The Agenda News October, 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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A display at Whole Foods Market in Friendship Heights Photo © 2021 The Agenda News

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

SPECIAL EVENTS IN D.C.: 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, wearables, and wood. There will be one-of-a-kind works of art in all price ranges. Visit https://smithsoniancraftshow.org/# The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building (AIB) will reopen for the first time in nearly two decades in celebration of the museums’s 175th Anniversary, November 20-July 6, 2022. The opening will feature the goundbreaking ‘FUTURES’ Exhibition, the Smithsonian’s first major building-wide exploration of the future. FUTURES “will fuse awe-inspiring art, technology, design and history, inviting visitors to dream big and imagine not just one but many possible futures on the horizon.” “Since 1846, the Smithsonian’s mission for the ‘increase and diffusion of knowledge’ has led to remarkable leaps—exploring the beginnings of the universe, saving species from extinction, preserving the full diversity of human culture and bringing new methods of digital learning to billions around the globe.” “FUTURES” will unfold across four unique environments, one in each of AIB’s four monumental halls: Past Futures, Futures that Inspire, Futures that Unite and Futures that Work.Visit https://aib.si.edu/ SPECIAL EVENTS IN MARYLAND Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights in Wheaton, MD – a winter-season tradition - will be on display every night, November 19-January 2, 2022, except November 22-25 and December 24-25, 2021. More than one million dazzling and colorful LED lights will be handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. The computerized light display matches lights with music, fog bubbles, and more. The Brookside Gardens’ Gift Shop will be open during the exhibit. Visit https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/garden-of-lights/ The Annual Museum Shop Holiday Market will take place in the Mansion at Strathmore at 10701 Rockville Pike in North Bethesda, MD on November 11-13. The market will bring together the area’s best museum and cultural shops which will offer unique gifts to purchase from their own shops for 3 days. Every purchase will support nonprofit museums and arts organizations in our community. The participating venues will be:StrathmoreBrookside GardensSupreme Court Historical SocietyHillwood Estate, Museum & GardensThe Phillips CollectionThe George Washington University Museum & The Textile MuseumJewish Museum of MarylandInternational Spy Museum An RSVP is required to attend. Visit https://www.strathmore.org/what-s-on/21-22-strathmore-season/museum-shop-holiday-market/ SPECIAL EVENTS IN VIRGINIA George Washington's Mount Vernon will offer Tours by Candlelight on November 26-27, December 3-4, December 10-11 and December 19. Visitors can visit with Mrs. Washington and other 18th-century residents of Mount Vernon in a 45-minute candlelit tour of the Mount Vernon estate, followed by a reception. It’s a unique opportunity to learn about holiday traditions of 18th century Virginia, and to hear stories of Christmases past from costumed character actors portraying Washington’s family, friends, and enslaved or hired staff. Walk through the lantern-lit historic area, stopping at the Slave Quarters, outbuildings, and inside the Mansion.Greet Aladdin, the Christmas camel, in the 12-Acre Field.Learn about 18th-century dining and hospitality in the Greenhouse.Finish the evening with live music, cider, and cookies in the Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center Lobby.Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/mount-vernon-by-candlelight/
Views of the Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building by Roy Blunt
Photo Courtesy of The Wharf, Washington, D.C.
A view of a previous Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens
The Mansion at Strathmore
A celebrant at a previous Wine Festival & Sunset Tour

Mount Vernon at Night

LOCAL NEWS FEATURING CHEVY CHASE & BETHESDA

TRANSITIONS FOX 5 MOVES TO BETHESDA FOX 5 DC began broadcasting from a new facility atop the 23-story Wilson Building at 7272 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda in the Summer. The station had been at 5151 Wisconsin Ave. in Northwest D.C. since 1966. There’s no need for a soaring antenna above The Wilson Building, such as Fox 5 had in D.C. It’s likely that some D.C. residents who have homes near the old Fox 5 will be pleased to have the 705-foot-tall signal tower, plus smaller antennas and the surrounding wall, removed. The old tower is taller than The Washington Monument. Visit https://www.fox5dc.com/news/fox-5-dc-debuts-new-headquarters-in-bethesda Plans are to redevelop the former site of Fox 5 with construction of a residential building containing 280 apartments and other residences. The apartment building would include 28 affordable units and 17,000 square feet of ground-level retail, possibly including an outdoor cafe. The Wilson, which is the new home of Fox 5, is an upscale office building, in the heart of Bethesda. In the future the building will have direct access to Metro’s Red Line, the Purple line, and the Capital Crescent Trail. Tatte Bakery & Café opened during the Summer on the street level of the building and offers pastries, coffee, food, and brunch. The 5500 Wisconsin Avenue Site 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 THE LISNER HOME IN FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS The Lisner Home, a nursing and assisted living facility on the D.C. side of Western Ave serving low-income seniors, is considering construction of an additional 4-story apartment building for low-income seniors on the north-east corner of the site. It would be the largest affordable housing project in Northwest D.C. WESTBARD SQUARE Demolition of the Westwood Center in Bethesda began in September, and excavation of the parking lot is in progress. The part of the Center that housed a Rite Aid Pharmacy and a bank branch have been razed. The Giant Food store will not be removed until after a new Giant has been built. The new shopping venue will be named Westbard Square.
CITY RIDGE City Ridge, a large new mixed-use development on the former site of the Fannie Mae campus - just below Tenleytown - will open at Wisconsin Avenue & Upton Street in the Spring of 2022. A Wegman’s grocery store will be part of the development. Meanwhile, an office building which stood near Fannie Mae for many years is being razed and will be replaced by an apartment building, which will be named The Upton. SHOPPING: Sheyla Vie Collections has opened a shop at 5333 Wisconsin Ave. N.W. in Friendship Heights - between Maggiano’s and Marshalls in space formerly used by Nordstrom Rack. A Grand Opening event is planned for October 28. The 40,000-square-foot women’s boutique features designer collections at sale prices all day, every day. Additionally, the space is available daily for private events and special events after 7 p.m.
Room & Board plans to open a branch of their American modern home furnishings store this Fall on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda Row. The company has a branch on 14th Street NW in the Logan Circle area of D.C. The company is based in Minneapolis. To read more about the company, visit www.roomandboard.com Wylie Grey, a high-end womens wear retailer, is now open on Bethesda Lane in Bethesda Row. Visit https://wyliegrey.com/ Gorjana, a Southern California based jewelry brand, is coming soon to Bethesda Row. Visit https://gorjana.com/ Salt & Sundry, a home + lifestyle boutique, is now open at 7126 Bethesda Lane in Bethesda Row. The company has shops at Union Market and at Logan Circle in D.C. Visit https://www.shopsaltandsundry.com/ DINING IN FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS:
Construction of The Hunter’s Hound restaurant and bar directly opposite Clyde’s on Wisconsin Avenue in The Collection is in advanced stage, and a Fall opening is planned. The owner of the Irish-themed restaurant is based in the New York City area, where he has restaurants named Hudson Hound - after the nearby Hudson River. The part of The Collection that will house the Hunter’s Hound will also house a branch of Junction Bistro, Bar and Bakery, which is based in Arlington, VA. The new venues will be in a part of The Collection which formerly housed a Ralph Lauren apparel store. That part of the building has been totally redesigned with an entrance facing Clyde’s. Table by Little Beet is the new name for Little Beet Table in The Collection at Chevy Chase Amazon Fresh opened the long-awaited grocery store in The Collection in September. Several shelves were bare within the first two days, and were gradually replenished during the following week. Some shoppers commented that the prices were somewhat lower than elsewhere and that it was nice to see familiar brand names.
DINING IN BETHESDA: Chaia, a fast casual restaurant featuring "plant-powered tacos," is scheduled to open on Bethesda Row in coming weeks. Visit https://www.chaiatacos.com/
 Ladurée Paris, a Parisian café and pastry shop with locations in New York City, Los Angeles Miami, Washington, D.C., is coming to Bethesda Row and will feature macarons, chocolates, pastries, teas and more.
PLANTA, which features innovative plant-based cuisine, plans to open this Fall on Elm Street. Visit https://bethesdarow.com/planta/?filter=eat
 Aventino plans to open two Italian-themed restaurants on the street level of the new office building at 4747 Bethesda Avenue – near Bethesda Row.
SERVICES: GLOSSLAB, a membership-based nail studio, will open its first DC area location on Elm Street in Bethesda Row. Visit https://glosslab.com/
 Heyday, a facial shop, has opened in Bethesda Row. Visit www.heydayskincare.com
 HEALTH: Medical services are now the focus of several property owners with available space to fill. Kaiser Permanente is preparing to open Well by KP - a medical center for members, at Wisconsin Place. The first of its kind in the region, the medical center will have four internal medicine and primary care physicians. They will provide personalized, extended in-person visits—including check-ups, vaccines, health screenings and more. Members will also have access to care by phone and online from home or office. Visit https://well.kaiserpermanente.org/?kp_shortcut_referrer=kp.org/well OneMedical plans to open a branch at 7187 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda – near Bethesda Row in a space formerly occupied by a Passion Fish Restaurant. The Chevy Chase Pavilion has also marketed space for use as a medical center. MedStar Health Urgent Care opened several years ago in Friendship Heights on the street level of The Barlow Building.
A view of the lower part of the Fox 5 tower in Friendship Heights and the surrounding wall.
The pedestrian entrance to the proposed mixed use development in the 5500 Block of Wisconsin Avenue would be at the corner of The Hills Plaza and South Park Avenue, where a branch of Bank of America stood.
The entrance to the Lisner Home

