BlackRock Center for the Arts will hold its annual gala on Friday, May 6 from 6:00pm–10:00pm. The gala theme is “An Evening of Wonder: Celebrating the Magic of the Arts at BlackRock.” In recent years, BlackRock has emerged as a noteworthy community asset, establishing Upper Montgomery County as a sought-after destination to live, work, and play, with its stellar performances, professional quality, and diverse offerings. Though it may seem the Center’s success happened overnight—like magic—it is instead a result of years of hard work and civic leadership in a forward-thinking community, one whose residents value the arts, their impact on the human spirit and their role in creating vibrant communities. Members of the public are invited to attend the event and celebrate the arts in Upper Montgomery County. Individual tickets to “An Evening of Wonder” cost $195 and can be purchased online at
The evening’s schedule for “An Evening of Wonder: Celebrating the Magic of the Arts at BlackRock” includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions, a three-course dinner, live entertainment, fund-a-need, dessert, and an after-party with dancing. In addition, there will be an awards celebration honoring Therrien Waddell and Jean Casey for their outstanding dedication to the arts in our community. The gala is co-chaired by Jennifer Russel and Chester Anderson and this year’s Honorary Co-Chairs are the Honorable Isiah Leggett and Mrs. Catherine Leggett.
Gala sponsors as of February 9, 2016 include: Lauren Kay Pollin; Dataprise; Adventist Health Care; Hughes, an Echostar Company; John and Sheila Compton; Montgomery College; Shops at Town Center; Sugarloaf Trails; Clarksburg Premium Outlets; Bethesda Magazine; Black Hill, a project of Lerner; Minkoff Development; Matan; Sugarplum Tent Company; Wegmans; &pizza; Elm Street Developments; Jade Solutions, LLC; M&T Bank; Melane and Tom Hoffmann; Margie and Tom Quelet; Zoes Kitchen; and wine sponsorship by Randy and Kathy Scritchfield. Jean Casey, Beth Daly, and Hammet Hough are Individual Sponsors of the event.
5th Annual Running of the Chihuahuas
DC’s Funniest Cinco de Mayo Celebration is Back!
(MOVED TO MAY 7th RAIN DATE!)
When: Sunday, May 1, 2016 | 1pm to 4 pm
Where: The Wharf 600 Water Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Why: A benefit for local animal charities and a hilarious way to celebrate Cinco
What: Chihuahua races, food trucks, beer stands, live music, dog contests, a family friendly FREE event!
Kick off Cinco de Mayo at the Fifth Annual Running of the Chihuahuas! 1pm – 4pm on Sunday, May 1st at The Wharf – DC’s amazing new destination taking shape on the southwest waterfront. The Running of the Chihuahuas is part of DC’s best Cinco de Mayo celebration, an afternoon that includes great food from Sol Mexican, Red Hook and Captain Cookie food trucks, cold beer, live music from Sly 45 and of course, the races.
The highlight of the afternoon, the races feature 96 Chihuahuas racing in groups of eight on a sixty foot “race track.” All the action is captured on a 17 foot Jumbotron screen and the winners take home $500 in cash and prizes. ALL race proceeds benefit Rural Dog Rescue – a non-profit organization dedicated to pulling dogs from high-kill rural shelters.
Don’t have a Chihuahua? You can still take part in the excitement with the all-breed contests for best dressed dog and best trick! There will be local vendors and giveaways from DC’s pet friendly businesses.
Deadline to register dogs online is Friday, April 29th, walkups on race day accepted until all spots are full. $25 per dog to race. This is a family and dog-friendly, admission-free event, but you must be 21+ to drink beer. To enter and for more information, visit http://www.cincodc.com!
| Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar partners with friend and Neighbor Chef Ryan Gordon of British Pub Queen Vic for the third year in a row to present the popular, always sold out, Kentucky Derby Pig Roast on Saturday May 7th at 3 pm. Chef Ryan’s 2016 menu boasts an array of bourbon infused selections featuring this year’s partner Bulleit Bourbon, Beer Braised Sausage featuring Brewery Partner Anderson Valley and mouth-watering sides such as Pimento Mac and Cheese.
