Events/Things To Do

The Art League’s first Art on the Vine fundraiser kicks-off with a 10-day online art auction that culminates in a festive, global wine tasting party on Friday, June 9, 7:30-10:30 pm in the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

The Art on the Vine wine tasting party on June 9 will feature 12 different wines from around the world. Tickets are $55 per person, and each ticket holder will receive a tasting glass, eight tastings, and one full pour. Well Crafted Wine & Beverage Co. curated the selection of wines, and the tasting is designed to take the palette on a journey from light to bold. Chadwicks in Old Town will provide light hors d’oeuvres.
The online auction begins at 12:00 noon on May 30, featuring a variety of artwork from our esteemed faculty of artists as well as date night packages from local Alexandria businesses, including the new Hotel Indigo. The final round of bidding will occur during the event on June 9 as a silent auction.

All proceeds go to benefit The Art League and its educational programs.

When: Friday, June 9, 7:30–10:30 pm
Where: The Art League, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 North Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Tickets: $55 per person. Must be 21+ to attend.

Purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-on-the-vine-tickets-33830317390

Online auction site: https://www.32auctions.com/ArtOnTheVine
Artwork continues to be added to the site!

General questions: 703-683-1780

Shakespeare Theatre Company will once again welcome Members of Congress and distinguished Washington influencers onto its stage to perform in Will on the Hill, a lively show infused with comedic references to contemporary politics. Now in its fifteenth year, the much-loved bipartisan event for theatre and political fans alike will return to STC on Monday, June 12 at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) at 7:30 p.m.

Written by Peter Byrne with assistance from D.C.’s West Wing Writers, the event will be directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul and will star 47 Members of Congress and notable Washingtonians led by Maulik Pancholy, best known for playing Alec Baldwin’s intrepid assistant Jonathan on the classic NBC comedy 30 Rock.

“We are grateful that some of the nation’s well-known political faces are so willing to donate their time to help raise funds for our education and outreach programs. While these men and women tread the boards to showcase their acting skills and poke fun at the political landscape they are helping the theatre provide access to the arts for the entire D.C. community,” said STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn.

Proceeds from this event support STC’s many education, artistic and community engagement programs, including in-school workshops and educational resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages.

About the Cast

The production will feature 30 Rock star Maulik Pancholy. The NBC show garnered 80 awards and 310 nominations. He is also widely recognized for playing Sanjay over six seasons of the Showtime hit series Weeds, created by Emmy Award-winner Jenji Kohan (Orange Is the New Black). He will soon appear on the upcoming CBS series Star Trek: Discovery, which will be the first Star Trek series to air since 2005. He played Katherina in STC’s The Taming of The Shrew in 2016. Rounding out the cast are British Ambassador to the U.S. His Excellency Kim Darroch and many Members of Congress including Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Representatives Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Daniel M. Donovan (R-NY), Jim Himes (D-CT), George Holding (R-NC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Polis (D-CO), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Darren Soto (D-FL), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Michael Turner(R-OH) and Peter Welch (D-VT). Other illustrious cast members include Wa’el Alzayat (Executive Director, EmergeUSA), Gregory Angelo (President, Log Cabin Republicans), Jess Bravin (Supreme Court correspondent, The Wall Street Journal), Linda Chavez (Chairman, Center for Equal Opportunity), Ron Christie (Political Strategist), Steve Clemons (Editor At Large, The Atlantic), Maggie Coons, Bob Cusack (Editor in Chief, The Hill), Jon Decker (White House Correspondent, Fox News), Johanna Derlega (Publisher, The Hill), Karen Dunn (Partner at Bois, Schiller, & Flexner LLP, consultant for House of Cards), Dr. Michael Eric Dyson(Georgetown University professor, host of The Raw Word, and author), Paula Fitzgerald (Executive Director, Ayuda), Taegan Goddard (Publisher, Political Wire), Richard Haass (President of the Council on Foreign Relations), Rick Klein (Political Director, ABC News), Maria Teresa Kumar (President, Voto Latino), Dana Milbank (Columnist, The Washington Post), Erica Moody (Deputy Editor, Washington Life), Grover Norquist (Americans for Tax Reform), Hilary Rosen (Partner and Managing Director, SKDKnickerbocker), Christina Sevilla (Deputy Assistant, USTR), Rina Shah (Political consultant at Run with Rina), Ari Shapiro (Host, NPR), Pamela Lynne Sorensen (Pamela’s Punch), Kelly Jane Torrance (Deputy Managing Editor, The Weekly Standard), Crystal Wright (Communications consultant at Baker Wright Group), and Tim Young (Political Comedian).

