media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Note for Media: A limited number of press comps are available for the performance, as are interview opportunities. Please contact David Perry / cell: (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com for more information

This Thursday, June 5: International Pride Orchestra’s Pride Celebration Concert Take Place at Strathmore

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC Joins Roster in Solidarity for a Powerful Night of Music, Advocacy, and Pride

3 June 2025 — Bethesda, MD: The International Pride Orchestra presents its one-night-only Pride Celebration Concert at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland this Thursday, June 5 at 7:30pm. The concert features an electrifying lineup of LGBTQ+ artists, with proceeds supporting Whitman-Walker, the D.C.-based healthcare and advocacy organization. 

The International Pride Orchestra unites LGBTQ+ musicians and allies from around the world to present concerts, celebrate community, and raise awareness for organizations that uplift the queer community. They will be joined on stage by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW), a renowned ensemble that uses the power of music and education to inspire equality, promote justice, and affirm the dignity of all people.

“We are delighted and honored to join the International Pride Orchestra for this historic concert at Strathmore,” said GMCW’s Artistic Director Dr. Thea Kano. “Coming together in a space that uplifts our shared values and celebrates the unifying power of music makes this collaboration especially meaningful during WorldPride, as we honor the strength, resilience, and joy of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Presented as an official part of WorldPride DC and in partnership with Capital Pride Alliance, this landmark performance brings together artists, audiences, and advocates in support of Whitman-Walker. A part of the fabric of D.C. and a national leader in the LGBTQ+ community for more than 50 years, Whitman-Walker provides health and legal services to 20,000 patients each year and conducts lifesaving research focused on HIV, cancer, substance use, and other chronic illnesses.

Dr. Heather Aaron, CEO of Whitman-Walker Health System, and Naseem Shafi, Esq., CEO of Whitman-Walker Health, shared: “We thank the International Pride Orchestra and all the performers for sharing their talents in support of essential health care and lifesaving research. At a time when the services and research we provide to thousands of patients are at risk, it is more important than ever to be visible and united. The arts community has long been a steadfast ally, and we are especially honored to celebrate this ongoing partnership as our amazing city hosts WorldPride.”

The program will be led by a distinguished roster of conductors, including Bonnie Alger, Dr. Thea Kano, Robert Moody, and IPO founder Michael Roest. Together, they will lead the orchestra and chorus in a concert featuring works by Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Clarice Assad, Matthew Felbein, Lynn Ahrens, Pax Ressler, and more.

San Francisco–based drag icon Peaches Christ will take the stage as host, bringing her razor-sharp wit and commanding presence. Featured guest artists include Thorgy Thor, the New York City–based violinist and drag superstar known for her appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8, All Stars Season 3, and TLC’s Dragnificent. Also appearing is acclaimed pianist Sara Davis Buechner, a celebrated soloist and passionate advocate for transgender visibility in the arts.

This concert marks the culmination of a weeklong festival filled with rehearsals and community-building events in queer spaces throughout Washington, D.C. At its core, IPO creates spaces where LGBTQ+ musicians can come together, connect, and belong — a spirit that has been central to the orchestra since its very first gathering.

“When IPO first came together in San Francisco two years ago, those first notes were life-changing,” said Luke Spence, General Manager and trumpet player. “For the first time, we could make music as our full, authentic selves. That kind of freedom shouldn’t feel rare — queer people deserve safety and visibility in every space. Today, in a time of rising hostility, IPO returns not just to celebrate, but to shine a spotlight on our community’s resolve.”

Tickets range from $35 to $75, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Whitman-Walker. For full ticketing details and artist updates, visit strathmore.org or internationalprideorchestra.org.

2025 Concert Details:

When: Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Strathmore Music Center, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD
Tickets: $35-75 https://www.strathmore.org/events-tickets/in-the-music-center/international-pride-orchestra-gay-men-s-chorus-of-washington-dc/

Photos & Videos:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1axJKDAA_buqDMP2dGLRHOjhNR35i-RNx?usp=sharing

Media Contact: David Perry / David Perry & Associates, Inc.
(415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition Returns to San Francisco at St. Mary’s Cathedral

Unique, Never-Before-Seen Perspective of Michelangelo’s Masterpieces
Opens to the Public Saturday, June 21

2 June 2025 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA — If you missed the movie Conclave—or, more to the point, the recent election of the first Pope from the United States —this is the next best thing. The internationally acclaimed Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition returns to San Francisco for a three-month summer engagement at the city’s iconic St. Mary’s Cathedral (1111 Gough Street, San Francisco), opening to the public on Saturday, June 21. NOTE: Tickets are only available for advance purchase online. Go to https://chapelsistine.com/exhibits/san-francisco/

Presented by SEE Global Entertainment, the exhibition offers a unique, never-before-seen perspective of Michelangelo’s masterpieces from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Using high-definition licensed photography and an innovative printing technique, the ceiling frescoes have been recreated in their original dimensions, allowing visitors to view the art up close—every brushstroke, every hue—without traveling to Rome.

