Happy May, DC!
May brings embassy tours, outdoor movies, and major music festivals to the area. Also, Yaya Bey is live in concert, and there’s vintage photographs and books to observe at National Gallery of Art’s new exhibit. Here’s a list of some cool events you won’t want to miss:
10 Best Things to Do in DC
by Pat Padua
Books
Karen Valby
May 3
Politics and Prose (Connecticut Avenue)
In her new book, The Swans of Harlem, the author tells the story of five Black ballerinas whose groundbreaking history with Dance Theatre of Harlem has long been untold. Valby will be joined by founding company members Lydia Abarca Mitchell (on the left, performing with Derek Williams) and Sheila Rohan, along with later dancers Marcia Lynn Sells and Karlya Shelton-Benjamin.
Books
Amy Tan
May 4
Politics and Prose (Connecticut Avenue)
The Joy Luck Club author finds solace and profound meaning in nature, and in this account of her birdwatching experiences, she observes feathered creatures with the same insight she brings to her human characters. The book is illustrated by Tan’s own sketches of the wildlife she sees outside her window.
Museums
“Photography and the Book Arts From the 21st Editions Collection”
May 6–August 29
National Gallery of Art
The 21st Editions book imprint has for 25 years paired the work of photographers like Sally Mann and Arthur Tress with writers like Shakespeare and Walt Whitman. With shimmering platinum prints, these exquisite volumes are a rebuke to the very notion of the digital book. The NGA’s library will display 12 of the titles. The Bridge, above, has text by Hart Crane and photos by Sheila Metzner.
Theater
Problems Between Sisters
May 8
Studio Theatre
Two pregnant sisters–one an artist, the other a small-time thief–are making plans. The question is: Do they work on an art show or a heist? Julia May Jonas’s world premiere, part of a five-play cycle that recasts landmark male-centered plays with female characters, riffs on the fraught sibling dynamic of Sam Shepard’s True West.
Opera
Turandot
May 11–25
Kennedy Center
In Puccini’s unfinished 1924 opera, the eponymous princess asks potential suitors to answer three questions to win her hand; a wrong answer means death. The plot seems at once ancient and modern, its quest not unlike a video game. So it’s appropriate that the conclusion of this new adaptation has been conceived by video-game composer Christopher Tin, along with playwright and screenwriter Susan Soon He Stanton.
Museums
“OSGEMEOS: Endless Story”
May 18, 2024–July 6, 2025
Hirshhorn Museum
Identical-twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo (their collective name, OSGEMEOS, is Portuguese for “twins”) are known for public murals and large-scale installations that have plastered urban Brazil with a world of fantastical characters. The Hirshhorn launches the first US survey of these bold, playful artists.
Music
Julia Holter
May 19
The Atlantis
Judging from its first track, “Sun Girl,” the singer-songwriter’s new album, Something in the Room She Moves, expands Holter’s baroque sensibilities with an even more adventurous palette. Her richly layered sonic soundscape will turn the intimate Atlantis into a dreamy wonderland perfect for a late-spring evening.
Books
Brody Mullins and Luke Mullins
May 22
Kennedy Center
The world of DC lobbying gets an unusually close look in The Wolves of K Street, by two journalist brothers. (Brody Mullins works at the Wall Street Journal, while Luke–a former Washingtonian senior writer–is at Politico.) The sometimes sordid history is filled with corruption and even murder.
Music
Yaya Bey
May 25
Union Stage
The Brooklyn singer marries old-school R&B with 21st-century sounds. “Chasing the Bus,” the lead single from the new album Ten Fold, riffs on the atmospheric Quiet Storm template, with lyrics of romantic desire doubling as a chronicle of Bey’s struggles in the music industry.
Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra will take on one of Gustav Mahler’s most challenging and rewarding works. Its conflicting moods seem to encompass the spectrum of the human condition.
Happy May, DC!
May brings embassy tours, outdoor movies, and major music festivals to the area. Also, Yaya Bey is live in concert, and there’s vintage photographs and books to observe at National Gallery of Art’s new exhibit. Here’s a list of some cool events you won’t want to miss:
Back to Top
10 Best Things to Do in DC
by Pat Padua
Books
Karen Valby
May 3
Politics and Prose (Connecticut Avenue)
In her new book, The Swans of Harlem, the author tells the story of five Black ballerinas whose groundbreaking history with Dance Theatre of Harlem has long been untold. Valby will be joined by founding company members Lydia Abarca Mitchell (on the left, performing with Derek Williams) and Sheila Rohan, along with later dancers Marcia Lynn Sells and Karlya Shelton-Benjamin.
