The Agenda News September, 2021

A Guide to Places to Go & Things to Do in
Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Northwest DC & Northern Virginia
©® 2021 Bob Joiner PO Box 71024 Chevy Chase, MD 20813-1024 The Agenda News is updated via Twitter @ TWITTER.COM/BOBSAGENDANEWS For more information, seE About US following the Television columN

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REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

SPECIAL EVENTS IN D.C.: The National Book Festival will be presented by The Library of Congress in multiple formats - but not on the National Mall - September 17-26. The theme of the festival will be Open a Book, Open the World. The participants will include authors, poets and illustrators from America and around the world. Please see the BOOKS column for more information. The Kennedy Center has announced The Fall Season of live performances. For details, visit www.kennedy-center.org The Annual Georgetown French Market will take place October 1-3. The annual event is a popular Parisian-inspired open-air market that has become a celebrated springtime tradition in DC. It's one of the biggest shopping events of the year for the small businesses of Book Hill. Stay tuned for programming announcements! Visit https://www.georgetowndc.com/event/georgetown-french-market/ The Smithsonian Women's Committee will present The Annual Smithsonian Craft Show online, featuring the finest in American contemporary craft and design, October 23-31. The event showcases top-of-their-field artists selected by a panel of esteemed jurors. Viewers will see works in basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable, and wood. There will be one-of-a-kind works of art in all price ranges. Visit https://smithsoniancraftshow.org/# The Wharf on the Southwest D.C. waterfront will present Oktoberfest on October 2. There will be a day of German-inspired food and music, a stein-hoisting contest, and a Sam Adams Octoberfest biergarten on District Pier. Visit https://www.wharfdc.com/upcoming-events/2021-10-02-oktoberfest-at-the-wharf/ SPECIAL EVENTS IN VIRGINIA The Annual Alexandria Old Town Art Festival will take place on September 18 & 19 at 300 John Carlyle St. The show is rated as one of the top 100 art shows in Sunshine Artist Magazine. Visit http://www.artfestival.com/festivals/19th-annual-alexandria-old-town-art-festival The Ballyshaners, Inc. will have a Celebration in Alexandria's Waterfront Park on September 18 to mark the day as being Half Way to St. Patrick's Day. The event will feature Music, Food, Irish Dancers, Vendors and a Beer Truck. Visit https://www.ballyshaners.org/events.html#halfway George Washington's Mount Vernon will have the annual Colonial Market & Fair on September 18 & 19. The event features handcrafted food and wares as they would have been made by colonial artisans. Visitors can experience the sights and sounds of the marketplace on Mount Vernon's 12-acre field and they can:Chat with colonial artisans Hear live music from the colonial era.Watch as expert artisans demonstrate crafting techniques.See General Washington in the General’s Tent.Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/colonial-market-fair/ George Washington's Mount Vernon will have the annual Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour on the evenings of October 8-10. Guests can sample wines from 18 different Virginia wineries and enjoy other special events. Also, the first floor and cellar of the Mansion will be open until 8:30 p.m. Concessions by the Mount Vernon Inn will be available for purchase. Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/fall-wine-festival-sunset-tour/ The Center for the Arts at George Mason University will present Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal on September 25. The family-friendly extravaganza will include a variety of visual and performing artists in and around the Center for the Arts Concert Hall as the Center celebrates the 20th anniversary of Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and the return to live performances at Mason. Visit https://cfa.gmu.edu/

lOCAL NEWS FEATURING cHEVY cHASE & bETHESDA

A view of The Wharf
A celebrant at a previous Wine Festival & Sunset Tour

NEW GROCERY STORES AND MORE:
 Amazon Fresh opened a new store in late August on the site formerly occupied by a Giant grocery store in The Collection at Chevy Chase. The Giant there closed in 2020. Customers interviewed at the new store have reported that the prices there are very good. Fresh makes much better use of space than its predecessor. A high ceiling with windows creates the feeling of an atrium, & the entire space looks larger than before. The store has no seating for customers who might like to dine-in. Merchandise is displayed to maximum effect without seeming crowded. There are many freshly-made offerings. The name-brand merchandise which many shoppers had missed at other neighborhood stores are abundant in Fresh. There are very few Amazon-brand offerings. There is no pharmacy section - you can't get a prescription filled there - but there is a selection of over-the-counter medicines and vitamins. There is also an abundance of household items for cleaning and more. Shoppers can pay in cash or by credit card. There are special checkout lines for shoppers with 15 or fewer items. Automated selection/checkout is also available. The main entry and exit points are via the parking lot area near Capital One Bank. There are elevators from the parking garage to the main entrance. Entry and exit can also be made by stairs or elevator at the Wisconsin Circle end of the store. Restrooms are near the exit on the street level near the Wisconcin Circle entrance. Parking is free, with limitations. The Friendship Heights Shuttle Bus stops near the main entrance to the store and operates on the same schedule as in the past. Meanwhile, early indications are that the shuttle bus will continue to offer service – at least temporarily - to the Westwood Giant in Westwood Center in Bethesda on Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays. The Giant at Westwood will be replaced by a new Giant in 2023. Reconstruction of Westwood Center – now called Westbard Square – is underway.
Elsewhere, the Wegmans grocery store owners plan to open a branch in 2022 in the former Fannie Mae building in City Ridge, the massive new development on Wisconsin Avenue just south of Tenleytown. Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s will open a store on the street level of an 18-story mixed-use building under construction at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. The new building will feature residential apartment units and retail space on the ground floor level. We have no information about the future of the Trader Joe’s on the south side of Bethesda. 5500 WISCONSIN AVENUE IN CHEVY CHASE:
 Plans to redevelop a portion of the 5500 block of Wisconsin Avenue - popularly known as the Brooks Brothers block - by building a mixed-use, predominately residential project there advanced in August when developers submitted a Sketch Plan application to the Montgomery County Planning Board. The application includes a Statement of Justification (SOJ), which provides an overview of the proposal. The Planning Board is expected to schedule a public hearing and vote on the application on about November 18. A written notification of the actual public hearing date will be sent out no later than ten days before the hearing. The SOJ and the entire Sketch Plan application can be seen at https://www.5500wisconsin.com/sketch-plan.html As plans move forward to redevelop 5500 Wisconsin Avenue, the Bank of America branch at the corner of The Hills Plaza and South Park Avenue remains closed. The closest alternative branches are at 5135 River Road in Bethesda and at 5201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW in D.C. Meanwhile, Brooks Brothers continues operations at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and South Park Avenue.
THE HEIGHTS AT CHEVY CHASE PAVILION The Heights is the name that Clarion Partners gives the 3,000-5,000 square-feet of new move-in ready and customizable office suites in the seven floors directly above The Chevy Chase Pavilion at 5335 Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase. The Heights offers "a contemporary open plan featuring a flexible interior environment and state-of-the art conference rooms, a new tenant lounge, and a rooftop terrace with outdoor seating." Visithttps://www.loopnet.com/Listing/5335-Wisconsin-Ave-NW-Washington-DC/9229888
 Incidentally, “The Heights” is also the name of the Food Court that is planned at Wisconsin Place. Some observers have commented that "Friendship" is being phased out in favor of just "The Heights."
SHOPPING Charles Schwartz & Son jewelers has opened a branch on the street level of the Barlow Building in Friendship Heights. The company is the D.C. area’s oldest jeweler, having been based in the nation’s capital for over 100 years. The company was formerly located on the street level of Mazza Gallerie, which is scheduled for redevelopment. Visit https://www.charlesschwartz.com/
Ace Hardware has expanded their branch on the lower level of the Cityline Building at 4500 Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown. Walls were removed to incorporate space formerly used for other purposes. The combination of Target, The Container Store and Ace Hardware, with parking on the lower level and the METRO close by, makes Tenleytown the go-to place for many consumers.
 DINING CANCELLATION: The Taste of Bethesda , which had been schedued for October 2, has been canceled because of ongoing concerns about the pandemic.
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Amazon Fresh