* Cast members subject to change.

ANNUAL MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Saturday, July 22nd | 8:00pm @ Rooftop of Liaison Capitol Hill
TICKETS: $15 online; $20 at the door Buy Here

Join us this Saturday night at the rooftop of Liaison Capitol Hill to celebrate the summer and immerse into a surreal, fairy-laden setting of color, art and music at the annual Shakespeare-themed Midsummer Night’s Dream art show.

FEATURED ARTISTS & PERFORMERS

• KIM REYES (Body Art)
• RHONDA HARDESTY (Body Art)
• MANDY GIBSON (Body Art)
• SOPHIA ROSMAN (Body Art)
• MADISON PIZER (Body Art)
• NENA DEPAZ (Body Art)
• JESSICA WAGNER (Body Art)
• MIRIAM BRALY (Body Art)
• KRISTINA KRAVCHENKO (Body Art)
• MALIYAH PEARL (Fantasy Aquatic Performer)
• ANNA PINEAPPLE (Fire & Hoop Performer)
• DJ BYZANTINE (Live DJ Performance)

Young professionals ages 21-35 can enjoy after-hours access to Ford’s Theatre and Museum at Under 35: Museum Night on August 3, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Patrons will mix and mingle in the Ford’s Theatre Museum, see historic artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and assassination, and explore the 19th-century theatre where President and Mrs. Lincoln attended performances. Each $20 ticket includes two drink vouchers.

This event is part of Ford’s Theatre Society’s Under 35 patron initiatives, which include special access events for young professionals interested in Ford’s Theatre history and performances. Guests meet knowledgeable staff who share information on Ford’s Theatre history and current programming.

Tickets to Under 35: Museum Night should be reserved in advance at www.fords.org/visit/special-tours-events/under-35-museum-night. A valid ID must be presented at check-in in the Ford’s Theatre lobby (511 Tenth Street NW).

Beverages provided by On Tap.

Ford’s Theatre Society

One of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, Ford’s Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.

Ford’s Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford’s as a living, working theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford’s for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed Big River to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. In the past decade, the mission of Ford’s Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, which opened in February 2012. Currently, under the leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Eric A. Spiegel, the Society is building Ford’s Theatre into a national destination for exploring Lincoln’s ideas and leadership principles and finding new ways to bring Lincoln’s legacy to life for the 21st-century learner.

For more information on Ford’s Theatre and the Ford’s Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.

What: UnaBASHed Weirdos: A Pointless Dance Party & Benefit Featuring a puppet jukebox, tasty hors d’oeuvres, and an open bar with beer and wine. There will be a silent auction, a live DJ and food by local celebrity chef Matt Baker. Chef Baker is opening his first restaurant, Gravitas, an innovative Modern American restaurant, and will be plating food personally at the event. The event will also feature a legendary line-up of Pointless entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to get crazy on the dance floor.

Where: Alley DC, 2055 L Street, NW; Washington, DC 20036

When: Friday, September 22, 2017; 7 – 10:00 p.m.

Tickets: Tickets to UnaBASHed Weirdos start at $50. Honorary Weirdo-level tickets, which include recognition at the event are $100. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit PointlessTheatre.com/Parties.

Social Media: Twitter: @PointlessTheatreCo

  Facebook: @PointlessTheatre

  Instagram: @PointlessThetCo

  Hashtag: #unabashedweirdos and/or #pointlessparties

The world is filled with different types of environments; from the natural world as a whole to particular geographical areas. This year the creativity by interior designers will make these environments fashionable and transform them into wearable works of art when the 8th Annual Cosmo Couture Fashion & Design event takes place on Thursday, September 28^th in Washington, D.C.

