As movie awards season ramps up, NPR invites fans to attend a special conversation about one of the year’s most talked-about and nominated films. Wednesday, January 15, at 7PM (ET) at NPR HQ’s Studio 1, 12 Years A Slave writer and producer John Ridley talks about its making and impact with NPR correspondent Michele Norris.
Through a conversation with Ridley, Norris will take the audience behind the scenes of 12 Years A Slave, offering an in-depth discussion of the social, historical and cinematic nuances surrounding the film and his writing process in adapting the story for the big screen. A Q&A session with Ridley will follow, moderated by Norris, whose Race Card Project fosters wider conversation about race in America on the radio, online and in communities nationwide.
Based on the 1853 memoir, 12 Years A Slave follows the life of Solomon Northup, a free man from upstate New York who struggles for his freedom and his humanity after being kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film is widely lauded by critics as one of the most visceral portrayals of American slavery ever brought to the screen, and is nominated for seven awards — including Best Screenplay — at the Golden Globes, which take place this Sunday. Ridley is an American novelist, director and screenwriter whose other films include Undercover Brother (2002), Three Kings (1999) and Cold Around the Heart (1997).
NPR Presents: 12 Years A Slave, A Conversation with Screenwriter John Ridley and Michele Norris
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Time: Doors open at 6:30PM (ET) / Show at 7:00PM (ET)
Location: NPR Headquarters
1111 North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Tickets: $15, http://bit.ly/
Getting there: NPR HQ is accessible by Metro, located a few blocks from the NOMA – Gallaudet U/New York Ave stop on the Red Line. Bike racks and freeevent parking available.
Wednesday, March 19th: Arlington Young Democrats 13th Annual Charity Date Benefit and Straw Poll
What do Miss United States, Elizabeth Kucinich, and four VIP tickets to the Washington Nationals have in common? They’ll all be at the Arlington Young Democrats 13th Annual Charity Date Auction on Wednesday, March 19 at Clarendon Grill! Join AYD in supporting the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with a live date auction and silent auction beginning at 7:30. Tickets are $25 and include a free drink
The event will be hosted by Tina Montgomery, 2012 Miss D.C. United States. She will also be joined by special guest 2013 Miss United States Candiace Dillard
This auction will feature dates with some of the best and brightest from Arlington and around the region. In addition, this event will also feature a silent auction for great items including a signed Washington Caps hockey puck, tickets to see DC United, a custom Chef’s Menu for Two at Oyamel and a private dinner with Elizabeth Kucinich!
Like politics, too? AYD will be holding its first ever straw poll for young professionals to name their candidate in this June’s 8th District Congressional Primary.
The District of Columbia and Centric Invite you to a Celebration of Freedom in the Nation’s Capital
152nd Anniversary of DC Emancipation Day
The celebrations occur at multiple times on Wednesday, April 16th at 11:00am with a festive parade down Pennsylvania Avenue NW boasting more than 40 participating groups, including numerous DC high school and college marching bands, the U.S. Army Fife and Drum Corp and Color Guard, The 54th Voluntary Infantry Regiment, the UniverSOUL Circus, various MPDC Units, neighborhood groups and associations, and much more. Enjoy food and merchandise vendors all throughout the day.
From 1:30pm and again at 2:45pm, visit the Open House at the John A. Wilson Building (near the Parade end route at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC) for educational workshops with Mark Plotkin, Hon. Frank Smith, Peter Hanes, and Dr. Elizabeth Clark Lewis, Ph.D. The official DC Emancipation Day Concert, “Message in the Music” will begin at 4pm at Freedom Plaza and feature Brian Lenair (4pm to 5pm), followed by performances by Talib Kweli, Raheem DeVaughn, Arrested Development, MC Lyte, Doug E Fresh and more. The full day of celebrations will end with an impressive Fireworks Finale over Freedom Plaza, beginning at 8:30pm. Get details below, as well as at www.emancipationdc.com. All Emancipation Day DC events are free and open to the public!
YPFP’s annual Affairs of State Gala is DC’s premier event for young professionals working in international relations and foreign affairs. We’ll be celebrating ten years of YPFP’s history with a two-hour open bar, whiskey tastings, music, and more!
What: Affairs of State Gala
When: Saturday, September 6, 2014 at 8:00pm
Where: National Press Club
Notes: tickets available now (age 21+ only)
Advanced Tickets (before Aug. 31) – $55
Last Minute Tickets (Sept. 1-5) – $65
At the Door – $75
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History‘s Raise a Glass Star-Spangled Banner Gala Event will be held September 12, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. This cocktail showcase honoring the Star Spangled Banner will support the American Food History Project at the National Museum of American History. The event will be emceed by Simon Majumdar from the Food Network and feature music by the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Quartet. Guests will learn how to mix their own cocktails at home, participate in mixology demonstrations, hear from cocktail historian David Wondrich, and see collections objects out of storage.
