Ford's Theatre presents Liberty Smith, the world premiere of a madcap musical romp through Revolutionary America, with music by Michael Weiner, lyrics by Adam Abraham and a book by Marc Madnick, Eric R. Cohen and Adam Abraham. A childhood friend of George Washington, apprentice to Benjamin Franklin and linked to Paul Revere's remarkable ride, the elusive Smith weaves his way through familiar tales of a young nation. Matt August directs. To May 21. Ford's Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $55. Call 202-397-7328 or visit fordstheatre.org.
March 2011 Archives
Smokey Robinson hosts the Kennedy Center's annual Spring Gala that this year also honors Michael Kaiser's 10 years at the helm. The gala features such cultural powerhouses as Joshua Bell, Barbara Cook, Renee Fleming, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Megan Fairchild as well as the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. Sunday, April 3, at 8:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $50 to $150. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Roby Chavez hosts an OutWrite discussion with authors Sean Bugg and Charles Perez. Bugg, Metro Weekly co-publisher and editor, comically recounts his life experiences in Boy Does World: 15 Years of Bad Behaviors, Bad Attitudes and Happy Endings, while Perez relates, in Confessions of a Gay Anchorman, his work experiences as a former anchor with ABC affiliates in New York and Miami and as a former host of an eponymous syndicated daytime talk show. Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. The DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U St. NW. Visit thedccenter.org for more information.
Read an interview with Sean Bugg here.
Pictured: Sean Bugg. Photo for Metro Weekly by Julian Vankim.
Join The Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform The World explores the value of peer pressure to make positive social change. The book, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tina Rosenberg, draws on examples from around the world of groups that have exerted pressure to improve education, promote more healthful behavior and even overthrow dictators. Tonight, Tuesday, March 29, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.
Tour dates for Britney Spears's North American Summer tour have been announced, and they include a Washington, D.C. date -- July 31 at the Verizon Center. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m. Complete ticket and tour information is available at BritneySpears.com or at livenation.com
Britney's seventh studio album, Femme Fatale, drops today.
From collaborations with uber-producer Timbaland and other artists such Tegan and Sara and the Foo Fighters, plus contributions to movies such as Into The Wild and August Rush -- not to mention NPR frequently plays snippets of her music between news segments -- lesbian guitar virtuoso Kaki King, with a signature percussive sound, is ubiquitous if still under the radar. Tuesday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $25. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.
This one's for sushi lovers only (though, really, who doesn't love sushi?). At National Geographic Live's Grand Sushi Event, author Casson Trenor signs copies of his book Sustainable Sushi while local chef and National Geographic Fellow Barton Seaver offers a tasting of sustainably caught or farmed sushi with wine and sake pairings. Presented with the National Cherry Blossom Festival and co-sponsored by Genji Sushi. Wednesday, March 30, at 7 p.m. National Geographic Society's Gilbert H. Grosvenor Auditorium, 1600 M St. NW. Tickets are $100. Call 202-857-7700 or visit nglive.org.
Charming French vocalist Jil Aigrot, who provided the singing voice for Edith Piaf in the film La Vie En Rose and specializes in chanson francaise, returns to GWU's Lisner after a show two years ago that was part of her American debut. Highly, highly recommended. Tonight, Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m. Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 202-994-6800 or visit lisner.org.
Legendary piano popster Elton John brings his "Greatest Hits Live" concert to our area this weekend. The concert boasts number one chart hits and classic album tracks from throughout John's five-decade pop career. We're keeping our fingers crossed to hear some real treasures, like the soaring "I've Seen That Movie Too" or the playful, energetic "Hercules," or the stunning "High Flying Bird." Still, "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Crocodile Rock," and "Bennie and the Jets" are nothing to sneeze at. So long as he doesn't do the gawdawful "Philadelphia Freedom," the insipid "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" or anything from Leather Jackets), we'll be happy. His band includes guitarist Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson, who were with John during his glory days in the '70s. Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m. 1st Mariner Arena, 201 West Baltimore St., Baltimore. Tickets are $27 to $147, but very few seats remain. Call 410-727-7811 or visit baltimorearena.com.
Here's a look at John's gayest video ever.
The Whiz is a loosely based adaptation of The Wizard of Oz for the Obama generation, featuring choreography by Nicolas Leichter and a commissioned adapted score by Monstah Black with added musical selections. It looks absolutely stunning (see trailer below). Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 27, at 7 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $22. Call 202-269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.
Georgetown University, in partnership with Arena Stage, offers a festival with famous guests in tribute to the legendary gay playwright, whose father called him "Miss Nancy" and mother referred to him as her "Writin' Son." All this weekend, the school's Theater and Performance Studies program presents staged readings and performances of Williams' plays, including a concert reading of the musical biography Tom to Tenn, starring Tim Tourbin and Rick Foucheux, and a staged reading of Camino Real starring Kathleen Chalfant, Theodore Bikel, Rick Foucheux, Donn B. Murphy, Elisabeth Lewis Corley and more. Other highlights include: John Waters performing his own This Filthy World and sitting for a discussion about Williams' influence on his work; Split Britches' Belle Reprieve, a gender-bending parody of A Streetcar Named Desire; Christopher Durang offering Durang and Desire; an on-stage conversation with Edward Albee; and a free one-time performance of And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens, a tale about a New Orleans drag queen directed by Shakespeare Theatre's Michael Kahn, a celebrated Williams interpreter. Through Sunday, March 27. Most events take place at the Davis Performing Arts Center on Georgetown University's main campus. A Centennial Pass, which includes tickets to five featured events plus priority access to other events and 20-percent off general admission, costs $80. Call 202-687-ARTS or visit performingarts.georgetown.edu.
