Apr
25
Sat
Strathmore 10th Anniversary Spring Gala @ Music Center at Strathmore
Apr 25 @ 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM

In this 10th anniversary week of opening its hallmark Music Center, Strathmore announces that iconic actressJulie Andrews will celebrate A Dazzling Decade by speaking at the art center’s 10th Anniversary Spring Gala on Saturday, April 25, 2015.With a career that has spanned decades, traversed a myriad of artistic disciplines, imbued fans with fond memories, and inspired millions, there’s no one better to headline this celebration of the past decade, while looking ambitiously toward the future.  Gala guests will begin the evening at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, followed by a sumptuous dinner, program with Julie Andrews, and an after party with Big Ray and the Kool Kats.

An Evening with Julie Andrews will include a Q&A with the audience and discussion moderated by Washington Post Theater Critic Peter Marks. She will share clips, stories, and conversation about her illustrious, history-making career. Music will be performed by the Strathmore Children’s Chorus. Andrews will not be singing.

The 10th Anniversary Spring Gala symbolizes a major milestone in Strathmore’s history, and will be the stage for announcements of future initiatives for the organization, which has become a touchstone for life and culture in Montgomery County and the greater Washington metropolitan region.  Since it opened in 2005, over 1.8 Million people have attended a performance in the Music Center at Strathmore. Many more have come through for education programs, special events, free community concerts, and festivals. There have been nearly 2,000 performances in the Music Center since its opening, including those by founding partner the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and resident partner organizations The National Philharmonic and Washington Performing Arts.

Strathmore is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.
Strathmore is also supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.

Strathmore Presents
10th Anniversary Spring Gala
An Evening with Julie Andrews
Conversation, Stories & Clips
with Peter Marks, moderator
& music by Strathmore Children’s Chorus
Saturday, April 25, 2015

5:30 p.m.         Cocktail Reception
7 p.m.              Dinner
9 p.m.              An Evening with Julie Andrews and music from the Strathmore Children’s Chorus
10:30 p.m.       After Party with Big Ray and the Kool Kats

Tickets (for concert only) $65 – $175 (limited single tickets available for purchase)

Dinner ticket packages include:
$600 Individual Supporter: One ticket to Gala dinner in Music Center, Performance with Julie Andrews, admission to after party with Big Ray and the Kool Kats.
$1,500 Gala Patron: One ticket to Gala dinner, preferred seating for An Evening with Julie Andrews, admission to after party with Big Ray and the Kool Kats, listing on evening’s video recognition, valet parking pass.
$10,000 Sponsor: Table for eight at Gala dinner, preferred seating for An Evening with Julie Andrews, valet parking passes for all eight guests, listing in evening’s video recognition, acknowledgment on Strathmore’s donor wall, newsletter and annual report.

Ticket packages can be purchased by contacting The Sorelle Group at (202) 248-1930 or Strathmore@sorellegroup.com.

Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852

For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.strathmore.org or call (301) 581-5100

May
9
Sat
Campagna Center’s Platinum Gala @ The Westin Alexandria
May 9 @ 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Campagna Center is pleased to announce 2015 will mark 70 years of commitment and service to the Alexandria community. Toasting to this milestone, The Campagna Center, in collaboration with Platinum Presenting Sponsor Passport Auto Group and other area business sponsors, will host The Platinum Gala on Saturday, May 9th, 2015 in the evening at The Westin Alexandria.  The gala will honor the legacy of service that The Campagna Center volunteers and staff have brought to the children and families of Alexandria over the past seven decades.  The evening will include a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing with live entertainment provided by Prime Time Band.

About The Campagna Center

“The history of The Campagna Center is inextricably linked to the history of Alexandria itself,” says Dr. Tammy Mann, President & CEO. “As I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who knew and worked with one of our most beloved Executive Directors, Ms. Elizabeth Ann Campagna, I have come to understand her as a leader who embodied a deep commitment to confronting social justice issues with courage and compassion.  She understood that a community rich in resources had a responsibility to use those resources to help improve the lives of others, especially children.  As the merits of Head Start were being debated nationwide, Elizabeth Ann and the late Vola Lawson worked together to secure funding needed to run Alexandria’s first Head Start program.”

