Best Music 1. “Fiddler on the Roof”: The winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical has become a tradition in the hearts of theater-goers worldwide. The story of one family’s life in Tsarist Russia follows them through matchmaking, marriage, shifting traditions, political upheaval and determination to forge a new life in America. The music by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock remains fresh and singable.
Where: Wolf Trap Filene Center
When: 2 and 8 p.m. Friday to Monday
Info: $20 to $80; 877-965-8727; wolftrap.org
2. Castleton Festival at the Hylton: Maestro Lorin Maazel conducts Puccini’s tragic “Il Tabarro” and comedic “Gianni Schicchi” featuring the Castleton Festival musicians and singers.
Where: Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Info: $30 to $60; 888-945-2468; hyltoncenter.org
3. The Mike Seeger Commemorative 5th Annual Old Time Banjo Festival: Featured performers include Bruce Melsky, Buddy Wachter, The Hot Seats, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer.
Where: Birchmere
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $28.50; 703-549-7500; birchmere.com, oldtimebanjofestival.com
4. Angela Winbush: From backup singer for Stevie Wonder, she evolved into producer-arranger-composer-performer. Her top ten hits and collaborations with Janet Jackson, Sheena Easton and Stephanie Mills mark her impressive career.
Where: Blues Alley
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Friday to Sunday
Info: $43; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
5. Tommy Castro: The energetic blues/roots guitarist hosts his Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue – Live! Featuring his band and special guests at the R&B party for all to enjoy.
Where: The State Theatre, Falls Church
When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday
Info: $25; 703-237-0300; thestatetheatre.com
Best Family
1. “Aquarium”: What better time to talk about the ocean, fish and sandy beaches, to see flying jellyfish and to experience the world of “Aquarium” than in the heat of summer? Last winter’s interactive play returns to Imagination Stage.
Where: Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda
When: Through July 31
Info: $5 to $10; 301-280-1660; imaginationstage.org
2. Green Tree Frog Outing: Meet at Mason Neck State Park in Woodbridge to look for green tree frogs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn about these awesome amphibians and find out why scientists believe they can predict weather. For information, call703-631-0013.
Where: Meet at Mason Neck State Park, Woodbridge
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; registration required: 703-631-0013; partakes.fairfaxcounty.gov.
3. Insect Safari: Families, ages 5 and older. Join an old-fashioned safari to see what critters you can discover. A naturalist will lead you in capturing insects and other small creatures to investigate before you release them back to the wilds. Be sure to wear long pants and closed toe shoes. Info: 703-228-6535.
Where: Meet at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday
Info: $4; registration required: 703-228-4747; program No. 642951-E
4. “Charlotte’s Web”: E. B. White’s popular tale of love and devotion, takes theatergoers to Zuckerman’s Farm, where the delightful runt pig Wilbur appears headed for the dinnertable — as main course, not as guest. Yet he is saved by the remarkably crafty spider, Charlotte, and the whole town begins talking about it. Some pig!
Where: Adventure Theatre, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Bethesda
When: Through Sept. 5
Info: $17; 301-634-2270; adventuretheatre.org
5. “See, Hear, Sketch: Coyote Caller”: Coyote the Trickster may be new to Northern Virginia, but there are many stories about him to tell. Come hear a few of them, learn to make a coyote call and finish up with a drawing that helps distinguish a coyote from a fox or dog. Drawing materials provided but your sketchbooks are welcome, too.
Where: Meet at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 3 to 4:15 p.m. Sunday
Info: $3; registration required: 703-228-4747; program No. 642921-D
Best Galleries
1. The Gothic Spirit of John Taylor Arms: American printmaker Arms (1887-1953) gets his long-overdue first NGA exhibition, which boasts some 60 prints, drawings, and copperplates spanning from his early drawings of New York landmarks to his justly celebrated renderings of cathedrals.
Where: West Building, National Gallery of Art, Constitution Avenue Northwest between Third and Seventh streets
When: Through Nov. 27
Info: Free; 202-737-4215; nga.gov
2. The Great American Hall of Wonders: This fascinating collection of 19th century works of art and mechanical inventions is built around the notion of the United States of a grand experiment in democracy whose people were likewise blessed with a genius for experimentation and discovery.
