Metro Weekly

Out on the Town: D.C. Arts and Entertainment highlights for April 27-May 3

Film, Stage, Music, Dance, Galleries, Food and more

LeAnn Rhimes

FILM

CELIA: THE QUEEN, DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS
The Library of Congress continues its month-long Bibliodiscotheque multidisciplinary series celebrating the legacy of disco with two films about the Latin dance music and culture that helped influence and fuel the genre. The best of this free double feature is Joe Cardona and Mario de Varona’s 2008 documentary about Celia Cruz, the late, legendary “La Reina” of salsa, the propulsive Latin dance genre. The other is Guy Farland’s 2004 critically panned reimagining of Dirty Dancing, set against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution in 1958. The late Patrick Swayze reprises the role of Johnny Castle in a cameo in a movie that the Library touts as “an example of Latin dance music’s appropriation by American popular culture.” Saturday, April 29, at 1 p.m. Mary Pickford Theater, 3rd Floor of James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Free, but tickets required. Call 202-707-5502 or visit loc.gov/concerts/disco.

FILMFEST DC
Now in its 31st year, the Washington, DC International Film Festival presents more than 60 features, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The lineup is broken down into categories of comedy (“The Lighter Side”), crime and thrillers (“Trust No One”), music (“Rhythms On & Off the Screen”) and thought-provoking documentaries on themes of “Division & Debate” and “Justice Matters.” The festival closes with the whimsical French slapstick comedy Lost in Paris by the husband-and-wife duo of directors/actors Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel, on Sunday, April 30, at 3:30 and 7 p.m. Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW. Call 202-274-5782 or visit filmfestdc.org for the full schedule and information on the various venues.

THE CIRCLE
Particularly timely, given the ongoing battle between privacy rights and the need for everyone to apparently overshare everything about their life, James Ponsoldt’s thriller follows a young tech worker at a large internet corporation that is working to make 24/7 surveillance of every human a reality. Emma Watson is the worker in question, in a cast that includes Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan and Bill Paxton, in his final film. Based on Dave Eggers’ eponymous novel. Opens Friday, April 28. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

STAGE

.DOT:: A ROTOPLASTIC BALLET
Described as a “rap robot puppet spectacle,” the latest show from Pointless Theatre features its signature puppets and original rap music produced and performed live by “nerDCore” artist Navi and two-time Helen Hayes-nominated composer Mike Winch. The play addresses the struggles of assimilation and obsoletion within a changing power system. The puppeteers are Becca Ballinger, Frank Cevarich, Madeline Key, Sydney Lo, Sadie Leigh Rothman, Matthew Sparacino, Matthew Strote, and Scott Whalen. To May 6. Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. Tickets are $18 to $30. Call 202-315-1310 or visit flashpointdc.org.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN
★★★★★
Written mid-century, long before the onslaught of screens and soundbites, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun has nothing to prove to a 21st century audience. Just take its premise: a poor, hardworking African-American family comes into some money and struggles with the chance to break free from the demoralizing grind of their urban existence. That’s it. Yes, it is about the legacy of slavery, still fresh in the minds, hearts and economics of 1950s blacks. And yes, it touches mightily on the roles of women and men — be they on the cusp of liberation or trapped by all manner of necessity. But their story is told without gimmick or fanfare. It is riveting, absorbing, extraordinary. Hansberry puts her people first. They are interesting, believable people questioning their assumptions, their givens. It really doesn’t matter how the plot, which has to do with a substantial windfall of much-needed money, all turns out. The joy is in knowing them. Hansberry’s work endures as a timeless jewel, and Arena’s production is a chance to see it truly shine. To May 7. Fichandler Stage in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $51 to $66. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org. (Kate Wingfield)