To sip; Bulleit Rye Mighty Mint Juleps with house-made, mint simple syrup and mint infused Bulleit Rye, as well as select brews from Anderson Valley; Summer Solstice Seasonal Ale (slightly sweet and malty), Briney Melon Gose (tart with subtle watermelon flavors and aromas), Boont Amber Ale (herbal, spicy, bitter) and Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout (toffee, espresso, chocolate, barley), all on tap.
The $48 ticket prices includes all you can eat and all you can tap from the Anderson Valley kegs. Mint Juleps, Little Miss Whiskey’s 130 plus craft beers, 60 plus whiskeys and full bar will be available for purchase. The Derby will be aired live at 6:34 pm and women are encouraged to wear hats. Tickets can be purchased here: https://lmw.ticketspice.com/kentucky-derby-pig-roast-saturday-may-7th-2016
Chef Gordon continues to out do himself and this year’s roast is no different. The 2016 Kentucky Derby Pig Roast Menu:
Apple & Bulleit Bourbon Injected Whole Roasted Pigs
Bulleit Bourbon & Caramel Dipped Pork Belly Lollipop
House-Made Sausage Braised in Beer & Sauerkraut Peach & Bulleit Bourbon Glazed Slow-Cooked Ribs
served w/ sides of Jalapeno Cheesy Grits Pork Belly Potato Salad Bacon & Bulleit Bourbon Baked Beans |
BONNETS & BOWTIES
Saturday, May 7, 2016
4pm to 7pm
The Willard InterContinental
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
Enjoy the “fastest two minutes in American sports,” at the Willard InterContinental’s Annual Bonnets & Bowties Party.
Celebrate the 142nd Kentucky Derby in the Willard Room with an afternoon of Maker’s Mark Mint Juleps (2 per person), an open beer and wine bar, a Sothern Style Buffet, a live jazz ensemble by Chris Grasso Jazz Trio, casino-style games including Black Jack, Roulette and Craps, as well as a contest for the “Best Derby Bonnet.”
$99 per person
Reservations: 202-942-7000
For the second year in a row Silent Dance Society (SDS) enlivens DC neighborhoods with a late night music and dance experience that doesn’t disturb any neighbors. The multisensory Silent Disco experience lets guests dance to 3 different music genres played by 3 live DJs as they take in the summer air and gorgeous views from city’s best rooftops. The wireless headset technology lets attendees completely submerge into the music as they switch between the different live streaming DJ channels. The music is transmitted directly to each headset so that one can adjust the volume to their liking or step away from the dance floor without losing the beat.
In partnership with the Cambria Hotel & Suites, SDS is bringing the weekly Silent Disco experience to Shaw neighborhood – every Saturday, May 7th through September 3rd from 8pm – 12am.
In partnership with the Embassy Ro Hotel, SDS is bringing the weekly Silent Disco experience to Dupont Circle neighborhood – every Friday, May 20th through September 2nd from 6pm-11pm
WHO: 3 Live DJs, 3 Different Music Channels, 1 Open Air Dance Floor
WHEN: Season Kick-off – Saturday, May 7th
8pm-12am
WHERE: Cambria Rooftop, 899 O Street NW, Washington DC
TICKETS: $10-15 online headset rental; $20 at the door if not sold-out http://silentdisco-may7.eventbrite.com, www.silentdancesociety.com
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) commemorates its milestone 35thanniversary with Carmina 35 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall onSunday, May 8, 2016 at 8 p.m., under the direction of Artistic Director Thea Kano. For more information, visit www.GMCW.org.
GMCW partners with New York’s Gallim Dance and 40 members of the New York City Master Chorale to perform a perennial favorite of classical music, Carl Orff’s canonical Carmina Burana. Soloists lending their talent to this performance are soprano Paige Cutrona, tenor Robert Baker, and baritone Young Kwang Yoo. The performance will also feature new choreography by the industrious Andrea Miller, Artistic Director for Gallim Dance.
