Brain Food
1. “Bolero(+)”: The Washington Ballet presents a triple bill: Nocolo Fonte’s “Bolero,” set to Maurice Ravel’s iconic score; renowned choreographer Karole Armitage’s high-velocity collision of melody and movement; George Balanchine’s landmark “Four Temperaments.”
Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St., NW
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-362-3606; washingtonballet.org
2. “Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare?”: Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro reads from and discusses his new book. Shapiro embarks on a search to answer the question he is most asked by lecture audiences far and wide: “Who wrote the plays?”
Where: Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol St. SE
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $12; 202-544-4600; folger.edu
3. Celebrate Poetry Month: The Mexican Cultural Institute is hosting “Whence Post-Latino Poetry? Conversations with Poets and Writers,” featuring poets Rocio Cern, Rodrigo Toscano and Monica de la Torre. The next day, the Institute will present a bilingual reading by Rocio Cern from his collection “Empire/Imperio.”
Where: Mexican Cultural Institute, 2829 16th St. NW
When: Panel discussion, 6:30 p.m. Friday. Reading, 11 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-728-1628; [email protected]
4. “Carla & Company”: Led by Dance Place Founding Director Carla Perlo, the company is known for its high-energy performances and dedication to bringing the arts to people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202- 467-4600; kennedy-center.org
5. “A Report from Sudan”: Sean Brooks, policy expert at the Save Darfur Coalition, speaks on the situation in Sudan.
Where: Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW
When: 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-518-9400; theaterj.org
Family
1. Family Day: Earth Day Celebration: Observe the wonder of nature at the American Art Museum with this kid-friendly day of live performances and storytelling with the opportunity to make eco-friendly collages and placemats.
Where: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Eight and F streets NW
When: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; americanart.si.edu
2. National Zoo: Visit the zoo and see what changes the spring has brought. The black-crowned night herons have returned from wherever they went to avoid the snow! The clouded leopards are a year old, the baby Adean bears have had their first check-up, the new baby octopus has a name (the public chose “Octavius”) … and you can learn if it’s possible to train a four-ton elephant.
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through October (Saturday the zoo will stay open late for members’ event).
Info: Free; 202-633-4480; nationalzoo.si.edu
3. Long Branch Puppet Theatre: Families with children ages 3 to 12, come to the debut of this new puppet theater. See stories come to life and stick around to meet the cast (and live animals) afterward.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 2 to 2:45 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; info at 703-228-6535; registration necessary; program 653610-15
4. “Storytime Live!”: The first ever family theatrical tour featuring characters from all four of the currently top-rated preschool shows on television today: “Dora the Explorer,” “The Backyardigans,” “The Wonder Pets!” and “Ni Hao, Kai-lan.”
Where: The Warner Theater, 13th and E streets NW
When: 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Info: $16 to $46; 800-551-7328; broadwayacrossamerica.com
5. Discover the sea: Ecology in the watery deep, with live aquatic creatures! Students are introduced to a variety of live invertebrates and vertebrates in order to experience the diversity of life found beneath the ocean waves. Students learn about the ecology of the ocean and the characteristics and adaptations of marine animals such as crabs, sea snails, clams, sea urchins, starfish and fishes. Ages 6 to 12.
Where: Discovery Theater, Ripley Center, Smithsonian Institute, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW
When: 10:15 and 11:30 a.m. April 22 and 23
Info: $4 to $6; free for children under 2; 202-633-3030; discoverytheater.org
Galleries
1. Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Time of Change: A century after his death, the groundbreaking photographer and seminal filmmaker Muybridge is best remembered for his sequential studies of creatures in motion. Named after the pseudonym Muybridge used to publish his landscape photographs of the American West circa 1867 to 1871, this sprawling retrospective features more than 300 pieces culled from a five-decade swath of Muybridge’s stunning career.
Where: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW
When: Through July 18
Info: $10; $8 students/seniors; free for age 12 and under; corcoran.org
2. Trevor Young: Premium: Painter Young’s new series was inspired by the romance and possibility of the open road.
Where: Civilian Art Projects, 406 Seventh St. NW
When: Through May 15
Info: Free; 202-347-0022; civilianartprojects.com
3. Identity: Mike Weber: Weber reframes vintage analog photographs as digital prints on canvas, detailing them with paint and collage elements.