“We’re thrilled to return to San Francisco with Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel,” said Martin Biallas, President & CEO of SEE Global Entertainment, Inc. “This city has embraced unique art experiences, and we’re especially excited to announce that additional exhibitions—including Titanic and The Smurfs—are coming soon to our new venue at Fisherman’s Wharf.”

“This exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity to bring timeless beauty and spiritual significance to people of all backgrounds,” added Mark Silva, Special Events Director, St. Mary’s Cathedral. “We are honored to host this masterwork once again.”

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition has attracted sold-out audiences in cities across the United States, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Charlotte, Charleston, and Atlanta. In San Francisco, visitors will once again enjoy add-on experiences and audio guides for deeper exploration.

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption—known to locals as St. Mary’s Cathedral—is itself an architectural landmark. Built in 1970 after fire destroyed its predecessor, the cathedral incorporates both traditional and modern design and serves as the Mother Church for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Produced by Los Angeles-based SEE Global Entertainment, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition holds the exclusive worldwide rights to the fresco reproductions through Bridgeman Images.

Visitors are encouraged to share their photos and social media posts with the following hashtags: #SEEGlobalSF #SistineChapelExhibit

For more information, visit https://chapelsistine.com

Tickets are now on sale online at https://chapelsistine.com/exhibits/san-francisco/

General Admission
• Adults: $26 weekday, $28 weekend
• Kids: $16 every day
• Military & Student: $18 every day
• Seniors: $24 weekday, $26 weekend

VIP Admission (with special access)
• VIP Adults: $34 weekday, $36 weekend
• VIP Kids: $22 every day
• VIP Military & Student: $24 every day
• VIP Seniors: $32 weekday, $34 weekend

June 21 – September 14, 2025
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10:30am  – 5:00pm (last entry at 3:30pm)
Duration: 60 to 90 minutes

ABOUT SEE© GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT:
The SEE© Family of Companies represents the finest in themed entertainment. Working with major Hollywood studios, record companies, sports franchises, and legendary individuals, SEE has become the one source for truly great, expansive entertainment. SEE is led by President Martin Biallas, a Hollywood veteran of 30 years. For more info, please visit www.seeglobalentertainment.com and www.martinbiallas.com.

ABOUT ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL:
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption serves as the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, encompassing San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties. Designed by Pietro Belluschi with engineering consultant Pier Luigi Nervi, the cathedral was dedicated in 1971 and is considered a bold expression of post-Vatican II liturgical architecture. Notable works include Richard Lippold’s baldacchino and bronze sculptures by Enrico Manfredi.

Remembering Joseph J. O’Donahue IV

There once was a man named Joseph J. O’Donohue, IV. He was our friend. Alfredo and I spent many an evening or afternoon with him at his small but history-packed flat above San Francisco’s Castro District, sharing tales of his life, an occasional cigarette, a drink or two and dinners he prepared in his tiny kitchen with recipes from his halcyon days in New York and Germany. He charmed everyone he met, including Alfredo’s brother, Carlos, when he visited from Spain.

Kirk Frederick introduced us in the ‘80s, and from there sprung a friendship, and the inspiration for a play yet to be written.  His memoirs (unpublished) he dictated to me years ago. However, it was “boring, Josie” as his friend Gore Vidal opined as Joe left out all the wicked parts of his queer, gay days as one of Manhattan’s handsomest and wealthiest swells in the Roaring ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s. His friends included Greta Garbo, Clifton Webb, Josephine Baker, Kaiser Wilhelm, and a smattering of Vanderbilts, Astors, princes, paupers and friendly soldiers and sailors. He was a true San Francisco character. 

When Alfredo and I visited his preferred hotel in his preferred city – the Hotel Adlon in Berlin – we raised a glass in his memory: a man who met and later denounced Hitler, attended the 1936 Olympics and kept in touch with Leni Riefenstahl. He liked bull shots for brunch, Dubonnet before dinner and eschewed garlic at all times. Dachshunds were his favorite dog, SS Bremen his favorite ship and Jicky from Guerlain his favorite scent “of which I reeked in balmier days, alas long since gone” as he once wrote.

