Metro Weekly

Out On the Town: D.C. arts & entertainment highlights — January 11-17

Everything arts and entertainment in D.C. this week!

Phantom Thread — Photo: Focus Features

FILM

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Oliver (Armie Hammer) is an academic who comes to stay at a family’s villa in 1980s Italy. There, he strikes up a bond with 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet), one that changes both men’s lives as their desire for one another takes over. Luca Guadagnino directs the coming-of-age tale, based on the book by André Aciman, and critics are falling head-over-heels for its intellectual eroticism. Could it be this year’s Moonlight? Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

KING: A FILMED RECORD…MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHIS

The American Film Institute celebrates MLK Day by screening a free documentary featuring footage of the civil rights legend. King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis includes his stirring “I Have A Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, and features narration and commentary from Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, Harry Belafonte, and Ruby Dee, among others. Sidney Lumet and Joseph L. Mankiewicz co-directed and produced the 1970 film. Monday, Jan. 15, at 11 a.m. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are free, available at the box office starting at 10:30 a.m. day-of. Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/Silver.

PHANTOM THREAD

Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights) reunites with actor Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) to explore the glamorous life of a philandering dressmaker-to-the-stars in 1950’s post-war London. Vicky Krieps plays the strong-willed woman who ultimately becomes the couturier’s muse in a historical drama that sounds a little too stylized for its own good. Opens Friday, Jan. 12. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Landmark’s E Street Cinema screens Richard O’Brien’s camp classic, billed as the longest-running midnight movie in history. Landmark’s showings come with a live shadow cast from the Sonic Transducers, meaning it’s even more interactive than usual. Friday, Jan. 12, and Saturday, Jan. 13, at midnight Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

SUSPICION

Joan Fontaine snagged the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1941 thriller, making her the only person to win an acting Oscar in a Hitchcock-helmed film. Fontaine marries charming playboy Cary Grant and comes to regret it — and so did Hitchcock: Suspicion is notorious for not ending the way the director wanted. Though keep a close eye on the glass of milk…. The film is the latest in Landmark’s West End Cinema hump-day screening series Capital Classics. Screenings are Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m., 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 to $12.50. Call 202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

TWO TRAINS RUNNING

The search for two forgotten blues singers — Son House and Skip James — is the focus of this 2016 documentary by Sam Pollard and featuring rapper-turned-actor Common as narrator. Set in Mississippi in June of 1964, aka the tense and violent Freedom Summer, the Washington Jewish Music Festival screens the work, with music by Gary Clark Jr. and others, in a co-presentation with the March on Washington Film Festival. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $13.50. Call 202-777-3247 or visit wjmf.org.

On Your Feet — Photo: Matthew Murphy

STAGE

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

Aaron Posner directs a stage adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer’s best-selling debut novel about a young man who sets out to find the woman who might or might not have saved his grandfather in Nazi Germany. The journey into an unexpected past, where reality collides with fiction, is brought to life on stage with a cast featuring Alex Alferov, Billy Finn, Eric Hissom, Daven Ralston, and Nancy Robinette. Opens in previews Thursday, Jan. 11. To Feb. 4. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $39 to $69. Call 202-777-3247 or visit wjmf.org.

GUILT

SCENA Theatre presents a world premiere, based on historical events, by John Shand. The story of a charming and clever philandering priest in the 17th Century, the provocative drama delves into the intolerance, xenophobia and persecution of the powers that be, depicting a collision between five people who cannot tell the truth from lies. To Feb. 4. Sprenger Theatre in Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $10 to $50. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

IMOGEN

An adaptation of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline by local artist Charlie Marie McGrath, Imogen is noteworthy as one of the first productions of the second Women’s Voices Theater Festival (a total of 25 local productions by women playwrights will be presented over the course of the next month in this bid for greater gender parity in American theater). McGrath, a directing fellow at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, has reimagined Shakespeare’s original adventure with Princess Imogen examining her expectations when the fairytale strays from the tried and true. Also, because it’s from Pointless, you can expect puppets. Opens in previews Friday, Jan. 12. To Feb. 11. Dance Loft on 14 Theater, 4618 14th St. NW 2nd Floor. Tickets are $30, or $50 for Opening Night Friday, Jan. 19. Call 202-621-3670 or visit pointlesstheatre.com.

