Friday, June 22, 2012

Embassy of Argentina opening tonight, a Folger lecture series, Jazz on the roof and Cape Spin

The beautiful and friendly Embassy of Argentina in Dupont Circle has an opening tonight from 6:30 to 8pm. Artist Rosana Azar was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied art with well known Argentinian artists; she had a successful career, exhibiting widely around the country, before moving to Washington, DC area 22 years ago.


I was at the Folger Monday night for the first in a series of three free talks/small receptions to coincide with their Open City London (1500-1700) exhibit. The third one, on Monday night, July 30, looks especially good. Actors from DC’s Taffety Punk Theatre Company will present a staged reading of excerpts of The Roaring Girl, a bold, brilliant play by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker. The play was first produced in 1611 and was restaged famously in the 1980s by the Royal Shakespeare Company. You need to register to go - here's the link

Art Soiree impressed me with a huge night last week where local artists decorated the boarding around the Fountain at Washington Harbor in Georgetown with some incredible art (including our own Belen Boya). It will be up through this weekend if you get a chance to get down there. They will be also doing a series of Thursday night jazz for $10 on the rooftop at the Beacon Sky Bar. http://theartsoiree.com/.  

Our friend Josh Levin at the West End Cinema  has produced a new film called CAPE SPIN, which is opening in Washington, DC starting tonight at his theater. The film provides an excellent, funny and balanced look at the most controversial renewable energy proposal ever pursued in the United States -- the Cape Wind installation in Massachusetts. Here's a link.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

$15 tickets for First You Dream

The Kennedy Center is offering tickets at the special price of $15.00 for performances of the First You Dream on June 19-22.  I really enjoye dthis show.

Tickets are regularly as high as $90.00.
You can click here and your discount will appear automatically. If you call or stop by the Box Office for the discount, be sure to mention Offer Number "142347."








Monday, June 18, 2012

Bachelorette entertains at Studio and Constellations opens at Art Museum of the Americas

I saw Bachelorette last night at Studio Theater. It's a well-done, entertaining production that features 6 good younger actors which is nice to see.  It's not great though. The play is kind of Neil LaBute light - she goes for it a little bit - in terms of meanness - but not to the extent LaBute does.  Characters are also a bit one-dimensional which doesn't help.  It's nice to see one of the two guys there for easy sex beg off and show true concern. But one guy is wonderful and the other sleazy - kind of same for the women.  That all being said, you will not be bored over the play's fast-moving 90 minutes.

Constellations is the name of the new show at the Art Museum of the Americas and it's opening is Thursday, June 21. They have some of the nicest openings in DC, though a really hot day could work against sipping wine in their beautiful backyard.

201 18th St., NW (near Constitution Ave)
June 21 at 6 pm
Free

Friday, June 15, 2012

Open City: London - Free Talk and Reception at Folger

Free Summer Talk!
Open City: London 1500-1700
This Monday, June 18 at 7pm in the theatre!

followed by a reception and viewing of the exhibition
John Schofield on St. Paul’s Cathedral Before Christopher Wren
St. Paul’s Cathedral was built to the design of English architect Sir Christopher Wren as part of a major rebuilding program following the 1666 Great Fire of London. However, Wren’s magnificent structure is only the most recent in a succession of Anglo-Saxon and medieval cathedrals on the site. Dr. John Schofield, the Cathedral Archaeologist for St. Paul’s Cathedral, will discuss how recent archaeological and historical research is now reconstructing the pre-Wren medieval cathedral. Reserve your seat here.



Thursday, June 14, 2012

Theresa Andersson at The Hamilton

Saturday night at the Hamilton Theater Theresa Andersson plays for just $17. She's wonderful. Here's the link to the site.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

First You Dream at Kennedy Center Rings OUR Bells

I guess I was about 12 when I first swooned over the music of Kander and Ebb. I'm not sure of the order, but let's say that I saw the Oscar-winning film Cabaret first with Liza Minnelli, and then the TV special Liza With a Z. For the film, Kander and Ebb needed a new song and wow, did they deliver with Maybe This Time. Then for the special, they needed something a little lighter for Liza and wrote Ring Them Bells.

It's interesting that in the new musical at the Kennedy Center called First You Dream: The Music of Kander and Ebb - I was lucky enough to see the initial performance last night - those two numbers deliver the highest impact. Ring Them Bells finishes a first act that introduces us to the six performers and goes through many of the musicals that this dynamic duo wrote. But like a strong surge that finishes a first half for a basketball team, Ring Them Bells sets up a powerhouse second act: Cabaret, the amazing Cell Block Tango from Chicago, New York, New York and, of course, Maybe This Time ("Everybody loves a winner..."). Patina Miller, fresh off of Sister Act on Broadway, will be a star, so you can say I saw her here first. Of the men, Matthew Scott tenors a very smooth Cabaret, and Alan H. Green gives us some funny moments.

There should be some discounht tickets available as the run proceeds. There's also a Yahoo Group from the Kennedy Center Ticket Office that gives out reduced and complimentary tickets. (Here's the link.)  That's where I got mine. 


Monday, June 4, 2012

Opening Reception at Hemphill Friday

One of the best galleries in the city has an opening Friday.
HEMPHILL

1515 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20005
William Willis: Keeping It Alive
Steven Cushner: Works on Paper
Opening Reception:
Friday, June 8, 2012, 6:00pm—8:00pm






Friday, June 1, 2012

A Red Carpet Reception and New Film for $12!

This sounds pretty good.

Arrange to Settle
Red Carpet Screening June 7, 2012
Where: The Movies in Montgomery Mall
7101 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817
(Follow the signs for The Movies, parking garage under the food court)
When: 8:00pm on Thursday June 7, 2012
(Reception, press, pictures preceding the screening starting at 6pm.)
$12
Buy your tickets here.
Arrange to Settle is a feature film about an Indian girl that decides to get an arranged marriage following a series of failed relationships. Even though her father gives her an “out” before the invitations go out, she commits to going through with it. After making this commitment, she meets, Justin, the man of her dreams.

The film focuses on the social scene of Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas to include the kickball culture, art galleries, and popular local restaurants. The film features a “must-have” soundtrack featuring the best local bands from Washington, D.C.