News & Politics

Gary Tischler • February 13, 2012

During the course of our telephone conversation with Christopher Siebert, who has the flamboyant, star turn of Albin in the touring company of “La Cage Aux Folles,” winding up its Kennedy Center run at the Eisenhower Theater Feb. 12, we told him that he seemed to embody the essence of a Broadway pro.

Specifically, we said, “You’re a Broadway baby.” That means Siebert is never far from a rehearsal, a road trip, an audition, a star turn, a song in his heart in a musical, a night on the stage.

“Yup,” he said. “I believe that’s true.”

Of course, there’s a lot more to Siebert than show biz per se, in the sense that the business, a world which he inhabits as a genuine star, is never far from intersecting with real life, especially with “La Cage Aux Folles,” which first exploded on the Broadway scene in the 1980s. With music by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, who also starred as Albin, it became an instant classic, spawning revivals and even a hit, non-musical film, “The Bird Cage” with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.

Siebert was a teen in Minnesota when “La Cage” erupted on the scene. Nevertheless, he is keenly aware of its status and history in Broadway lore and feels closely connected to it on several level.

“That show meant a lot then, and it means a lot more now, in a different way,” he said. “Plus, Harvey has been a great friend of mine. So, there’s almost no way of avoiding it anyway.”

Siebert isn’t just alive in the lights of the Great White Way or on the road. He’s something of a pop culture icon with some of his Broadway roles as well as having starred in the television series, “Two of a Kind,” with The Olsen twins, and you don’t get anymore pop culture than that.

But on Broadway he made his real mark, initially playing in shows full of characters already embedded firmly in the buzz-and-cool minds of several generations of youth culture. He was Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast,” Rapunzel’s prince as well as the wolf in “Into the Woods” and Sir Dennis Galahad in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”

But Siebert really hit the jackpot when he got the role of Lord Farquaad in “Shrek, the Musical,” for which he was nominated for a Tony Award, an Outer Critics Award Circle Award, a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award.

He was playing the stylishly sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn in “Chicago,” when he got word that there was an opportunity to play Georges the other and much, much less flamboyant member of the couple in a road company of the successful revival of “La Cage.” And who was playing Albin? None other than the frog-voiced Fierstein who had originated the role and written the book for “La Cage.”

“Well, Harvey’s my friend, so in a way, playing Georges to his Albin let me see how the pair functioned as a couple, so it really gave me a heads-up on the role. There’s nobody like Harvey. He’s a true original,” Siebert said. “I don’t think anybody can make their voice go that low. So, I don’t try that much.”

Eventually, George Hamilton, the suavest movie star ever outside of Cary Grant, took over the role of Georges, and Siebert became Albin and his oft-altered ego Za Za. The crowds have come, and they have roared.

“Georges is, I think, fantastic, he gives a presence in the role you don’t often find, and he acts it in a subtle way that makes you understand the relationship between the two men,” Siebert said.

Still, it’s different now.

Watching the show, you can see that how much has happened historically. “You’ve got to remember back in those days, it was primarily about the glamour, the glitter, and gay men who had not come out would come see the show with women dates. We’ve come a long way. I think the show now is more about character, the relationship, the love story. It is about a married couple for all intents and purpose, to the point where Albin has to pretend to be a mother, wig and dresses and all.”

The plot’s emotional underpinnings, as well as those holding the costumes together, resonate differently in the age of the battle over gay marriage.

Siebert himself married his long-time partner Kevin Burrows, an actor and a chef, last Thanksgiving.

We asked him if Burrows cooks at home. “Never,” Siebert quipped. “Except at Thanksgiving. That’s his high holidays.”

Michelle Kingston • February 8, 2012

Did you have any trouble accessing your favorite sites last Wednesday? Wikipedia, Reddit, Mozilla, Wordpress.org, TwitPic, Good Old Games and a couple of handfuls more shut down on Jan. 18 to participate in the largest online protest in history.

You were unable to Google these guys as they blacked out to demonstrate what the future could hold for the internet world if SOPA and PIPA were to be passed.

