DC wine institution Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar will transform into a wine-centric movie theater showing the critically acclaimed documentary Somm on Monday, May 4 at 6pm.Accompanied by a panel of DC wine experts, DC’s original wine bar will invite guests to its cozy Sonoma Avenue Lounge for a full movie theater experience, with a wine flight tasting and an unlimited popcorn bar featuring fun house made varieties, like Classic Butter, Ranch, Dill Pickle-Spiced and Truffle, for $30 a person.
As Somm follows four sommelier hopefuls on their journey to compete against the best in the business and pass the test to become Masters, Sonoma will be hosting its own local wine tasting competition. Sonoma Beverage Director and sommelier Woong Chang will be joined by sommeliers Elli Benchimol ofRange and Andrew Stover of Oya and Sei to conduct a guided wine tasting with guests-and then compete against one another in a blind wine tasting, just as is done in the film.
In addition to the fun popcorn bar, guests can also select from Chef de Cuisine James Marroquin’s a la carte menu house made movie snacks, like Popcorn-Marshmallow clusters, Old Bay-Spiced Candied Nuts, Soft Pretzel Twists with mustard or bacon peanut butter, and Crispy Chickpeaswith coriander & cumin.
Space is limited and tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite For more information, please visit www.sonomadc.com or call 202.544.8088.
Who: Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar
Sonoma Chef de Cuisine James Marroquin
Sonoma Beverage Director Woong Chang
Range Sommelier Elli Benchimol
Oya and Sei Sommelier Andrew Stover
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.
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.
The Cathedral Choral Society will present the final concert of its 2014/15 season, Great Opera Choruses, on Sunday, May 17 at 4:00 p.m. The program of well-loved opera arias and choruses includes works by Wagner, Bellini, Gounod, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, and Boito. The Cathedral Choral Society, conducted by Music Director J. Reilly Lewis, will be joined by Jessica Julin, soprano; Ben Wager, bass; and the Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus.
“This concert will feature magnificent opera music, sacred and profane, perfect for the Cathedral,” said J. Reilly Lewis. “This is my first time programming opera for this chorus, and these gorgeous works capture all the emotions of great opera.”
Selections will be performed from Wagner, Die Meistersinger; Bellini, Norma; Gounod, Faust; Verdi, Nabucco; Puccini, Tosca; Mascagni, Cavalleria Rusticana; Puccini, Manon Lescaut; and Boito, Mefistofele.
“We are thrilled to be performing opera in the Cathedral for the first time,” said Genevieve Twomey, Executive Director of the Cathedral Choral Society. “This music is rich, exciting, dramatic, and engaging – and to experience this in such a grand space will be a unique and memorable experience.”
The Cathedral Choral Society is pleased to feature soloists Jessica Julin, soprano and Ben Wager, bass, and to welcome the Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus as guest choir on Boito’s Mefistofele. Jessica Julin, soprano has been praised for her “commanding voice,” and is a 2009 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Auditions. She received her masters from Indiana University, studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, and currently resides in Maryland. She won first prize awards in the J.P. Parkinson Competition, Lois Alba Aria Competition, and the Giagiari Bel Canto Competition.
Ben Wager, bass is a 2009 graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. This season, he debuted in Oslo with Den Norske Opera as Escamillo in Carmen and performed two roles with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Previous engagements include with the Nashville Opera, Deutsche Opera Berlin, Minnesota Opera, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2012, The Washington Times praised him for his “perfect balance of graciousness [and] forthrightness” in a concert opera performance.
The Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus is comprised of many of the finest young singers, ages 8-14, from Washington, DC; Virginia; and Maryland. They appear frequently in WNO productions at the Kennedy Center. Recent performances include the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me (2013) and the WNO premier of Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince (2014). They are directed by Will Breytspraak, Children’s Chorus Master, who is the Chair of Performing Arts at Maret School in Washington, DC.
A pre-concert talk by Peter Russell will be presented at 3:00 p.m. in Perry Auditorium (in the Cathedral tower). Peter Russell is a leading figure in the DC opera scene, having served as General Director of the Wolf Trap Opera Company and founding Washington Concert Opera before later taking on his current role as General Director of Vocal Arts DC.
About the Cathedral Choral Society: The Cathedral Choral Society is the resident symphonic chorus of Washington National Cathedral. Now in its 73rd season, the 140-voice chorus presents an inspiring concert season at the Cathedral and shares the joy of choral singing throughout the Greater Washington, DC Area through its community engagement programs. Its 2015/16 season will be announced the week of May 17.
