Weekend Buzz: Sept. 17, 2025
As autumn nears, local theaters have launched their new seasons, yet outdoor opportunities abound in the cooler temperatures. Tomorrow is Falls Church's Park(ing) Day and at Cherry Hill Park enjoy Sunset Cinema on Friday and Vietnamese Heritage Day on Saturday. Little City Concerts' third season also launches this Saturday. Take in author talks and pollinator habitat lessons at Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Enter the Potomac Paddle Off, learn all about Owls, and celebrate Rock Creek Park in a Punk Rock manner! Also, check out the latest in local music, theater, film, visual arts, and historical exhibits!
What is Park(ing) Day, You Ask?
Pop-Up Park in Parking Spaces in front of Mary Riley Styles Library
In front of Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave. Thursday, Sept. 18, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The City of Falls Church will host Park(ing) Day in front of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Park(ing) Day is a global annual event where parking spots typically used by cars are transformed into temporary pop-up parks to rethink the use of urban spaces.
Join us in front of the library (on the N. Virginia Avenue side) for games, displays, and more!
To learn more about the global Park(ing) Day event, visit www.parkingday.org or phone (703) 248-5030.
For more on Park(ing) Day in Falls Church, see our recent story below:
Christopher Jones
Celebrate Vietnamese Heritage Day!
Vietnamese Heritage Day
Cherry Hill Farmhouse, 312 Park Ave. Saturday, Sept. 20, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free.
In partnership with the Vietnamese Literary and Artistic Club (VLAC), experience the unique heritage and culture of our local Vietnamese community. All are welcome to explore Vietnamese culture through live music, dance performances, authentic antiques, and traditional food available for purchase onsite.
Enjoy an Author Talk & Book Signing!
Brendan Slocumb, Author of The Violin Conspiracy
Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conference Room, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2-3:00 p.m. Ages: Adults (18+). Registration Required.
MRSPL is thrilled to welcome back popular author Brendan Slocumb to discuss his new book, The Dark Maestro!
From the author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets comes a mesmerizing page-turner about a young Black musical virtuoso who’s forced into hiding when his family runs afoul of a ruthless criminal organization – and how he fights back, using music to bring his enemies to justice.
Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy, growing up in the Southeast D.C. projects with a drug dealer for a father. But through determination and talent, and the loving support of his father’s girlfriend Larissa, Curtis claws his way out of his challenging circumstances and rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world — even soloing with the New York Philharmonic.
And then, suddenly, his life disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state's evidence, implicating his old bosses to the FBI. Now the family — Curtis included — must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. This means Curtis must give up the very thing he loves most, sharing his extraordinary musical talents with the world. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement to convict them, Curtis, Zippy, and Larissa realize their only chance of survival is to take on the cartel themselves.
A propulsive and moving story about sacrifice, loyalty, and the indomitable human spirit, The Dark Maestro showcases Slocumb at the height of his powers.
This event is co-hosted with Bards Alley Bookshop. Copies of the author's books will be available for sale at the program or you can reserve copies by calling Bards Alley at 571-459-2653. A book signing will follow the author talk.
About the Author
Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He's a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, concentrations on Violin and Viola. For the past two decades, he has been a public and private school music educator from kindergarten through twelfth grade, teaching general music, orchestra and guitar ensembles. His students were often chosen for district and regional orchestras. In 2005, Brendan was named Teacher of the Year for Robert E. Lee High School; he has been named to Who’s Who of American teachers, and is a Nobel Teacher of distinction. Brendan also serves as an educational consultant for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Brendan has performed with the Washington Metropolitan Symphony, the McLean Symphony, the Prince George's Philharmonic, and the Alexandria Symphony. He has served as the concertmaster for the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra and regularly performs chamber music with members of the Alexandria Chamber Music Society. He maintains a private music studio teaching lessons to students on violin, guitar and piano. Brendan believes that everyone can learn to appreciate and love music, and that it can be a new way of communicating, building bonds, and connecting with people who may look, sound, or speak differently.
In 2022, Brendan published his first novel, The Violin Conspiracy, a GMA Book Club Pick, the riveting story of a young Black musician who discovers that his old family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius: When it’s stolen on the eve of the world’s most prestigious classical music competition, he risks everything to get it back. In 2023, Brendan published his second novel, Symphony of Secrets, about a music historian who discovers that the world's greatest composer may have stolen the music from a neurodivergent Black woman – and the powers-that-be will do anything to silence the historian. The Dark Maestro, published in 2025, is his third book.
To register go here. Registration closes Sept. 20, 2:00 p.m.
Create Pollinator Habitats!
Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Upper Level Conference Room, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2-3:00 p.m. Ages: Adults (18+).
Fall is the perfect time to add pollinator-friendly plants to your gardens! Join Master Naturalist Amy Bolton and learn how to create an inviting outdoor space for pollinators.
Learn how to select plants – including trees, shrubs, and perennials – to welcome pollinators through all four seasons, and explore using native plants to support a variety of pollinators, especially insects throughout their life cycle.
About the Presenter
Amy Bolton is a master naturalist and avid gardener focused on creating habitats for wildlife. She has worked in informal science education for more than 20 years and participates in citizen science projects.
Registration Required. To register go here. Registration will close Sept. 21, 2:00 p.m.
LOCAL MUSIC
Little City Concerts:
Season Opener w/ Nen Daiko
The Falls Church Episcopal, 166 E. Broad St. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Resonate: inclusion and belonging in practice
Little City Concerts opens its third season of events with a bang: we are so pleased to welcome Nen Daiko, a taiko ensemble based out of Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station, VA. Nen Daiko sees inclusivity and safe space creation not just as values but as operational principles, helping individuals and communities explore and strengthen their sense of self and place in broader society. Nen Daiko implicitly supports this inclusion by using taiko — a historically communal and expressive practice — to build solidarity and offer emotional resonance.