BLOOD KNOT/A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT
Athol Fugard’s seminal masterpiece returns more than 50 years after its debut, as part of Mosaic’s “South Africa: Then & Now” series, which includes the D.C. premiere of A Human Being Died That Night. Both chamber plays feature a black and white character in constant, heated dialogue. Joy Zinoman helms Fugard’s intimate parable about a brotherhood bound by blood but separated by color. Meanwhile, New York-based director Logan Vaughn tackles Nicholas Wright’s 2013 adaptation of a memoir by psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, exploring the ongoing quest for truth and reconciliation in South Africa. Both plays in rep to April 30. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $40 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
Theater J bills Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical play about a Depression-era family trying to laugh through tears “a perfect escape from today’s never-ending news cycle.” The company’s Adam Immerwahr also calls it a worthy introduction to American theater for young theatergoers who graduated from Disney musicals but aren’t quite ready for Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. Four local teen actors take on the lead roles, joined by adults Lise Bruneau, Michael Glenn and Susan Rome, in a production directed by Matt Torney. To May 7. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

HENRY V
We Happy Few Productions offers a fresh spin on the Shakespeare classic offering a look at the soldier as told through the stories of those around him. Kerry McGee directs a cast starring Kernan McGowan as Henry but also including Josh Adams, Wyckham Avery, Riley Bartlebaugh, Raven Bonniwell, Natasha Gallop, Niusha Nawab, and Robert Pike. Closes Saturday, April 29. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St. SE. Tickets $5 to $15. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.

MIDWESTERN GOTHIC
★★★½
A carnival of lust, violence and lewd behavior, Josh Schmidt and Royce Vavrek’s cheeky new musical Midwestern Gothic blows in like a hot summer breeze, promising a purely escapist good time. How escapist might depend on one’s personal proximity to sensational stories of teen-aged criminal masterminds who lure unsuspecting victims into webs of deceit that result in kidnapping, murder, or any number of other felonies. As for the good time, the production tempts and teases, but only partly delivers. Matthew Gardiner directs a cast that includes Timothy J. Alex, Sherri Edelen, Morgan Keene, Sam Ludwig, Bobby Smith, Stephen Gregory Smith, and Rachel Zampelli. Pride Nights is Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Closes Sunday, April 30. Ark Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $99. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org. (Andre Hereford)

OR,
Holly Twyford, Gregory Linington and Erin Weaver star in a playful farce about an up-and-coming playwright tasked with completing her first commission by dawn. Madcap antics abound in Liz Duffy Adams’ unconventional Restoration-era comedy. Directed by Aaron Posner. To May 7. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are $50 to $60. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

RAGTIME
Based on the sprawling novel by E.L. Doctorow, with book, music and lyrics by Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the Tony-winning musical Ragtime depicts three families striving for the American dream at the turn of the 20th century. It’s an epic musical, made all the more so by the all-star D.C. cast that director Peter Flynn (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) managed to assemble, led by Kevin McAllister, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Nova Y. Payton and Jonathan Atkinson. Talk about an American dream. To May 20. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fords.org.

THE MAGIC PLAY
Olney Theatre offers the latest from playwright Andrew Hinderaker (Colossal) in a story about a magician losing control of his life. Halena Kays directs Brett Schneider, Jon Hudson Odom and Harry A. Winter. To May 7. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

THREE SISTERS
Lev Dodin, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest directors, helms a revealing, emotionally raw rendition of Chekhov’s Three Sisters. Produced by Russian’s Maly Drama Theatre of St. Petersburg and performed in Russian with English surtitles. It doesn’t get more authentic than this. Through Sunday, April 30 in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $19 to $59. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

MUSIC

ADAM PASCAL & ANTHONY RAPP
This is one for the Rent-heads. Two decades after the late Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical first brought them together, Pascal, the original Roger Davis, and Rapp, the first Mark Cohen, team for a special concert. In addition to exciting new arrangements of Larson’s timeless tunes and their signature numbers, Pascal and Rapp will perform songs from their solo albums as well as share highlights from their post-Rent careers. Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $30 to $75. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: STRAVINSKY’S FIREBIRD
Juho Pohjonen joins the BSO to perform Ravel’s jazz-inflected Piano Concerto in G Major, in a program led by Principal Guest Conductor Markus Stenz and capped off by Igor Stravinsky’s complete score for The Firebird. A commission from Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, it catapulted Stravinsky to fame in pre-WWI Paris. Also on the bill is Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage. Thursday, May 4, at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Also Sunday, May 7, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $33 to $99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

