Steph Tolev — The Canadian comic behind Netflix’s Filth Queen barrels through brash, unfiltered, intensely physical stand-up (9/19)
Matt Rogers — The gay Las Culturistas co-host unwraps a brand-new holiday comedy show with his signature blend of pop-culture fixation and gleeful excess (12/16)
Doktor Kaboom at The Alden
THE ALDEN THEATRE
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave.
McLean, Va.
703-790-0123 mcleancenter.org
The Vanishing — George Sluizer’s chilling 1988 Dutch thriller about a man’s obsessive search for the girlfriend who disappeared without a trace (10/8, 10/21)
Tea with the Dames — The 2018 documentary brings Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith together for tea, memories, and candid reflections on their extraordinary careers (10/22)
Be Kind Rewind — Michel Gondry’s 2008 comedy about video-store clerks who accidentally erase their inventory and remake every movie themselves on a budget of nothing (11/4)
Bathtubs Over Broadway — The 2018 documentary uncovers the bizarre, forgotten world of lavish corporate musicals commissioned by America’s biggest companies (11/19)
The Joyfully Jolly Jamboree — Broadway puppet director Joshua Holden channels vintage television specials into a whimsical holiday mashup of handcrafted puppets, original songs, choreography, faux commercials, and a sing-along (12/12)
Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! — Interactive science experiments and comedy turn the physics of pressure into lessons about mental and emotional resilience (1/28)
Passing Strange — Spike Lee’s 2009 film captures singer-songwriter Stew’s Tony-winning rock musical about a young Black artist’s search for identity, authenticity, and “the real” (2/11)
Pet Parade: Mutt Gala — Creatively costumed animals strut their stuff during AVAM’s beloved pet parade and talent show (9/26)
Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks — More than 60 exuberant works spanning portraiture, photography, fiber, wearable art, and sculpture explore appearance as a vehicle for feeling, humor, protection, and self-invention (10/10-9/5/27)
Flaunt: Werk of Art — Drag queens illuminate the artistry of makeup, hair, and extravagant costuming through living displays and a head-to-toe transformation demonstration, followed by dancing and high-fashion revelry (11/13)
Jerry Seinfeld — The sitcom legend brings his meticulously honed observational comedy to three performances (10/23-24)
Andrea Gibson’s Love Letter from the Afterlife — A film of the late genderqueer poet’s final live performance anchors a multimedia celebration mixing poetry, music, intimate storytelling, and orchestral accompaniment, with Gibson’s wife, Megan Falley, and the Washington National Opera Orchestra (11/17)
Brett Goldstein: Sex, Death & Small Talk — The two-time Emmy-winning Ted Lasso star returns to stand-up with his sharp wit and famously profane delivery (12/4)
Drew Lynch — The America’s Got Talent runner-up transforms his experiences with a stutter into sharply self-deprecating comedy (9/19)
La Chupitos: Standopeda — Liliana Arriaga revives her beloved tipsy alter ego for a new Spanish-language comedy tour (9/26)
The Great Zucchini and Abracadabra Alex — Two popular family entertainers join forces for a morning of magic, mischief, and laughs (9/27)
Heather Shaw — The lesbian comic and viral Jim Carrey lookalike turns her quick wit on pop culture, politics, and queer life (10/1)
April Macie — The Last Comic Standing finalist dismantles sexual double standards with gleefully uninhibited candor (10/2-3)
Drag Queen Bingo Fundraiser — Local queens dispense performances, laughs, and bingo to benefit Dogs of Otavalo’s veterinary work in Ecuador (10/4)
Adult Bingo & Naughty Games — Comedian Jon Kondelik hosts a raunchy, fully interactive game show featuring Bingo Against Humanity, dares, guest comics, and decidedly adult prizes (10/9)
Brittany Schmitt — The fearlessly dark comic behind the specials From Ho to Housewife, Horny, and Sorry Dad takes no prisoners (10/10)
Actually, It Is Rocket Science — Teton Gravity Research’s 2026 ski-and-snowboard film follows elite athletes into spectacular mountain terrain (10/15)
Francisco Ramos — The Venezuelan-American comic seen on Gentefied, Shameless, and HBO’s Entre Nos brings his incisive immigrant perspective to the stage (10/16)
SUBMERGE Project — ARTECHOUSE reopens with its largest group exhibition of digital artists yet, featuring 18 interactive installations and the 280-degree, 18K-resolution Beyond the Render, created by 13 international artist teams (ongoing)
H Street Festival — D.C. drag icon Tara Hoot leads an all-ages story time before a Capital City Symphony chamber performance and a closing set from DJ Blasian during the venue’s free open house (9/19)
A Hoot for the Holidays! — Tara Hoot returns with songs, stories, whimsy, and heartfelt holiday cheer (12/11)
Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival — The 18th annual celebration spans four weekends of multidisciplinary performances exploring story, movement, sound, and community connection (2/12-3/7)
BALTIMORE SPEAKERS SERIES
Joseph Meyerhoff Hall
1212 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, Md.