Ricky Martin launches his "Musica+Alma+Sexo" world tour tomorrow, his first in over three years and certainly the first since he came out. Giorgio Armani is designing all the outfits for the tour. A list of tour dates follow, but for those in the D.C. area, New Jersey seems to be the closest he'll be our way.
3/25 to 3/28 - San Juan, Puerto Rico - Coliseo de Puerto Rico
4/08 - Orlando, Fl. - Amway Arena
4/09 - Miami, Fl. - American Airlines Arena
4/12 - Montreal - Bell Centre
4/13 - Toronto - Casino Rama
4/15 - Atlantic City, N.J. - Borgata
4/16 - Newark, N.J. - Prudential Center
4/17 - Uncasville, Ct. - Mohegan Sun
4/19 - Chicago, Il. - Allstate Arena
4/22 - Dallas, Tx. - Verizon Theatre
4/23 - Houston, Tx. - Toyota Center
4/25 - Hidalgo, Tx. - State Farm Arena
4/26 - Laredo, Tx. - Laredo Entertainment Center
4/28 - El Paso, Tx. - Coliseum
4/29 - Albuquerque, N.M. - Sandia Casino
4/30 - Las Vegas, Nv. - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
5/04 - San Jose, Ca. - HP Pavilion
5/06 to 5/07 - Los Angeles, Ca. - Nokia Theatre
5/08 - San Diego, Ca. - Valley View Casino Center
Here's Ricky at the HRC National Dinner last fall:
Following his smash hit monologue The Last Cargo Cult, Mike Daisey pulls back the curtain veiling America's most mysterious technology icon. With a wickedly funny tale of pride, beauty, lust and industrial design, Daisey's latest one-man diatribe illuminates the war—from China to Silicon Valley -- over how we see our world, and the human price we pay for our high-tech toys. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has said, "I will never be the same after seeing that show." Extended to April 17. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Tickets range from $20 to $72.50. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.
Part Three of Signature's American Musical Voices Project, aimed at nurturing new shows, focuses on this valentine to musical comedy, a classic backstage comedy about the creation of the first American musical, from Michael Slade, Joseph Thalken and Mark Campbell. Pride Night for the LGBT community, which includes complimentary cocktails and appetizers at a one-hour post-show reception, is set for Friday, March 25, with a shuttle leaving from Dupont Circle at 6:30 p.m. Show runs to April 10. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Pride Night tickets are $87, plus $5 roundtrip shuttle service. Shuttle reservations must be made at time of ticket purchase. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.
Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor passed away today, Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at the age of 79. An advocate for AIDS research, Taylor was a friend to the local Whitman-Walker Clinic, whose medical center at 1701 14th St. NW bears her name.
IMDB notes that Taylor was "considered one of the last, if not the last major star, to have come out of the old Hollywood studio system."
Among her greatest roles: Martha in the screen adaptation of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the titular character in the lavish, epic spectacle, Cleopatra, "call girl" Gloria in Butterfield 8, and Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Reporting for People Magazine, Stephen M. Silverman writes:
Elizabeth Taylor, the Hollywood icon and Oscar-winner who was practically born in the spotlight, has died. She was 79.
"She was surrounded by her children -- Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd and Maria Burton," Taylor's publicist, Sally Morrison, said in a statement. In addition to her children, Taylor is survived by 10 grand children and four great grandchildren.
On Feb. 11, it was announced that she had been in taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles earlier that week for symptoms caused by congestive heart failure, and she "peacefully died there," according to her publicist. "Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, this was not to be."
As part of Studio Theatre's New Ireland: The Enda Walsh Festival, the company invited the Druid Theatre of Ireland to perform Penelope, Walsh's extraordinary riff on Homer's Odyssey, focused on four suitors wooing a beautiful woman in a drained swimming pool. The suitors, in Speedos and terrycloth robes, discuss prophecy and mortality as they contemplate the return of the woman's husband and the end of their lives. To April 3. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets are $50 to $65. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.
Win tickets to Penelope. Click here.
British funnymen Simon Pegg and Nick Frost left their mark on zombie movies with Shaun of the Dead (hysterical) and buddy cop movies with Hot Fuzz (really funny), but they don't do the same for aliens with their newest, Paul. Geeks Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) meet alien Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) while on a road trip to the top alien hotspots in the U.S. One hopes things would blast off when Paul lands in their RV, but it's not until Ruth (Kristen Wiig) joins them that the film shows real signs of intelligent life. Wiig steals many of the scenes, brilliantly playing a young woman who swears with more enthusiasm than skill. As Men in Black in hot pursuit, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, and Joe Lo Truglio do their best, but they elicit an awkward feeling -- kind of like when you're watching Hader and Wiig on SNL and the material isn't funny. Director Greg Mottola (Superbad) ensures that Paul is a realistic character in the film, but it's so undeniably Rogen's voice that it's hard not to picture his newly skinny body and big head in Paul's place. Rated PG-13. Area theaters. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS. Reviewed by Tim Plant.
