Weekend Buzz: May 7, 2025
So many things to do around town this Mother's Day weekend! Take mom out to a gallery talk at the National Gallery of Art, or enjoy a Jazz Friday at Godfrey's, or partake of a Mother's Day Tea at Cherry Hill Farmhouse, or have a celebratory brunch at the 4Ps. You can even do some old-fashioned square dancing at the Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen Echo or attend a health and wellness talk at the local library. Lots of new stage and dance shows opening as well. Enjoy!
Celebrate Mother’s Day
Ireland’s Four Provinces: Mother's Day Weekend Brunch
Ireland's Four Provinces, 105 West Broad St., Mother's Day, May 11.
🌸MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND🌸
WE ALL LOVE MOM A BRUNCH! AND SHE’S A WINNER AT DINNER!
Let’s Celebrate Mom Her Way…
Mother's Day is right around the corner and if you still need to make a plan, look no further than her favorite Irish Pub! The 4P's has got the occasion covered and lets you celebrate Mom her way – with freshly prepared Dinner Specials all Weekend & All her Fresh Favorites on the Sunday Brunch Buffet, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For reservations, phone: (703) 534 8999. For more info go here.
Mother’s Day Tea
Mother’s Day Tea
Cherry Hill Farmhouse, 312 Park Ave., Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, 2-4:00 p.m.
Our Mother’s Day Tea will begin with a conversation in the formal 19th century parlor on Mrs. Blaisdell’s role at Cherry Hill Farm before ushering guests into the lovely dining room for a full tea. The tea includes sandwiches, assorted sweets, warm scones, and a bottomless cup of tea.
Reservations are required. For reservations, please call: 703.248.5171. Fee: $48 per person.
For more info go here.
Local Music
Jazz Night at Godfrey’s Bakery and Cafe
Godfrey's Bakery & Cafe, 421 W. Broad St. This Friday, May 9, 5-7:00 p.m.
Did you hear the news? We’ll be having Jazz Nights the second and fourth Friday of EVERY month, featuring the Stefan Schatz Trio!
For more info go here.
The Big Jam 2025
Capital One Hall, Main Theater, 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons. May 10, Doors open: 6:00 p.m.
The Vienna Jammers Presents
Experience the Rhythmic Magic: The Vienna Jammers & Etienne Charles Live!
Get ready for an electrifying evening of rhythm, energy, and world-class percussion as The Vienna Jammers team up with internationally renowned musician Etienne Charles for a one-of-a-kind concert designed for the whole family!
This high-energy performance will feature the Vienna Jammers, a dynamic youth percussion ensemble known for their explosive beats and infectious enthusiasm, alongside Etienne Charles, an acclaimed trumpeter and percussionist blending Caribbean grooves with jazz mastery. Together, they’ll take you on a global musical journey, from steel pan rhythms to heart-pounding drum cadences that will have everyone clapping, dancing, and feeling the beat!
Perfect for music lovers of all ages, this interactive concert promises a night of inspiration, joy, and unforgettable performances. Don’t miss out on this celebration of rhythm and culture — bring the whole family and experience the power of percussion like never before!
For more info go here.
Dewberry School of Music Honors Recital 2025
George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Dr., Saturday, May 10, 8:00 p.m.
The Honors Recital is a premier recital opportunity for Dewberry School of Music exceptional student performers in the vocal, instrumental, and piano areas. These outstanding student artists (soloists and chamber musicians) have been selected for this prestigious Honors Recital by audition.
Free and open to the public. For more info go here.
Local Theater
Woman on Fire
Creative Cauldron, 127 E Broad St., Through May 11. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
A Bold New Voices Regional Premiere
Written by Marisela Treviño Orta. Directed by Elena Velasco.
Juanita has reluctantly moved to a small Arizona town so her husband Jared can begin a new government job. Jared surprises her with a canvas, easel, brushes and paints, hoping it will reignite her passion for painting and make her more comfortable in their new home. Her attempts to paint a family portrait are disrupted by an otherworldly presence in their home, revealing a nightmare in her midst. She solicits the help of her sister to perform a ritual cleansing, but soon tensions mount and buried secrets are revealed. Prodded by her visions, Juanita must reclaim Mexican-American identity and answer the call of the ancestors.
A beautifully crafted ghost story that speaks eloquently to our times.