No, we are not talking about the Middleton sisters, but in fact, two bills that could potentially change the way we surf the net. The Stop Online Piracy Act and its sister, the Protect IP [Intellectual Property] Act, are designed to secure the problem with foreign-based sites selling pirated movies, music and more.

Many have argued that the bills undermine free speech and make it possible for the government to take down any site that includes links to pirated content. They also give the Justice Department more authority to stop U.S. companies from providing funding to the foreign sites. It would also block access by making it impossible to type in web addresses to these sites or by requiring Google and other search engines to disable links to the pirated pages.

The way the House bill is written is so broad that SOPA and PIPA opponents fear that some of the most visited online sites, such as Facebook, Wikipedia and Twitter that rely heavily on content uploaded by users which can then be pirated, could be targeted.

Thanks to our favorite pages turning their lights out, the public was alerted of the seriousness of the bill, showed us all how our lives could potentially be affected, and the bills were tossed to the trash — for now, anyway.

On Jan. 20, Congress shelved the bill. SOPA and PIPA were supposed to be debated and voted on, but after the protest, the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, released a statement explaining that they would be postponed. Pheeew.

Michelle Kingston •

Despite the Controlled Substances Act that makes cultivating, selling and distributing marijuana illegal, the nation’s capital will be welcoming weGrow, a full service hydroponic superstore, in March.
This place is a one-stop shop for everything necessary to start a garden. Commonly referred to as the “Wal-Mart of Weed,” weGrow has the largest showroom of hydroponic equipment sure to help medical marijuana cultivators and indoor harvesters but does not sell actual plants in stores.
“This is a great step forward for medical marijuana patients in Washington, D.C., and nearby states,” Wong said. “WeGrow will be here to work with medical marijuana growers to ensure the safest indoor growing practices are being followed to produce the best quality medicine for patients.”

Under a new D.C. law, doctors in the area can write medical marijuana prescriptions for patients with chronic ailments like cancer and HIV/AIDS. The law also lists 10 sites that will soon be authorized to grow the plant and five distribution centers where the medical marijuana can be picked up by patients.
The weGrow store is set to open its 2,500-square-foot store at 1522 Rhode Island Ave., N.E., near the only Home Depot in D.C. and just a few blocks from the Rhode Island Avenue Metro stop.

Michelle Kingston •

The Trust for the National Mall announced today that it has received a $7.5 million donation from David Rubenstein, Co-Founder of The Carlyle Group. The gift will provide the funding required to repair the Washington Monument, which suffered extensive damage from a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23, 2011.

“David Rubenstein is a true patriot, and we are grateful for his significant and generous contribution to restore the Washington Monument, one of America’s greatest treasures,” said Caroline Cunningham, President of the Trust for the National Mall. “David’s leadership demonstrates how the public/private partnership of the Trust and the National Park Service will successfully drive the restoration and enhancement of the National Mall, home to the hope, history and heroes of the America.”

“America has been very good to me and I am humbled to be able to honor the father of our country in this way,” said Rubenstein. “Reopening the monument as soon as possible will help ensure that many people get to learn about American history and the unique role that George Washington played in the birth and life of our great nation.”

According to a report released by the National Park Service, inspectors found numerous cracked and chipped stones, including six large cracks that extend through the marble exterior of the Monument’s pyramidion, that have left the 127 year-old structure extremely vulnerable. The Monument also suffered missing mortar, the displacement of components of the lightning protection system, and damage to the elevator counter weight frame.

Congress recently allocated $7.5 million to repair the Monument with the expectation that the National Park Service in partnership with the Trust for the National Mall would raise an equal amount in private donations. David Rubenstein’s generous contribution meets that objective.

“Millions of people have seen the dramatic video of chunks of mortar and limestone raining down on visitors in the monument as the quake rocked the east coast last August,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “While no one was hurt, the damage to this iconic obelisk was substantial and it has been closed to the public ever since. Thanks to David’s gift and the support of the American people, the National Park Service will once again welcome visitors to the Washington Monument and share the story of our nation’s first President.”

The National Park Service expects to award a contract to repair the monument by this August; work is expected to take 10-12 months.