A view of Sheyla Vie Collections
Salt & Sundry in Bethesda Row
The site of the future Hunter's Hound & Junction Bistro, Bar and Bakery

ARTS & CRAFTS:

NATIONAL GALLERIES

The National Gallery of Art - West Building
The National Gallery of Art East Building & West Building have reopened. The Gallery is exhibiting Clouds, Ice, and Bounty: The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Collection of Seventeenth-Century Dutch and Flemish Paintings, thru 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/
RETURN TO HOME PAGE
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 is exhibiting Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, thru May 8, 2022. The island of Murano in Venice was - and is now - a center for making Venetian Glass. Times spent 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 is exhibiting Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits; the closing date has not yet been announced. "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 in September. The exhibition titled Mark Bradford: Pickett's Charge reopened on August 20. The Hirshhorn’s exterior has been "wrapped in a curtain” by renowned Swiss artist Nicolas Party. Party’s work, titled Draw the Curtain (2021), encompasses the temporary scaffolding that encases the museum building while the building’s envelope undergoes critical repairs. The wrap will remain in place until to the Spring of 2022. The Hirshhorn is presenting artwork by multimedia artist, performer, musician and writer Laurie Anderson, thru July 31, 2022. Laurie Anderson: The Weather has debuted 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 is 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 Hirshhorn is exhibiting Abigail Deville: Light of Freedom thru April 17, 2022. Her critically acclaimed sculpture is a mixed-media installation through which she "responds to the Black Lives Matter movement within the larger context of America’s long relationship to the idea of liberty itself." The 13-foot-tall artwork is placed within the Museum’s outdoor Sculpture Garden on the National Mall. DeVille "is widely recognized for works that mine the overlooked, often traumatic histories of Black America to spotlight cultural contradictions and inequities." Visit https://hirshhorn.si.edu/exhibitions/abigail-deville-light-of-freedom/ 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
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
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.
Portrait of Laurie AndersonPhoto by Ebru Yildiz
Detail view of “Draw the Curtain” (2021) by Nicolas Party, courtesy of the artist. The Hirshhorn
Imitation Lesson; Her Shadowed Influence from A Countervailing Theory (2019) © Toyin Ojih Odutola. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York
Abigail DeVille with her Light of Freedom, 2020. Welded Steel, cabling, rusted metal ball, painted mannequin arms, painted metal scaffolding, wood. 156 x 96 x 96 inches. Collection the artist, courtesy the artist. ©2020 Abigail Deville. The exhibition was organized by Madison Park Conservancy, New York, and was on view from October 27, 2020 through January 31, 2021. Photograph by Tonje Thilesen.

