Woolly Mammoth opens its 30th season with Eclipsed, a world premiere from award-winning actor and playwright Danai Gurira (In The Continuum), focused on five young Liberian women whose lives are enmeshed in their country’s civil war. Liesl Tommy directs a cast featuring Jessica Frances Duke, Dawn Ursula, Uzo Aduba, Ayesha Ngaujah and Liz Femi Wilson. Opens tonight, Monday, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m. Through Sept. 27. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Tickets range from $27 to $62. Call 202-393-3939 or click here.

Las Vegas rockers The Killers return to the area for their second dazzling live show this year, in support of last fall’s dazzling album Day & Age, produced by one of dance music’s best, Stuart Price (Madonna’s Confessions on A Dance Floor). Tonight, Monday, Aug. 31. Gates at 6 p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are $35 to $125. Call 800-551-SEAT or click here.

Signature Theatre’s season opener Dirty Blonde finds its inspiration in the original bawdy bad girl of blondes, Mae West. She was a girl with curves who knew that sex could put people in the seats and a star on her dressing-room door. But like Madonna and Harlow and so many of the rest, Mae West was not always Mae West. Claudia Shear’s “play with music” explores that transformation story in a play about the people we find when we look beneath the surface. Dirty Blonde has the simplicity and tone of a one-person show brought into being by the kind of well-connected ensemble we’d love to see more often. Shear’s storytelling moves us seamlessly back and forth in time. Emily Skinner is outstanding in her dual role as both West and Jo, a devoted fan. She avoids becoming either slavish impersonator or vamping drag queen. Her youthful West is brash and bold, the woman who became as famous for her smart mouth as for her burlesque-show shimmy. Through Oct. 4. Signature’s Ark Theater, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets $47 to $71. Call 703-820-9771 or visit www.signature-theatre.org. (Tom Avila)

Read Tom Avila's full review here.

Have you noticed the local proliferation of outdoor film screenings? Well, the National Harbor in Prince George’s County has started another one, with films screening after sunset every Sunday through October on a big screen in the Harbor’s “The Awakening” Plaza. Tonight, Aug. 30, brings Antz, the mediocre-at-best 1998 film from Dreamworks Animation and only the second American computer-animated film, after Toy Story. Meanwhile, every other Tuesday through September the Harbor presents “Classic Tuesdays.” Next up, on Tuesday, Sept. 8: Duck Soup, the 1933 Marx Brothers masterpiece. National Harbor Plaza, National Harbor, Md. Free. Call 877-NATLHBR or visit www.NationalHarbor.com.

The neighborhood of Columbia Heights has changed a lot in the time this festival started two years ago. This year’s event will feature yoga, live music – from reggae to rock to hip-hop – a petting zoo, food samples and performances, plus a Sticky Fingers Cupcake Eating Contest and a dog show. And area businesses and restaurants will offer their wares for sales and specials. It should be quite the to-do – with or without your usual stop at Target. Saturday, Aug. 29, starting at 10 a.m. Harriet Tubman Elementary, 13th and Kenyon St. NW. Free. Visit www.columbiaheightsday.org.

DJs K la Rock and Junebullet of the First Ladies DJ Collective lead this short class at Lace Lounge and Restaurant offering DJ-ing basics, from the right equipment to mixing and general song structure. Afterwards, the class, presented by ZOOM Urban Lesbian Excursions, will head upstairs to dine and drink. Saturday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. Lace DC, 2214 Rhode Island Ave. NE. Cover $25. Call 202-832-3888 or visit www.zoomexcursions.com.

Perched atop Crystal City's restaurant row for over seven years, Freddie's Beach Bar & Restaurant is a beachside oasis that'll warm you up and take you to the shore no matter what the weather. The extensive menu features an array of hearty appetizers, burgers and entrées. The crab cakes are some of the best we've had and the roasted half-chicken with au gratin potatoes is flat-out delicious. And the surf and turf is a bona fide crowd pleaser. Don't miss Wednesday night's $6 burger special or Sunday's brunch buffet, offering everything from eggs Benedict to General Tso's chicken.

Freddie's Beach Bar & Restaurant

Cost: $$

Pictured: Surf & Turf | Photography by Todd Franson, Metro Weekly

Founder, owner and editor-in-chief of Virginia’s Falls Church News Press, Nicholas Benton reads from his contribution to Smash the Church, Smash the State, a book whose title draws from a rallying cry during the early days of the gay rights movement. The anthology collects essays, manifestos, artwork and photos from Stonewall-era activists battling oppression on many fronts, including Benton’s work as co-founder of the Berkeley, Calif., chapter of the Gay Liberation Front. Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6:30 p.m. Lambda Rising Bookstore, 1625 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-462-6969 or visit www.lambdarising.com.