ON YOUR FEET

The Gloria Estefan story helmed by a powerhouse team: director Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), choreographer Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys), and writer Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman). To Jan. 28. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $59 to $149. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

QUEENS GIRL IN AFRICA

Erika Rose plays a woman finding her place in war-torn Nigeria in this sequel from Caleen Sinnette Jennings to Queens Girl in the World, a New York Times-certified hit from the first Women’s Voices Theatre Festival two years ago. Now part of the second iteration of the festival, Mosaic Theater presents a world premiere and its first commission, becoming part of its series “Transformational Journeys: Inspired Singular Explorations.” Paige Hernandez directs. To Feb. 4. Lang Theatre in Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

RABBIT SUMMER

Playwright Tracey Conyer Lee explores police brutality, #BlackLivesMatter and American ideals in a work that Ally Theatre Company offers as its contribution to the Women’s Voices Theater Festival. Tamieka Chavis, Michelle Rogers, and Jeremy Keith Hunter star in the world-premiere production, directed by KenYatta Rogers, and focused on the core-rocking consternation that befalls a black police officer after a family friend loses her husband to a trigger-happy white officer. Opens Thursday, Jan. 11. To Jan. 28. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, Md. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 301-699-1819 or visit alltheatrecompany.com.

SOVEREIGNTY

As its contribution to the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, Arena Stage offers a world premiere of Mary Kathryn Nagle’s exploration into the state of Native American affairs. Focused particularly on Washington’s historical treatment of the Cherokee Nation and the present-day consequences, as examined through the work of a young Cherokee lawyer fighting for her people while confronting the ghosts of her grandfathers. Opens in previews Friday, Jan. 12. Runs to Feb. 18. Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

THE HUMANS

Stephen Karam’s uproarious, hopeful, heartbreaking play, a keenly observed examination of our modern age of anxiety, won the 2016 Tony for Best Play. It now tours the country with a six-member cast including Richard Thomas, Pamela Reed, and Daisy Eagan, and directed by Joe Mantello. To Jan. 28. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $49 to $139. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE WAY OF THE WORLD

Theresa Rebeck (TV’s Smash) loosely adapts William Congreve’s 17th-century comedy of manners by exposing the foibles of the one-percenters. Presented by Folger Theatre as part of the Women’s Voices Theatre Festival, The Way of the World is set in modern-day Hamptons and stars noted Broadway actress Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike). To Feb. 11. 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Concerto for two timpanists — Photo: JamesWyman

MUSIC

ANTIBALAS

A year ago, Brooklyn’s funky 12-piece ensemble performed at the Black Cat for The Anti-Ball, part of a series of Counter-Inaugural Events. They return for two nights at the Hamilton that is likely to be less politically motivated but every bit as musically stirring. Antibalas is credited with introducing the genre Afrobeat to a wider global audience, most notably as songwriters and members of the house band for last decade’s hit Broadway musical, Fela! Thursday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and Friday, Jan. 12, at 8 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $25 per show, or $40 for a two-day pass. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

BABYFACE WITH THE NSO POPS

In his first-ever collaboration with a full orchestra, music mogul, R&B songwriter extraordinaire, and ’90s hitmaker Kenny Edmonds will perform from his rich repertoire as Tim Davies leads the NSO Pops. The concert opens with a half-hour medley of songs made famous by Babyface and performed by students from D.C.’s renowned Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Friday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $24 to $119. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

CONCERTO FANTASY FOR TWO TIMPANISTS

Baltimore-native composer Philip Glass’s rare classical showcase for kettledrum, the Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists, is performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s James Wyman and NSO’s Jauvon Gilliam. And that’s just the headline piece in a Marin Alsop-led program also featuring Saint-Saëns’ enchanting Carnival of the Animals, with added narration by Baltimore hip-hop artist Wordsmith. All that, and Debussy’s La Mer and Ravel’s La Valse, too. Thursday, Jan. 11, at 8 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Also Sunday, Jan. 14, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

