Best Music
1. NSO Pops: “Roberta’s Back in Town” heralds three evenings with the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Roberta Flack performing tributes to the Beatles from her latest album and favorites from her vast repertoire, conducted by Steven Reineke.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org
2. “Into The Woods”: Stephen Sondheim’s musical, a collaboration between George Mason University School of Music and Department of Theater.
Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax
When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday
Info: $15 to $20; 888-945-2468; cfa.gmu.edu
3. Kurt Elling: The Grammy-winning vocalist and winner of Down Beat’s Critics Poll a dozen times and Jazz Times Readers’ Poll six times returns to the Kennedy Center. He’ll perform songs from his upcoming recording of music by Paul Simon, Duke Ellington and Carol King.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $38; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org
4. Jason Moran & The Bandwagon with Bill Frisell & Alicia Hall Moran: The KC Jazz Club presents a unique evening of jazz by the Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor for Jazz with his group and mezzo-soprano vocalist.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery, 2700 F St. NW
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday
Info: $26; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org
5. Tom Paxton’s 75th Birthday Celebration: The folk icon will be serenaded by a roomful of special guests including Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Debi Smith, Robin Bullock and many others.
Where: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $35; 703-549-7500; birchmere.com
Best Outdoors
1. Fall Flowers and Fungi Hike: On the Turkey Run Trail, autumn’s last wild flowers are in bloom, and fantastic mushrooms, fungi and lichen abound. Hike is rocky and steep in places. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle. For adults. For info call 703-228-3403.
Where: After registration, you will be contacted with directions to meeting site.
When: 2 to 4:30 p.m. Friday
Info: $5; registration necessary: 703-448-2727; program No. 612842-C
2. Halloween Party and Margarita Cruise on the Potomac with Post Georgetown Nightclub party:
Don your costumes and enjoy a special evening consisting of an amazing cruise around, D.C. — Halloween candy, tasty margaritas; and a post-party at one of Georgetown’s hottest nightclubs!
Where: Georgetown wharf, 3050 K St. NW (see website for more details)
When: 9:45 p.m. Friday to 12:45 a.m. Saturday
Info: $45; thingstododc.com
3. Explore Arlington Nature by Bike: Adults and teens w/ adult. Discover waterfalls, springs, rare ecosystems, champion trees, unusual rock formations and other natural features along Four Mile Run from Barcroft Park to Banneker Park. You’ll make the roughly 9-mile, naturalist-led roundtrip ride at a leisurely pace over mostly level, paved pathways, stopping at points of natural and environmental interest along the way. Bring your own bike and water, snacks and repair kit. Information 703-228-6535.
Where: Meet at Barcroft Park, 4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive (exact location will be sent to registered participants)
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; registration necessary: 703-448-2727; program No. 612942-G; [email protected]
4. Haunted Capitol Hill Walking Tour: Presidential ghosts are one thing. But what about the hundreds and hundreds of congressional ghosts that remain around the Hill trying to finish “unfinished business”? Or, those seeking revenge on opposing political party leaders who messed with their agendas?
Where: Meet at top of Capitol South Metro Station
When: Noon to 2 Saturday
Info: $20; thingstododc.com
5. Live Action Game of “Clue” in DC: Murder Mystery Hunt and Race: You’ll take to the streets of Washington to find the killer, the weapon, the location and even the motive! You’ll search the entire metro region for “clues” to discover who has committed murder, in what location and with what object. At the end of the tour/game the killer will be revealed in live fashion (live actors of course)! Was it Professor Plum? Miss Scarlet? Colonel Mustard?
Where: Meet outside Ben and Jerry’s, Old Post Office Pavilion, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: 11:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $25; thingstododc.com
Best Gatherings
1. “Red, White and Blue: Poets on Politics”: Nikky Finney, Brian Turner and Kwame Dawes explore the role of politics in the literary world. Reception and signing follow.
Where: Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol St. SW
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Info: $15; 202-544-7077; folger.edu
2. Periferia Teatro: “Guyi-Guyi”: Guyi-Guyi the crocodile was born by chance into a family of ducks. He considers himself a duck until one day he meets another crocodile and must follow his instincts before realizing who he really is.
