The sudden turn from sunny early autumn to a wintry November left us feeling more than a little light-deprived. But one sure remedy to brighten these gray days is to plan ahead for the joyful whirl of the holiday season.
Should those plans include taking in a fabulous live show here in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, or beyond, it’s best to start making your list now and checking it twice. We’re here to help with a LGBTQ-focused rundown of the divas, divos, and drag queens who might be jingling your bells from now through December.
Gay Men’s Chorus: The Holiday Show — The GMCW’s most popular show every year brings an extravaganza of holiday carols, high-kicking reindeer, and sparkling snowflakes, which sounds like a euphemism for something festive to accompany songs like “O Holy Night,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Let It Snow,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (12/13-14, 12/20, Lincoln Theatre)
A Swingin’ Little Christmas Starring Jane Lynch
A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch — One part cabaret, one part comedy, and probably more than a dash of Christmas kitsch, this classic live holiday special finds Emmy and Golden Globe-winner Lynch hosting a “hilarious and heartfelt” hoe-down with guests Kate Flannery (The Office), Tim Davis (Glee‘s vocal arranger), and The Tony Guerrero Quintet (11/29, Strathmore)
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show — The multi-talented drag duo of Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme are coming to town to spread their brand of musical comedy cheer in the latest edition of their venerable holiday variety show, directed, produced, and written by DeLa, and now in its eighth year touring the U.S. and Canada. In January, Jinkx returns to Broadway’s Oh, Mary!, so catch her shenanigans with BenDeLaCreme on the road while you can (12/1, Capital One Hall)
Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour — Suave jazzman Koz blows his horn alongside long-time musical partner, guitarist-singer Jonathan Butler, and featured vocalist Haley Reinhart, vocalist-bassist Casey Abrams, and Kayla Waters on keys, celebrating Christmas and Chanukah in this 28th-anniversary edition of Koz’s long-running tour (Dec. 4, Strathmore)
A Hoot for the Holidays
Atlas Presents A Hoot for the Holidays! — D.C. drag fixture Tara Hoot unwraps an uplifting evening of holiday songs, sing-alongs, and stories sure to warm any Scrooge’s heart (12/5, Atlas Arts Center)
Defrosted! Live Immersive Drag Musical — Highball Productions presents this draggy 18+ twist on a beloved Disney movie musical, following “one woman’s brave journey as she learns to let it all go and become the queen she was meant to be,” somehow running into running into a Swedish gay bathhouse, a horny talking snowman, and a life-sized Labubu along the way (Dec. 6-7, Shaw’s Tavern)
Make the Yuletide Gay — Award-winning singer-songwriters Heather Mae, Crys Matthews, and Flamy Grant offer a soulful celebration of queer pride, chosen family, and the magic of the season in an evening of comedy, carols, and original songs (12/7, Hill Center)
A John Waters Christmas – Photo: Todd Franson / Metro Weekly
A John Waters Christmas — The Birchmere and Baltimore dates for Waters’ annual festive freakshow appear to be sold out, but perhaps a holiday miracle might still gift you a seat to see the Pope of Trash in his annual “combustion of Christmasly-incorrect” tales and music, or you can try to intercept the tour at stops in Michigan and Wisconsin (12/20, Birchmere; 12/23, Baltimore Sound Stage)
David Archuleta: My Only Wish: Holiday Live — The “Crème Brulée” pop crooner ties on a Christmas bow to celebrate the season by performing tracks off his brand new holiday EP My Only Wish, including three new original holiday songs he co-wrote, along with other holiday favorites (12/9-14, Joe’s Pub in NYC and 12/18-19, Peppermint Club in L.A.)
LUTHER RE-LIVES Holiday Show — We know Luther Vandross was not officially a member of the community, but Luther will always be official to the community, and no tribute artist celebrates the late singer-songwriter with more TLC than performer William “Smooth” Wardlaw, who dons his holiday sequins to serve up this festive, Vegas-style performance that, as Wardlaw once told Metro Weekly, aims to recapture not just the sublime musical effect of Luther live, but also “the flamboyance, the lighting, and the wardrobe” — too much is never too much (12/21, Birchmere)
A Drag Queen Christmas — The fabulous cast of A Drag Queen Christmas have already passed through the DMV, but with 30+ cities left to tour across North America, there are ample other opportunities to see Drag Race superstars Jewels Sparkles, Lexi, Suzie Toot, Lydia B. Kollins, Bosco, Shea Couleé, Crystal Methyd, Brooke Lynee Hytes, and hostess Nina West slaying holiday classics and remixes as only they know how (Touring thru 12/29)
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey: Christmastime in Vegas — Having just wrapped her Celebration of Mimi tour, and whirlwind promotional tour for new album Here for It All, the Queen of Christmas is understandably staying in one place for her annual holiday extravaganza, her Christmastime in Vegas residency at the Park MGM, where she’ll sing that song you know, and other chestnuts, hopefully including the Peanuts’ “Christmastime Is Here,” a frequent, lovely addition to her songlist (11/28-12/13, Park MGM Las Vegas)
Apple has pulled two of China's most popular gay dating apps from its App Store after receiving an order from the country's top internet regulator and censorship agency.
According to Wired, the tech giant removed Blued and Finka from both Apple's iOS App Store and several Android marketplaces over the weekend. New downloads are now blocked, though the apps remain functional for users who already had them installed.
"We follow the laws in the countries where we operate," an Apple spokesperson told Wired in an email. "Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only." The spokesperson added that the apps haven't been available in other countries for some time.
"I am my worst critic," says Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation. "I set really ambitious deadlines for myself, sometimes unrealistic goals, but somehow, through my tenacity and just that call to public service -- and being raised in a humble home where my mom worked three jobs to raise us -- I carry that very hard work ethic with me every day. And because of that, I've been successful in my career path."
Toledo assumed the role as head of the nonprofit dedicated to serving LGBTQ homeless youth earlier this year, succeeding longtime executive director June Crenshaw, who announced she'd be stepping down last fall.
In a historic move, Michael J. O'Loughlin, an award-winning journalist and gay man, has been named executive editor of the National Catholic Reporter, the nation's leading independent Catholic news organization.
A New England-based journalist, O'Loughlin has amassed more than 15 years of experience covering religion as a reporter, editor, podcast host, and author. For the past nine years, he has worked at America Media, the Jesuit news and commentary outlet, serving seven years as national correspondent and most recently as founding executive director of Outreach, an LGBTQ Catholic news site.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
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