Where: Long View Gallery, 1302 Ninth St. NW
When: Through May 20
Info: Free; 202-232-4788; longviewgallery.com
4. Inside / Outside: Eight artists depict the interiors and exteriors of their chosen environments.
Where: Gallery Plan B, 1530 14th St. NW
When: Through May 16
Info: Free; galleryplanb.com
5. Sacred Waters: Photography by John Stanmeyer: Stanmeyer travels the world documenting the ways in which people rely on water for their physical and spiritual sustenance. His exhibit features 45 photos from India to Laos to Haiti.
Where: National Geographic, 1145 17th St. NW
When: Through July 25
Info: Free; 800-647-5463; nationalgeographic.com/museum
Gatherings
1. The Remnant Concert Choir of Mount Ararat Baptist Church: The first runner-up in the 2009 “How Sweet the Sound” National Gospel Choir Competition, Pittsburgh’s massive, 65-member Remnant Concert Choir offers a stirring tribute to gospel mass choirs, under the leadership of Trini Lopez Massie.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. Jeff Shesol: Beginning in 1935, the Supreme Court made a series of decisions that overturned much of FDR’s New Deal. In 1937 Roosevelt fought back, attempting to “pack the court” by increasing its membership to 15 and thereby circumventing its conservative majority. Shesol presents this tumultuous period as transformative for the country’s political and constitutional landscape. Shesol will be in conversation with E. J. Dionne.
Where: Politics & Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. April 22
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
3. “Searching for Gabriela”: Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral was the first Latin-American to win the Nobel Prize, yet her magnificent work is not well known. Director Abel Lopez leads a spellbinding bilingual journey through her poetry on stage, clothed in passionate words, movement and music.
Where: Source, 1835 14th St. NW
When: Friday to April 24
Info: $16 to $31; 202-204-7760; inseries.org
4. Russia’s Bolshoi Opera: Hear some of the most talented young students and recent graduates of the best Russian conservatories. The event is followed by a Russian dinner and open bar.
Where: Russian Embassy’s Cultural Center, 1825 Phelps Place NW
When: 7:30 to 11 p.m. Friday
Info: $65; thingstododc.com
5. “The Trip to Bountiful”: Horton Foote’s tender, heartfelt study focuses on Carrie Watts, who dreams of returning to her childhood home in the small town of Bountiful, Texas, which she left three decades ago. She sets out to fulfill her dream, with results that are both heartbreaking and brilliantly life-affirming.
Where: Quotidian Theatre, The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda
When: Friday through May 16
Info: $20 to $25; 301-816-1023; [email protected]
Music
1. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields: Arguably the world’s greatest chamber orchestra, the academy features violinist Julian Rachlin leading a program that includes Astor Piazzola’s “The Four Season of Buenos Aires.”
Where: George Mason Center for the Arts
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Info: $30 to $60; 703-993-2787; gmu.edu/cfa
2. National Philharmonic: Maestro Piotr Gajewski conducts the orchestra in works from Mozart to Mahler featuring Soovin Kim performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and soprano Arianna Zukerman singing “Das himmlische Leben,” a child’s vision of heaven, in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.
Where: Music Center at Strathmore
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Info: $29 to $79, children ages 7 to 17 are free; 301-581-5100; nationalphilharmonic.org
3. NSO Pops: Steven Reineke conducts Michael Cavanaugh, the Piano Man star of “Movin’ Out,” in concert performing the music of Billy Joel and more, four decades of platinum hits.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $20 to $80; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. Livingston Taylor: The folk-pop songwriter, professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston and older brother of James Taylor plays songs from his album “There You Are Again” and homespun favorites.
Where: The Barns at Wolf Trap
When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Info: $22; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org
5. Takacs String Quartet: WPAS presents one of the world’s premier string quartets and pianist Joyce Yang performing works by Haydn, Beethoven and Schumann for the Celebrity Series.