ARTS & CRAFTS:

NATIONAL GALLERIES

The National Gallery of Art - West Building
Photo courtesy of Mount Vernon

The National Gallery of Art East Building & West Building have reopened. The Gallery will exhibit Clouds, Ice, and Bounty: The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Collection of Seventeenth-Century Dutch and Flemish Paintings, October 17-February 27, 2022. The exhibition brings together 27 paintings acquired through the generosity of the Lee and Juliet Folger Fund over the past two decades, supplemented by one painting from their personal collection. The collection includes landscapes by Jacob van Ruisdael and Salomon van Ruysdael, winter scenes by Jan van Goyen and Adam van Breen, genre paintings by Dirck Hals and Caspar Netscher, seascapes by Reinier Nooms and Simon de Vlieger, still lifes by Clara Peeters and Frans Snyders, and portraits by Thomas de Keyser and Jan Miense Molenaer. The exhibition is curated by Marjorie Wieseman, curator and head of the department of northern European paintings. Visit https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2021/dutch-flemish-paintings.html The National Gallery of Art will exhibit Aquatint: From Its Origins to Goya, October 24-February 21, 2022. The display will be the first American exhibition to survey the medium’s development in France, England, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain and will include some 100 early and exceptional impressions. Aquatint flourished outside the official circles of European art academies in the hands of three kinds of artists—professional printmakers, amateurs (art lovers), and peintre-graveurs (painter-printmakers). Each played a distinctive and significant role in publicizing, disseminating, and advancing the aquatint medium. The exhibition was curated by Rena M. Hoisington, curator and head of the department of old master prints at the National Gallery. Visit https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2021/aquatint-origins-goya.html
 The National Gallery of Art will exhibit The New Woman Behind the Camera, October 31-January 30, 2022. The iconic New Woman has been described as "modern, independent, stylish, creative, and confident" and as “a revolutionary model for women across the globe." The exhibition will feature more than 120 international female photographers "who embraced photography as a mode of professional and personal expression from the 1920s to the 1950s. This groundbreaking exhibition will reveal the significant impact women have had on the history of modern photography."Visit https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2021/new-woman-behind-camera.html The National Gallery of Art is exhibiting sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints, and videos by contemporary American artist Lynda Benglis in the East Building, Mezzanine, thru January 2, 2022. The exhibition was organized by Molly Donovan, curator of contemporary art at the National Gallery of Art. Visit https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2021/lynda-benglis.html The National Gallery has canceled the planned exhibition of A Superb Baroque: Art in Genoa, 1600-1750. The exhibition would have been on view September 26-January 9, 2022. The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting a participatory online exhibition titled RECLAMATION: Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals thru December 31. The evolving exhibition features nine interdisciplinary artists at their own kitchen tables, sharing photographs, videos and personal stories. RECLAMATION also features content submitted by the public, interwoven with the artists’ works. Visit https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/reclamation-recipes-remedies-rituals/ The National Museum Of Women In The Arts has closed for in-person visits as the museum undergos a two-year renovation. Visit https://nmwa.org/whats-on/exhibitions/
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Jean-Baptiste Le Prince, Les Pecheurs (The Fishermen), 1771, etching and aquatint printed in brown on laid paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1990.134.5

Lynda Benglis - Phool, 1980plaster over bronze wire mesh with gold leaf National Gallery of Art, Washington, The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, Patrons' Permanent Fund and Gift of Dorothy and Herbert Vogel

ARTS & CRAFTS: SMITHSONIAN GALLERIES

Al Gore by Chuck Close from Visionary: the Cumming Family Collection (PartII)