Tom Goss's latest album Back to Love finds this D.C.-based singer/songwriter/guitarist positively giddy, reflecting both his current happiness – he's engaged to marry his boyfriend later this year – and that of lovers around him. It’s a remarkable, cohesive collection of mostly pop love songs, several of which seem custom-made to be sung at Goss' wedding, most notably first single “Till the End.” Goss sings in a clear voice, a tenor full of earnest vulnerability that matches his music's predominant aesthetic: exposed, unadorned and rather fragile, steeped in pop and folk, but informed by country and a trace of blues. Thursday, Aug. 27, at 9 p.m. IOTA Club and Café, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Tickets are $12. Call 703-522-8340 or visit www.iotaclubandcafe.com.

Self-billed as combining garage rock, electronica and irony – and even more mysteriously, as “Superman on anti-depressants” – the Fairfax-based trio The Potentials make melodious pop music with the potential for wide appeal. It’s just one of at least three bands to perform at Jammin’ Java’s “Thursday Night Glow." Thursday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave. E. Vienna. Tickets are $12. Call 703-255-3747 or visit www.jamminjava.com.

This gallery presents a group exhibition curated by D.C. artist Renee Stout. “Six in the Mix” brings together a divergent company of mid-Atlantic emerging and mid-career artists: Cianne Fragione, Kenyatta Hinkle, Adam Griffiths, Marc Roman, James Swainbank and Gilbert Trent. On display through Saturday, Aug. 29. Hillyer Art Space at International Arts & Artists, 9 Hillyer Court NW. Suggested donation is $5. Call 202-338-0680 or visit www.artsandartists.org.

Gallery Hours

Monday, 10am-5pm

Tuesday-Friday, 10am-7pm

Saturday, 11am-4pm

The popular Adams Morgan coffee shop Tryst DC presents a photography show by Tony Fetters titled para//e/s (Parallels) in its Artists Alley. “I am stirred to stop and capture the shapes, textures and people others pass by,” says Fetters, a freelance creative director for cable television. Through August. Tryst Coffeehouse, 2459 18th St. NW. Call 202-232-5500 or visit www.trystdc.com.

“Bark Victory!” is a new fundraiser for Pets-DC, which helps people living with AIDS and other disabling diseases to care for their companion pets. At this event, singers Tom Goss and Sarah Azzara will perform alongside Baltimore-based bellydance trio Kallisti Tribal and a musical comedy trio called Eva Brontosaurus, said to be similar to Weird Al Yankovic, “only much prettier.” Sunday, Aug. 23, at 8 p.m. Velvet Lounge, 915 U St. NW. Tickets are $10. Visit www.myspace.com/barkvictory for more information.

For more than 20 years, the German owners and chefs of Café Berlin on Capitol Hill have faithfully recreated an authentically Deutsch dining experience, while respecting American sensibilities by aiming for a slightly lighter interpretation. The Café Berlin touch is particularly highlighted in their summer menu, starting with the chilled strawberry-mozzarella soup or the summer bruschetta with bell peppers, tomatoes and cucumber. Continue this seasonal gourmet experience with ahi tuna served over lemon rice, with avocado, tomato and mango salsa; or the spinach, onion and goat cheese tart. Of course, if you're not looking for a summery treat but a hearty dose of German classics, never fear. You can feast upon Café Berlin's saurbraten, schnitzel or wurstplatte year round. Enjoy a nice Riesling with the lighter fare, while the bar's variety of German beers will undoubtedly have a nice pairing for the classical dishes. To end without biting into one of Café Berlin's expertly crafted pastries would be a monumental mistake.

CAFÉ BERLIN - 322 Massachusetts Ave. NE - Washington - 202-543-7656

Cost: $$

Cafe Berlin's Weiner Schnitzel - Photographed by Todd Franson, Metro Weekly

Janeane Garofalo, a firebrand actress, former talk show host and all-around liberal activist wears a lot of hats – her credits include Saturday Night Live, West Wing, 24, Reality Bites and Ratatouille. But she’s first and foremost a standup comedian, making informed, unflinching observations about current events – not unlike Kathy Griffin, though her lens is more trained on Washington and national politics, not so much Hollywood and showbiz. Sounds perfect for a Washington audience. Friday, Aug. 21. Doors at 8 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $35. Call 202-265-0930 or visit www.930.com.

