Brain Food
1. The Suzanne Farrell Ballet: Members of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet perform Pas d’Action from Divertimento No. 15, “Meditation,” pas de deux from “Agon,” and “Tzigane.” Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Thursday
Info: $36; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
2. “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: 514 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
3. Keith Jeffery: “The Secret History of MI6”: The world’s first spy agency, Britain’s MI6 was formed just before the World War I. For this authorized history of the organization, Jeffery, professor of British history at Queen’s University, Belfast, was granted access to hitherto secret archives. His very colorful history starts with the chaotic early days and traces the development of classic spymaster techniques.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
4. “The Story of Tea” and “Crossing the Line”: DAH Teatar, a collective of Serb theater artists, has been participating in a residency at the Georgetown University Theater and Performance Studies Program. That residency culminates in two of their most acclaimed productions.
Where: Davis Performing Arts Center Devine Studio, Georgetown University Theater (“Story of Tea”); Gonda Theater, Davis Performing Arts Center, 37th and O streets NW (“Crossing the Line”).
When: “The Story of Tea” 8 p.m. Friday; “Crossing the Line” 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5 to $20; 202-687-2787; performingarts.georgetown.edu
5. Panel discussion: Join a lively panel discussion with two exceptional young Israeli and Palestinian representatives of OneVoice, an international mainstream grass-roots movement with more than 650,000 signatories. Ahmad Omeir and Danny Shaket, representing more than 2,000 OneVoice youth leaders (ages 18 to 34), will be discussing the work they are doing within their respective communities to prepare for a peace agreement, and to articulate the important role that Americans have to play in being part of the solution.
Where: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW
When: 9 a.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-387-7638; busboysandpoets.com
Family
1. “Autumn Conservation Festival”: Enjoy a day of fun, tours and activities at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the one time each year that the Front Royal SCBI is open to the public. Visitors get behind-the-scenes looks at some of the center’s endangered animals while they enjoy live music, draft horse wagon rides and cavalry maneuvers.
Where: Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; see Web site for directions.
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Info: Free for Conservation Research Club members, $30 car pass for nonmembers; 202-633-3068; nationalzoo.si.edu/Education
2. “Bunnicula”: It’s a dark, stormy night at the Monroe house when family pets Harold the dog and Chester the cat are confronted by a mysterious new addition to the family: small, furry, with long ears and fangs. Bunnicula! Soon the carrots in the kitchen are left drained of juice and with suspicious toothmarks. Chester and Harold try to thwart the vampire bunny before it’s too late. This musical adaptation of the book is a hugely imaginative tale full of belly laughs and suspense. Enjoyed by ages 4 and older.
Where: Imagination Theatre, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda
When: Through Oct. 31
Info: $10 to $22; 301-280-1660; imaginationstage.org
3. Gemstone Club: Opal: Budding geologists and gem lovers ages 7 to 11 are invited to join this year’s series, full of fun and collecting. Attend one or all of the sessions.
Where: Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday
Info: $8; 703-228-3403; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 612820-C
4. Stories ’Round the Campfire: Bring the whole family for old-fashioned fun, including singing, stories, games and, of course, s’mores.
Where: Long Branch Amphitheater, Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 6 to 7:15 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5 per person; registration required at 703-228-4747; program 612950-C
5. Boo at the Zoo: Tickets for Boo at the Zoo go fast, so get them now. Don’t be left out around Halloween and miss the wildest trick-or-treat party in town. There’s candy and snacks at 40 treat stations and plenty to enjoy at this safest of places to party for Halloween.
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 22 to 24
Info: $20 to $30; 202-397-7328; nationalzoo.si.edu
Galleries
1. Side by Side: Oberlin’s Masterworks: This combination of 25 pieces on loan from the Allen Memorial Art Museum with works from the Phillips Collection reminds us of one of the Phillips’ great strengths: grouping pieces not by nationality or era, but by the aesthetic conversation they create juxtaposed with one another. A room of self-portraits joints the Phillips’s eponymous Cezanne with Oberlin’s haunting “Self-Portrait as a Solider” by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
Where: The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW
When: Through Jan. 16, 2011
Info: $12, $10 for students and seniors 62 and older on weekends; by donation Tuesday to Friday
2. A Revolution in Wood: The Bresler Collection: These 66 specimens of carved and turned wood from collectors Fleur and Charles Bresler include pieces by Rude Osolnik, Ron Fleming and David Ellsworth, among many others, demonstrating the expressive potential of this organic medium.