410-783-8000 baltimorespeakers.org
Pete Buttigieg — The former transportation secretary and first openly gay Cabinet member reflects on public service, political leadership, and America’s future (10/1)
Boris Johnson — The former British prime minister offers a firsthand perspective on Brexit, the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and life at the center of power (10/29)
Doris Kearns Goodwin — The Pulitzer-winning presidential historian draws on a career spent illuminating leadership, crisis, and the forces shaping American history (11/12)
Andrew Ross Sorkin — The New York Times financial journalist, CNBC anchor, and author of Too Big to Fail explores the volatile intersection of Wall Street, Washington, and power (1/14)
Charles F. Bolden Jr. — The former NASA administrator and four-time Space Shuttle astronaut brings a veteran’s perspective on leadership and space exploration (2/18)
Currents of History: The C&O Canal and America’s 250th Anniversary — Artwork, historic photographs, maps, sculpture, and archival materials trace the canal’s evolution into a 184-mile corridor connecting history, engineering, culture, and nature (through 10/17, Goldman Art Gallery)
Judy Batalion — The bestselling author discusses The Last Woman of Warsaw, her new novel about two Jewish women confronting rising antisemitism in 1938 Poland (10/16)
One Survivor Remembers — The Academy Award-winning 1995 HBO documentary short recounts Gerda Weissmann Klein’s six years under Nazi persecution, followed by a discussion with her son, James A. Klein (10/20)
Joel Chasnoff — The comedian and author mines Jewish life, culture, and family for clever, clean stand-up (10/28)
We Met at Grossinger’s — Paula Eiselt’s 2025 documentary revisits the legendary Catskills resort and its role as a haven for Jewish culture, with lesbian comedy great Judy Gold joining the post-film conversation (11/5)
Sharon Owens — The acclaimed tribute artist celebrates Barbra Streisand’s singular voice, indelible songs, and enduring LGBTQ appeal in The Streisand Songbook (12/10)
John Waters at The Birchmere
THE BIRCHMERE
3701 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, Va.
703-549-7500 birchmere.com
#IMOMSOHARD — Jen Smedley and Kristin Hensley turn motherhood, marriage, aging, and life’s accumulating indignities into cathartic comedy on The Crashing Out Tour (10/3)
David Cross — The Emmy-winning comedian, actor, and writer delivers a Brand New Hour of caustic political satire and gleefully absurd observations (10/23)
Paula Poundstone — The asexual comedy veteran and Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! regular deploys her famously quick wit, spontaneous observations, and fearless audience interaction (11/6-7)
Trae Crowder — The “Liberal Redneck” skewers reactionary politics and cultural divisions with incisive Southern wit (11/20-21)
A John Waters Christmas — The gay icon and “Pope of Trash” celebrates the season with a cheerfully profane monologue about holiday excess, bad taste, and everything Christmas ought not to be (12/22)
Dragrooms — Local drag artists descend into the uncanny world of Kane Parsons’s Backrooms, transforming analog and liminal horror into a surreal 18-and-over revue hosted by Manny Quinn (10/22)
Coven — A witchy Halloween dance party mixes DJ sets, pole-dancing performances and demonstrations, tarot readings, spooky vendors, and a costume runway (10/24)
Eighties Mayhem — The 14th annual Halloween party delivers five hours of ’80s hits and deep cuts from DJ Steve EP and DJ Missguided (10/31)
Right Round: Early Edition — DJ lil’e moves the long-running ’80s alternative dance party to an earlier hour, spinning the Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Siouxsie, Yaz, and more (11/21)
HUMP! Film Festival — Dan Savage’s inclusive erotic-film festival showcases a provocative new collection of funny, kinky, independently produced shorts celebrating bodies, genders, and sexualities of every kind (12/4-5)
Mortified DC Live: Doomed Valentine’s Show — Adults publicly revisit the agonies of first love through their painfully authentic teenage diaries, poems, letters, lyrics, and locker notes (2/13)
John Crist — The viral comedian records a new stand-up special before two live audiences (9/26)
Kanan Gill — The Indian stand-up star brings his precise observational humor and global perspective to the new show Not This Again (10/2)
Dark & Stormy — Resonance Improv Alliance invents and solves a new murder mystery onstage, with audience suggestions and opening sets from local comedians (10/9)
Michael Blaustein — The Stiff Socks co-host brings the final leg of his globe-trotting Taste Me Tour to Tysons (10/16)
Dante Gebel — The Argentine motivational speaker and television host threads stand-up through an emotional farewell program exploring life, loss, nostalgia, and everyday experience (11/4)
John Cusack — Cameron Crowe’s 1989 romantic comedy Say Anything screens with its beloved star on hand for a live conversation about the film and his career (11/10)
Australia’s Thunder From Down Under — The 18-and-over Las Vegas male revue turns Aussie swagger, sculpted physiques, and high-energy choreography into a gleefully uninhibited spectacle (11/12)
Blade Runner Live — Ridley Scott’s 1982 science-fiction landmark appears in its 2007 Final Cut while the Avex Ensemble performs Vangelis’s revolutionary electronic score live in sync (11/13)
Nurse Blake — The gay nurse-turned-comedian scrubs in with new material drawn from patients, families, and the absurdities of healthcare (11/24)
Be Like Blippi Tour! — Blippi and Meekah invite young audiences into an interactive adventure packed with songs, laughter, movement, and child-size exploration (11/27)
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show — Drag superstars Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme unwrap another all-new edition of their gloriously camp holiday extravaganza, mixing original songs, comedy, storytelling, dance, and extravagant costumes (12/3)
Twilight in Concert — Catherine Hardwicke’s 2008 vampire romance plays on a full-size screen as a 12-piece rock and orchestral ensemble performs its score live amid more than 1,000 candles (2/5)
The Legend of Korra in Concert — A two-hour journey through all four seasons of the groundbreaking animated series pairs Korra and Asami’s landmark queer story with cinematic projections and a live orchestra (2/19)
THE CLARICE
University of Maryland
College Park, Md.