For Tickets: Regularly priced tickets begin at $25. Tickets for children and students with valid ID under the age of 25 are $15. Seniors, veteran, and military may receive 10% off (excludes Premium Nave). Complimentary parking is included with ticket purchase in the Cathedral’s underground parking garage courtesy of the Cathedral Choral Society. To purchase tickets, or for additional information, please call (202) 537-2228 | (877) 537-2228 or visit the website, www.cathedralchoralsociety.org
Arlington-based Jane Franklin Dance presents Zip Through a Tight Space Gala on May 20, 2015 at 7pm at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center in Alexandria, VA.
WHAT: Join in for an evening of live performance at our annual Benefit in the lovely and spacious Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center. Dynamic performances feature a new inter generational dance work performed by former Jane Franklin Dance company members and their young children, live music by Brian Pagels and Erin Ryan in a premier collaboration, live music by NSO and Eclipse Chamber Orchestra members Alice Weinreb & Truman Harris in a new collaboration, and performances by Forty+, a group of performers past the age of 40. A catered reception and silent auction precede the performance. Jane Franklin Dance provides courtesy parking in the Beauregard Street Garage adjacent to the theatre.
A Pop-Up Art Exhibition entitled “Future Perfect” will be on display in the forum in conjunction with the Gala performance.
The benefit will support Jane Franklin Dance’s successful flagship programs and artistic projects including: Forty+ projects, dance education for youth and artistic projects for the 2015-2016 season including performances at the Capital Fringe Festival.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 @ 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center
3001 N. Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA
TICKETS: $40-$100, special group rates, student discounts, and new VIP pricing. Available online at www.janefranklin.com/performances/tickets or at the door.
A percentage of all event sales will be donated directly to the ballet on behalf of the Capella.
The Jete Society of The Washington Ballet invites you to join us on May 27 for an evening of rooftop cocktails and hor d’oeuvres at the Capella in Georgetown. Come on out to mingle with Washington Ballet dancers and fellow Jete Society members as we toast another successful season of performances, including ALICE in Wonderland, all while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Canal and Potomac.
Registration will be required for entry.
Please RSVP at http://madhatterscocktailparty.splashthat.com/ to purchase your ticket (includes red wine, white wine, and hors d’oeuvres).
“The Tape Guy,” Argentinian born artist and designer, Hernan Gigena, will present his latest collection of fine artworks showcasing his notable masking tape on paper media with vibrant new inspiration. The series is called “Enchanted Garden,” and features pieces that convey both the fragility and the energy of life itself. They are on view for a limited showing on May 28th and 30th from 6-8 pm at the new Brick & Mortar Gallery and Bar (918 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004).
“This new project helped me to deal with the recent passing of my Grandmother, and gave me the chance to change something sad into something positive,” says Gigena. “With this series, I am sharing personal memories… and so many life lessons that she passed on to me. As a result, “Enchanted Garden” is a celebration of unconditional love.”
The storytelling of “Enchanted Garden” centers around the positive energy brought forth by Gigena’s selection of special neon and fluorescent colors, and how the experience changes — and shapes and figures seem to magically come alive — when viewed through 3D glasses.
Attendees will have the chance to ‘talk tape’ and other artistic interests with Gigena, while enjoying classic pre-prohibition and original cocktails crafted by notable mixologists Brian Zipin, Nikki Mannebach, and Will Sexton, as well as a menu of distinct food items by Prequel Executive Chef Scott Hoffner. Admission is free, RSVP required.
For more about the artist and his collection of works, visit http://www.
“The Tape Guy,” Argentinian born artist and designer, Hernan Gigena, will present his latest collection of fine artworks showcasing his notable masking tape on paper media with vibrant new inspiration. The series is called “Enchanted Garden,” and features pieces that convey both the fragility and the energy of life itself. They are on view for a limited showing on May 28th and 30th from 6-8 pm at the new Brick & Mortar Gallery and Bar (918 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004).
“This new project helped me to deal with the recent passing of my Grandmother, and gave me the chance to change something sad into something positive,” says Gigena. “With this series, I am sharing personal memories… and so many life lessons that she passed on to me. As a result, “Enchanted Garden” is a celebration of unconditional love.”
The storytelling of “Enchanted Garden” centers around the positive energy brought forth by Gigena’s selection of special neon and fluorescent colors, and how the experience changes — and shapes and figures seem to magically come alive — when viewed through 3D glasses.
Attendees will have the chance to ‘talk tape’ and other artistic interests with Gigena, while enjoying classic pre-prohibition and original cocktails crafted by notable mixologists Brian Zipin, Nikki Mannebach, and Will Sexton, as well as a menu of distinct food items by Prequel Executive Chef Scott Hoffner. Admission is free, RSVP required.