 The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is presenting Visionary: The Cumming Family Collection (Part II) through October 31. Installed in two parts, the exhibition celebrates a major acquisition of 22 contemporary portraits recently gifted or promised to the Portrait Gallery by Ian and Annette Cumming. Part II features portraits by American artists Jack Beal, Chuck Close, and Nelson Shanks and includes likenesses of prominent leaders, such as Al Gore, President Barack Obama, and EO Wilson. The exhibition is curated by Portrait Gallery Chief Curator Emerita Brandon Brame Fortune. The Portrait Gallery is exhibiting Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands thru May 30, 2022. The exhibition is the first retrospective of portraiture by Hung Liu (1948-2021). More than 50 paintings, photographs and drawings are shown in the Gallery’s first exhibition honoring an Asian American woman with a solo show. The exhibition is curated by Dorothy Moss, curator of painting and sculpture and coordinating curator for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. The Portrait Gallery is exhibiting Block by Block: Naming Washington thru January 16, 2023. The exhibition features a selection of the people whom Washington city planners deemed important enough to have streets and spaces named after them, including Farragut, Howard, Barton (See the image at right), Al Gore and Malcolm X. The exhibition is presented by Curator of Photographs Leslie Ureña. Visithttp://npg.si.edu The Portrait Gallery is exhibiting Warranted to Give Satisfaction: Daguerreotypes by Jeremiah Gurney thru February 6, 2022. Jeremiah Gurney (1812–1895) established one of New York City’s first daguerreotype studios in 1840, and his works were considered “nearer to absolute perfection” than those of other daguerreotypists. The exhibition is curated by Senior Curator of Photographs Ann Shumard.
 The Smithsonian American Art Museum will exhibit Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, October 8-May 8, 2022. The island of Murano in Venice was - and is now - a center for making Venetian Glass. Times spent in there in the nineteenth century were turning points for John Singer Sargent, James McNeill Whistler, and scores of artists who often referenced the glass industry in their works. Featuring more than 150 objects, this exhibition "presents a choice selection of glass vessels in conversation with paintings, watercolors, and prints by the many talented American artists who found inspiration in Venice.” Visit https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/sargent-whistler-and-venetian-glass-american-artists-and-magic-murano:event-exhib-6534 The Smithsonian American Art Museum is displaying Welcome Home: A Portrait of East Baltimore, 1975-1980, a survey conceived, led and carried out by women photographers—Elinor Cahn, Joan Clark Netherwood and Linda Rich. They photographed a cross-section of Baltimore residences and businesses, celebrating traditions while also acknowledging many challenges. The exhibition includes 104 photographs from the museum’s permanent collection. John Jacob, the McEvoy Family Curator for Photography, organized the exhibition with Vitoria Bitencourt and Krystle Stricklin, curatorial assistants.Visit http://americanart.si.edu The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum will exhibit New Glass Now, October 22-March 6, 2022. The exhibition documents the innovation and dexterity of artists, designers, and architects from around the world working in the challenging material of glass. The presentation features objects, installations, videos, and performances made by fifty artists working in more than twenty-three countries. Visit https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/new-glass-now:event-exhib-6540 The National Museum of African Art will exhibit Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits, October 1-TBA. "Nollywood, Nigeria’s 3-billion-dollar film industry, is populated with savvy stars, directors, and producers. Artist Iké Udé returned to Lagos, Nigeria, in October 2014, after three decades away, to photograph its celebrities. In this exhibition, Udé’s portraits appear for the first time with garments and other items used in their creation to make a glamorous, bold statement about African identity at a time when the vestiges of colonialism and widespread racism continue to threaten Black lives on a daily basis. Each portrait conveys radical beauty by reclaiming, reconstructing, and redefining notions of African identity." Visit https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/ike-ude-nollywood-portraits:event-exhib-6554 The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Gallery reopened Marcel DuChamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection on September 14. The exhibition titled Mark Bradford: Pickett's Charge reopened on August 20. The Hirshhorn’s exterior will be wrapped in a “curtain” by renowned Swiss artist Nicolas Party, September 18 to the Spring of 2022. Party’s work, titled Draw the Curtain (2021), will wrap around the temporary scaffolding that encases the museum building while the building’s envelope undergoes critical repairs. The Hirshhorn will present artwork by multimedia artist, performer, musician and writer Laurie Anderson, September 24–July 31, 2022. Laurie Anderson: The Weather will debut more than 10 new artworks, plus select key works from throughout her career. For more than four decades, Anderson has investigated issues such as American identity and the effects of technology on human relationships, often inventing new ways of interacting with technology. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of live performances by Anderson from January 2022 to July 2022. The Weather is organized by the museum’s Robert and Arlene Kogod Secretarial Scholar, associate curator of media and performance art, Marina Isgro. The Hirshhorn will present “A Countervailing Theory,” featuring work by Toyin Ojih Odutola (born Ile-Ife in Nigeria in 1985), November 19–April 3, 2022. The exhibition features her monumental cycle of 40 large-scale, monochromatic drawings that "chronicle a myth that she conceived." The installation will span the museum’s circular inner galleries on its second floor. Ojih Odutola’s work will be accompanied by conceptual sound artist Peter Adjaye’s cinematic immersive soundscape titled “Ceremonies Within.” Visit https://hirshhorn.si.edu/upcoming-exhibitions The National Museum of Asian Art's Freer Gallery and Sackler Gallery have reopened. Visit https://asia.si.edu/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
“Resident Alien” by Hung Liu, oil on canvas, 1988. Collection of the San Jose Museum of Art; gift of the Lipman Family Foundation. Copyright Hung Liu
Clara Barton - a Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross - Photograph by Matthew B. Brady - c. 1865 National Portrait Gallery
Thomas Moran, A View of Venice, 1891, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 1968.120.1
Deborah Czeresko, Meat Chandelier, 2018, blown glass, metal armature. The Corning Museum of Glass, 2019.4.165. Photo courtesy of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY.
From Welcome Home: A Portrait of East Baltimore: Linda Rich, A Canton homeowner maintaining East Baltimore's reputation for clean streets, 1977-1980, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the East Baltimore Documentary Photography Project, 2020.68.4
Detail view of “Draw the Curtain” (2021) by Nicolas Party, courtesy of the artist.

arts & crafts: Independent galleries

The Phillips Collection reopened in March, 2021 with a celebration of the Collection's centennial year. As the museum marks its centennial, Dorothy Kosinski, who is Vradenburg Director and CEO of The Phillips, plans to conclude her tenure next year after 15 years at The Collection. The Phillips Collection is displaying Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle Special Exhibition, thru September 19. Lawrence’s 30-panel series Struggle…From the History of the American People, painted between 1954 and 1956, “invited a new way of chronicling erased histories about America’s founding." For the first time since 1958, the series is reunited, along with two new panels discovered in 2020 and 2021. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/ The Phillips Collection is presenting a Digital Intersections project titled Amalgama Phillips by Daniel Canogar in celebration of the museum’s 100th anniversary, thru January 2, 2022. Amalgama Phillips premiered on the Phillips’s YouTube channel on September 8, followed by a site-specific multichannel projection. The Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain has joined the Phillips’s centennial celebration by presenting Canogar’s Amalgama El Prado (2019), at the former Residence of the Ambassador of Spain, now thru November 5, 2021. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2021-09-07-digital-intersections-daniel-canogar The Phillips Collection will showcase the artwork of David Driskell (1931–2020), October 16-January 9, 2022. David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History will feature over 50 works, offering the first comprehensive examination of the paintings, collages, prints, and drawings of the celebrated American artist, art historian, and educator. It has been said that "his legacy in the history of American art is unparalleled: through his curatorial work, writing, and teaching, he demonstrated that the art of Black people is essential to the story of American art." The exhibition was organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and the Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2021-10-16-exhibition-david-driskell Looking ahead, The Phillips Collection plans to screen “Miss Alma Thomas” - the first documentary film that explores the incredible life of the black woman artist - through the lens of curators, art specialists, scholars, and her family – October 30-January 23, 2022. Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard will provide “the voice” of Miss Thomas. The 20-minute film will be released in conjunction with a major four-city museum retrospective, where thousands will have the opportunity to learn of her life, work, and continuing influence. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/ The Kreeger Museum in Northwest D.C. is exhibiting works by Guest Artist Stan Squirewell, thru October 30. Squirewell is a painter, photographer, and an installation, and performance artist. A native of DC, he grew up in Anacostia's Barry Farm neighborhood. Squirewell now lives and works in Louisville, KY. “His work examines who curates and controls the narratives that become accepted as history; from what perspective is history written, whose stories are told, and whose are neglected?” Visit www.stansquirewell.com The Squirewell exhibition is presented in collaboration with The Nicholson Project. For more information about the project, visit http://thenicholsonproject.org ARTECHOUSE in Southwest D.C. will exhibit Life of a Neuron, September 27-November 28. The immersive show uses "decades of neuroscience data and research to explore how the brain shapes the universal human experience.” Visitors “will walk through a virtual neuron—the microscopic messengers in the brain managing information transfer and processing—and trace the evolution of scientists’ understanding of this specialized cell, which is considered the key to human existence.” ARTECHOUSE is the first independent arts organization dedicated to the intersection of art, science and technology, in partnership with the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) and world-renowned scientists and artists. Visit https://www.artechouse.com/news/artechouse-announces-life-of-neuron/ The American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center is displaying their Fall Exhibitions thru December 12. The exhibitions on display are:Successions: Traversing U.S. Colonialism - which is a solo exhibition by Amber Robles-Gordon. It's a "conceptual juxtaposition celebrating abstraction as an art form."Diane Burko: Seeing Climate Change – The painter, photographer, and climate activist Diane Burko advocates for art’s role in addressing climate change.Reveal: The Art of Reimagining Scientific Discovery, Rebecca Kamen unlocks curiosity as a creative link between the arts, humanities, and sciences, exploring the symbiotic relationship behind scientific research and artwork’s development. Philip Brookman: In the Light of Memory, 1969-2021 showcases photography by the artist, intimate recordings of everyday life, like a personal diary or private note. Inside Out: Artists in the Studio explores how studios—and other interior spaces for artistic production—play a significant role in artistic practice, particularly in shaping how viewers experience the finished product. In addition, an exhibition will be open virtually October 16-December 12: Anil Revri: Into the Light features dazzling geometric abstractions that embody the cross pollination of spiritual ideas from East and West. Visit https://www.american.edu/cas/museum/upcoming.cfm RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Jacob Lawrence, Panel 16, 1956, egg tempera on hardboard, Private Collection from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954-56 (c) 2021 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Daniel Canogar, Amalgama Phillips, 2021, Generative artwork, dimensions variable, The Phillips Collection, The Dreier Fund for Acquisitions
David Driskell, Woman with Flowers, 1972, Oil and collage on canvas, 37 1/2 x 38 1/2 in., Art Bridges Foundation, Bentonville, Arkansas
Alma Thomas, Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers, 1968, Acrylic on canvas, 57 7/8 x 50 in., The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Gift of Franz Bader, 1976
Image courtesy of ARTECHOUSE

