2020 marks the 10th year of one of DC and Baltimore’s most bizarre and exciting traditions: celebrating Elvis Presley’s birthday with a show of back alley fisticuffs and burlesque. The 10th Annual Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club takes place at DC’s Gala Hispanic Theatre (3333 14th Street NW) January 3 and 4th at 7:30 and 10 pm.Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club (EBFC) is hosted by “The King” and femcee Kittie Glitter who provide hilarious color commentary for an action-packed, punch-drunk, below-the-belt, hilarious night of lowbrow theater.
Seven rounds of flimflam fisticuffs are the centerpiece of the action, and in between, bouts of burlesque performances offer a sexy reprieve from the cartoon-esque violence. EBFC’s fight card is always a closely-guarded secret, and trying to anticipate who, or what, might be on the roster is half the fun. For year 10, five past fighters have been invited back to take part in a grand finale Royal Rumble. Past match ups have ranged from the topical (the Franken-Weinstein monster vs. a vagina) to the intensely absurd (My Little Pony vs. Leatherface).
The show has a number of dedicated fans who return each year and induct new audience members into the insanity.
“People brag about how many years they have been coming,” says Kate Taylor Davis, one of the show’s producers. “They email me months in advance of the event to confirm dates because their out-of-town friends want to come too. This is a strange annual touchstone, and people LOVE it!”.
The show’s origin was somewhat happenstance, created when the producers were assigned a date to put on an event that happened to coincide with The King’s birthday. Originally intended as a one-off event, the popularity of an evening that centered around Elvis, the toilet he died on (known as “Commodious”) and mistaking his dying wish for a commemorative nightclub, as a “fight club”, became a huge hit.
Featuring: Jared Davis as “Elvis,” Jei Spatola as Kittie Glitter, Andrew Wodzianski as
Commodious, Bebe Bardot, Lucrezia Blozia, Carlos Bustamante, Patrick M. Doneghy, Matt Grant, Callie Pigeon, Candy Del Rio, Cherie Sweetbottom, Stephon Walker, and more. Fight choreography by James Finley, sound by Mehdi Raoufi, lights by Camille Kashaka, and general direction by Kate Taylor Davis.
For audiences 21+. Tickets are $28 in advance. Ticket link and information at fightclubshow.com
WHAT:
Free Community Day
The first Sunday of the month is Community Day at NMWA! Visit us on Community Day for free admission to the museum—take this opportunity to explore our collection and special exhibitions before they close. Exhibitions include: Judy Chicago—The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, which showcases the feminist icon’s newest works; Live Dangerously, featuring a collection of modern and contemporary photography; Women Artists of the Dutch Golden Age, which explores the careers of highly successful artists in the Netherlands during the 17th and early 18th centuries; and Betsabeé Romero: Signals of a Long Road Together, the latest installation in NMWA’s public art series, the New York Avenue Sculpture Project.
Fierce Women Tours
Fierce Women Tours are available from 1–2 p.m. during Free Community Days. Discover a diverse cast of fierce women artists who refused to let men define their place; pushed back on the limited roles society accorded them; and blazed trails as artists, activists and innovators.
WHERE:
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-783-5000
nmwa.org
WHEN:
Community Day: Sunday, January 5, 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
Fierce Women Tour: 1–2 p.m.
TICKETS:
No tickets are required for Community Days, but space is limited for Fierce Women Tours. First come, first served; sign up at the Information Desk upon arrival. Tours departs from the Great Hall.
PRICE:
Free
Marjorie Post and Marie Antoinette: A Story of American Taste
Wednesday, January 8, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Chief Curator Wilfried Zeisler will explore the lesser known early collecting period of Marjorie Merriweather Post in the context of American taste, shedding new light on several works from Hillwood’s French art collection.
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
About this Event
The Graham’s last event with Veuve Clicout was a sell out. They’d love to welcome you and your friends to the Rooftop with special pricing on Veuve Yellow Label at $18 per glass, and Rose Label at $24 per glass. There will be a complimentary Cheese & Chartercuterie display as well as a display of Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Fried Chicken Sandwiches from the winter Rooftop EATS menu.
We’ll also be popping off the 15 Litre Veuve Nebuchadnezzar bottle we’ve secured for the night. Come early to secure your seating!
While there is no cost for entry, this is a ticketed event. Your RSVP will help to staff appropriately and ensure prompt and friendly service.
This is a 21+ party. Valid US Drivers License or Passport is required for entry. Foreign ID’s or Drivers Licenses will not be accepted and you will not be admitted regardless of age.
We will enforce a strict No Athletic Wear Policy, Business Casual attire is suggested and admission is ultimately at the discretion of the Rooftop host.
Event Valet Parking is $32 for the evening. There are limited Street Parking options available on Thomas Jefferson ST NW. We highly recommend using a ride-sharing service or Metro.
Game music legend Andy Brick leads the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and The Washington Chorus in concert premieres from more than a dozen video game classics in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, at 8 p.m.
The full Game ON! program will feature music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3, Assasin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed 4, Bioshock, Diablo 3, Ori and the Blind Forest, Rayman Legends, Portal 2, Civilization V, Until Dawn, Destiny 2, League of Legends, and Overwatch. Beloved moments and scenes from these games come to life above the Orchestra during the concert as videos of HD game play and never-before-seen concept art from a selection of the games listed on the program are projected on screen above the stage.