BOB MOULD
The legendary and prolific post-punk/pop musician and co-founder of the former pioneering bear party Blowoff returns to his former D.C. stomping grounds. Mould offers a “solo electric” show in support of new album Patch The Sky. The concert includes a DJ set from Brendan Canty, the former drummer in Fugazi as well as the Bob Mould Band, also the former guitarist in Deathfix, the hazy synthy rock band led by Rich Morel, Mould’s former Blowoff partner-in-crime. Friday, April 28, at 10 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

DC YOUTH ORCHESTRA, AMERICAN POPS: CELEBRATING ELLA FITZGERALD
Heralded as the First Lady of Song, the late Fitzgerald gets another centennial toast with two free outdoor concerts in a partnership between the DC Youth Orchestra Program and the American Pops Orchestra. Moya Angela, a quarterfinalist last year on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Maddie Baillio, who starred as Tracy Turnblad in NBC’s Hairspray Live!, Catholic University voice professor and Renee’s sister Rachelle Fleming, and local stage triple threat Hilary Morrow are featured vocalists at these concerts led by Luke Frazier and hosted by Tamika Smith of NPR’s WAMU. Saturday, April 29, at 6 p.m. Meridian Hill Park, 2400 15th St. NW. Also Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m., Marvin Gaye Park, Division Ave. NE. Call 202-698-0123 or visit dcyop.org.

ERIC OWENS & SUSANNA PHILLIPS
The Notorious RBG — better known as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — co-curated with Washington Performing Arts a concert featuring two of today’s greatest singers in opera. Eric Owens, the bass-baritone who has recently performed in Porgy and Bess and The Flying Dutchman at Washington National Opera, is joined by soprano Susanna Phillips, recipient of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2010 Beverly Sills Artist Award. The concert focuses on the work of Schubert. Sunday, April 30, at 4 p.m. UDC Theater of the Arts, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $45. Call 202-785-9727 or visit washingtonperformingarts.org.

FOLGER CONSORT
Closing out the early music ensemble’s “Dramatic Musicke” season is a program offering an assortment of passionate love songs from 13th Century France. “The Play of Love” program features soprano Emily Noel, bass-baritone Peter Brucker, multi-instrumentalist Shira Kammen, and consort co-artistic directors Robert Eisenstein on violin and Christopher Kendall on lute. Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 29, at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $40. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

JANE MONHEIT
The Kennedy Center concludes a series of performances celebrating the centennial of the late Ella Fitzgerald’s birth with a “Renee Fleming Voices” concert by the contemporary jazz vocalist. “Above all, beyond any other artist, I loved and revered Ella,” Monheit has said. Last year, she offered the tribute album The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald, the first release on Monheit’s Emerald City Records. She’ll be accompanied by her producer, arranger and trumpeter Nicholas Payton. Friday, May 5, at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Family Theater. Tickets are $55 to $70. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

JOEY ARIAS
All these years later, Arias is still channeling Billie Holiday. It’s an uncanny, even eerie, recreation, a tribute from the incomparable singing drag queen to the incomparable jazz vocalist. A few years since his last performances in D.C. via the former Speakeasy cabaret series at L’Enfant Cafe, Arias returns as part of the inaugural season of Septime Webre’s Halcyon Stage. Saturday, April 29. Doors at 8 p.m. Halcyon House, 3400 Prospect St. NW. Tickets are $60. Call 202-298-5956 or visit halcyonhouse.org.