"Buried secrets, unburied souls: ‘Woman on Fire’ stuns at Creative Cauldron" – DC Theater Arts
Tickets: Tier One: $45. Tier Two: $35. Students: $20.
Recommended for Ages 13+.
For ticket information go here.
Johanna San Miguel
The State Theatre, 220 N Washington St., May 9, Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Showtime: 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $59 for General Admission; $89 for VIP Seat.
Johanna San Miguel is a Peruvian actress, presenter and comedian. Best known for being the host of the entertainment segment of "Primera Edición" morning news show. Her segment is called "America Espectáculos," and she's in the teen soap opera "Carmín," as well as playing the fun and extroverted Queka in the popular show "Patacláun.
You must be 18 or over to enter unless accompanied by a parent. Valid ID required. Save some money! There's only a $1 fee when you buy your ticket in person at the box office.
For ticket info go here.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Through June 22.
In Signature’s remarkably intimate ARK Theatre, this radical rock musical explodes with glam, grit, glitter and heart.
With killer heels and a fabulous wig, Hedwig tours the country, trailing the ex-lover who stole her songs and made it big. Tonight, Hedwig will tell her story on her own terms, in an unforgettable show about growing up in Communist East Germany, the botched sex change operation that allowed her to come to the United States, and life beyond the binary.
Hilarious and heartbreaking, with an electrifying score, this queer anthem cult classic celebrates surviving against all odds.
“The most exciting rock score written for the theatre since, oh, ever!” – Time Magazine
Directed by Ethan Heard. Text by John Cameron Mitchell. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask.
This show contains adult language and descriptions of trauma.
For ticket info go here.
Akira Kurosawa Explains His Movies and Yogurt (with live & active cultures!)
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street, NW. May 8 and 9 at 8:00 p.m.; May 11 at 2:00 p.m.
By Julia izumi. Directed by Aileen Wen McGroddy.
Tonight, renowned filmmaker Akira Kurosawa joins us for a lecture: a look into his iconic filmography, brilliant mind, the thrilling world of movies, and “culture.” But… why can’t he stop talking about yogurt? In this whimsical world premiere, playwright Julia Izumi weaves through media and memory to examine cultural imperialism, “healthy” consumption, and why we make art.
For more info go here.
Falsettos
Opens this weekend! The Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. May 10 - June 15.
Celebrating World Pride with the Tony Award-Winning Musical
Music and Lyrics by William Finn. Book by William Finn and James Lapine. Director and Choreographer: Kurt Boehm. Music Director: Elisa Rosman.
Hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly unique, Falsettos is a contemporary musical about family, relationships, bar mitvahs, baseball and AIDS. When Marvin leaves his wife Trina and son Jason to be with his lover Whizzer, tempers flare, problems escalate and everyone learns to grow up.
For more info go here.
HEAD OVER HEELS
Songs by The Go-Go's
Constellation Theatre Company, in residence at Source, 1835 14th Street NW. Through June 1.
This joyous and jaunty jukebox musical features the music of 80’s rock band The Go-Go's. Inspired by the epic story of Arcadia, Head Over Heels is a celebration of self-discovery and queer identity, weaving together Renaissance romance and Greek comedy with fantasy and gender-bending in a laugh-out-loud love story.
Songs by The Go-Go's.
Based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney. Conceived and Original Book by Jeff Whitty. Adapted by James Magruder. Directed by Allison Arkell Stockman.
For more info go here.
Sister Act
Ford’s Theatre, 511 Tenth St., NW. Through May 17.
Sister Act is a riotous musical comedy based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet! To escape the mob, a nightclub singer hides in a convent. While there, she helps her new sisters to discover their powerful voices while she finds her own. This uplifting, Tony-nominated musical features original music by Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors). It is directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun (Broadway: Newsies, Ford’s: Violet, The Civil War, Freedom’s Song, Shenandoah).
Approximately two hours, 30 minutes and with a 15-minute intermission. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Accessible: Audio-Described Performances: Thursday, April 10, 2025 (7:00 p.m. performance) and Saturday, May 3, 2025 (2 p.m. performance). ASL-Interpreted Performance: Thursday, April 17, 2025 (7:00 p.m. performance).
For ticket info go here.