Where: The Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
3. Vampire’s Ball: Following the final performance of “Jekyll and Hyde” there will be an unforgettable after-party: The Vampire’s Ball, a Synetic tradition since 2007. Guests will dance the night away on the incredible set and mingle with cast and company.
Where: Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell Street, Arlington
When: Following the 8 p.m. show, Wednesday
Info: $45-$50; 800-494-8497; synethictheater.org
4. Cabaret Macabre: An all-new Cabaret Macabre inspired by Edward Gorey, Victorian nightmares, dangerous croquet, melodramatic music, and Gothic romance stitched together with Happenstance Theater’s penchant for witty, visual, theatrical collage.
Where: 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring
When: Through Nov. 11
Info: $15 to $25; 240-644-1100; roundhousetheatre.org
5. “All this Intimacy”: A play about friends and lovers, lust and its consequences, “All This Intimacy” makes it’s D.C.-area debut on the heels of the author’s area premier of the Pulitzer prize-nominated”Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo” last summer.
Where: Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring
When: Through Nov. 18
Info: $5 to $10; 240-567-5775; montgomerycollege.edu
Best Family
1. Campfire: Brother Hawk: The whole family will enjoy gathering around a campfire and sharing stories, songs, animal friends and, finally, s’mores!
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 6 to 7 p.m. Friday (program No. 612852-E); 6 to 7 p.m. Saturday (program No. 612852-F)
Info: $5; registration necessary: 703-448-2727
2. Autumn Night Sky: the Weird and Spooky Sky: Come to the only planetarium in the National Park System for a spooky Halloween-month program exploring creepy stars, planets, and constellations in the night sky. Ages 5 to adult.
Where: Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, Rock Creek Park, 5200 Glover Road NW
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; nps.gov/rocr
3. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”: Bright Star Theatre Company returns just in time for a “spooktacular” holiday celebration! Bumbling schoolmaster Ichabod Crane is in love with the prettiest girl in town, Katrina, despite the fact she is dating the prankster Brom Bones. One stormy night, Ichabod finds himself chased by the legendary headless horseman — or is this just another of Brom’s famous pranks?
Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: 9:30 and 11 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; tickets required; 202-783-3372; see website for details; nationaltheatre.org
4. Gemstone Club: Opal: Register child only. Budding geologists and gem lovers are invited to join this club for a year’s worth of fun and collecting. Attend one or all of the monthly sessions. You’ll learn about birthstones, polished gems and uncut crystals, and learn about the geology, mining, legends, and literature for each gem. All participants will take home a beautiful gemstone in a protective display box. For children ages 7 to 11. For info call 703-228-3403.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 10:30 to 11:30 Saturday
Info: $10/person; registration required: 703-228-4747; program No. 612822-D
5. Kids Euro Festival: Plays, dance, music, cinema, workshops by outstanding European artists in theaters, schools and libraries throughout D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
Where: Various venues; see website
When: Through Nov. 14
Info: Free; 202-944-6558; kidseurofestival.org
Best Brainfood
1. “Dracula”: The Washington Ballet presents Michael Pink’s chilling blockbuster Dracula. This wildly theatrical and voluptuous ballet is a breathtaking story of passion, yearning, cruelty, and sacrifice, one of Western culture’s most haunting stories.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Through Nov. 4
Info: $30; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. Michael Dobbs: Six Months in 1945: Meeting in Yalta in 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin intended to end World War II. As they divided Europe into two spheres of influence, however, they began the next conflict — the Cold War. Dobbs here gives a detailed look at the early stages of the long U.S./USSR stand-off.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
3. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”: Mark Haddon’s internationally renowned, multi-award-winning novel is beautifully and imaginatively adapted into a stage play for the first time. Christopher, 15 years old, stands beside Mrs. Shears’ dead dog. Christopher is under suspicion. He has an extraordinary brain and his detective work takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.
Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $20; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
4. The Paulatuk Moonlight Drummers and Dancers: These performers are traditional Inuvialuit dancers. Ninety percent of the dancers consist of youth and children, making this the youngest group in the Western Arctic. There are over 70 freestyle and motion dances with Inuvialuit stories and history; they are explained during the performance.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
5. “The Conference of the Birds”: This allegorical 12th-century Persian poem has engaged readers and listeners since it was written. It charms with its wisdom, gentle humor, understanding of psychological truth and theatricality. Aaron Posner directs this adaptation, originally by Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carriere.
