Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of the culinary, the classical, and more in your own backyard!
Looking for an experience that will make you feel like
you’re in the comfort of your own home, at the movies and at a restaurant all at once? There’s a solution for your hankering. The Workhouse Arts Center will be hosting Dinner and a Movie Night Friday evening, a special event that blends food and film. Watch the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, REAR WINDOW, and select from a buffet style menu that includes sliced marinated steak, sliced chicken in marsala sauce, mashed Yukon potatoes, mixed green salad, and more.
This Saturday, award-winning guitarist Orlando Roman will be performing the works of Albéniz, Turina, Ponce, Barrios, Mertz, and Brouwer in a concert sponsored by the Washington Conservatory of Music. Come and let this accomplished performer serenade you with the wonders of his classical guitar.
The Asphalt Orchestra is no ordinary marching band. Instead of fight songs, shrill renditions of Sousa, and militaristic uniforms and dance routines, this group’s music and choreography is unpredictable and even jazzy! Join the 12-piece group as they fire up the Alden Theatre with music by Frank Zappa, David Byrne, Björk, and many more. Don’t miss out on this innovative evening!
And if you’re in the mood for a day at the museums, visit Color, Line, Light: French Drawings, Watercolors, and Pastels from Delacroix to Signac at the National Gallery of Art. Check out what our critics have to say about it! Watch the video here!
In this crime drama directed by Derek Cianfrance, a motorcycle stunt driver, played by Ryan Gosling, begins robbing banks to provide for his lover and newborn child.
Cannes comes to Washington with the U.S. open of Italian director Matteo Garrone's drama this weekend. REALITY, starring Aniello Arena, follows a fishmonger who becomes obsessed with appearing on a reality TV show.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of free dancing lessons, silent film fun, and more in your own backyard!
Dancing in Bethesda
Put on those dancing shoes because this weekend is Dance Bethesda! The two-day event starts Friday night with free dance lessons and parties, hosted by studios in downtown Bethesda. Try your foot at rumba, social dancing, ballroom, hip-hop, tap, folklore, salsa, swing, tango, and jazz or watch demonstrations throughout the night. Then on Saturday, a group of seven dance companies will perform at Round House Theatre for the 9th annual Dance Bethesda Concert. (They’ve been being selected from a group of 50 local contestants.) With a variety of dance genres, like contemporary from the Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, Central Asian from the Silk Road Dance Company and ballet from The Washington School of Ballet, this event will provide a well-rounded selection of the most talented dancers in the Washington, D.C. area.
Open Studio Night- Friday, 8-10:30pm
Cost: Free
Studios hosting open houses include: Dance Bethesda Dance Studio, Dansez! Dansez!, Du-Shor Dance Studio, Joy of Motion Dance Center (6:30-9:45pm), and The Mindfulness Center.
Bethesda Dance Concert
Saturday, 8pm
Cost: $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under
This Saturday, indulge your senses with lavish costumes and drama with the Freer Gallery’s presentation of “Intolerance: Silent Film with Live Musical Accompaniment.” Intolerance, one of the masterpieces of the Silent Era, looks at Man’s persistent “intolerance” throughout the ages and connects stories from four very different time periods: the American “modern” melodrama of 1914, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, the fall of Babylon at the hands of the Persians in 539 BCE, and the death of Jesus Christ. This film program is presented in conjunction with the Sackler Gallery’s exhibition of the Cyrus Cylinder, which will be featured in an upcoming segment of WETA Around Town!
Saturday, 3pm
Cost: Free
Freer Gallery 1200 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20013
A Family Adventure in Time Travel
If you could go back in time, what period would you travel to? Would you go back in time to the Medieval Age or to the days at Woodstock? What about the Civil War Era? Well, if you said the Civil War, you are in luck. As a tie-in with “The Civil War and American Art” exhibition, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be hosting Civil War Family Day. Kids and families will have the opportunity to learn about the men, women and children of the mid-1800s by participating in an afternoon full of Civil War related activities, such as craft making, photography, music, scavenger hunts and more. So join them this Saturday for a fun-filled day in the past at the Kogod Courtyard.