EDDIE FROM OHIO

Neither the singing percussionist Eddie Hartness nor any other Virginia-bred member of Eddie From Ohio actually has any ties to the Buckeye State. the folk act’s name is simply an obscure tribute to “Ed From Ohio” Crawford, the lead singer/guitarist of ’80s-era alt-rock act Firehose. Since its founding over a quarter century ago, Eddie From Ohio has gone on to tour regularly throughout the U.S. But the Wammie-winning act remains particularly popular in its native region, typically selling out weekend shows well in advance at big, lauded venues such as the Birchmere. This year is no different: As of press time, tickets remain only for shows Friday, Jan. 12, and Sunday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $42.50. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.

ELENA & LOS FULANOS, RUN COME SEE

A bilingual folk/rock band based in D.C., Elena & Los Fulanos is influenced by its frontwoman’s experience growing up in two cultures, Nicaraguan and American. The group tours in support of its second album Volcán and on a double-bill with a new Americana act featuring local musicians Lauren Calve on slide guitar and vocals, John Figura on guitar and vocals, and Tom Liddle on upright bass and vocals. The concert takes place in the intimate venue on the District Wharf that doubles as a restaurant/cafe by day. Saturday, Jan. 13. Doors at 7 p.m. Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-380-9620 or visit pearlstreetwarehouse.com.

FINE ARTS QUARTET, ALON GOLDSTEIN

A leading chamber ensemble for over over seven decades, local Fine Arts Quartet performs a “Mozart & More” concert presented by the Washington Conservatory of Music. A swan song for departing members cellist Robert Cohen and violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez, the concert features guest instrumentalist Alon Goldstein performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major as well as three piano sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti. Friday, Jan. 19, at 8 p.m. Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda. Tickets are free, donations welcome. Call 301-320-2770 or visit washingtonconservatory.org.

GINA SOBEL

A series of concerts featuring the sonically diverse 2018 class of Artists in Residence at Strathmore kicks off with a multi-instrumentalist who plays both flute and saxophone and leads both a rock band and a jazz quartet — when not performing solo, that is. Wednesday, Jan. 17, and Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Tickets are $17. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

LUCY KAPLANSKY

The Boston Globe has touted her the “troubadour laureate of modern city folk,” and the New York-based Kaplansky has collaborated with Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, and Dar Williams, among other contemporaries who, for one reason or another, have had a tad more mainstream success than she. You might call her a folkie’s folkie, and certainly she’s earned a following at Wolf Trap’s folk haven. Kaplansky returns for another year at the Barns with an opening set from up-and-comer Heather Maloney. Saturday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $26 to $28. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

Mary Lambert — Photo: Live Nation

MARY LAMBERT

The beautifully voiced singer from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ Grammy-nominated 2013 pop hit “Same Love (She Keeps Me Warm)” returns for more stage therapy, performing selections from her frank and vulnerable repertoire — which includes spoken-word poetry as well as songs — and basking in the love and shared tears of her engaged and supportive fans. Designated a safe space for all, the concert is presented by Live Nation at Adams Morgan’s intimate subterranean venue Songbyrd. Lambert tours in support of last year’s self-released EP Bold, along with folk/rock act Mal Blum. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Doors at 7 p.m. Songbyrd Music House, 2477 18th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $22. Call 202-450-2917 or visit songbyrddc.com.