Where: The Folger Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE
When: Through Nov. 25
Info: $30 to $68; 202-544-7077; folger.edu
Best Theater
1. “War Horse”: Winner offive Tony Awards, including Best Play, “War Horse” is a powerfully moving and imaginative drama about courage, loyalty and friendship. At its heart are astonishing life-sized puppets that bring to life galloping, charging horses strong enough for men to ride.
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House, 2700 F St. NW
When: Through Nov. 11
Info: $25 to $175; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. “The Government Inspector”: In Gogol’s witty and hilarious satire of provincial Russian bureaucracy, a civil servant whose imagination runs rampant has arrived in a small town and is living it up on the government’s dime. When bumbling town officials mistake him for an incognito inspector investigating them for corruption, a comedy of errors begins and chaos ensues.
Where: Lansburgh Theater, 450 Seventh St. NW
When: Through Nov. 4
Info: $43 to $95; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
3. “Pygmalion”: Stage Guild’s presentation of one of George Bernard Shaw’s most beloved comedies of manners, the story of Eliza Doolittle and her speech lessons from Professor Higgins, which debuted exactly 100 years ago. While known to many only in the form of its musical adaptation (“My Fair Lady”), the original play is sharper and more insightful.
Where: The Undercroft Theatre, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW
When: Through Nov. 18
Info: $20 to $50; 240-582-0050; stageguild.org
4. “International Festival of Hispanic Theatre: Teatro de la Luna presents theater from Spain: “Cartas de las Golondrinas.” In Spanish with simultaneous translation.
Where: Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: Thursday through Saturday
Info: $30 to $35; 703-548-3092; teatrodelaluna.org
5. “The Rocky Horror Show”: In “The Rocky Horror Show,” two clean cut young people run into trouble on their way to visit an old college professor. They seek help at the freaky Frankenstein mansion. Little do they know that the mansion is inhabited by alien transsexuals from the planet Transylvania and Dr. Frank N Furter is in the midst of one of his maniacal experiments.
Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NW
When: Through Nov. 4
Info: $25 to $40; 202-399-7993; atlasarts.org
Best Galleries
1. The Ripple Effect: Currents of Socially Engaged Art: “Temporary urban actions, humorous and subversive social experimentations, and collaborative pedagogy” is the recipe for this selection of cutting-edge work curated by Raquel de Anda, featuring an international case with a special emphasis on artists from the D.C. region.
Where: Art Museum of the Americas, 201 18th St. NW
When: Through Jan. 13
Info: Free; 202-458-6016; museum.oas.org
2. Of the People: This largest exhibition in Contemporary Wing’s history celebrates artists who have contributed to the global spread of democracy during the last four years. Shepard Fairey, the Guerilla Girls and Kareem Gouda contribute work commemorating the Arab Spring and other watershed political moments of the recent past.
Where: Contemporary Wing, 1412 14th St. NW
When: Saturday through Nov. 24
Info: Free; 202-730-5037; contemporarywing.com
3. Diane Wilson: Drawings & Paintings: This collection of about 40 figurative drawings and paintings reflects all the lessons of Wilson’s study under master Robert D’Arista at American University, along with a lifetime of her own learning through practice.
Where: Washington Studio School, 2129 S St. NW
When: Through Nov. 28
Info: Free; 202-234-3030; washingtonstudioschool.com
4. Nothing Lasts Forever: This joint exhibition of new painting by Julie Roberts and sculpture by Kenny Hunter is built around the theme of childhood — and though the two Scottish artists haven’t known one another quite that long, their 24-year friendship has been a source of mutual inspiration and support.
Where: Susan Calloway Fine Arts, 1543 Wisconsin Ave. NW
When: Saturday through Dec. 20
Info: Free; 202-965-460; callowayart.com
5. Charlotte Dumas: Anima: Charlotte Dumas’ animal portraits have brought her a global following. Her first U.S. solo show is devoted to her stirring portraits of U.S. Army burial horses in service at Arlington National Cemetery.
Where: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW
When: Closing Sunday
Info: $10, seniors and students $8, youth ages 12 and under and active-duty military personnel free; 202-639-1700; corcoran.org
