Brain Food
1. Harvard Sailing Team: This group is comprised of four men and five women whose sketch comedy is characterized by scenes transforming everyday life into absurdity and is fueled by a strong group dynamic. Their “clean-cut” approach is complimented by musical numbers, pop culture and regular day-to-day awkwardness.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. “The Great Gatsby”: Return to the splendor and frivolity of the Jazz Age and Roaring Twenties, as Septime Webre and the Washington Ballet reimagine F. Scott Fitzgerald’s passionate novel.
Where: Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Info: $20 to $125; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
3. Happenings at the Harman: “The Great One Man Commedia Epic”: One actor, 12 characters, 1,000 catastrophes. International commedia dell’arte specialist Matthew R. Wilson transforms a bare stage into a raucous world of young lovers, squabbling old men, boasting soldiers and dimwitted servants. The entire town is thrust to the brink of tragedy before love prevails and comedy triumphs! One hour 20 minutes. Appropriate for viewers ages 3 to 103.
Where: The Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: Thursday through March 1; see Web site for times
Info: $10 to $20; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
4. The Art of Extra-Illustration: Texts are never static objects, but it is rare that readers’ interactions with them are as physically evident as they are in extra-illustrated books. The concept is simple: identify significant people, places and things in a printed text, collect pictures of them, then insert the pictures as visual annotations to the text. This exhibition includes editions of the plays of Shakespeare, theatrical biographies, historical works and other volumes that have been “extended” by bibliophiles from various backgrounds from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Where: The Folger Shakespeare Library, Folger Great Hall, 201 E. Capitol St. SE
When: Through May 25
Info: Free; 202-544-4600; folger.edu
5. Begonias: With more than 1,500 species, begonias are one of the largest plant families (genera) in the world. For the first time in many years, the U.S. Botanic Garden will display rare begonias in its collection that are seldom on view.
Where: Conservatory South Foyer, United States Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: Through May 22
Info: Free; 202-255-8333; usbg.gov
Family
1. Family Fishing Workshop: Families with children 6 and older, get ready for a season of fishing fun. Whether you know a little bit and want to feel more comfortable with the sport or are a total novice, the basics will be covered, with adults and children educated separately. Then you’ll all join together for some fishing practice.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $6; registration necessary at 703-228-4747; program No. 623505-L
2. Rocks and Minerals: Families with children 6 to 10, join Northern Virginia Mineral Club member Barry Remer for a journey learning about the three classes of rocks and the minerals they’re made of.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday
Info: $3; registration required at 703-228-4747; program No. 623605-GG
3. Tom Crowl and his Sassy Side-kicks: An adroit ventriloquist, Crowl shares the stage with his rambunctious pals: Dangerous Dudley Duck lives life on the edge; Clair Voy Ant sees all, knows all; along with Raoul the Monkey and Percival the Pirate.
Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: 9:30 and 11 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-783-3372; nationaltheatre.org
4. Storyteller Antonio Rocha: Part of Wild Side Stage, a new educational performance for children ages 2 to 10. Families are invited to sing with award-winning musicians, boogie with acclaimed dancers, and interact with enchanting storytellers and puppeteers. Each performance includes a trip to one of the National Zoo’s animal houses, where guests will get a chance to meet and greet keepers and watch up-close demonstrations of the animals that inspired the performances.
Where: Visitor Center, National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday; through March 7
Info: $5 to $7; 202-397-7328; fonz.org/wildsidestage.htm
5. Get Ready for Wood Frogs: Families with children 5 and older, get ready for the year’s first amphibians! After the first warm rain of spring, you’ll hear them quacking from the pond. Where do they all come from?
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday
Info: $3; registration required at 703-228-4747; program No. 623505-K.
Galleries
1. Adam “5100” Feibelman: Underbelly: San Francisco’s Feibelman dissects city scenes to their industrial fibers. Working from a photograph, he divides each image into components, then makes hand-cut stencils of each piece. He spray paints wood panels using these stencils as a guide, creating a unique hybrid of photography and printmaking.