The annual event produced by the Washington Metro City Center (WMCC) of the International Interior Design Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter (IIDA-MAC), will pay tribute to the various environments that we live in and also surround us. Local architecture and interior design firms and manufacturing partners will create apparel out of interior materials reflecting the given theme. This year, each garment will transport the audience into a new ENVIRONMENT, pulling their design inspiration from the environmental definition: the surroundings or conditions in which a person, plant or animal lives or operates. Garments are constructed out of interior materials such as tile, carpet, wood, vinyl, glass and rubber –  materials used in the built environment and finding ways to apply them to haute couture fashion, creating a bridge between fashion and architecture. These individual inspirations allow the design teams to conceptualize and create a garment around their inspiration’s feel, look, and sound. Each year the theme changes with past themes focusing on D.C. area landmarks, such as the Smithsonian Museums, Embassies, American Presidents, the National Zoo, to an Under The Big Top circus theme.

Twenty-four design teams will participate in this year’s event. Designs will be judged by an elite panel of judges such as Michael McCarthy (Editor-in-Chief, DC Modern Luxury), Kim Elleen (Chief Washington Reporter for the Boston Herald & Fashion Designer – Kim Elleen Collection), Fashion & Interior Stylist Stara Pezeshkian (more to be announced soon) and awards will be given in various categories such as:

Best Performance

• Best Performance
• Best Use of Materials
• Best Interpretation of Theme
• Best Red Carpet Look
• Audience Favorite (People’s Choice)

The 2017 Cosmo Couture beneficiary is Rebuilding Together of Washington, DC (RTDC).  RTDC’s mission is to preserve and revitalize low-income homes and community facilities in our Nation’s Capital.  RTDC makes free home repairs for low-income DC homeowners who are Veterans, elderly, disabled or caring for young children in seriously deteriorating conditions and for nonprofit community centers that serve DC’s most vulnerable citizens of all ages. RTDC’s home repairs enable low-income homeowners to remain in their homes, where they can live in warmth and safety with independence and dignity. To date, the IIDA Mid-Atlantic Chapter has donated over $100,000 to previously selected charities from Cosmo Couture proceeds during the past six years.

Cosmo Couture attracts approximately 800 attendees each year and made possible this year by our Haute Couture top sponsor Mohawk Group. Media partners for the event are DC Modern Luxury, ABC7 and News Channel 8.

Event tickets range from $100-150 and sponsorship and table opportunities are also available online at http://www.cosmocouture.org/tickets.shtml.

EVENT DETAILS
What:  Cosmo Couture 2017 – Fashion & Interior Design Event (8^th Annual)
Presented by:  Washington Metro City Center of the International Interior Design Association – Mid Atlantic Chapter
Beneficiary: Rebuilding Together of Washington, DC

When: Thursday, September 28, 2017
Where:  The Howard Theater, 620 T Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
Time:  5:30-10:00PM
Cocktails 5:30-7:30PM

Runway Show 7:30-9:00PM

Desserts 9:00-10:00PM

Website: www.cosmocouture.org

SUPERFIERCE Opening Salon Party to Kick Off Month-Long Exhibit and Activation Empowering Female Artists

Dates: October 5th, 6:30pm – 12 Midnight

Address:  Blind Whino Arts Club, 700 Delaware Ave., SW, Washington, DC.

Cost: $75 General Admission. $150 VIP

Summary:

Join SUPERFIERCE as they host an Opening Exhibition Salon Party as the official kickoff to the 2017 SUPERFIERCE month-long art exhibit on October 5^th at the Blind Whino.  SUPERFIERCE—an organization aimed at creating a foundation of support, connectivity and resources to empower female artists will feature more than 30 nationally and locally known female artists, photographers and sculptors. Artists include Anne Marchand, Ashley Longshore, Caitlyn Price, Dominique Fierro, Julie Wolfe, Kennedy Yanko, Lana Gomez, Maggie O’Neill, Maryanne Pollock, and more. The ticketed event will feature a VIP Collectors Artist Reception in which guests will hear from an expert panel on the importance of equal representation of female artists throughout the industry and how forming a reliable network will accelerate female artists’ careers allowing them to give back and pay it forward. A general admission exhibition of female artists’ interactive installations will be on display with all work available for purchase.  25% of all proceeds will be donated to E-Beauty, an organization that supports women undergoing treatment for cancer through their wig exchange program. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.superfierce.org.