Taiko ensembles are part of a Japanese musical tradition featuring groups of drummers known for their powerful, dynamic performances that combine drumming, movement, and a strong sense of visual spectacle. Nen Daiko has been wowing audiences in the D.C. area since 1994, with regular performances at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and other prestigious venues like the Kennedy Center and the National Theatre.
Our nonprofit for this event is Hamkae Center. Hamkae Center is a transformative force in empowering and organizing Asian Americans in Virginia to address systemic barriers through policy advocacy, coalition-building, social services, and community engagement to promote equity, justice, and lasting change. From advocating for immigrant justice, reproductive justice, and voting rights to providing essential services like healthcare referrals, small business coaching, and naturalization assistance, Hamkae Center has achieved and continues to win significant victories for Asian Americans across Virginia.
50% of ticket sales donated to Hamkae Center
Admission: $25 general admission, free for students/youth.
Purchase a season ticket for all our 24/25 performances here
Note from Founder Steve Gorbos: "Dear friends: Saturday is almost here! We hope to see you at Little City Concerts season opener at The Falls Church with Nen Daiko, and nonprofit partner Hamkae Center. Still on the fence about coming? Here's a short video from our tech rehearsal last Sunday that gives a sense of what you're in for.
Please check out the following important updates on our show:
1. You can always buy tickets in advance for our concerts: here's the link to buy a ticket to this show, or a season pass to all four of the concerts we're doing this season. We'll have our box office at the concert so you can always just buy at the door. Kids get in free, but we'd love to have them registered so they're counted in our system.
2. It is recommended that you use ear protection for this show: it's more in the category of rock band loud than a typical classical event. Little City Concerts will provide adult foam ear plugs, and we'll have on hand a small supply of ear muffs to borrow for kids (foam plugs tend to be too large for kids' ears). If you have your own set you prefer, please bring them – it will be joyfully loud.
3. Reception to follow, generously sponsored by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia! Hang out afterwards for some food, drink, and conversation :) Hope to see you Saturday,
- Steve
For more info go here.
Ziggy Marley
& Burning Spear
Wolftrap, Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. Gates Open: 6:30 p.m. Show starts: 8:00 p.m.
Two of Jamaica’s finest contemporary music makers, Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear, team up for a show that is sure to bring the “Sunshine” and “Positive Vibration[s]” to Wolf Trap this summer. Reggae royalty Ziggy Marley takes the stage with classics from his days leading The Melody Makers, as a soloist, and as a living link to his legendary father. Respected Rastafarian artist Burning Spear — who landed his first label deal thanks to the advice of fellow St. Ann’s Bay native Bob Marley — performs breakouts “Joe Frazier (He Prayed),” “Marcus Garvey,” and more.
For more info on the performers see: Ziggy Marley & Burning Spear.
Tickets start at: $57 (incl. fees).
For more show info go here.
LOCAL THEATER
The Hatmaker’s Wife
Nova Nightsky Theatre, 225 E. Broad St. Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 20, 2:00 p.m.; Sept. 21, 7:00 p.m. Through Sept. 28.
Written by Lauren Yes. Directed by Jessie Roberts.
When a young woman moves in with her boyfriend expecting domestic bliss, their new house reveals the magical tale of its previous inhabitants: an old hat-maker and his long-suffering wife, who runs away with his favorite hat. This sweet and surreal story bends time and space to redefine the idea of family, home, and true love itself.
For more info go here.
The Logan Festival of Solo Performance
1st Stage Tysons, 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons. Through Sept. 28.
September 18 - 28, 2025
SPADURA
Written and Performed by Dahéli Hall. Directed and Produced by Elizabeth Mei-Ling Yng-Wong.
Written and performed by Dahéli Hall, an acclaimed comedian, writer, and director residing in Los Angeles, SPADURA unapologetically takes on the baby industrial complex, aging, the physical, emotional, and financial cost of IVF, as well as the unique fertility obstacles faced by Black women in America. Through a mix of stand-up, storytelling, and props, Dahéli includes personal anecdotes about herself, her Filipino husband and her Caribbean parents. She candidly shares her journey trying to conceive their Ja-Haitia-Pino American baby. Her humor and vulnerability make the show unforgettable.
Open Captioned Performances :
- Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 28, 2:00 p.m.
September 18 - 28, 2025
The Jewish Dog
Performed by Adam Meir. Adapted from the novel written by Asher Kravitz. Written and Directed by Yonatan Esterkin.
Filtering the darkest, most dramatic period of modern Jewish history, The Jewish Dog offers a view of the Holocaust through the eyes of a canine unusually fascinated by human affairs. Cyrus witnesses firsthand the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust. When Nuremberg Laws separate him from his Jewish owners, he is confiscated by the Nazis and employed by the SS as a military concentration camp dog. Directed by Israeli artist Yonatan Esterkin, based on the novel by Asher Kravitz, and featuring Adam Meir as the beloved dog, this performance explores loyalty, identity, and the fine line that separates humanity from animals.
Open Captioned Performances :
- Sept. 27, 5:00 p.m., Sept. 28, 5:00 p.m.
September 18 - 28, 2025
George - Don’t Do That!
Devised and Performed by Catherine Flye. Musical Direction by Joe Walsh. Narrated by Nick Olcott.
Join Catherine Flye as she and her friends celebrate the life of the beloved British comedienne Joyce Grenfell, for an evening of witty songs, amusing sketches, anecdotes and reminiscences of the legendary star. This joyful entertainment provides a glimpse into the lives of a host of funny and endearing characters, in music, song and the spoken word.
Open Captioned Performances :
- Sept. 25, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, 2:00 p.m., and Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.