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore
When: 8 p.m. Friday;concert preview at 7 p.m.
Info: $25 to $75; 202-785-9727; wpas.org/tickets.
Also worth noting:
6. Joyful Sounds: Gospel Across America: Grammy Award-winning gospel vocalist Richard Smallwood hosts an all-star gospel concert featuring Kirk Franklin, Shirley Caesar and a cappella sextet Take 6.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Info: $20 to $50; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
Outdoors
1. National Park Week: Help celebrate National Park Week (Saturday to April 24) with a variety of activities for all ages. Earth Day (April 22) will feature hikes and volunteer opportunities throughout the park. On Junior Ranger Day (Saturday) you will find activities for children at the Rock Creek Horse Center and Peirce Mill/Barn. For a complete schedule, just click on the link below.
Where: Rock Creek Park, 5200 Glover Road NW
When: Saturday to April 24
Info: Free; 202-895-6070; nps.gov/rocr
2. Walking Tours: History on Foot: “Investigation: Detective McDevitt”: Join McDevitt as he revisits and re-examines the sites and clues from the investigation into the Lincoln assassination conspiracy. The tour lasts about two hours and makes at least eight stops from Ford’s Theatre to the White House. “A Free Black Woman: Elizabeth Keckly”: Join Keckly, confidant to first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, as she tells the story of her friendship with the Lincoln family and of her efforts to help former slaves find their way in newly free Washington City. The tour lasts about 90 minutes; distance walked: about 1.5 miles.
Where: Tours begin outside Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW
When: Tours offered at various times through August (see Web site for specific days)
Info: $10 to $12; 202-397-7328; fords.org
3. Spring Walks at Sunrise: Adults and families with children ages 10 and older, observe the subtle changes throughout the spring as you walk along the Gulf Branch trail down to the Potomac. You’ll note the changing wildflowers on the forest floor and new leaves everywhere. Dress for changing weather.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 6 to 7:30 a.m. Friday and Sunday mornings
Info: $5; 703-228-3403; registration necessary at 703-228-4747; program 643510-04 (Friday) and program 643510-07 (Sunday); programs continue through May
4. National Garden Tour: Meet Susan Olling, U.S. Botanic Garden volunteer, and stroll through the National Garden to see trees and shrubs of the mid-Atlantic region. Enjoy stories surrounding them and learn which would grow well in your garden. Wear sunscreen and protective clothing; bring water. Canceled if it rains.
Where: U. S. Botanic Garden, National Garden Lawn Terrace, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-225-8333; no registration necessary; usbg.gov
Theater
1. “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies”: This show celebrates the life and music of Ellington, a native of D.C. who began his career playing jazz clubs on U Street, including the Lincoln Colonnade in the Lincoln Theatre. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, the show will star and be choreographed by the legendary performer Maurice Hines. Hines leads a 15 person-cast who demonstrate dance styles from Charleston to swing to tap.
Where: The Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; through May 30
Info: $25 to $77; 202-328-600; thelincolntheatre.org
2. “Fiddler on the Roof”: Harvey Fierstein stars in this classic tale about the ebullient Russian-Jewish milkman Tevye and his efforts, in a time of many changes, to hold onto his religion, his traditions and his five daughters. The beloved score includes “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.”
Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. May 2; through May 2
Info: $51.50 to $201.50; 800-447-7400; telecharge.com
3. “Sixty Miles to Silver Lake”: A father and son barrel down a highway in a car where nothing is what it seems and everything can change in an instant. In this new play by Dan LeFranc, one of America’s fastest-rising young writers, a 60-mile drive can be the ride of a lifetime.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday; through May 9
Info: $30; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
4. “The Old Settler”: In World War II Harlem, a forbidden attraction threatens the already fragile bond between sisters Elizabeth and Quilly, and is poised to expose a deep wound from their past. Follow their story as it unfolds and reveals the truth with a mixture of humor, passion and betrayal.
Where: African Continuum Theater, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE
When: Through May 15
Info: $20 to $35; 202-529-5763; boxofficetickets.com