Where: The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW
When: Through Jan. 8, 2012
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; americanart.si.edu
3. Family Matters: Portraits from the Qing Court: These 16 portraits of emperors, empresses and other royals of the 18th century Qing dynasty retain their power to induce awe after neary three centuries. Many of these ornate paintings are nearly life-size.
Where: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Jefferson Drive and 12 Street SW
When: Through Jan. 16, 2012
Info: Free; 202-633-4880; asia.si.edu
4. Walls Speak – The Narrative Art of Hildreth Meiere: Melere made mosaics and murals on a grand scale, including notable works such as the interior dome of the Nebraska State Capitol and DC’s own National Academy of Sciences. Marking 50 years since her death in 1961, this exhibit honors a woman whose talent was as big as her ambition.
Where: National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW
When: Through Nov. 27
Info: Free, donations accepted; nbm.org
5. Try to See It My Way: This exhibit plays with the idea that even professionals who archive and display rare and historically significant objects for a living recognize there are endless ways to contextualize a museum piece.
Where: Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, 1776 D St. NW
When: Through Sept. 3
Info: Free; dar.org/museum/default.cfm
Best Gatherings
1. Jael McHenry: The food and cooking blogger reads from and discusses her first novel, “The Kitchen Daughter.” A book signing follows.
Where: One More Page Books, 2200 N. Westmoreland St., #101, Arlington
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: onemorepagebooks.com; 703-300-9746
2. Maya Soetoro-Ng: Ladder to the Moon (illustrated by Yuyi Morales). When Suhaila asks her mother about her late Grandma Annie, her grandmother herself responds, lowering a ladder from the moon so her granddaughter can climb up for a visit. The author wrote this warm tale about embracing the world as a tribute to her mother, Ann Dunham, who is also the mother of President Barack Obama.Ages 4-7. A book signing follows.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
3. “Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret”: Broadway’s Marc Kudisch and Julia Murney headline a three-week series of cabaret performances at Signature Theatre. The thirteen individual acts will include a new musical (“I Capture the Castle”), an Open Mic Night and a tribute to Irving Berlin.
Where: Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington
When: 8 p.m. Saturday to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 6; see website for details
Info: $20; 703-573-7328; signature-theatre.org
4. “Sunday Kind of Love”: Open Mic Poetry features emerging and established poets from the D.C. area and around the nation. Each program includes one to two featured poets and an open mic segment. Hosted by Sarah Browning and Katy Richey.
Where: Busboys and Poets, 14th and V streets NW
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Info: 202-387-7638; busboysandpoets.com
5. My Name is Pable Picasso: Cubist Productions’ one-act imagines the now-famous artist just as he is about to pioneer cubism. His talents are being roundly criticized, but a fortune teller sees Picasso’s future, and failure is not an option.
Where: Redrum at Fort Fringe, 612 L St. NW
When: 10 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m. July 21, 8 p.m. July 23
Info: $17; 866-811-4111; capfringe.org
Best Theatre
1.”Rock of Ages”: In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl met a big city dreamer, and in Los Angeles’ most legendary rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the 1980s. “Rock of Ages” is the hilarious, feel-good love story told through the hit songs of iconic rockers.
Where: The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
When: To July 24
Info: Tickets start at $56.50; 800-447-7400
2. “POP!”: Who shot Andy Warhol? A musical murder-mystery recreating the wild atmosphere of Warhol’s infamous Factory, complete with a cast of the colorful characters who embodied Warhol’s world in the late 1960s.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St., N.W.
When: To August 7
Info: $38 to $43; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
3. “But Love is My Middle Name!”: Written by and starring Emily Love Morrison, who thought fiding love would be easy. After all, it’s her middle name. She finds her destiny by way of pop music, Donny Osmond and Hollywood. But does she find her man?
Where: Unitarian National Memorial Church, 1810 16th St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, 6:45 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 p.m. July 20.
Info: $17; 866-811-4111; capitalfringe.org
4. “Birds of a Feather”: The play recounts two New York stories: the tale of Roy and Silo, the two Central Park Zoo chinstrap penguins who partnered, adopted an egg, hatched and raised a chick together; and the story of the red-tailed hawks who built a nest and raised a chick on the ledge of an elegant apartment building.