A Kennedy Center Honoree in 1992, Paul Taylor and his company return with Three Dubious Memories, Brief Encounters and Also Playing. Wednesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Remaining tickets are $40 to $65. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
In Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families, NPR couple and authors of a syndicated USA Weekend column Cokie and Steve Roberts discuss how they merged their faiths -- she's Catholic, he's Jewish -- with an annual Passover seder as their own annual peace accord. Wednesday, March 23, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $12 each, or get two free with purchase of the book from Politics and Prose. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.
A local D.C. Chef's Club has joined forces to support and raise money for the urgent need of disaster relief in Japan. Utilizing e-Bay, chefs will auction off brunch, dinners, tastings, classes, and even hotel stays. The auctions will last for one to two weeks and will continue to accept additional donations. Winning bids will be donated to The American Red Cross.
Participating restaurants include The Tabard Inn, Restaurant Nora, Perry's, Equinox, The Source, Bourbon, Four Seasons, Masa14, KAZ Sushi Bistro, BLT, Peacock Cafe, Ris, Food & Wine Co., Dino, DC Coast/TenPenh/Ceiba/Acadiana/PassionFish, Jaleo/Zaytinya/Oyamel/Cafe Atlantico, Marcels/Brasserie Beck/Mussel Bar and the Hilton Garden Inn (downtown).
The first online auction to start the series is underway now -- KAZ Sushi Bistro is offering a tasting menu for 2 people including KAZ private brand sake or beer.
Bidding is underway here.
Vpstart Crow Productions is looking for directors to helm its new season. The shows include Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? To learn more, visit vpstartcrow.com.
On each stop of Janet Jackson's current world tour -- Number Ones: Up Close and Personal -- the singer is dedicating one song to the host city. For her D.C. appearances at D.A.R. Constitution Hall this Tuesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 24, she's chosen the song "I Get Lonely," from the Velvet Rope album.
"Washington DC is a beautiful city with an incredible energy that is unique to this great city," Jackson said in a press release. "I'm dedicating 'I Get Lonely' to Washington, D.C."
Click here to check ticket availability for the show.
The Cars released the video for "Sad Song," from Move Like This, their first studio album with Rik Ocasek in 24 years. It pretty much sounds like they picked up where they left off. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.
The album will be released on May 10.
Nashville hitmaker (and longtime HIV/AIDS activist) Kathy Mattea has, in recent years, traveled in a more folk and roots-driven direction, including covering classic coal-mining songs on her recent set Coal. But we're confident she'll play some of her hits when she hits The Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., this Tuesday, March 22, and Wednesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolf-trap.org.
A Kennedy Center Honoree in 1992, Paul Taylor and his company return with Three Dubious Memories, Brief Encounters and Also Playing. Tickets are still available for the Wednesday, March 22, 8 p.m. performance. Thursday, March 23, and Friday, March 24, performances are sold out. At the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Remaining tickets are $40 to $65. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Landless Theatre Company presents one of the first professional stage productions of the YouTube video miniseries Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog, developed by Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) during the Writer's Guild strike a few years back and originally starring Neil Patrick Harris. Landless's Andrew Lloyd Baughman has adapted the musical for the stage. It stars Charles Johnson in the lead role, with his nemesis Captain Hammer played by Clay Comer, the strapping star of last month's TarXXXanadu. To March 27. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-462-7833 or visit landlesstheatrecompany.org.
Marry Me In DC presents a Marriage Equality Wedding Expo celebrating the year-old passage of same-sex marriage in D.C. and helping those who want to jump the broom but need guidance on planning. Today, Saturday, March 19, from noon to 4 p.m. At the Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Ave. NW. Tickets are $15. Visit marrymeindc.com.
Last night's "reality show" parody on 30 Rock was very clearly a stunt episode -- but as stunt episodes go, it was a work of genius, faring far better than last year's noble yet faltering stunt episode, a live broadcast of the show, mainly because the groundwork for Angie's reality program -- Queen of Jordan -- had been laid down in previous seasons.
Blurring the lines with NBC's own Bravo network, Queen of Jordan awarded the side-character of Angie Jordan a huge break-out moment, and actress Sherri Shepard sparked and sparkled her way through the half hour. There were terrific moments for everyone in the cast, and an amusing yet weird guest appearance by Susan Sarandon as a convicted sex offender. We especially loved Jane Krakowski, who struck comic paydirt with Jenna Maroney's attempt at staging her own intervention as though it were a birthday party gone awry. In addition, there was a hilarious gag surrounding Jenna's new website -- jennas-side.com (read it fast).
The episode's pinnacle moments, however, were provided at the expense of Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy. Baldwin was in sublime form, as Jack was portrayed by the reality show as a klutzy, gay, flatulence-prone boss. We just about hit the floor when Jack, referring to his sporting days at Princeton, let this line of dialogue casually fly.
Dot Com: You were a switch hitter?
Jack: Switch hitter, pitcher, catcher. Whatever the boys needed.
We're also pretty certain Queen of Jordan marked the first time in history the phrase "rectal integrity" was uttered on network TV.
In case you missed it, here's the episode in its entirety.
A Tony-nominated serious actor, having appeared on Broadway in Dreamgirls and most recently David Mamet's Race, David Alan Grier is best known for his comedic roles on TV and film. How could anyone ever forget the borderline-offensive but riotously funny effeminate Antoine on Fox's '90s sketch show In Living Color? Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, at 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $40. Call 202-547-1122 or visit dccomedy.org.