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 presenting a Digital Intersections project titled Amalgama Phillips by Daniel Canogar in celebration of the museum’s 100th anniversary, thru January 2, 2022. 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 is showcasing the artwork of David Driskell (1931–2020), thru January 9, 2022. David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History features 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 The Phillips Collection is presenting Mosaic by Sanford Biggers, the 30th project of the museum’s ongoing Intersections contemporary art series, as part of its centennial celebrations, thru January 2, 2022. Biggers has produced a new body of work—a three-dimensional quilt, a marble sculpture, and a floor piece made with sand—bringing together old traditions and current multi-media practices. The installation draws from the museum’s permanent collection, including Gee’s Bend quilts and a number of European modernist sculptures. The installation will be on view thru January 2, 2022, and will be accompanied by an audio-visual performance in December.Visit www.phillipscollection.org/exhibitions 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 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 is open virtually thru 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 ARTECHOUSE in Southwest D.C. is exhibiting Life of a Neuron thru November 28. The immersive show uses "decades of neuroscience data and research to explore how the brain shapes the universal human experience.” Visitors “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/ Merritt Gallery's Popup in The Collection in Chevy Chase is exhibiting Hunt Slonem’s paintings and sculptural works titled Through the Looking Glass, thru November 6. Considered one of the great colorists of his time, the American artist is best known for his "eo expressionist paintings of wildlife exotica. Slonem’s impressive career spanning almost five decades enters a new phase as he explores forms for his aesthetic muses in hand-blown glass, neon and other illuminating raw materials.” Visit https://www.merrittgallery.com/hunt-slonem-through-the-looking-glass/ Target Gallery , the contemporary exhibition space of Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town Alexandria, will present a new group exhibition “focused on the process of testing an idea and experimentation. Hypotheses, on view through October 31, spotlights artists who employ discovery and intellectual systems as part of their practices.” Target Gallery is located in Studio 2 in Torpedo Factory Art Center, located at 105 N. Union St. in Alexandria. Visit http://torpedofactory.org/partners/target-gallery/ Glen Echo Park is exhibiting Glassworks: Back to the Fire, in the Popcorn Gallery thru November 14. The exhibition features the latest work by Glassworks Resident Artist Paul Swartwood and glass artists Mark Hill, Allan Jaworski, Andrew Lang, Bob Remes, Amy Snyder, and Phil Valencia. Glen Echo Park is exhibiting Ephraim Rubenstein: Recent Paintings and Drawings in the Stone Tower Gallery thru November 14. In this body of work, Rubenstein "employs the color spot method of painting, a technique by which a piece of color, large or small, is applied directly to the canvas, rather than being built up slowly as in traditional painting methods. As a result of this technique, Rubenstein’s landscapes and figure paintings are brought to life with freshness and directness, transporting viewers to the scenes they depict." Visit https://glenechopark.org/events-calendar Dumbarton Oaks Research Library & Collection is exhibiting Margaret Mee: Portraits of Plants thru January 9. The exhibition presents twenty stunning paintings of Amazonian flora by the artist, explorer, and environmentalist Margaret Mee (1909–1988) in the Dumbarton Oaks Rare Book Collection. The works were acquired by Dumbarton Oaks founder Mildred Bliss in 1966 and 1967 and date to her first three expeditions in the Amazon. The exhibition also displays “the enduring interplay between art and science through a variety of media (botanical illustration, watercolor, photography) extending to the present day, with works by contemporary photographer Amy Lamb, scientific illustrator Alice  Tangerini, and botanical artist Nirupa Rao.” The exhibition is curated by Yota Batsaki, Executive Director, and Anatole Tchikine, Curator of Rare Books, with assistance from Leib Celnik, Postgraduate Curatorial Fellow. Visit https://www.doaks.org/visit/museum/exhibitions/margaret-mee IA&A at Hillyer will reopen with exhibition of She Says, Her Story: Contemporary Women Artists from Taiwan, November 5-December 19. The exhibition - curated by Yu-Chuan TSENG - features six female artists I-Chun CHEN, Wen-Jen DENG, Jui Hung NI, Ping-Yu PAN, Yi-Hsin TZENG, and Ya-Lan YU. They range in age from 30-50 years old with backgrounds that include Aboriginal, Hakka, Taiwanese, and same sex orientation. They use different types of media (video, painting, textiles, light boxes, soft sculpture, and installation), “to share observations and explorations that reflect their personal experiences and the lives of their grandmothers, mothers, and friends. The exhibition was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan), and coordinated by International Arts and Artists, INFODATE (Taiwan Information, Design, Technology, Education Association), and The Taiwan Academy. Visit https://athillyer.org/current-exhibitions/ Arlington Arts Center (AAC) is exhibiting Take a Number: Artists and Bureaucracy in the Main Galleries, thru December 18. The exhibition features seven artists “who explore, co-opt, and challenge bureaucratic systems and structures. They highlight the human impact of bureaucratic institutions, from the professional relationships between artists and arts organizations, to the obscure workings of financial systems, to the violent and deadly consequences wrought by global empires.” AAC is also exhibiting Olivia Tripp Morrow: Body, Joy, Cage, Scar in the Wyatt Resident Artists Gallery thru December 18. The exhibition features new work by the AAC resident artist. The artist’s drawings, embroidery, and video “explore the human body as a tool, a worksite, and a raw material." Visit https://arlingtonartscenter.org/exhibitions/current
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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
Images courtesy of Glen Echo Park
At top, Margaret Mee sketching in the Amazon rainforest, Rio Negro, 1988 - Photograph: South American Pictures, Tony Morriso and below, Neoregelia concentrica, Margaret Mee, 1960, 66 × 48 cm, gouache, signed and dated “Neoregelia concentrica, Dezembro, 1960, Reserva Florestal, Caraguatatuba, São Paulo. Margaret Mee”

books

The Library of Congress
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
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® from Miami City Ballet

dance

The Kennedy Center will present George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® from Miami City Ballet in the Opera House, November 24-28. A winter wonderland is inhabited by toy soldiers, waltzing snowflakes and flowers, a Sugarplum Fairy, and a nutcracker who comes to life—and a brave girl named Marie – all dancing to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and Balanchine’s choreography. The production features 100 dancers, a live orchestra, new designs by Cuban-American artists Ruben and the late Isabel Toledo, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/ballet/ The Dance Program at the Kennedy Center is listed at https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/dance/ 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/ The Washington Ballet led by Artistic Director Julie Kent, will perform The Nutcracker, with choreography by Septime Webre and music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, at the Warner Theatre November 27-December 26. The celebrated production is set in historic 1882 Georgetown with George Washington, King George III, and other historical figures. There are “intricate, stunning set designs, original period costumes, and over 100 dancers including students and trainees from The Washington School of Ballet. It has become the signature Nutcracker of the nation’s capital.” Visit https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/the-nutcracker-2021/ 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 Dance Place will present the EMBARK Season Gala – a two night event including in-person and virtual viewing options – November 12-13. The evenings will be filled with dance performances and other festivities! The program will feature performances by Dance Place’s current Artists in Residence Tariq Darrell O’Meally & Britta Joy Peterson, national artists slowdanger and Gesel Mason, and artists from our youth programs. Visit https://www.danceplace.org/gala2021/ 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
Ford's Theatre
Eran Bugge and Company in Paul Taylor's Company B.Photo by Paul B. Goode.
A previous Gala at DANCE PLACE