By the time we met him, he had lost his great wealth, but never his wit. We miss him. On May 31, 2000 – 25 years ago today – he died suddenly of a heart attack. Today, we will light a candle, scented with Jicky, in his honor and maybe dig up his recipe for carrots Lily Elsie.

Once, hearing of an old friend who had pased with barely a paragraph in The Times, he said: “don’t let that happen to me.” To whit: Ray Delgado’s aide memoire from a quarter century back.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Joseph-O-Donohue-IV-S-F-character-with-colorful-3059323.php

Iconic SF Arts Venues and Haney Urge Legislature to Reject Devastating Arts Budget Cuts 

Governor Newsom’s May Revision proposal would reverse $11.5 million for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, destroying performing arts venues across the state

EMBARGOED UNTIL

May 29, 2025

Press Contact: Nate Allbee – 415.756.0561 (Please text for fastest response.) – Haney.Press@asm.ca.gov

WHAT: Press conference to push back proposed budget cuts for arts organizations in Governor Newsom’s budget

WHO: Assemblymember Matt Haney

Mari Robles – Chief Executive Officer – Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Laura Domingo – Director of Development and Marketing – SF Bay Area Theatre Co

Member – Actor’s Equity

WHERE: Blue Shield of California Theater @ YBCA, 700 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

LIVESTREAM: 

WHEN: May 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM

California is the birthplace of countless artists, performers, and entrepreneurs – many of whom began their careers at small performing arts venues across the state. Small performing arts organizations add vibrancy to our streets, draw visitors into our cities’ downtowns, and enrich our culture. 

Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget proposal reversed an $11.5 million allocation for small nonprofit performing arts organizations – theaters, orchestras, operas, dance groups, and more. This funding, first appropriated in 2023-24, would have supported performing arts organizations facing continued challenges as a result of financial stress from pandemic-era closures, labor costs, and the expiration of federal grants.

For many arts organizations, this modest but impactful funding is a lifeline – without this vital funding, more venues will close and more artists will lose their jobs. Assemblymember Haney is joining several arts organizations, performing arts theaters, and artists to urge the Legislature to restore arts funding in the budget.

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A Papal Birthday, a Perfect Read: Why Upon This Rock Belongs on Your Reading List This Summer

May 26 marks the birthday of one of the most pivotal—and often misunderstood—figures in papal history: Giulio di Medici, later Pope Clement VII, born in 1478. And in this month when conversation about the Papacy is everywhere, what better time to dive into a novel that blends historical intrigue, contemporary mystery, and ecclesiastical drama than David Eugene Perry’s celebrated work, Upon This Rock?

From the moment Giulio di Medici ascended to the papal throne in 1523, his tenure was marked by seismic shifts in European history: the Protestant Reformation, the Sack of Rome, and volatile politics between empires. But beyond the dusty pages of history books, Clement VII lives again—vividly and compellingly—in the pages of Upon This Rock, now in its second printing and actively in screenplay development.

David Eugene Perry’s debut novel has become a word-of-mouth favorite for readers who love their thrillers soaked in authentic detail and historical drama, and spiced with sharp wit and contemporary relevance. The story, set in the ancient Italian town of Orvieto, follows a gay American couple as they stumble upon a modern mystery rooted in Renaissance intrigue, religious scandal, and yes—Pope Clement VII himself.

As Palm Springs Life notes, Perry “relies heavily on his background in journalism and a lifetime passion for history and the Vatican,” and the result is a book that is equal parts gripping and erudite. The settings feel lived-in. The facts are real. The humor is sly. And the narrative moves with the energy of a Dan Brown thriller but with the literary polish of Umberto Eco.

What makes May the ideal time to revisit—or discover—Upon This Rock? It’s a season of renewal, reflection, and reevaluation—mirroring the very themes at the heart of Perry’s novel. And with Pope Clement VII’s birthday on the calendar, it’s a chance to learn about the man who unintentionally helped usher in the modern era by failing to contain the Reformation, and who makes a central appearance in a book that’s as current as today’s headlines.

So whether you’re fascinated by Renaissance history, modern conspiracies, or just love a smart, stylish mystery set in one of Italy’s most beautiful towns, Upon This Rock is this month’s essential read.

Order it now. Read it twice. And stay tuned for the film.

www.davideugeneperry.com