“One of the organization’s original goals—to provide leadership in the creative resolution of critical social problems—remains a guiding beacon for the work we perform so passionately today.  Serving nearly 2,000 people from cradle to career in 52 classrooms throughout Alexandria, The Campagna Center provides high quality early learning experiences through preschool programs, and enrichment learning and guidance through high school.  Through eight levels of English Language Learning classes, immigrant and refugee adults learn to survive and thrive.  It is vitally important to reflect on the progress made in this fine city and to use it as our springboard into the future.”

Event Details:
Saturday, May 9th, 2015 in the evening
The Westin Alexandria

Alexandria, VA

 

Tickets:

General Admission Tickets are $200 each.

Host Committee Tickets are $500 each or $1000 per couple.

Tickets will be available for purchase at  http://www.campagnacenter.org/platinumgala.

 

May
11
Mon
STC Annual Dinner & Mock Trial @ Sidney Harman Hall
May 11 @ 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM

The Shakespeare Theatre Company, recipient of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, presents its Annual Dinner and Mock Trial at Sidney Harman Hall(610 F Street NW) on Monday, May 11, 2015. This marks the 20th year that Shakespeare Theatre Company has put on the Mock Trial. The evening begins with dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Forum,  followed by the Trial at 7:30 p.m. in the theatre. A special session of the Supreme Court of La Mancha will review the decisions of the Family Court to declare Don Quixote mentally incompetent and his subsequent placement under the guardianship of his niece, Antonia.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will preside and will be accompanied by Justice Stephen Breyer, as well as Chief Judge Merrick Garland and Judge Patricia Millett, both of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Tom Goldstein of Goldstein & Russell P.C. andCarter Phillips of Sidley Austin LLP will argue the case. The Trial will be moderated byAbbe D. Lowell of Chadbourne & Parke LLP, chair of the STC Bard Association and STC Board of Trustees member.

Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company says of Mock Trial, “As I’ve often said, Shakespeare doesn’t tell us what to think, he tells us what to think about. This is what Mock Trial does so stunningly, it uses these classic stories as lenses to look at seemingly old issues and bring them to our modern, and legal, world.”

Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Mock Trial is sponsored by the Bard Association, STC’s affinity group for Washington’s legal community.

Since 1994, the Shakespeare Theatre Company has hosted a Mock Trial based on a play from STC’s mainstage season. The fictional court case poses a legal question, or questions, and the audience must act as the jury to decide the fate of the characters. The Trial aims to examine the links between classic works and contemporary legal theory in a way that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Past Mock Trials have explored whether Malvolio (Twelfth Night) was entitled to damages for wrongful imprisonment; Iago (Othello) was guilty of the murders of Desdemona and Othello; Hamlet (Hamlet) was insane when he murdered Polonius; and if Sir John Falstaff (Henry IV) should have been compensated for his services to Prince Hal and reinstated as a member of the royal court. Last year’s Mock Trial concentrated on the characters in William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure and argued whether the Duke of Vienna should be held responsible for abuses of power perpetuated by his appointed representative, and debated issues of illegal secret surveillance, false imprisonment, negligent appointment of an unfit deputy, and disrespect of commitment to religious vows.

This season’s Mock Trial focuses on the characters in Dale Wasserman’s Man of La Mancha and asks the question: Did the Family Court commit reversible errors of law and fact in determining that Don Quixote was mentally incompetent, and should the Family Court have appointed Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s loyal friend, as his guardian, rather than his niece Antonia? 

SCENARIO

As word spread of Alonso Quixana’s (self-named and known to the world as Don Quixote) exhibited signs of mental illness or incompetence, his niece Antonia petitioned the Family Court to appoint her to be his guardian to protect his financial interests and to make medical decisions for him. In support of her petition, Antonia described Don Quixote’s hallucinations, his instigation of ill-conceived and ill-fated battles, his unwitting contribution to the brutal treatment of Aldonza, and his persistent inability to separate reality from illusion. Antonia stated that Don Quixote was unable to manage his assets, pay his medical expenses, or make financial decisions in his own best interests, and that he had been the victim of financial exploitation without even realizing others were taking advantage of him. Antonia’s fiancé, Dr. Carrasco, provided a petition of incompetency claiming to be Don Quixote’s treating physician and asserting that Don Quixote’s mental disability was permanent and that he had no ability to understand the nature of the proceedings or reasons for appointment of a guardian.

The Family Court heard extensive testimony about Don Quixote’s ill-fated escapades during his career as a knight errant, about his discussion of his “dreams,” his tendency to burst into song, and his claims of being a knight. His friends testified about Don Quixote’s idealism, courtesy, generosity, gallantry, and nobility. Sancho Panza said Don Quixote knew he was not really a knight, but simply liked to conceive of a nobler world inspired by courtesy and bravery. Don Quixote’s attorney argued that he did not need a guardian, but that if the Court disagreed, it should appoint Sancho Panza, not Antonia.