301-405-ARTS theclarice.umd.edu
Bianna Golodryga — The CNN senior global affairs analyst examines how Israel has been represented in American politics, media, and culture, and what shifting perceptions mean for the U.S.-Israel relationship (9/28, Gildenhorn)
BlackLight Intensive: Beyond the Wilds — A day of movement workshops, embodied dialogue, and cross-disciplinary experimentation invites artists to push beyond the familiar boundaries of their practices (10/3, Dance Theatre)
Angélique Kidjo — The five-time Grammy winner joins ARHU Dean Stephanie Shonekan for a conversation about music, cultural fluency, and global advocacy, accompanied by performances from UMD students (10/5, Dekelboum)
Leslie Jones — The Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live alum barrels through jokes, celebrity stories, and characteristically unpredictable surprises (10/7, Dekelboum)
Agrupación Señor Serrano: Birdie — The Barcelona-founded collective combines documentary, live cinema, scale models, and thousands of miniature animals in a darkly playful exploration of migration, privilege, and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller The Birds (2/4-5, Kogod Theatre)
Maxim Galkin — The exiled Russian comedian and outspoken Putin critic marks his 50th birthday with a Russian-language show mixing celebrity impressions, political satire, music, and improvisation (2/17, Dekelboum)
Death Cafe — Tea, cake, and candid conversation create a welcoming space for confronting mortality and discussing the frequently taboo subject of death (10/1, 11/5, 12/3)
LGBTQ+ Tour — A guided walk through one of the world’s few cemeteries with a dedicated LGBTQ section traces the activists and local figures who shaped Washington’s gay-rights movement (10/3)
Dead Man’s Run — Costumed runners race from the cemetery onto the Anacostia Trail during a spooky 5K featuring music, prizes, and plenty of gallows humor (10/10)
American Indian Tour — The graves of Native leaders, diplomats, and delegates illuminate the evolution and consequences of 19th-century federal Indian policy (10/11)
Soul Strolls: Becoming America — Lantern-lit tours and costumed performances resurrect people whose lives reveal the distance between America’s founding ideals and its complicated reality (10/16-17, 10/23-24, 10/30-31)
Lincoln Assassination Tour — The graves of people connected to Lincoln’s murder and its aftermath offer a distinctive perspective on the assassination, manhunt, and conspiracy trials (10/18)
Paris Sashay — The D.C.-born comedian and commanding storyteller returns home after appearances on Comedy Central, BET, Hulu, and Epix’s Unprotected Sets (9/26)
Katie Boyle — The Irish comedian mines immigration, dating, therapy, and shame with disarmingly candid dark humor (10/1-3)
Nick Mullen — The creator of Cum Town brings his caustic, uncompromising stand-up (10/8-11)
Certified Big Dawgs — Queer comedians and best friends Emma Dalenberg and Sunny Laprade join forces for feral stories and a gleefully unfiltered double-headlining set (10/14)
An Idiot’s Guide to Wine — Stand-up comedy meets a guided tasting of six wines in an intoxicatingly unconventional pairing (10/15, 10/17, 11/15, 12/12, 1/30)
Nora Dell: I Am a Snail — An interactive clown show disguises itself as an evil business seminar taught by a snail, complete with puppets, music, and a hostage negotiation (10/15)
Creepypasties — Burlesque hosts Beaver and Buttstuff transform urban legends, internet lore, murderous hitchhikers, sewer alligators, and other nightmare fuel into a tantalizing variety show (10/16-17)
Corey O’Brien — The former professional dancer takes his deliberately queer Red Tour into America’s political divide with provocative jokes, sharp commentary, and choreographed flourishes (10/21)
Loo Aid — Musical-comedy duo Griefcat and The POOP Project turn World Toilet Day into a gleefully scatological benefit advocating for safe, dignified sanitation (10/25)
Nori Reed — The groundbreaking transgender comedian and television writer commands a new hour of stand-up titled Nori Is Present (11/8)
Janeane Garofalo — The alternative-comedy icon and outspoken progressive activist unleashes her famously acerbic wit (11/27-28)
Oscar Aydin — The unapologetically gay comedian and Sit’N B!tch host delivers flamboyant, unfiltered observations with a delightfully chaotic edge (12/6)
Tom Hearn — The comedian and drag performer channels Ina Garten, Reba, Martha Stewart, Charli xcx, and more in the extravagantly gay holiday show Barefooting Through the Snow (12/17)
Malik Elassal — The Lebanese-Canadian breakout from FX’s Adults brings his shrewd cultural observations to the Loft’s New Year’s celebration (12/31-1/2)
Jane Don’t — The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 Miss Congeniality barrels down Route 66 with anarchic comedy, wild drag numbers, and audience mayhem in Jane Don’t Does America (10/6)
Molly Kearney — The trailblazing nonbinary comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member brings their brash, buoyant stand-up (10/14)
Melissa Villaseñor — The gifted Saturday Night Live alum deploys her eccentric characters, musical talents, and astonishing celebrity impressions (11/5-7)
Jerrod Carmichael — The Emmy-winning gay comedian turns his searching, fearlessly confessional humor loose in an intimate, phone-free performance (11/10-11)
Rachel Scanlon — The lesbian comedian behind Gay Fantasy and co-host of Two Dykes and a Mic brings her high-voltage candor to the A Bit Much Tour (11/18-19)
Sam Jay — The Emmy-nominated lesbian comedian and former Saturday Night Live writer delivers a fearlessly provocative perspective (12/18-19)
Taylor Tomlinson — Fresh from her fourth Netflix special, Prodigal Daughter, one of comedy’s brightest stars tests freshly minted material in the intimate Tries Out New Ideas engagement (1/7-10)
Liza Treyger — The queer comedian behind Netflix’s Night Owl holds nothing back in her candid, deliciously messy stand-up (1/22-23)
That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast — Comedians Liza Treyger and Kara Klenk dissect a classic Law & Order: SVU episode and the true crime that inspired it (1/24)
Craig Robinson — The Office star blends stand-up, storytelling, and music into an infectiously loose live show (1/28-31)
Nicole Byer — The irrepressible Nailed It! host and longtime Drag Race guest judge brings her gleefully uninhibited comic perspective to the Improv (2/18-21)