PASSPORT TO THE WORLD CONCERT SERIES

Virginia’s Creative Cauldron offers its eighth annual festival celebrating the music and dance of cultures around the world, with performances by artists representing a broad spectrum of genres: jazz to Latin, opera to klezmer. Lynn Veronneau and Ken Avis, the couple that curates the series, kicked off the series performing in their Wammie-winning international jazz fusion quartet Veronneau. Other performances in the second week include: Randy Barrett’s Big Howdy, a progressive bluegrass ensemble featuring singer Dede Wyland, on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 p.m.; the Jo Go Project, founded by acclaimed saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed that blends funk, jazz, and hip-hop with D.C.’s indigenous sound of go-go, on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; and the duo acoustic performance “Andes to Romance” by Ernesto Bravo & Juan Cayrampoma, on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. The series runs to Feb. 2. ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Ave. Tickets are $20 to $22 per performance. Call 703-436-9948 or visit creativecauldron.org.

VANESSA WILLIAMS IN LET FREEDOM RING!

The famous Grammy- and Tony-nominated performer leads this year’s free musical celebration honoring Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy, courtesy of the Kennedy Center and Georgetown University. Also on the bill is the Let Freedom Ring Choir with music director Rev. Nolan Williams Jr. The 16th annual John Thompson Legacy of a Dream Award will be presented to Steve Park, executive director and founder of D.C.’s Little Lights Urban Ministries. Monday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Free tickets will be given away two per person on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 4:30 p.m. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

VERONNEAU

The globally inspired jazz band, led by Canadian vocalist Lynn Veronneau and including her husband guitarist Ken Avis, returns to Blues Alley for a CD Release Party. Violin virtuoso Dave Kline and legendary D.C. bassist John Previti will join as special guests. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $26, plus $12 minimum purchase. Call 202-337-4141 or visit bluesalley.com.

WHITE FORD BRONCO

What the Legwarmers are to the ’80s, this party band is to the ’90s, cheekily named after O.J. Simpson’s notorious failed getaway car. Playing through that decade’s songbook in all styles of popular music is a five-member ensemble consisting of singer/guitarist Diego Valencia, singer Gretchen Gustafson, guitarists Ken Sigmund and McNasty, and drummer Max Shapiro. The group becomes one of the first to perform at Union Stage, a small music club in the District Wharf created by the owners of Virginia’s Jammin’ Java. Saturday, Jan. 20. Doors at 7 p.m. 740 Water St. SW. Tickets are $25 to $35. Call 877-987-6487 or visit unionstage.com.

WICKED JEZABEL

Pauline Anson-Dross’ popular lesbian all-covers party-rock band Wicked Jezabel has been rocking — as well as raising money for various good causes — all over the region for a decade now, originally under the name The Outskirts of Town. Saturday, Jan. 20, at 9 p.m. JV’s Restaurant, 6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church. Call 703-241-9504 or visit jvsrestaurant.com.

Jane Franklin Dance: Forty or Minus — Photo: C Stanley Photography

DANCE

COMPANY|E, ROBERT J. PRIORE: BERNSTEIN INSPIRATIONS

The D.C.-based contemporary dance group teams up with the local up-and-coming gay choreographer for a Kennedy Center collaboration, part of its “Leonard Bernstein at 100” series. I Never Dreamed It Could Be Like This: Inspirations is an hour-long dance work bringing together choreography by Priore with recorded music and spoken word by Bernstein intended to showcase his legacy as a composer, as a conductor, and as a man. Friday, Jan. 19, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 and 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Theater Lab. Tickets are $25. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

JANE FRANKLIN DANCE: FORTY+ OR MINUS

Local youth as well as adults over age 40 will be mixed up for a multi-generational exploration of what it means to be of “your generation,” exploring technological concepts both current and outdated, from VHS to MP4. Saturday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 18, at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Theatre on the Run, 3700 South Four Mile Run Dr. Arlington. Tickets are $5 to $22. Call 703-933-1111 or visit janefranklin.com.

KANKOURAN WEST AFRICAN DANCE COMPANY

As part of its annual presentation celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, Kankouran invites guests to explore Africa in Bolo (Bridge of Togetherness), a new work touted as a breathtaking journey into the influences that African dance and culture has had on contemporary dance styles. Led by the company’s co-founder and artistic director Assane Konte, the concert features the senior and junior companies of KanKouran as well as the children’s company and the community class. Saturday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 14, at 4 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.