FAMILY

FAMILY IN D.C. Ford's Theatre will present A Christmas Carol, the classic holiday show, November 24-December 27. Charles Dickens's Yuletide story will be directed by José Carrasquillo in a reimagined production based on Michael Wilson's Radio Play adaptation. Traditional caroling and new staging will be featured throughout the show. Craig Wallace will return to play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge as he encounters ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. The show is recommended for ages 5 and older. Visit https://www.fords.org/performances/current-and-upcoming/a-christmas-carol/ FAMILY SHOWS @ THE KENNEDY CENTER are listed @ https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/young-audiences/ The Children's Museum on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown D.C. is open with limitations. For updates, visit https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/a-healthy-visit/ 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 National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink will be open - with limitations - November 19-March 6, 2022 (weather permitting). The ice rink will be closed when it rains or in extreme temperatures and on December 25 and January 1. For general information and announcements about ice rink openings and closings, call (202) 216-9397 Masks are not required in the outdoor Sculpture Garden or on the ice rink itself, but are required inside the Pavilion Café. With a panoramic view of the Sculpture Garden, the Pavilion Café serves freshly made salads, soups, flatbreads, and sandwiches, with indoor and outdoor seating. Advanced online ordering is available. Visit https://www.nga.gov/visit/ice-rink.html Tenleytown in Northwest D.C. will have their annual WinterFest, November 26-December 4. There will be restaurant specials throughout town in some new restaurants and some old favorites. There will be a Scavenger Hunt, a winter Pop-Up Market and Classic Tenley WinterFest Merchandise available. All proceeds will benefit programs in support of the Tenleytown community and local small businesses. Visit http://www.tenleywinterfest.org/winterfeast/ The Wharf in Southwest D.C. has several events planned for upcoming weeks, including:November 14: Oyster DerbyNovember 26: Lighting of The Wharf Christmas TreeNovember 28: Lighting of the MenorahDecember 4: The District’s Holiday Boat ParadeVisit https://www.wharfdc.com/upcoming-events/
 FAMILY IN MARYLAND The Collection at Chevy Chase will present a Fall Festival on October 23, 11 am-3 pm, featuring a Bounce house, face painting, pumpkin decorating and more! Looking farther ahead, The Collection will present Mr. Jon's Music on November 13 at 10:30 am. Visit https://collectionchevychase.com/events/fall-festival/?date=10/23/2021 BusyBees reopened on Wisconsin Circle in The Collection at Chevy Chase on October 1. Visit https://busybeeschevychase.com/ Adventure Theatre & ATMTC Academy is presenting Luchadora! at Glen Echo Park thru 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/ Adventure Theatre & ATMTC Academy will present Winterfest, directed by Cara Gabriel, at Glen Echo Park, November 19-January 2. The production will include three favorites from the company's "digital Jingle in July festival" to the live stage. The three shows are Uri & Ora Light the Menorah by Robyn Shrater Seemann; Connection by Diego Maramba & Michelle Bowen and Cranky Penguin by Keegan Patterson..Visit https://adventuretheatre-mtc.org/in-person-productions-2021-2022-season/
 The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park is presenting Witch Wartsmith’s Halloween Spooktacular, thru 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 The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park will present Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, based on the book by Eric Kimmel, November 18-January 2. It’s the story of Hershel, who “just wants to celebrate Hanukkah with the community, but the Queen and King of the Goblins have forbidden the lighting of the candles. Can Hershel save the day and lift the curse for this shtetl (village)?” Attend during Hanukkah (November 28 - December 5) to take home a special gift. The Puppet Co at Glen Echo Park will present The Nutcracker, November 26-January 2. The show “will bring to life Tchaikovsky’s musical adaptation of the tale by E. T. A. Hoffman. Larger than life-size costume characters and marionettes delight Clara- Marie, and the audience, on a magical journey through the “Land of the Sugarplum Fairy.” Visit https://www.thepuppetco.org/shows Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights in Wheaton, MD – a winter-season tradition - will be on display every night, November 19-January 2, 2022, except November 22-25 and December 24-25, 2021. More than one million dazzling and colorful LED lights will be handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. The computerized light display matches lights with music, fog bubbles, and more. The Brookside Gardens’ Gift Shop will be open during the exhibit. Tickets are only available for purchase in advance on Eventbrite.com. Visit https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/garden-of-lights/ FAMILY IN VIRGINIA Synetic Theatre in Crystal City will present Cinderella, November 29-December 26. "Led by an all-female team of Syneticons, this innovative take on the classic fairytale is a perfect fit for audiences of all ages." The cast will feature Maria Simpkins as Cinderella; Pablo Guillen as the Prince; Robert Bowen Smith as the Evil Stepfather; Covenant Babatunde as a Stepsister; Karina Hilleard as the Fairy Godmother & Irene Hamilton as the Valet. Visit https://synetictheater.org/2021-2022-season/ George Washington's Mount Vernon will offer Tours by Candlelight on November 26-27, December 3-4, December 10-11 and December 19. Visitors can visit with Mrs. Washington and other 18th-century residents of Mount Vernon in a 45-minute candlelit tour of the Mount Vernon estate, followed by a reception. It’s a unique opportunity to learn about holiday traditions of 18th century Virginia, and to hear stories of Christmases past from costumed character actors portraying Washington’s family, friends, and enslaved or hired staff. Walk through the lantern-lit historic area, stopping at the Slave Quarters, outbuildings, and inside the Mansion. Greet Aladdin, the Christmas camel, in the 12-Acre Field.Learn about 18th-century dining and hospitality in the Greenhouse.Finish the evening with live music, cider, and cookies in the Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center Lobby.Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/mount-vernon-by-candlelight/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
An evening view of the National Gallery of Art Skating Rink


Images for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins & The Nutcracker Courtesy of The Puppet Co.
A display at a previous Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens
Synetic Theatre

Film


Cinema Art Bethesda is streaming the Polish film, Never Gonna Snow Again. It’s the tale of a Russian-speaking immigrant from the East who works as a masseur in Poland. As the story unfolds, he becomes a guru-like figure in a wealthy gated community of his clients. The stream will be available until noon October 24. More information on the film can be found at https://cinemaartbethesda.org/this-years-films/never-gonna-snow-again/ A post-film discussion moderated by Adam Spector will take place via Zoom at noon, October 24. There is an $8 charge to view the film for one individual or a group. To view the film: Click on the following link (or copy and paste it into your browser’s address bar)https://kinomarquee.com/film/never-gonna-snow-again/60215f3f3ec8930001bf9c0f?venue_id=824Select “Screen for $8.00” and follow the directions to sign in or sign up and pay for the film. You should not need a password. You will have 5 days to watch the film after paying for it. To join the Zoom meeting on your computer, click the following link or copy and paste it into your browser’s address bar. Visit https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89367111499?pwd=WE4yRzVJQWxaMXlRYXZmcjVnUkkrdz09 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 "Never Gonna Snow Again" Courtesy of Cinema Art Bethesda