Nerd Nite — Three Smithsonian scientists deploy cheeky slides to excavate Fossil Pokémon, the scallop’s evolution into a symbol of love, and cannibalistic “penis worms” with doughnut-shaped brains (9/19)
Maricoteca — The LGBTQ Latine dance party celebrates queer joy with perreo, Latin club, indie pop, dembow, and global beats from Cybersyn, Kristy La Rat, and El Sucio (9/19)
American Horror Story: Coven of Echoes Watch Party — Fans gather in costume to welcome the witches of Miss Robichaux’s Academy back for the premiere episodes of the horror anthology’s 13th season (9/24, 10/1)
A People’s Choir DC — The casual, judgment-free sing-along projects lyrics over the original recordings and welcomes enthusiastic singers of every ability (9/28)
Slings & Arrows — DJs Vampyre Noire and Vlad summon a nocturnal blend of goth, post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop, and EBM, capped by a drag performance from Jane Saw (10/3)
The Substance Rave — Coralie Fargeat’s delirious body-horror sensation inspires a night of transformative beats from DJs Dymytrii, Drøm, and Cake Pop! (10/9)
King of Drag — The groundbreaking drag-king competition leaps from Revry to the stage for The Royal Tour (11/10)
Whitmer Thomas — The comedian-musician behind HBO’s Terminal Crew of Dudes brings his darkly funny, disarmingly personal collision of stand-up, storytelling, and songs (12/14)
Jasmine Guillory — The bestselling romance favorite discusses It’s Only Dancing, her young-adult debut, a contemporary rom-com inspired by Dirty Dancing (10/6)
Emily Heil — The Washington Post food reporter discusses A Pinch of Magic, her fantasy novel about a disgraced chef, an enchanted cookbook, and a career-saving culinary competition (10/7)
Banned Books Read-In — East City Bookshop, Libro.fm, and Silent Book Club invite readers to gather in protest of book censorship and take action against bans (10/10)
Not What You Think — The gay and lesbian a cappella ensemble blends pop and folk songs with social justice and humor (10/17)
Silas House — The former Kentucky poet laureate discusses The Tulip Poplars, a century-spanning novel of hidden queer and interracial love, faith, race, and class (10/28)
After the End with AH² — Ali Hazelwood, queer-romance champion Adriana Herrera, Cate C. Wells, Claire Kent, and Nikki Payne celebrate a boxed collection of post-apocalyptic romance novellas (11/8)
Lenny Pearce — The Australian DJ transforms children’s favorites into thumping “toddler techno” for two family-friendly raves designed for little dancers and their grown-ups (11/21)
Elon Gold — The comedian and master impressionist mines Jewish identity, family life, and holiday traditions on his Hanukkah Tour 2026 (12/6)
DJ Meredith Marks — The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star swaps jewelry for the DJ booth, mixing house, pop, and Bravo-ready glamour on her YOU. CAN. DANCE. Tour (1/30)
Folger Salon — Folger Institute fellows share discoveries from their research and artistic work, followed by an informal public conversation (9/24, 10/22)
Folger Book Club: Diavola — Jennifer Thorne’s supernatural novel pits a destructive Renaissance ghost against the horrors of a family vacation (10/1, virtual)
Folger Family Workshops — Free, hands-on programs invite families to explore haunted Shakespeare, personal storytelling, Elizabethan acting, fantastical worlds, monologues, and art inspired by the Folger’s exhibitions (10/3, 11/7, 12/5, 1/2, 2/6, 3/6)
Shared Stages: To Hear Her Speak — Manna-Symone Middlebrooks, Nikkole Salter, and Tamilla Woodard discuss the flourishing presence of Black women directing, acting, and engaging with Shakespeare today (10/8)
Fools Breaking Rules — Award-winning clown Chase Brantley leads an interactive, cocktail-fueled exploration of how contemporary clowning illuminates the rule-breaking performers of the Renaissance stage (10/9)
To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare — Nearly 100 photographs, costumes, books, diaries, playbills, and other objects trace how Black women, including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Lorraine Hansberry, Esther Rolle, and Phillis Wheatley, have claimed and transformed Shakespeare’s work (10/16-5/2)
O.B. Hardison Reading: Cornelius Eady — The Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet and Cave Canem co-founder brings the jazz- and blues-inflected verse of his acclaimed explorations of Black American life (10/20)
Folger Book Club: Mona Acts Out — Mischa Berlinski’s novel follows a Shakespearean actor contemplating her life and career while crossing New York City on Thanksgiving morning (11/5, virtual)
Folger Book Club: The Beheading Game — Author Rebecca Lehmann joins an in-person discussion of her feminist fantasy, which resurrects Anne Boleyn for a revenge quest against Henry VIII (12/8)
Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute — Rebecca Lehmann reads from her own poetry and Dickinson’s work at an annual celebration complete with the poet’s celebrated black cake (12/8)
Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading — Pulitzer Prize finalist A.E. Stallings reads alongside the emerging poet selected for the annual prize (2/16)
History on Foot: Investigation Detective McDevitt — A costumed detective leads a 1.6-mile walking tour through downtown Washington, revisiting sites and clues from the Lincoln assassination conspiracy (9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24)
Lincoln’s Life, Death and Legacy — A full-day tour connects President Lincoln’s Cottage, Ford’s Theatre, and the Lincoln Memorial to explore the places where the president lived, worked, died, and was memorialized (9/26, 2/15)
25 Years After 9/11 — Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mitch Daniels, and Norah O’Donnell consider the decisions that shaped the nation’s response to the September 11 attacks and the long work of recovery (9/29)
The Art of Memory — Kevin M. Levin leads a walking tour of Washington’s Union monuments, concluding with an examination of the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial at the National Gallery of Art (11/7)
From Quill to Curtain — A three-part workshop guides writers through transforming historical figures, events, and primary sources into dramatic narratives (1/9, 1/16, 1/30)
Written Then, Spoken Now — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edda Fields-Black discusses COMBEE, her account of Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid, with actors performing excerpts from the book (2/5)