For more info go here.
The Addams Family
Broadway in Tysons
Capital One Hall, Main Theater, Sept. 19 - 21. Doors Open Hour Before Start Time. Start Times: Saturday, Sept. 20, 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 20, 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 21, 1:00 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 21, 7:00 p.m.
A comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, the magnificently macabre hit musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY comes to Capital One Hall for the first time from September 19-21, 2025!
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's "normal" boyfriend and his parents.
On the heels of Wednesday, the 3rd most-watched show on Netflix of all time, Big League Productions, Inc. presents THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a devilishly delightful musical comedy based on the creepy, kooky characters by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams.
Recommended for ages 8+.
For ticket info go here.
Lost in Yonkers
By Neil Simon
The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., Alexandria. Thursdays – Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. Sunday Matinees at 2:00 p.m. Through Sept. 27.
Written by Neil Simon. Directed by Chantale Plante. Produced by Eleanore Tapscott.
This funny and heartwarming play is by one of America’s most acclaimed and beloved playwrights. Neil Simon’s Tony award-winner and Pulitzer prize-winning play tells the moving drama about the cruelties and painful memories that scar a family. It is Yonkers, New York, 1942. After the death of their mother, two young brothers are sent to stay with their formidable grandmother for the longest ten months of their lives. Grandmother Kurnitz is a one-woman German front — a refugee and a widow who has steeled her heart against the world. Her coldness and intolerance have crippled her own children: the boys’ father has no self-esteem . . . their Aunt Gert has an embarrassing speech impediment . . . their Uncle Louie is a small-time gangster . . . and their Aunt Bella has the mentality of a child. Filled with laughter, tears, and insight, Lost in Yonkers is yet another testament to Neil Simon’s talent. (Estimated) 2 hours with intermission.
Tickets: $26 Reserved Seating.
For ticket info go here.
Dodi & Diana
Mosaic Theater Company, Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H St. NE. Through Oct. 5.
By Kareem Fahmy. Directed by Reginald L. Douglas.
While commemorating the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s and Dodi Fayed’s tragic deaths, Egyptian actress Samira and her white financier husband, Jason, are forced to reckon with their own complicated relationship and how their fate may already be written in the stars. A taut and thrilling new play by award-winning playwright Kareem Fahmy, whose work has been called “intrinsically compelling” (New York Times) and “enlightening and very entertaining” (OutWord Magazine).
Dodi & Diana contains simulated sex and drug use, as well as profanity. The production also features strobe effects.
For ticket info go here.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Through Sept. 28,
EL BESO DE LA MUJER ARAÑA – Kiss of the Spider Woman
By | De Manuel Puig (Argentina). Directed by | Dirigida por José Luis Arellano.
In Spanish with English surtitles | En español con sobretítulos en inglés
Performances: Thursdays – Saturdays 8:00 pm, Sundays 2:00 pm | Funciones: Jueves a sábados 8 pm, domingos 2 pm
SPECIAL EVENT! / ¡EVENTO ESPECIAL!
SEPT 21 - Talk-back with:
- Jesse García, Public Relations Manager at Amazon and long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ rights through the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), LGBTQ+ Democratic clubs, and cultural groups like the Latinx History Project.
- Psychologist José Gutiérrez, a long-time human rights and social justice activist, immigration advocate, and Latinx LGBTQ historian, founder of the Jose Gutierrez Archives, the Latino GLBT History Project, the DC Latino Pride, and co-founder of the Rainbow History Project.
In an Argentine prison cell, two complete opposites discover that love may spring in the most unlikely of places. Valentin, a political prisoner whose commitment to the Marxist cause takes precedence over all other things, forges an unlikely relationship with queer, movie-loving Molina, who escapes his harsh reality by retelling film noir classics as their glamorous leading ladies. Poignant, chilling, funny and sensual.
En una cárcel argentina, dos reclusos con ideas y personalidades totalmente distintas descubren que el amor puede nacer en los lugares menos esperados. Valentín, un prisionero político cuyo compromiso con las teorías marxistas es lo primero en su vida, desarrolla una conexión con el cinéfilo y gay Molina, quien escapa de su realidad contando filmes clásicos noir interpretando los roles principales femeninos. Una pieza mordaz, divertida y sensual.
Student Matinees: For more information, click here.
Matinés estudiantiles: Para mayor información, presiona aquí.
Noche de GALA and Press Night (Noche de prensa): Saturday, September 6, 2025 at 8 pm | Sábado, 6 de septiembre de 2025, a las 8 pm.
Tickets: Regular tickets are $50 Premium Center, $45 Orchestra Standard, $35 Orchestra Value, and $25 Balcony Value; $35 Seniors (65+), Military, and Groups (10+); $25 25 and Under; Noche de GALA: Chosen ticket price + $5 (per person). To purchase tickets online for groups (10+), use code 10Plus.
Boletos: Los boletos regulares cuestan $50 Premium Center, $45 Orchestra Standard, $35 Orchestra Value y $25 Balcony Value; $35 adultos mayores, militares y grupos (10+); $25 personas de 25 años o menos; Noche de GALA: Precio de boleto elegido + $5 (por persona). Para adquirir boletos online para grupos (10+), usa el código 10Plus.
For more info go here.
Richard Thomas in
Mark Twain Tonight!
National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:00 p.m.
By Hal Holbrook.
Mark Twain Tonight! is a legendary one-man show that brings the wit, humor, and wisdom of Mark Twain to life on stage. Originally created and performed by Hal Holbrook, the play features Twain’s sharp observations on politics, society, and human nature – remarkably relevant today. Now, Emmy Award-winner and Tony nominee Richard Thomas steps into the suit as the only actor authorized to perform the award-winning play, offering audiences a funny, insightful, and deeply human evening with one of America’s greatest storytellers.