Where: Project 4 Gallery, 1353 U St. NW, 3rd floor
When: Through March 6
Info: Free; 202-232-4340; project4gallery.com
2. Pomp and Power: Antoinette Bouzonnet Stella’s “Entrance of the Emperor Sigismond into Mantua”: These 25 masterful engravings by 17th-century French artist Stella were commissioned in 1675 by Louis XIV’s government to depict the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismond’s historic visit to Mantua about 250 years earlier.
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW
When: Through Aug. 22
Info: $10, $8 seniors (65-plus) and students, free for members and those under age 18; 202-783-5000; nmwa.org
3. Gesche Wurfel: Go For Gold!: Photographer Wurfel examines the consequences of globalization via this multiyear project depicting London’s preparations to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
Where: Civilian Art Projects, 1019 Seventh St. NW
When: Through March 20
Info: Free; 202-607-3804; civilianartprojects.com
4. Paintings by Ted Milligan: Milligan’s vibrant, fibrous paintings bear the influence of the years he worked as a cartographer before attending the Rhode Island School of Design.
Where: Gallery Plan B, 1530 14th St. NW
When: Through March 7
Info: Free; 202-234-2711; galleryplanb.com/index.html
5. Khanh H. Le: Born Too Late: Le’s photograuve etchings consider the history of the Vietnam he fled and the present of the America he’s adopted as his home.
Where: District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW
When: Through April 4
Info: Free; dcartscenter.org
Gatherings
1. WPAS Capitol Jazz Project: Participants in this collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center — students from six D.C. middle schools –play swinging standards.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St., N.W.
When: 6 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. Peking Acrobats: The Peking Acrobats perform feats of tumbling, balance and acrobatics.
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $25 to $48; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
3. Almquist and Watson: Soprano Nancy Almquist and pianist Jeffery Watson perform classical and jazz music. The program includes works by Debussy and Carter as well as “Stardust” and “Over the Rainbow.”
Where: Capitol Hills Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: $15; 202-547-6839; chaw.org
4. Dance Bethesda Concert: Six dance companies and leaders, including ClancyWorks Dance Company, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, Jason Garcia Ignacio, Karen Reedy Dance, Tappers With Attitude and Washington Reflections Dance Company, will perform.
Where: Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $10 to $20; 301-215-6660; bethesda.org/arts
5. George Lopez: The sitcom and stand-up comedian returns to his roots.
Where: The Warner Theater, 13th and E streets NW
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Info: $59.50; 877-598-8696; warnertheatre.org
Music
1. Mariinsky Opera and Orchestra: St. Petersburg’s world-renowned ensemble presents concert versions of great Russian operas sung in Russian with English supertitles.
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House
When: “Eugene Onegin” 7:30 p.m. Friday, “Boris Godunov” 1:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $29 to $150; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. Christian Tetzlaff Trio: The Discovery Series presents the internationally acclaimed violinist Tetzlaff, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff and pianist Lars Vogt for a program of works by Schubert, Kodaly and Dvorak.
Where: The Barns of Wolf Trap
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $35; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org
3. Masters of Persian Music: The Washington Performing Arts Society presents classical Persian musicians Kayhan Kalhor on the kamanche, a spike fiddle, and Hossein Alizadeh on the lutelike tar. They are joined by vocalist Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh and five young Iranian musicians.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 8 p.m. Sunday Info: $27 to $77; 202-785-9727; wpas.org 4. Eric Brace and Last Train Home: Former Washington Post staff writer Brace started something special with his multigifted roots-rock, bluegrass, swing, folk and pop band. Peter Cooper is the special guest.
Where: The Barns at Wolf Trap
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $18; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org.
5. Jonathan Batiste Quintet: The KC Jazz Club welcomes a Discovery artist, pianist Batiste, recipient of the Movado future legend award in jazz in 2006 and named a Steinway performing artist in 2008.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday
Info: $15; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
Outdoors
1. Limousine Secret Agent/Spy Evening Adventure and Race: The Cold War Returns: It is the 20th century … you are a spy. In an evening of international espionage, you will race around the District of Columbia completing tasks and collecting items. Unlike other hunts, tonight each limo will be assigned to represent a different country. One will be the United States, one will be the Soviet Union. The winning limousine will be the one that has collected the most points through items and tasks. In exchange for helping your country through your masterful spy efforts, a grand prize will be awarded to all in that limousine.