Choke ~ Sucede Hasta en las Mejores Familias
World Premiere | Estreno Mundial! Through May 18, GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Performances: Thursdays – Saturdays, 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m. | Funciones: Jueves a sábados 8:00 p.m., domingos 2:00 p.m.
By | De Emilio Infante (Mexico/USA). Directed by | Dirigida por Gustavo Ott.
In Spanish with English subtitles | En español con sobretítulos en inglés
Choke: Sucede hasta en las mejores familias tells the story of Esperanza and Gonzalo Guerrero, a Latino couple in Baltimore who have worked all their lives to provide opportunities for their daughter, Cassandra, a professional now living in Los Angeles. When Cassandra and her wife Zulema visit her childhood home, a family medical crisis sparks intergenerational conflict. Set in the looming shadow of an oil refinery, tradition and modern education clash as the family faces a difficult decision: whether to stay in a home that holds both love and decay, a home shaped and shattered by a corporation. With humor, this environmental and family play portrays contemporary American society from the perspective of one of the most exciting young playwrights in the Latino community, Californian Emilio Infante.
For ticket info go here.
Local Visual Arts
Artist Reception: Roshanak Banoo Hooshmand
Artist Reception: May 10, 12-2:00 p.m. at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, 10960 George Mason Cir, Manassas.
Join Mason Exhibitions on Saturday, May 10, 12-2:00 p.m. at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas for an intimate reception with artist Roshanak Hooshmand, in celebration of her exhibition The Fire of Spring.
Roshanak Banoo Hooshmand (b. 1933, Tehran, Iran) started painting for the first time 10 years ago at the age of 82. Over the last decade she has been remarkably prolific and ambitious, creating a vibrant body of work that is deeply reflective of a lifetime of experience, introspection, and devotion to the wisdom found in ancient Persian culture. Inspired by poets such as Jalal Al-Din Rumi and Hafiz Shiraz, whose verses encourage learning from the natural world, embracing the present, and enacting the divine through love and devotion, Houshmand’s paintings celebrate the sensuality of color, emotional truths, and direct self-expression.
Though self-taught, her paintings show the influence of a range of classical and modern art historical precedents. Her “direct from the tube” approach to color is similar to Fauvists such as Henri Matisse, while her playful use of mixed pictorial perspective has analogies in Persian Miniature painting as well as the neo-cubist techniques of contemporary painter David Hockney. In addition to natural forms and scenes drawn from memory or observation, Hooshmand often works in a purely abstract mode creating loose geometries that resemble textile patterns, vases and other decorative motifs that may include poetic verses in Farsi inscribed on their surfaces.
Like the great poets she admires, Hooshmand’s art is an emotional channel for an inner spirit deeply engaged with the circumstances of her surroundings. Through painting, she transmutes this unique perspective into an offering — the world anew and full of possibilities — a blazing spring.
"Faces & Figures"
Gallery of Falls Church Arts, 700-B West Broad St., Through June 1.
Falls Church Arts continues its support of arts in the community through its upcoming exhibit "Faces & Figures."
The recently juried exhibition showcases a vibrant collection of works that capture the human form through a diverse range of expressions and materials. Featuring folk art, naive, and primitive styles alongside striking photography, figure drawings and emotive sculpture, the show highlights the raw creativity and emotional depth of its artists. From bold, unrefined lines to unexpected textures, this exhibition celebrates the power of individuality and storytelling through art.
Faces & Figures runs through June 1, 2025.
Juror Teresa Oaxaca is an American-born artist currently based in Washington, D.C. She's a full-time painter whose works can be seen in collections and galleries throughout the United States and internationally. Her talent has been recognized and rewarded by museums and institutions such as the American Museum of the Cowboy, the former Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Art Renewal Center, the Elisabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Posey Foundation, and the Portrait Society of America, as well as the Museu Europeu D’Art Modern in Barcelona.
Oaxaca's training includes a four-year diploma at the Angel Academy of Art (Florence, Italy), graduate studies at the Florence Academy, an apprenticeship with Odd Nerdrum in Norway, and studies at the The Art League (Alexandria, Va.), where she trained with Robert Liberace and Paul Lucchesi and took many other courses. She teaches workshops around the United States and in Europe.
Artworks will be on display at the gallery of Falls Church Arts at 700-B West Broad St. (Route 7), Falls Church, Va. Admission is free. The gallery is open Tuesdays–Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Artworks will also be available online at https://www.fallschurcharts.org. All pieces are offered for sale and can be purchased at the gallery or on the website.