Fuego Flamenco: La velada — Marta Gálvez fuses flamenco tradition with a contemporary vision in a meditation on artistic inheritance, memory, and transformation (11/5-8)
Fuego Flamenco: Entre dos sombras — Edwin Aparicio’s world premiere journeys between loss and ecstasy in tribute to late D.C. artists Ana Martínez, Paco de Málaga, and Muriel Hasbun (11/13-15)
Flamenco en Familia — Sara Jerez, Richard Marlow, and guest dancers introduce families to flamenco through palmas, zapateo, castanets, fans, and live demonstrations (11/14)
Fuego Flamenco: Danzas solemnes — Cristina Cazorla leads a journey through the dance traditions of Spain, accompanied by music from Debussy, Rodrigo, Turina, and other composers (11/20-22)
GALA Film Festival: Latin American Innovation — Six contemporary films by emerging directors and a classic from Mexico’s Golden Age screen in Spanish with English subtitles, accompanied by filmmaker discussions and receptions (12/2-6)
Three Kings Day Celebration — GALA’s free neighborhood celebration features the story of the Magi, live music and dance, a street parade, and gifts for children (1/2)
Yield 1 — Cecilia Ford’s darkly evocative paintings draw on the Taoist concept of yin to explore vulnerability, emotional depth, and humanity’s place in nature (through 9/26)
Natural Progressions — Janet B. Waters, Nicole Fall, and Blake M. Conroy draw on nature to explore beauty, abstraction, and the human condition (through 9/27)
In Search of Lost Time — Ceramic artists Leslie King and Pat Scull transform memories, personal histories, and recollections of Glen Echo’s amusement-park past into playful sculptural narratives (through 9/27)
The Puppet Co. — Little Red Riding Hood and the 3 Little Pigs collide when one misunderstood wolf finds himself pursued through both stories (through 9/20)
Cueva Flamenca de Glen Echo — Furia Flamenca and live musicians evoke the legendary caves of Sacromonte in an intimate, immersive tablao-style performance (9/25)
Echo Arts Festival — The park celebrates its visual and performing arts communities with interactive demonstrations, exhibitions, performances, and the final rides of the carousel season (9/27)
UpRooted Dance — Keira Hart and fellow movement artists mark the company’s 18th anniversary with collaborative works exploring class, sensuality, parallel lives, and play through dance, props, and technology (10/1-3)
Glen Echo Park Civil Rights and History Tour — A ranger-led walking tour revisits the 1960 protests to desegregate the amusement park and traces Glen Echo’s transformation into a national park (10/3, 11/7)
National Parks Along the Potomac — A four-mile guided history hike connects Glen Echo Park, the C&O Canal, Union Arch Bridge, and Clara Barton National Historic Site (10/10, 11/14)
Fall Frolic — The park’s family-friendly Halloween celebration features crafts, a costume contest, seasonal photo opportunities, and trick-or-treating through its studios and galleries (10/31)
The Puppet Co. — The 38th Annual Nutcracker presents Tchaikovsky’s familiar tale of Clara and her prince in a whimsical marionette treatment with a nursery-rhyme twist (11/27-12/31)
Glen Echo Park Aquarium — Learn about the creatures that inhabit the Chesapeake Bay and beyond through interactive exhibits, knowledgeable educators, and a dynamic space. Open daily on a timed-entry basis
Mario the Magic Maker at GMU Center for the Arts – Photo: Alexis Buattiramos
GMU CENTER FOR THE ARTS
4373 Mason Pond Dr.
Fairfax, Va.
703-993-2787 cfa.gmu.edu
WOW in the World Presents: Make It WOW! — Mindy Thomas and Carly Q. Ciarrocchi turn science, trivia, outlandish inventions, live music, and audience participation into a fast-paced interactive game show (11/15)
Mario the Maker Magician — The inventive family entertainer combines magic, robotics, slapstick, and homemade contraptions into an infectiously playful spectacle (2/20)
Interwoven: A Tradition of Textiles — Centuries of fiber artistry unfold through antique lace, embroidery, fashionable silks, Marjorie Merriweather Post’s wardrobe, and contemporary works by Manca Ahlin and Sophia Narrett (through 1/3)
The Fashion and Style of Marjorie Merriweather Post — Hillwood curator Megan J. Martinelli introduces her lavish new book exploring Post’s garments, jewels, accessories, and enduring influence on American fashion (10/20)
Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration — Costumed canines and their companions take over the Lunar Lawn for Hillwood’s annual Halloween parade and competition (10/24)
Dinnertime Classics: The Pajama Game — An evening tour and dinner precede a screening of the colorful 1957 Doris Day musical comedy (10/28)
Holidays at Hillwood: A Woven Wonderland — Christmas trees and elaborate seasonal decorations draw inspiration from the patterns, textures, and craftsmanship of Interwoven (11/24-1/3)
2027 Valentine’s Celebration — Hillwood’s glamorous after-hours benefit offers the first look at its golden-anniversary exhibition (2/11)
Gold: Celebrating 50 Years of Beauty at Hillwood — Gilded treasures from across the collection illuminate the artistry, symbolism, and allure of gold in honor of the museum’s 50th anniversary (2/13-6/13)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch 25th Anniversary Movie Tour — John Cameron Mitchell celebrates his cult classic with a 4K screening, audience Q&A, and live acoustic performance (9/29)
ButtTootKing — RuPaul’s Drag Race standouts Lydia B Kollins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King join forces for an irreverent drag spectacle (10/1)
Femme Fatale — The queer dance party celebrates Black queer and trans life through Afro-diasporic music and movement on Halloween night (10/31)
Strict Scrutiny Live — Constitutional-law professors Leah Litman, Melissa Murray, and Kate Shaw bring their accessible and irreverent analysis of the Supreme Court to Washington (11/6)
Best Friends Podcast — Comedians and real-life best friends Sasheer Zamata and Nicole Byer bring their freewheeling conversations, quizzes, and affectionate arguments to the stage (11/7)
Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty — Six dancers outfitted in glowing, fiber-optic costumes transform the familiar fairy tale into an illuminated ballet spectacle (12/13, 2/7)
Mutts Gone Nuts at the Hylton
HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
10960 George Mason Circle
Manassas, Va.
