Dec
16
Wed
A Broadway Christmas @ GWU's Lisner Auditorium
Dec 16 @ 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Maestro Luke Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra are pleased to announce their inaugural holiday concert, a celebration of the season with a Broadway flair, at the George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium on Wednesday, December 16 at 8:00 PM.  A Broadway Christmas features the American Pops Orchestra with special guests “The First Lady of Musical Theatre,” Elaine Paige, Broadway’s Matt Doyle (The Book of Mormon, Spring Awakening), Great American Songbook Ambassador Julia Goodwin (America’s Got Talent), and a mass choir comprised of singers from around the Washington DC metropolitan area.

A Broadway Christmas will feature sacred and secular Christmas favorites that will put you in the holiday spirit.  Selections include O Holy Night,I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Silent Night, and other musical gifts from the Broadway stage.  Some new musical arrangements and orchestrations of timeless classics have been commissioned for this performance that will delight audiences of all ages.

Founded by Luke Frazier and in its inaugural season, The American Pops Orchestra’s mission is to present innovative orchestral programming featuring groundbreaking concepts and artistic partnerships to develop and inspire a new audience for the 21st century. This professional orchestra boasts outstanding musicians from New York and Washington DC. The American Pops will present six original orchestral programs in its opening 2015-2016 season, featuring leading Broadway singers, dancers, and actors.  The orchestra’s October performance of “Stairway to Paradise: A Gershwin Spectacular” was reviewed in DC Metro Theater Arts as presenting “inspired arrangements of beloved Gershwin songs that reinvigorate the material and highlight the skill of his musicians.” More information about the orchestra is available at www.theamericanpops.org.

Marvin Hamlisch put it best when referring to Luke Frazier “So talented, and sensitive to every nuance.” Mr. Frazier’s commitment to re-envisioning pops programming has quickly established him as a dynamic force across the music community where has proven himself among musical heavyweights as both an innately musical conductor and a sensitive pianist.  He has worked with artists Renée Fleming, Kevin Spacey, Denyce Graves, Darren Criss, Lea Solanga, Laura Osnes, Eric Owens, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Norm Lewis, Christine Ebersole, and Michael Feinstein, among others.  As a testament to his mission to reimagine pops programming, Mr. Frazier has founded the American Pops Orchestra and the National Broadway Chorus in Washington, DC.  The chorus continues to tour and will appear this season in Washington DC, Indianapolis, and Chicago, and will be featured at the Great American Songbook Foundation Gala, where Mr. Frazier serves on the Board.  Mr. Frazier will return for a second full season as the Principal Pops Conductor of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, where he has conducted 10 programs of his own creation, held at various venues including George Mason’s Center for the Arts, The Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, and the Angelika Film Center. This season he will also make guest appearances with orchestras in New York City, Miami, Indianapolis, Chicago, and West Virginia.  He will also continue to serve as Artist-in-Residence with Washington DC Youth Orchestra. For more information, visit lukefraziermusic.com.

 

TICKETS:

The George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium

730 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC; 3 blocks from Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro

Price:  $35-$65, discount for GW Students

202-994-6800 or http://lisner.gwu.edu/broadway-christmas

Dec
20
Sun
Passport to Style @ Embassy Row Hotel
Dec 20 @ 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
What: DC’s first pop-up storefront shopping experience for the local fashion & beauty brands with a cause. Come shop the Urban Sweetheart brand and check out our latest fashions beyond the online space.

What to expect at Passport to Style:

  • 18+ vendors confirmed
  • Pet pictures with Santa benefiting the Washington Humane Society
  • Social Photo Booth
  • Event photographers
  • DJ
  • Cocktail and brunch available at the Station Kitchen (Restaurant)
  • Attendees can donate new and used clothes to the “holiday clothing drive”
When: Sunday, December 20th, 2015 from 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.
  
Where: Embassy Row Hotel: 2015 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
  
RSVP: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY): https://dcpopupstorefront.eventbrite.com
Jan
10
Sun
Cycle for Baby Mamas @ LavaBarre
Jan 10 @ 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
What: “Cycle for Baby Mamas” — a specialized 55 minute indoor cycle class
When: Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 11am

Where: LavaBarre located at 1528 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209

Details: Calling all baby mamas of the DC area! Whether you’re newly expecting or already a mom of multiples, this cycle class is perfect for you!! Join two expecting mamas: WMZQ radio’s Aly Jacobs and LavaCycle trainer Stephanie Stohler for an exhilarating, fun filled ride that is both safe and effective for all. This party-on-a-bike themed class will empower and celebrate everything about you and your baby while also allowing you to meet and socialize with other DC area moms (and soon-to-be-moms!). A special raffle is also included! Spots are limited. Don’t miss this playdate!