books

The Library of Congress
The National Book Festival will be presented by The Library of Congress in multiple formats - but not on the National Mall - September 17-26. The theme of the festival will be “Open a Book, Open the World.” The participants will include authors, poets and illustrators from America and around the world. The featured participants will be Michael J. Fox, Diane von Furstenberg, Roxane Gay, Kazuo Ishiguro, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Marcus Samuelsson. This year’s festival will offer a variety of ways to access programs, allowing attendees to tailor their experience and interests to their preferred mode of participation. Festival content will be available online through videos on demand, author conversations in real time and live question-and-answer sessions, as well as a new podcast series, a national television special and some in-person, ticketed events at the Library of Congress. Visit www.loc.gov/bookfest/ The annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival will be held on October 30 in Rockville, Maryland, where the author was born and is buried along with his wife Zelda and their daughter. The festival honors the works of Fitzgerald and those of other prominent American literary artists and supports, encourages, and assists aspiring and emerging writers and students interested in the literary arts. The 2021 honoree is John Edgar Wideman, who is the award-winning author of more than twenty books. The keynote speaker will be Michael Dirda, the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic of The Washington Post Book World. The special guest will be Walton Muyumba, who helped choose the stories included in Mr. Wideman's You Made Me Love You: Selected Stories, 1981-2018 (2021) and who wrote the introduction for the volumn. Visit https://www.fscottfestival.org/2021festival The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in DC, is open for viewing of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights with limited capacity from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. The Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery featuring Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote and the David M. Rubenstein Gallery featuring Records of Rights are open with limited capacity from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit https://museum.archives.gov/exhibits RETURN TO HOME PAGE


dance

The Washington Ballet - Gian Carlo Perez and Abby Granlund by Spencer Bentley
The Washington Ballet (TWB), led by Artistic Director Julie Kent, will present an hour-long performance at the National Building Museum, October 21-22. The program will feature celebrated, classical roles and TWB exclusive works. Visit https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/opening-performance-celebration/ Dance Place will present Red Sky Performance - a leading company of contemporary Indigenous performance in Canada and worldwide – in a ticketed indoor performance, October 2 – 3. They will perform Trace – “a highly kinetic contemporary dance work inspired by Indigenous (Anishinaabe) sky and star stories, offering a glimpse into our origin as well as our future evolution.” Dance Place will present Let 'im Move You, which is part of a series of works choreographed by jumatatu m. poe and Jermone Donte Beacham that “stem from their multi-year research into J-Sette performance” in a ticketed indoor performance, October 28-30. Visit https://www.danceplace.org/ Paul Taylor Dance Company, led by Michael Novak, will perform two of his masterworks in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, October 7-9. The beloved Company B, which is performed to songs by the Andrews Sisters, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The company will also perform Esplanade, which is composed entirely of pedestrian movement, set to J.S. Bach violin concertos. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/dance/2021-2022/paul-taylor-dance-company/ Ronald K. Brown will present EVIDENCE, with vocalist, composer and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, in the Eisenhower Theater, October 21-23. It has been said that “Brown’s choreography fuses with Ndegeocello’s music to focus on compassion—which leads one to have mercy. As Ndegeocello performs live, dancers embark on a physical journey toward justice that resolves in joy and surrender.” Visit www.kennedy-center.org Gin Dance Company (GDC), a Metropolitan DC/Northern Virginia based performing arts modern dance company, will present "Perfect 10 +" on October 16 at the new Capital One Hall in Tysons, VA. "Perfect 10+" will be comprised of four World Premier pieces choreographed by GDC Artistic Director, Shu-Chen Cuff. Executive Director, Gary Cuff commented that “We're very excited about this production. Each piece tells it's own story... It's our hope that this production will touch the audience in different ways and expand their imagination.” Visit www.gindance.org The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company is presenting Island - a 27-minute work - thru May 29, 2022. Island was inspired by the Chinese-American immigrant experience of coming to America through Angel Island in California. The piece is presented in conjunction with the upcoming National Portrait Gallery exhibition titled Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands.Visit http://dtsbdc.org RETURN TO HOME PAGE
DancePlace: Red Sky Performance "TRACE" Photo by David Hou
Eran Bugge and Company in Paul Taylor's Company B.Photo by Paul B. Goode.