And the Curtain Rises is the third part of Signature's American Musical Voices Project, aimed at nurturing new shows. This valentine to musical comedy, a classic backstage comedy about the creation of the first American musical, is from Michael Slade, Joseph Thalken and Mark Campbell. Now playing through April 10. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $54 to $80. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.
This just in: A sneak peek at some moments from Monday's episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, airing on Logo on Monday, March 21 at 10pm (9pm Central), and featuring guest celebrity judges Carmen Electra and Jody Watley.
LiveNation is making available to readers of Metro Weekly tickets to Sade, appearing at the Verizon Center with special guest artist John Legend, before they go on sale to the general public on Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m.
The pre-sale event will be active from Thursday, March 17 at 10 a.m. to Friday, March 18 at 10 p.m. Click here and use the password METROSADE.
The DC JCC’s Kurlander Program for Gay & Lesbian Outreach and Engagement -- aka GLOE -- presents its fourth annual Masquerade and Mischief Purim Party, featuring performances by the DC Cowboys, a “Purim spiel,” and music by DJ jame’ foks. Purim celebrates the Jews who were spared execution by Persian leader Haman in biblical times. It calls for dressing up -- “especially drag, of every kind!” -- and serious drinking. Which is why tickets include an open bar with beer, wine and champagne cocktails. And then their are the Hamentshen, triangle-shaped pastries stuffed with fruit, generally prunes, or poppy seeds. Saturday, March 19, from 9 p.m. to midnight. Washington, D.C.’s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-518-9400 or click here.
Today, Wednesday, March 16, at 1 p.m., Yanni -- in advance of his North America tour -- will answer fan questions in a live streaming webcast, hosted by Extra!’s Lauren Sanchez. Fans can email questions to ask@yanni.com.
Yanni is coming to our area, at the Warner Theatre, on Thursday, April 7. Tickets are available for the show at the Warner Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster locations and online at LiveNation.com.
The Capital Queer Prom, that is. B.O.I. Marketing (headed by Metro Weekly's Outspoken host Ebone Bell) presents this fifth annual event, this year benefiting the Youth Pride Alliance. It kicks off with a “meet and greet” party Friday night at The Reef in Adams Morgan and ends with drag brunch Sunday at Nellie’s. The prom itself happens Saturday night on a Potomac River cruise, where a king and queen, loosely labeled, will be crowned. Guests include famous Mississippi teenager Constance McMillen, Catherine “Cat” Ommanney from Bravo's The Real Housewives of D.C. and local broadcast personality Anji Corley. Saturday, March 19, on the Spirit of Mount Vernon, from 9 p.m. to midnight. Boarding begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for the prom are $75, or $95 for prom and brunch. Visit capitalqueerprom.com.
You can still win a pair of tickets to the Prom. The contest is open until tonight at 9 p.m. Enter here.
Hanson's new video for the upbeat single "Give A Little" -- to be released on iTunes on April 5 -- is playful, punchy and, quite frankly, a kick to watch. For some odd reason it reminds us of Paul Simon's whimsical "You Can Call Me Al," but maybe it's just all that kicking of legs. Honestly? There's no denying that the Hanson kids -- and they're really not kids anymore, are they? -- are all right. And their music? Better than ever.
Just announced -- The Sweetlife Festival 2011 is coming to Merriweather on Sunday, May 1, and what an amazing line-up of acts: The Strokes, Girl Talk, Lupe Fiasco, Crystal Castles, Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot, Walk the Moon, U.S. Royalty and Modern Man. More info on all these groups can be found here.
For those unfamiliar with The Sweetlife Festival...
[It's] an annual celebration of flavorful music, wholesome food, and thoughtful living. A festival with a soul, the day will not only rock you with top national talent, but will delight your tastes with delicious and hearty grub from local farmers, and sing to your conscience by vowing to be a carbon neutral event. The Sweetlife Festival is presented by sweetgreen, Washington D.C. based restaurant group that leads the national charge in sourcing delicious local and organic ingredients, with an underlying commitment to the environment, and their community.
Sunday, May 1, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Gates at noon. Tickets are $55 general admission and go on sale Friday, March 18 through Ticketfly.
The Loretta Lynn concert set for this Thursday, March 17 has been rescheduled. The new date is Oct. 15, 2011. Tickets will be honored. Refunds at place of purchase through Oct. 14, 2011. Visit 930.com for more details. Here's some vintage Lynn to get you through till then...
This weekend the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington presents a fully staged, all-male production of the Broadway musical The Best Little Whore House In Texas (watch for members of the cast on this week's Spring Arts Preview cover). "It's all big songs and big hair in this sassy, spirited and touching musical about the real-life brothel in Texas," reads the press material, and we pray they're right! We could use some big hair right about now. Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 20, at 3 p.m. Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $50. Call 202-994-6800 or visit gmcw.org.
Simpsons castmember -- voice of Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner, among others -- and New Orleans resident Harry Shearer will appear at a screening of his documentary The Big Uneasy about Hurricane Katrina, co-sponsored by the DC Labor FilmFest and the Project on Government Oversight. Shearer speaks to investigators and a whistleblower from the Army Corps of Engineers, revealing that some of the same flawed methods responsible for the levee failure after Katrina are being used to rebuild the system expected to protect the new New Orleans. Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $11 general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.
