Bustin’ Loose: Stories from D.C.’s Underground Music Scenes
Panel Discussion
Tuesday, March 12, 7 p.m.
$8 members; $10 public
Go-Go and hardcore emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as uniquely Washingtonian urban youth subcultures. Iley Brown of Stride Records, 9:30 Club owner Seth Hurwitz, D.C. Go-Go and hip-hop figure DJ Kool, and musician Alec MacKaye (Untouchables, The Faith, and Ignition) share stories from these two underground music scenes and discuss their origins, folkways, and parallels. The panel is moderated by Washington City Paper managing editor Jonathan L. Fischer.
Go-Go Music: The History and Evolution of DC’s Legendary Beat
Monday, March 18, 7 p.m.
$8 members; $10 public
Join Kip Lornell, Adjunct Professor of American Music and Ethnomusicology at George Washington University and co-author of The Beat: Go-Go Music from Washington, DC, as he chronicles the development and ongoing popularity of go-go music, the only musical form indigenous to Washington, D.C. In the mid-1970s, Chuck Brown pioneered the iconic go-go sound, influenced by local Latin percussion ensembles, disco, Grover Washington’s hit single “Mr. Magic,” and funk. By the mid-1980s, bands such as Rare Essence (RE), Trouble Funk, and Junk Yard Band had emerged. Today we are in our third generation of go-go, and the music tradition continues to evolve and thrive in the district, with most recent bands playing what’s known as “bounce beat” go-go. Dr. Lornell’s talk will highlight this nearly 40-year history with musical excerpts and video clips.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s legal affinity group, the Bard Association, unveils Expert Witnesses, a new series of interviews with prominent members of the legal community who have bridged the gap to the arts world. Former Senator and television star of Law & Order, Fred Thompson, will inaugurate a sequence of high profile, one-on-one interviews with Bard Association Chair Abbe David Lowell (Chadbourne & Parke LLP). Expert Witnesses will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 18, 2013, at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW).
Before joining the cast of the critically-acclaimed and long-running series Law & Order, Thompson represented Tennessee as a U.S. Senator for nearly a decade. He experienced first-hand the drama of politics as a leader on the Senate committee investigating the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s. Thompson transitioned to the screen in 1985 by starring in the film Marie, which dramatized his real-life role in a Tennessee public corruption case. Since then Thompson has played authoritative roles in many legal and governmental film and television thrillers such as In the Line of Fire, The Hunt for Red October and Law & Order: SVU.
Lowell, a prolific attorney to high-profile cases and former counsel to the House of Representatives, has known Thompson since before his days in show business. “I have known Fred since he was a ‘real’ lawyer and a very good one in Tennessee,” Lowell said. He heralded Thompson as an esteemed first guest for the new series. “It is a real feather in the cap of the Bard Association to get Fred to be our first one-on-one interview. He represents the epitome of what we want to explore – a person with real legal experience who used that experience to launch an acting career, but did so in a way never to totally leave his legal roots. Fred can share a unique perspective on the law and the arts that few people in the country can.”
Following Lowell’s interview of Thompson, the pair will engage in a Q&A session with the audience. Patrons are also invited to round off their evening at a reception immediately following the discussion at STC’s second theatre in Penn Quarter. Attendees will have the chance to speak with Thompson and Lowell over light refreshments in Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW).
Expert Witnesses mirrors Classic Conversations with Michael Kahn, in which STC’s Artistic Director conducted interviews with guests Sir Patrick Stewart, Kevin Kline, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach and F. Murray Abraham. More than 2,300 audience members enjoyed these informal and entertaining discussions covering everything from the actors’ childhoods to their most challenging classical roles.
The Bard Association has already presented four successful Shakespeare and the Law panel discussions, which have laid a foundation for legally focused programming at STC, in addition to the ever-popular and star-studded events, Mock Trial and Will on the Hill. STC’s Chief Development Officer Ed Zakreski notes that the support of the Bard Association has been critical to the theatre’s ability to “conduct in-depth examinations into the roles of lawyers and legal issues in many of Shakespeare’s plays” through these events.
