Brain Food
1. Tappers with Attitude: Founded in 1991, this unique and multicultural group of young dancers is dedicated to preserving and promoting the art of tap dance.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. Michael Buckley: The author, a children’s program developer who has worked for channels such as Nickelodeon, Disney and MTV Animation, reads from and discusses his new children’s book, “The Sisters Grimm: Book Eight: The Inside Story” (illustrated by Peter Ferguson).
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 4:30 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
3. “Out of Silence: Readings From the Afghan Women’s Writing Project”: A compilation of prose, poetry and storytelling by Afghan women who worked online with American writers to create this vehicle for Afghan women to be heard in the world.
Where: Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. May 24
Info: $15; theaterj.org
4. Happenings at the Harman: The Congressional Chorus: Celebrating the spirit, diversity and power of American choral music has been the mission of the Congressional Chorus since its founding in 1987. Initially an organization of people who worked on Capitol Hill, the group has since expanded its membership to diverse professions and backgrounds.
Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: Noon to 1 p.m. May 26
Info: Free, reservations not required; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
5. “Hamlet in Verse and Voice”: Enjoy a panel discussion with actors Graham Michael Hamilton and Lindsey Wochley and singers Michael Chioldi and Elizabeth Futral, playing Hamlet and Ophelia in the Folger Theatre and Washington National Opera productions of Hamlet. In addition to the discussion, there will be performances of the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, songs, and Ophelia’s mad scene.
Where: The Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE
When: 7:30 p.m. May 25
Info: $15; 202-544-7077; folger.edu/hamfest
Families
1. Woodland Trail Hike: Join a park ranger for a half-mile exploratory hike along the Woodland Trail. Ages 3 and older.
Where: Nature Center, Rock Creek Park, 5200 Glover Road NW
When: 4 p.m. Thursday
Info: Free; 202-895-6070; nps.gov/rocr (look under “Ranger-led Programs”)
2. Dig That Dirt: There’s more to dirt than worms and mud pies. Join a master naturalist and dig down deep to find out why soil is so important. Be prepared to get dirty! Ages 8 to 12.
Where: Meet at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 623610-12
3. Night Time Travelers: The whole family is invited to join in this old-fashioned fun. The programs include stories, songs, games, special animal guests and s’mores.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 7 to 8:15 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 653610-04
4. “The Dancing Princesses”: After the death of his beloved queen, a grief-stricken king banishes dance from all the land, much to the distress of his people, including his two daughters. But the girls find their way to a magical world where jazz music, the Charleston and their mother’s indomitable spirit are alive and well. Finally, the girls, the king’s loyal lieutenant and a muckraking newspaperman bring the king to his senses.
Where: Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda
When: 1:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; through May 30
Info: $10 to $21; 301-280-1660; imaginationstage.org
5. Rocks and Minerals: Families with children ages 7 to 12, come use science kits to handle some rocks and minerals and learn the difference between them. Learn how some of these same rocks are used every day and take home a specimen for your collection.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 4 to 5 p.m. May 26
Info: $6; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 653610-20
Galleries
1. Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg at the National Gallery of Art: Beats working! And playing. And posing. Ginsberg’s personal library of about 80 monochrome photographs of himself and literary fellow travelers like William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac are catalogued and exhibited for the first time.
Where: National Gallery of Art, Fourh Street and Constitution Avenue NW
When: Through Sept. 6
Info: Free; 202-737-4215; nga.gov
2. Woody Gwyn: American Landscapes: New Mexico artist Gwyn’s landscapes capture the poetry and majesty of the West Coast.
Where: Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, George Washington University, Media and Public Affairs Building, 2nd Floor, 805 21st St. NW
When: Through June 25
Info: Free; 202-994-1525
3. Things Uncertain: Recent Works on Paper by Ellen Verdon Winkler: These new prints were inspired by the Silver Spring region.
Where: Washington Printmakers Gallery at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 8230 Georgia Ave., Second Floor, Silver Spring
When: Through May 30
Info: Free; 301-273-3660; washingtonprintmakers.com
4. Don’t Be Scared, You’re Supposed to Be: These provocative and sometimes abrasive new paintings by Aaron Johnson and Barnaby Whitfield comprise a dialogue between the two artists, who shared their works in progress, each challenging the other to respond on canvas.
Where: Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St. NW
When: Through June 5
Info: Free; 202-332-8767; irvinecontemporary.com
5. Dan Treado: Requesting Quiet: Local abstractionist Treado’s paintings evince a mastery of color, texture and compositional harmony.
Where: Addison/Ripley Fine Art, 1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW
When: Through June 5
Info: Free; 202-338-5180; addisonripleyfineart.com/exh.html
Music
1. National Symphony Orchestra: Composer John Adams conducts the orchestra in two of his own works and others by Britten and Stravinsky.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. The Polish Masters and Schumann: Piotr Gajewski conducts the National Philharmonic and virtuoso pianist Piotr Paleczny, professor at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, performing Chopin’s Concertos Nos. 1 and 2.
Where: Music Center at Strathmore
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $29 to $79, children 7 to 17 free; 301-581-5100; nationalphilharmonic.org
3. Basically Baroque: The Washington Chorus conducted by Julian Wachner performs Handel’s “Coronation Anthems,” selections from his oratorios and works by Bach, Vivaldi, Monteverdi and Gabrieli.
Where: National Presbyterian Church
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $25 to $40; 202-342-6221; thewashingtonchorus.org
4. The Yardbirds: The rock ‘n’ Roll heavyweights set the stage for the genre’s future stars.
Where: Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center of Montgomery College
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $25; 240-567-5301
Theater
1. “Sycamore Trees”: This musical with score by Ricky Ian Gordon and book by Gordon and Nina Mankin tells the story of how Gordon’s family struggled when his father came home from World War II. The family lived in a crowded tenement in the Bronx before deciding to achieve a dream by moving to the suburbs.
Where: Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Wednesday; 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through June 13
Info: $20 to $76; 703-820-9771; signature-theatre.org
2. “Gruesome Playground Injuries”: Two 8-year-olds’ lives collide in the nurse’s office: Doug rode his bike off the roof, and Kayleen can’t stop throwing up. As they mature from accident-prone kids to self-destructive adults, their broken hearts and broken bones draw them ever closer. These two rebels may only be fit for one another. But how far can one person go to heal another’s wounds?
Where: Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through June 13
Info: $27 to $62; 202-393-3939; woollymammoth.net
3. “Anna Christie”: Eugene O’Neill’s classic drama tells the story a former prostitute who falls in love but has difficulty turning her life around. The play takes place in 1910 in a New York City saloon and on a barge anchored in Provincetown.
Where: Heritage O’Neill Theatre Company, 8011 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday; through June 5
Info: $25 to $30; 301-770-9080; theheritagetheatre.org
4. “Hamlet: Now I am Alone”: Kate Eastwood Norris lets her imagination go wild in this one-woman arrangement of “Hamlet.” Combining her vast experience of Shakespearean characters and scholarship, she creates an extraordinary play.
Where: The Folger Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SE
When: 7:30 p.m. May 24
Info: $15; 202-544-7077; folger.edu
5. “Heartstrings”: Teatro de la Luna presents “Rifar el Corazon” by Uruguayan playwright Dino Armas. Two sisters, separated for years, spend their last day together before one leaves to live with her son in New York. Through dialogue and a daughter’s inner monologues, the audience is drawn into the mysteries of this family.
Where: Gunston Arts Center, Theater Two, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday; through May 29
Info: $20-$30; 703-548-3092; teatrodelaluna.org