Aaron Posner directs his adaptation of this beloved play based on the novel by Chaim Potok about two boys, two fathers and two very different Jewish communities in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood. Theater J offers a 10th anniversary staging of the production, with a stellar cast including Rick Foucheux and Edward Gero, at Arena Stage as the first local guest company in residence. To March 27. Fichandler Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $25 to $60. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.
In creating a final cut of this week's Edward Albee cover story, we had to lose a few passages for space. One of those was this interesting exchange about critics:
METRO WEEKLY: I guess you could also argue that in the case of a critical flop, it's not always necessarily the fault of the play. It could be the production.
EDWARD ALBEE: Well, of course. One thing troubles me is that a lot of critics do not read the play before they review it. They mainly see the production. So what they're reviewing is the production and not necessarily the play the author wrote. Because we all know there are lots of changes that happen to a play during production and they're not always good changes. But then you have a responsibility to tell an audience in the opening night review, this is a bad production of a good play, if that's what you thought.
MW: I worked as a theater critic for fifteen years and I can say from experience that sometimes you just can't tell.
ALBEE: Well, you can usually tell by reading the play. If you know how to read a play -- and that's not hard to learn. You can tell if a production is worse than the play or better than the play. You can tell that pretty easily.
MW: I think you can tell that without having to read the play, actually.
ALBEE: More accurately by having read the play first.
MW: So your advice to all critics is that they need to read the plays they review.
ALBEE: Well, some of them have to learn how to read.
MW: I'm getting the sense you don't like critics much.
ALBEE: Well, they used to say in the 19th century that a good critic is a dead critic. I don't feel that way. Some are better than others, of course. Some bring more intelligence, some bring more knowledge, some bring more seriousness to a serious art. Some people are critics and some people are reviewers. A critic thinks more thoroughly and more completely than a reviewer does.
Speaking of critics, read Kate Wingfield's Four Star reviews of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and At Home at the Zoo, both now playing at Arena Stage, here.
Edward Albee photographed at Arena Stage by Todd Franson.
Teams representing six D.C.-area professional theater companies will write, direct, rehearse and perform six original plays in a 24-hour period in this seventh annual event produced by the Bethesda Urban Partner and Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. The six companies represented are Adventure Theatre, Ganymede Arts, Imagination Stage, Olney Theatre Center, Round House Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Playground Playwrights. Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. Lerner Theater at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave. Bethesda. Tickets are $15. Call 301-215-6660 or visit Bethesda.org.
Originally broadcast on PBS, Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life focuses on the composer, arranger and pianist who was Washington-native Duke Ellington's right hand man for decades, responsible for many of the Duke's most famous compositions, including "Take the A Train." But Strayhorn was often overshadowed by the jazz giant. In his shadow, Strayhorn was also notably an openly gay man, at least as open as one could expect to be half a century ago. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition "America I AM: The African American Imprint." Saturday, March 12, and Sunday, March 13, at 1 p.m. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Free. Call 202-857-7588 or visit nglive.org.
The popular annual Team DC Fashion Show and Model Search raises funds for the LGBT sports association's College Scholarship Program benefiting LGBT student athletes. The fashion show features 13 models in club wear, swimsuit, underwear and leather/sports/fetish competitions, with a grand prize of $500 cash, a professional photo shoot with Robert Mercer, the cover of the May issue of Compete Magazine and a chance to be in the 2012 Ripped Genes calendar. That's a heckuva lot of exposure. Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th NW. Cover is $10. Call 202-234-TOWN or visit teamdc.org.
First-time feature film director Keith Hartman's You Should Meet My Son is rife with cliche, most of which are pretty funny -- because they're true. One of the more unique aspects of Hartman's film, which he also wrote, is that it's a gay film that's not actually about the gay man. His mother and her spinster sister are the central characters, and they dive headfirst into the gay scene. The film's humor is derived from two women being exposed to gay stereotypes of all shapes and sizes. The two glimpse into the great gay way as they discover the Internet for the first time (really?) and websites like Manhunt. Part of the RA Xtra series. Friday, March 11, at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.'s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 800-494-TIXS or click here.
Works by three painters comprise the Gallery Plan B's latest exhibition: Kathy Beynette, offering fun, whimsical narrative paintings, Patrick Campbell, with complex, color-saturated paintings, and Michele Montalbano, whose gorgeous paintings are layered with ghost-like effects. The opening reception is Saturday, March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Exhibit remains on display through April 9. Gallery Plan B is at 1530 14th St. NW. Call 202-234-2711 or visit galleryplanb.com.
Though it won't get official release until next month, Tom Goss will give his hometown crowd a sneak peek (and advance sales) of his third full-length album Turn It Around (with cover art designed by Metro Weekly's own Aram Vartian!). The album is a tad lighter in spirit than his previous efforts, but it's still in the same beguiling acoustic pop vein, capped off by Goss's tenor full of earnest vulnerability. Plus, has there ever been a gay crooner easier on the eyes? Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. Noi's Nook at Go Mama Go!, 1809 14th St. NW Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day-of. Visit tomgossmusic.com/tickets.
Chicago's infamous comedy improv troupe, known for introducing a slew of celebrity talent, from Mike Myers and Amy Poehler to John Belushi and Tina Fey (it's like a feeding ground for Saturday Night Live), makes a stop in our area to tease out some more yuk-yuks from Washingtonians. Watch a clip from the touring show below. Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $24. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolf-trap.org.