For more information, please email info@fallschurcharts.org.
Here's our recent article about the Juror's Choice Award for the show:
Christopher Jones
Joshua Challen Ice: Something to Do With My Hands
Museum of Contemporary Art, Arlington, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Through May 25.
Experimental Gallery
Joshua Challen Ice creates sculpture, kinetic, and light-based installation art to explore ideas related to architecture and philosophy. Drawing on his background in lighting design and technology for the stage, he creates fully immersive works. In Something to Do With My Hands, Ice presents a new installation created for SOLOS 2025 that explores issues of care, maintenance, and creation. The installation takes the form of a “surreal construction site,” as the artist describes it, which has seemingly been abandoned by its maker. In the space, three frames represent different moments in a workspace where, it appears, a laborer was building a simple chair. On closer inspection, the components of the space, plans on the wall, and tools scattered around complicate this simple narrative, evoking questions about the nature of labor and the tension between fine art and more practical forms of craftsmanship.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 12– 5 p.m.
For more info go here.
Spring Solos
McLean Project for the Arts, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Through June 14.
Featuring work by Jackie Hoysted, Emon Surakitkoson, and Heidi Fowler.
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 10, 11:00 a.m. Tea & Talk: Wednesday, June 4, 11 a.m.
In the exhibition “Detrimorphose,” Heidi Fowler depicts the power of brokenness and redemption through mixed media paintings. The artists bring together discarded materials (junk mail, plastic, rustic pieces, and old computer parts) in assemblages to inspire a greater consciousness and creativity towards the paraphernalia we would otherwise discard; exploring the tension between the beauty of creation and the priorities of man.
Jackie Hoysted’s Rudimental is an interactive immersive installation that evokes ideas of nature in interconnectedness. Using simple geometrical elements to generate imagery, and meditative sounds the installation harks back to undervalued ancestral connections with the land, the planet, the universe. It is a call for mutual respect, reciprocity and recognition of our minuteness in the universe.
Crossing Culture features two recent bodies of work by Thai-American artist Emon Surakitkoson, a culmination of her professional journey over the past five years. Using multiple conjoined canvases and wood panel, Emon created works that use shape and composition to convey unity among their unique contributing parts. The individual pieces take on new meaning and value when seen as part of a collective. With her sculptural work Emon translates her voice into a new visual language. This collection as a whole is born from Emon’s personal and artistic growth, as she embraces the complexities of her cultural identity as an immigrant from Thailand in the United States.
For more info go here.
Matriculture
Tephra Institute of the Arts, 12001 Market St., #103, Reston. Through May 18.
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) presents MATRICULTURE, the 2025 Mary B. Howard Invitational exhibition.
The Mary B. Howard Invitational is a biennial group exhibition featuring the work of regional contemporary artists. For each iteration of the show, Tephra ICA works with a guest curator to produce the exhibition through an open call for artists. This program values exhibition-making as a meaningful collaboration between artist and curator and a generative process that feeds the development and public presentation of innovative new work. The Invitational is named in memory of Mary B. Howard, an artist, long-time board member, and staunch supporter of Tephra ICA.
MATRICULTURE is supported in part by Reston Town Center Association and presented in conjunction with the RTC Earth Day Celebration taking place on Saturday, April 26.
Guest curated by Liz Ensz, MATRICULTURE features new work by two regional contemporary artists exploring notions of craft, maternal relationships, and nurturing. Devin Harclerode addresses public and private forms of reproductive labor via hand-made silk and SCOBI curtains. Braided steel sculptures, drawings, and animations by Nadia Nazar consider the relationship to her mother, grandmothers, and her motherland, filling the gap of her diasporic experience. Diverse in material, the exhibition is unified by a collective exploration of nurturing and troubling the boundary between compassion and resistance.
For more info go here.
Marie B. Gauthiez: We Dwell in Between
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, 11805 Freedom Dr., Reston, Va. Now through June 29.
Gauthiez uses the house as a metaphor for the subconscious. The surfaces of her relief paintings are inspired by walls that show evolution, wear, and tear. Each wall is a chapter of a story with surfaces marking distinctive moments in time. Her mixed media drawings, grid paintings, brick-sized wall fragments, and an immersive plaster wall installation demonstrate the possibility of the medium escaping their containers and pushing against contained surfaces or fixed boarders. These elements, while transient and somewhat elusive, are held together by color, shape, form, and texture. Her work honors what came before and shares new layers.