Where: Renwick Gallery, 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW
When: Through Jan. 30, 2011
Info: Free; 202-633-7970; americanart.si.edu/renwick
3. New Faces, New Prints II: Joan Krash’s solar plate monoprints and Tony Lazorko’s woodcuts are two excellent reasons to seek out this showcase for this roundup of a half-dozen artists who have joined WPG in the past year.
Where: Washington Printmakers Gallery at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 3230 Georgia Ave., Second Floor, Silver Spring
When: Through Oct. 24
Info: Free; 301-273-3660; washingtonprintmakers.com
4. Edvard Munch: Master Prints: The National Gallery’s first Munch exhibit in two decades boasts “The Scream” as well as more than 50 of the Norwegian printmaker’s key pieces, many of them displayed side by side to reveal a work’s progression to its final state.
Where: National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW
When: Through Oct. 31
Info: Free; 202-737-4215; nga.gov
5. John Kirchner: Infinity: In this monumental sculpture installation, the D.C.-based artist breaks down a 55-year-old, 26-foot boat, the Infinity, inverting its implications of prosperity and leisure.
Where: Conner Contemporary Art, 1358-60 Florida Ave. NE
When: Through Oct. 30
Info: Free; 202-588-8750; connercontemporary.com
Gatherings
1. Portraits After 5: The National Portrait Gallery is the latest museum to offer an after-hours event, featuring video projections, a pop-up photo booth, cash bar, food and a DJ.
Where: Kogod Courtyard, National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW
When: After 5 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; npg.si.edu
2. Capitol City Brewing Company’s 10th Annual Oktoberfest: Samples are given out by more than 30 breweries. The event happens rain or shine.
Where: 4001 Campbell Ave., Arlington
When: Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday
Info: $25 if you want beer samples; otherwise free; 703-578-3888; capcitybrew.com
3. Open Door Reading Series: Ron Slate, author of the poetry collection “The Great Wave,” joins fellow poet Sandra Beasley, author of “I Was a Jukebox,” for a reading. Book signing to follow.
Where: The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, Md.
When: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 301-654-8664; writer.org
4. Spices through the Ages: The botany, geography, ecology and economics of spice production, combined with human lust for spice consumption, have conspired over the centuries to make fortunes for a few and start the great voyages of discovery that changed the lives of many. Learn how pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg have become part of our daily lives.
Where: United States Botanic Garden Conservatory Classroom, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 7
Info: Free; preregistration required at 202-225-1116; Code: LH100710; usbg.gov
5. Night of the Living Boo: Get your tickets before they sell out. Join other adults for a Halloween bash where you can wear your best costume and explore the National Zoo by moonlight. Experience bone-chilling and mind-boggling performance art including palm readers, fire eaters, talking bats and illusionists. Costume contest. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals perform.
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 8 p.m. to midnight Oct. 29
Info: $30 FONZ members; $40 non-FONZ members; nationalzoo.si.edu
Music
1. Esperanza Spalding: The Washington Performing Arts Society presents the explosive bassist/composer/vocalist exploring all her talents and those of equally gifted instrumentalist in works from her latest CD, “Chamber Music Society,” featuring her string/jazz trio and voice.
Where: Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Info: $35 to $85; 202-328-6000
2. National Symphony Orchestra: The NSO conducted by Christoph Eschenbach joins the Choral Arts Society of Washington, Artistic Director Norman Scribner and guest soloists in “Herodiade-Fragmenta” for soprano and orchestra by contemporary German composer Matthias Pintscher and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
3. Billy Taylor Trio: For the first time in five years, National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Billy Taylor, bassist Chip Jackson and drummer Winard Harper bring their swinging ways to the Kennedy Center for a joyous evening.
Where: Terrace Theater
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $45; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. Marlena Shaw: The evergreen vocalist named “Best Female Singer” by Downbeat and Record World is compared to Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson in her talent for swinging in jazz, R&B, pop, rock, soul and blues.
