In the episode’s main segment, Ashleigh and I talk to Dr. Thea Kano, artistic director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. After 22 years of history with an organization that boasts more than 300 singing members, there’s not much Kano hasn’t seen or heard either onstage or backstage.

GMCW, Kano explains, is both a niche operation and the largest queer arts organization in the DMV. And they found themselves making national headlines last year when the Trump Administration started tinkering with programming at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Kano’s take on what went down when the chorus’s World Pride concert with the National Symphony Orchestra got canceled starts at around 28:20, for anyone who wants to skip straight to the she-said version.

And yes, my non-singing gheys: I did ask Thea about what kinds of shenanigans go down out there in the woods on GMCW’s legendary (notorious?) annual retreat. These are the things you can always count on me for.

No spoilers in this post — you’ll have to listen for yourself. But there’s a reason The Washington Blade keeps ranking GMCW as the best LGBTQ+ social organization in town.

Recorded live at the Barrel House Cafe and Bar in Logan Circle, with plus-one Ashleigh King and headline guest Thea Kano. Host: Trey Graham. Executive producer: Solomon HaileSelassie. Production assistant: Megan Hannah.

This overnight-video thing is not going to become a habit, I don’t think, but I did want to give you a quick heads-up something I saw last night.

It was almost the second time I’ve missed this production, and I’m really glad I didn’t bail out this time, because I had a terrific evening.

It’s cheap, it closes today — that’s February 28th, today — but hey, you’ve still got two shots at it. There’s a 2 p.m. matinee and an 8 p.m. closing performance.

It’s the best kind of pure bare-bones theater. And it’s right over on Capitol Hill, just a few blocks from all that other, more irritating theater going on in DC.

The show is Beowulf, and I should point out -- before you groan and make sad noises and give up -- I should point out that it’s from Taffety Punk.

Specifically, it’s a 90-minute solo version of Beowulf performed by Taffety Punk’s artistic director Marcus Kyd.

And y’all, it’s good. Short version: It’s a really, really welcome reminder that we tell ourselves monster stories for a reason. And that all the best heroes have a kind of core selflessness in common.

It’s at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, directed by Chris Curtis, and it’s for sure worth a spur-of-the-moment trip if you’re not already booked this afternoon.

Or maybe if you are. Be spontaneous. Change your plans. Your sweetheart will love you.

Next time,

— trey