The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall. For more information on the Trust for the National Mall and the work that is being done to restore America’s Front Yard, please visit www.nationalmall.org.

Robert Devaney •

The transformation of Georgetown’s land along the Potomac River was completed four months ago. After years in the making, Georgetown Waterfront Park now stands as a stupendous achievement for this town and the District of Columbia. It had many advocates, including our beloved Sen. Charles Percy, who died four days after its official National Park Service dedication ceremony in September. Along with private contributions, the federal and District government stood behind it. Throughout all of this, the local non-profit, the Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park, never took its eyes off the prize.

The $24-million, 9.5-acre park was a project of the National Park Service, the Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park and the District of Columbia government. Designed by Wallace Roberts & Todd of Philadelphia, it is the largest park created in D.C. since Constitution Gardens was completed on the National Mall in 1976.

Once the land of old Georgetown’s wharves and then factories, the riverside had deteriorated into parking lots and empty land. In 1985, the District of Columbia transferred the waterfront land to the National Park Service. In the late 1990s, the Georgetown Waterfront Commission made the long push for completion, bringing together volunteers, residents, the rowing community, local leaders and the National Park Service. That group morphed into the Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park.

The park features pathways, granite artwork that tells the story of Georgetown as a port, a labyrinth, and a bio-engineered river edge, along with a pergola, fountain and river stairs.

While we salute contributors, private and public, and the National Park Service, it is the Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park—its members and main officers, Robert Von Eigen, Jonda McFarlane, Barbara Downs, Robin Gilbert, Ann Satterthwaite, Grace Bateman, Gretchen Ellsworth, Corinne Bronfman and Roger Stone — that earned the accolade: Georgetowners of the Year 2011. All of them have given us back our river and made “America’s best idea” even better.
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Lisa Gillespie •

This is the Year of the Dragon, which will be quite evident at the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, taking place on Sunday, January 29, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, on H and I streets, between 6th and 8th streets in Chinatown.

The Chinese community in the Washington metropolitan area will celebrate the New Year with local residents and visitors at the annual Parade and accompanying festivities, featuring traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, musical bands, including a local high school Marching Tribe, a cultural exhibition, and the giant firecracker—an all-time favorite that explodes at 3:45 pm.

The festivities also will include programs and activities at the Chinatown Community Cultural Center. Revelers can participate in face painting, live music and performances, and raffles from noon to 5:00 pm. The Parade attracts more than 20,000 people annually and is sponsored by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Washington, DC.

Georgetowner •

Citizens Council Meets With Police, Jan. 25

The monthly Citizens Advisory Council will meet Jan. 25, 7 p.m. at the Second District Metropolitan Police Department station at 3320 Idaho Avenue, N.W. — 202-715-7300. One of the goals of the Citizens Advisory Council is to offer a venue that encourages community participation in public safety issues by a unique partnership with the MPD’s Second District.

Co-chaired by Commander Michael Reese of MPD’s Second District, the meeting will include discussion of crime trends and police priorities in combating crime. There will be Officers of the Month awards by Reese selects with a presentation describing awardees’ accomplishments.

CAC’s board includes Trena Carrington, an assistant United States Attorney, assigned to the Second District. She will discuss recent crimes and prosecutions and answers questions.

“One area where we can make an impact is partnering with the newly established Community Courts,” Chair of the CAC, George Corey writes. “Our last meeting with the senior Judges of the Community Courts was the best attended event we had hosted. We would also be at the ground floor and could make a real contribution.”

Corey and his group want to get the word on their efforts. “Our speakers in the past year included well attended presentations on Internet Safety for Children and MPD and DEA coordination,” Corey writes. “We urge you to join us [Jan. 25] to discuss our participation in vital public safety issues in our community.”

For more information, contact [George S. Corey](mailto:coreygeorges@ymail.com), Citizens Advisory Council for the Police Second District.

Visions of Georgetown: CAG Presents Georgetown ARTS 2012 — Submission Deadline: Jan. 24

The Citizens Association of Georgetown is seeking Georgetown-based artists to participate in a show of artwork at the House of Sweden from Feb. 16 to 20. Hurry. Here are the details:

= The show is open to artists who either are current residents of Georgetown or who have studios in Georgetown.