Most recently seen on Broadway in Our Town, on tour as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, on Netflix’s Ozark, and beloved to generations as John-Boy Walton, Richard Thomas is the first and only actor authorized to perform the play since the original.
Run Time: 90 minutes, no intermission. Recommended for ages 8+.
For more info go here.
The Great Privation
(How to flip ten cents into a dollar)
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D ST. NW. Through Oct. 12.
By NIA AKILAH ROBINSON. DIRECTED by MINA MORITA. PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BOSTON’S COMPANY ONE THEATRE.
Philadelphia’s African Baptist Church, 1832: a mother and daughter guard the grave of their husband and father to deter resurrectionists from pillaging it for science.
Today, on the same grounds: another mother and daughter work as counselors at what is now a summer camp. Timelines collide, reminding us to find joy in our present even as we exhume our nation’s buried past.
“Nia Akilah Robinson has written something astonishing in its ambition: temporally expansive, formally agile, and rooted in a deep, lived love of Black community — full of laughter, ache, sweat, and spiritual insistence…”
~ Mina Morita, Director, The Great Privation
For more info go here.
Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Opening Soon! ~ Folger Shakespeare Library, Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street SE. Tuesday, Sept. 23 - Oct. 26.
By Al Letson. Directed by Nicole Brewer.
This bold new play takes Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Julius Caesar and reworks it through the lens of the American Civil Rights Movement, focusing on the story of Civil Rights leader Malcolm X and drawing parallels between ancient Rome and 1960s Harlem.
Playwright and poet Al Letson, a Peabody Award-winning journalist and the host of the Reveal podcast, champions Shakespeare’s original text, amplifying it with his own verse.
“In many ways, you already know the story—whether through Shakespeare or American history,” shares director Nicole Brewer, “but you’re compelled to watch it unfold again, because of how Letson remixes his own verse with excerpts from Malcolm X’s speeches and the most notable lines and scenes from Julius Caesar.”
In Julius X, we see the cyclical nature of societal strife, as well as the shared human experiences of ambition, betrayal, and brotherhood.
Tickets: $20 – $90. Please note: Children under the age of 4 are not permitted.
For more info go here.
Everything is Wonderful
DC Premiere! ~ Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Select Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. Through Oct. 5.
Playwright: Chelsea Marcantel. Director: Josh Sticklin.
What happens when forgiveness collides with deeply buried grief? Acclaimed playwright Chelsea Marcantel offers a moving, thought-provoking exploration of reconciliation, faith, and family. After a tragic accident, a young woman returns to her Amish roots to confront the life — and the people — she left behind. As wounds reopen and secrets surface, the boundaries between forgiveness and forgetting are tested. Don’t miss this intimate and powerful drama that the New York Times called “stirring and beautifully told.”
Email: boxoffice@keegantheatre.com. Phone: (202) 265-3767.
For more info go here.
The American Five
Opens This Friday! ~ Ford’s Theatre, 511 Tenth Street, NW. Sept. 19 - Oct. 12.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his inner circle imagined a pluralistic society in which equality and justice is guaranteed for all. In the face of surveillance, intimidation, arrests and life threats, five giants form a powerful coalition to advance civil rights and shape a defining moment in American history. Together, Dr. King, Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison and Clarence B. Jones plan the March on Washington and craft the speech that would galvanize the nation and inspire generations to advance America’s efforts to turn a dream into reality.
Recommended for ages 12 and older. Audio-Described Performances: Oct. 2, 7:00 p.m. and Oct. 11, 2:00 p.m. ASL-Interpreted Performance: Oct. 9, 7:00 p.m.
General Information: (202) 347-4833. Tickets: (888) 616-0270.
For more info go here.
Red Pitch
Opens Tonight! ~ U.S. Premiere of a West End Hit! ~ Olney Theatre Center, Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. September 17 - October 19 2025
Winner of all five Off-West End Awards for Best New Play.
Bilal, Joey, and Omz have been boys their whole lives, growing up together playing soccer on their small pitch outside their south London apartments. But change is coming. Professional teams are signing up prospects, and they all harbor dreams to be chosen. Moreover, the neighborhood is changing, with lots of new apartments and franchise coffee shops pushing out longtime residents and local favorites. Can their friendship survive the threatened demise of their beloved “red pitch” and all it represents? This engrossing new play was such a hit in its initial run at London’s Bush Theatre (the same theatre that premiered Sleepova) that it earned a West End transfer, playing to critical and popular acclaim.
Starring: Ty'Ree Hope Davis (Bilal), Terrence Griffin (Joey), Angelo Harrington II (Omz).
“Tackling gentrification, change, and ambition, Tyrell Williams’s writing creates a convincing bond in a play that is fierce, affectionate and effortlessly funny.” ~ The Guardian
“So good … It’s a brilliant bit of writing about gentrification, friendship, masculinity, and aspiration, without ever being heavy-handed.” ~ Time Out London
Tickets: $47 - $96.
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Age Guidance: If this were a film, it would be rated PG-13 for brief strong language, violence, and intense conversations.
Damn Yankees
Arena Stage, Fichandler Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW. Through Nov. 9.
One of America’s most beloved musicals is coming back, dusted off and spit-shined for a new generation. All the elements that made it famous are there: a diehard love of baseball, one man’s fateful (and hilarious) pact with the Devil, and Broadway's sexiest femme fatale... but gently re-tooled for its first major revival in the 21st Century. Featuring iconic songs like “Whatever Lola Wants” and “Who’s Got the Pain?,” this production immerses audiences in a whirlwind of temptation, ambition, love, and sacrifice in this bold new adaptation by Lortel Award winner Will Power and Pulitzer and Tony Award-winner Doug Wright, with additional lyrics by Tony Award-winner Lynn Ahrens, and directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Sergio Trujillo.
