Best music
1. Neil Berg’s 101 Years of Broadway: The composer/lyrist and a cast of Broadway stars in a revue of of memorable moments from the last century.
Where: Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Info: $25 to $65; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
2. Ahn Trio: The world-renowned Ahn Trio joins the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Daniel Spalding for a benefit concert.
Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Info: $50; 888-945-2468; cfa.gmu.edu
3. Kevin Eubanks: The guitarist/composer introduces his fans to his latest recording, “The Messenger.”
Where: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
When: 8 and 10 p.m. through Sunday
Info: $30; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
4. Stephane Wrembel: The composer/jazz guitarist known for his special way with Gypsy jazz scored Woody Allen’s film “Midnight in Paris,” but the native of France is equally expert in world music.
Where: Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW
Info: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $25; 202-408-3100; sixthandi.org
5. Lynda Carter: TV’s legendary Wonder Woman with her All-Star Band in a cabaret performance, “From the Heart,” showcases her unique take on classic blues, rock, country and pop.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $25 to $65; 202-367-4600; 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org
Best family
1. “Professor Wingnut Wants to Fly”: Little aviators take off with wacky Professor Wingnut and Seymour the Seagull to find the secrets that make birds — and airplanes — fly. Master arts educator and crazy guy Oran Sandel and puppeteer Dan Mori get everyone singing, dancing and soaring in this lively show. For children ages 4 to 8.
Where: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Discovery Theater, 600 Independence Ave. SW
When: 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Friday
Info: $6 to $12; 202-633-8700; discoverytheater.org
2. “Mother Goose: Jazz’n Blues!”: Christiana Drapkin’s Jazz Ensemble returns by popular demand. Clap your hands, snap your fingers and swing in this interactive musical morning filled with variations on popular children’s tunes. Everyone is part of the act, whether singing about Goldilocks and the Three Bears or Swingin’ on a Star.
Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: 9:30 and 11 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-628-6161; nationaltheatre.org
3. Children’s Book Launch: “Pluto’s Secret: An Icy World’s Tale of Discovery”: An event for young people that includes story time, an illustration presentation and discussion.
Where: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly
When: 11:30 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; airandspace.si.edu
4. “Three Little Birds”: Three little birds sing their sweet songs to Ziggy, a very shy child who is happy to see the world from the TV in his room. His tricky friend Nansi wants him to get out and enjoy the island of Jamaica.But Ziggy is afraid of hurricanes, mongoose and evil spirits.Their worldly adventure is enlivened by the fantastic songs of renowned reggae artist Bob Marley.
Where: Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo
When: Through April 14
Info: $19; 301-634-2270; adventuretheatre-mtc.org
5. “The Big Meow”: Jane Franklin Dance presents this performance. Little Cat is taunted by neighborhood felines because his meow is just too darn loud. This makes Little Cat sad because he so wants to fit in, but no one will play with him because of the enormous sound that comes out of his tiny little mouth. The lovable furball ultimately learns to be proud of his big, strong voice.
Where: Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW
When: 4 p.m. Saturday through April 6
Info: $10 to $15; 202-393-3939; woollymammoth.net
Best theater
1. “4000 Miles”: Amy Herzog’s analysis of what happens when a 21-year-old neo-hippie seeks refuge in the Greenwich Village apartment of his 91-year-old leftist grandmother.
Where: Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: Through April 28
Info: $39 to $72; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
2. “Never the Sinnner”: Playwright John Logan recreates the 1924 “trial of the century.” Teenagers Leopold and Loeb kidnap and murder a 14-year-old in a sick effort to create the perfect crime.
Where: 1st Stage Theater, 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean
When: Fridays through Sundays through April 14
Info: $15 to $25; 703-854-1856; 1ststagetysons.org
3. “Jason Invisible”: Caring for a sick parent is making Jason feel like he’d rather be invisible than talk to anyone. But with help from three new friends, Jason finds a way to face his fears.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Through April 7
Info: $18; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. “American Utopias”: Mike Daisey shows what he sees as a distinctly American vision of utopia, from Disney World to the excesses of Burning Man.