Psst! After the Civil War Family Day festivities have wrapped up, take the kids to the accompanying exhibition, “The Civil War and American Art.” Here’s what our critics have to say about it.
Australian director Cate Shortland’s second feature is a WWII thriller that tracks the 900 km journey of five siblings (including Saskia Rosendahl, Kai Malina, Nele Trebs, and Ursina Lardi) as they make their way to their grandmother’s house near Hamburg, Germany after Allied Forces arrest their Nazi parents.
This post-WWII drama by British director Peter Webber (GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING and HANNIBAL RISING) traces an American general’s (Tommy Lee Jones) investigation of Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s (Takatarô Kataoka) role in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of cinematic spectacles, marching band talent, eclectic jazz, and more in your own backyard!
Begin the weekend with a night of culture and cuisine! The Workhouse Arts Center is celebrating India by hosting a dinner and movie! The Arts Center, a converted prison, will be presenting the film Saawariywa, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This Bollywood drama centers on a man and woman who meet in a small town and the past circumstances that prevent them from being together. Aroma Indian Restaurant will be catering the event with authentic Tandoori-style meats and vegetarian options.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the band members after football season is over? Well, sports might be seasonal but the music must go on. The Music Center at Strathmore brings visitors a unique musical performance in honor of the black marching band tradition. A group of 30 marching band members from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities come together to deliver a performance that embraces Motown, hip hop, pop and several other genres. Known for their explosive drum beats and cool rhythm, Drumline Live will certainly get your heart pumping and your feet moving. So if you’re in the mood for fun dance moves and customary band music, don’t miss HBCU’s “fifth quarter” performance.
Want another Friday night option? Start off on the right beat! Strathmore presents “Friday Night Eclectic: An Evening of Jazz with THIEFS.” THIEFS is a “grammatically incoherent” jazz group that intertwines aspects of modern composition and improvisation into a “boundary-less foundation” of beats. Led by drummer and vocalist Guillermo E. Brown, bassist Keith Witty, and saxophonist Christophe Panzani, THIEFS seamlessly shifts from fully electronic to acoustic with their sometimes mellow, other times harsher, grooves. During intermission, enjoy an original jazz dance performance inspired by Satomi Shirai’s photography.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is hosting a free Family Day Extravaganza, which is jam-packed with music-themed activities throughout the gallery. Get ready to groove by creating and wearing a button with your own band name and logo, complimented by music-themed face paint. Next, get down with some breakdancers from The Lab DC, learn how to scratch records like a DJ with DJ Scratch Academy, or make and play your own clay whistle. Leave your mark with a cause-worthy poster and original graffiti on a DIY tee. Afterwards, be sure to take a tour of the gallery, including their new “Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s” exhibition. (We’ll be airing our critics’ discussion of the exhibition later this month!) At the end of the day, march off in a send-off by percussionists Eddie Eatmon and Rivum Brigade.
Folger Theatre’s Henry V was originally supposed to close this weekend, but due to popular demand, they’ve extended the production’s run. If you can’t see it this weekend, see it next weekend. After that, you’re out of luck! Here’s what our critics have to say about the
Millions of Americans experience hunger every year. This documentary, directed by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush and starring the likes of Jeff Bridges and Tom Colicchio, not only explores causes of the problem, but also proposes solutions.
Based on the UK television show, this British film directed by Nick Love tells the story of a jaded detective (Ray Winstone) in the Flying Squad of London’s Metropolitan police.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of a tropical flower exhibition, mysterious Slavonic music, and an epic viola serenade right in your own backyard!
Living in or near a big city like DC, you can sometimes find yourself disconnected from the natural world. This weekend, the National Museum of Natural History will have an opportunity for museum-goers of all ages to see a major collection of Latin American orchids close to home. Attend the Fiesta de las Or-Kid-eas Family Festival for a variety of orchid related activities, such as orchid face painting, orchid tattooing, orchid mosaic-making, and plant discussions. Want to learn how to pot an orchid? Orchid experts will also be giving patrons an orchid-potting demonstration and will even allow them to take an orchid home with them.