703-993-7759 hyltoncenter.org
In Her Image — Art by former and active-duty women servicemembers challenges male-dominated military narratives through ceramics, stained glass, photography, fiber, and other media (through 10/31; artist panel 9/26)
Walter Kravitz: The Living Line — Paintings and drawings from the longtime George Mason professor’s later career find movement and transformation in layered compositions, biomorphic forms, and the restless energy of line (11/3-1/9)
Mutts Gone Nuts: Unleashed — Six extraordinary dogs dance, flip, and clown their way through a family comedy spectacular featuring a Guinness World Record holder and an America’s Got Talent favorite (11/21)
Cirque Éloize: ID-Evolution — The acclaimed Montreal troupe fuses daring circus arts, urban dance, dynamic music, and multimedia in an electrifying reinvention of its signature production (1/30)
Little Shop of Horrors 40th Anniversary Screening — Ellen Greene, the film’s original Audrey, hosts an anniversary presentation of the beloved camp musical (9/25)
Brian Henson’s Puppet Up! — Henson puppeteers turn audience suggestions into an adults-only collision of improvisation, sketch comedy, music, and gleeful puppet mayhem (9/30)
Top Shelf — Story District assembles standout local storytellers to share true tales ranging from hilarious and heartbreaking to strange and deeply personal (10/1)
Jennifer Welch: Not Today, Fascists — The outspoken I’ve Had It co-host brings her profane progressive wit to a new book confronting authoritarianism, political lies, and attacks on LGBTQ rights (10/5)
Adam Grant: Vibe — The organizational psychologist and bestselling author explores the science of forming meaningful connections in an increasingly lonely world (10/14)
Malcolm Gladwell: The American Way of Killing — The bestselling author investigates America’s epidemic of gun violence in conversation with journalist Jerusalem Demsas (10/15)
Katt Williams on Book Tour! — The Emmy-winning comedian discusses his unconventional life and career, answers audience questions, and introduces Nine Lives, No Wives, and 69 Concubines (10/18)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Spectacular — A live shadow cast, audience participation, costume contest, and new 4K restoration celebrate the enduring queer cult phenomenon (10/31)
Watch What Crappens: In the Mix Tour — Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam dissect the latest Real Housewives intrigue and other Bravo absurdities with gossip, impressions, and devoted irreverence (11/7)
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert — A live band performs David Bowie and Trevor Jones’s soundtrack in sync with the fantasy film for its 40th anniversary (11/22)
Seminal Works: Love in the Big City — The bookstore’s queer literature group discusses Sang Young Park’s International Booker-longlisted novel about a gay man navigating love, friendship, and loneliness in Seoul (10/21)
Andrew Joseph White: You’re No Better — The queer, trans, and autistic bestselling author discusses his gritty new thriller about an autistic trans teenager struggling to escape the legacy of his serial-killer father (10/30, As You Are Bar)
Seminal Works: The Others — The group considers Seba Al-Herz’s groundbreaking novel of queer desire, secrecy, and religious repression in Saudi Arabia (11/18)
Seminal Works: Young Mungo — The book club takes on Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart’s tender, brutal novel about two teenage boys falling in love across Glasgow’s sectarian divide (12/16)
Drag Story Hour with Tiffany D Carter — The drag performer offers children glamorous, unabashedly queer role models through stories celebrating imagination and authentic self-expression. Adults must be accompanied by a child (9/20, 10/18, 11/15, 12/20)
Julian Randall: Shook — Queer Black poet and author Randall discusses his novel-in-verse about an injured young basketball player confronting anxiety, with bestselling author Jason Reynolds (10/3)
Drag Story Hour with Charlemagne Chateau — The D.C. drag artist shares inclusive stories encouraging children to question rigid gender roles and embrace who they are. Adults must be accompanied by a child (10/11, 11/8, 12/13)
Octavia’s Brew’d Book Club — Cultural context and themed drinks accompany discussions of Octavia E. Butler’s speculative-fiction landmarks Kindred (10/25) and Fledgling (11/22)
Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber: I Want to Be Famous — Gay writer and podcaster Finger joins Weber for a sharp, irreverent examination of celebrity, digital fame, and the increasingly desperate pursuit of public attention (10/3)
Sarah Hester Ross: Serving — The viral musical comedian unleashes powerhouse vocals, feminist satire, and cabaret chaos in a one-woman collision of concert, comedy, and confessional (11/13)
The Savannah Bananas: 2026 Banana Bowl Championship — The viral baseball phenomenon crowns its inaugural league champion with a fast-paced spectacle of trick plays, dancing, and audience participation (10/10)
DC Beer Fest — More than 80 craft breweries pour 200 seasonal beers alongside food trucks, live music, and dueling pianos. Ages 21 and over (11/7)
Enchant — The illuminated holiday attraction returns to transform Nationals Park with a sprawling light maze, ice-skating trail, festive village, and visits from Santa (select nights, 11/20-12/27)
Gov. Andy Beshear — Kentucky’s Democratic governor presents Go and Do Likewise, his case for reclaiming faith as a force for healing a divided country, in conversation with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (9/22, Betts Theatre)
Casey Gerald — The gay writer challenges inherited ideas about power, success, and resistance in The Great Refusal, in conversation with Paul E. Butler (9/23)
John Green — The internationally bestselling author returns to fiction with Hollywood, Ending, a love story examining celebrity and its private costs, in conversation with Clint Smith (9/24, Lisner Auditorium)
danah boyd — The queer technology scholar examines the politics and human choices concealed behind supposedly objective statistics in Data Are Made, Not Found, in conversation with Albert E. Fontenot Jr. (9/25, The Wharf)