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 Brookside Gardens’ Garden of Lights in Wheaton, MD – a winter-season tradition - will be on display every night, November 19-January 2, 2022, except November 22-25 and December 24-25, 2021. More than one million dazzling and colorful LED lights will be handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. The computerized light display matches lights with music, fog bubbles, and more. The Brookside Gardens’ Gift Shop will be open during the exhibit. Tickets are only available for purchase in advance on Eventbrite.com. Visit https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/garden-of-lights/ 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
A display at a previous Garden of Lights

MUSEUMS

A view of "Critical Distance" at The National Museum of Natural History
The National Building Museum will exhibit The Wall/El Muro: What Is a Border Wall? starting November 6. The exhibition “will deploy photography, video, artifacts, and immersive exhibition design to help visitors understand and think about the role of design, architecture, planning, and engineering in the realm of national security and geopolitics." Over the coming years, the U.S./Mexico border wall "will be the focus of much public conversation, and the Museum will join in and provide background for the discussion. This exhibition will encourage visitors to be curious and engaged in this international conversation. Ultimately, The Wall/El Muro will argue for a more nuanced understanding of the borderlands and new ways for visitors to think about this issue moving forward.” Visit https://www.nbm.org/exhibition/the-wall/ 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 played 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 is exhibiting Make Good the Promises: Reconstruction and Its Legacies, thru 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 The National Museum of Natural History is exhibiting Critical Distance, thru 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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Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform with wife and two daughters. Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540

music in d.c.

The National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier, will perform Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, plus excerpts from Bizet’s L’Arlésienne, and the NSO’s premiere performances of a co-commission by Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón, in the Concert Hall, October 28, 29 & 30. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2021-2022/tortelier-naughton/ The NSO. conducted by Nicholas McGegan, will perform a program featuring music by Bach and Telemann in the Concert Hall on November 4 & 6. The NSO, conducted by Juanjo Mena, with siblings Katia & Marielle Labèque, will play Dessner’s Concerto for Two Pianos in the Concert Hall on November 11, 12 & 13. The Kennedy Center Chamber Players, comprised of title players of the NSO, will perform their Fall Concert in the Terrace Theater on November 14. The NSO will present Artistic Advisor Ben Folds “In Actual Person Live For Real Tour” in the Concert Hall on November 15. The NSO will not perform in this program. The NSO, conducted by Australian conductor Simone Young, will perform Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, and Arvo Pärt’s requiem to Britten in the Concert Hall on November 18 & 20. The NSO will perform Disney and Pixar’s "Up" in Concert in the Concert Hall on November 26 & 27. They will perform Michael Giacchino’s Oscar- and Grammy Award-winning score live to the film! The film is about a curmudgeonly 78-year-old balloon salesman and his 8-year-old stowaway. Dover Quartet - the Kennedy Center's quartet-in-residence - will be joined by pianist Haochen Zhang in the Terrace Theater to launch the 2021-2022 Fortas season on October 20 with a program of Schubert and Mendelssohn plus a new commission from Marc Neikrug. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/fortas/2021-2022/dover-quartet-haochen-zhang/ Renée Fleming Voices will present Leslie Odom, Jr. in The Christmas Tour in the Eisenhower Theater on November 26 & 27. Leslie Odom won the 2016 Tony® for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance as Aaron Burr in the hit musical Hamilton. Visit www.kennedy-center.org Washington Performing Arts will present Tomorrow I May Be Far Away: Lara Downes with Rita Dove & Thalea Quartet at Sixth & I in D.C. on November 3. Pianist Lara Downes will present “an evening of music and poetry inspired by myriad stories of migration and transformation, joined in special-guest appearances by Pulitzer-winning poet Rita Dove and by the vibrant and innovative Thalea Quartet, Graduate String Quartet in residence at the University of Maryland School of Music. The program includes works by Duke Ellington, Quinn Mason, Florence Price, Carlos Simon, Nina Simone, Alvin Singleton, and William Grant Still.” Visit https://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/seasontickets/2021-22-season/lara-downes/ Young Concert Artists (YCA) will begin their 2021-22 season in D.C. with a performance by pianist Zhu Wang at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater on November 17. A native of Hunan, China, Zhu won the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Audition. Visit https://yca.org/concerts/ 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 Thirteen, the peerless choral group led by Matthew Robertson, will perform A Cathedral Christmas with Marvin Mills, organ, in December. They will sing carols for the holiday season from the English Cathedral tradition, from 16th century roots through to a new work written for The Thirteen by Indian composer Juhi Bansal. The performances will be at Episcopal High School Chapel in Alexandria, VA on December 17; St. Paul's at K Street NW in DC on December 18 and at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD on Dec. 19. Visit https://www.thethirteenchoir.org/concerts The Washington Chorus, led by Dr. Eugene Rogers, Artistic Director, has announced their 2021-22 Season. The season will begin with performances of A Candlelight Christmas at The Music Center at Strathmore on December 16, 17 & 23 and at The Kennedy Center Concert Hall on December 19, 21 & 23. Visit www.thewashingtonchorus.org Washington Bach Consort, led by Dana Marsh, Artistic Director, will resume their FREE! Noontime Cantata Series in October. For details, visit https://bachconsort.org/noontime-cantatas/ Washington Bach Consort will present a concert titled All that is Rite - Bach and Handel: Music for the Mass and Vespers at St. Paul's Lutheran Church on November 7. The soloists will be Amy Nicole Broadbent, soprano, Crossley Danielle Hawn soprano, Clare McNamara, alto, Brian Giebler, tenor and Paul Max Tipton, bass. Visit https://bachconsort.org/ PostClassical Ensemble (PCE) will present a concert titled The Souls of Black Folk: Rediscovering Black Classical Music at All Souls Church in D.C. on November 14. The concert will be presented in partnership with Howard University and the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts. PCE "explores the roots of Black classical music, from the sorrow songs that speak to the suffering of enslaved Africans in the United States to the spiritual arrangements of composer Harry Burleigh and the musical prophecies of Antonin Dvorak. The soloists will be Elizabeth G. Hill, piano, and Melissa Constantin, soprano, with Howard University student actors, the CAAPA Chorale, conducted by Music Director Greg Watkins, and PCE, conducted by Music Director Angel Gil-Ordóñez. Jenn White will host the event. Visit https://www.postclassical.com/shows/the-souls-of-black-folk-rediscovering-black-classical-music Dumbarton Concerts in Georgetown, D.C. will present: Ensemble 4.1: Piano Windtet in a virtual concert on November 13. Four wind soloists from German orchestras and a Berlin-based pianist make up this unique ensemble. They will perform works by Mozart, Avner Dorman and Gieseking. Helicon: Winter Solstice in a live in-person on December 11. The concert will feature the capital area’s finest traditional musicians with a mix of Celtic dance rhythms fused with Irish, Scottish, French Canadian, Appalachian, and bluegrass music. Baltimore-based Charm City Junction will bring "rambunctious old-time sounds that are sure to get your feet tapping." A Celtic Christmas live in-person on December 12 featuring Allison Hampton, harp, Linn Barnes, guitar & lute, Joseph Cunliffe, flutes & recorders and Steve Bloom, percussion, with Robert Aubry Davis, narrator. Visit https://www.dumbartonconcerts.org/concerts-and-tickets The Phillips Collection has returned to live concerts for the 2021/22 season, which marks the 81st year of the acclaimed concert series. The museum has very limited in-person seating capacity for the new season, in line with the DC government guidance. Thus, each performance will take place with a limited in-person audience of supporters. As the pandemic conditions in the region continue to evolve, the Phillips will update its in-person ticket availability when it is safe to do so, and hopes to expand this availability and bring more of its audiences back to the Music Room. Meanwhile, all concerts will be livestreamed from the Music Room and will offer a broad range of musical styles, DC-debut performances, and special new commissions. All registered ticket holders will be able to watch performances “on demand” for 48 hours following each livestream. All of the concerts will be on Sundays, except for the January 20, concert, which will be on a Thursday. The concert schedule is as follows:
October 24: Kit Armstrong, solo pianoOctober 31: Aaron Diehl and Tyshawn Sorey, piano and percussionNovember 7, Johnny Gandelsman, solo violinNovember 14: Attacca QuartetNovember 21: Washington National Opera Cafritz Young ArtistsDecember 5: Parker Ramsey, solo harpJanuary 9: Tabea Debus & Paul Morton, recorder, theorbo & guitarJanuary 16: Zoie Reams, mezzo-sopranoJanuary 20: Leading International Composers: Tania LeónJanuary 30: Conrad Tao & Jay Campbell, piano, synthesizer & celloFebruary 6: David Greilsammer, solo pianoFebruary 20: Stella Chen and friends, violin and ensembleFebruary 27: Maki Namekawa, solo pianoMarch 6: Ensemble JupiterMarch 13: Mishka Rushdie MomenMarch 20: Shanghai Quartet/Anthony Roth Costanzo, string quartet and countertenorMarch 27: Ensemble VariancesApril 3: Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn, two pianosApril 10: Sebastian Knauer, solo pianoApril 17: Leila Josefowicz, solo violinApril 24: Vision Duo, violin and marimbaMay 1: Jonathan Biss, solo pianoMay 8: Karim Sulayman, tenor and piano Virtual tickets for the full season are now on sale. Visit www.phillipscollection.org/music Capital City Symphony, led by Artistic Director and Conductor Victoria Gau, will perform Carlos Simon’s Elegy, A Cry from the Grave at Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast D.C. on November 7. Simon’s Elegy is “dedicated to those who have been murdered wrongfully by an oppressive power,” followed by his piece titled This Land, “lifting hope and unity.” The program will also feature Howard University alum, Adolphus Hailstork’s Sonata da Chiesa and Joseph Bologne’s Chevalier de Saint-Georges’s Symphony No. 2. Visit http://www.capitalcitysymphony.org/upcoming-events Choralis will present A Classic Brass Christmas at National City Christian Church in D.C. on December 5. This annual favorite features a candlelight processional and both old and new music from around the world. Selections will include a work from Choralis’s award-winning CD, “In Winter’s Arms: Seasonal Music by Bob Chilcott.” Throughout the concert there will be audience carol sing-alongs, adding a joyful finishing touch to the festivities. Visit https://choralis.org/events-2/ The Georgetown Concert Series at St. John's Episcopal Church will present Imani Winds on November 7. The Grammy-nominated quintet is known for their adventurous programming. Visit https://stjohnsgeorgetown.org/georgetown-concert-series/ Choral Arts Chamber Singers, conducted by Scott Tucker, will present a concert titled The Golden Hour at Live! at 10th & G on November 13. The concert will feature John Corigliano’s setting of Dylan Thomas’s Fern Hill and works by several living and local composers. Visit https://choralarts.org/the-golden-hour/
 The Washington Conservatory of Music will present the Pressenda Chamber Players in three concerts this Winter, beginning with a concert at Westmoreland Church in Bethesda, MD on October 30. The concert will include Mozart's c minor viola quintet and Mendelssohn's B flat Major viola quintet. The two remaining concerts of the series will be on November 20, featuring the Glazunov String Quintet in A Major and the Haydn String Quartet and on December 4 - an All-Baroque Concert with strings and harpsichord. Visit https://www.washingtonconservatory.org/concerts/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
The Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Yan Pascal Tortelie - Conductor Courtesy of the Kennedy Center