The best way to relax after an exciting weekend is with an afternoon classical music in a beautiful setting. This Sunday, enjoy the Cathedral Choral Society’s performance of Rachmaninoff's “Solemn Vespers, Op. 37” at the impressive Washington National Cathedral. To make this concert even more interesting, the Choral Society will perform the piece in the original Old Church Slavonic, which is a Slavonic language dating back to 9th century Byzantine missionaries. With a talented chorus and historic location, this concert will take you back in time and in peace.
Two concerts are better than one! If the Cathedral Choral Society’s performance wasn’t enough, indulge in a special collaboration between the National Symphony Orchestra’s Tsuna Sakamoto and the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra at the Hylton Performing Arts Center. The musicians will be performing “Symphonic Serenade” and Bartók’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Don’t miss out on this spectacular performance!
Sunday, 8pm
Cost: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (65+)/students, free for music teachers
Kerri Russell and Josh Hamilton star in Scott Stewart’s story of the Barrett family’s reckoning with a dark and terrible force.
SNITCH (PG-13)
Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, and John Bernthal star in Ric Roman Waugh’s story of a father who goes undercover for the DEA so his son can finally be released from prison after getting set up in a drug deal.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of anti-gravity splendor, heroic music, and honest Presidential fun right in your own backyard!
If you love magic tricks, go to Artisphere this weekend for the ultimate mind-bending spectacle. The production LEO: The Anti-Gravity Show, directed by Daniel Briére, uses acrobatic performance and video projection to create illusions that will test your perception of reality and leave you wondering which way is up. The show, reminiscent of Cirque de Soleil, is sure to entertain children and adults alike. LEO has won awards internationally and has gone on to mesmerize the rest of the world.
Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Cost: $30 for adults / $25 for kids and students
Artisphere 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington VA 22209
A weekend dedicated to remembering some of the most important people in our nation’s history only comes once a year, so why not celebrate with some family fun and entertainment? Kick off your Presidents' Day weekend with Presidents' Family Day at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. Enjoy performances by the Federal City Brass Band, build with Lincoln Logs, create a White House china pattern, and meet George and Martha Washington, along with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. You can even dress up like George Washington and get your photo taken, take pictures with presidential figures, and more!
What could be better than enjoying a concert while supporting veterans and their families? This Sunday, The Code of Support Foundation and many other nonprofits present VETStravaganza, a free event to raise awareness for the Chamber of Commerce's "Hiring Our Heroes" program. Performers include country music artists Mark Wills and David Kroll, along with military ensembles like the West Point Cadet Glee Club, the West Point Alumni Glee Club and others. Enjoy a variety of talented musicians while celebrating our troops and President’s Day weekend all at once.
Sunday, 3pm
Cost: Free, tickets required (reserve them at www.lisner.org or by phone at 202- 994-6851)
Ever wanted to put yourself in the shoes of the President of the United States? This weekend Ford’s Theatre celebrates Presidents’ Day with a variety of special programs. Attend performances of “One Destiny,” a play about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, investigate the Ford’s Theatre Museum and partake in Ranger Talks from the National Park Service. Several other programs include stories from master storyteller, Jon Spelman and a performance from the Ford’s Theatre Youth Leaders Ensemble. Last but not least, a special one-night performance from Mark Twain Award winner and political satirist Mark Russell will also be in the mix of events for those who want to end their Presidents’ Day with a little political humor. Still need convincing? Take a tour with WETA Around Town’s Trey Graham, as he shows us the beauty and uniqueness of the historical landmark that is, Ford's Theatre.
Monday, campus open 9am – 5pm; performance at 7pm
Cost: Daytime programs free; performance tickets range from $20 - $64.
By the way, scrambling for a last-minute Valentine’s Day date idea? This is the second-to-last weekend of Ai Wei Wei: According to What? at the Hirshhorn. It’s a breath-taking multimedia show. See what our critics had to say about it.