Brick has composed music for many popular video games, including Sim City, Stranglehold, Sims 2, Arc The Lad, KidPix Deluxe, and the Kingdom series. He has also conducted and orchestrated live concert and recorded soundtracks for many immensely popular franchises, including Super Mario Bros., Halo, and Final Fantasy. Brick launched the live symphonic game score movement in 2003 when he conducted the world’s first Symphonic Game Music concert at the Gewandaus in Leipzig, Germany to a sold out hall. From there he went on to popularize the concept with many more sold out performances, eventually taking the sub-genre to new heights as the principal conductor and music director of “Play! A Video Game Symphony.”
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets (from $29–$89) are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, online at kennedy-center.org, and via phone through Instant Charge, (202) 467-4700; toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquires, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
Under the baton of Emil de Cou, Diana Ross returns to the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) for three performances with her music book of memories showcasing Ms. Ross’ immense talent and a celebrated legacy spanning more than five decades. Performances take place January 9, 10, and 11, at 8 p.m., in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
Diana Ross is one of the most successful singers of her generation, with a performing arts career that spans more than 50 years. The award-winning singer and actress is known for leading the powerful female group The Supremes, as well as her chart-topping solo career. Ross has received the Guinness World Record for her international success of having more hits than any other female artist on the charts, inductions into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award, and countless other accolades and awards.
Ross has invited local D.C. gospel choir The Joyce Garrett Singers to join her once again onstage for this program. The Joyce Garrett Singers sang with Ross in her last appearance with the NSO and performed at the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors, at which Ross received the prestigious award for lifetime achievement.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets (from $39–$199) are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, online at kennedy-center.org, and via phone through Instant Charge, (202) 467-4700; toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquires, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
Eric Nuzum – Make Noise: A Creator’s Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling — in conversation with Scott Simon — at Politics and Prose at Union Market
Friday, January 10, 2020 – 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In his comprehensive guide to creating and distributing podcasts, Nuzum, who as former head of NPR podcast development oversaw shows including TED Radio Hour, Invisibilia, Sincerely X, and The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson, goes beyond just the basics. Offering practical information, insider’s advice, and tips on the big picture, he identifies core principles, such as thinking like the audience while staying focused on your own message; establishes best practices for interviews and for developing character, story, and voice; shares strategies for refining ideas and developing an audience; and shows how to use audio effectively as a means of expression. Nuzum will be in conversation with Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.
This event is free to attend with no reservation required. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
Politics and Prose at Union Market 1270 5th Street NE Washington DC 20002
7 p.m. & 9 p.m. Terrace Theater
WNO: American Opera Initiative: The New 20-Minute Operas
Three world premiere short operas will be staged in a concert performance, accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and followed by a Q&A with the artists and creative team. This season’s distinguished mentors include composer Laura Kaminsky, librettist Kelley Rourke, and conductor Anne Manson.
Tickets: $19-35
Under the baton of Emil de Cou, Diana Ross returns to the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) for three performances with her music book of memories showcasing Ms. Ross’ immense talent and a celebrated legacy spanning more than five decades. Performances take place January 9, 10, and 11, at 8 p.m., in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
Diana Ross is one of the most successful singers of her generation, with a performing arts career that spans more than 50 years. The award-winning singer and actress is known for leading the powerful female group The Supremes, as well as her chart-topping solo career. Ross has received the Guinness World Record for her international success of having more hits than any other female artist on the charts, inductions into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award, and countless other accolades and awards.
Ross has invited local D.C. gospel choir The Joyce Garrett Singers to join her once again onstage for this program. The Joyce Garrett Singers sang with Ross in her last appearance with the NSO and performed at the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors, at which Ross received the prestigious award for lifetime achievement.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets (from $39–$199) are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, online at kennedy-center.org, and via phone through Instant Charge, (202) 467-4700; toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquires, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
How hard is it for women food entrepreneurs to start and run some of DC’s top bakeries, breweries and food companies? Find out on January 11, at Hook Hall, when eight of the region’s most talented female food creators dish it out at an epic night of storytelling called “Bite Your Tongue.” The event, priced at $20, will be from 7 until 9:30 p.m.
Bite Your Tongue will feature untold stories from the women who fuel DC–stories that are heartbreaking, hilarious and have the added benefit of being 100% true.
“Live storytelling is the best forum to express the insane ups and downs of creating a successful food business…” said Sara Polon, CEO of Soupergirl and a co-founder of Bite Your Tongue. “That’s why we created the Bite Your Tongue series, to use live narrative to let these bad-ass local business women share their successes and failures with a live audience.”
“Bite Your Tongue: The Unhospitable Edition” is the first in the BYT speaker series. The inaugural January 11 event will include a live musical performance from One Lane Bridge. Proceeds from the event will go to N Street Village, a community empowering homeless and low-income women in D.C. to claim their highest quality of life.
The eight entrepreneurs sharing their stories are:
- Violeta Edelman, co-founder & co-CEO, Dolcezza Gelato & Coffee, a gelateria using local ingredients to create homemade flavors.
- Sarah Frimpong, CEO & founder, Wellfound Foods, which manufactures and distributes modern grab-n-go food to quality foodservice buyers and retailers in the DMV.
- Sarah Gordon, co-founder, Gordy’s Pickle Jar, a pickle manufacturing company based in D.C.
- Jenna Hunstberger, founder, Whisked! D.C., an award winning online bakery that delivers desserts across the country.
- Doron Petersan, founder & president of Sticky Fingers Sweets and Eats, an award-winning vegan bakery.
- Anna Valero, founder, Hook Hall/Kraken Axes. Hook Hall is a traditional tavern and event space, while Kraken Axes are axe throwing bars.
- Sara Polon, founder, Soupergirl, a soup company cooking plant-based, healthy, delicious soups by hand.
- Julie Verratti, co-owner, Denizens Brewing Company, a brewery offering fresh craft beer made in Maryland.