LiveNation just announced that Sade is coming to the Verizon Center, Wednesday, June 22. She'll be appearing with special guest John Legend. Writing about her latest release a year ago in the magazine, Metro Weekly critic Doug Rule noted,
Soldier of Love is altogether a stunning collection. ... Her husky alto is still a smooth operator, gently gliding over her patented blend of R&B, reggae, jazz and pop.
He also awarded it four stars.
Tickets range from $52.50 to $152.50 and go on sale to the general public on Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster outlets, the Verizon Center box office and by phone at 800-551-SEAT.
The gay Hampton Roads Men's Chorus kicks off its first annual "One-Night Only" concert series with "A Night of Broadway and Dance," featuring Norfolk-native, Rehoboth Beach-staple Pamala Stanley and music from Dreamgirls and Wicked -- plus pop hits made famous by Gloria Gaynor, Tina Turner and the Stray Cats, as well as Stanley's "Coming Out of Hiding." This Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. Kaufman Theater at the Chrysler Museum of Art, 245 West Olney Road, Norfolk, Va. Tickets are $25 in advance. Visit TheHRMC.org.
The National Capital Area Chapter of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual Leukemia Ball is already considered the largest non-political, black-tie gala in D.C. And with a headlining performance by Ms. Ross, it's no doubt they'll keep that title again this year. John Heffron, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing, will also perform at the 24th annual event, expected to raise $3 million for blood cancer research and programs. It also includes a silent auction and a raffle to win one of two new Mercedes-Benz donated by local dealers -- and each raffle ticket is only $100. That's potentially a lot of car for the buck. Upside down, inside out, they got you. Saturday, March 12, starting at 6:30 p.m. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place. Tickets are $1,000. Call 703-399-2957 or visit leukemiaball.org.
The Kennedy Center announced its new season today -- and the theater season alone is gasp-worthy. Of course, the question is what to gasp over first? The new production of Les Miz? Uncle Vanya starring CATE BLANCHETT and HUGO WEAVING? Pal Joey? How about Billy Elliott? Memphis? La Cage aux Folles? The Addams Family? A ginormous Sondheim concert???
We think we've just been overcome by the vapors....
Here are highlights from the press release that just landed with a giant kaboom on Spotlight's desk....
UNCLE VANYA, August 4-27, 2011, Eisenhower Theater -- Following the success of A Streetcar Named Desire in 2009, Sydney Theatre Company returns to the Kennedy Center with the exclusive American engagement of Chekhov's tragicomedy, Uncle Vanya, adapted by Andrew Upton and directed by one of the world's foremost interpreters of Chekhov, Tamas Ascher. On a dilapidated, remote farm, Vanya (Richard Roxburgh) and his niece Sonya (Hayley McElhinney) have worked slavishly for years to sustain an estate in decline. Now the Professor (John Bell) and his wife Yelena (Cate Blanchett) have returned to visit, bringing with them chaos and disruption. Constant visits from the charismatic Astrov (Hugo Weaving) are not helpful. It is in this climate of frustration, thwarted hopes, and disarray that three consuming love affairs grow.
LES MISERABLES -- The New 25th Anniversary Production, September 27-October 30, 2011, Opera House -- The world's most popular musical made its pre-Broadway premiere at the Kennedy Center in December 1986, and now Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's legendary musical, Les Miserables, with new staging and reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes. Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Miserables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.
BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, December 14, 2011-January 15, 2012, Opera House -- Winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical is a celebration of one young boy's triumph against the odds. The story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising passion that inspires his family and his whole community. Full of life, laughter, award-winning choreography, and an unforgettable score, Billy Elliot the Musical will enchant the dreamer in all of us. Based on the international smash-hit film, the musical is brought to life by a cast of 45 and the Tony-winning creative team — director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling, writer Lee Hall and music legend Elton John.
ANN: AN AFFECTIONATE PORTRAIT OF ANN RICHARDS, December 17, 2011-January 15, 2012, Eisenhower Theater -- ANN: An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards is a play with Emmy Award-winning stage and screen actress Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men). A hilarious and touching evening of theater celebrating a beloved daughter of Texas, Taylor hopes ANN will bring a magical touch to the past and the present, swirling them together as only the theater can do, and leaving the audience with an enhanced sense not only of a person and a time, but of themselves.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, January 17-February 12, 2012, Opera House -- Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, this new production of La Cage aux Folles was the biggest hit of the 2010 Broadway season. La Cage aux Folles tells the story of Georges, the owner of a glitzy nightclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his partner Albin, who moonlights as the glamorous chanteuse Zaza. When Georges' son brings his fiancée's conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair, the bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas fly. La Cage aux Folles is a tuneful and touching tale of one family's struggle to stay together, stay fabulous, and above all else, stay true to themselves.
COME FLY AWAY, April 18-29, 2012, Eisenhower Theater --Conceived, choreographed and directed by Kennedy Center Honoree Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away pays homage to the music of Frank Sinatra. Featuring Sinatra's vocals and a live on-stage big band, the production is set in a nightclub where four couples search for love.
PAL JOEY, June 2-July 1, 2012, Eisenhower Theater Winner of three Tony Awards for its original 1940 Broadway production, Pal Joey features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart with a revised book by Terrence McNally. Directed by Christopher Ashley, this new Kennedy Center major revival production follows the overly self-confident Joey Evans, who lands himself in trouble with work and women as he chases after the dream of owning his own nightclub.