Running Time: Approx. 2 hours, 10 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. Advisories: Includes haze, fog, strobe lights, bright lights, and loud noises.
For more info go here.
Merry Wives
By William Shakespeare
Shakespeare Theatre Company, Harmon Hall. Through Oct. 5.
Adapted by Jocelyn Bioh. Directed by Taylor Reynolds.
William Shakespeare’s farce gets a joyful spin from Jocelyn Bioh (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding), dropping the debaucherous Falstaff into the melting pot of modern Harlem. Short on cash, Falstaff pursues the purses of two sharp-witted West African wives. As their proud husbands’ suspicions rise, the wives cook up a scheme to shame the would-be homewrecker and prove that “wives may be merry, and yet honest too” in this “spirited, sharp, and silly” (Variety) celebration. Taylor Reynolds (Fat Ham) makes her STC directorial debut in the play’s regional premiere.
Running Time: Approx. 90 minutes, without intermission.
“HILARIOUS… The stage seems to light up with each entrance of Ming-Trent, who originated the role of Falstaff in the premiere… He’s a magnetic figure.” ~ The Washington Post
“HEARTWARMING… Felicia Curry delivers a tour-de-force performance.” ~ Washington Lobbyist
“DELIGHTFUL… Phillips’s stately Madam Page exudes a dry wit that lends flair to the plot’s farcical showdowns.” ~ The Washington Post
“STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL… STC’s vibrant and joyous comedy Merry Wives is a must-see.” ~ DC Theater Arts
“SUPERBLY DIRECTED… Many in the audience were laughing out loud from the start.” ~ Georgetown Dish
“UNRIVALED… It’s guaranteed to make you clap, snap and laugh your YKW off, with nary a negative thought … Exactly what we need in D.C. right now.” ~ DC Outlook
Tickets: Starting at $39.
Box Office: 202-547-1122.
For more info go here.
Play On!
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Through Oct. 5.
A delightful musical based on Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, set to the syncopated soundtrack of Duke Ellington’s greatest hits.
Aspiring songwriter Vy comes to swinging 1930s Harlem to make it big. But when she discovers the doors of opportunity are closed to women, she disguises herself as a man to pitch her songs to Harlem’s hottest composer, the Duke. However, when her tunes attract the attention of Cotton Club performer Lady Liv, the object of the Duke’s affection, Vy-Man is swept up in a swinging tempest of love, mistaken identity and jazz.
If music be the food of love, then Play On’s timeless classics "Take the 'A' Train," "Mood Indigo" "I Got it Bad and That Ain’t Good" and "It Don’t Mean a Thing," combine with stunning dance to make for a joyous feast in a fun and fresh take on a beloved comedy.
"Charming, enchanting, laugh-out-loud funny… this show is quite the revelation." ~ What’s On Stage
- Running time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
- Content Warnings: This show will contain strobe and lighting effects, loud noises, theatrical haze and herbal cigarettes. Contains adult themes around gender/sexuality/sex.
- Recommended for ages 8+. Signature does not admit anyone under 6.
For more info go here.
LOCAL FILM
Moana 2
Sunset Cinema, Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave. Friday, Sept. 19. Food Trucks Open: 6:15 p.m. Film starts: 7:15 p.m.
Sunset Cinema is bringing outdoor family fun under the starts to Cherry Hill Park! Enjoy a free, featured film starting at dusk next to the barn and playground. Bring a picnic blanket or chairs to sit back, relax and enjoy! Snacks, candy and drinks will be sold on site. In the event the movie needs to be rescheduled due to weather, the movie take place the following Friday night.
2025 Sunset Cinema Dates
The 22nd Annual Sunset Cinema Series presented by Raising Canes brings an outdoor film to Cherry Hill Park on the third Friday of the month between August - October at dusk (between 6:45 p.m. / 7:45 p.m.).
- Moana 2 on Friday, September 19
- Food Trucks open at 6:15 p.m., movie begins at 7:15 p.m.
- Shrek - the People's Choice Movie on Friday, October 17
- Food Trucks open at 5:45 p.m., movie begins at 6:45 p.m.
Sunset Cinemas are located at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Avenue) next to the barn and playground. Arrive early to get a good spot!
Viewers are encouraged to bring blankets, bug spray, and a picnic. Drinks, popcorn and snacks will be available for purchase (cash and card).
Eats & Sweet Treats
New this year, food trucks Kaziville and Mr. Flavor will be onsite selling chili dogs, nachos, ice cream, smoothies, and drinks starting an hour before the first two movies begin. Ice cream will be available at the third movie.
Recreation and Parks will be selling popcorn and drinks for purchase during the film (cash and card).
Weather & Pets
In the case of inclement weather, screenings will be rescheduled to the next Friday evening. Leashed, well behaved dogs are welcome to attend the movies. Please be courteous of others while attending the film with your furry friend.
For more info go here.
Ulysses Jenkins: Video Griot
Opens This Sunday! ~ National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2-2:45 p.m.
Part of Film Legacies of the Black Arts Movement/.
This selection of short videos includes four titles by Ulysses Jenkins, whose video Two Zone Transfer is installed in the exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement: 1955-1985. Jenkins’s video and media work is remarkable for its fusion of forms to conjure vibrant expressions of how image, sound and cultural iconography inform representation.
Program highlights:
Dream City is a companion to a 24-hour group performance organized by Jenkins that collages live music, poetry, and dance into a pulsating kaleidoscope of color and sound. It features frequent Jenkins collaborators Maren Hassinger, Senga Nengudi, and David Hammons as well as clips of chess games, punk shows, and images of the Los Angeles skyline, all set to a hypnotic improvisation of saxophone, percussion, and voice (1983, 5 minutes).