ONOE KIKUNOJYO, ONOE SCHOOL OF DANCE: DANCER OF JAPAN

Japanese classical dancer and choreographer Onoe Kikunojyo III returns to the U.S. as the Grand Master of the prestigious Onoe School of Dance. A dance ensemble of four performs a series of dramatic dance theater portrayals of legendary events as a toast to the newly renovated Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center with a nod to the 1979 opening performance of the original Terrace Theater by the Grand Kabuki Troupe of Japan. Sunday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are $25 to $100. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

COMEDY

IMPROBABLE COMEDY: STANDUP AT HIGHWOOD

Wendy Wrobeski, a DC Improv regular, offers jokes along with Franqi French and Matty Litwack in the latest of a monthly series in Maryland. Saturday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. Highwood Theatre, 914 Silver Spring Ave. Tickets are $20 online, or $25 at the door. Call 301-351-2096 or visit improbablecomedy.com.

LOUIS KATZ

As seen in appearances on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, HBO’s Down & Dirty with Jim Norton and Comedy Central’s Comedy Underground with Dave Attell, Katz deftly combines highbrow and lowbrow humor. Sunday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center Family Theater. Tickets are free, distributed in the Hall of States starting at approximately 5 p.m. on the day of the performance. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER: ROAD SHOW

D.C.’s leading company for longform improv offers a “Wintry Mix,” a series of vignettes featuring different ensembles, with each plot developed on-the-fly, spurred by a single audience suggestion. Opens Thursday, Jan. 11. Weekends to Feb. 4. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are $12 in advance, or $15 at the door. Call 202-462-7833 or visit witdc.org.

READINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

ED YONG: I CONTAIN MULTITUDES

With humor and wit, the Atlantic science writer offers a look into the microbes that live within and all around us, working in tandem to make us who we are. A New York Times bestseller upon its hardover release in 2016, Yong drops by for a discussion and reading to further delve into the multitudinous microbiome.

Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit kramers.com.

EMILY DUFTON: GRASS ROOTS — THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE OF MARIJUANA IN AMERICA

Lest you think legalized marijuana is only a matter of when, not if, Dufton presents a comprehensive history of the substance. The George Washington University alum points out that American society was in a similar place in the 1970s, when a dozen states had decriminalized pot and more were in the offing. And then the Reagans launched the successful and multi-pronged War on Drugs campaign casting marijuana as a dangerous gateway drug. Despite increasing research showing the drug’s medical benefits, among other advances, Dufton suggests reality is more sobering and unpredictable. Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.

KRISTA SUH: DIY RULES FOR A WTF WORLD

Almost one year ago, Krista Suh helped fashion a “sea of pink” through the knitting of pink “pussyhats” during the Women’s March. Now the creator of the Pussyhat Project has put forth the guide DIY Rules for a WTF World: How to Speak Up, Get Creative and Change the World. Suh shares her tips, experiences and knitting patterns as a way to try to inspire other women to create their own path to joy, success, and impact. She discusses the manifesto in an event co-sponsored by anti-war feminist group CodePink. Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. Busboys & Poets, Cullen Room, 1025 5th St. NW. Call 202-789-2227 or visit busboysandpoets.com.

WHEN TO JUMP: MIKE LEWIS, U.S. REP BRENDAN BOYLE, DEESHA DYER

When to Jump is the title of a podcast and a new book — subtitled If the Job You Have Isn’t the Life You Want — overseen by a young, Ivy League-educated investment manager who jumped ship to become a professional squash player, and in the process became a bestselling author and motivational speaker. Kramerbooks co-presents a live edition of the podcast with Lewis — not to be confused with Moneyball author Michael Lewis — and guests U.S. Rep. Brendan F. Boyle, a son of first-generation Irish immigrants and the first Democrat elected to represent his Republican-leaning suburban district, and Deesha Dyer, the former Obama Administration Social Secretary and now head of beGirl.world, focused on empowering teenage girls around the world. Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. Dupont Underground, 1500 19th St. NW. General admission is $15, or $30 with a copy of the book. Visit dupontunderground.org.