 

Jan
17
Sun
Chefs Behind Bars @ Prequel
Jan 17 @ 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM

On Sunday, January 17, seven top DC chefs will gather at downtown restaurant incubator Prequel for the return of Chefs Behind Bars, a cocktail event to benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America. From 2:00 – 4:30 p.m., over Martin Luther King weekend, Washingtonians can enjoy signature drinks concocted by the city’s most renowned culinary talent to support No Kid Hungry, a national movement to ensure all kids have the healthy food they need, every day.

Location: Prequel,  918 F ST NW, Washington, DC 20004

Admission: Early bird special of $35 through Dec. 12; $40 through Jan. 17

Ticket Sales: Tickets to Chefs Behind Bars can be purchased at universe.com/cbb

Throughout the afternoon, chefs Matt Baker (Gravitas), Jen Carroll (Requin by Mike Isabella Group), Andy Clark (Eat the Rich), John Critchley (Brine), Hamilton Johnson (Honeysuckle), Liam LaCivita (Bar Civita), and Yuki Nakandakari (Ocopa) will mix their favorite libations in support of No Kid Hungry. In addition to one-of-a-kind cocktails, guests will enjoy small bites from Hamilton Johnson’s southern inspired restaurant, Honeysuckle, currently popping up at Prequel.

The Chefs Behind Bars happy hour will be hosted by DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry volunteer committee, in anticipation of the 2016 event, which will feature food and drink from the District’s finest chefs, sommeliers and mixologists. The March 2015 tasting benefit raised more than $230,000 to help feed children in need.

All Chefs Behind Bars guests will receive 10 percent off tickets to DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, taking place on Monday, April 4, 2016, with a special discount code. One hundred percent of ticket proceeds from Taste of the Nation events support No Kid Hungry thanks to generous support from national presenting sponsors Citi and Sysco®, national media sponsor Food Network and national sponsor OpenTable.

One in five children in this country struggles with hunger, and in DC the insecurity rate is even higher at 1 in 4. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger in this nation by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and have healthy meals in the summer. Since the campaign’s launch, No Kid Hungry and its partners have connected kids struggling with hunger with more than 460 million healthy meals.

 

Jan
23
Sat
Sips & Suppers @ Newseum
Jan 23 @ 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Washington DC-based philanthropic partners DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table are thrilled to announce the official dates for the 8th annual Sips & Suppers event for 2016, with Sips taking place at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, DC) on Saturday, January 23rd, 2016 at 7:30pm, and Suppers taking place on Sunday, January 24th at 6:00pm in the homes of more than 35 generous hosts throughout the DC area. Sips & Suppers has quickly become one of DC’s biggest culinary weekends, bringing more than 60 of the country’s top chefs together to help combat hunger and poverty in the community.

 

SIPS

Saturday, January 23, 2016

7:30pm

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania NW

Washington, DC

Tickets: $95

After January 11: $125

VIP: $200

 

SUPPERS

Sunday, January 24, 2016

6:00pm

Tickets: $600

 

In 2009, culinary greats José Andrés, Joan Nathan, and Alice Waters launched Sips & Suppers as notable industry veterans looking to raise awareness of hunger and poverty in the local DC community. Now in its 8th year, the enduring concept of Sips & Suppers remains a gathering of the country’s culinary leaders and impassioned residents working together to address the challenges of these urgent issues in the nation’s capital. Sips & Suppers has truly set itself apart from other fundraising events in Washington, by coming together in an intimate setting in a home, around a table, to share ideas and to hear from the distinguished chefs who create each meal.

 

Sips & Suppers benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table. Together, these organizations assist and empower our neighbors in need with the services and support necessary to build a better future, including providing healthy, balanced meals, culinary job training, and emergency assistance, as well as quality education and out-of-school time support.