Simone Young Courtesy of The Kennedy Center
Katia & Marielle Labèque Courtesy of The Kennedy Center
Courtesy of The Kennedy Center
The Thirteen
Zhu Wang Young Concert Artists Photo credit Jiyang Chen
Ari Quartet Photo by Shevrin Lainez
Carlos Simon Capital City Symphony Photographer: Terrance Ragland.
Choralis
Imani Winds The Georgetown Concert Series

MUSIC IN VIRGINIA

Maestro 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 Museum in Alexandria. The concert will be repeated at Annandale United Methodist Church 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

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/ The City Choir of Washington will perform Duruflé's Requiem and his Choral Variations on “Veni Creator,” Op. 4 at Saint Luke Catholic Church in McLean, VA on November 7. The all-French program will also include L. Boulanger's Pie Jesu. The 2021-2022 season will be Maestro Robert Shafer’s last as Artistic Director and will celebrate his 54-year career and brilliant leadership in the Washington, D.C. choral community. Visit https://www.thecitychoirofwashington.org/
 The National Chamber Ensemble (NCE) will present a concert titled Charming Elgar The English Romantic at Gunston Arts Center's Theater 1 on November 6. NCE is programming music of Great Britain for the first time and will pay tribute to the most famous English composer with a premiere of one of his most famous compositions in a chamber ensemble setting. The company plans to offer both in-person performances and a high-quality video recording so that those unable to attend in person can continue to share the joy from the comfort of home. The program will include a work by Arthur Sullivan. Visit www.NationalChamberEnsemble.org
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Ross, in partnership with the Alexandria Film Festival, will perform Homegrown: American Stories in Music and Film at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on Saturday, November 6 and at George Washington Masonic Memorial on Sunday, November 7. The concerts will incorporate music from the Americana tradition with original film shorts. (The films will not be screened for the Sunday performance at the George Washington Masonic Memorial.) The program will feature, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, plus works by Jennifer Higdon, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Aaron Copland, William Grant Still and Charles Ives. Immediately after the Saturday performance, there will be an interactive talkback with the filmmakers on the stage. Visit https://alexsym.org/performance/pictures-at-an-exhibition/
Choralis will perform Mozart’s solo concerto for voice, Exsat ultate Jubilate, K. 165 paired with his Piano Concerto 23 in A Major, K. 488, with his unfinished Requiem, K. 626, on October 31 at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria. The featured soloists will be Suzanne Karpov-Seigart, Soprano; Roger Isaacs, Alto; Jacob Perry, Tenor; James Shaffran, Bass, with Todd Fickley, Piano. Visit https://choralis.org/events-2/
 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