A leading contemporary dance company based in New York, this collaboration complements the ethos of Gallim Dance, which celebrates the human spirit through works deeply rooted in the human experience of love, struggle and spirituality. Miller created a loose narrative for nine dancers, harnessing the passion and physicality that the music inspires to explore different relationships—same sex and heterosexual, romantic, platonic, and familial. She channels a spectrum of emotions—passion, sexuality, tension, struggle, joy—through characteristically big, bold movement.
This production of Carmina Burana will also be performed at Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
Orff’s sweeping masterwork is paired with touchstones from GMCW’s history. The second half of the concert will be bookended with significant works commissioned by GMCW— “Build A House” fromAlexander’s House and “This House Shall Stand” from Songs of My Family. The Chorus will also perform favorite selections from past concerts, as well as “This Train,” the first song rehearsed at GMCW’s inaugural rehearsal in 1981, GMCW’s anthem “Make Them Hear You” from Broadway’s Ragtime, and “We Kiss in Shadow,” performed by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at the Kennedy Center in 1980, which served as the inspiration to start a DC-based gay men’s chorus.
Historical significance
A torchbearer and consistent, unified voice for equality, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC has been a steady presence in its community and at historic events that have impacted LGBT people. In 2013, GMCW sang on the steps of the Supreme Court when the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down, and returned in 2015 to sing jubilantly when the court ruled in favor of marriage equality. That same year, GMCW was the first LGBT chorus invited to perform in Cuba on a 10-day cultural and educational tour, helping to spread awareness about equality. The chorus sang at the Lincoln Memorial in 2008 for the first inauguration of President Barack Obama, performing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” with Josh Groban and Heather Headley. Additionally, GMCW vocal ensemble Potomac Fever performed at the White House in 2012 for the first-ever LGBT reception honoring rising LGBT leaders.
The chorus has grown from 90 members in its first season to more than 200 singing members today, educating and entertaining more than 10,000 patrons annually.
Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie are pleased to announce An Evening with Ana Gasteyer, an exclusive celebration that includes the inaugural presentation of the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award, Monday, May 9, 2016 at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St., SW).
Born and raised in D.C., Gasteyer has appeared on Broadway in Wicked and The Threepenny Opera and is widely known for her memorable roles in film and TV, including six seasons on Saturday Night Live. For the benefit cabaret performance, the comedienne will perform hits from her new jazz album “I’m Hip” with members of her band, delivering saucy and fun-loving renditions from the American songbook.
The evening kicks off with a VIP cocktail reception and three-course seated dinner, followed by the performance, after which guests will enjoy a music, wine and dessert reception.
Dinner will feature the presentation of the inaugural award in Arena Stage Board Chair Beth Newburger Schwartz’s honor, for her invaluable work at Arena Stage and throughout her career to promote and recognize women’s roles throughout American history. This will be awarded annually to a female leader who strives to better the community in which she lives through her own unique strengths and talents.
All proceeds from the evening support Arena Stage’s award-winning artistic and community engagement programs. Space is limited.
Complimentary valet parking will be available.
Event Schedule
Monday May 9, 2016
5:30 p.m. Cocktail reception and seated dinner
8:30 p.m. Cabaret performance by Ana Gasteyer
Post-show music, wine and dessert reception following the performance
Individual Tickets
Dinner Ticket – $1,000
Performance Ticket – $500
Young Professional Ticket (35 or under) – $150
For additional event details visit arenastage.org/donate/special-
For information on individual ticket or table purchases please contact Maria Corso at 202-600-4025 or email mcorso@arenastage.org.
For information on corporate sponsorship packages, please contact Char Manlove-Laws at 202-600-4030 or email cmanlove-laws@ArenaStage.org.
An Evening with Ana Gasteyer is sponsored in part by GEICO.