Looking for something less contemporary? Bring your Valentine to Roads of Arabia at Sackler Gallery for some ancient beauty. It’s only there through February 24. Our critics have a few words about it, too.
Directed by Richard LaGravenese, this tale adds Southern legend and dark family secrets to the mysterious love story of long-time local Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich) and new girl Lena (Alice Englert). Like Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson? They’re in this, too.
Here’s another tale about love in the South, this time directed by Lasse Hallström. Katie (Julianne Hough) lands in Southport, North Carolina, falls in love with a widower (Josh Duhamel), and faces the dark past she was hoping to forget.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of Afghani-American music, Valentine crafting with an Asian twist, and Civil War storytelling right in your own backyard.
With so much competition surrounding originality, many of us hope to find that one talent in life that makes us different from others. For Afghan/Italian American musician and multi-media artist Ariana Delawari, finding her greatest talents came naturally.
After graduating from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, Delawari began working as an actress, musician, director and photographer. As if that weren’t enough, she soon started work on her feature length documentary, “We Came Home,” a compilation of her family’s life story and the making of her album, “Lion of Panjshir.” Delawari directed the album with filmmaker David Lynch, who went on to release it on his record label. In 2012, “We Came Home” won Best International Documentary at the São Paulo International Film Festival. But don’t think accomplishing these two milestones means Delawari’s taking a break: She recently finished her second album and will be releasing it soon.
Want to hear what this multimedia wonder’s produced? Come to the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center this Friday where the multi-talented Ariana Delawari will be showcasing her original interpretations of Afghani music.
Love may be universal, but it may look a little different on paper. This Saturday, the Sackler Gallery hosts the free event “In Every Language Love,” where the whole family can learn about Asian art influenced by love. You will also have the opportunity to create your own unique Valentine using printing blocks with Asian symbols and characters. The best Valentines are the ones that say “I love you”—regardless of the language!
Join actors from major DC theatres and the award-winning band Dead Men’s Hollow for a unique musical and literary evening of Civil War songs and letters. Dead Men’s Hollow will perform Civil War songs, both oldies and new interpretations, while actors read letters and diary entries written by nurses, civilians, and soldiers, as well as Generals Lee and Pickett. You’ll even get to hear what a black soldier had to tell his enslaved daughter during the War. Finish off the evening with a coffee and dessert reception following the performance.
Saturday, at 7pm
Cost: $10
The Athenaeum 201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Directed by Seth Gordon, this comedy follows the meek businessman Sandy (Jason Bateman) as he tracks down the seemingly sweet con artist (Melissa McCarthy) who’s stolen his identity.
In this drama directed by Steven Soderbergh, Emily (Rooney Mara) and Jonathan (Jude Law) are a New York power couple whose lives fall apart when Emily’s new prescription drug curses her with surprising side effects.
This weekend DC, Maryland, and Virginia is packed with inauguration celebrations, classic concerts and movies. With prices ranging from free to a couple bucks, there’s a wide variety of events to choose from!
From one leader to another
44 years ago on January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was sworn into office, the same day Led Zeppelin supposedly performed for a group of teenagers at Wheaton Youth Center. Join AFI Silver Theater in a preview screening of the documentary Led Zeppelin Played Here, directed by Jeff Krulik, which presents a homegrown version of what was happening nationwide as the rock concert industry took shape, featuring interviews with rock writers, musicians and fans, including several who claim they were there witnessing history that night. Celebrate monumental events, both past and present, by attending this special screening of Led Zeppelin Played Here on Sunday.
Can you guess how many works Frédéric Chopin created during his lifetime? 250. Continuing his quest to perform all of the Chopin pieces within the next decade, pianist Brian Ganz is preparing for his third all-Chopin recital on January 19 at Strathmore, which will explore the theme of "Small Worlds." The program will include Frédéric Chopin's 5 Mazurkas, Op. 7; Trois Ecossaises, Op. 72, No. 3; Lento con Gran Espressione in C-sharp minor; Presto con Leggerezza in A-flat major; Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23; Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47; and the 24 Préludes, Op. 28.