The screening of John Hughes' Some Kind of Wonderful at the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre was planned many months ago, as part of a month-long retrospective of “Totally Awesome” films from the ‘80s, celebrated chiefly for nostalgia. But now, with Hughes’ sudden, recent passing, it has even more resonance. Hughes only wrote this film from 1987 -- it was directed by Howard Deutch. Starring Eric Stoltz, Mary Stuart Masterson and Lea Thompson, the New York Times went so far as to call it a “much-improved, recycled version of the Pretty in Pink story.” Friday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 22, at 5:15 p.m., and Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. Tickets are $10 general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

D.C. resident Mark Charles Heidinger is an active member of the eccentric indie-rock band These United States, based in Kentucky. But he’s about to release his second solo album, Divide & Conquer, under his alt-folk alias, Vandaveer. He’s having a hometown CD release party this Thursday, Aug. 20, at 8 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-667-4490 or visit www.blackcatdc.com.

A Passion for Justice: An Encounter with Clarence Darrow, a one-man play by Jack Marshall and Paul Morella (former Congresswoman Connie’s son), illuminates the courtroom passion of the famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow, he of the Scopes’ Monkey trial. The audience is the jury as Darrow, portrayed by Morella, tries notorious cases of murder, evolution, and civil rights. Renowned for moving judges and juries alike with his eloquence, Darrow invites the audience into his courtroom to bear witness to his greatest triumphs, his stinging defeats, and his most absorbing crisis. Through Sept. 6. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are $26 to $49. Call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org.

Early in her life, Ann Dunham – better known as President Obama’s recently deceased mother – explored her interest in the textile arts as a weaver, creating wall hangings in earthy shades of brown and green for her own enjoyment. After marrying Lolo Soetoro and moving to Indonesia in the 1960s with Barack, she was naturally drawn to the vibrant textile arts of her new home. This museum presents an exhibit, “Lady Found a Culture in its Cloth: Barack Obama's Mother and Indonesian Batiks.” Now through Aug. 23. Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW. Washington. Open Tuesdays through Sundays. For hours, call 202-667-0441 or visit www.textilemuseum.org.

Pictured: Kain panjang (long cloth used as lower body wrapper) Java, Yogyakarta. Ann Dunham Collection No. 10

mothertounge, a decade-old, community-based, all-volunteer entity hosts its next monthly women’s spoken word event at The Black Cat, offering a safe space where all women may speak freely and powerfully. Proceeds from the event benefit nonprofits serving women and girls in the D.C. area. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 9 p.m. Black Cat Backstage, 1811 14th St. NW. Free. Call 202-667-4490 or visit www.blackcatdc.com.

The renovated Ford’s Theatre reopened in February after a 16-month renovation. And now, so has its lower-level museum, dramatically rethought to relate the story of how the theatre’s most famous patron, Abraham Lincoln, became its de facto patron saint. The museum’s exhibits showcase the 16th U.S. president’s time in D.C. and the accomplishments he achieved up until the night he was assassinated during a performance at the theater. As such, it depicts his life and not just, as before, his death. The nearby Petersen House, where Lincoln actually died, is still part of the tour. Ford’s Theatre Museum, 511 10th St. NW. Admission is free but requires a timed-entry ticket. Call 202-347-4833 or visit www.fords.org.

The American Film Institute is honoring the legendary Steven Spielberg by screening his more recent films -- some great, some duds -- now through the end of August at its Silver Theatre. Jurassic Park and Amistad have already screened, so you missed one great film and one dud, and Munich and The Terminal are upcoming, so you have another chance to catch another great film and possibly miss another dud. Right now, though, you can catch Catch Me If You Can, the resolutely mediocre 2002 dramedy starring Leonardo di Caprio and Tom Hanks. Interestingly, Catch Me If You Can is now a Broadway musical with tunes by the brilliant Marc Shaiman (Hairspray. Remaining screenings are this Monday, Aug. 17, at 4:10 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6:45 p.m., and Thursday, Aug. 20, at 4:10 p.m. At AFI's Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $10, general admission. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

Part domestic drama, part satire, part science fiction and part philosophy debate, celebrated gay playwright Edward Albee’s Seascape tells the story of Nancy and Charlie, a troubled, aging American couple facing tensions in their relationship as they contemplate retirement. Their visit to a beach on Long Island is enlivened by the unexpected appearance of another couple, Leslie and Sarah, who are actually large, scaly, humanoid sea-lizards, highly-evolved and considering a life-altering move from the ocean to the land. The 1975 play won Albee the second of four Pultizers for drama, and it finds the generally acerbic and pessimistic playwright in an upbeat and playful mood. Through Aug. 22. American Century Theater, Gunston Arts Center Theater II, 2700 S. Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $28 to $32. Call 703-998-4555 or visit www.americancentury.org.