An Evening with Ana Gasteyer:
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St., SW)
Monday, May 9, 2016
5:30 p.m. VIP Cocktail Reception
6:30 p.m. Dinner and the inaugural presentation of the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award
8:30 p.m. One-night-only performance starring Ana Gasteyer
Sips and Sweets post-show party with desserts and dancing immediately following
Complimentary valet parking will be available
Cocktail Attire
Sponsorship Levels
Producer Sponsor: $50,000
Star Sponsor: $25,000
Director Sponsor: $10,000
Playwright Sponsor: $5,000
Individual Tickets
Ensemble Sponsor: $1,000 (VIP Cocktail Reception, dinner/award presentation, performance and post-show party)
Patron Sponsor: $500 (Performance and post-show party)
Young Professional Ticket: $150 (Ages 35 and under, performance and post-show party)
The 3rd Annual Best Buddies Prom, a night of music and friendship for young people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, will be held Friday, May 13 in the Carnegie Library, Washington DC.
“This is a night of friendship and celebration for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities [IDD] and their typical peers,” said Karen Glasser, regional director of Best Buddies Capital Region. This event gives local students of all abilities the chance to enjoy an evening of dancing, food, beverages and friendship. “The evening is also a joyous fundraising event for adults,” Glasser said, “who believe in Best Buddies mission of inclusion.”
The Best Buddies evening will be hosted by Prom Committee Chairman Tommy McFly of FRESH 94.7 FM’s The Tommy Show. Music will be programmed by popular local disc jockey DJ Neekola. A video of last year’s Prom can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaUCOF06Xv4
2015 Best Buddies Prom. Photo credit: Best Buddies Capital Region
BEST BUDDIES PROM
WHERE – Carnegie Library, 801 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
WHEN – Friday, May 13 from 6:30 – 11 pm
6:30 – 8 pm: VIP Reception for adults
7:30 pm – 11 pm: Doors open for students and general ticket holders
TICKETS now on sale at www.BestBuddiesProm.org
$20/student. (With complimentary food and beverages)
$150/adult. (With complimentary open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres)
$175/VIP adult (Includes access to VIP Reception featuring hors d’oeuvres prepared by area top chefs and buddy chefs, as well as a complimentary open bar)
Although students are the stars of the evening, adults will enjoy their own celebration including a complimentary open bar, an assortment of delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, and an exciting silent auction. VIPs will have the opportunity to sample sweet and savory bites prepared by DC’s most celebrated chefs alongside student “sous chefs” from local Best Buddies programs during an exclusive VIP reception prior to the event. The adult celebration will allow guests to unwind while witnessing Best Buddies’ mission of social inclusion first-hand.
2015 Best Buddies Prom. Photo credit: Best Buddies Capital Region
Food at the VIP reception will be provided by:
- Executive Pastry Chef Padua Player – SugaChef
- Chef Christianne Ricchi – iRicchi Restaurant
- Chef Brazil Murphy – SPYCE Catering Co.
- Chef Jerome Grant – Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
- Chef Adam Howard – corporate chef of Mike Isabella Concepts
- Chef Nate Waugaman – America Eats Tavern by Chef Jose Andres
- Chef John Melfi – The Oval Room
- Chef James Woznuik – Maketto’s Chef De Cuisine
The David Lynch Foundation hosts the SUPER MIND CONVERSATION featuring veteran political correspondent Candy Crowley and renowned DC-based psychiatrist and NIH researcher Norman E. Rosenthal, MD
WHEN: Thursday, May 19, 8:00 pm
WHERE: Avalon Theater 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015. The event is free and open to the public and media
THE STORY: Dr. Rosenthal, the New York Times and Washington Post bestselling author of Transcendence, will speak with TV news icon Candy Crowley about his new book, Super Mind: How to Boost Performance and Live a Richer and Happier Life Through Transcendental Meditation(TarcherPenguin, May 17). He explains that far from being a fad from the past, Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a powerful tool for overcoming stress—even severe PTSD—and enriching all areas of life. Rosenthal weaves the latest clinical research together with the results of over 600 personal interviews he conducted to define the SUPER MIND state, which is achieved by meditators through their regular practice.
“I thought I’d shared all I had to say about TM in Transcendence, but I was very wrong. The personal growth continues to unfold in terms of success and synchronistic good luck accompanied by inner happiness and peace. It feels like the perfect antidote for the craziness that’s all around us!”
–Dr. Norman Rosenthal