Saturday January 19th at 8:00pm
Cost: Tickets range from $28 to $74. Tickets for kids 7-17 are FREE through the ALL KIDS, ALL FREE, ALL THE TIME program (sponsored by The Gazette). ALL KIDS tickets must be purchased in person or by phone. Parking is free. Tickets can be purchased at nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301-581-5100.
The Music Center at Strathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, MD 20852
Edgy. Contemporary. Experimental.
Fancy performances in an intimate setting? Want to support local, emerging artists? Experience the performing arts at its best this Friday amongst the Hillyer Art Space’s edgy, contemporary galleries! The Hillyer Art Space is kicking off its 2013 monthly performing art series, Soapbox, which provides performance artists a close setting that accommodates their often underrepresented medium. This Friday features “To Know a Veil”, an experimental piece conceived and directed by Emma Jaster, exploring the personal and cultural implications of how women veil and reveal themselves.
Blurb about event: Get your seats soon folks; this is going to be the piano fight of the century! Watch as two musical masterminds, Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, compete against one another in this original performance format which presents classical music in a whole new way. Each musician will be showcasing their abilities by playing pieces from known composers such as Debussy, Chopin and Liszt, in this grave but comical accomplishment. If you have ever wanted to play a role in a musical performance, this is your chance. Audience members will get to serve as an active part during the entire program and will be invited to vote on the pianists’ performance of their choice for a winner.
Friday January 18th, 7:30pm
Cost: $50 / $40 Friends of the Goethe-Institut and $25 for students with ID at the door
Embassy of Austria 3524 International Court, NW Washington, DC 20008
The inauguration of President Obama is this Monday January 21st and that means two things for Washington D.C this weekend; amazing events and traffic. While we try to avoid the latter, join us as we partake in celebrations unique to January in D.C. every 4 years.
Tour for the Presidential Inauguration
(Tours run hourly until last tour at 3pm)
January 18, 19 and 22, 10am to 4pm& Sunday, January 20, noon to 4pm Cost: Adults: $12 / Children (12 and under): $5
The Kennedy Center and Georgetown University present Let Freedom Ring! featuring Smokey RobinsonSunday January 20, 6:00pm, Cost: Free. Tickets will be distributed two (2) per person in line on Sunday January 20, 2013, in the Hall of Nations, beginning at 4 p.m. Tickets are reserved seats. Limited seating availability.Concert Hall at the Kennedy Center
Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at Kennedy Center
Sunday January 20, 7:00pm, Cost: $150.00-$300.00. Tickets went on sale January 8, 2013 to the public
Action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his much-anticipated return to the big screen in Korean director Kim Jee-woon's hard-hitting US directorial debut, THE LAST STAND. After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens (Schwarzenegger) moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy.
LUV (R)
Eleven-year-old WOODY WATSON is a timid Baltimore orphan who dreams of a better life -- and his absent mother who may or may not be in North Carolina fighting drug addiction. Woody also reveres his uncle VINCENT as the father figure he never had. A street hustler and former drug dealer, Vincent's fresh off an eight-year stint in prison and wants a new direction. When Vincent bypasses his nephew's school one day and offers to show Woody how a man handles his business, Woody jumps at the opportunity to join his uncle on a field trip of life lessons.
MAMA (PG-13)
Guillermo del Toro presents Mama, a supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of instantly legendary events right in your own backyard!
The exhibitions that bring us from here to the Honfleur Gallery.
So many galleries, so little time. This weekend offers a rare opportunity for a joint opening reception at the Honfleur Gallery. The exhibition, The Points That Bring Us from Here to There, brings together the mapping-focused work of Michael Dax Iacovone and Kathryn Zazenski. Upstairs, Soul of the City, presented by The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, showcases a varied collection of street photography from members of the photography collective InstantDC. Double the art, double the fun.
Opening: Friday January 11, 2013, from 6:00pm - 9:00pm
So the New Year is finally here! Why not start it off on a new note by jazzing things up a little bit? The first place you can start is the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre at Artisphere in Arlington. Enjoy an evening with the only student of jazz legend Benny Goodman, internationally acclaimed clarinetist, Julian Milkis. Milkis will be showcasing his versatility, unique talent and mastered interpretations as he plays along-side the National Chamber Ensemble.