LEANN RIMES WITH NSO POPS
The country star, still the youngest Grammy winner, has grown up before our eyes and ears. She returns to the area to perform a concert featuring her greatest hits — including “Blue,” “How Do I Live” and “Can’t Fight The Moonlight” — only this time with the lavish accompaniment of the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Emil de Cou. The Bumper Jacksons open the show with what the Washington Post calls “old-timey American roots with dashes of hot jazz and blues.” Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $39 to $109. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

NANCY & BETH
Megan Mullally — Karen from Will & Grace — and Stephanie Hunt (Friday Night Lights) began singing together six years ago, naming their slyly humorous bluesy band Nancy & Beth for no reason in particular other than to be slyly humorous. The duo tours in support of its debut album in a concert presented by the 9:30 Club. Monday, May 8. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN AT CAPITAL CARING BENEFIT
Capital Caring, the largest nonprofit hospice provider in the mid-Atlantic, kicks off a year-long 40th anniversary celebration with a special benefit acoustic concert featuring ’80s pop hitmaker Newton-John. Fellow adult-contemporary pop singers Beth Nielsen Chapman and Amy Sky will join to sing songs of empowerment from the trio’s newly recorded album of Liv On. The concert coincides with the 10th annual Hospice Comes to Washington event. Monday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $95, or $150 for VIP Ticket with Reception, $350 for Meet & Greet Package. Visit capitalcaring.org.

RENE MARIE
The Virginia-raised singer-songwriter swings with verve and often sings in the spirit of the late, great Eartha Kitt, who Marie celebrated on her 2013 Grammy-nominated set of covers, I Wanna Be Evil …With Love to Eartha Kitt. She returns to Blues Alley for a weekend run of shows in support of her latest Grammy-nominated set, Sounds of Red, an album of original, sophisticated, sauntering jazz tunes, featuring largely autobiographical lyrics. Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7, at 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $35 to $40, plus $12 minimum purchase. Call 202-337-4141 or visit bluesalley.com.

SPLIT SINGLE
You’ll hear a striking resemblance to Sugar, Bob Mould’s ’90s-era power-pop band, in the music of this Chicago band, and there is a connection. Split Single was started a few years ago by Jason Narducy, who spent the previous decade touring as bassist in the Bob Mould Band, in addition to other touring work with Superchunk and Telekinesis. Sasha Lord Presents a show with R. Ring, featuring Kelley Deal of the Breeders and Mike Montgomery of Ampline, and the D.C. post-punk band Flasher. But how’s this for unfortunate irony: The two regular bandmates are now playing opposite each other, with Mould at the Black Cat the very same night and time (see separate entry). Drats! Friday, April 28, at 10 p.m. Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 202-364-0404 or visit cometpingpong.com.

THE XX
Jamie Smith, the electronic producer extraordinaire, may be the best-known member of the popular, famously introverted British dream-pop trio. Yet it is guitarist Romy Madley Croft and bassist Oliver Sim who are the xx’s heart and soul, and the two friends, who’ve been singing and making music together since childhood, are both gay. Their latest album, I See You, retains “the sultry, nocturnal sound” of the band’s first two albums, wrote Metro Weekly‘s Sean Maunier in a four-star review, summing up the set as “brighter, bolder and far more energetic.” The xx’s Young Turks labelmate and fellow haunted electronic spirit Sampha, a rising British singer-songwriter known for featured work with Drake, Frank Ocean and Solange, opens. Saturday, May 6. Doors at 5:30 p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are $40 to $55. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit merriweathermusic.com.

TONY BENNETT
Last December, the legendary crooner offered Tony Bennett Celebrates 90, both an album and an NBC special packed with yet more American Songbook covers and featuring guests artists including Lady Gaga, Rufus Wainwright, Kevin Spacey, k.d. Lang and Billy Joel. None of those guests will appear when Bennett performs as part of Strathmore’s 2017 Spring Gala — but you can count on plenty of renditions of standards just the same. Saturday, May 6, at 9 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $86 to $176. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

DANCE

CITYDANCE’S DREAMSCAPE
Emmy-winning dance icon Debbie Allen (Fame) is the host of CityDance’s 2017 gala, proceeds of which support the organization’s free after-school Dream program. In addition to performances by CityDance students, this year’s lineup features Brooklyn Mack of the Washington Ballet, ballroom stars Denys Drozdyuk & Antonina Skobina, tap dancer Cartier Williams, Cervilio Miguel Amador and Chisako Oga of the Cincinnati Ballet, the Bruce Wood Dance Project, Cloud Movement, Step Afrika! and, from Complexions Contemporary Ballet, guest artists Kelly Sneddon, Andrew Brader, Greg Blackmon and Timothy Stickney. Saturday, May 6, at 8 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $38. Call 202-328-6000 or visit citydance.net.