= The show runs Feb. 16 through Feb. 20 with a Feb. 16 reception, 6 to 9 p.m.

= Work may be for sale or for display only, as the artist wishes. CAG will process sales and pay artists at the end of the sale. CAG takes no commission on sales.

= Artists pay a $50 entry fee to CAG to defray the cost of the show. In addition, each participating artist must complete a 3-hour volunteer shift during the show.

= The show is open to artists working in the following media: painting, photography, sculpture, prints, 2D and 3D mixed media. We cannot accept jewelry or anything requiring electricity. Pieces accepted into the show should be of a suitable nature to be viewed by families with children.

= There is no jury. Entry is first-come, first-served. Please get your application and payment in promptly to secure your space in the show.

= Artists may submit up to four pieces for inclusion in the show. The final number displayed will depend on space available. (Maximum size per piece is 48″ in the largest dimension.) All 2D work must be properly framed and wired for hanging, or it will not be accepted.

= CAG will advise you the exact time to deliver your work to the show site at The House of Sweden.

= Check with CAG and submit three jpegs of your artwork to [cagmail@cagtown.org](mailto:cagmail@cagtown.org) — Citizens Association of Georgetown, 1365 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007 — 202-337-7313

‘Children of Uganda’ at G.U.’s Gonda Theater, Jan. 26

Hailed as “first rate” and “inspiring” by The New York Times, “Children of Uganda” returns to the D.C. area at the end of January for the 2012 Tour of Light, to share the rich culture of East Africa through song and dance. The dance troupe’s goal is to raise funds to provide shelter, education and a bright future for children orphaned by AIDS.

Performances range from the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage to Georgetown University’s Davis Performing Arts Center Gonda Theatre, where the group will perform on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. All ticket proceeds and donations will benefit Children of Uganda.

[Children of Uganda](http://childrenofuganda.org/), a U.S. nonprofit that supports and educates several hundred children in Uganda, is sponsoring the 2012 Tour of Light, and bringing 20 talented young performers to America to showcase their culture, and share the stories of so many children in Uganda who, like them, have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.

For more information on the D.C. (and other city) performance schedule, please go to the tour blog: [touroflight.blogspot.com](http://touroflight.blogspot.com/p/tour-schedule.html), or call Patricia Davies at 202-337-0991.

‘Lost Washington, D.C.’ at Dumbarton House, Feb. 9, Focuses on Lost Home of Francis Scott Key

Feb. 9, 6 p.m. — lecture and booking signing: “LOST Washington, D.C.,” by author John DeFerrari. Free. Meet and listen to author John DeFerrari discuss his recently published book “LOST Washington, D.C.,” based on his blog, [the Streets of Washington](http://www.streetsofwashington.com/). DeFerrari will also talk specifically about one of the stories in his book — the Key Mansion in Georgetown, home of Francis Scott Key. For additional information, contact [Programs@DumbartonHouse.org](mailto:Programs@DumbartonHouse.org), or 202-337-2288 — Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St., N.W.

Marit Fosso •

For those of us who live or work in Georgetown, public transportation is not always the best option. With the closest Metro stations not being really nearby, we tend to depend a lot on taxis to get around.

D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) will proceed with a Jan. 30 hearing on the D.C. Taxicab Reform Bill. The reform comes after the D.C. Taxicab Commision’s decision in December to increase taxi fares, according to the Washington Post. “We want an enhanced level of service and better overall performance,” Cheh told the Washington Post.

If the bill passes, various improvements in the District’s taxi service could make our everyday taxi rides go more smoothly. The bill proposes that taxis will need to have equipment that allows customers to pay with credit card and to have roof lights that clearly indicate whether the cab is available or occupied. These improvements are supported by nine out of ten taxi riders, according to
a non-scientific internet survey initiated by Cheh.

Another improvement that would make our taxi rides easier is the proposal within the bill that all taxis should install GPS devices. The bill also proposes that taxi drivers should go through a training course, covering geography, passenger relations skills and driving skills.

