Party with Pride
Phillips after 5
Celebrate World Pride at Phillips after 5! Join us for a fabulous evening developed in partnership with Vagenesis, Empress Emeritus de Ardeur.
- See the exhibition Essex Hemphill: Take care of your blessings.
- Spotlight Talks will highlight artworks by LGBTQIA+ artists on view.
- Drag performance by Vagenesis, Empress Emeritus de Ardeur.
- The ever-talented multi-instrumentalist Baddie Brooks performs in the Music Room.
- Sign-up for a “Styled to the Nines” workshop with makeup artist, model, performer, and drag queen extraordinaire Citrine the Queen.
- Be inspired by live painting by artist and performer Virya Shavasana.
- As you arrive, be greeted by Anja Dick (on roller blades!).
- Bejewel your own whistle for the Capital Pride Parade.
- Try samples from Republic Restoratives distillery.
- Bread Furst café will be serving lobster and crab rolls, beer, wine, and specialty cocktails: aperol spritz and orange crush.
- DJ Nia from Eaton Radio Workshop will spin a special Pride themed set in the courtyard.
Vagenesis
Baddie Brooks
Citrine
Virya Shavasana
Anja
About Vagenesis
Vagenesis is a prominent drag performer in the Washington, DC, area, celebrated for her distinctive blend of comedy, charisma, and activism. DC’s black bearded beauty began her drag career in 2018 and was the third winner of “DC Drag Wars.” Beyond her performances, Vagenesis is a dedicated activist, advocating for diverse forms of drag, queer individuals, and performers of color. She founded Black Label, a showcase highlighting Black queer artistry, and cofounded Highball Productions, a theatre company that produces drag parodies of famous musicals. She is the host of the DC Improv Comedy Club Drag Brunch and the DC-Area lip sync competition, Drag Duels.
About Baddie Brooks
Baddie Brooks, a powerhouse multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, champions empowerment for queer and transgender communities through her electrifying music. From headlining major festivals to going viral on TikTok with her rendition of “Feeling Good,” she’s a force to be reckoned with! As a fellow for the Amplify Project and recipient of the Louis Armstrong jazz award, her debut album “Reclamation” uplifts LGBTQIA+ voices and experiences, blending pop, R&B, and house rhythms. Baddie served as a Grand Marshal for NYC Pride alongside Michelle Visage, Raquel Willis, and DaShawn Usher. Brooks currently reigns as Miss Trans Michigan 2025. Don’t forget to stream her new single “Game Over”!
About Citrine the Queen
Dubbed the “Queen of 17th Street,” Citrine is a nominated makeup artist, model, performer, and drag queen extraordinaire. Along with regularly performing at a variety of events she currently serves as the drag matriarch at the historic JRs Bar in Dupont Circle and as Executive Producer for the drag musical theatre group Highball Productions DC. From her conceptual and creative fashions to her keen eye for quality, this exquisite trans Filipina beauty is the complete package ready for the stage, the runway, and beyond!
About Virya Shavasana
This former winner and judge of The Voice of Baltimore, Virya Shavasana is one of the DMV’s premier live-singing AND live-painting drag performers. By day she serves creativity as a visual artist, with work shown in galleries, museums, on bodies, and on stages around the country (including the National Portrait Gallery, Spy Museum, the 50th anniversary celebration with the Washington Capitols, and Broadway Bare’s annual benefit show in NYC). By night, she serves talent and beauty with her rangey vocals and iconic looks on stage. A former public high school art teacher of 10 years in Baltimore, Virya has recently made the leap into pursuing her career as an artist, performer, and full-time tattooer.
About Anja Dick
Anja Dick is a singing comedian drag queen performing throughout the DMV and beyond. Known for her campy covers of pop, country, and Broadway hits, and her musical parodies and originals, she’s been lighting up the stage for almost 8 years.
Image: Howard Hodgkin, As Time Goes By (blue), 2009, Sugar-lift aquatint with carborundum relief and extensive hand-painting on five panels of 350 gsm Moulin du Gué handmade paper, 96 x 240 in., The Phillips Collection, Gift of Luther W. Brady, Mr. and Mrs. C. Richard Belger, Marion Oates Charles, Dr. and Mrs. Brian D. Dailey, Mr. Léonard Gianadda, Linda Lichtenberg Kaplan, Mr. and Mrs. Marc E. Leland, Caroline Macomber, B. Thomas Mansbach, Dr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Paul, Gifford and Joann Phillips, and Trish and George Vradenburg in memory of Laughlin Phillips, 2010