For more about the artist and his collection of works, visit http://www.
Wednesday, June 3rd
Doors open at 7:00 PM
Show starts at 8:00 PM
$10 Specialty cocktail, must be 21+ to enter
Free show with RSVP
Space is limited, RSVP today at POVLiveTorMiller.eventbrite.
POV
At W Washington DC
515 15th Street NW
On Saturday June 6th at 8pm, BOAT BURNING: MUSIC FOR MASSED GUITARS brings over 70 electric guitars to SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS at FRANCIS-STEVENS for a majestic benefit evening in support of music in D.C. public schools, with a once-in-a-lifetime array of musicians from D.C.’s vibrant music scene.
A unique and truly *massive* benefit, featuring musicians from across the nation’s capital, including members of BOAT BURNING * BEAUTY PILL * HARNESS FLUX * TONE * UGLY PURPLE SWEATER * MITTENFIELDS * TOMATO DODGERS * DC IMPROVISERS COLLECTIVE * THE CHARM OFFENSIVE * SLIGO CREEK STOMPERS * TEREU TEREU * EAST GHOST * GREENLAND * THE PLUMS * INSECT FACTORY * EMILY FRANCISCO * JOWE HEAD * BLACK HILLS * THE CARIBBEAN * IMPERIAL CHINA * LAUGHING MAN * NAGUAL * CARTOON WEAPONS * TEEN IDLES * METROPOLITAN * FELLOW CREATURES * TIME IS FIRE * HALO VALLEY * NIGHT STREETS * CHASKI * SANSYOU * I.G.M. * DISSONANCE * GENTLE MEN * THE BOUNDARY STONES * HOLY CRUST * THE DEEJ * THE DULLARDS * SUN MACHINES * NICE BREEZE * JACK ON FIRE * THE BUZZ * LIGHT ARMS * JON CAMP * RAGNAPOP! * ESCAPE POINT * LOW END STRING QUARTET * STYLUS * THE COURTESANS * SHADOW FARM * BODYCOP * CHURT * CLAMP MUSIC * CLASSICAL MUSIC ALMANAC * CULT OF THE VOID * EMBEZZLERS * FELL TYPES * FLOR DE MARACUJA * FREAKBABY * GOSSAMER * GUT HEAD * HASHIMA MACHINE * JET JAGUAR * KANTATI LOS ANDES * MOM^2 * NASHVILLE ROOMS * OOO * TRIANGLE RHYSING * RAYMI * STORM PETREL * THE CHENIERS * THE DEADS * DUPONT UNDERGROUND * MAKE DC and more.
All ticket proceeds to go to music programs at Ward 2’s School Without Walls campuses and Ward 8’s Randle Highlands Elementary School.
Doors open at 7:30; Music starts 8:00 pm.
SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS at FRANCIS-STEVENS is located at
2425 N St NW, Washington DC 20037
(corner of N & 24th Streets NW)
MAP/DIRECTIONS http://tinyurl.com/francis-ste
Boat Burning:
https://www.facebook.com/boatb
Andras Fekete’s “maximal minimalist” ensemble BOAT BURNING plays an intricate hybrid of composition and improvisation for massed-electric guitars, where deceptively simple passages performed on a profusion of instruments – sometimes fifty or more guitars – produce shimmering towers of densely-stacked harmonics. The result is powerful, evocative music that combines the widescreen sweep of classical with the sheer physical thrall of punk.
Participating musicians (so far):
Adrian Erlinger (Sligo Creek Stompers, Clamp Music) http://www.sligocreekstompers.
Ananth Batni (Dissonance) https://www.facebook.com/aband
Andras Fekete (Boat Burning) https://www.facebook.com/boatb
Asher Meerovich (Tomato Dodgers, Skeleton Baby, Agnostic, JuJu Fingers And The Caravan Band, WMUC 88.1FM)http://tomatododgers.bandcamp.