Where: The Hub Theatre, 931 Silver King Court, Fairfax
When: Through Aug. 7
Info: $15 to $25; 703-674-3177; thehubtheatre.org
5. “Candy and Dorothy”: Unexpected Stage Company presents David Johnston’s comic fantasy, which features Candy Darling, the glamorous transsexual Andy Warhol superstar, and Dorothy Day, the devout co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, when they meet in the afterlife.
Where: VisArts, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville
When: Through July 31
Info: $8 to $20; 301-337-8290; unexpectedstage.org.
Best Brainfood
1. Green Genes Talk & Tour: Tickled Pink–The Caryophyllales: Learn how to say it and what it is! The Caryophyllales family includes everything from carnations to cacti to carnivorous plants. Join this botanical talk and tour of this large and diverse group of plants. This summer series delves into the plant family tree featured in the exhibit Green Genes: Mapping the Plant World.
Where: United States Botanic Garden, Conservatory Classroom and Terrace, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: Noon to 1 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; preregistration required: usbg.gov; code: TH071511
2. Christopher Sten: Literary Capital: Whether in the spotlight for its politics and power-brokers or serving as background for ordinary lives, Washington, D.C. has inspired writers from its earliest days. In this anthology of Washington-based literature, Sten, an English professor at George Washington University, has compiled poetry, letters, memoirs, and fiction by writers from Henry Adams to Gore Vidal, Frederick Douglass to Walt Whitman and many more.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 15 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.org
3. “The Many Women of Troy”: A bold new musical inspired by the classic Greek tragedy. Follow five women as they fight through times of conflict and violence, and watch them start their own little wars. Written by Broadway artists Michael Boynton and Brian Allan Hobbs.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. July 19
Info: $17; 866-811-4111; capitalfringe.org
4. “Sierra Maestra”: Dance at Artisphere: Direct from Cuba: The inspiration for “The Buena Vista Social Club.”
Where: Ballroom, Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd. NW
When: Dance class 7:30 p.m., live music and dance 8:30 p.m. July 19
Info: $25 for class, $22 to dance; 888-841-2787; artisphere.com
5. Paik’s Birthday: Senior Curator for Media Arts John Hanhardt and artist Jim Campbell discuss the legacy of legacy of Nam Jun Paik, one of the first video artists. After the talk, the discussion continues over cake and refreshments.
Where: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW
When: 6 p.m. July 20
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; americanartsi.edu
Best Outdoors
1. Pollinator Garden Talk, Tour and Work Day: Want to know more about native plants? Learn how to create a beautiful garden the bees and butterflies will love. You’ll learn which native plants to choose, the benefits they provide and how easy it is to keep them happy. Afterwards, get hands-on among native wildflowers at a midsummer work day.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road., Arlington
When: Lecture: 2 to 3 p.m.; work sessions: 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Info: $3; free to workers; registration required: 703-228-4747; Program #642841-A
2. Hillwood Estate: Visit the magnificent gardens of the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, which sits on 25 beautiful acres in a residential neighborhood in northwest Washington. Wear comfortable walking shoes and allow plenty of time to see all the gardens.
Where: Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Ave., N.W.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. select Sundays
Info: $10 to $15; children’s rates available; 202-686-5807; hillwoodmuseum.org
3. Greenspring Gardens: Green Spring Gardens is a “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. It’s a year-round gold mine of information and inspiration for the home gardener, anoutdoor classroomfor children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife and a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long history with colonial origins.
Where: Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria
When: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays
Info: fairfaxcounty.gov
4. Hemlock Overlook: This hike is a short and easy 4 mile clockwise loop that starts and ends in wooded uplands, accumulating 1000 feet of elevation change along the way. Be prepared for water and mud along Bull Run. This area provides a short and lovely woodland outing for busy or hikers and dogs.
Where: Hemlock Grove, Bull Run Creek, Clifton
When: All seasons
Info: Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority; 703-352-5900; localhikes.com
5. Trees of the Regional Gardens: Spend a summer evening learning to identify trees of the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont and Coastal Plain as you tour the Regional Garden. You’ll learn to identify tupelo, hophornbeam, red buckeye, pawpaw, oaks, pines and many other native trees as you stroll the grounds of the National Garden.
Where: National Garden Lawn Terrace, National Botanic Gardens
When: 5 to 7 p.m. July 21
Info: Pre-egistration required; code: TH072111; visit: usbg.gov