Perched on the border of the Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle neighborhoods, 18th & U Duplex Diner has long served as a lively and casual gathering spot for D.C.'s gay movers and shakers. The dining room is as social as the bar, with much table hopping and hobnobbing. The food is classic American comfort -- a generous meatloaf, a terrific mac and cheese, unbeatable pork chops, a savory rib eye and a new wedge salad comprised of iceberg lettuce and thick chunks of bacon, bathed in blue-cheese dressing -- that adds to the at-home-with-friends feel.

18th & U Duplex Diner
- 2004 18th St. NW - Washington, DC - (202) 265-9599 - Cost: $$

Duplex Diner Meatloaf | Photographed by Todd Franson / Metro Weekly

It’s been more than two decades now since Chapman scored major success with “Fast Car” and her self-titled debut album. Late last year she released Our Bright Future, which is every bit as steeped in quiet, emotionally resonating folk as the Grammy-winning pop singer’s previous output. Her music hasn’t aged at all, and her lyrics are still heavy with socially conscious sentiments but light on personal specifics. Chapman is still as enigmatic as ever. Tonight, Saturday, Aug. 8. Doors at 8 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $40. Call 202-265-0930 or visit www.930.com.

After taking a year off to join the True Colors Tour in support of gay rights, The B-52's are back at Wolf Trap for an annual August party. The fun, frolicking foursome with three gay members -- Keith Strickland, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson -- are as festive and fun as ever. “Keep doing what you're doing, 'cause it's what we like,” they rightly sing on new track “Ultravoilet.” Saturday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $40. Call 703-255-1900 or visit www.wolf-trap.org.

From bar fare to eggs Benedict, the Beacon Bar & Grill hits every appetite. And nothing says gay venue like a great happy-hour bar menu -- $5 apiece for mini burgers, crab quesadillas and plenty more. Then there's the elaborate Sunday buffet brunch, with unlimited mimosas, champagne or Bloody Marys; the Saturday night prix fixe wine dinners; or Tuesday's three-course pasta dinners. Sneak up to the rooftop Beacon Martini Sky Bar, when open, for one the most spectacular views around.

1615 Rhode Island Ave. NW - Washington, D.C. - 202-872-1126 - Cost: $$

Last year Victoria DePaula (pictured) was crowned Miss Gay DC America – yes, a drag title – and then went on to win the title of Miss Gay America 2009. Now, she’s hoping her successor can do the same at the Miss Gay DC America 2009 Pageant. Destiny B. Childs is one of this official preliminary pageant’s special guests, along with many other familiar D.C. drag names, from Monet Dupree to Kristina Kelly to Linda Carrero. The contest includes more than $5,000 in cash and prizes. Saturday, Aug. 8. Prejudging/Evening Gown at 6 p.m., pageant at 7:30 p.m. Town, 2009 Eighth St. NW. Washington. Cover is $12. Visit www.missgaydcamerica.com.

Before he releases a solo debut and becomes an out-and-dramatic rock star, Adam Lambert is forced to continue singing on the "American Idols Live! Tour" with the kiddies, his nine fellow Top 10 contestants from the most recent season of Idol. These include, of course, Idol winner Kris Allen, who likely got more votes than Lambert due to latent homophobia among Idol voters, as well as Allison Iraheta, definitely our second-favorite of the bunch. Unfortunately, it also means the Gokey, Anoop and Scott MacIntyre. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. Tickets are $43.50 to $69.50. Call 202-628-3200 or visit www.verizoncenter.com.

This is the 10th Annual edition of this sidewalk sale in Mid City, centered at 14th and U Streets NW. Businesses from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams to Pulp to Whole Foods to Miss Pixie’s offer Dog Days-only sales, while Studio Theatre offers old props through a garage sale. Meanwhile, restaurants such as Café Saint-Ex offer food samples, and the Washington Improv Theater presents “Improv-a-Palooza.” Expect other diversions as well. Saturday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 2. Mid City/U Street area. Most activities and shows are free. Call 202-246-0343 or visit www.midcitylife.com.

Pictured: Accoutrements bacon products, featured at Pulp. Click here to see more Pulp items.

Photography by Todd Franson / Metro Weekly