Family
1. “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical”: The national tour of “Knuffle Bunny” will begin at the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts this weekend. The beloved story about a toddler named Trixie and her favorite stuffed animal is adapted by Mo Willems from his Caldecott Honor-winning book
Where: Bowie Center for the Performing Arts, 15200 Annapolis Road, Bowie
When: 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5 to $25; 301-805-6880; bowiecenter.org
2. Asia Trail Tour: The National Zoo is proud to offer a new tour of the Asia Trail on Saturday mornings this fall. An expert guide will lead a small group around Asia Trail’s seven exhibits, teaching guests all about the fascinating species that can be seen there: giant pandas, red pandas, Asian small-clawed otters, clouded leopards, Japanese giant salamanders, sloths bears and more.
Where: Asia Trail, National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 10:15 a.m. Saturday
Info: $5 for children under 12, $10 other guests; registration necessary at 202-633-4456; nationalzoo.si.edu/Education
3. “Rumplestiltskin”: German master puppeteer Matthias Kuchta presents the classic fairy tale “Rumplestiltskin” with life-sized, handmade puppets as they tell the story of a sad girl and a greedy little man who offers her a strange bargain. Age 5 and older.
Where: Family Theater, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 11 a.m., 1:30 and 5 p.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday
Info: $18; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. “Nature Digital Photography”: Children ages 8 to 14. Learn basic photographic techniques and settings using your digital camera to photograph animals, plants and natural objects. Bring your memory cards and your camera’s audio/video cable to view images on a TV monitor. A few loaner cameras will be available for use.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5 per person; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 612920-C
5. Build a Scarecrow: Celebrate the harvest season with this icon of fall. Bring some old clothes, and the center will supply the straw and instruction. One scarecrow per family.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: $10; 703-228-6535; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 612950-K
Galleries
1. Lois Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color: Opening Saturday, this exhibition is devoted to the 75-year career of Howard University professor Jones, whose paintings, textiles and sketches spanned the Harlem Renaissance to the late 1990s, inspiring three generations of black artists.
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW
When: Opens Saturday; through Jan. 9, 2011
Info: $10, $8 students and seniors; 202-783-5000; nmwa.org
2. TruthBeauty: Pictoralism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945: Steiglitz, Steichen and Kasebier are among the many paradigm-expanding photographers featured in this collection of more than 120 works that helped to mature the young medium of photography from a technological curiosity to an art form with its own grammar and modes of expression.
Where: The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW
When: Opens Saturday; through Jan. 9, 2011
Info: $12, $10 seniors and students, free for 18 and younger; 202-387-2151; phillipscollection.org
3. Jae Ko: New Work – An Installation: Sculptor Jae Ko twists rolls of glue-coated paper, making it yield to her will like clay. The curved, delicate creations that result are like nothing you’ve ever seen.
Where: Marsha Mateyka Gallery, 2012 R St. NW
When: Through Nov. 27
Info: Free; 202-328-0088; marshamateykagallery.com
4. Norse Soul — the legacy of Edvard Munch, social democracy, old myths, anarchy, and death longings: Pair with the National Gallery of Art’s current Edvard Munch Master Prints show! This survey uses four representative artists — Arne Ekeland, Marianne Heske, Bjarne Melgaard and Marth Thorshaug — to track contemporary Norwegian art from the 1930s through the present.
Where: The American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave.
When: Through Oct. 17
Info: Free; 202-885-1300;american.edu/cas/katzen/museum
5. Fairy Tale Meets Flesh: Jonathan Monaghan’s digital projections and James Rieck’s textured paintings conduct a dialogue on the question of whether man is primarily an intellectual or a physical creature.
Where: Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U St. NW
When: Through Oct. 30
Info: Free; 202-332-1116; hamiltoniangallery.com
Music
1. Washington National Opera: Soprano Deborah Voigt makes her WNO debut performing the title role in Richard Strauss’s “Salome” conducted by Philippe Auguin.
Where: Kennedy Center Opera House
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, 15 and 20, 7 p.m. Oct. 18 and 23, 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: $25 to $300; 202-295-2400; dc-opera.org
2. National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach conducts Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, and guest violinist Christian Tetzlaff performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 1:30 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
3. National Philharmonic: Piotr Gajewski conducts the season opening concert featuring Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony with guest vocalists Iwona Sobotka, soprano, and Magdalena Wor, mezzo-soprano. Other works by Makris and Karlowicz will be featured.
Where: Music Center at Strathmore
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $32 to $79, children ages 7 to 17 are free; 301-581-5100; nationalphilharmonic.org
4. Chick Corea Trio: Keyboard virtuoso and 16-time Grammy Award winner Corea introduces Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride and Brian Blade, twice voted Best Contemporary Jazz Drummer by Modern Drummer, for an electrifying evening.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $60; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
5. Karen Briggs: The KC Jazz Club presents the versatile violinist performing music from “Soulchestral Groove,” her latest album of improvised soul numbers incorporating jazz, gospel, Latin, classical African and Middle Eastern styles.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $26; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
Also worth noting:
6. Kim Richey: The Grammy nominated singer-songwriter via Nashville, Tenn., and the United Kingdom performs songs from “Wreck Your Wheels,” her latest album.
Where: Jammin’ Java
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Info: $15; 703-255-1566; jamminjava.com
Theater
1. “Sabrina Fair”: After growing up on the grounds of the wealthy Larrabee family’s home, but separated from the family by class and social conventions, the daughter of the Larrabee’s chauffeur returns from five years in Paris, bewitching the brothers with her new sophistication.
Where: Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW
When: Through Oct. 24; see Web site for dates and times
Info: $15 to $55; 202-347-4833; fords.org
2. Sportaculture 2010: “Diving Board”: Active Cultures Theatre presents a series of three play readings featuring the work of local writers. Presented in partnership with the College Park Arts Exchange. The plays are D.W. Gregory’s “Salvation Road,” Madeline Muravchik’s “The Way Susannah Speaks” and Jon Klein’s “Chance and Necessity.”
Where: Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road, University Park (Friday); City Hall, 4500 Knox Road, University Park (Saturday)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5 suggested donation; 301-526-9921; activecultures.org
3. “Los Treinta: Thirty Years of Salvadoreans in DC”: Written and performed by Quique Aviles, this production celebrates the thousands of Salvadoreans who began an exodus from their war-torn country in 1980. Aviles explores the effect Salvadoreans have had on D.C. and the effect it has had on them.
Where: D.C. Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday
Info: $10 to $15; 202-462-7833; dcartscenter.org
4. “Circle Mirror Transformation”: Annie Baker invites the audience into an amateur theater class in rural Vermont where theater games and acting exercises mirror the real drama taking place among the students.
Where: The Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: Through Oct. 24
Info: $35 to $65; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
5. “Julius Caesar”: Taffety Punk’s Riot Grrl presents a new version of Shakespeare’s tragedy using an all-female cast to portray this drama bursting with political intrigue, conspiracy, betrayal and honor.
Where: Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 13 to 17, 20 to 23, and 3 p.m. Saturday
Info: $10; 800-838-3006; taffetypunk.com