The Resolution Social: Washington DC
Thursday, November 20th, 6:30-8:30pm
The Gryphon
Come join me and others for the inaugural Resolution Social: Washington DC! Taking place at The Gryphon in Dupont Circle, this will be an exciting evening dedicated to social entrepreneurship and volunteerism. With a two-hour open bar and a fantastic group of people, come learn about how young leaders around the world are being galvanized to take on the world’s challenges together, today. We hope to see you there! https://resolutionsocialdc.eventbrite.com
THE RESOLUTION PROJECT is a unique pathway to action for aspiring young leaders committed to changing the world. Resolution identifies and empowers undergraduate students around the world who are launching new social ventures, supported by Resolution’s global network of resources. Resolution finds young social entrepreneurs through Social Venture Challenges held at existing youth conferences like the Clinton Global Initiative University, the Youth Assembly at the United Nations, and others. Resolution helps the winners of its competitions to make a positive impact today through Resolution Fellowships. In the words of Chelsea Clinton, “The Resolution Project has shown that socially-responsible young entrepreneurs who want to create a positive change no longer have to wait for tomorrow, but are capable of leading today.” Please see our Resolution Digital Book and our Website for further information on our work and narratives from some of our Fellows.
Against the backdrop of a region steeped in politics, with a touch of art, style and humor, Art Soiree presents 5th Annual Political Cartoon Exhibit featuring Tom Toles of The Washington Post. This will be a solo exhibition for Tom Toles presenting a retrospective of his work as Washington Post’s editorial cartoonist over the past twelve years. The one night only exhibit will take place Friday, January 23 at 8pmat the Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown 3100 South Street NW, Washington DC. Guests will get to mingle with the exhibiting cartoonist and enjoy live musical performance by his local journo-band Suspicious Package. The pop-up exhibition is ticketed at $20 with a percentage of net proceeds benefiting Charlie Hebdo.
Tickets are limited and available online only at https://politicalcartoonexhibit.eventbrite.com
Artist will be available on site for interview. High Resolution images available upon request.
ABOUT TOM TOLES: Tom Toles is the Pulitzer prizewinning Editorial Cartoonist for the Washington Post and is widely syndicated nationally. He has covered government, politics and society in six cartoons per week for the Post since 2002. Previously he has been Editorial Cartoonist for US News and World Report, The New Republic, The New York Daily News, The Buffalo News and the Buffalo Courier-Express. He has also drawn a comic strip, Curious Avenue and a comic panel, Randolph Itch, 2am. In his spare time he sings and plays drums in two Washington DC based bands, Suspicious Package and Lethal Bark. He has written a musical comedy, Catapult Love featuring the original music of Lethal Bark. He also enjoys dancing all night long. http://www.washingtonpost.com/people/tom-toles
The First J. Paul’s Icons of Georgetown Awards Dinner
What: J.Paul’s 2015 Icons of Georgetown Awards dinner will be hosted by Thomas L. Gregg, the newly appointed chief executive officer of Capital Restaurant Concepts to honor two individuals who have contributed greatly to Georgetown.
When: The dinner will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: J. Paul’s, located at 3218 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007, http://jpaulsdc.com/
Why: J. Paul’s has been serving Georgetown for over 30 years as an iconic dining saloon, and Capital Restaurant Concepts recognizes the importance of honoring members of the community who have taken great strides to support and improve Georgetown, Washington DC’s oldest neighborhood. The first 2015 Icons of Georgetown award will recognize two remarkable people, The Honorable Jack Evans and Mr. Paul J. Cohn, for their contributions to Georgetown over the last 20 years of service. Proceeds raised from the evening’s ticket sales will benefit Georgetown Heritage, a new nonprofit dedicated to promoting and presenting the history of Georgetown, http://georgetownheritagesociety.org/ . The funds from the March 11 award dinner are earmarked to help rebuild the Georgetown canal boat that services the C&O Canal National Historic Park.
How: Tickets for a buffet dinner including drinks are priced at $60 per person (all inclusive) and reservations must be made byMarch 6, 2015. Online ticketing http://shop.capitalrestaurants.com/j-pauls/ or by phone at 202.339.6806
About the two iconic award-winners for 2015:
Paul Cohn, started J. Paul’s Dining Saloon at M Street in 1983, and was a co-founder of Capital Restaurant Concepts which was established in 1984 that grew to include J. Paul’s, Paolo’s, Neyla, Old Glory and Georgia Brown’s as well as the since-closed River Club and Club Zei. Cohn, originally from Baltimore, started out as a manager for singers Peaches and Herb in the 1970s. With his restaurants in Georgetown and downtown D.C., he became influential in local politics as well as instrumental in establishing the Georgetown Business Improvement District and other business and non-profit initiatives.
Jack Evans, Councilmember for Ward 2, was first elected to the Council of the District of Columbia in a 1991 special election and re-elected in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. As the Ward 2 Councilmember, Jack represented 11 distinct neighborhoods including Georgetown. At the Council, Jack serves as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Finance and Revenue, which oversees the District’s finances and tax policy. He also serves on two standing Council committees – Economic Development and Public Safety and the Judiciary.
A native of Pennsylvania, he received an economics degree with honors (cum laude) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1975, and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Law in 1978. Jack began practicing law at the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Division of Enforcement and currently serves as Of Counsel at Patton Boggs law firm. On September 18, 2010, Jack married Michele Price. They live in Georgetown with their six children (Katherine, John, & Christine – age 15; Sam – age 20; Maddy – age 18; and Jack – age 15) and their golden retriever Kelly.
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.
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/