GOLDEN DRAGON ACROBATS
Billed as today’s premier Chinese acrobatic touring company, the Golden Dragons, led by world-renowned impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang, combine award-winning high-flying stunts as well as traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques. Saturday, April 29, at 7 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $10 to $45. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

THE WASHINGTON BALLET
Three masters of contemporary dance from the past century are featured in an eclectic program that includes Nine Sinatra Songs choreographed by Twyla Tharp. The company’s Ballet Master Elaine Kudo, a retired soloist with American Ballet Theatre and a former dancer with the Tharp Dance Co., stages the work, a glamorous portrait of seven couples swinging, swirling, tangoing and cha-chaing through the romantic songs by Ol’ Blue Eyes. Also on the bill is the company premiere of Seven Sonatas by Alexei Ratmansky, the former Bolshoi Ballet artistic director now affiliated with the ABT, who sets his work to music by Scarlatti, which Canadian pianist Ryo Yanagitani will perform live. Finally, there’s the mini-marathon Allegro Brillante by the foremost contemporary choreographer George Balanchine and set to Tchaikovsky. To Sunday, April 30. Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW. Tickets are $22 to $96. Call 202-783-4000 or visit washingtonballet.org.

READINGS

JOHN WATERS
Politics & Prose teams up with Septime Webre’s Halcyon Stage to present a discussion with everybody’s favorite cult film director, who in recent years has turned to life as a quirky author. In his new book, Making Trouble, the Baltimore native advices college graduates and millennials more generally to see the “value in embracing chaos and weirdness.” Fans of Pink Flamingos or Serial Mom — to name two of his more eccentric classics — couldn’t agree more. Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m., followed by a Meet-the-Author Reception. Halcyon House, 3400 Prospect St. NW. Tickets are $30 including one book. Call 202-298-5956 or visit halcyonhouse.org.

PEN/FAULKNER AWARD FOR FICTION
Now in its 37th year, America’s largest peer-juried literary prize honors the best works of fiction published in the past year. Imbolo Mbue is the 2017 recipient; Viet Dinh, Louise Erdrich, Garth Greenwell, and Sunil Yapa are the other finalists. All will read from their works, and judges Chris Abani, Chantel Acevedo and Sigrid Nunez will share their citations. Washington Post book critic Ron Charles serves as emcee. Saturday, May 6, at 7 p.m. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $100, including a full buffet dinner with open bar and beer provided by Bluejacket Brewery. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

EXHIBITS

500 YEARS OF TREASURES FROM OXFORD
A selection of 50 manuscripts and early printed books — some dating back to the 10th century — will be brought to the U.S. for the first time from their repository in Oxford, England, at the library of Corpus Christi College, founded in 1517. Treasures now on view at the Folger Shakespeare Library include an illuminated copy of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in Middle English, a wonderfully decorated French paraphrase of the Old Testament, and a series of ground-breaking works in the history of science and medicine, including works on astrology and astronomy — from Hooke’s observations of insects using a microscope, to Galileo’s first observation of the moon using a telescope, to Sir Isaac Newton’s observations of Halley’s comet. Closes Sunday, April 30. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

FORCES OF NATURE
National Geographic offers a virtual tour through modern-day disasters and Earth’s fiercest powers, from volcanic eruptions on the island of Montserrat and trembling fault lines in Turkey, to storms ripping through the notorious “Tornado Alley” of America’s Midwest. Experience it all in eye-popping enormity on the giant screen. Kevin Bacon narrates the 40-minute documentary, shot in IMAX by George Casey, that also features scientists to help viewers better comprehend these forces and hopefully increase the odds of surviving such events in the future. Closes Sunday, April 30. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $7. Call 202-857-7500 or visit ngmuseum.org.