 

Since its inception, Sips & Suppers has raised over $2 million for the two local nonprofits. The funding allows Martha’s Table to continue serving over 800,000 healthy meals to those in need every year and providing early childhood education to nearly 200 children at their facility every day. The celebrated weekend of Sips & Suppers also supports DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to prepare and deliver more than 2,500,000 healthy meals to 90 DC homeless shelters, schools, and partner charities annually, all while training 100 at-risk, unemployed adults each year for culinary careers with a 90% job placement rate.

 

Additional information regarding ticket sales will be announced in the coming weeks including VIP ticket details and other promotional offers leading up to the event in January.

 

A full list of our participating chefs, including several new faces from around the country and many committed and generous veterans, can be found atsipsandsuppers.org. Information on ticket sales and volunteering for this year’s event can also be found on the website.

For the latest updates on Sips & Suppers, follow @SipsSuppers on Twitter or like Sips & Suppers on Facebook.

Jan
24
Sun
Sips & Suppers @ Newseum
Jan 24 @ 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Washington DC-based philanthropic partners DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table are thrilled to announce the official dates for the 8th annual Sips & Suppers event for 2016, with Sips taking place at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, DC) on Saturday, January 23rd, 2016 at 7:30pm, and Suppers taking place on Sunday, January 24th at 6:00pm in the homes of more than 35 generous hosts throughout the DC area. Sips & Suppers has quickly become one of DC’s biggest culinary weekends, bringing more than 60 of the country’s top chefs together to help combat hunger and poverty in the community.

 

SIPS

Saturday, January 23, 2016

7:30pm

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania NW

Washington, DC

Tickets: $95

After January 11: $125

VIP: $200

 

SUPPERS

Sunday, January 24, 2016

6:00pm

Tickets: $600

 

In 2009, culinary greats José Andrés, Joan Nathan, and Alice Waters launched Sips & Suppers as notable industry veterans looking to raise awareness of hunger and poverty in the local DC community. Now in its 8th year, the enduring concept of Sips & Suppers remains a gathering of the country’s culinary leaders and impassioned residents working together to address the challenges of these urgent issues in the nation’s capital. Sips & Suppers has truly set itself apart from other fundraising events in Washington, by coming together in an intimate setting in a home, around a table, to share ideas and to hear from the distinguished chefs who create each meal.

 

Sips & Suppers benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table. Together, these organizations assist and empower our neighbors in need with the services and support necessary to build a better future, including providing healthy, balanced meals, culinary job training, and emergency assistance, as well as quality education and out-of-school time support.

 

Since its inception, Sips & Suppers has raised over $2 million for the two local nonprofits. The funding allows Martha’s Table to continue serving over 800,000 healthy meals to those in need every year and providing early childhood education to nearly 200 children at their facility every day. The celebrated weekend of Sips & Suppers also supports DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to prepare and deliver more than 2,500,000 healthy meals to 90 DC homeless shelters, schools, and partner charities annually, all while training 100 at-risk, unemployed adults each year for culinary careers with a 90% job placement rate.

 

Additional information regarding ticket sales will be announced in the coming weeks including VIP ticket details and other promotional offers leading up to the event in January.

 

A full list of our participating chefs, including several new faces from around the country and many committed and generous veterans, can be found atsipsandsuppers.org. Information on ticket sales and volunteering for this year’s event can also be found on the website.

For the latest updates on Sips & Suppers, follow @SipsSuppers on Twitter or like Sips & Suppers on Facebook.

Feb
4
Thu
Chefs Gone Mad Pop-Up Dinner @ Nage Bistro DC
Feb 4 @ 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM

 WHERE:  Nage Bistro DC is located at 1600 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036.   It is six blocks from the Farragut North Metro and the Dupont Circle Metro stops, accessible on the Red Line, as well as the Farragut West Metro and McPherson Square Metro accessible on the Blue and Orange lines.  For additional information please call (202) 448-8005 or visit http://www.nagedc.com.