Where: Meet at Rosslyn Metro station. Check in outside turnstile inside building to your left. Final stop near Metro Center.
When: 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday; race starts at 7 p.m.
Info: $70; thingstododc.com
2. National Gallery skating rink: Sit at the rink-side cafe or get out on the ice and view marvelous sculptures as you skate. Lockers available.
Where: The National Gallery, the National Mall at Seventh Street Northwest
When: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; through mid-March.
Info: $6 to $7; 202-216-9397; nga.gov
3. Visit the Arboretum in winter: See Japanese apricot, wintersweet, sweetbox, winter jasmine, conifer foliage, witchhazel and hollies in bloom.
Where: The National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. NW
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Info: Free; 202-245-2726; usna.gov
4. Scenic trip: Visit the American Chestnut Land Trust, a local land trust located in Calvert County, Md., an hour’s drive from Washington. Explore ACLT’s self-guided hiking trails on your own to experience this beautiful 3,000-acre preserved area for yourself, or sign up for volunteer activities. Saturday is a day to help clear unwanted invasive plants.
Where: Parker’s Creek, Calvert County
When: See Web site; park closes at dark
Info: Free; 410-414-3400; acltweb.org
5. Discover Georgia Avenue: This neighborhood’s past is steeped in Civil War history and ripe with African-American heritage. Its present is just as engaging with its stimulating blend of cultures, colorful shops and the ultimate D.C. annual parade. D.C.’s past comes to life at Fort Stevens, the Battleground National Military Cemetery and Howard University. Today Georgia Avenue is a busy commercial street. Take the self-guided Battleground to Community: Brightwood Heritage Trail tour.
Where: Begin at Missouri and Georgia avenues; follow 18 poster-size signs
When: Any day
Info: Free; 202-661-7581; culturaltourismdc.org
Theater
1. “That Face”: Polly Stenham’s dramatic story about a violent encounter at an all-girls’ school and its startling ramifications for a not-so-typical English family. Stenham’s astonishingly black sense of humor set out to illuminate the nastiness hidden within the British upper-middle class.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday; through March 14
Info: $25 to $35; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
2. “Dear Sara Jane”: The Hub Theatre presents Victor Lodato’s incisive, poignant play about a lonely woman waiting for her soldier husband to return home from battle.
Where: The Soundry, 316 Dominion Road, Vienna
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; through March 21; see Web site for closing week dates
Info: $15 to $20; 703-698-0088; thehubtheatre.org
3. “Chumbale” (“Every Love Bird Needs a Nest”): Oscar Viale, of Argentina, has written this comedy presented by Teatro de la Luna. A young, lower-middle-class couple live with the wife’s family, trying to create a separate life for themselves. Misunderstandings and misadventures ensue.
Where: Gunston Arts Center, Theater 2, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday; through March 13
Info: $20 to $30; 703-548-3092; teatrodelaluna.org
4. Intersections: A New American Arts Festival: Weekends through March 7, offerings of theater, poetry and music grace the Atlas Arts Center. This Saturday: “Treemonisha”; Jay Walkers at the Intersection; Kathleen Gonzales; SpeakeasyDC; Sticky Mulligan
Where: Atlas Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE
When: 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday
Info: See Web site for ticket details; 202-399-7993; atlasarts.org
5. “Orestes: A Tragic Romp”: Anne Washburn updates Euripides’ “Orestes.” Like the original, this play takes place after the Trojan War, when Clytemnestra has murdered her husband, Agamemnon, who is Orestes’ father. In revenge, Orestes kills Clytemnestra.
Where: The Folger Theater, 201 E. Capitol St. SE
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 2 and 8 p.m. most Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through March 7
Info: $30 to $60; 202-544-7077; folger.edu