Can’t decide between a movie and concert this weekend? Well now you don’t have to! he screening of the classic film ALEXANDER NEVSKY will be accompanied by Sergei Prokofeiv’s music score, performed live by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This 1938 historical drama, directed by Sergei Eisenstein, follows a battle led by Alexander against the Teutonic Knights in defense of his kingdom of Novgorod. With both eyes and ears satisfied, this event is a double victory.
Friday, 8:00pm —Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (JMSH)
For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty reunites the Oscar® winning team of director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal (THE HURT LOCKER) for the story of history's greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man.
Beecham House is abuzz. The rumor circling the halls is that the home for retired musicians is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it's a star. For Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay), Wilfred Bond (Billy Connolly) and Cecily Robson (Pauline Collins) this sort of talk is par for the course at the gossipy home. But they're in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Can the passage of time heal old wounds? And will the famous quartet be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House's gala concert?
AMOUR (PG-13)
Writer/director Michael Haneke (CACHE, THE PIANO TEACHER), who previously won the Palme d'Or for THE WHITE RIBBON, won the prestigious Cannes award again for AMOUR("Love"). His new drama shows old age and death with unflinching honesty, but nevertheless lives up to its title. This is a portrait of a longtime married couple, whose bond of love remains strong facing any hardship. It stars two of France's best-loved actors, both in their eighties: Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. Winner of 4 European Film Awards, including Best Film, Director, Actor and Actress. In French. (Fully subtitled)
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of events guaranteed to inspire your inner-artist, right here in your own backyard!
Face it—you and the kids need a break from the holidays. Why not get artsy? To top it off, why not make it free? Well, it’s a package deal at theBaltimore Museum of Art’s weekly Free Family Sunday. So put down that wrapping paper and schlep the entire clan to this world-class institution. You’ll enjoy an afternoon of art-making with an interactive gallery tour to boot.
This month’s theme “Looking Forward: Make a Right-Side, Wrong-Side Composition”, encourages budding contemporary artists to get adventurous.
Sunday, 2-5pm
Cost: Free
Baltimore Museum of Arts 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, Maryland
It was an itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie work of art that they displayed in the gallery.
Just because an exhibition is a big deal, doesn’t mean it’s big. In fact, the Torpedo Factory Target Gallery’s 5x5(x5) is all about the small. No piece measures more than 5 inches in any direction! Back by popular demand, this juried show features 112 tiny works by 68 artists from across the nation. It’s also Target Gallery’s last show of the year, so don’t miss it.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am–6pm
Cost: Free
Torpedo Factory 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, Virginia
Select films opening today:
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY (PG)
From the big top to the big screen, visionary filmmaker James Cameron and director Andrew Adamson (SHREK, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) invite you and your family on an all new 3D adventure: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY. A young couple who is separated, must journey through the astonishing and dreamlike worlds of Cirque du Soleil to find each other, as audiences experience the immersive 3D technology that will allow them to leap, soar, swim, and dance with the performers.
RUST AND BONE (R)
Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard (LA VIE EN ROSE, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) plays Stéphanie, a free-spirited whale trainer at a marineland on the French Riviera, who suffers a devastating injury. Macho Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts, BULLHEAD), sullen, impulsive and broke, has just been given custody of his five-year-old son and is struggling to care for him. Both are struggling to overcome injuries and rebuild their lives, and their relationship reaches the extremes of physical and emotional intensity. WETA Around Town critics call this the “best film of the year”. Watch the entire review here!
BARBARA (PG-13)
East Germany, 1980. Barbara Wolff is a talented young doctor who has applied for an exit visa from the GDR and, as punishment, has been transferred from her prestigious post in Berlin to a small pediatric hospital in the country. Even though she is constantly aware of the shadowy presence of, and overwhelming numbers of Stasi officers chronicling her every move, every waking hour, she arrives at her new post having already planned a series of dangerous assignations with her lover, with whom she plans to escape to the West, to Poland. A story of self-sacrifice and freedom and quiet heroism at a time and place when such values are at a premium. It is also about a healer whose morality and set of personal ethics are being called into questions by circumstances specific to that same time and place in history. Opening at West End and Angelika Mosaic.