FAMILY

The Franklin Building, shown above, houses Planet Word
FAMILY IN D.C. Planet Word, the immersive language museum located in the historic Franklin School Building in downtown D.C., is now open. The voice-activated museum (the world’s first!), and interactive galleries and exhibits bring words and language to life in all sorts of entertaining ways for visitors of all ages. Visit https://planetwordmuseum.org/ Hillwood Estate, Museum & Garden will have the annual Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration on the expansive Lunar Lawn on October 23. The event is inspired by Marjorie Post's affection for dogs and the memorial dog cemetery she created at Hillwood. Guests can explore Hillwood's twenty-five acres of landscaped gardens and lush natural woodlands with their pups, and enjoy the annual costume competition. Visit https://hillwoodmuseum.org/events/spooky-pooch-howl-o-ween-celebration-0 The Georgetown French Market will take place October 1-3. The annual event is a popular Parisian-inspired open-air market that has become a celebrated tradition in DC. It's one of the biggest shopping events of the year for the small businesses of Book Hill - the historic neighborhood centered on Wisconsin Avenue from O Street to Reservoir Road. Visit https://www.georgetowndc.com/event/georgetown-french-market/ The Children's Museum on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown D.C. is open with limitations. For updates, visit https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/a-healthy-visit/
 The International Spy Museum is open with new safety measures in place. Advance ticket purchases are recommended. Visit https://www.spymuseum.org/ FAMILY IN VIRGINIA The annual Alexandria Old Town Art Festival will take place on September 18 & 19 at 300 John Carlyle Street. The show has been rated as one of the top 100 art shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine. Visit http://www.artfestival.com/festivals/19th-annual-alexandria-old-town-art-festival The Ballyshaners, Inc. will have a Celebration in Alexandria's Waterfront Park on September 18 to mark the day as being Half Way to St. Patrick's Day. The event will feature Music, Food, Irish Dancers, Vendors and a Beer Truck. Visit https://www.ballyshaners.org/events.html#halfway George Washington's Mount Vernon will present the annual Colonial Market & Fair on September 18 & 19. The event features handcrafted food and wares as they would have been made by colonial artisans. Visitors can experience the sights and sounds of the marketplace on Mount Vernon's 12-acre field and they can:Chat with colonial artisans Hear live music from the colonial era.Watch as expert artisans demonstrate crafting techniques.See General Washington in the General’s Tent.Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/colonial-market-fair/ The Center for the Arts at George Mason University will present Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal on September 25. The family-friendly extravaganza will include a variety of visual and performing artists in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Visit https://cfa.gmu.edu/ FAMILY IN MARYLAND Adventure Theatre will present Luchadora! at Glen Echo Park September 17-October 31. Written by Alvaro Saar Rios, it’s the story of a Wisconsin grandmother, who shares her tale about growing up in 1960s Texas. The show follows her “journey of defying gender norms, chasing one’s dreams, and appreciating the ties that bind a family together as she paves her way through the world of wrestling, discovering her own family traditions along the way.” Visit https://adventuretheatre-mtc.org/in-person-productions-2021-2022-season/ The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park will present Witch Wartsmith’s Halloween Spooktacular, September 30-October 31. The spooky variety show is part contemporary competition show, part vintage telethon, and part punpalooza, which will tickle your funny bone. There will be a special evening performance on Halloween! Visit https://www.thepuppetco.org/shows RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Photo of a previous Colonial Market & Far at Mount Vernon

Film


Cinema Art Bethesda will stream the prize-winning Macedonian film titled God Exists, and Her Name is Petrunya beginning on September 21. The stream will be available until noon Sunday, September 26. There will be an $8.00 charge to watch the film. The film is set in Stip, a small town in Macedonia, where a young woman named Petrunya wins a traditional male contest, bringing about outrage among the men. The film is 100 minutes long and is in Macedonian with English subtitles. The link to order and view the film is: https://1844entertainment.vhx.tv/products/god-exists-her-name-is-petrunya-cinemaartbethesda A post-film discussion moderated by Adam Spector will take place via Zoom at noon Sunday, September 26. Visithttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/89367111499?pwd=WE4yRzVJQWxaMXlRYXZmcjVnUkkrdz09 The 2021 DC Shorts International Film Festival - a 10-day hybrid film festival - will take place September 9-19, featuring 95 outstanding short films from 26 countries online - presented in 18 Showcases. There will be five Live Screenings, plus two live event screenings at Goethe-Institut. Visit https://dcshorts2021.eventive.org/welcome Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, which is just off Woodmont Avenue, reopened in August. Visit www.landmarktheatres.com/washington-d-c/bethesda-row-cinema The Avalon Theatre on Connecticut Avenue NW in Chevy Chase, D.C. reopened in June. Visit https://www.theavalon.org/about/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
A scene from Petrunya

gardens - homes

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is exhibiting Roaring Twenties: The Life and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post thru January 9, 2022. The exhibition explores the Jazz Age fashion, decorative art, jewelry, and design that made Post one of the most influential women of the 1920s. Advance reservations are required. Visit https://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/exhibitions/roaring-twenties-life-and-style-marjorie-merriweather-post Hillwood is exhibiting Contemporary American artist Kristine Mays's life-size, three-dimensional dancing wire sculptures throughout the gardens during a special exhibition titled Rich Soil thru January 9, 2022. Advance reservations are required. Visit https://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/exhibitions/kristine-mays-rich-soil The 79th Historic Alexandria Homes Tour, titled “Garden Glimpses,” will be presented by The Twig on September 25. The tour will showcase 12 gardens and outdoor entertaining spaces in the historic district. Visitors will learn about each garden’s creation and will be given some information about the home. There will be an English garden, a koi pond garden, and a garden with a swimming pool...... and more. The Twig is The Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital. They have hosted the Homes Tour offering a self-guided walking tour of beautiful homes and gardens in Old Town Alexandria since 1997. Visit https://www.thetwig.org/homes-tour/ Historic Tudor Place in Georgetown, D.C. will have their 19th Annual Garden Party on September 22. This year’s gala honoree is the Georgetown Garden Club for its service to the community and support for garden projects at Tudor Place. The garden will be "sprinkled with twinkle lights as you move about the 5 ½ acre site. Enjoy champagne in the North Garden, wine and cheese in the Grape Arbor and tasty treats on the South Lawn. Desserts, coffee and cognac can be found in various tents." Visit https://tudorplace.org/event/29th-annual-garden-party/ Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland is fully open, including the Visitor Center, Gift Shop, Conservatory Building and Outdoor Gardens. Visit https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/ The U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory on the grouds of the U.S. Capitol remains closed but, the outdoor gardens are open. Visit https://www.usbg.gov/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Photo courtesy of The Twig

