Unmasked: Freedom in Full Color

Date and Time for this Past Event

• Friday, May 9, 2025  Unmasked: Freedom in Full Color

Location

visit website

Details

On Tuesday, June 3, Alliance for New Music-Theatre partners with Arts Club of Washington to bring the next installment of the company’s George Fulginiti Series: Cabaret, Cocktails and Conversation. At this empowering and uplifting Pride Month event, vocal artist and composer Deacon with collaborator Aran, presents his own rules for fully-realized living through poetry and song. Encore performances will be presented at Dupont Underground on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7.

About his program, Deaon says: “Unmasking for me is living in your authenticity in whatever way that means for you. Being a gay black man from North Carolina, moving to DC was my unmasking process. In North Carolina, I had to live what would be like a closeted life – I wasn’t out to my family. Of course, my friends knew, but still there was a level of hiding I had to do, and on top of that I was also deep in the church… Because of that, I had to live and play by their rules a lot. I’ve never really said it to people out loud, but a lot of my childhood from middle school through college is a blur to me because I had to play a character, I had to be somebody I’m not. And then when I moved to DC and I was in an environment where I was forced to truly find myself, that’s when my unmasking process began. By the time I moved to DC I just saw so many beautiful queer people and I saw the space of openness where nobody really cared anymore, and I went to George Mason University and it was just like this big artsy kind of be who you are and celebrate it kind of thing, and so it just started this process of yeah, let me own it. And that’s where that started.

“I’m living like this so that you can know that you can live like this, too. A big part of my unmasking is that I live like this to be a light for others to live in the same way of just marching to the beat of your own drum. And I think that’s what authenticity is to me. It’s living by your own rules. That’s where these rules for this cabaret come from as well: the laws I live by as far as being myself.”

Arts Club of Washington will continue the tradition of offering a signature cocktail for the occasion. Deacon’s modified “Spicy Paloma” celebrates your true colors with its vibrant pink grapefruit hue, bright green lime wheel, and tequila truth serum, along with a hint of jalapeno to kick to start your journey of self-realization. Also included in the price of a ticket is a small bites buffet and a refresher beverage following the show, during a meet-the-artist reception. The bar opens at 6:30 pm; the show starts at 7:00 pm.

The intimate historic venue is perfect for an optimal cabaret experience, but seating is extremely limited. Tickets are available on Eventbrite HERE.

Dress Code: Over the top, show your true colors, dress to impress yourself. Flashy, glam and glitz. NO FEAR and NO HOLDING BACK.