LINDSAY MULLEN: SPEAKING LAYERS
Mullen is a post-impressionist colorist known for works revealing a refined sensitivity to the light and climate of the locations depicted. Her new paintings aim to breathe life into layers on canvas. “The finished work,” according to her Artist Statement, “is intended to draw the observer into a meditative, magical space where light and color merge into visceral sensations and the viewer is encouraged to finish the story however they choose.” Closes Saturday, April 29. Susan Calloway Fine Arts, 1643 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Call 202-965-4601 or visit callowayart.com.

MARTI JONES DIXON: VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
Though she never became a major star, Dixon was signed to two different major labels, A&M and RCA, in the ’80s. She has long since returned to her first love: visual art. Over the next month, Miss Pixie’s — the quirky 14th Street vintage furniture store — presents a new series by Dixon, inspired by Jacqueline Susann’s 1966 bestseller and the cult film it spawned a year later. Opening reception Friday, April 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. On display through end of May. Miss Pixie’s, 1626 14th St. NW. Call 202-232-8171 or visit misspixies.com.

MARYLAND FEDERATION OF ART
Gallery B, the art gallery run by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, presents an exhibition of member artists of the Annapolis-based federation and juried by the namesake of Georgetown’s Susan Calloway Fine Arts. Calloway’s juried show features a diverse range of artworks, including sculpture, woodturning, glass, painting, photography, and mixed media. A total of 53 artists are represented, including Elaine Cafritz, David Diaz, Kay Fuller, Lee Goodwin, James Steven McDonald, Mike McSorley, Arpitha Parthasarathy, William Peirce, Alex Tolstoy, Gil Ugiansky, and Andrew Wohl. Closes Saturday, April 29. Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E, Bethesda. Call 301-215-7990 or visit bethesda.org/bethesda/gallery-b.

@NATGEO THE MOST POPULAR INSTAGRAM PHOTOS
The National Geographic shares the most liked, commented on and favorited photos from its Instagram account, billed as the world’s top media brand on that social media platform, with 62 million followers and over 1 billion likes on the more than 12,000 photos posted to its page. Closes Sunday, April 30. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. General admission $15. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

SMITHSONIAN CRAFT SHOW
Heralded as the most prestigious juried show and sale of American contemporary fine craft, this annual event, now in its 35th year, features 120 of the field’s leading artists representing 34 states — selected by a three-judge panel from over 1,000 applicants. All facets of contemporary design and jewelry are represented, including wearable art, basketry, furniture, glass, leather, and mixed media. The 2017 Visionary Award will be presented to Faith Ringgold, and nine of the African-American artist’s iconic painted narrative quilts (including the Underground Railroad-themed “Coming to Jones Road” and “Jazz Stories”) will be on display at the National Building Museum through May 7. As befits its presenting organization and namesake, this show, produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, isn’t strictly about sales, sales, sales but also includes an educational focus. And proceeds go toward funding research at the Smithsonian’s 28 institutions, from its museums on the mall to the National Zoo. Thursday, April 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Daily admission is $20, or $17 purchased online in advance; a two-day pass is $30. Call 202-272-2448 or visit smithsoniancraftshow.org.

FOOD AND DRINK

NATIONAL HARBOR WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
This weekend ushers in the 11th annual edition of a festival set on the banks of the Potomac River and surrounded by the hotels, restaurants and shops that have sprung up in this distant part of Prince George’s County. Over 150 wines, spirits and beers will be on tap as part of this “all-you-care-to-taste affair,” which also features a Cooking Stage with appearances by Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Marjorie Meeks-Bradley of Smoke and Stacked, and Seng Luangrath of Thip Khao on Saturday, and Victor Albisu of Del Campo and Taco Bamba and Rock Harper of Rock Solid Creative Food Group on Sunday. There will be beer tastings, hands-on demonstrations and wine pairings, and live music. Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, from 12 to 6 p.m. The Waterfront, 137 National Plaza, National Harbor, Md. Tickets are $39 in advance or $45 on-site. Call 800-830-3975 or visit wineandfoodnh.com.