Bard Association Member tickets for Expert Witnesses: Fred Thompson are $35 and go on sale Wednesday, January 30. General Public tickets are $40 and will be available for purchase on Wednesday, February 6. Tickets can be obtained by calling the Box Office at 202.547.1122, option 1.
Friday, March 22, 8:30 p.m.–midnight (VIP Speakeasy opens at 7:30 p.m.)
Tickets go on sale February 11 to 1869 Society members and February 19 to the public.
Attire: Creative Cocktail
Presented by the Corcoran’s 1869 Society, ARTINI is a vibrant evening of art, cocktails, entertainment, and dancing. The gala is the culmination of a month-long celebration in which eight mixologists from the District’s most prominent restaurants and bars compete to see who can create the most artistic martini. Sample all eight artinis and view the works from the collection that inspired them. The evening also features hors d’oeuvres and dancing. The city’s favorite artini, as chosen via online vote, will be revealed at the gala.
- General Ticket, Member and Non-Member Price: $125
- VIP Ticket, 1869 Society Price: $169
- VIP Ticket, Non-Member Price: $200
Meet ARTINI chair Lindley Thornburg and the mixologists atCorcoran People. Beginning Friday, March 1, each venue will offer its artini and will showcase it at a Feature Night. Come sample artinis at these eight events and enter a raffle to win VIP tickets and gift certificates.
ARTINI is hosted by the 1869 Society, the Corcoran’s circle of young benefactors. All proceeds benefit the NOW at the Corcoranexhibition and performance series.
VIP Opportunity: The Art of Craft Cocktails
For the third year, ARTINI will celebrate a “Critics’ Choice” selection, in addition to the winner of the popular vote. In order to select the Critics’ Choice winner, taste, presentation, and the artini’s connection to the artwork will be evaluated by a panel of esteemed judges:
- Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray of Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran
- Svetlana Legetic of Brightest Young Things
- Kelly Magyarics of Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting
Anna Spiegel and Jessica Voelker, Washingtonian magazine - Gina Chersevani, Hank’s Oyster Bar and Eddy, Buffalo & Bergen
- Sarah Newman, Curator of Contemporary Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art
1869 Society membership at the Dual level or above permits up to two tickets at the 1869 Society member price. Discounts on membership are available when you join 1869 while buying your ARTINI tickets.
Must be 21+ to attend; proper identification required for entry. Please drink responsibly; over-intoxication will not be tolerated.
No walk-ins permitted. No refunds permitted. Tickets are non-transferable.
The Washington area public has selected the 10 finalists for the Fifth Annual DC-CAPital Stars Talent Competition. These talented DC high school students will showcase their artistic abilities at a special performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. That evening, a panel of celebrity judges (see below), along with help from the audience, will help select the grand prize winner who will receive a $10,000 DC-CAP college scholarship that will be applied toward their first year of college. In addition, all finalists will receive college scholarships. The event is part of DC-CAP’s A Night of DC-CAPital Stars Gala celebration, which will honor outstanding academic achievement and excellence in artistic abilities of college-bound students from the District of Columbia.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 7 pm
WHERE: Eisenhower Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566
WHO: Celebrity Judges:
- Patti LaBelle, Grammy Award-winning singer, author and actress
- Amber Riley, actress and singer best known for her role on the hit FOX series “Glee”
- Jordin Sparks, American pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, actress and 2006 “American Idol” winner
Donald Graham, Gala Co-Chair, Chairman of DC-CAP
Catherine B. Reynolds, Gala Co-Chair, Board Member, DC-CAP
Deborah Lehr, Gala Co-Chair, Board Member, DC-CAP
10 Finalists from DC-CAPital Stars Talent Competition
Honorees: The Late Joseph L. Allbritton, Allbritton Communications and DC-CAP Board Member; David Domenici, Co-Founder, Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools
BACKGROUND: In its fifth year, the DC-CAPital Stars Talent Competition showcases outstanding artistic abilities of college-bound DC public and public charter high school students. This citywide talent search began with a series of auditions in October 2012. During the month of January 2013, the top 41 auditions were posted on DC-CAP’s Web site for the public to view and choose their favorites in vocal, instrumental or dance categories.