Based on the true story of one family's survival of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, THE IMPOSSIBLE stars Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor and is directed by J.A. Bayona (THE ORPHANAGE). Maria (Watts), Henry (McGregor) and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth.
Looking for something to do this weekend in DC, Maryland, and Virginia? Check out our selection of cultural events right in your own backyard!
Be inspired by art in Bethesda
The second Friday of the month can only mean one thing: art lovers will descend upon Bethesda for the Art Walk taking place at seven galleries and studios. Enjoy free refreshments and a chance to discover original artwork by local, regional and national artists. If you need to rest your legs between galleries, the free Bethesda Circulator bus run continuously with stops within a few blocks from each art space.
If you’re looking for a casual Sunday afternoon, stroll on over to Dumbarton House for The Picnic Theatre’s holiday encore performance of An Ideal Husband.
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes the first installment of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING.
HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (R)
In June 1939 the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) were invited to stay overnight at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (Bill Murray) country estate Hyde Park in upstate New York (actually, it's his mother's—he just lives there). This was the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to FDR for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of FDR's domestic establishment, as wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams), mother, and mistresses all conspire to make the royal weekend an unforgettable one. Seen through the eyes of Daisy (Laura Linney), Franklin's neighbor and intimate, the weekend will produce not only a special relationship between two great nations, but, for Daisy—and through her, for us all—a deeper understanding of the mysteries of love and friendship.
Set in the 1970s, this drama is about Rudy (Alan Cumming), a drag queen whose outrageous exterior hides a lonely but lovable interior. Going to the apartment next door to complain about noise, he finds Marco (Isaac Leyva), a mentally handicapped teenager, abandoned by his mother who has been arrested for prostitution and drugs. Rudy reluctantly and temporarily takes care of Marco, but soon finds himself wanting to turn his guardianship into something more permanent. Meanwhile, Rudy meets attractive, straight-arrow, closeted Paul (Garrett Dillahunt), who attends his show and likes what he sees. Paul works in the DA's office, which comes in handy when Rudy gets into a fight with social services over Marco. As Rudy and Paul are drawn together and become a couple, they seek to adopt Marco, but meet with prejudice and overwhelming obstacles.
THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE (NR)
In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were arrested for brutally beating and raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park. The policed announced to a press hungry for sensational crime stories that the young men had been part of a gang of teenagers who were out "wilding," assaulting joggers and bicyclists that evening. The ensuing media frenzy was met with a public outcry for justice. New York Mayor Ed Koch called it the "crime of the century" and it remains to date one of the biggest media stories of our time. Each of the five suspects spent 6 to 13 years in prison before a shocking confession from a serial rapist and DNA evidence proved their innocence. Set against a backdrop of a decaying city beset by violence and racial tension, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE tells the story of how five lives were upended by the rush to judgment by police, a sensationalist media and a devastating miscarriage of justice. Written and directed by Ken Burns (The Civil War, Prohibition, Jazz, Baseball), David McMahon and Sarah Burns.
Sousa, and militaristic uniforms and dance routines, this group’s music and choreography is unpredictable and even jazzy! Join the 12-piece group as they fire up the Alden Theatre with music by Frank Zappa, David Byrne, Björk, and many more. Don’t miss out on this innovative evening! 
starts Friday night with free dance lessons and parties, hosted by studios in downtown Bethesda. Try your foot at rumba, social dancing, ballroom, hip-hop, tap, folklore, salsa, swing, tango, and jazz or watch demonstrations throughout the night. Then on Saturday, a group of seven dance companies will perform at Round House Theatre for the 9th annual Dance Bethesda Concert. (They’ve been being selected from a group of 50 local contestants.) With a variety of dance genres, like contemporary from the Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, Central Asian from the Silk Road Dance Company and ballet from The Washington School of Ballet, this event will provide a well-rounded selection of the most talented dancers in the Washington, D.C. area. 