Where: Blues Alley
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday
Info: $27.50; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
5. Tambuco: The percussion ensemble with three Grammy nominations, part of the Celebrate Mexico 2010 series, plays ethnic drum music with avant-garde flair. A Millennium Stage presentation.
Where: Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
Outdoors
1. Visit Assateague Island: Go to a wild beach, a place re-created every day by wind and waves. On Saturday celebrate the opening of the new Visitor Center at the foot of the Verrazano Bridge.
Where: Assateague Island, adjacent to the park, off Route 611
When: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday
Info: nps.gov/asis
2. The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge: Lying at the tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay, this 1,127-acre refuge is one of the most important avian migration funnels in North America. Each fall the refuge is the scene of a spectacular drama as great groups of songbirds, raptors and monarch butterflies converge at the tip of the peninsula on their voyage south.
Where: Take US 13 North across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and take the first right onto Seaside Road (Route 600). The next two roads to the right are refuge entrances.
When: From one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset
Info: 757-331-2760; check Web site for visitors center hours; fws.gov/northeast/easternshore
3. Appalachian Trail, Maryland: PenMar to ENS Cowell: This moderately difficult, five-hour, 9.4-mile hike begins just north of Mason-Dixon line and includes Pen Mar Park and the ascent of Quirack Mountain. The trail is sometimes rocky and slow-going, mostly cleared and smooth.
Where: Trailhead: Begins at Pen Mar Park near Smithsburg; see Web site
When: Any season
Info: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club; 703-242-0693; localhikes.com
4. Visit Gravelly Point: While the weather is still glorious, visit this Arlington park,to get a look at the D.C. skyline and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Its unique location just a few hundred feet from the north end of Reagan’s Runway 1/19 makes it one of the best spots in the United States for airplane spotting.
Where: Off northbound George Washington Parkway
When: any day, dawn to dusk
Info: Free; 703-289-2500; no off-leash areas; nps.gov
5. White Flint Walking Tour: When you think White Flint, you might picture the White Flint mall, car dealerships, parking lots, commercial strips and traffic-choked Rockville Pike. But change is evident: New buildings are popping up and a bold new plan is now in place to guide the transformation of the area into a vibrant place to work, live and visit. The White Flint Sector Plan calls for adding parks, a connected local street network, street-oriented retail, more housing choices, and safe walking and bicycle access. Come see what this means, as you walk down the Pike and examine new developments and speculate on ones to come.
Where: Meet at White Flint Metro station
When: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday
Info: $10 suggested donation; [email protected]
Theater
1. “Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven”: In Young Jean Lee’s theatrical event, the Asian-identity play is turned on its head when a group of Korean-American women explore what it means to be Asian in a white-dominated society.
Where: Studio Theatre, 2nd Stage, 1501 14th St. NW
When: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday; through Oct. 24
Info: $19 to $35; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
2. “Misalliance”: George Bernard Shaw’s brilliant and piquant comedy about class, money, politics and love. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, a wealthy underwear merchant and his family gather at their country estate for what seems to be a conventionally perfect day. But something very unconventional falls from the skies and changes the lives of everyone on hand.
Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; through Oct. 24
Info: $26 to $54; 301-924-3400; olneytheatre.org
3. “King Arthur”: Synetic Theater tackles the tale of King Arthur, drawing on centuries of myths and legends, spinning them into a wordless epic about heroes, romances and everlasting mystery.
Where: Synetic Theatre, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: $30 to $50; 800-494-8497; synetictheater.org
4. “Scorched”: The Forum Theatre presents Lebanese writer Wajli Mosawad’s play, involving the twins Simon and Janine, who go to the Middle East in an effort to unearth the source of their dying mother’s lifelong silence.
Where: Round House Theatre, 8641 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring
When: Through Oct. 23
Info: $10 to $15; 240-644-1100; roundhousetheatre.org
5. “Improbable Frequency”: Solas Nua’s first musical, by Arthur Riordan and Bell Helicopter, transports you to World War II Dublin, where a mad scientist and a host of spies and saboteurs threaten Ireland’s neutrality.
Where: Solas Nua, 111 K St. NE
When: Through Oct. 23; see Web site for dates and times
Info: $21 to $26; solasnua.org