Cheh’s bill also proposes that all taxis should have a similar color. Her internet survey shows that yellow is most popular among the taxi riders, if the taxis are required to have uniform color. ”I hope they don’t go with yellow,” Cheh — who prefers white — told the Washington Post.

Georgetowner •

Winter Contemporary Show Opening Reception

January 27th, 2012 at 05:00 PM | Free | info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

A nighttime reception, celebrating the opening of our Winter Contemporary Show. Over twenty different artists, who use printmaking as their primary medium for artistic expression, were selected for this show. The prints chosen resonate with skill and intention, and reflect the current eclecticism of contemporary printmaking. Highlights include prints by Bruce Waldman, Matt Phillips, Takamune Ishiguro, and local artists Jenny Freestone and Nikolas Schiller. Free admission and wine.

Address

1220 31st Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

Weschler’s Capital Collections Estate Auction

January 28th, 2012 at 10:00 AM | Event Website

The auction combines American and European furniture and decorations, Asian works of art, jewelry, coins & watches, fine art and 20th century decorative arts. The auction will also showcase a 3.30 carat oval diamond ring, an oil canvas by Wolf Kahn and a selection of Napolean III ormulu-mounted furnishings with estimates ranging from $500-$6,000.

Address

Weschler’s

909 E Street NW

Georgetown Safeway & DC Fire and EMS Present Wellness and Safety Fair

January 28th, 2012 at 10:00- 4:00 PM | FREE | Event Website

Community Wellness and Safety Fair, with an array of educational, fun and even life-saving activities for all ages, including:

Child Seat Safety Inspections and Installations

Stop, Drop and Roll Demonstration (fun for young children, but beneficial too)

CPR and AED Demonstrations

Blood Pressure and Glucose Screenings

Fire Extinguisher Simulation (learn to use one properly)

Smoke Alarm Registration

Jeanne Robertson “Looking for Humor”

January 28th, 2012 at 08:00 PM | $34.50 | Tel: (202) 994-6800 | Event Website

Humorist Jeanne Robertson, known for her family friendly and engaging brand of comedy, will be stopping at The George Washington University Lisner Auditorium on Sat. Jan 28, 2012 at 8:00PM as part of her multi-city “Looking for Humor” solo tour. This 68-year-old former Miss North Carolina stands tall at 6’2″ and has a personality, heart and sense of humor just as soaring.

Address

730 21st Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20052

A Free Ride for the Community

January 29th, 2012 at 12:00 PM | FREE | clarendon@revolvefitness.com | Tel: (703) 567-4516 | Event Website

Revolve is thrilled to announce their first ever Community Ride. The new Clarendon-based specialized indoor cycling studio created the special class to help Revolve’s neighbors get to know them better and see what all of the buzz is about. This Community Ride will last an extra 15 minutes and be taught by TWO instructors instead of one! Christianne and Francina will lead a Complete Body Ride, an all-encompassing class that combines cycling with upper body weight training.

Address

Revolve

1025 N. Fillmore Street

Arlington, VA 22201

McLean Rotary Chocolate Festival

January 29th, 2012 at 12:00 PM | $1 | Event Website

Come out for McLean Rotary’s 1st annual chocolate festival with everything and anything chocolate. Vendors will be selling local area chocolatiers’ specialties and 25% of all proceeds will go towards local community organizations.

Address

McLean Community Center

1234 Ingleside Ave

McLean, VA 22101

The Gaming Table

January 30th, 2012 at 07:30 PM | $30-$65 | bemelson@folger.edu | Tel: (202) 544-4600 | Event Website

Whimsy, wit, and wordplay sparkle in this effervescent comedy by Susanna Centlivre, one of 18th- century London’s most popular playwrights. An independent-minded widow with a penchant for gambling holds a nightly card game — teeming with revelers and rakes — which bankrupts some and entertains all. The opening night is Monday, January 30 and plays through March 4, 2012.

Address

Folger Theatre

201 East Capitol Street SE

Washington, DC 20003