MUSEUMS

The National Building Museum is presenting several special installations this summer including: The Lo-Fab Pavilion of MASS Design Group is an experimental grid-shell structure merging traditional craftsmanship and computationally-driven manufacturing processes. The pavilion is located in the southwest corner of the Great Hall, and can be seen through September 25, 2022. Visit https://www.nbm.org/exhibition/inside-out/ The National Building Museum is exhibiting The Towers of the World Trade Center: 51 Years of Photographs by Camilo José Vergara, thru March 6. The exhibition is dedicated to "those who perished, those who responded, and those who are rebuilding after September 11, 2001." Camilo José Vergara is one of the nation’s foremost urban documentarians. Born in Santiago, Chile, his photography "has been informed by both his outsider’s eye and his training in sociology at the University of Notre Dame and Columbia University." Visit https://www.nbm.org/exhibition/towers-of-the-wtc/ The George Washington University Museum & Textile Museum introduced new exhibitions on August 11: Handmade: Textiles in South Asia, thru April 10, 2022From the Grounds Up: Building GW, thru February 6, 2022Visit: https://museum.gwu.edu/exhibitions Dumbarton House in Georgetown is displaying three exhibits:Power in Preservation - A celebration of the role that women have play in the field of preservation.History's Keepers - The role of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) in inspiring a spirit of patriotism and a genuine love of country. The XChange - highlights the role of women in creating and preserving Dumbarton House. Visit https://dumbartonhouse.org/category/collections/ The National Museum of American History is featuring women inventors, who represent all segments of American society, but whose stories are often overlooked or undervalued. Presented in bold wall murals, with text in English and Spanish, the exhibition illustrates the creativity of women inventors while inspiring young people (especially girls) to see themselves as future inventors. Visit https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/picturing-women-inventors?utm_source=siedu&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=exhibitions The National Museum of African American History and Culture will exhibit Make Good the Promises: Reconstruction and Its Legacies, September 24-August 21, 2022. The exhibition explores the Reconstruction era through an African American lens, as may be seen thru 175 objects, 200 photographs, 15 audio, video, and interactive programs, and a companion book. The exhibition “explores the deep divisions and clashing visions about how to rebuild the nation after slavery. It connects that era to today’s efforts to make good on the promises of the Constitution.” Visit https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/make-good-promises-reconstruction-and-its-legacies:event-exhib-6538
 The National Museum of Natural History is now open and is exhibiting Unsettled Nature: Artists Reflect on the Age of Humans thru March 2022. The exhibition focuses on how humans are shaping the world in ways big and small, intentional and unintentional, visible and invisible. Seven contemporary artists challenge viewers to think about the changes we make to our planet. Visit https://naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/unsettled-nature-artists-reflect-age-humans National Museum of Natural History will exhibit Critical Distance, September 29-Spring 2022. Critical Distance is "a free, augmented-reality experience emphasizing the intrinsic connection between people, orcas, and the ocean. Before visitors enter the experience, they will meet the orcas, learn about their unique habitat and uncover humanity’s long connection to both. Then they will don mixed-reality headsets, called the Microsoft HoloLens 2, in small groups, to submerse themselves in the experience as Jamie Margolin, youth climate justice activist and co-executive director of Zero Hour, narrates. Afterward, visitors will be encouraged to explore ways to support marine conservation with hands-on activities.” Visit https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/critical-distance:event-exhib-6559 The Museum of the Bible in Southwest D.C. is exhibiting Magna Carta: Justice. Liberty thru January 2, 2022. "The story of the Magna Carta is the story of the struggle for liberty. In this special exhibition, the role of the Bible and the English Church is traced from the creation of the Magna Carta in the thirteenth century to the present day." Visit https://www.museumofthebible.org/ Planet Word, which is an immersive language museum located in the historic Franklin School Building on 13th Street N.W. in downtown D.C., is now open. The voice-activated museum (the world’s first!) and interactive galleries and exhibits bring words and language to life in all sorts of entertaining ways for visitors of all ages. Visit https://planetwordmuseum.org/ The Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building will open in November with an exhibition titled Futures. The exhibition will celebrate the Smithsonian's 175th anniversary.
The International Spy Museum is open with new safety measures in place including capacity limitations, social distancing guidelines, mask requirements, and enhanced cleaning protocols. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. Visit https://www.spymuseum.org/ The National Geographic Museum, museum store, and campus are temporarily closed, but you can visit the highly-regarded exhibition titled “WOMEN: A Century of Change” virtually. The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage by exploring images from National Geographic's historic archives that depict women from around the world. You can also read more about the historic efforts to pass the 19th amendment in the August issue of National Geographic magazine, which is online athttps://www.nationalgeographic.org/events/visit/women-vr/
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A traditional timber-frame truss being installed in the National Building Museum
Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters. Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540
A view of "Critical Distance" at The National Museum of Natural History

music in d.c.

The Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Alan Cumming & Ari Shapiro Courtesy of The Kennedy Center
Jonas Kaufman Courtesy of The Kennedy Center
Zhu Wang Young Concert Artists - Photo credit Jiyang Chen
The Thirteen
John Holiday - Courtesy of The Phillips Collection

MUSIC IN VIRGINIA

Maesro Ulysses S. James
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic, led by Artistic Director / Philharmonic Conductor Ulysses James, will present a concert on October 23 at George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria. The concert will be repeated at another location on October 24. The program will feature: Elinor Remick Warren’s composition titled Crystal Lake; Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Marlisa Woods, violin; Aaron Copland’s Quiet City with Mary Padilla, English horn and Brett Lemley, trumpet; and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 with Thomas Pandolfi, piano. Visit https://www.wmpamusic.org/concert-schedule.html Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director James Ross, will begin the 2021-22 season with performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony - "Choral" on October 2 & 3. The concert will include Bruckner's Benedictus from Mass No. 3. The concert will feature the Alexandria Choral Society with a new English text by poet laureate and Pulitzer prize-winner Tracy K. Smith. Visit https://alexsym.org/ National Chamber Ensemble (NCE), led by Conductor-Violinist Leonid Sushansky, has announced their next season of live performances, titled Reuniting with the Masters, Live! NCE features classical-to-contemporary compositions, presented by internationally-acclaimed musicians in intimate settings. The season will begin on November 6 with a performance titled Enchanting Elgar the English Romantic. Visit www.NationalChamberEnsemble.org Wolf Trap has rescheduled or canceled concerts that had been planned at the Filene Center for 2021. Visit https://www.wolftrap.org/press-and-media/news_and_announcements/performance-news/2021/performance-status.aspx New Dominion Chorale, led by Thomas Beveridge, will present a concert at Saint Luke Catholic Church in McLean, Virginia on October 24. The program will feature Maestro Beveridge's Yizkor Requiem: A Quest for Spiritual Roots and Felix Mendelssohn's Evening Hymn, Psalms 31, 32 and 100. The soloists will be Cantor Bejamin Warschawski, tenor, with Esther Heideman, soprano, and Linda Maguire, alto. Visit https://newdominion.wildapricot.org/Calendar/ Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Zimmerman, will make their debut concert at the new Capital One Hall in Tysons on October 9. The concert will feature Israeli cellist Amit Peled performing Camille Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No.1. The program will include works by Bernstein and Beethoven. Visit https://www.fairfaxsymphony.org/october-9-amit-peled-cello To read more about Capital One Hall, visit https://www.capitalonehall.com/visit The Center for the Arts at George Mason University has announced the beginning of a new season of in-person performances to begin on September 25. For a preview visit https://cfa.gmu.edu/events/preview Urban Arias will perform the world premiere of UNKNOWN, with music by Shawn Okpebholo and poems by Marcus Amaker, presented by Wolf Trap’s Chamber Music at the Barns, on October 5. Unknown is a dramatic song cycle honoring the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery, which will occur on November 11. The song cycle explores the ideas of war, honor, and memory through the eyes of soldiers, family members, and Tomb Guards who are connected to each other and the Tomb through their mutual service and sacrifice. A Digital Film Release is planned for November 11-18 Visit http://WolfTrap.org The Thirteen – the all-star professional vocal ensemble - will begin their new season with performances of Monteverdi's: the lost vespers beginning on October 22 at Episcopal High School Chapel in Alexandria, VA. Performances will follow on October 23 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Northwest D.C. and at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD on October 24. Visit https://www.thethirteenchoir.org/concerts Choral Arts, conducted by Scott Tucker, will present a concert titled The Wonder of the Human Voice on October 30 at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center in Alexandria. The a capella concert will feature Aaron Copland’s In the Beginning. The soloist will be Elizabeth Bishop, mezzo-soprano, with the Choral Arts Symphonic Chorus. Visit https://choralarts.org/the-wonder-of-the-human-voice/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
The National Chamber Ensemble
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Amit Peled - cello

