THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
COMEDY The District Improv Festival features three nights of shows and two days of workshops at the Source. See over 30 different groups from across the country including former Upright Citizens Brigade artistic director Kevin Mullaney’s group Mullaney Chain and DC favorites iMusical. Through September 29. $5-$25.
MUSEUMS Hang out at the National Portrait Gallery after hours at its “REMIX: The Future Is Female” event. As the title suggests, the evening celebrates women, so check out the “Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence” exhibit and hear female-centric tunes from DJ Farrah Flosscett. Free, 6 PM.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
BOOKS Journalist and Atlantic writer Ta-Nehisi Coates—who also once wrote locally for Washington City Paper—has published his first novel, The Water Dancer. Already named to Oprah’s Book Club, the story follows a young Virginia slave with strange powers and a fierce drive to reunite his family. The Between the World and Me author will do a reading at the Lincoln Theatre (Thursday 9/26 is already sold out). $45, 7 PM.
THEATER The world premiere of the play West By God opens Friday at the Keegan Theatre. Two families in the Appalachia region of West Virginia deal with issues of love, loss, and generational friction; playwright (and West Virginia native) Brandon McCoy also aims to illustrate the prejudices that many urbanites show against rural America. Through October 20. $41-$51.
MUSEUMS The Hirshhorn’s outdoor plaza will showcase 10 sculptures from Korean artist Lee Ufan. These works—titled “Lee Ufan: Open Dimension”—were created in response to the Hirshhorn’s architecture and it’s the first time that the museum has dedicated its outdoor space to a single artist. The exhibit continues indoors, where Ufan’s minimal paintings will be shown on the third floor. Take in the exhibit after work on its opening day as part of the Hirshhorn’s “Autumn Evenings” series. Exhibit: Through September 13, 2020. Autumn Evenings: 9/27, free, 5 PM.
THEATER Ford’s Theatre presents August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning drama Fences, one of his 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle series that received star-studded film treatment in 2016 with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis at the helm. The play follows a former Negro League baseball player who struggles to provide for his family in his new job as a sanitation worker. The story shows how his missteps affect his family and how they all struggle in a racist society. Through October 27. $20-$70.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
SHOPPING Get a jump start on your holiday shopping (and/or get some cool stuff just for you) at the 16th annual Washington City Paper’s Crafty Arts & Makers Festival at the Akridge Lot at Buzzard Point (near Audi Field). Formerly known as “Crafty Bastards,” the festival features nontraditional handmade goods: check out artwork made out of bottle caps (CapWorks), dog accessories (LunaBlu), and dozens of other vendors selling jewelry, baby gifts, ceramics, and more. Through September 29. $6-8 (single day) or $10-$13 (weekend pass).
ART ARTECHOUSE’s new interactive exhibit, “Lucid Motion,” embraces movement in three immersive installations that showcase the human form. Japanese artist group Rhizomatiks and Daito Manabe use technology to enhance human movement illustrated through dance performances. Through December 1. $8-$20.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
BASKETBALL The Washington Mystics have reached the WNBA Finals (again!) and will face the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 on Sunday at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Congress Heights. The Mystics were the top-seeded team heading into the playoffs this season with a 26-8 record and this is only the team’s second appearance in the finals in its 22-year franchise history. $210 and up, 3 PM.
MUSEUMS The National Gallery of Art has pulled together more than 70 examples of pastel art from its own collection for the new exhibit, “The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art.” See pieces from the Renaissance through the 21st century illustrating the history and techniques that artists have used over time. Through January 26.
BEER Try locally home-brewed beers at the eighth annual DC Homebrewers Fundraising BBQ at 3 Stars Brewing. Chat with homebrewers about the art (and science) of brewing different styles of beers, taste their creations, and get tips on how to brew in your own home. The event also features a raffle with prizes ranging from gift cards to private tours and tastings. $10 in advance or $15 at the door, 1 PM.
FESTIVAL Dive into the culture of Turkey at the Turkish Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets NW. Watch folk dancing, listen to Turkish music, shop at the Bazaar, and get a coffee fortune reading (which is like tea leaf reading, but with coffee grounds). There will also be arts and crafts activities for children. Free, 11 AM.
LAST CALL: Here’s what’s closing this weekend
“Newly Connected” closes 9/27 at the Korean Cultural Center.