David Corn — The veteran investigative journalist examines Russia’s covert campaign against the United States and Donald Trump’s role in its success in How Russia Won (9/26)
Kiran Desai — The Booker Prize-winning novelist discusses the sweeping love story The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, in conversation with Aminatta Forna (9/26, Union Market)
John Donnelly — The veteran journalist chronicles the creation and extraordinary impact of the global AIDS initiative PEPFAR in Lifeline, in conversation with Sheryl Gay Stolberg (10/2)
Jennifer Welch — The outspoken host of the popular I’ve Had It podcast takes aim at theocracy, authoritarianism, and political complacency in Not Today, Fascists (10/5, Lincoln Theatre)
Marcia Chatelain — The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian restores the Black women artists and activists behind the March on Washington to the center of its history in How Bright the Path Grows, in conversation with Ashley Preston (10/7)
Michael Lewis and Jacob Weisberg — The bestselling writers discuss Blockers and Profiles in Cowardice with gay author Andrew Sullivan (10/8, St. Paul’s)
Lindsay Merbaum — The queer feminist writer blends mythology, mystery, magic, and queer belonging in Witches of the Wheel (10/8, Union Market)
Joe Rohde — The legendary Disney Imagineer reveals the creative philosophy behind some of the world’s most ambitious themed environments in Floating Mountains (10/17)
Bonnie Garmus — The bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry returns with Peck & Peck, a comic novel set inside the cutthroat world of literary publishing (10/27, Lincoln Theatre)
Evan Gershkovich — The Wall Street Journal reporter recounts his wrongful imprisonment in Russia and the international prisoner exchange that secured his freedom in This Cursed Beautiful Land, in conversation with Peter Baker (9/30)
Michael Douglas — The Oscar-winning actor and producer revisits his turbulent childhood and extraordinary Hollywood career through twelve defining films in One Helluva Ride, in conversation with Kelly Corrigan (10/7)
Yotam Ottolenghi — The gay chef and bestselling cookbook author reconsiders simplicity without sacrificing bold flavor in Simple Too (10/8)
Josh Thomas: Jiggle, Jiggle — The gay Australian comedian and creator of Please Like Me returns to stand-up with a new live show (10/15)
Sophia Bush — The queer actress and activist reflects on Hollywood, relationships, divorce, and the experiences that reshaped her life in And I Will Tell You Mine (11/4)
Rick Steves — The beloved travel writer revisits the youthful journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu that transformed his life and career in On the Hippie Trail (11/9)
LeVar Burton — The actor, director, and literacy advocate traces his journey from Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation to Reading Rainbow in the memoir Take My Word for It (11/11)
Danny O’Dea — The debut novelist explores grief, sexuality, masculinity, and complicity in the queer coming-of-age story Packages, in conversation with Belle Martire (9/29)
Naomi Kanakia — The transgender novelist and literary critic makes a provocative case for reading the Western canon in What’s So Great About the Great Books?, in conversation with Jerusalem Demsas (10/16)
Pretty Boi Drag Presents: Murder in the Stacks — The award-winning, BIPOC-centered drag troupe transforms literary detectives into suspects in an interactive murder mystery (10/24)
Not Exactly a Nun — Comedian and Muslim Matchmaker co-host Yasmin Elhady explores faith, family, motherhood, identity, and the pressure to fulfill other people’s expectations in her deeply personal solo show (9/25-26, 10/2-4, Woolly Mammoth)
Top Shelf — Eight standout storytellers return with the year’s most memorable true tales of love, faith, family, misadventure, and unexpected transformation (10/1, Lincoln Theatre)
Taste of Bethesda — The 34th annual festival fills Woodmont Triangle with nearly 50 restaurants serving everything from Turkish meatballs, pupusas, paella, and Beijing duck bao to pho, steak sandwiches, cupcakes, and macarons. Four stages feature The 19th Street Band, Kemi Adegoroye, Honest Lee Soul, Sara Jones, and other local performers, with children’s activities rounding out the afternoon. Admission is free. Food and drink tickets are sold on-site (10/3)
Charlene Kaye: Diversity Shredder — The queer Asian American comedian and guitar virtuoso shreds her way through a madcap musical takedown of tokenism, stereotypes, and the industry’s performative embrace of diversity (10/29)
Kyle Gordon’s History of Music — The viral musical comedian and his live band race through pop history with genre parodies, absurd characters, familiar hits, and unreleased material (12/5)
Syd & Olivia Talk Sh*t Live — Comedians Syd Heller and Olivia DeLaurentis unleash rapid-fire sketches, unhinged stories, and irreverent attacks on gender stereotypes in a live version of their chaotic podcast (1/30)
Maria Bamford — The singular comedian transforms anxiety, mental illness, family dysfunction, and social discomfort into hilariously intricate character comedy (10/3)
Outlander in Concert — Music, projected imagery, and storytelling evoke the romance and rugged Scottish landscapes of the time-traveling television saga (10/4)
Wheel of Fortune Live! — Audience members spin the famous wheel, solve puzzles, and compete for cash and prizes in a theatrical version of the television game show (10/14)
Kathy Griffin — The fearless LGBTQ ally returns with a new face and an arsenal of blistering celebrity stories, political observations, and show-business gossip (10/17)
Aziz Ansari — The Emmy-winning comedian tests new ideas and existential questions on the Hypothetical Tour (10/22)
Pod Save America: Live from DC — Former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, and Dan Pfeiffer dissect the political moment with analysis, irreverence, and gallows humor (11/5)
Matteo Lane — The gay comedian serves up razor-sharp observations and virtuoso crowd work on We Gotta Catch Up! (11/14)
Daniel Sloss — The provocative Scottish comedian unveils Bitter, a brand-new examination of relationships, morality, and the uglier corners of human behavior (11/15)