From the more than 6,500 online tallies and input from a local panel of independent professional vocalists, dancers, musicians and educators from the metropolitan area, the top 10 finalists were selected and will perform at the Kennedy Center on March 26. Learn more atwww.dccap.org/gala
The DC College Access Program (DC-CAP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging and enabling all District public and public charter high school students to enroll in and graduate from college.
DIY DC
Thursday, March 28, 7 p.m.
$8 members; $10 public
Co-presented by Washington City Paper
During the 1980s, Washington’s go-go and punk scenes adhered to different sets of cultural rules, yet both shared a staunchly DIY approach. This panel discussion, moderated by Alona Wartofsky, a former writer and editor for City Paper and The Washington Post, will explore the music and gang cultures of pre-gentrification D.C. Panelists include Trouble Funk’s “Big” Tony Fisher, Rare Essence’s Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson, longtime Washington music writer Mark Jenkins, former D.C. Police detective Donald “Goose” Gossage, and Gangster George, a former member of the Gangster Chronicles crew.
A splashy warehouse party that packs MUSIC + MULTIMEDIA ART + PERFORMANCE + FUN AND FRENZY Into a night that will be hard to forget. Produced by The Pink Line Project.
8:00pm til 2:00am, Fri Mar 29 @ 500 Penn St NE, Washington, DC 20002
Cherry Blast has taken place in warehouses in every quadrant of the DC except for Northeast. 2013 is your year, Northeast! Come out to a splashy warehouse party that packs MUSIC + MULTIMEDIA ART + PERFORMANCE + FUN AND FRENZY Into a night that will be hard to forget. Produced by The Pink Line Project. Be there for our fifth year, bigger and better than ever. *Must be 18 years or older to attend this event. Featuring Bands, DJs, Artists and Performers: DNA Theater will be performing. DNA Theatre exposes audiences to a new type of performance that defies definition and traditional performing boundaries. Come watch them fly! Also performing: DJs Chris Netti and Lxsx Frank; Faracuyeah DJs; Jon Kwest and DJ Underdog; Bellflur; Mary Alouette; and Urban Artistry.
price $10
Strathmore goes pinky up with hosts with the mosts Lisa Markuson and Josef Palermo for an egg-paintin’, square-dancin’, photo takin’ Friday Night Eclectic with You, Me, Them, Everybody’s Most Eggcellent Country Teatime Jamboree onFriday, March 29, 2013 in the Mansion. Doors at 8 p.m., rompin’ starts at 8:45 p.m. All good townspeople, break out your seersucker, sundresses, linen suits, bows, bonnets, straw hats and saddle shoes for an all out dance-y, old time-y spring social. Twitter hashtag #teaeggsjam. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
The night is anchored by the music and Appalachian square dancing of revival group DC Square Dance Collective, cello mastermind Daniel Frankhuizen and warbling and guitar fromLinsay Deming. In addition, three of D.C.’s premiere comedians take on Easter with unprecedented comedy—including the bizarre and hilarious characters of Adam Friedland, along with D.C.’s brother and sister phenom comedy combo Jenn Tisdale and Andrew Bucket, combining her dark autobiographical humor and his quick improvisational riffs. The creative and ever-wholesome Morgan Hungerford West, aka Pandahead, will lead revelers in craftiness on the Sun Porch with egg painting and portraiture from popular local artists includingElizabeth Graeber and Bryan Minnich, flower crown crafting and other countrified activities. Guests can commemorate the evening in an Easter-themed photo shoot and walk off with the spoils of Strathmore’s Mansion Easter egg hunt.
FNE is what happens when music and visual art collide. True to its namesake, the series embraces and features contemporary music of all genres, from hip-hop to folk rock, alt classical, rap, genre-bending hybrids and emerging sounds from the D.C. area’s best local musicians. The series brings a vibrant lounge atmosphere to the Mansion, with casual seating, bar and nosh. Friday Night Eclectic concerts are the “best reason to trek out of the District” (Express).