The Video Griots Trilogy:
Self Divination is a short that speaks poetically about origins and the realities of the African Diaspora (1989, 12 minutes).
Mutual Native Duplex is a video essay on the mutual alliances between Native Americans and African Americans. It explores the “neo-American model” of intercultural cooperation that grew out of these encounters (1990, 12 minutes).
The Nomadics is a sweeping overview of different communities of color from around the world.
Total running time: approx. 45 minutes.
Programmed in conjunction with the exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement: 1955-1985, open from September 21, 2025 to January 4, 2026.
For more info go here.
Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues
The band reunite after a 15-year break for one final concert. Rated R for language including some sexual references.
Now Playing at Paragon Theaters Founders Row, 112 Founders Ave.
LOCAL VISUAL ARTS
Chris Gregson: Expedition
Fred Schnider Gallery of Art, 888 N. Quincy St., #102, Arlington. Thursdays through Saturdays, 12-6:00 p.m.; Sundays, 12-5:00 p.m. Through Oct. 27.
For more info go here.
Stephen Early
Principle Gallery, 208 King St., Alexandria.
Stephen Early began his formal art education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He later earned an Associate of Science degree in Commercial Art from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and continued his training at the Art Students League of New York.
Early has taught extensively, serving as a teaching fellow at Studio Incamminati since its founding in 2002. He was a principal instructor in Nelson Shanks’ Intensive and Advanced Painting Workshops and has led workshops at institutions such as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the New York Academy of Art. He also served as Shanks’ teaching assistant at the Art Students League of New York, further refining his approach to classical realism.
Before dedicating himself fully to fine art, Early worked professionally as an illustrator. His transition into fine art has been marked by national recognition, including receiving Certificates of Excellence at the Portrait Society of America’s Portrait Competitions in both 2008 and 2010.
Today, Early continues to paint and teach, committed to both advancing his own practice and fostering the next generation of artists. His work reflects a deep reverence for the traditions of figurative art while embracing the vitality of contemporary expression.
For more info go here.
The Art of Looking: Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Deborah Kip, Wife of Sir Balthasar Gerbier, and Her Children
National Gallery of Art, Friday, Sept 19, 1 - 2:00 p.m. Virtual.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens’s Deborah Kip, Wife of Sir Balthasar Gerbier, and Her Children is the inspiration for this interactive conversation. Join us for a one-hour virtual session and share your observations, interpretations, questions, and ideas about this work of art.
These conversations will encourage you to engage deeply with art, with others, and with the world around you as you hone skills in visual literacy and perspective-taking.
The program is free, open to the public, and is designed for everyone interested in talking about art. No art or art history background is required. Ages 18 and over.
To register go here.
Introduction to the Exhibition: Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985
National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 12-1:00 p.m.
Part of Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985 Opening Day
As Black Americans continued their struggle for political liberation and self-determination in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a group of artists, poets, musicians, playwrights, and filmmakers united around a new approach — art. Using creative mediums to express messages of Black empowerment and advance social justice, their efforts became known as the Black Arts Movement, often considered the cultural arm of the Black Power Movement.
Photography was central to the movement, attracting all kinds of artists — from street photographers and photojournalists to painters and graphic designers. This expansive exhibition presents 150 examples by over 100 artists. Explore the radical vision shaped by generations of artists including Billy Abernathy, Romare Bearden, Kwame Brathwaite, Roy DeCarava, Doris Derby, Emory Douglas, Barkley Hendricks, Barbara McCullough, Betye Saar, and Ming Smith. See how they both shaped and documented the Black Arts Movement.
To register go here.
Weeds & Seeds
Reston Art Gallery, 11400 Washington Plaza West. Through Sept. 28.
For more info go here.
Justin Favela: Capilla de Maíz (Maize Chapel)
Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), 8th and G Streets, NW. Open Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Through: TBD. Free.
Capilla de Maíz (Maize Chapel), a site-specific installation by Justin Favela, transforms the Rubenstein Grand Salon at SAAM’s Renwick Gallery into a fantastical world, with shimmering gold-fringed walls and piñata corncobs that highlight the role of maize in North American visual culture.
Justin Favela is a multidisciplinary artist of Guatemalan and Mexican heritage based in Las Vegas, Nevada. His mixed-media practice incorporates traditional Mexican and Latin American craft — specifically cartonería or piñata making—into large-scale sculptures and installations that meld art history with pop culture.
In Capilla de Maíz (Maize Chapel), Favela draws together many sources and symbols of maize (corn), frequently called “yellow gold” in the Americas. Maize sustained Indigenous peoples and later European settlers, helping to grow the American agricultural economy. The shimmering gold-fringed walls combine two Mexican art practices, cartonería and the lavish Churrigueresque ornamentation of eighteenth-century Mexican Catholic churches.
The museum commissioned this site-specific installation for the Renwick Gallery’s Rubenstein Grand Salon to complement the exhibition State Fairs: Growing American Craft. Favela’s piñata corncobs highlight both the importance of maize in the formation of an American identity and the confluence of agriculture and craft traditions on display at state fairs.
For more info go here.
Material Witness
Rubell Museum DC, 65 i Street SW. Through Fall, 2026.
Material Witness presents 30 of today’s most compelling and innovative artists employing non-traditional materials and processes. Squid ink, Coca-Cola, ostrich eggs, anointing oil, lipstick, discarded metal, and animal hides are several of the preformed, natural, and unnatural mediums incorporated into three-dimensional works that expand upon the storied legacy of assemblage — a critical approach to artmaking that was first formalized in the 1961 exhibition The Art of Assemblage at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
With echoes of land art, Arte Povera, abject art, and readymades these artists employ industrial waste, organic detritus, and mass-produced commodities to explore formal, environmental, political, and social concerns. Found objects in various entropic states provide the backbone for many of these works, illuminating cycles of consumption, decay, and renewal.