Marcus Amaker and Shawn Okpebholo Courtesy of Urban Arias

MUSIC IN MARYLAND

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) upcoming Season of Discovery at The Music Center at Strathmore will include eight commissions and three world premieres, with notable soloists and 14 local partners. Visit https://www.bsomusic.org/ The National Philharmonic at Strathmore, conducted by Piotr Gajewski, will perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 on October 16. The soloists will be violinist Gil Shaham and soprano Danielle Talamantes. The program will feature Charles Ives's Variations on "America" and the world premiere of Henry Dehlinger's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The concert will also be performed at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, on October 17. Visit https://nationalphilharmonic.org/event/shaham/ The Music Center at Strathmore will feature concerts on:October 15: GIPSY KINGS, featuring Nicolas Reyes, with special guest Shutterdog October 24: POSTMODERN JUKEBOX - Modern Hits with a Roaring ’20s twistOctober 26: LEDISI - The Grammy-nominated soul powerhouseVisit https://www.strathmore.org/what-s-on/21-22-strathmore-season/ The Thirteen – the all-star professional vocal ensemble - will begin their new season with performances of Monteverdi's: the lost vespers beginning on October 22 at Episcopal High School Chapel in Alexandria, VA. Performances will follow on October 23 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Northwest D.C. and at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD on October 24. Visit https://www.thethirteenchoir.org/concerts The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College in Rockville will return to in-person performances on November 6 with a concert by The PSYCHEDELIC FURS and special guest Royston Langdon. They will perform music from their new album – their first in 29 years - plus classic hits. Visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac The Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue reopened on July 31. Visit https://www.bethesdabluesjazz.com/

The Washington National Opera (WNO) Fall season will begin with a musical tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on November 6-14 . WNO is streaming a video titled Come Hope, which is the first installment in a series titled Monuments of Hope. The initiative takes its title from an aria in Fidelio, an opera that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. Mezzo J’Nai Bridges and bass-baritone Ryan McKinny will perform in front of D.C.’s most iconic monuments—representing our collective memories and shared hope for a more perfect future. Visit www.kennedy-center.org/wno/ Victorian Lyric Opera Company will present From Paris to Vienna: A Live Concert, directed by Joseph Sorge, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville, MD, October 8-10. The live in-person performances will feature soloists, full orchestra, and chorus. The evening of music from 19th Century Europe's most popular operettas will include highlights from Lehar's The Merry Widow, Strauss' Die Fledermaus, Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, and much more. Visit https://www.vloc.org/shows--events.html Virginia Opera plans to present fully-produced performances of La bohème at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA on November 13 & 14. Visit vaopera.org Washington Concert Opera will begin their new season - hopefully at Lisner Auditorium - with a production of Gioachino Rossini's Maometto II on November 21. "Set during a time of consequential collisions between the Eastern and Western worlds that lead to seismic shifts in world power felt to this day, Rossini’s ultra-rare opera is ripe for re-examination by today’s audience." The cast will include Ashraf Sewaillam, Leah Crocetto, Bruce Sledge and Elizabeth DeShong. Visit https://concertopera.org/ Bel Cantanti Opera, led by Dr. Katerina Souvorova, is streaming E. Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel via VIMEO. Filled with magic, it’s "a delightful way to introduce kids to opera". The production can be seen in High def 1080 video @ https://player.vimeo.com/external/511998355.hd.mp4?s=bdba2e72cec840c711e8c6d274caff5736eae3bd&profile_id=175
 Classical WETA 90.9 FM Radio will broadcast operas each upcoming Saturday at 1 p.m., including: September 18: Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie September 25: Gioachino Rossini’s Tancredi Visit https://weta.org/
 RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Maestro Antony Walker

theatre in dc

Arena Stage is presenting The Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Lydia R. Diamond's Toni Stone in the Kreeger Theatre, thru October 3. The show is directed by Pam MacKinnon and choreographed by Camille A. Brown. Toni Stone was the first woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues and the first woman to play professionally in a men’s league in the 1950s. The play tells the story of Stone’s journey of perseverance and resilience. Visit www.arenastage.org The Kennedy Center will present the musical Hadestown, by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, directed by Rachel Chavkin, in the Opera House, October 13-31. The show “intertwines two mythic tales—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone.” Hadestown won eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album. The show is recommended for age 8 and up. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/theater/2021-2022/hadestown/ The Shakespeare Theatre Company will present The Amen Corner by James Baldwin, directed by Whitney White, in Sidney Harman Hall, September 14-26. The story is set in a 1950s storefront church in Harlem, where Pastor Margaret “rails at her congregation and her teenaged son for their vices.” Visit https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/the-amen-corner-21-22/ The Shakespeare Theatre Company will present Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, written by by Clark Young and Derek Goldman, directed by Derek Goldman and starring David Strathairn in the Michael R. Klein Theatre, October 6-14. In his solo performance, Academy Award nominee David Strathairn “portrays World War II hero and Holocaust witness Jan Karski, a messenger of truth who risked his life to carry his harrowing report from war-torn Poland to the Oval Office only to be disbelieved. Standing tall in the halls of power, Strathairn captures the remarkable life of the self-described 'insignificant, little man' whose forgotten story of moral courage can still shake the conscience of the world.” Visit www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/jan-karski-21-22/ Keegan Theatre, in the DuPont Circle neighborhood, is presenting live performances of David Lindsay-Abaire's Tony Nominee for Best Play titled Good People, thru October 3. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright creates both “a loving portrait of his hometown and a widely relatable tale of socio-economic struggle.” Visit https://keegantheatre.com/portfolio/good-people/ Keegan Theatre will present the regional premiere of N, a play by Adrienne Earle Pender, October 23-November 20. The play explores the relationship between African American actor Charles S. Gilpin, and White playwright Eugene O'Neill. Gilpin was acclaimed for playing the lead role in O’Neill’s play titled The Emperor Jones. The O’Neill play was the first American play to feature an African-American actor in the lead role on Broadway. Although O’Neill became a legend, Gilpin was forgotten, and the “N” word was blamed. Visit https://keegantheatre.com/portfolio/n/ The National Theatre has made single tickets available for performances of DR, SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, which will be on stage November 23-December 5. The production will open the 2021/2022 Broadway at The National Season as the first live performance in the venue since March of 2020. The show features hit songs from the original animated series, and Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, who decided to steal Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos. The costumes were inspired by Dr. Seuss’s original illustrations. Visit http://BroadwayAtTheNational.com Ford's Theatre will present My Lord, What a Night - a new drama based on the real-life friendship between contralto Marian Anderson and physicist Albert Einstein - October 1-24. After performing in Princeton, New Jersey, where physicist Albert Einstein lived and worked, Marian Anderson was denied lodging at the Nassau Inn because she is Black. Einstein invited her to stay at his home, and the two formed “a profound friendship based on their love for music and their commitment to human rights.” The play, directed by Sheldon Epps, takes us into Einstein’s home and imagines the conversations and circumstances that led to Anderson’s historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Felicia Curry plays Marian Anderson, Christopher Bloch plays Albert Einstein, Michael Russotto plays Abraham Flexner and Franchelle Stewart Dorn plays Mary Church Terrell. Visit https://www.fords.org/performances/current-and-upcoming/my-lord-what-a-night/ Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will begin the season with a production of Mike Lew's Teenage Dick, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, September 20-October 17. The play, presented in association with Huntington Theatre Company and Pasadena Playhouse, is a "modern, darkly comic re-telling of Shakespeare's Richard III, set in the most treacherous of places - high school. Bullied because of his cerebral palsy, Richard is willing to crush his enemies in order to become senior class president." Visit www.woollymammoth.net/ Mosaic Theater Company will present Birds of North America, written by Anna Onyang Moench and directed by Serge Seiden, October 27-November 21. It's the story of a woman and her father as they watch birds in their suburban Maryland backyard. The tale examines the ways global changes "work their way into our daily lives." The company performs at Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast D.C. Visit https://mosaictheater.org/birds-of-na Please note: Mosaic Theater Company postponed the presentation of Palestinian American performance artist Fargo Tbakhi's play My Father, My Martyr, and Me. Constellation Theatre, in residence at Source in D.C.’s U Street Corridor, will present Mysticism & Music, October 23-November 21. The production is based on an original story that explores ancient spiritual literature, poetry, and folklore from around the globe. The story is by Tom Teasley, Chao Tian, Allison Arkell Stockman and A.J. Guban. The cast is comprised of Deidre Staples Jacob Yeh, John Austin, Momo Nakamura, Natalie Cutcher, and Nia Savoy. Singers and dancers will join this multidisciplinary group of collaborators “to take audiences on a transcendent journey, awakening your senses with spectacular sound, imagery, and light.” Visit https://www.constellationtheatre.org/mysticism-music Theater J will present Mark St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth, directed by Holly Twyford and starring Naomi Jacobson, September 30–October 24. Before she became America’s favorite sex therapist, Dr. Ruth Westheimer had to flee Germany in the Kindertransport, become a sniper in Jerusalem, and survive as a single mother in America.” Naomi Jacobson earned a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her earlier performance in the role at Theater J in 2018. Visit https://theaterj.org/2021-2022-season Studio Theatre has announced productions planned for the coming season, which will begin in December. For more information, visit https://www.studiotheatre.org/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE


Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada in Hadestown. Photo: Matthew Murphy Courtesy of the Kennedy Center
Keegan Theatre
A Scene From The 2016 Production Of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"h Theatre
A scene from the 2016 production of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"


Theatre in Virginia

The Little Theatre of Alexandria will present August Wilson's drama Fences, directed by Eleanore Tapscott, September 11-25. The Pulitzer Prize winning play is set in the segregated 1950s, when a former Negro League baseball star is scraping by as a sanitation worker. Visit http://thelittletheatre.com/performances/ The Little Theatre of Alexandria will present Wait Until Dark, written by Frederick Knott and directed by Heather Benjamin, October 16-November 6. Set in the 1960s, the play follows the story of a blind woman who, while left alone in her apartment, becomes embroiled with a group of con men who are hatching an elaborate scam. Visit http://thelittletheatre.com/performances/#season Signature Theatre in Arlington has announced their 2021-2022 season - led by newly-appointed Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. The season will begin with RENT - Jonathan Larson's iconic rock musical, November 2-January 2, 2022. Visit https://www.sigtheatre.org/events/
 Synetic Theatre in Crystal City will present The Madness of Poe, directed by Paata Tsikurishvili and choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili, live October 11-31. The production will be comprised of a trilogy of tales from Edgar Allan Poe woven into one 90 minute thriller. The show will feature a re-imaging of the theatre’s 2007 hit adaptation of The Fall of the House of Usher, plus two more classic tales from Poe - the inventor of American horror. Visit https://synetictheater.org/2021-2022-season/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Little Theatre of Alexandria

Synetic Theatre

Theatre in Maryland

Round House Theatre
Round House Theatre in Bethesda, led by Artistic Director Ryan Rilette and Managing Director Ed Zakreski, is presenting the regional premiere of Quixote Nuevo, written by Octavio Solis and directed by Lisa Portes, thru October 3. The show is an adaption of Cervantes’s Don Quixote, set to the sounds of Tejano music. In this production, the bilingual professor, with his trusty sidekick, trudges through the desert, tilting at patrol drones instead of windmills, as he searches for long-lost love. Visit https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/On-Stage/Explore/Quixote-Nuevo
 Rockville Little Theatre will start their 2021-2022 season with a production of “Rumors” by Neil Simon September 24-October 3. The show will be live in-person at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre. Visit http://rlt-online.org/ Rockville Musical Theatre will present Leonard Bernstein's On the Town at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre on select weekends, October 29-November 6. The musical, with lyrics and book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, has a celebrated score that includes a number of musical theatre standards, including "Come Up to My Place," "I Can Cook, Too," "Some Other Time" and "New York, New York." Visit http://www.r-m-t.org/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Tyler Collins

Image courtesy of Round House Theatre
Nina Bennett

public television WETA channel 26

Visit www.weta.org Each month, The Agenda News suggests Public Television Programs that will be broadcast - mostly in the evening - on WETA, WETA UK & WETA WORLD Channel 26. Upcoming programs suggested are:
September 24 @ 8:00 LATINO AMERICANS — A six-hour WETA co-production chronicles the history of Latinos, who for more than 500 years have helped shape what is today the United States. Actor Benjamin Bratt narrates. Pictured at right, Rita Moreno. Part 1 of 6.
September 24 @ 9:00 SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME: AMERICAN MASTERS — Explore the entertainer’s vast talent and journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress. Image at right is Courtesy of The Estate of Altovise Davis
September 26 @ 8:00 IN THEIR OWN WORDS: PRINCESS DIANA — How Britain’s Princess Diana defied expectations and evolved into one of the most impactful icons of our time.
September 27 @ 9:00 IF YOU LIVED HERE, SEASON 2 — WETA’s local househunting and neighborhood exploration series returns with a new season hosted by John and Christine.
September 27 @ 10:00 - CITIZEN HEARST: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — The life of William Randolph Hearst. The model for Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, he controlled a vast media empire. Part 1 of 2.
September 28 @ 8:00 IN THEIR OWN WORDS: JIMMY CARTER — The story of a long-shot outsider who fought his way to the top office in the world, beat the odds against him again and again, and never looked back.
September 29 @ 8:00 IN THEIR OWN WORDS: ELON MUSK — How Musk went from bullied boy to young innovator to self-taught rocket scientist, ultimately becoming one of the richest men in the world.

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