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From left to right) Leo Sushansky (artistic director/violin), Steven Honigberg (cello) , Jennifer Ries (viola), Chris Shieh (viola), Vasily Popov (cello), Jorge Orozco (violin). The National Chamber Ensemble
Maestro Robert Shafer City Choir of Washington
Choralis
Maestro James Ross Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

MUSIC IN MARYLAND

The Music Center at Strathmore The National Philharmonic at Strathmore, conducted by Luke Frazier, will present a musical celebration of the film The Bodyguard, starring Deborah Cox on November 12. The Grammy Award nominated, multi-platinum R & B/Pop recording artist and actress "recently blew the roof off theatres" as she starred in the Rachel Marron role originally played by Whitney Houston in the new musical “The Bodyguard.” Visit https://nationalphilharmonic.org/event/bodyguard/ The National Philharmonic, conducted by Stan Engebretson, with the National Philharmonic Chorale, will present The Cry of Jeremiah on November 20. The program will include works by Moses Hogan, Hall Johnson and Roland Carter, Jr. The guest artist will be Aundi Marie Moore, soprano, with Rosephanye Powell, narrator, and the Howard University Chorale, led by Dr. Eric Poole, Choral Director. Visit https://nationalphilharmonic.org/event/jeremiah/
 The Music Center at Strathmore will feature concerts on:
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 Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD will present the BRAZILIAN ALL STARS on October 22. Direct from Rio de Janeiro, they will perform Brazilian Nights: The Greatest Hits, featuring Brazil’s most famous songs, Sambas, Bossa Novas, Ballads, Choro, Fado, Virtuoso Instrumental tracks and more. Visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac
The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College in Rockville will perform a concert by The PSYCHEDELIC FURS and special guest Royston Langdon on November 6. They will perform music from their new album – their first in 29 years - plus classic hits. Visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac The Washington Conservatory of Music will present the Pressenda Chamber Players in three concerts this Winter, beginning with a concert at Westmoreland Church in Bethesda, MD on October 30. The concert will include Mozart's c minor viola quintet and Mendelssohn's B flat Major viola quintet. The two remaining concerts of the series will be on November 20, featuring the Glazunov String Quintet in A Major and the Haydn String Quartet and on December 4 - an All-Baroque Concert with strings and harpsichord. Visit https://www.washingtonconservatory.org/concerts/ 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 Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue reopened on July 31. Visit https://www.bethesdabluesjazz.com/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Stan Engebretson National Philharmonic
The Brazilian All Stars
Pressenda Chamber Players Washington Conservatory
Virginia Opera will perform Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème: Rodolfo Remembers at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA on November 13 &14. The company's intimate take on Puccini’s classic is "full of emotion and some of the most memorable pieces in all of opera.” The opera will be sung in Italian with English Surtitles. Visit https://vaopera.org/experience/subscriptions/ The Washington National Opera (WNO) Fall season will begin with a musical tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on November 6-14 . The program will feature Pretty Yende, Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, Alexandria Shiner, David Butt Philip, Christian Van Horn, and more! Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2021-2022/come-home/ 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/ Classical WETA 90.9 FM Radio broadcasts operas each Saturday at 1 p.m. Visit https://weta.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 RETURN TO HOME PAGE

theatre in dc

Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada in Hadestown.
Photo: Matthew Murphy
Courtesy of the Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center is presenting the musical Hadestown, by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, directed by Rachel Chavkin, in the Opera House, thru October 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/ Theater J will present Tuesdays with Morrie, based on the memoir by Mitch Albon and directed by Jenna Place, November 10-December 5. It’s the story of a hard-driving sportswriter, and his former college professor. They reunite as Morrie faces his own mortality as an ALS patient. “What starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a beautiful lesson in humanity, compassion, and friendship.” Visit https://theaterj.org/2021-2022-season-shows/ Arena Stage will present American playwright August Wilson's Seven Guitars, directed by Tazewell Thompson, on the Fichandler Stage, November 26-December 26. Set in 1948, the play focuses on seven friends “whose lives are irrevocably changed when their old friend and blues singer Floyd Barton reappears with a chance of a lifetime.” Seven Guitars is the fifth play in Wilson’s American Century Cycle and the second half of Arena Stage Giants Festival featuring August Wilson. Visit www.arenastage.org Keegan Theatre will present the regional premiere of N, a play by Adrienne Earle Pender, October 23-November 20. The play, featuring Kevin Thorne, Lolita Marie, & Jared Graham, 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. 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 National Theatre will present the musical comedy Tootsie, December 7-12. Based on the classic movie of the same title, the show “tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime."
The National Theatre will present the musical Pretty Woman, which was inspired by the classic movie of the same name, December 28-January 2, 2022. Based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, the show stars Broadway superstar and Tony Award®-nominee Adam Pascal and Olivia Valli as the charming and charismatic Vivian Ward. Visit http://BroadwayAtTheNational.com The Shakespeare Theatre Company will present the world premiere of the Broadway-bound musical Once Upon a One More Time, written by Jon Hartmere, inspired by music performed and recorded by Britney Spears, and directed and choreographed by Keone and Mar Madrit, at Sidney Harman Hall, November 30-January 2. It’s the tale of “a rogue fairy godmother who leads four classic fairytale princesses to smash the glass slipper and reclaim their own happily ever after.” The show features “chart-topping anthems of the Princess of Pop herself, Britney Spears—including “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Lucky,” “Stronger,” and “Toxic”—Once Upon a One More Time.” Visit https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/once-upon-a-one-more-time-21-22/ Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will present A Strange Loop, with book, music, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson, direction by Stephen Brackett and choreographer by Raja Feather Kelly, November 22-January 2, 2022. The 2020 Pulitzer-Prize winner is about a "Black, queer writer writing his original musical....about a Black queer writer writing his original musical." The show will feature Antwayn Hopper, L Morgan Lee, John-Michael Lyles, James Jackson, Jr., John-Andrew Morrison, & Jason Veasey and will introduce Jaquel Spivey. Visit https://www.woollymammoth.net/current-season/21-22-season/ 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. ExPats Theatre will present Pankrác 45, written by Czech playwright Martina Kinska and co-directed by Melissa Robinson and Karin Rosnizeck, at Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE, October 28-November 21. The play – presented in partnership with The Embassy of the Czech Republic - is set at the famous Pankrác prison in Prague, in the summer 1945, just weeks after the German defeat. Five women accused of Nazi collaboration shared one prison cell as they awaited trial – knowing that they were doomed. The production features Sara Barker, Lisa Hodsoll, Aniko Olah, Karin Rosnizeck, & Stacy Whittle. Visit www.ExPatsTheatre.com Washington Stage Guild will present live performances of Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! in the Undercroft Theatre, November 11-December 5. The play, directed by Gerrad Taylor, is the South African playwright's “meditation on education and its role in the struggle for justice, along with its sad limits in a culture of oppression and bigotry. In an Eastern Cape Karoo town in South Africa in 1984, a devoted teacher seeks to provide a future for his prize pupil by forming a debate team with a bright student from the local white school. The teacher is challenged by the generational divide and the political violence brewing outside the classroom. Visit https://stageguild.org/performances/ Ford's Theatre is presenting My Lord, What a Night - a new drama based on the real-life friendship between contralto Marian Anderson and physicist Albert Einstein - thru October 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/ Ford's Theatre will present A Christmas Carol, the classic holiday show, November 24-December 27. Charles Dickens's Yuletide story will be directed by José Carrasquillo in a reimagined production based on Michael Wilson's Radio Play adaptation. Traditional caroling and new staging will be featured throughout the show. Craig Wallace will return to play the role of Ebenezer Scrooge as he encounters ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. The show is recommended for ages 5 and older. Visit https://www.fords.org/performances/current-and-upcoming/a-christmas-carol/ 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 is presenting Mark St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth, directed by Holly Twyford and starring Naomi Jacobson, thru 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