Book
Amy Tan
May 4
Politics and Prose (Connecticut Avenue)
The Joy Luck Club author finds solace and profound meaning in nature, and in this account of her birdwatching experiences, she observes feathered creatures with the same insight she brings to her human characters. The book is illustrated by Tan’s own sketches of the wildlife she sees outside her window.
Museums
“Photography and the Book Arts From the 21st Editions Collection”
May 6–August 29
National Gallery of Art
The 21st Editions book imprint has for 25 years paired the work of photographers like Sally Mann and Arthur Tress with writers like Shakespeare and Walt Whitman. With shimmering platinum prints, these exquisite volumes are a rebuke to the very notion of the digital book. The NGA’s library will display 12 of the titles. The Bridge, above, has text by Hart Crane and photos by Sheila Metzner.
Theater
Problems Between Sisters
May 8
Studio Theatre
Two pregnant sisters–one an artist, the other a small-time thief–are making plans. The question is: Do they work on an art show or a heist? Julia May Jonas’s world premiere, part of a five-play cycle that recasts landmark male-centered plays with female characters, riffs on the fraught sibling dynamic of Sam Shepard’s True West.
Opera
Turandot
May 11–25
Kennedy Center
In Puccini’s unfinished 1924 opera, the eponymous princess asks potential suitors to answer three questions to win her hand; a wrong answer means death. The plot seems at once ancient and modern, its quest not unlike a video game. So it’s appropriate that the conclusion of this new adaptation has been conceived by video-game composer Christopher Tin, along with playwright and screenwriter Susan Soon He Stanton.
Museums
“OSGEMEOS: Endless Story”
May 18, 2024–July 6, 2025
Hirshhorn Museum
Identical-twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo (their collective name, OSGEMEOS, is Portuguese for “twins”) are known for public murals and large-scale installations that have plastered urban Brazil with a world of fantastical characters. The Hirshhorn launches the first US survey of these bold, playful artists.
Music
Julia Holter
May 19
The Atlantis
Judging from its first track, “Sun Girl,” the singer-songwriter’s new album, Something in the Room She Moves, expands Holter’s baroque sensibilities with an even more adventurous palette. Her richly layered sonic soundscape will turn the intimate Atlantis into a dreamy wonderland perfect for a late-spring evening.
Books
Brody Mullins and Luke Mullins
May 22
Kennedy Center
The world of DC lobbying gets an unusually close look in The Wolves of K Street, by two journalist brothers. (Brody Mullins works at the Wall Street Journal, while Luke–a former Washingtonian senior writer–is at Politico.) The sometimes sordid history is filled with corruption and even murder.
Music
Yaya Bey
May 25
Union Stage
The Brooklyn singer marries old-school R&B with 21st-century sounds. “Chasing the Bus,” the lead single from the new album Ten Fold, riffs on the atmospheric Quiet Storm template, with lyrics of romantic desire doubling as a chronicle of Bey’s struggles in the music industry.
Music
Noseda Conducts Mahler’s Seventh
May 30–June 1
Kennedy Center
Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra will take on one of Gustav Mahler’s most challenging and rewarding works. Its conflicting moods seem to encompass the spectrum of the human condition.
Back to Top
Want More Things to Do?
by Briana Thomas
Art and Culture:
- Author Nicole Chung is in conversation with local bookstagrammer Lupita Aquino at East City Bookshop (May 2, free, but registration required, virtual, Capitol Hill).
- Book-lovers can nerd out over antique manuscripts, historic documents, and unique maps at The Capital Rare Book Fair (May 3-5, $15 general admission, $50 for opening night, Downtown).
- Nancy Pelosi, Jake Sullivan, Bradley Whitford, and other guests are on the speaker lineup for the Financial Times Weekend Festival at The REACH (May 4, $149 for in-person, $109 for virtual, Kennedy Center).
- Explore jury-selected ceramics, furniture, glass, metal, leather, wearable art, basketry, and more at the Smithsonian Craft Show (May 1-5, $20 general admission, $250+ for preview party, Penn Quarter).
- This month, you can shop local makers, artists, and vintage vendors at Throw Social’s one-day pop-up market (May 11, free, Ivy City).
- Takoma Flea Market is an outdoor fair where repurposed goods, collectibles, antiques, clothing, and housewares are the main attractions (May 11, free, Takoma Park).
- Browse 114 booths of fine arts from local and national creators at the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival (May 11-12, free, Bethesda).
- The lead singer for Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna, arrives in DC to talk about her new memoir, Rebel Girl (May 15, $66 for ticket and book, Lincoln Theatre).
- Novelist and actress Miranda July’s new book All Fours follows a woman’s search for freedom (May 16, free, Northwest DC).
- Shop vendors, attend poetry forums, and join wellness services at DC Black Pride (May 24-27, free opening reception, prices vary for other activities, Downtown).