MEMPHIS, June 12-July 1, 2012, Opera House -- Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Memphis, which played pre-Broadway at the La Jolla Playhouse, features a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro and a Tony-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo. From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs, and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break.
THE SONDHEIM CELEBRATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT, June 25, 2012, Concert Hall -- In 2002, the Center produced six full productions of Sondheim's works in repertory: Company, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Passion, Merrily We Roll Along, and A Little Night Music. On June 25, 2012, the Kennedy Center will present The Sondheim Celebration 10th Anniversary Concert, commemorating 10 years since the legendary Sondheim Celebration, and also marking the 15th anniversary of the Millennium Stage. Directed by Sondheim Celebration Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer with music direction by James Moore, the free concert will take place at 6 p.m. in the Concert Hall with a cast that includes Anastasia Barzee, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Matt Bogart, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Natascia Diaz, Melissa Errico, Raul Esparza, Thursday Farrar, Philip Goodwin, Randy Graff, Judy Kuhn, Rebecca Luker, Hugh Panaro, Alice Ripley, Douglas Sills, and Emily Skinner.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY, July 10-29, 2012, Opera House -- The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life in The Addams Family. Based on the characters by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, this magnificently macabre new musical comedy is created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Drama Desk-winning composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa, choreographer Sergio Trujillo, and Olivier Award-winning director/designers Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch with creative consultation by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks. This is definitely not the same old song and dance. It's every parent's nightmare. Your little girl has suddenly become a young woman, and what's worse, has fallen deliriously in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. Yes, Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has a normal boyfriend, and for parents Gomez and Morticia, this shocking development will turn the Addams house downside up. It's a family portrait that's completely off the wall.
For a look at the entire KenCen season, including music, dance, everything, plus video clips, click here.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, a musical retelling of the Biblical story, offers an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink score, with parodies of French ballads, Elvis-inspired rock 'n' roll, old-time country-western, 1920s Charleston, Caribbean style, even disco. David Hilder directs a production starring Kurt Boehm, Erin Driscoll, Eleasha Gamble, TJ Langston and Parker Drown. Through March 20. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are $26 to $54. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.
Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, will stop at the Verizon Center in Washington on Friday, July 13 at Verizon Center. In partnership with the Estate of Michael Jackson, the production combines Cirque du Soleil creativity "to give fans worldwide a unique view into the spirit, passion and heart of the artistic genius who forever transformed global pop culture."
Cirque Club members have exclusive access to purchase presale tickets online beginning Wednesday, March 9 at 10 a.m. at www.cirqueclub.com. Tickets range from $50 to $250 each (taxes and fees may apply). Tickets will be available to the general public on Saturday, March 12 at noon. Visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/MichaelJackson or www.ticketmaster.com, or call 1-800-551-SEAT (7328).
Despite the two "vs." in the title, DJ Lil'e's wildly popular dance party Lady Gaga vs. Madonna vs. Kylie Dance Party is not really a battle. It is now closer to a contest than ever though, since Lil'e tweaked the formula and replaced M.I.A. with international superstar Kylie Minogue. (And since Gaga continues her reign of hits.) It's new and definitely improved. Friday, March 11. Doors at 9 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.
Helen Hayes Award-winner Bernardine Mitchell (Mahalia) returns to MetroStage in His Eye is on the Sparrow. Larry Parr's play with music tells the story of the legendary Ethel Waters, the blues and jazz vocalist and actress, only the second African American nominated for an Oscar. Runs through March 20. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $45 to $50. Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
Grammy Lifetime Achievement folkie Tom Paxton stops by The Barns to offering topical social commentary on everything from Fannie Mae's downfall to Sarah Palin's politics to Pluto's downsized status. Thursday, March 10, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $22. Call 703-255-1900 or visit wolf-trap.org.
Tonight's sold out Scissor Sisters' show at the 9:30 Club has been postponed as the band is stranded in upstate New York due to inclement weather. However, the club is asking people to hold onto their tickets as a new show date will be announced soon.
From the Scissor Sisters Facebook Page:
Tonight's show at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC has unfortunately been postponed. Our tour bus ended up in a heavy snow storm about 2AM. The roads got so bad we had to pull over and got stuck in a snow drift in Syracuse, NY about 4 hours south of Ottowa ON Canada where we were travelling from last night's show. In all our years of touring we had never been in the middle of such bad weather. We couldn't shovel the bus out in time to get safely to our DC performance. We are very disappointed and were extremely excited to play tonight for what we knew was going to be a special show. Hold onto your tickets because we are trying to reschedule this date as soon as we can. We will let you know either today or tomorrow when the rescheduled date is. We love you guys, and can't wait to get back, slap on some rubber, and dance and sing and sweat all over you.
Xoxo Jake, Ana, BD and Del
On a related note, the Shearon Van Riggins afterparty at Town has also been postponed and will be rescheduled once a new date for the concert is announced.
We'll have news for you on the new date as soon as we hear something.