TALK OF THE HILL WITH BILL PRESS: REP. JACKIE SPEIER

As part of his regular Hill Center series discussing hot-button issues of the day, veteran Capitol Hill reporter Bill Press next engages U.S. Rep Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) for what promises to be a particularly timely, insightful conversation. Speier started her congressional career 40 years ago as a staffer for Rep. Leo Ryan, who was killed in the infamous Jonestown Massacre in the jungle of Guyana. Speier was with Ryan on that fateful, fact-finding trip, and survived being shot five times. Heralded as one of 150 “Fearless Women” by Newsweek in 2012, Speier has recently jumped into the fray on the topic of sexual assault — revealing her #MeToo experience from those days as a congressional staffer, adding another layer to her fascinating life. Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Tickets are $10. Call 202-549-4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org.

Johannes Vermeer: Woman with a Pearl Necklace, c. 1662-65

EXHIBITS

ADRIENNE GAITHER: HOW I GOT OVER

Transformer’s 15th Annual DC Artist Solo Exhibition features paintings and collage works recounting the artist’s personal recovery from traumatic events in her life. A series of lively, varied, and imaginative works, with undertones of violence and trauma, and shapes and colors recalling specific emotions.

Opening reception is Saturday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. Artist Talk on Feb. 3. On exhibit to Feb. 24. Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. Call 202-483-1102 or visit transformerdc.org.

ART14 WINTER 2017: LUCINDA FRIENDLY MURPHY

The winter edition of the seasonal art series at the Coldwell Banker Dupont/Logan office focuses on a series of large paintings by this Mid City Artist grouped under the title The Art of Evolution. Murphy’s work is an exploration of the mysteries of evolution from the Big Bang to our big brains, with a more recent focus on images reflecting large cosmic interactions and small neurons in the brain. On display through February. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 1617 14th St. NW. Call 202-387-6180 or visit facebook.com/midcityartists.

IMAGING FREEDOM: REFLECTIONS OF RESISTANCE AND JOY

A Black Artists of D.C. exhibition featuring 2D and 3D images by 12 artists declaring freedom through resistance, collected experience and past reflection. Daniel Brooking, James Brown, Jr., Summer Brown, Abiodun Eniyandunni, T.H. Gomillion, Francine Haskins, Esther Iverem, Magruder Murray, Alanzo Robles-Gordon, Russell Simmons, James Terrell, and Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell are all represented in the exhibition, curated by Rhea Beckett. Closes Sunday, Jan. 14. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

MARLENE DIETRICH: DRESSED FOR THE IMAGE

From her very first Hollywood film — the Josef von Sternberg’s 1930 drama, Morocco, which earned the actress her only Academy Award nomination — Dietrich “was able to introduce to a very conservative, American, puritan population the idea of accepting women being attracted to other women,” says National Portrait Gallery historian Kate Lemay. Dressed for the Image charts the actress’s career, longevity, and influence on everyone from Madonna and Jane Lynch to Janelle Monae. It includes details about the 1955 outing of the German-born actress as bisexual. On exhibit through April 15, 2018. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.

QUIQUE AVILES: EL ACORDEON

A collection of 10 short poems written, folded and bound by the El Salvador-born D.C. poet and actor is the focus of a new exhibition in the District of Columbia Arts Center. Identity, migration, the idea of belonging and the vagaries of everyday life are the subject of these mini-accordion books, featuring interior layout and design by Fidel Salvador Medrano. Through Jan. 21, when the show ends with an artist talk and closing reception. Nano Gallery, 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

POE & PUCK: STRATHMORE JURIED EXHIBITION

Strathmore’s 27th annual juried exhibition called on artists to submit works inspired by the romance, dreams, and mysterious themes of two iconic authors. Artists represented include Winifred Anthony, Ken Bachman, Vaughn Clay, Nella Fischer, Rebecca Hirsh, Bruce Morgan, Hamid Nouri, Irina Parshikova, and William Peirce. Opening reception is Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. On display through March 4. The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

THE ODYSSEY: BRIAN DAILEY’S DIGITAL WORK

The Dupont Underground brings together a cross-section of the artist’s recent work in digital media encapsulating the remarkable odyssey of his life and the many surprising twists and turns he has explored. Through Jan. 15. Dupont Underground, 1500 19th St. NW. Suggested donation of $5. Visit dupontunderground.org.