You, Me, Them, Everybody’s Most Eggcellent Country Teatime Jamboree Friday, March 29, 2013 Doors at 8 p.m., events at 8:45 p.m. Standing room only
On Friday, April 5 from 7-9 p.m., Washington, D.C. native iona ROZEAL brown will present Battle of Yestermore in a special FREE performance at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design.
The piece extends the allegories of the artist’s renowned paintings to her first work of live performance. Originally commissioned for the Performa 2011 festival in New York, battle of yestermore draws from the myth-based genres of Kabuki and Noh theater, as well as hip-hop culture and vogueing, made famous in the Harlem ballroom scene of the 1960s. This will be the debut performance of battle of yestermore in Washington, D.C.
Admission to the performance, timed to coincide with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, is free, and preregistration is encouraged. To register, visit http://battleofyestermore.eventbrite.com/.
As a native Washingtonian, Brown was first introduced to Kabuki theatre by her mother, who took her to performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. battle of yestermore features performances by vogueing legends Benny Ninja, along with New York hip hop dancers Monstah Black, Beasty, Lady Beast, Monalisa, Katie, Toko and Uko, while brown performs an original sound score accompanied by live musicians. Featuring costumes and creative kimono adaptations by costume stylist Brent Barkhaus, the performance promises to be a spectacular feast for the senses.
Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) will return to The John F. Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. with two world-premiere works, all live musical accompaniment, and two newly commissioned scores. BMD is known for a commitment to live music and collaboration – this special anniversary concert will embrace both as artistic director and choreographer, Lucy Bowen McCauley, brings together world-class artistic partners Alan Paul, Tony Cisek, Martha Mountain, Gaetano DiBacco, The Witkowski Piano Duo, Maryland Youth Ballet, and a host of talented musicians.
In Before the Fall, BMD Music Director, Larry Alan Smith, performs his new piano score that was written to accompany a dance prequel to the tale of Humpty Dumpty. Smith and McCauley present their vision of how Humpty came to be on “The Wall”. The dance will be performed by exceptional students from The Maryland Youth Ballet.
Fire and Air, a theatrical reimagining of the final act of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra features a rare performance by Lucy Bowen McCauley, and is directed by The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Associate Director, Alan Paul. On the selection of this project, Paul offers, “Cleopatra’s death is like none other in Shakespeare’s work. She famously says “I am fire and air; my other elements I give to baser life”. Now if that line doesn’t deserve a dance, I don’t know what does!” Patrick Soluri has been commissioned to create an epic score that propels the dance to its dramatic closure. McCauley and Paul first connected through the Urban Arias where they found a rich partnership. “Lucy and I are on the same wavelength—emotionally, stylistically—there is no other way to put it,” as Paul comments.
Tableau de Province, is a new ensemble five-part dance inspired by the music of French composer Paule Maurice, which will be played by world-class Italian saxophonists Gaetano DiBacco and concert pianist Marguerita Oundjian Smith. DiBacco and Smith will preview the piece with BMD at the Italian Embassy on April 3 at 7pm.
The concert concludes with McCauley’s tribute to the centennial of Stravinsky’s groundbreaking work, Le Sacre du Printemps (Rite of Spring). McCauley’s version of Sacre is set to the lesser known four-hand piano version of the score, which will be played by The Witkowski Piano Duo. BMD honors the milestone with an interpretation The Washington Post called, McCauley’s “strongest work to date…muscular, theatrically arresting.”
The piece has been considered the staple of modern dance — angular and abstract — with a score full of harmonic dissonance and syncopated rhythms. “I want people to relate to the full emotional range of the work and the unfolding of events in a less obvious way,” she says. She adds elements of surprise for those familiar with the 1913 masterpiece. “I’m honored to choreograph to an incredible piece of music that has been a major artistic influence on me for more than half of my life,” McCauley says.
The work features set and costume design by award-winning designer Tony Cisek.
The Saturday, April 6 concert will be followed by a Soiree event at The Rooftop Terrace Restaurant where guests will enjoy a post-performance reception with the artists including DJ and dancing. The event is a benefit to support BMD arts and education programs.