The Irish tenements of the early 1920s were a close-knit and crowded place. Seated cheek-by-jowl at the Washington Shakespeare Company's compelling Juno and the Paycock, Sean O'Casey's tragicomic story of a family's demise, we feel a bit like neighbors at the window. And as we watch the pressures of poverty, civil war and simple bad luck unravel the Boyles, we see that so much of what they do and say is defined by this largely unseen cohort: the neighbors, the apparent keepers of the community values. To March 20. Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Tickets are $21.50 to $36.50. Call 703-875-1100 or visit washingtonshakespeare.org.
Read Kate Wingfield's full four star review here.
The ever-popular indie-darlings The Decemberists just announced a short run of U.S. tour dates for early summer, including performances at several music festivals. And yes, they're coming to the D.C. area -- Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 13. A complete listing of dates is here.
Pre-sale is available for a limited number of shows. Check here.
The band also recently introduced a Create-Your-Own Polaroid Slideshow on Decemberists.com where fans can pick from a couple thousand Polaroids taken by photographer Autumn De Wilde during the recording of The King is Dead and sort them into a custom slideshow set to one of four album tracks. Fun for a rainy (or even sunny) day!
The husband-and-wife songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson is still solid -- solid as a, well, soul is what this is. And ain't no mountain or river can keep them away. They return for another March stop at the Birchmere. Saturday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $65. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.
To welcome spring, The Folger Consort performs music from 14th and 15th century Italy, the early Renaissance. The consort will be joined by Trefoil -- Drew Minter, Mark Rimple and Marcia Young -- playing harp, lute, psaltery and fiddle and offering what the New York Times calls "clear, otherworldly harmonies." Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. Also Saturday, March 12, at 5 p.m., and Sunday, March 13, at 2 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
Pianist Glenn Pearson and special guests from Washington theater stages perform monthly this evening of showtunes, with proceeds from specialty cocktails and featured appetizers benefiting the Helen Hayes Awards, D.C.'s preeminent theater awards organization. Tonight, Monday, March 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. The Quill Bar at the Jefferson Hotel, 1200 16th St. NW. Free. Visit jeffersondc.com or helenhayes.org.
The latest monthly screening by Reel Affirmations is Keith Hartman's debut feature film about a mom and aunt who go out of their way to help their gay offspring find Mr. Right, including pit stops on Manhunt and at bars and clubs. (Read our full review here.)
Friday, March 11, at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.'s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 800-494-TIXS or click here.
Matt Damon and Emily Blunt play a rising congressman and a gorgeous ballerina in this improbable mix of romantic drama and science fiction from director George Nolfi (Oceans Twelve) and based on a short story by legendary science fiction author Philip K. Dick (Total Recall and Blade Runner were based on his stories). The plot appears to center around men in hats controlling destinies. With Terrence Stamp, always a plus. Now playing. Visit fandango.com.
Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster offers a detailed account of last year's Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, written by Tom Shroder and John Konrad, a longtime Washington Post journalist and an experienced oil rig captain. Sunday, March 6, at 5 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.
Pirates of the Caribbean and The Ring director Gore Verbinski, known for his stylized visuals, makes a foray into computer-generated animation with Rango, starring Johnny Depp as the voice of a chameleon aspiring to be a swashbuckling hero in the Wild Wild West. From the previews, the movie doesn't seem to know what it wants to be -- comedy or dark fable? Still, the visuals look astonishing. Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy and Timothy Olyphant lend their voices. Now playing. Visit fandango.com.
Signature Theatre hosts a book launch party for D.C. playwright and Broadway favorite Ken Ludwig's Lend Me A Tenor and Other Plays. Local actors Holly Twyford, Ian Merrill Peakes, Erin Weaver and others will offer readings from Ludwig’s plays, including Moon Over Buffalo, Shakespeare in Hollywood and Leading Ladies. This afternoon, Saturday, March 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. Signature Theatre's 2nd Floor Mead Lobby, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Free. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.
Neil Patrick Harris plays a supporting role as a blind tutor in Beastly, a fantasy that adapts the Beauty and the Beast tale to a teen sensibility. Pretty-boy Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens star, as does Mary-Kate Olsen, stretching her acting muscles, and Peter Krause. Now playing. Visit fandango.com.
The Corcoran Gallery's "Washington Color and Light" is a collection of major works by the artists associated with the Washington Color School -- Gene Davis, Thomas Downing, Morris Louis, Howard Mehring, Kenneth Noland and Paul Reed -- and their contemporaries, including Rockne Krebs, Anne Truitt, Leon Berkowtiz and Alma Thomas. These works of abstract painting and sculpture from the mid-20th Century to the present are united by an exploration of the language of abstraction, a desire to experiment with materials, and a love of color. Closes this Sunday, March 6. Corcoran Gallery, 500 17th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-639-1700 or visit corcoran.org.
We have a two words for JLo's "On the Floor" video: Sumptuous and kinetic.
Christoph Eschenbach conducts the National Symphony Orchestra in a program, part of the Kennedy Center's maximum INDIA festival, featuring Concerto for Four Soloists, a world premiere from tabla player/composer Zakir Hussain that combines elements of Hindu ragas and talas, Sufi kalam and Christian church music. Mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor and Indian vocalists Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan also perform. Thursday, March 3, at 7 p.m., and Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $20 to $85. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Prolific film composer and musician Randy Newman, hot on the heels of his Oscar win, drops by Strathmore for a concert featuring many of his more popular tunes, including "Leave Your Hat On," "Feels Like Home," "I Love to See You Smile" and "You've Got a Friend in Me," from Toy Story. Wednesday, March 2, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