The Family Court appointed Antonia as Don Quixote’s guardian. On petition for review by the Supreme Court of La Mancha, Don Quixote has asked the Court to decide two questions:

1.  Did the Family Court commit reversible errors of law and fact in determining that Don Quixote was mentally incompetent within the meaning of the laws governing appointment of guardians of property and persons?

2.  Assuming Don Quixote was not fully competent to manage his affairs or make decisions about his medical treatment, should the Family Court have rejected Antonia’s petition as motivated by fraud and self-interest, and instead have appointed Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s loyal friend, as his guardian?

TICKET INFORMATION

Interested in Premium Seating and Dining with the Participants before the Trial?Tickets to the Dinner and Trial ($350) are available now. To purchase tickets please call 202.547.3230 ext. 2330 or contact MockTrial@ShakespeareTheatre.org.

Trial-only Ticket Prices
A Price: $75
B Price: $50 (limited availability)
Student: $20 (valid student ID required when picking up tickets)

Tickets on sale for STC donors and season subscribers on March 18 at noon.

Tickets for the general public on sale March 23 at noon.

For more information please contact MockTrial@ShakespeareTheatre.org or call 202-547-3230 x2312.

May
16
Sat
Fashion for Fighters Gala @ Army Navy Club
May 16 @ 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Navy Safe Harbor Foundation (NSHF) presents the first annual Fashion for Fighters Gala Saturday, May 16 at The Army Navy Club. The event, held from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.  is being held to raise critically needed funds for wounded, ill and injured U.S. Navy, Coast Guardsmen and their families. NSHF is dedicated to supporting the recovery of these service men and women by assisting them with resources not currently provided by government or through their general community.

The chicest black tie (dress uniform optional) event of the season, Fashion for Fighters is a night for comradery, support and giving back. Guests will enjoy fashion shows by four local women’s and menswear designers, all American-made and run brands, including: Christopher Schafer, Kim Elleen and Sophie Blake Jewelry.

VIP tickets are available, which include an exclusive pre-event fashion presentation starting at 6:00 p.m., open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, and treated to a swag bag full of products from gala sponsors. General admission ticket holders are welcome to partake in passed hors d’oeuvres and cash bar beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Inspired by the growing needs of the military community, Navy Safe Harbor Foundation (NSHF) was created to efficiently identify and meet the needs of wounded, ill and injured Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, Marines and their families. NSHF fills in the gaps of current non-medical provisions through collaboration with federal and civic resources. Through its efforts, every service member is given an opportunity for full recovery by providing financial assistance, respite care, special equipment, transportation, recreational opportunities, and other services.

The Navy Safe Harbor Foundation (NSHF) is an IRS recognized 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization and  is not affiliated with the United States Navy, Coast Guard or Department of Defense.

 

WHEN:         Saturday, May 16, 2015 | 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

 

WHERE:       The Army and Navy Club | 901 17th St NW | Washington, DC 20006

 

RSVP:            Tickets must be purchased in advance – media passes are available.  Click here to register.

 

Navy Safe Harbor Foundation is fortunate to have the support of families, friends, military members, and community. The organization asks that we as Americans, all do our part to help the seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and their families by volunteering, participating in a fundraising event, or making a donation . . . your support is greatly appreciated!

 

Jun
15
Mon
Will on the Hill @ Shakespeare Theatre
Jun 15 @ 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM

On Monday, June 15, 2015, Will on the Hill, a favorite bipartisan event of theatre and political fans alike, returns to the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Now in its thirteenth year, this year’s event features a performance of Midsummer Madness,an original play by Peter Byrne, and directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul.The cast will include special guest performer, STC Affiliated Artist Edward Gero andSamira Wiley, known for her role in Orange is the New Black.

The annual Will on the Hill event welcomes Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and distinguished Washington insiders onto the Shakespeare Theatre Company stage to perform a political satire infused with Shakespearean language and references. The event pays tribute to the unique dynamic of our city and provides a wonderful way to engage new audiences. Proceeds from this event support STC’s many education, artistic, and community engagement programs including in-school workshops and online learning resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages. Will on the Hill will take place in Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW), and begins with a VIP cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m., and a buffet dinner immediately after the performance.