Material Witness spans 23 galleries across the museum’s three floors and presents individual artist rooms as well as group presentations connecting artists who share similar materials and motives. For many of these artists, Material Witness represents their first exhibition in our nation’s capital or at the Rubell Museum.
For more info go here.
From the Permanent Collection: Works by Claude Monet
Kreeger Museum, Great Hall and the Garden Gallery, 2401 Foxhall Rd.
All nine works by Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926) from the Permanent Collection.
For more info go here.
See "Layers" at Falls Church Arts
Through Sept. 28
Christopher Jones
Basil Kincaid: Spirit in the Gift
Opens Sept. 3. ~ Rubell Museum DC, 65 I Street SW. Through Fall, 2026.
Basil Kincaid: Spirit in the Gift marks the first solo museum exhibition in Washington D.C. for Kincaid (b. 1986, St. Louis, Missouri). Four large-scale quilted artworks created during the artist’s residency at the Rubell Museum in Miami in 2023 will be presented in the D.C. museum’s largest gallery. Kincaid’s work pays homage to the long history of quilt-making while exploring the relationships between identity, ancestry, and place. Some themes are deeply personal and autobiographical, others are more universal, but all evoke the joy inherent in the artist’s love for and nurturing of community. The entailed and labor-intensive process of creating these monumental works is balanced by an improvisational, spontaneous, and fluid quality that runs throughout them. The result is as indebted to freehand drawing and jazz music as it is to patchwork quilt making and embroidery.
For more info go here.
A Land and 河/River
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, 12001 Market St., #103, Reston. Runs through Dec. 20.
Kimberly M. Becoat & Hong Hong
A Land and 河/River explores the powerful and intricate relationship between place, our histories, and imaginings of self. Artist Kimberly M. Becoat uses acrylic paint, sumi ink, and watercolor as well as tar paper, candy wrappers, and other detritus to investigate the idea of urban displacement. Her series, Seneca Village – Everywhere explores the idea of Seneca Village; a 19th Century free-black community of landowners in New York City that was removed for the construction of Central Park. Learn more about Seneca Village here.
Hong Hong’s work 河/River is her first thematic, research-based project that considers her personal relationship with water. The paper-based installation imagines and presents water as a long-form poem, documenting the river as meteorological occurrences, the artists’ birth, her family’s immigration process, and texts she and her mother both love. Hong Hong (whose last name means flood) makes no distinction between our symbolic understanding of water, its nurturing properties, or its ability to destroy or divide.
For more info go here.
American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire
Rubell Museum, 65 I St. SW. Through Fall, 2025.
American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire showcases nearly 100 artworks spanning painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and mixed media by over 40 emerging and established artists, all drawn from the Rubells’ unparalleled and ever-growing collection of contemporary art of more than 7,700 works. Each artwork viewed separately stands alone, a vignette within one or more of the three exhibition themes. When considered together, the artworks compose a larger narrative, that of contemporary artists — some born in America, some who made America their home — and their compelling and varied approaches to artmaking.
For more info go here.
Cecilia Vicuña: Quipu Viscera
Smithsonian Museum of American Art (SAAM), 8th and G Streets NW. Open: 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25).
Internationally renowned artist Cecilia Vicuña (b. 1948, Santiago, Chile) creates works that engage with deep histories of place, particularly the coastal traditions and ecology of her homeland of Chile.
Quipu Viscera is made of hanging skeins of red, brown, and pink unspun wool. As its title suggests, it evokes the body, specifically the female form. The muted pinks on its exterior give way to more saturated tones toward the center, so that the wool becomes a sort of skin that contains the organs and life within.
The word quipu, meaning "knot," comes from the Quechua language that originated in Peru. It refers to the ancient system of record-keeping using hanging, knotted strings developed in the Andes over 5,000 years ago. When the Spanish colonized the region in 1532, they outlawed the use of quipus. Vicuña is interested in quipus as a form of forbidden knowledge, passed through generations of Indigenous culture.
The work was acquired by the museum in 2023 for its permanent collection.
The installation is organized by Sarah Newman, the James Dicke Curator of Contemporary Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
For more info go here.
Galleries for Modern and Contemporary Art
Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), 8th & G Streets NW. Open 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25).
The Smithsonian American Art Museum reopens its modern and contemporary galleries with a new installation of its permanent collection that freshly examines the explosion of possibility in American art between the 1940s and today. Artists using new materials and techniques — and inspired by the social, cultural, and technological changes around them — are featured in American Voices and Visions: Modern and Contemporary Art. This is the initial phase of a multiyear renewal and reinstallation of the museum’s permanent collection galleries slated for overall completion in 2026 in honor of America’s semiquincentennial.
The reopening of the modern and contemporary galleries is the first reinterpretation of its holdings since the museum’s National Historic Landmark building reopened in 2006 after an extensive renovation. The selected works on view highlight established strengths of the museum’s collection, such as its leading collections of work by Black and self-taught artists, while featuring new areas of collection growth since 2006, including post-World War II and contemporary art, time-based media and Latinx art. The installation acknowledges the multifaceted narratives, identities and artistic practices that exist in the United States by including the often-overlooked histories and contributions by Asian American, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and women artists, part of a museum-wide effort to provide a more expansive view of American art.
For more info go here.
Fairfax Art League's New Fall Show
Fairfax City Hall, 10455 Armstrong St., Fairfax.
LOCAL HISTORICAL EXHIBITS
Constitution Day: The Full U.S. Constitution
Just Opened! ~ U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Sept. 16, 10:00 a.m. through Oct. 1, 5:30 p.m.