VERMEER AND THE MASTERS OF GENRE PAINTING

A landmark exhibition examining the artistic exchanges among Johannes Vermeer and his contemporaries in the 17th century, when they reached the height of their technical ability and mastery of depictions of daily life. Quiet scenes unfolding in private households and featuring elegant ladies and gentlemen were among the most striking aspects of Dutch painting of this Golden Age, a time of innovation and prosperity. In conjunction with the National Gallery of Ireland and the Louvre in Paris, the exhibition features 70 works by Vermeer, Gerard ter Borch, Gerrit Dou, Pieter de Hooch, Gabriël Metsu, Frans van Mieris, Caspar Netscher and Jan Steen. Through Jan. 21. West Building of National Gallery of Art, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-842-6716 or visit nga.gov.

BRUNCHES

18TH & U DUPLEX DINER: HAUTE DISH DRAG BRUNCH

A good time for a good cause, Haute Dish is drag brunch with the kind of twist you’d expect from the popular LGBTQ-owned and operated Duplex Diner. Food & Friends gets proceeds as patrons get food, drinks, favorite hits as spun by DJ Wesley Della Volla, and lip-sync entertainment for days: Kate Symes from Washington Improv Theater guest hosts a show featuring KC B. Yonce’, Goldie Grigio, S’Vage Evergreen, Anne G. O’Plasty, Judy from HR, Mindy Nao, Holly Cost, Regyna, and Kiana (aka regular Diner DJ Adam Koussari-Amin). Saturday, Jan. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. 18th and U Duplex Diner, 2004 18th St. NW. Tickets are $45 and include one brunch entree and one champagne cocktail or glass of wine, with additional drink specials, including mimosa pitchers, available at extra cost. Call 202-265-9599 or visit duplexdiner.com.

LA BOUM

Launched seven years ago at L’Enfant Cafe, the incredibly popular boozy brunch/day party known as La Boum has only gotten bigger and boum-ier in recent years — even earning a nod as one of Bravo TV’s “Top 5 Raging Brunches in the U.S.” Having moved the party to larger, swankier digs south of Dupont Circle last year, organizers are kicking off 2018 this Saturday, Jan. 13, at yet another swanky spot in the Golden Triangle district, this one brand-spanking new to boot. Speaking of spanking, the self-billed “revolutionary-style brunch” welcomes patrons of all genders and sexual orientations for a multi-course dinner and four hours of drinking, dancing to a DJ, and doing “everything they weren’t allowed to do under pure parental supervision as young adults.” Tickets remain only for the Sunday brunches on Jan. 14 and Jan. 21. Sunday, Jan. 28., is the official 7th anniversary party. Abigail Room, 1230 M St. NW. Tickets are $32.50 to $35 per person, plus 20-percent gratuity and drinks. Call 240-286-4286 or visit laboumbrunch.com.

SIR SUNDAYS AT SAX

Penn Quarter’s Moulin Rouge-inspired restaurant Sax offers movement-based spectacles, including aerial stunts, hip-hop group routines, pole performances, and burlesque, to add excitement beyond the food. And male burlesque is the showcase every Sunday during brunch, as a group of male professional dancers, aerialists, and bodybuilders perform full-length shows, accompanied by unlimited mimosas delivered by by table service studs. Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sax Restaurant & Lounge, 734 11th St. NW. Tickets are $50 to $65 including appetizers and unlimited mimosas. Call 202-737-0101 or visit sirmaleburlesque.com.