Community and Heritage:
- Travel around the world without leaving the city during Passport DC. All are welcome to dive into an array of international cultures on a guided embassy tour, or at a dance, music, or art program (May 1-31, free, various participating embassies and institutions).
- Author Erik Larson examines Abraham Lincoln’s presidential election and the days leading up to Fort Sumter (May 1, $50, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History).
- Flower Mart is back at the Washington National Cathedral. The family-friendly event features orchestra performances, dance, and a chance to shop flowers and plants to help support the cathedral’s gardens and grounds (May 3-4, free, Northwest DC).
- Take a day trip to Europe. The European Union and its embassies are opening their doors for guests to enjoy music and food from Italy, Portugal, and many more places (May 11, free, various participating embassies).
- Commemorate Asian Heritage Month at Fiesta Asia. The vibrant event showcases fashion, vendors, music, and art from the Asian community (May 18, free, Downtown).
- Participate in the motorcyclist demonstration Rolling to Remember to honor military veterans over Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26, donations welcome, Northwest DC).
- Stream the The National Memorial Day Concert from home (May 26, free, virtual).
- The National Memorial Day Parade will march down Constitution Avenue to pay homage to US service members (May 27, free, virtual, Downtown).
Shows and Performance:
- DC TV star Count Gore hosts a retro movie screening of Forbidden Planet at AFI Silver Theatre (May 4, $15, Silver Spring).
- In concert with more than 30 movie showings, there will be cultural performances at Edlavitch DCJCC by international groups for the JxJ Festival (May 9-19, prices vary, various locations).
- NoMa’s outdoor movie series at Alethia Tanner Park returns this month with showings of National Treasure, The Lost City, and more fun flicks (May 8, 15, 22, 29, free, NoMa).
- All-star comedian George Lopez takes the Kennedy Center stage (May 10-11, $39+, Kennedy Center).
- Chocolate City Records the Musical is a new drama-filled, go-go-infused production (May 10-11, $60+, U Street Corridor).
- Actor, producer, and comedian Marlon Wayans arrives at MGM National Harbor to perform a live standup show (May 11, $39+, National Harbor).
- See a revival of The Wizard of Oz at Hylton Performing Arts Center (May 11-12, $30, Manassas).
- Watch a free movie screening of The Color Purple (May 12, free, Kennedy Center).
- Ghanian comic Michael Blackson returns to DC Improv for a night of comedy (May 16-19, $55+, Downtown).
- Jesus Christ Superstar is celebrating its 50th anniversary at National Theatre (May 17-19, $59+, National Theatre).
- Bring a blanket and a friend to Adams Morgan Movie Nights (opens May 21, free, Adams Morgan).
- Comedian Felipe Esparza is sure to bring a ton of laughter and quips to DC Improv (May 24-26, $40+, Downtown).
Music:
- Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier performs at The Anthem (May 1, $50+, Wharf).
- CSS brings their 20th anniversary tour to Black Cat (May 3, $30+, Shaw).
- Rock group Chastity Belt plays rock tunes from their latest album, Live Laugh Love, at Black Cat (May 4, $20, Shaw).
- M3 Rock Festival turns 15 years old this month. To mark the occasion, metal fans will fill Merriweather Post Pavilion to watch veteran acts including Queensrÿche and Bret Michaels (May 4-5, $50+, Columbia).
- “The Spinnin Tour”—Madison Beer’s third concert tour—showcases tracks from her album Silence Between Songs (May 10, $55+, Langdon).
- Women jazz musicians collaborate in concert to commemorate the legacy of Mary Lou Williams (May 10-11, $46+, Kennedy Center).
- Soul vocalist and poet Kara Jackson sings at Songbyrd (May 12, $15+, Northeast DC).
- London duo Nova Twins plays eccentric sounds at Songbyrd (May 14, $20+, Northeast DC).
- You can see Cheekface, a music trio specializing in indie-pop tunes, live in concert at Atlantis (May 15, $20, Shaw).
- Legendary jazz group Sun Ra Arkestra is throwing a 100th birthday concert for band member Marshall Allen (May 19, $39, Alexandria).
Bites and Beverages:
- Taste new dishes and meet expert foodies during International City Food Festival (May 3-4, free, Downtown).
Things to Do With Kids:
- Enjoy Star Wars-themed music, character appearances, balloon twisters, caricaturists, face painters, and more at the Nationals’ Star Wars Weekend (May 3-5, $16+, Nationals Park).
- Long Way Down, a new musical based on author Jayson Reynold’s young adult novel, premieres at Olney Theatre (May 22 through June 23, $70+, Olney).
A version of this article appears in the May 2024 issue of Washingtonian.
