Adam Green and Euan Morton star in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s staging of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Photograph by Scott Suchman.
Thursday, January 26
ART: Art Soiree hosts Apocalyptoon 2012’s opening reception at the Artisphere. The pop-up exhibit will feature works from the country’s top cartoonists, including the Washington Post’s Tom Toles, the Economist’s Kal, and MSNBC’s Daryl Cagle. Guests can enjoy live music, complimentary snacks, and a cash bar. Tickets ($25) can be purchased through the Artisphere’s website. 6 PM. The exhibition runs through January 29.
THEATER: Don’t miss opening night of Josephine Tonight! at MetroStage. Directed and choreographed by Maurice Hines, the musical follows Josephine Baker’s journey from small-town girl to French movie star. Tickets for tonight’s pay-what-you-can performance are available at the door; tickets for future performances ($45 to $50) can be purchased through Box Office Tickets. 8 PM. The play runs through March 18.
MUSIC: Clarinetist Jörg Widmann joins the National Symphony Orchestra in “Armonica.” The program will also feature works by Mozart and Schubert. Tickets ($20 to $85) can be purchased through the Kennedy Center’s website. 7 PM. The show runs though January 29.
Jazz-funk artist Roy Ayers performs at Blues Alley tonight. The venerable musician has brought us hits including “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” “Running Away,” and “We Live In Brooklyn, Baby.” Tickets ($40) can be purchased through the club’s website. 10 PM.
Friday, January 27
THEATER: If you haven’t already, head to Lansburgh Theatre for Shakespeare Theatre Company’s staging of The Two Gentlemen of Verona . In the comedy, two friends travel to Milan, only to end up falling in love with the same woman. Read our review here. Tickets ($39 to $90) can be purchased through the theater’s website.
DANCE: John Heginbotham, a member of the Mark Morris Dance Group, gives a free performance at the Kennedy Center set to music by Daft Punk. In 2010, the Juilliard graduate received a Jerome Robbins Foundation fellowship grant. 6 PM.
MUSIC: Crowded Streets are dropping by Rams Head Live tonight. The Dave Matthews tribute band will be joined by John Kadle, Nayas, and On the Bus. Tickets ($10) can be purchased through the event’s website. 8 PM.
BOOKS: Journalist Deborah Scroggins signs copies of her new book, Wanted Women, at Politics and Prose. The book explores the relationship between Muslim women’s rights, Islamist opposition to the West, and the global war on terror. Free. 7 PM.
Saturday, January 28
BENEFIT: Are you willing to take a dip in the Chesapeake Bay’s frigid waters for a good cause? Then head to Sandy Point State Park for the 16th annual MSP Polar Bear Plunge. Participants and spectators can enjoy live music, carnival games, a costume contest, and more. Proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics of Maryland. Participants can register (with a minimum of $50 in pledges) through the event’s website.
DANCE: Rennie Harris Puremovement celebrates their 20th anniversary with a performance at Dance Place. Led by Guggenheim Fellow Rennie Harris, the company is credited with bringing hip-hop dance into the mainstream. Tickets ($22) can be purchased through the studio’s website. 8 PM. The show runs through January 29.
MUSIC: Alto saxophonist Antonio Hart joins organist Bobby Floyd at the Kennedy Center. Hart, a Baltimore native, plays regularly with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. Tickets ($26 to $30) can be purchased through the KenCen’s website. 9:30 PM.
If you’re in the mood for something edgier, deejay and co-owner of U Street Musical Hall Will Eastman performs tonight. He’ll be joined by Walker & Royce and Lxsx Frxnk. Tickets ($10) can be purchased through U Street’s website. 10 PM.
Sunday, January 29
ART: The National Gallery of Art’s new exhibition, “Picasso’s Drawings, 1890–1921: Reinventing Tradition,” opens today. The collection, which features some 55 works, explores Picasso’s artistic development over a 30-year period. Free. The exhibition runs through May 6.
PARADE: While China officially welcomed the Year of the Dragon on Monday, Washingtonians can celebrate during Chinatown’s annual New Year parade. Spectators can expect dragon floats, dancing, live music, and more. The celebration will take place along Sixth and I streets. 2 PM. Free.
MUSIC: Billboard-topping pianist Simone Dinnerstein performs at Strathmore. The program will feature works by Schumann, Bach, Brahms, Felsenfeld, and Chopin. Tickets ($23 to $85) can be purchased through the venue’s website. 7 PM.
FILM: Poetry lovers can catch a free screening of The Furious Force of Rhymes at the Shirlington Busboys and Poets. The award-winning film explores the use of hip-hop as a form of protest. Watch the trailer here. 7 PM. Free.