you said the Civil War, you are in luck. As a tie-in with “The Civil War and American Art” exhibition, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be hosting Civil War Family Day. Kids and families will have the opportunity to learn about the men, women and children of the mid-1800s by participating in an afternoon full of Civil War related activities, such as craft making, photography, music, scavenger hunts and more. So join them this Saturday for a fun-filled day in the past at the Kogod Courtyard.
performance in honor of the black marching band tradition. A group of 30 marching band members from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities come together to deliver a performance that embraces Motown, hip hop, pop and several other genres. Known for their explosive drum beats and cool rhythm, Drumline Live will certainly get your heart pumping and your feet moving. So if you’re in the mood for fun dance moves and customary band music, don’t miss HBCU’s “fifth quarter” performance. 
with music-themed activities throughout the gallery. Get ready to groove by creating and wearing a button with your own band name and logo, complimented by music-themed face paint. Next, get down with some breakdancers from The Lab DC, learn how to scratch records like a DJ with DJ Scratch Academy, or make and play your own clay whistle. Leave your mark with a cause-worthy poster and original graffiti on a DIY tee. Afterwards, be sure to take a tour of the gallery, including their new “Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s” exhibition. (We’ll be airing our critics’ discussion of the exhibition later this month!) At the end of the day, march off in a send-off by percussionists Eddie Eatmon and Rivum Brigade.
close to home. Attend the Fiesta de las Or-Kid-eas Family Festival for a variety of orchid related activities, such as orchid face painting, orchid tattooing, orchid mosaic-making, and plant discussions. Want to learn how to pot an orchid? Orchid experts will also be giving patrons an orchid-potting demonstration and will even allow them to take an orchid home with them.
To make this concert even more interesting, the Choral Society will perform the piece in the original Old Church Slavonic, which is a Slavonic language dating back to 9th century Byzantine missionaries. With a talented chorus and historic location, this concert will take you back in time and in peace.
entertainment? Kick off your Presidents' Day weekend with Presidents' Family Day at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. Enjoy performances by the Federal City Brass Band, build with Lincoln Logs, create a White House china pattern, and meet George and Martha Washington, along with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. You can even dress up like George Washington and get your photo taken, take pictures with presidential figures, and more!
performances of “One Destiny,” a play about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, investigate the Ford’s Theatre Museum and partake in Ranger Talks from the National Park Service. Several other programs include stories from master storyteller, Jon Spelman and a performance from the Ford’s Theatre Youth Leaders Ensemble. Last but not least, a special one-night performance from Mark Twain Award winner and political satirist Mark Russell will also be in the mix of events for those who want to end their Presidents’ Day with a little political humor. Still need convincing? 
Delawari began working as an actress, musician, director and photographer. As if that weren’t enough, she soon started work on her feature length documentary, “We Came Home,” a compilation of her family’s life story and the making of her album, “Lion of Panjshir.” Delawari directed the album with filmmaker David Lynch, who went on to release it on his record label. In 2012, “We Came Home” won Best International Documentary at the São Paulo International Film Festival. But don’t think accomplishing these two milestones means Delawari’s taking a break: She recently finished her second album and will be releasing it soon.
series, Soapbox, which provides performance artists a close setting that accommodates their often underrepresented medium. This Friday features “To Know a Veil”, an experimental piece conceived and directed by Emma Jaster, exploring the personal and cultural implications of how women veil and reveal themselves. 
Upstairs, Soul of the City, presented by The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, showcases a varied collection of street photography from members of the photography collective InstantDC. Double the art, double the fun. 
directed by Sergei Eisenstein, follows a battle led by Alexander against the Teutonic Knights in defense of his kingdom of Novgorod. With both eyes and ears satisfied, this event is a double victory.
tour to boot.
artists. If you need to rest your legs between galleries, the free Bethesda Circulator bus run continuously with stops within a few blocks from each art space.