THE GRILL ROOM: TAX RELIEF WINE SPECIAL
Facing the C&0 Canal in the luxury Georgetown hotel Rosewood, the Grill Room is offering a discounted price on Télégramme by Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, a standout wine from Chateauneuf du Pape. This Southern Rhone region has a unique history of taxation that helped set the standard of winemaking throughout France, leading to the Appellation d’origine Contrôlée, or AOC. Normally priced at $25 a glass and $98 a bottle, the Télégramme, with notes of fresh red and black cherries, strawberry, black pepper, black raspberry and spice, will be discounted to $15 a glass and $60 a bottle during the special promotion. That makes it a perfect complement to the Grill Room’s hand-cut, bone-in, artisanal meats and locally sourced seasonal produce particularly for any foodie and red wine enthusiast with a tax refund to spend. Available during lunch and dinner through the end of April. The Grill Room, 1050 31st St. NW. Call 202-617-2424 or visit rosewoodhotels.com/en/washington-dc.

ABOVE & BEYOND

ARTOMATIC
Now in its 11th incarnation, the all-access arts event has returned to Crystal City, where more than 600 visual artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers will be engaged in a 100,000 square-foot space over the next month. Artomatic handiworks for sale range from diamonds-in-the-rough to the kind of art only an artist could love. A literary program and art workshops, including live model drawing and demos, are also on tap throughout the event’s run. Through May 6. Vornado/Charles E. Smith, 1800 South Bell St., Arlington. Free. Visit artomatic.org.

GEORGETOWN FRENCH MARKET
More than 40 boutique shops, antique stores, restaurants, salons and galleries in Georgetown’s Book Hill area participate in this 14th annual open-air market and sidewalk sale. The Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) presents the affair, intended to evoke the outdoor markets of Paris. The culinary offerings alone go well beyond the standard French fare of, say, Cafe Bonaparte and Patisserie Poupon, however, with the Bean Counter, Dolcezza, Georgetown Olive Oil Co., Jaco Juice & Taco Bar, Los Cuates, Pho Viet Grille, Simply Banh Mi, Via Umbria and Zannchi all represented. And all throughout you’ll find whimsical street performers, face painters and live French music and gypsy jazz. Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 30, from noon to 5 p.m. Wisconsin Avenue between O Street and Reservoir Road. Visit georgetownfrenchmarketdc.com.

PRETTY BOI DRAG BRUNCH
Reviving the art of drag kings in D.C., Pretty Boi Drag, co-founded by former DC King Pretty Rik E, now offers a monthly all-inclusive brunch experience with live music from hip-hop DJ Tezrah, in addition to drag performances. Sunday, May 7, from noon to 3 p.m. Acre 121, 1400 Irving St. NW. Tickets are $20 for show only, $30 including a brunch entree, or $40 including an entree and bottomless mimosas. Call 202-431-4704 or visit prettyboidrag.com.

RITA MORENO
David M. Rubenstein, the philanthropist responsible for so many new initiatives and developments at the Kennedy Center as well as elsewhere around town, launches a new series of sit-down conversations with notable figures from the arts and culture field starting with the legendary performer and 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree. Moreno will discuss her career and life lessons as well as offer reflections on the arts in America today and ruminations on contemporary social issues through ideals — courage, freedom, justice, service and gratitude — often ascribed to the center’s namesake. Inspired by the center’s namesake and part of the year-long “JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy,” the discussion also builds on the recent Bloomberg TV series The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations that featured everyone from Bill Gates to Oprah Winfrey. Saturday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Family Theater. Tickets are $30 to $75. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WASHINGTON ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIR
The 42nd edition of this annual event offers a treasure trove of rare books, modern first editions, manuscripts, autographs, maps, drawings and other fine ephemera, from authentic White House letters from Jackie Kennedy to first editions of Sylvia Plath poetry. The fair is said to offer something for every interest and every price point, and tickets include participation in fast-paced literary games hosted by Labyrinth Games & Puzzles on Friday, or a personalized, off-the-cuff poem typed on a vintage machine by Typewriter Rodeo on Saturday. Friday, April 28, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Sphinx Club, 1315 K St. NW. Tickets are $15 for both days, or $10 Saturday only. Call 202-898-1688 or visit wabf.com.

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