 WHY:  To benefit Food & Friends.  The mission of Food & Friends is to foster a community caring for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses, by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.                                                                           For more information: www.foodandfriends.org
The one-night-only pop up dining event will include a five-course dinner complete with hand-picked beer pairings, or a non-alcoholic option, priced at $75 per person (tax & gratuity not included.)  The event will offer open seating and guests are required to make a reservation by calling (202) 448-8005, or online a Nagerb.com.
                        Simply make a reservation for Feburary 4th at your preferred time that is available.  All reservations for the event will be held with a credit card         
THE MENU:  “Chefs Gone Mad”  … About Beer with Food
A Collaboration of Nage’s family of chefs with Mad Fox Brewing Co.
FIRST COURSE  Hudson Valley Duck Confit Salad 
A COLLABORATION OF ALL CHEFS… four cooks in the kitchen!
Roasted root vegetables, local pears, Chesapeake creamery bay blue, cornbread, IP8 Vinaigrette
SECOND COURSE  Chestnut Gnocchi
Beer braised rabbit, porcini mushrooms, parmesan reggiano, sage
SEAN COREA, EXECUTIVE CHEF   Nage Bistro and Wine Bar,  Rehoboth Beach, DE
 
THIRD COURSE   Scallop a la Nage 
Turnips – Delaware foraged honey mushroom – toasted Hayden Mill Oats
HARI CAMERON, EXECUTIVE CHEF/OWNER a(muse) Restaurant, Rehoboth Beach, DE
                                                            
FOURTH COURSE Sweet Spice Braised Oxtail
Overnight Antebellum grits, local collards
DWAYNE MOTLEY, EXECUTIVE CHEF   Nage Bistro, Washington, DC
 
FIFTH COURSE Parsnip & Cream Cake
Madiera kumquats, Greek yogurt, brown butter walnuts, ginger honey ice cream
DRU TEVIS, PASTRY CHEF, Nage Bistro and Wine Bar, Rehoboth Beach
Feb
6
Sat
Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever @ Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City
Feb 6 @ 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Why wait for the fall to get Crafty? Washington City Paper is expanding its popular Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair with a second installment this winter. The inaugural Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City (1401 New York Ave. NE) in Washington, D.C.

The one-day indoor winter fair will feature handmade products and wares by 100+ select artists and crafters from around the country, including several first-time Crafty Bastards like:

–       Hell Razor for Men of Washington, DC (www.etsy.com/shop/hellrazorformen)

–       Harper Macaw from Washington, DC (https://harpermacaw.com)

–       Raisa Antonia from Hancock, NH (http://www.raisaantonia.com)

–       North End Bag Company from Virginia Beach, VA (http://www.northendbagco.com)

–       Lewis and Pine from Brooklyn, NY (www.lewisandpine.com)

–       West Oak Design from Wyndmoor, PA (www.westoakdesign.com)

In order to make your Cabin Fever shopping experience enjoyable, entry times will be staggered based on ticket type. Tickets can be purchased in advance online via the Washington City Paper website. 

VIP Tickets – $25: Gain exclusive access to Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever for an extra hour of shopping and no lines before the Crafty-loving masses arrive. VIP ticket also includes one bagel, a mimosa, and a Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever tote bag. VIP Entry begins at 10 a.m.

Savvy Shopper Tickets – $15: Enjoy shorter lines and a complimentary Crafty Bastards tote bag with entry starting at 11 a.m.

Early General Admission – $10: Gain access to all vendors beginning at 1 p.m.

Late General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 3 p.m.

Last Call General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 5 p.m.

Kids 12 and under are free. Visit www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards for advanced tickets, a complete gallery of all Crafty Bastard Cabin Fever vendors, and more, including details about complimentary shuttle service from the NoMA metro stop provided by the Hecht Warehouse.

About Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair

Over the past 12 years, hundreds of Crafty Bastards have sold countless pieces of handmade “craftiness” at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair. The fair has been selected as one of Washington’s Top 100 Events by BizBash and was voted by Washington City Paper readers as the Best Arts Festival in its annual Best of D.C. poll. For more information about the annual Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair, please visit www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/.

 

#CraftyBastardsCabinFever

Many Beautiful Things Washington Premiere @ National Gallery of Art: East Building Auditorium
Feb 6 @ 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM

On Feb. 6, the director, local filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson, is inviting Washington to discover the true story of a daring young woman at a free screening hosted by the National Gallery of Art.


WHAT:
Many Beautiful Things Washington premiere
Award-winning local filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson in person

WHEN:
Feb. 6, 2:30 p.m. ET

WHERE:
National Gallery of Art: East Building Auditorium
6th and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20565


Featuring the voices of Dockery and Davies, Many Beautiful Things takes viewers on the journey of a prodigious, self-taught young female artist who finds herself torn between two desires—to strengthen her flourishing artistic talents or pursue a higher calling to serve marginalized women and children in North Africa.

