Through January 2
Check out 30 mini-plays, performed by the underground troupe the Neo-Futurists at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company all this month. The performance, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, is an annually updated version of a hit theater performance originating in Chicago, the Neo-Futurists’ hometown, more than two decades ago. The plays range from absurd to reflective and retain both an element of authenticity—none of the actors “pretend” to be anyone but themselves—and a tinge of the bizarre. Tuesday through Friday at 8, Saturday at 7 and 9, Sunday at 2. $30. The box office opens at 6:30 each evening, but get there early—lines start forming about an hour before.

Thursday, December 10
If you’re planning on seeing Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, go tonight. The satiric newspaper the Onion is hosting a free happy-hour event at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company to celebrate the show’s return. Complimentary Blue Moon starting at 5 makes this the best post-work deal in town. E-mail to RSVP. 

Friday, December 11
In the years before cinematic atrocities such as Juwanna Mann and The Hot Chick and before Robin Williams donned a fake chest in Mrs. Doubtfire, Dustin Hoffman was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Tootsie. The 1982 comedy, which has since been deemed culturally significant by the Library of Congress and preserved in the National Film Archive, follows a struggling actor who disguises himself as a woman to land a job as a television host. It’s playing for free at American City Diner (5532 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-244-1949). 8 PM. 

Saturday, December 12
Yes, the comedian Gallagher is still performing—and he’s coming to the Arlington Cinema ’N’ Drafthouse. In his heyday, the mallet-wielding Gallagher was starring in comedy specials regularly, although he hasn’t released anything since 2005’s Tropic of Gallagher. The show’s likely to appeal mostly to Gallagher fans of the ’80. 7:30; $30.

Palin bashers, this one’s for you. This weekend, the DC Theatre Collective is presenting The Palin Project, celebrating the end of Sarah Palin’s book tour. Inspired by William Shatner’s “poetic” recitations of Palin’s tweets and speeches, it’s a theatrical reading of selections from Going Rouge, a recent anthology of anti-Palin essays and articles collected by editors from the Nation. The reading starts at 10 in Busboys and Poets’ Langston Room. Going Rouge will be for sale. The show is free, but—in one last jab to Palin’s politics—a $10 donation is suggested to support Planned Parenthood of DC.
 
Sunday, December 13
It’s the season for giving, and one great way to do it locally—and get a few laughs—is to attend the fundraising comedy show Don’t Make Me Take Off My Earrings at the DC Arts Center. Reserve seats by calling 202-462-7833.. The headliner is the Washington-based standup Sampson, a gay comedian and activist named this year’s best comedian in velocity magazine. Other performers will be Keith “The Comedian” and standup/radio personality Freddi Vernell. Tickets are $10, or $8 for DC Arts Center members; a portion of the proceeds benefit T.H.E. Wanda Alston House, an organization supporting homeless GLBTQ teenagers. Bring items to donate: The shelter needs soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and washcloths. 7:30.

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