Where: Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW
When: March 25 to April 21
Info: $50 to $62.50; 202-393-3939; woollymammoth.net
5. “Proof”: On the eve of her 25th birthday, a troubled young woman is coping with years spent caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions, the arrival of her estranged sister and the attentions of her father’s former student.
Where: Theatre on the Run, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington
When: Through March 30
Info: $20; 703-228-1850; arlingtonarts.org
Best outdoors
1. Horses and Wine: Horseback Riding, Western Lunch and Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting: Imagine a bracing horseback ride in a mountainous setting followed by amazing wine to warm your bones. This experience combines the thrill of a nature style horseback ride with the elegance of a first class vineyard tour and wine tasting.
Where: Marriott Ranch, 5305 Marriott Lane, Hume
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
Info: $99; thingstododc.com
2. Peeper Prowl: Hop on over and join the fun as we learn about and search for these tiny tree frogs and other amphibians. For families with children ages 5 and up. Register children and adults, children must be accompanied by a registered adult. For more information, call 703-228-6535.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 7 to 8:15 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; registration required: 703-228-4747; program No. 632953-C
3. Cherry Blossom Crab Cruise: All You Can Eat Crab Feast Cruise on the Potomac: The Cherry Blossom Festival has begun! Why not take in the beautiful views of the shining blossoms while feasting on some of Maryland’s best crabs!
Where: Meet at Georgetown Harbor, end of 31st Street NW
When: 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: $60; thingstododc.com
4. Whitewater Rafting with Dinner Picnic: If you like high adventure, this is the best time to go. The Shenandoah provides an excellent venue for whitewater rafting trip. Travel on two rivers through three states (Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia) on an unforgettable 2 to 4 1/2 hour trip (the length of the rafting depends on the speed of the rapids on that particular day). A riverside picnic (chicken, potato salad, watermelon and beverage) is included on this introductory whitewater tour.
Where: 604 Valley Road, Knoxville, Md.
When: 1:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday
Info: $75; thingstododc.com
5. Mount Vernon Trail: In the 19th century, George Washington’s former Mt. Vernon estate became a national shrine. In the 1930s, the federal government created the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway to carry motor vehicles to Mt. Vernon. Then, in 1973, they added the Mt. Vernon Trail, a paved strip of right-of-way for people who like to locomote by muscle power. The 15-mile roundtrip is great for hikers, dogs and bikers.
Where: Off George Washington Parkway; see website
When: Any day
Info: Free; 703-289-2500; localhikes.com
Best brainfood
1. “Voodoo Macbeth”: Originally conceived by Orson Welles, the so-called “Voodoo MacBeth” was a re-imagining of the play using the imagery and traditions of Voodoo. The only record of what took place on stage are contemporary descriptions and Welles’ notated script.
Where: Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: Friday through April 13
Info: $17 to $40; 703-228-1850; americancentury.org
2. “Word Made Flesh”: Acclaimed artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph leads a talented collective of performers through spoken word, dance and visuals reflecting a young single father’s thoughts and emotions in anticipation of his son’s birth.
Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE
When: Friday through Sunday
Info: $15 to $25: 703-399-7993; atlasarts.org
3. “Cinderella”: The Washington Ballet presents Septime Webre’s “Cinderella,” combining magnificent beauty, ravishing costumes and Prokofiev’s ultra-lush score in the retelling of this popular romance of a poor girl whose fairy godmother helps her win the love of a prince.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Through Sunday
Info: $25 to $125; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. “New York City Ballet”: Renowned for its linear purity, speed and musicality, the acclaimed New York City Ballet performs two mixed repertory programs accompanied by the New York City Ballet Orchestra.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Tuesday through March 31
Info: $25 to $95; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
5. Happenings at the Harman: Dance Antonini: Dance Antonini has been captivating audiences since 2002 with its personal take on dance-theater that bridges post-modern movement with improvisation. Directed by Lou Antonini, they will present a short concert of selected works inspired from their current repertory.
Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: Noon, Wednesday
Info: Free; 202-547-3230; shakespearetheatre.org
Best Gathering
1. From the Vaults: “The River” and “The Columbia”: Screenings of the documentaries “The River” about the Mississippi River and “The Columbia” with recordings from Woody Guthrie. At the William G. McGowan Theater.
Where: National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
When: Noon Friday
Info: Free; 202-357-5000; archives.gov
2. “Seeing Like a Curator: Sketching Salon”: Erin Kuykendall, curator of collections at Tudor Place, leads a workshop on close-object study and sketching.
Where: Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31st St. NW
When: 1 to 3 p.m. Friday
Info: $12; 202-965-0400; tudorplace.org
3. David Helvarg: “The Golden Shore: California’s Love Affair with the Sea”: In his sixth book, the award-winning journalist, producer and president of the Blue Frontier Campaign takes readers on a tour of the California coastline. The 1,100 miles between the borders of Oregon and Tijuana are home to diverse groups of sea birds, mammals and fish, but also face natural and man-made disasters.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
4. Second City: The famed improv group from Chicago entertains for two nights only.
Where: Wolf Trap, The Barns, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna
When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Info: $24; 703-938-2404; wolftrap.org
5. TAKE Dance: Casting a spotlight on Japan’s collectivist business culture, New York-based TAKE Dance’s “Salaryman” takes audiences through a day in the life of overworked Japanese executives. East meets West with TAKE’s trademark elegance in an athletic display of passion and humor from choreographer Takehiro Ueyama.
Where: Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday
Info: $18 to $22; 202-269-1600; danceplace.org
Best galleries
1. Out of the Ordinary: Duplication and imitation are the subjects of this exhibition, which draws upon the Hirshhorn’s permanent collection to explore questions of authenticity and intrinsic worth. This is not a pipe, as Magritte once said. Well, painted. Richard Artschwager, Vija Celmins, John Gerrard and Nikki S. Lee are among the photographers, sculptors and painters whose works are featured.
Where: Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW
When: Through May 19
Info: Free; 202-633-4674; hmsg.si.edu
2. Julie Wolf: Rewilding: In the three years since her prior Hemphill show, Julie Wolf’s painting has becoming increasingly obsessed with the impact of human interaction with the environment.
Where: Hemphill Fine Arts, 1515 14th St. NW
Where: Through May 18
Info: Free; 202-234-5601; hemphillfinearts.com
3. A World Apart: Anna Ancher and the Skagen Art Colony: This exhibition of 41 paintings and oil sketches from the Danish modern painter Ancher (1859-1935), as well as 20 from her comrades in the Skagen Art Colony, is the first U.S. show to highlight the distinctive artwork native to northern Denmark’s isolated Jutland peninsula.
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW
When: Through May 12
Info: $10; students and seniors $8, ages 18 and under free; 202-783-7996; nmwa.org
4. Lincoln Schatz: The Network: Video artist Schatz interviewed 89 policymakers and interpreters — Paul Ryan, Nancy Pelsoi and Sandra Day O’Connor among them — to create this elliptical “digital conversation” on power in Washington that cycles seamlessly from interview subject to interview subject. Fascinating and hypnotic.
Where: Connersmith, 1358 Florida Ave. NE
When: Through March 30
Info: Free; 202-588-8750; connersmith.us.com
5. Perspectives: Al Weiwei: Prolific provocatuer Weiwei’s monumental work “Fragments” is an “irrational structure” of ironwood repurposed from dismantled temples of the Qing dynasty.
Where: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Jefferson Drive and 12th Street SW
Info: Free; 202-633-4880; asia.si.edu