Through dazzling animation and cinematography featuring original works by Trotter, the film awakens viewers to question the limits of sacrifice and the true meaning of success. Trotter’s history is shared through the eyes of Miriam Rockness, a self-made scholar in her early 70s who has become the world’s leading expert on the artist-turned-missionary after nearly 30 years of research.

The film premieres on Feb. 6 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, with theatrical screenings taking place around the country Feb. 7 – 14. Many Beautiful Things will be available to download and on DVD on International Women’s Day: March 8.

To learn more about the film or screenings around the country, visit ManyBeautifulThings.com.
About Many Beautiful Things
Many Beautiful Things: The Life and Vision of Lilias Trotter is directed by award-winning filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson (As We Forgive) and produced by Hisao Kurosawa, the son of legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, with original music by Sleeping at Last.

About the Director
Directing her fourth documentary, Laura Waters Hinson is a filmmaker based in Washington. She is the founder of Image Bearer Pictures and produced As We Forgive, an inspiring film that discovered hope and forgiveness amid the tragic Rwandan Genocide. The film won the 2008 Student Academy Award for best documentary.

About the Score
Sleeping At Last is the moniker of Chicago singer-songwriter, producer and composer Ryan O’Neal. His music is featured in TV and film such as The Twilight Saga, The Fault in Our Stars (trailer), Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Bones and more.

Feb
26
Fri
Leah Crocetto in Recital (WNOpera) @ Kennedy Center
Feb 26 @ 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 60th anniversary season with Leah Crocetto in Recital, featuring the celebrated star of last season’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Accompanied by acclaimed pianist Mark Markham, Ms. Crocetto will perform art songs by Strauss, Duparc, and Barber, as well as popular opera arias and a few of her favorite jazz standards.

Recognized as a rising star in the next generation of singers, American soprano Leah Crocetto made her WNO last season as Madame Lidoine in Poulenc’s powerful Dialogues of the Carmelites. She represented the United States at the 2011 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, where she was a finalist in the Song Competition. She is a 2010 Grand Finals winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was the First Place Winner, People’s Choice, and the Spanish Prize Winner of the 2009 Jose Iturbi International Music Competition, and winner of the Bel Canto Foundation competition. A former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera, Ms. Crocetto has appeared frequently with the company, most recently in the title role of Verdi’s Luisa Miller in Francesca Zambello’s celebrated production.

In her stellar 2015-2016 season, Leah Crocetto makes two major debuts: her long-awaited Metropolitan Opera debut as Liù in Turandot, and her role debut as Semiramide in Rossini’s seldom-heard opera of the same name, with Opéra National de Bordeaux. Additional highlights of the season include Anna in Maometto II with the Canadian Opera Company and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Santa Fe Opera.

Last season, in addition to her debut at WNO, Ms. Crocetto performed Desdemona in Otello with English National Opera, Mimì in La bohème with San Francisco Opera, and Elisabetta di Valois in a new production of Don Carlo (a co-production with WNO) at Opera Philadelphia.

Equally at home as a soloist, a collaborator with some of the finest singers in the world, a jazz pianist, or a vocal coach, pianist Mark Markham and his interpretations have been praised by the public and press alike. Since 1995, Mr. Markham has been the recital partner of Jessye Norman, giving nearly 300 performances in over 25 countries, including recitals in Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Salzburg Festival, Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus in Greece, and at the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize presentation to President Jimmy Carter in Oslo. In 1990, Mr. Markham was invited to join the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory, where he served for ten years as vocal coach and professor of vocal repertoire and accompanying. He relocated to Europe for a decade, living in the South of France while maintaining a busy international schedule as a solo artist and collaborative partner with Ms. Norman, before returning to the United States in 2011. In addition to performances around the world, he maintains a vocal coaching studio in New York City and Baltimore.

Washington National Opera’s 2015-2016 season continues with the company premiere of Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson’s Lost in the Stars, February 12-20 in the Eisenhower Theater, and concludes with its first complete presentation of Wagner’s extraordinary four-part Ring Cycle, with a world-class cast under the direction of Francesca Zambello and featuring the WNO Orchestra conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin, April 30 to May 22, 2016. WNO’s 2016-2017 season will be announced in the coming weeks.

TICKET INFORMATION:

All tickets to Leah Crocetto in Recital are $45 and are available online, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, and by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324.