Brain Food
1. Book reading: The celebrated Irish novelist and journalist Colm Tóibín presents an evening of prose and conversation. Tóibín is the author of five novels, including “The Blackwater Lightship,” which was short-listed for the Booker Prize. His most recent novel, “The Master,” a fictional interior portrait of Henry James, was awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Where: The Folger Library, 401 E. Capitol St. SE
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $15; 202-544-4600, folger.edu
2. Blossoms in the Breeze: The sounds of the spring: A harp, cello and soprano join together to offer the music of Japanese composers, including Taki and Mitsumoto.
Where: Millennium Stage, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. April 4
Info: Free; 202-467-4600, kennedy-center.org
3. “The Gardner Heist”: In 1990, two men dressed as policemen broke into the Gardner Museum in Boston and walked off with a dozen masterpieces, in one of the biggest heists on record. Author Ulrich Boser discusses his book on the heist and signs books after the lecture.
Where: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW
When: 7 p.m. April 2
Info: $15 to $20; 202-639-1700, corcorangallery.org
4. Berliner Kabarett: A collection of songs and satire from Germany between the World Wars, including numbers by Weill and Brecht.
Where: The Source, 1835 14th St. NW
When: Saturday through May 2; see Web site for details
Info: $16 to $33; 202-204-7770, inseries.org
5. “Deep Belly Beautiful”: Eight deeply flawed characters struggle to achieve a state of grace while caught up in a menacing cycle.
Where: Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St., NW
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday; through April 26
Info: $20; 202-315-1305, tickets: 866-811-41211, flashpointdc.org
Family
1. 49th Annual Sakura Matsuri Festival: This family-friendly festival includes five stages, food from 20 Japanese and other Asian restaurants, 30 cultural exhibits, martial arts and much more. Right after the Cherry Blossom parade, rain or shine.
Where: 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW
When: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; nationalcherryblossomfestival.
2. “Rainforest Alive”: Come and celebrate Earth Day early with an exciting live animal show. Experts from Reptiles Alive Inc. captivate and educate with this exciting live-animal show. Meet a boa constrictor, caiman crocodile, iguana, and a variety of other tough-skinned critters of the dark and mysterious world under the canopy of the tropical forest. For all ages.
Where: Ripley Center, Smithsonian Institution, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW
When: 10:15 and 11:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday; special family performance Saturday, followed by a reception with Earth-friendly treats.
Info: $4-$6; 202-633-8700; tickets required; discoverytheater.org
3. Children’s Theatre Festival: Four productions and endless activities for children. In addition to seeing “Hansel & Gretel” and “The Box of Surprises,” children will be able to demonstrate their talents at painting, drawing, reading and storytelling. They can also create their own puppets and learn about being a puppeteer. All events and performances bilingual.
Where: Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington
When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Info: $10; children under 4 free; reservation required: 703-548-3092; www.teatrodelaluna.org
4. Gemstone Club — Diamond: Budding geologists and gem lovers ages 7-11 are invited to get together for fun and collecting. Learn about geology, mining, legends and literature. Examine polished gems and uncut crystals.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 2:30-3:30 (program 632402M) and 4:15-5:15 p.m. (program 632402N) April 8
Info: $8; registration required: 703-228-4747
5. “All Egged Out”: For families with children 5 and older. Spring has sprung; the birds are singing and laying eggs — but they aren’t the only ones: find out who else lays eggs and make a craft to take home.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $2; 703-228-6535; register at: 703-228-4747; program #632502E
Galleries
1. “One Life: The Mask of Lincoln”: President Abraham Lincoln steered the course of a nation more divided than at any point before or since. History has made the once-controversial commander in chief the most admired and beloved of all U.S. presidents, but this exhibit looks at the face he presented to the nation in his own time, featuring an assortment of silver prints, etchings, illustrations and casts.
Where: National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW
When: Through July 5
Info: Free; 202-633-1000, npg.si.edu
2. “Picturing Progress: Hungarian Women Photographers 1900-1945”: The first half of the 20th century saw explosive growth in the professional and educational opportunities available to women in Hungary. Celebrated here is the prodigious camerawork that resulted, surveying extraordinary photos in six categories: cityscapes, nudes, portraits, movement studies, still lifes, advertisements and social imagery.
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW
When: Through July 5
Info: $10 adults, $8 students and seniors (60+), free for members and visitors age 18 and under; 202-783-7996, nmwa.org
3. “Another Time, Another Place”: Another show from Hungary, this one a provocative compilation of photo and video installations by young contemporary artists.