FOOD

SHOP MADE IN DC CAFE

Launched in October as a way to showcase local brands, this offshoot of the city’s Made in DC initiative offers a rotating crop of homegrown products in a range of categories, from home goods to clothing to food and drink. In a Dupont Circle locale formerly home to an outpost of national chain Baja Fresh, the city’s burgeoning local fast-casual scene is on prominent display all day, every day. The in-store cafe regularly serves Small Planes coffee and Bullfrog Bagels breakfast sandwiches, with a drink lineup overseen by Greg Engert of Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Birch & Barley, Bluejacket). Throughout January, the cafe is also serving soup and smoothies from two women-owned business enterprises, led by “Soup Ladies” Valerie Zweig and Taryn Pellicone. The Prescription Chicken business partners and cousins are dishing out bowls of soup in varieties including Faux Pho, Creamy Old Bay Chicken, and their signature Bipartisan, a blend of matzah ball with chicken noodle. (They’re also testing out a sister concept, Gertie’s Yummy Yogurt Bowls.) Meanwhile, you can also order organic cold-pressed juices and smoothies from Indira Ruiz and Theresa Weber’s line of Jinsei Juice, whether berry-rich Vitality or the savory fruit/veggie blend The Hulk. Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. Shop Made in DC, 1330 19th St. NW. Visit shopmadeindc.com.

NIGHTLIFE

BALTIMORE EAGLE: 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a year, but the dramatically revived Baltimore Eagle is going all out for a weekend-long toast to those who’ve made it the best nest around. The “Customer Appreciation Celebration” will feature various events and parties, a special appearance by the woofy Paul Logan aka Wolverine, and prizes and giveaways, culminating in a $1,000 Drawing on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 5 p.m. Patrons will be automatically entered into the drawing starting on Friday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. Call 410-200-9858 or visit thebaltimoreeagle.com.

GAY/BASH: GOTHNIGHT

Josh Vogelsong started his monthly alternative drag-focused party more than six years ago at the Black Cat, but it wasn’t until it moved to Trade a year ago that it became what he had long envisioned it could be. “It’s what I’ve always wanted: People show up in looks, everybody comes dressed up,” Vogelsong says. “Everybody gets crazy during the show. You can just spray beer on the crowd, and they’d cheer and love it. It’s wild.” The first Gay/Bash of 2018 is a dark and decidedly alternative affair, with performances in black from Vogelsong per his drag alter-ego Donna Slash, Salvadora Dali, Jaxknife Complex, Jane Saw, and Porcelain from Philadelphia, with the Barber Streisand supplying the edgy soundtrack. Saturday, Jan. 20. Doors at 10 p.m., with shows at 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Trade, 1410 14th St. NW. Call 202-986-1094 or visit facebook.com/gaybashdc.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

PRETTY BOI DRAG: 2ND ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Two years ago former DC King Pretty Rik E set out to revive the art of drag kings in D.C. Since then, there have been over 20 Pretty Boi Drag shows, over brunch or during nighttime parties, featuring nearly two dozen local drag kings. For the next event, a Sunday afternoon anniversary party, patrons can win tickets to future shows as well as “Pretty Boi Swag.” Sunday, Jan. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m. Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22nd St. NW. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door. Call 202-293-1887 or visit prettyboidrag.com.

SUPER ART FIGHT: 10 DAMN YEARS – DC

Birthed a decade ago at Katsucon, the annual anime convention held at the Gaylord in National Harbor, Super Art Fight is self-styled as “the greatest live art competition in the known universe.” Participating artists, most of them with a cartoonist bent, set out to one-up each other through sheer force of charm and creativity, developing popular, outsized personas a la professional wrestling while improvising sketches on a mural-sized canvas set up in front of a live audience. The crowd determines both the subjects to be drawn, per a “Wheel of Death” topic generator, and the ultimate winner. Having grown well beyond Katsucon to become an increasingly national phenomenon, organizers will kick off the 10th anniversary season of events by helping christen D.C.’s newest venue in the DC Wharf. Saturday, Jan. 13. Doors at 8 p.m. Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 877-987-6487 or visit unionstage.com.

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