Photo for Seven Guitars courteys of Arena Stage
Kevin Thorne (Charles), Lolita Marie (Florence), and Jared Graham (Eugene) Keegan Theatre
Stars of Once Upon a One More Time from left - Briga Heelan Justin Guarini John Glover Emily Skinner and Aisha Jackson at The Shakespeare Theatre


ExPats Theatre
A Scene From The 2016 Production Of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"h Theatre

A Strange Loop Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. Image by Justine Swindell

Theatre in Virginia

The Little Theatre of Alexandria is presenting Wait Until Dark, written by Frederick Knott and directed by Heather Benjamin, thru 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 will present RENT – Jonathan Larson’s iconic rock musical – directed by Matthew Gardiner, Artistic Director, November 2-January 2, 2022. The winner of the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, the “groundbreaking phenomenon defined a generation as it redefined the American musical and has never been more essential in today’s world.” The musical is set at the end of the millennium “as a group of bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggle with gentrification, love, loss and legacies amidst the HIV/AIDS crisis. Through songs such as “Seasons of Love,” “One Song Glory,” “I’ll Cover You,” “Out Tonight” and more, they embrace hope, find strength and survive.” Visit https://www.sigtheatre.org/events/202122/rent/ Synetic Theatre in Crystal City is presenting The Madness of Poe, directed by Paata Tsikurishvili and choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili, live thru October 31. The production is comprised of a trilogy of tales from Edgar Allan Poe woven into one 90 minute thriller. The show features a new take on 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/ Synetic Theatre in Crystal City will present Cinderella, November 29-December 26. "Led by an all-female team of Syneticons, this innovative take on the classic fairytale is a perfect fit for audiences of all ages." The cast will feature Maria Simpkins as Cinderella; Pablo Guillen as the Prince; Robert Bowen Smith as the Evil Stepfather; Covenant Babatunde as a Stepsister; Karina Hilleard as the Fairy Godmother & Irene Hamilton as the Valet. Visit https://synetictheater.org/2021-2022-season/ NextStop Theatre Company in Herndon, Virginia will present The Turn of the Screw, directed by Christopher Richardson, October 22-November 7. Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the story by Henry James, the play is a ghost story about a Victorian-era governess who is hired to work at an estate and care for two orphaned children. "After learning about the deaths of her predecessor and the former groundskeeper, the governess is haunted by the images of their ghosts. But are the ghosts real or merely figments of her imagination?” NextStop Theatre Company will present Becky Mode’s play Fully Committed, directed by Jennifer Redford, November 12-21. The play is a one-woman, forty-character comedy that follows a day in the life of an out-of-work actress who “works the red-hot reservation line at Manhattan’s number-one restaurant. While juggling scheming socialites, name-dropping wannabes, fickle celebrities, and egomaniacal bosses, can she manage to look out for herself?” Visit https://www.nextstoptheatre.org/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE



Synetic Theatre
Synetic Theatre
Tyler Collins
NextStop Theatre

Theatre in Maryland

Round House Theatre
Round House Theatre in Bethesda will present the regional premiere of Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap, directed by Jennifer Chang, November 10-December 5. In addition to the live performances, the play will stream on demand beginning November 26. The cast is comprised of Grant Chang, Eric Hissom, Lois Shih and Randy Nguyen Ta. The play is set in 1989, when the University of San Francisco basketball team is headed to China for a “friendship” game just before the Tiananmen Square uprising. Visit https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/On-Stage/Explore/The-Great-Leap 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
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:
October 20 @ 8:00 NATURE: MY GARDEN OF A THOUSAND BEES — Wildlife cameraman Martin Dohrn spent his time during the pandemic lockdown filming all the bees he could find in his urban garden in Bristol, England, and discovered many diverse species and unlocked new knowledge about the diversity of personalities in this insect family.
October 26 @ 9:00 AMERICAN VETERAN — The experiences of America’s 18 million living veterans, who served in conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan and Iraq, as told through their own voices. Part 1 of 4.
Above: Retired Lt. ColonelHarold Brown, a member of World War II’s Tuskegee Airmen.
October 27 @ 9:00 NOVA: UNIVERSE REVEALED — With dazzling visuals & the latest discoveries, a five-part miniseries captures moments when the cosmos changed forever - Part 1 of 5.
October 29 @ 9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: BEETHOVEN’S GHOST — Go inside the composer's mind as host Scott Yoo and fellow musicians undertake a recording of Beethoven’s most personal music.
This publication disclaims all legal responsibility for errors, omissions, and/or typos. Contents of the publication, including text, artwork, format and design, may not be reproduced in whole or in part. Info. published here and/or at websites listed here or provided by telephone contacts provided here is not endorsed or guaranteed. Ads are not accepted. The publication is unrelated to or supported by any government entity or private business. Subscribers are notified of monthly updates. The Agenda News is updated via Twitter @ twitter.com/BobsAgendaNewsSubscriptions can be canceled by writing to: PO Box 71024 Chevy Chase, MD 20813-1024 RETURN TO HOME PAGE