For the first time in history, the entire United States Constitution will go on display, to celebrate 250 years of American Freedom.
In celebration of 250 years of American Freedom, the entire U.S. Constitution and the original Bill of Rights will be surrounded by 17 Constitutional amendments, filling the Rotunda at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. in a dramatic and highly visual display.
This marks the first time in history the entire U.S. Constitution will be on display.
This historic, special display will also include the rarely displayed fifth page of the U.S. Constitution. This original document outlines a set of instructions to the States on how to implement the Constitution, signed by George Washington as President of the Constitutional Convention.
The display will open to the public in the Rotunda on Tuesday, September 16 and remain open through Wednesday, October 1. Visitors can view and experience the entire Constitution during regular museum hours: 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Those visiting within those dates should anticipate longer than usual wait times, and visitors are encouraged to reserve timed-entry tickets.
To provide more opportunities to see the special display, the National Archives Museum will be open extended hours until 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, as well as Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28.
The display of the entire U.S. Constitution is part of the National Archives’ celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Other upcoming activities at the National Archives include the opening of a new permanent exhibition space, The American Story and Discovery Center, in October 2025. The new galleries at the National Archives Museum will be the first and only museum experience in Washington, D.C. to use artificial intelligence to bring visitors individualized opportunities to explore American history.
For more info go here.
Hoo – Hoooow'd Like to Explore the World of Owls?
Owls!
Winkler Botanical Preserve, 5400 Roanoke Ave., Alexandria. Sept 20, 2 - 3:00 p.m.
Who likes owls?
Want to learn about owls from the inside, out? Which owls live at Winkler Botanical Preserve and what are they like?
Spend some time discovering the owls that live here. Learn about owl feathers and bones, and take apart your own owl pellet.
This program is appropriate for families with children aged 7 and over. Anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must pre-register to attend.
Sponsored by NOVA Parks.
To register go here.
Try Your Hand(s) at the Potomac Paddle Off!
Potomac Paddle Off
Thompson Boat Center, 2900 Virginia Ave. NW. Sept. 20, 12-4:00 p.m.
Join us this Saturday, September 20, for the Potomac Paddle Off at Thompson Boat Center in Georgetown, D.C.!
This fantastic kayak race is hosted by Potomac Conservancy and Boating in D.C. You can choose the 1.5-mile or 5K course, and your kayak and gear are included. There will also be music, refreshments, and plenty of fun along the riverfront!
During this race, you can have fun and help protect the Potomac you love because all the proceeds will benefit Team Potomac’s mission. That means more trash collected, more clean water laws passed, and more land forever protected!
Get ready to hit the water for the Potomac Paddle‑Off, an exciting September kayak race set against the scenic backdrop of Georgetown!
Open to paddlers of all levels, this high‑energy event offers both Short Course and Long Course options, giving everyone a chance to compete at their own pace.
All proceeds will benefit the Potomac Conservancy and their mission to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and vibrant communities.
📍 Location: Thompson Boat Center, 2900 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, D.C.📅 Date: September 20, 2025; Rain Date: September 27, 2025🚣 Courses:
- Short Course: 1.5 miles from Thompson Boat Center to Key Bridge and back
- Long Course: 5k from Thompson Boat Center to the 3 Sisters Rock Formation and back
Our Emcee really knows the Potomac
This year’s Potomac Paddle Off is bringing serious strokes and hometown glory with none other than Olympic rower Aquil Abdullah as our emcee. Born and raised right here in D.C., Aquil made waves as the first African American male rower to qualify for the Olympics, competing in the 2004 Athens Games. His journey from the Potomac to the podium is a story of grit, grace, and a whole lot of river time. So yeah, he knows a thing or two about racing on these waters.
Race Day Schedule:
11:30 a.m. - Check-in begins.
12:00 p.m. - Event Begins; Emcee Speaks & Racer Briefing for Long Course
12:15 p.m. - Long Course Race Begins - Heat 1
12:45 p.m. - Long Course Race Heat 2 Begins
1:30 p.m. - Short Course Race Heat 1 Begins
2:00 p.m. - Short Course Race Heat 2 Begins
3:00 p.m. - Closing Ceremony/ Awards
3:30 p.m. - Event Concludes
Join fellow kayak enthusiasts for a day of friendly competition, river adventure, and community spirit. Awards, refreshments, and local vendors await at the finish line!
Want to know more? Read the Event FAQs.
Please note:
- There is no Season Passholder Discount since this is a special event.
- All participants receive a dry bag filled with swag; T‑shirts can be purchased for an additional fee.
- Heats are mixed with double and single kayakers.
- Participants must be at least 16 years old to race a single kayak; minors under 16 may paddle in a double kayak with a parent or guardian.
For Registration and Pricing Information go here.
Are You Geology Buff/Punk Rocker?
Punk Rocks! Rock Creek Park Day Celebrations in Georgetown
The Old Stone House, 3051 M Street NW. LOCATION: LAT/LONG: 38.904313, -77.060002. Free.
Join us for our annual Rock Creek Park Day – this year over four days – on September 20-21 and 27-28, 2025. This event celebrates the founding of our national park.
Established by Congress on September 27, 1890, Rock Creek Park turns 135 this year!
For the 135th Anniversary, we're having a one-of-a-kind celebration: Punk Rocks!
Punk Rocks! blends DC's legendary punk rock spirit with the park's geologic, cultural, and cosmic stories. Visitors of all ages will discover why nature and green spaces matter – especially in cities like Washington, D.C. - through hands-on programs, live activities, and creative workshops.
For specific details of what will be offered, visit the official Rock Creek Park Day page.
Compiled by Christopher Jones
Member discussion