Love Actually Live in Concert — Richard Curtis’s beloved holiday romantic comedy screens with its soundtrack performed live by a full orchestra (11/16)
A Drag Queen Christmas — Drag Race favorites turn holiday pageantry into a glittering, adults-only drag spectacular (11/19)
Omnium Circus — The inclusive circus company unites disabled and nondisabled artists in an accessible spectacle of aerial feats, acrobatics, comedy, and dazzling theatricality (1/23)
Crystal Methyd: The Enchanted Forest — The RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist conjures an adults-only fantasia of surreal fashion, comedy, and wildly imaginative drag (2/26)
Don’t Look Now — Nicolas Roeg’s hallucinatory 1973 psychological thriller follows a grieving couple through a shadowy Venice haunted by premonitions, obsession, and an unsettling figure in red (10/8)
David Sedaris — The gay humorist returns with mordant observations, new and unpublished stories, audience questions, and a book signing (10/10)
72 Film Fest — Filmmakers race to create an original movie in just three days before their work premieres during Frederick’s fast-moving annual competition (10/16-17)
Silent Film Series — The Weinberg’s Mighty Wurlitzer accompanies four landmarks of silent cinema: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (10/28), Wings (11/28), Don Q, Son of Zorro (1/16), and Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman (2/7)
Handmade Puppet Dreams: Families Vol. I — Heather Henson’s acclaimed series assembles imaginative short puppet films from artists working around the world (11/7)
Soiree for the Century — The Weinberg celebrates the exact centennial of its 1926 opening with an anniversary event honoring the theater’s history and future (12/23)
Mia Hamm — The two-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist reflects on her groundbreaking soccer career, leadership, and enduring influence on women in sports (2/4)
Adam Richman — The Man v. Food host shares stories from a television career built around culinary curiosity, adventurous travel, and America’s regional food traditions (3/4)
WOLF TRAP
The Barns
1635 Trap Road
Vienna, Va.
703-255-1868 wolftrap.org
The Second City: Laughing for All the Wrong Reasons — Chicago’s legendary comedy institution combines celebrated sketches and songs from its archives with irreverent improvisation and audience interaction (2/17-20)
New Works by Gallery Artists — Nearly three dozen artists respond to America at 250 through painting, sculpture, mixed media, fiber, photography, and assemblage (through 10/3)
The Inimitable Dolly Parton — A group exhibition celebrates the beloved country icon and steadfast LGBTQ ally through works by F. Lennox Campello, Margery Goldberg, Ashley Joi, Carol Newmyer, Qrcky, Curtis Woody, and more (10/9-11/27)
1524 Spring Hill Rd.
Mclean, Va.
703-854-1856
1ststage.org
Betrayal -- Harold Pinter turns a seven-year affair inside out, beginning with its aftermath and moving backward to its tentative start. As Emma, her husband Robert, and his best friend Jerry revisit the lies binding them together, what remains unspoken proves as revealing as what is confessed. Directed by Alex Levy (10/8-10/25)
The Tall Girls -- In a Dust Bowl town emptied of men and opportunity, a newly arrived teacher introduces a group of high school girls to basketball. Meg Miroshnik's Depression-era drama follows the team as the game offers a taste of freedom -- and exposes how little freedom young women are actually allowed. Directed by Madeleine Regina (12/3-12/20)
The Travelers -- At a California monastery surrounded by migrant-worker communities, aging monks shelter a wounded stranger while facing the loss of their church funding. Luis Alfaro's funny, humane drama sets faith and duty against the practical question of how to keep a vanishing community alive. Directed by José Carrasquillo (2/11-2/28)
THE ALDEN THEATRE
Step Afrika!: The Fruits of Our Labor -- Step Afrika! commemorates America's 250th anniversary with this premiere production "exploring rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience" through stepping, percussion, and striking visuals created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly II, and Vusi Mdoyi (9/10-11/1, Fichandler Stage)
ATLAS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
1333 H St. NE
202-399-7993
atlasarts.org
Romeo -- A fast-paced, all-male, ages 13+ dance interpretation of Shakespeare's tragic love story, set to pop music by the likes of Rihanna, Madonna, and Måneskin, starring Tim Lewis as Romeo and Armani Colon as Julian (9/11-13, Lang Theatre)
chitra.MOVES -- Weekly movement classes for adults drawing on Chitra's diverse background in Indian Classical dance, Hip Hop, and contemporary movement, allowing students to explore, learn, and grow at their own pace (9/17-10/22, Marley Studio)
Afrocidade -- A powerhouse 10-piece ensemble of musicians, vocalists, dancers and narrators explore D.C.'s connection to Brazil's Salvador Bahia through a shared culture of music, song, dance, and stories (9/25, Lang)
Furia Flamenco Dance Company: Zambomba! -- Furia Flamenco invites audiences into an immersive holiday fiesta weaving together flamenco footwork, soulful cante, and holiday villancicos (carols), with live music by Spanish guitarist Maestro Torcuato Zamora, flamenco guitarist and singer Juan L. Romero, singers Margarita Osorio and Jorge Porta, guitarists Guillermo J. Christie and Paul Villmoare, and the TorcuArt Choir (12/19, Sprenger Theatre)
A federal appeals court upheld a Florida law restricting venues and performers from hosting drag shows attended by minors, overturning a lower court order that had blocked its enforcement.
In an 8-5 ruling, the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a preliminary injunction blocking state authorities from enforcing the law, finding that Florida is likely to succeed in defending its constitutionality, reports The Hill.
The Protection of Children Act, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, imposes fines and criminal penalties on any venues that admit children to drag shows or other "adult live performances," even with the parent or guardian's express permission.
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