of the Tony-winning, gender-swapped revival of out legend Stephen Sondheimās hit musical withBritney Colemanas forever single Bobbie is moored to the Opera House through March 31. Kennedy-center.orgĀ
Signature Theatre in Arlington presents āPenelopeā (through April 21), a one-woman musical featuring out Broadway star Jessica Phillips. With glass of bourbon in hand, Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, gets a few things off her chest. Think Trojan War. Sigtheatre.org
At Studio Theatre, nonbinary playwright Bryna Turnerās āAt the Weddingā is currently making its regional debut in a production helmed by out director Tom Story. Itās a queer comedy about a woman crashing her exās wedding with the intention of not making a scene. Good luck with that. Out actor Holly Twyford plays Maria, mother of the bride. Studiotheatre.org
At Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Justin Weaks is workshopping his new play āA Fine Madnessā (March 17-24)). The solo piece is inspired by the talented out actorās 2016 HIV diagnosis and the ensuing years he spent alone and processing. (Tickets are pay what you will – starting at $5.)
Also slated for Woolly is āAmm(i)goneā (April 20āMay 12). Created and performed by queer theater maker Adil Mansoor, the personal story is about inviting his Pakistani mother to translate āAntigoneā into Urdu as means of exploring the tensions between family and faith. Woollymammoth.net
At Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street, N.E., Mosaic Theater presents Rhiana Yazzieās āNancyā (March 30- April 21), a tale of ambition and ancestry soaked in ā80s nostalgia. Staged by out director Ken-Matt Martin, the seven-person cast includes Lynn Hawley as Nancy, out actor Michael Kevin Darnall as Ronnie, and Anaseini Katoa is Esmeralda, a Navajo woman advocating for her community. Mosaictheater.org
Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., delivers divas. Meow Meow, the post-post-modern phenom from down under, brings her globally celebrated act to the parkās Barns venue on March 21. And on June 8, a single show featuring both Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight promises to light up Wolf Trapās cavernous Filene Center with legendary star power.Wolftrap.org Ā
Arena Stage presents āUnknown Solderā (March 29-May 5), Daniel Goldstein and Michael Friedmanās sweeping musical about a woman in search of her familyās past. The topnotch cast includes Lori Lee Gayer, out actor Adam Chanler-Berat, and Broadwayās Judy Kuhn. Arenastage.org
At 1st Stage in Tysons, Va., wonderful out actor Michael Rusotto plays the titular sissy in Douglas Carter Beaneās āThe Nanceā (April 4-21). Set in 1930s New York, the action follows a queer burlesque actor as he navigates his way through a world where itās safer to be gay onstage than off. Nick Olcott directs. 1ststage.org
Broadway at the National moves musically into spring with āPeter Panā (April 9-21). Playwright Larissa FastHorseās fresh adaptation of the eternal boyās classic tale feels fresh without losing the familiar including terrific tunes like āIām Flying,ā āI Gotta Crow,ā and āI Wonāt Grow Up.ā Broadwayatthenational.com
Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) presents āMacbethā (April 9-May 5) starring movie star Ralph Fiennes as the Thane of Glamis, and Indira Varma as sleepwalking Lady M. Staged by STCās artistic director Simon Godwin, the production wonāt be performed in the companyās usual digs but rather a borrowed former BET soundstage (1301 W St., N.E.) where the world of the Scottish play will be created. Exciting stuff. Shakespearetheatre.org
Attention dance lovers! In Fairfax, GMU Center of the Arts presents Martha Graham Dance Company ā the oldest modern dance ensemble in the countryā for just one night (April 13) with a program that showcases the companyās legacy through iconic classics and new work. Cfa.gmu.edu
Also on April 13, bestselling gay author David Sedaris brings his inimitably hilarious take on life to the Strathmore in North Bethesda. Strathmore.orgĀ
Kennedy Centerās Terrace Theater presents Opera Lafayetteās modern premiere of āMouret’s Les FĆŖtes de Thalieā (May 3 and 4), an opĆ©ra-ballet that broke with serious French operas by putting contemporary characters on stage. Renowned French conductor/musician Christophe Rousset conducts. Operalayette.org
At GALA Hispanic Theatre, itās Gustavo Ott and Mariano Valeās āThe Return of Eva PerĆ³n: Momia en el closetā (May 9āJune 9), a dark musical comedy filled with āhistorical intrigue and spine-chilling entertainment.ā (Performed in Spanish with English surtitles.) Galatheatre.org
This spring, Creative Cauldron in Falls Church presents Kirsten Childsā new musical āThe Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skinā (May 16-June 9), the humorous and pointed story of a seemingly confident womanās journey through racism, sexism, showbiz, and finally self-acceptance. Angelisa Gilyard directs. Creativecauldron.orgĀ
For one night only, the Alden Theatre in Mclean, Va., presents āMama, Iām a Big Girl Now ā The Three Leading Ladies of āHairsprayāā (Saturday, June 8) with Marissa Jaret Winokur, Kerry Butler, and Laura Bell Bundy. Broadwayās original Tracy, Penny, and Amber are staging a rare reunion to celebrate the hit musicalās 20th anniversary. Mcleancenter.org
And on time for Pride, the Gay Menās Chorus of Washington presents what promises to be a beautifully rendered multidisciplinary event. Titled āPortraitsā (Sunday, June 16 at Lincoln Theatre), the concert features visual art, music, and dance, representing a vibrant spectrum of sexual, gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural identities in a nine-movement commission combining the work of nine visual artists, nine composers, nine choreographers, and sung by the Chorus and featuring 17th Street Dance. Gmcw.org
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