Where: The American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
When: Through April 19
Info: Free; 202-885-1300, american.edu/cas/katzen/museum
4. New work by Lisa Brotman, Thomas Block and Michael Enn Sirvet: Brotman finds symbolic links between the female figure and flora. Block eavesdrops on a “Conference of the Birds.” Sirvet’s sculptures trigger deep-seated memories of topographical archetypes. Once again, Hamiltonian catches three intriguing and complementary artists on the rise.
Where: Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U St. NW
When: Through May 2
Info: Free; 202-332-1116, hamiltoniangallery.com
5. “Women’s Work: Lynn Cazabon, Hadieh Shafie and Tory Wright”: For Women’s History Month, Civilian has chosen three artists who repurpose strips of movie film, cosmetics ads and scraps of ordinary paper into prints and sculptures that comment on the elusive nature of feminine identity.
Where: Civilian Art Projects, 406 7th St. NW
When: Through April 24
Info: Free; 202-347-0022,
Gatherings
1. The Washington Ballet’s “Peter Pan”: Take a high-flying adventure to Neverland with The Washington Ballet’s production of Septime Webre’s “Peter Pan,” a swashbuckling coming-of-age tale that pits Peter and the Lost Boys against Captain Hook and his outrageous band of pirates. A whimsical adventure told through vibrant dancing, “Peter Pan” is a story about growing up that never seems to grow old.
Where: Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. April 1 to Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $20 to $120; 202-467-4600,
2. “Blooming Cherry Blossoms, Falling Cherry Blossoms: Symbolism of the Flower in Japanese Culture and History”: Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney presents a lecture on the role of Japan’s national flower in all its symbolic manifestations.
Where: Library of Congress, Room 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 1st St.
When: 4 to 5 p.m. today
Info: 202-707-2692, libraryofcongress.gov
3. Japanese Choral Society of Washington: This renowned chorus presents a varied concert including “America the Beautiful” and works by Japanese composers.
Where: Millennium Theatre, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. April 6
Info: Free; 202-467-4600, kennedy-center.org
4. “Malvolio’s Revenge”: Ruth Bader Ginsburg presides over the Supreme Court of Ilyria in this extension of “Twelfth Night” that examines the crimes committed during the course of that play.
Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. April 6
Info: $35 to $50; 202-547-3230, shakespeare-theatre.org
5. “God’s Ear”: This theater piece involves a parade of quirky characters including the Tooth Fairy, a G.I. Joe doll and a transvestite airline stewardess, who all help two parents find their way back from loss and grief.
Where: Rep Stage, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia
When: Through April 26
Info: Box office: 410-772-4900, repstage.org
Movies
“Fast & Furious”
When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O’Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what’s possible behind the wheel.
“Alien Trespass”
Set in 1957, “Alien Trespass” chronicles a fiery object from space that crashes into a mountaintop in the California desert, bringing the threat of disaster to Earth. Out of the flying saucer escapes a murderous creature — the Ghota, which is bent on destroying all life-forms on the planet. A benevolent alien from the spaceship, Urp, inhabits the body of a local astronomer — and with the help of a waitress from the local diner, sets out to save mankind.
“Adventureland”
A comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park only to find it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.
“Sin Nombre”
“Sin Nombre” tells the story of Sayra, a teenager living in Honduras and hungering for a brighter future. A reunion with her long-estranged father gives Sayra her only real option — emigrating with her father and her uncle into Mexico and then the United States, where her father now has a new family.
“Hunger”
Details the last six weeks of the life of the Irish republican hunger-striker Bobby Sands.
Music
1. Bebe Neuwirth: The Broadway diva’s cabaret act, “Stories with Piano,” recreates musical hits in her own inimitable style, accompanied by Scott Cady. Where: Music Center at Strathmore
When: 8 tonight
Info: $32-$78; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
2. The Washington Chorus: Julian Wachner conducts Verdi’s “Requiem” with guest soloists.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Info: $15-$60; 202-342-6221; 202-467-4600; thewashingtonchorus.org
3. Pacifica Quartet: The Discovery Series presents the 2009 Grammy Award winners for Best Chamber Music Performance playing works by Mendelssohn, Ligeti and Brahms.
Where: The Barns of Wolf Trap
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $35; 877-965-3872; wolftrap.org
4. “The Barber of Seville”: Jason Detwiler stars in the Virginia Opera production of Rossini’s comic opera.
Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts
When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Info: $44-$98; 888-945-2468; tickets.com
5. Chopin by Candlelight: Dumbarton Concerts presents pianist Brian Ganz performing favorites by the composer.
Where: Historic Dumbarton Church
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Info: $30 general, students and seniors $26; 202-965-2000; dumbartonconcerts.org
Also worth noting:
6. Atos Trio: German winners of 2003 Brahms International Competition and 2007 Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award performs works by Schubert, Brahms and Kirchner.
Where: Clarice Smith Center at Maryland
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Info: $35 general public, $7 students; 301-405-2787; claricesmithcenter.umd.edu
Outdoors
1. Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: The annual celebration of spring and the blossoming of the cherry blossom trees is marked by this spectacle, full of singers, dancers, floats and bands. This year the parade includes over 200 performers, the cast of “Chicago” and much more.
Where: Constitution Ave. from 7-17th streets. (Some seats available at Constitution Avenue and 17th Street by reserving through ticketmaster.com)
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Info: Free; nationalcherryblossomfestival.
2. Annual Potomac River Cleanup: Take pride in the Potomac by taking out the trash. Gloves and bags provided, just bring your spring cleaning spirit.
Where: Gulf Branch to Potomac. Meet at trail head at 36th Road North and North Nelson Street, Arlington
When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday
Info: Free; No registration needed; Info: 703-228-3404.
3. Second annual Art & Go Seek Scavenger Hunt: Fundraiser for Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW): Teams race around Capitol Hill searching for answers about art, history and notorious people and places in the neighborhood. The team with the most points will win a prize.
Where: Begin and end at CHAW, 545 7th St. SE
When: Saturday, 8:45 a.m. check-in; 9:45-1 p.m. scavenger hunt; 1-2:30 lunch and party
Info: $10-$30; 202-547-6839; chaw.org
4. “History on Foot: Ford’s Theatre”: Walking tours guided by actors playing characters from the Civil War era. Join Elizabeth Keckly, free black woman and confidante to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln or Detective McDevitt, who revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the Lincoln assassination conspiracy. The tours last about 90 minutes; distance walked about 1.5 miles.
Where: Tours begin at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW
When: 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays through August
Info: $12; 800-551-7328; fords.org
5. Introduction to Birding Walks: for adults and families with children 12 and older. Learn the basics of birding and the common birds found in our area. No experience necessary.
Where: Meet in Long Branch Nature Center parking lot, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 8-11 a.m. Sunday
Info: Free; registration required: 703-228-4747; program #632502P
Theater
1.“See What I Wanna See”: The Washington area premiere of John LaChiusa’s three stories of lust, greed, murder, faith and redemption. Based on short works by the Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa, the three-part musical unfolds like a Japanese screen painting. The central story is “R Shomon” in which LaChiusa investigates a 1951 crime of passion. In “Kesa and Morito,” set in medieval Japan, two lovers sing of the ecstasy and torment of their affair. “Gloryday,” set in present-day New York, introduces a priest during a crisis of faith.
Where: The Ark Theatre, Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 7 p.m. Sunday
Info: $49-$77; 703-573-7328; signature-theatre.org
2. “Rachel and Juliet”: Celebrated actress Lynn Redgrave performs a one-woman show for five performances. Her mother, the glamorous Rachel Kempson, made her Stratford debut as Juliet in 1932. Redgrave tells the fascinating story of her mother’s continued love affair with the role of Juliet, interweaving Kempson’s own words with passages from Shakespeare.
Where: The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE
When: 8 p.m. April 10; 2 and 8 p.m. April 11; 4 and 7 p.m. April 12
Info: $50-$60; 202-675-0342; folger.edu
3. “Antebellum”: Robert O’Hara plays with established notions of history and race, mixing the post-slavery atmosphere of 1939 Atlanta with the horror of Hitler’s death camps and the romance of Hollywood and Berlin cabarets.
Where: Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through April 26
Info: $15-$60; 202-393-3939; woollymammoth.net
4. “Red Herring”: A romantic comedy in the style of film noir, this play about love is part murder mystery, part spy story.
Where: 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, McLean
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday; through April 26
Info: $15-$25; 703-854-1856; 1ststagespringhill.org
5. “The True History of Coca-Cola in Mexico”: Patrick Scott (USA) and Aldo Velasco (Mexico) have collaborated on this humorous commentary on the effect of U.S. capitalism on Mexican culture. In English with Spanish surtitles.
Where: GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW
When: Through April 26
Info: 800-494-8497; galatheate.org
— Compiled by Emily Cary, Chris Klimek and Barbara Mackay