This year’s cast for Will on the Hill will include guest actors Samira Wiley and Edward Gero. Wiley is a TV and film star and a graduate of the Julliard School, best known for her starring role as inmate Poussey Washington on the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black. Gero has been a prominent figure in the Washington theatre community and STC Affiliated Artist has appeared in more than 70 roles on the STC stage, most recently as King Henry IV in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2. He recently created the role of Justice Antonin Scalia in the world premiere of John Strand’s The Originalist.

In addition to Midsummer Madness, the evening includes a performance from students inText Alive!, a free arts integration program offered by STC to D.C. area schools, which teaches Shakespeare’s plays through performance and adaptation. This year, students from Virginia’s West Springfield High School present their disco-style take on the wrestling scene from As You Like It, which was performed earlier this spring for the Duchess of Cornwall during her visit to the Shakespeare Theatre Company.

About Midsummer Madness: Summer in Washington finds two lobbyists, one male, one female, vying for a job at the prestigious lobbying firm Stratford, Avon and Bard. Each thinks the other has the advantage due to their gender, so their interviewer puts them to the task of solving some of their clients’—and Washington’s—biggest conflicts. Things do not go as planned, however, as Shakespeare’s heroes and heroines emerge to join the fray. The battle of the sexes is far from over…

Many members of Congress will join Edward Gero and Samira Wiley on the STC stage, including Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Representatives Joyce Beatty (D-OH),Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Susan Davis(D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Jim Himes(D-CT), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jim Moran (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Polis (D-CO), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Mike Turner (R-OH), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT).

Other illustrious cast members include The Honourable Ian Liddell-Grainger (MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset), Christina Sevilla (DA U.S. Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President); and members of the media, including Jonathan Allen(Vox), Ron Christie (CEO Christie Strategies), Steve Clemons (Washington Editor-at-Large, The Atlantic, National Journal, Quartz), Bob Cusack (Editor in Chief, The Hill), Rich Edson (Fox News), Amy Holmes (The Blaze TV), Rick Klein (ABC News’ Political Director), Latoya Peterson (Fusion), Thomas Rogan (Tom Rogan Thinks), Robert Siegel(NPR’s All Things Considered), Pamela Lynne Sorensen (Pamela’s Punch), and Kelly Jane Torrance (The Weekly Standard).

The Honorary Co-Chairs for the event are Speaker John A. Boehner (R-OH), The Honorable James E. Clyburn (D-SC), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) andU.S. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

* Cast members subject to change.

A select number of performance-only tickets to this popular event are available online atwww.shakespearetheatre.org/WillontheHill for $50. VIP tickets are available for purchase, and include a pre-performance cocktail reception and a buffet dinner with the opportunity to meet and dine with members of the cast and event sponsors. VIP tickets can be purchased for $250 by emailing WillontheHill@ShakespeareTheatre.org.

 

Sep
24
Thu
Honoring the Promise Gala @ Kennedy Center
Sep 24 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Celebrating and recognizing the community of survivors and supporters, the Susan G. Komen Foundation brings in multiplatinum singer/songwriter Matt Goss.  Proceeds fund breast cancer research around the globe.

Oct
19
Mon
Political Satirist Mark Russell Returns to Ford’s Theatre @ Ford's Theatre
Oct 19 @ 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Just in time for this fall’s political cycle, piano-playing political satirist Mark Russell returns to Ford’s Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW) for one night only, Monday, October 19, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. With material ripped from today’s headlines, Russell’s unique brand of comedy earned him the Mark Twain Award for political comedy and made him a popular favorite on PBS.

Tickets for An Evening with Mark Russell range $20 to $64, and are available to Ford’s Theatre Members and groups (15 or more) on August 3, at 10:00 a.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public on August 17, at 10:00 a.m. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Ford’s Theatre Box Office (511 Tenth Street NW, Washington, DC), through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or online at www.fords.org/event/evening-mark-russell(fees apply). Groups of 15 or more may reserve tickets online at www.fords.org/groups.

 

Oct
23
Fri
Citizens Association of Georgetown Gala @ Four Seasons Hotel
Oct 23 @ 7:00 PM – Oct 24 @ 12:00 AM

The 2015 Georgetown Gala, the annual Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG) event that brings together over 400 residents, organizations, businesses, and politicos to celebrate Georgetown and CAG’s mission of historic preservation and improving the life of the community, will be held on Friday, October 23, at the swank Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown.