For more info go here.
Pamela Huffman's "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature"
Be sure to visit Rare Bird Coffee Roasters in downtown Falls Church to see Pamela Huffman's solo exhibition: "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature,' now through June 15.
See our recent article about the show here:
Christopher Jones
Local Gallery Sculpture Talk
The Sculpture of Elizabeth Catlett
National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, Sunday, May 11, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Talks and Conversations
Elizabeth Catlett blended artistic innovation and social consciousness in her sculptures. She explored deep human empathy with a modernist style. Senior lecturer David Gariff surveys key themes from 50 years of Catlett's sculpture.
This hybrid lecture is offered in person and virtually. All registrants will receive a recording after the event.
Sign-language interpreters and guides for visitors who are blind or have low vision are available for programs. Please call (202) 842-6905 or email access@nga.gov three weeks in advance for an appointment. Learn more about accessibility.
For more info go here.
Register for a Local Arts Course at Artworks Fine Art Studios
See our recent article about Artworks Fine Art Studios on West Broad Street, here:
Christopher JonesLocal Health & Wellness Talk
Massage for Chronic Pain and Injury Recovery
Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Upper Level Conference Room, 6-7:00 p.m. Adults (18+).
Chronic pain is complex and persistent, but understanding the science behind it can help you take control. In this session, we'll explore how chronic pain affects the body and how massage therapy can support healing by calming the nervous system and reducing discomfort.
About the Presenter
Sula Washington has been a Licensed Massage Therapist with over 12 years of experience. She specializes in therapeutic, medical, and sports massage, with interests in chronic pain.
To register go here.
Trivia Night
Thursday Night District Trivia
Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N. Washington St.; Every Thursday from 7-9:00 p.m.
Bring your friends and show off your trivia chops!
Local Dance
Let's Go To The Movies
Capital One Hall, Main Theater, 7750 Capital One Tower Road, Tysons. Sunday, May 10, 9:30 a.m.
Adrenaline Dance Company
Adrenaline Studio is a 7000-square-foot facility located at 289 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, VA 20170. The space features for state-of-the-art studios with 22-foot ceilings for dance and acro classes, a spacious waiting area, a spirit wear shop, and plenty of parking. Our studios have professional-grade suspended Marley floors (which ease the pressure and impact on joints), wall-to-wall mirrors, wall-to-wall tumble mats, ballet barres, and premium sound systems.
The mission of the studio is to provide students with experiences that develop dance technique, self-esteem, confidence, a healthy competitive spirit, and creativity. Our highly trained instructors set a good example for students on and off the dance floor, they constantly strive to learn the latest trends and techniques in their genre of dance. Adrenaline provides open communication between students, parents, and staff so that everyone involved has a positive and enriching experience.
For ticket info go here.
Local Dance
Second Sunday Barn Dance
Glen Echo Park, Bumper Car Pavilion, 7300 Macarthur Blvd., Sunday, May 11, 1-3:00 p.m. Free admission! All ages welcome.
Every Second Sunday!
Join us at the Barn Dance! This free fun-spirited event is suitable for all ages and ability levels. It features live music and a caller who teaches all the dances and keeps everyone moving to the music. Expect a variety of circles, squares, longways sets, contras, waltzes, and ceilidhs.
Families with pre-school kids, families with tweens and teens, grandparents, and everyone in-between will have a rollicking good time! Our intergenerational community is what makes this dance unique and fun. So grab a friend, your parents, your kids, and dance the afternoon away.
Check link below for musicians who are playing and caller who is calling!
Presenter: Folklore Society of Greater Washington
Learn More. For more info go here.
Local Dance
CityDance Conservatory Annual Concert
Shakespeare Theatre Company, Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. May 9-10.
Join us for an unforgettable weekend celebrating the artistry of CityDance Conservatory dancers at the 2025 Annual Concert! These dynamic performances showcase inspiring repertoire by acclaimed guest artists, in-house choreographers, and Conservatory faculty. Witness the versatility of Conservatory students as they bring classical ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, and more to the stage.
For more info go here.
By Christopher Jones
Member discussion