Boris Milic (Boris Miloc) https://borismilic.bandcamp.co
Brandon Moses (Laughing Man, Joy Buttons ) http://laughingmanmusic.com/
Braulio Agnese (Dupont Underground, Make DC) http://mixcloud.com/theeditor
Brian Olexy (The Buzz, Chris Monaghan, Nashville Rooms) http://buzzmusic.bandcamp.com/
Brian Porter (Imperial China) https://imperialchinadc.bandca
Caitlin McDermott (SWW)
Carni Klirs (solo guitar, ex-Fell Types) http://carniklirs.bandcamp.com
Charles Andrews (Tone, Night Streets) http://tone-dc.com/
Charles Bills (Escape Point, CHuRT) http://www.facebook.com/Escape
Dan Barry (The Dullards, The Deej) http://www.thedeej.org/, https://www.facebook.com/thedu
Dave Jones (The Caribbean) http://thecaribbean.tumblr.com
David Nicholas (Sansyou) http://www.sansyoumusic.com/
Declan Enright (Dissonance) https://www.facebook.com/aband
Donald Seale (Mittenfields) http://mittenfields.bandcamp.c
Drew Doucette (Beauty Pill, Black Hills) http://www.beautypill.com/
Emily Francisco (Sculptress, Sound Artist, Trans-harmonium Fabrication Expert) http://www.emily-francisco.com
Garrett Gleason (Cartoon Weapons, Hashima Machine, Gentle Men)
Geordie Grindle (The Charm Offensive, Tone, Peg Simone, Teen Idles) http://www.charmrockdc.com/
Gordie Shaw (Halo Valley, Flor De Maracuja) http://soundcloud.com/boxwalla
Greg Gendron (Light Arms, Sun Machines, Ragnapop!) https://lightarms.bandcamp.com
Gustavo Vargas (Chaski, Raymi, Kantati Los Andes, TONE) http://www.tone-dc.com/
Ian McColm (Nagual, I.G.M.) http://www.nagualuniverse.com/
J Forté (The Buzz, Sun Machines, Light Arms) https://sunmachines.bandcamp.c
Jackson Engman (SWW)
Jai James (SWW)
James Reichard (Cult of the Void, ex-The Deads, ex-Bodycop)
Jamie Green (Greenland) http://greenland.bandcamp.com/
Jason Mogavero (Jack On Fire) http://jackonfiredc.bandcamp.c
Jeff Barsky (Insect Factory, Plums, Embezzlers) https://www.insectfields.org/
Jesse Musat (SWW)
Johan Nystrom (n+1, Crispy Tickles) johannystrom.net
John Howard (The Plums, Nice Breeze) http://www.soundcloud.com/plum
John Masters (Harness Flux, The Cheniers, Metropolitan) http://harnessflux.com/
Jon Camp (Jon Camp) https://joncamp.bandcamp.com/
Jonathan Matis (DC Improvisers Collective, Low End String Quartet) http://improvarts.bandcamp.com
Keith Sinzinger (Fast Forty, Fast Against the Wall, Safe Fast & Effective, STYLUS) www.youtube.com/user/FortyFast
Kieran Dollemore (Holy Crust) https://holycrust.bandcamp.com
Kurt Nemes (Classical Music Almanac) http://musicalalmanac.wordpres
Luke Stewart (Ooo, Laughing Man, Mom^2) http://lukethings.wordpress.co
Mark Cooley (Gut Head) http://www.flawedart.net/
Mark Sherman (Boat Burning) http://www.boatburning.com/
Martha Hamilton (Freakbaby, Jet Jaguar, Plums, Nice Breeze, Jowe Head) http://plumsband.blogspot.com/
Matt Perrone (Time Is Fire) https://soundcloud.com/time-is
Matt Wood (Gossamer, Storm Petrel, The Deads)
Matthew McGarraghy (Sansyou, Shadow Farm) http://sansyoumusic.com/
Mike Ball (Mittenfields) http://mittenfields.bandcamp.c
Mike Janssen (The Boundary Stones) http://boundarystones.bandcamp
Phong Tran (Halo Valley, The Shouts From The Sea) http://soundcloud.com/boxwalla
Robert Winship (East Ghost) http://eastghost.bandcamp.com/
Robin Diamond (Boat Burning, Triangle Rhysing, The Probes) http://www.boatburning.com/
Ryan Brogan (East Ghost) http://eastghost.bandcamp.com/
Ryan Little (Tereu Tereu, Bad Friend Records) http://badfriendrecords.com/
Sam McCormally (Fellow Creatures, Ugly Purple Sweater) http://fellowcreaturesmusic.co
Sam Sherwood (Mittenfields) http://mittenfields.bandcamp.c
Tony Blankenship (The Courtesans) https://m.soundcloud.com/court
Zack Be (Cartoon Weapons) http://cartoonweapons.bandcamp
BOAT BURNING – Music for massed guitars
“Victory by overtone, glory by sound”
http://www.boatburning.com
Must be 21 years old with valid photo ID to attend. Tickets: $25 in advance, $35 at the door (credit cards or cash). Free for Silk Road Society members.