This year’s event, titled “Bar 1878: Georgetown After Dark” will highlight Georgetown’s unique combination of history, style and allure.  The gala committee, chaired by Tricia Huntley, Leslie Maysak, and Jennifer Altemus, is planning a special evening that will include cocktails, a high end silent auction, an exceptional menu and live music from DC’s favorite BroadSide Sound band.  CAG looks forward to dancing the night away with friends and neighbors — and celebrating this amazing city in which we live!

The high-end silent auction will include homes in Paris, Aspen, and Nantucket, unique photos from award winning artist, Ramin Abrahim, a rare Redskins package with former GM Charlie Casserly, fine wine, a full access Colonial Parking Pass and a Rooftop 4th of July celebration.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.cagtown.org

LUNGevity Foundation’s Musical Celebration of Hope Gala @ Mellon Auditorium
Oct 23 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

About: The Musical Celebration of Hope Gala will present an evening of jazz while guests join together for a spectacular evening of dancing, celebration and inspiration. Proceeds from the Gala will support lung cancer research that will save lives and offer new hope in treatments and survivorship.

Place: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20240

Time: 7:00 pm Cocktail Reception; 8:00 pm Dinner, Awards Presentation and Dancing 

Website: www.LUNGevity.org/hopegala

Price: Tickets starting at $500

 

Oct
24
Sat
DC’s Dancing with the Stars Gala @ Hyatt Regency Tyson's Corner
Oct 24 @ 6:00 PM – 11:59 PM
DC’s Dancing Stars Gala will return for its sophomore year onSaturday, October 24 at the Hyatt Regency in Tyson’s Corner for this black tie event. The 2nd annual charity ballroom dancing competition launched by Fred Astaire Dance Studio-Fairfax’s owners and gala co-chairs, Jim David and Maria Coakley David will bring together some of DC’s hottest celebrity names and notable regional dancers to compete for the 2015 DC Mirror Ball Championship trophy and $10,000 for the charity of their choice.
Each local celebrity will receive ballroom dance training by a professional from Fred Astaire Fairfax for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Committing their time, energy and star power, they will compete to raise funds for charity, and for the chance to be crowned the 2015 DC Mirror Ball Champion. Celebrity dancers will be awarded points by celebrity judges and be voted on by the audience.
Chelsie Hightower from ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Lamont Easter from House of Cards and Shane Lewis from Naked and Afraid, will be some of the celebrity judges who will crown the winning couple.
The Gala will showcase some of DC’s elite like we’ve never seen them before. Dancing in this year’s competition is an impressive line-up of local personalities. The following is a list of confirmed dancers:
➢    Jummy Olabanji: ABC7 Emmy Winning Anchor and Reporter
➢    Erwin Gomez: Celebrity Makeup Artist of Choice in DC
➢    Larry Miller: WUSA9 Award Winning Anchor and Reporter
➢    Caleb Bonham: National Political Media Commentator, Strategist and Blogger
➢    Dr. Matt Shank: Marymount University President
➢    Andrew Baldwin: Distinguished U.S. Navy Physician and ABC’s The Bachelor
➢    General Alan Salisbury: Retired Major General and Founder, Chairman & CEO of the Code of Support Foundation
➢    Padua Player: Critically-acclaimed Pastry Chef
➢    Kimberly Skyrme: Nationally Recognized Casting Director and Founder of Capital
Casting (including casting for House of Cards)
➢    Sabrina Campbell: Mrs. DuPont Circle, Award Winning Cake Designer and Founder of Occasionally Cake
“We are thrilled to bring DC’s Dancing Stars Gala back for a second year and support life-changing organizations within the DC metro region.” Says Maria Coakley David, who goes on to say, “This is a one of a kind event and we’re excited for guests to watch our dancers hard work and dedication pay off while raising money and awareness for five wonderful causes.”
In its inaugural year, the gala donated over $165,000 to several outstanding local charities. This year organizers hope to donate over $200,000 from October’s event.
Charitable institutions benefitting from the night’s entertainment include: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, T.A.P.S., Marymount University, Our Military Kids, and The Code of Support Foundation.
Tickets for this glitzy gala start at $195 for an individual and $395 for VIP and dinner tickets. Information about tickets can be found at bit.ly/DCDStix
EVENT DETAILS:
When: Saturday, October 24, 2015
  6:00 p.m. – midnight
Where: Hyatt Regency, Tyson’s Corner
   7901 Tysons One Place
   Tysons, VA  22102
Dress:    Black Tie