THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
THEATER: Dogfight continues its run at the Keegan Theatre. With music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and book by Peter Duchan, the musical follows a trio of Marines during the Vietnam War. But it’s not your typical heading-to-war story. The group is in the midst of a cruel contest: Who can snag the most unattractive date? Of course, nothing goes according to plan. (The show’s directors, Christina Coakley and Michael Innocenti, are getting married onstage after the September 5 show.) $35 to $45, 8 PM.
MUSEUMS: Photojournalism meets fashion at this month’s Phillips After Five at the Phillips Collection. Expect classy cocktails by Stir Bartending Co. mixologists, Saks Fifth Avenue beauty and fragrance stations, and music by “Fashionista DJ” Heather Femia. In addition to the typical gallery discussions, attendees will learn about upcoming fall trends from models and fashionistas. $12, 5 PM.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
FILM: Outdoor movie season is not over yet thanks to the Columbia Heights Initiative. Tonight they’re screening Ghostbusters at Harriet Tubman Elementary. The first film in Harold Ramis and Dan Akroyd’s trilogy is getting a reboot starring Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. Let’s hope Gozer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man stay home for this one. Free, dusk.
FESTIVAL: September 4 through 13, the Kennedy Center presents Finding a Line: Skateboarding, Music, and Media. The festival celebrates the symbiotic relationship between music and skateboarding through hand-painted skateboard deck exhibits, live music by the likes of DC punkers Loud Boyz, and “open skate sessions,” where skateboarders can show off their skills on a bowl especially commissioned for the Kennedy Center. Free, 6 PM.
MUSIC: Ruby Rose has long been a popular actress and model in her native Australia, but as Piper’s smouldering love interest in the newest season of Orange is the New Black, she’s earned a whole new fanbase in the US. She’s playing a DJ set at Echostage tonight, which promises to be equal parts dance-worthy and swoon-worthy. $25, 9 PM.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
BOOKS: It’s the best event for DC book nerds: the National Book Festival. Festival-goers can attend authors talks, pick up signed novels, and discover writers they may have never heard of. The author list is pretty expansive, but highlights include astronaut Buzz Aldrin, National Book Award winner Louise Erdrich, and Mexican activist, poet, and author Homero Aridjis. Free, 9 AM.
THEATER: The weekly webcomic A Softer World started in 2003 and earned a reputation for its deeply funny and ironic comic strips. Though photographer Emily Horne and writer Joey Comeau no longer work on the project, Rorschach Theatre has taken its essence and turned it into a play called Truth & Beauty Bombs. The play will run at Atlas Performing Arts Center through October 4, but this week you can check out the “pay what you can” performances. Tickets are only available at the door or by phone. Pay what you can, 8 PM.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
THEATER: Brian Feldman’s #txtshow returns to the American Poetry Museum at the Center for Poetic Thought. Feldman plays a character named txt, and each performance is different from the next: Shows are based on audience requests delivered via Twitter. $20, 7 PM.
MUSIC: Spread out a blanket, bring some snacks, and ease your way into the long weekend with Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, who play Wolf Trap’s Filene Center. The fast-fingered musicians offer something for everyone, with songs that have touches of jazz and even heavy metal. $35 to $65, 8 PM.
