Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder take audiences behind the mic of their record-smashing, award-winning podcast, Serial, on Thursday, May 11, 2017at 8 p.m. in the Music Center at Strathmore. Launched in 2014 from the talents behind This American Life, Serial is credited with bringing mainstream attention to the podcast format and has been downloaded more than 175 million times, making it the most listened-to podcast in the history of the form. Among other honors, Serial won the 2014 Peabody Award, the first time it has been given to a podcast. The success of Serial helped Koenig and Snyder launch Serial Productions, which released its latest project, the buzzed about S-Town, in March 2017. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
Serial tells one story—a true story—over the course of a season. Thus far, the podcast has resurrected a real crime drama in Baltimore and revisited the experience of a U.S. Army soldier held captive by the Taliban. Each season, the creators follow a plot and characters on a winding journey, leading to unexpected revelations and unsuspected endings.
Sarah Koenig began her career as a newspaper reporter—her first reporting job was at her weekly hometown paper. She lived in Moscow, Russia for several years, where she worked for The New York Times, and once she returned, went to work for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire covering crime and politics, the same beats she’d go on to cover at The Baltimore Sun. In 2004 she became a producer at This American Life, which she has guest-hosted several times. She has also produced and reported some of the show’s most popular episodes, including “Switched at Birth,” “Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde” and “Habeas Schmabeas,” a Peabody Award-winning show about Guantanamo Bay. Koenig is co-creator and executive producer of S-Town, a 7-part non-fiction podcast from Serial Productions hosted by Brian Reed.
Julie Snyder has been the guiding force behind two of the most successful ventures in audio broadcasting—she is the co-creator of the podcast Serial and, for many years, was the senior producer of the public radio show This American Life, where she is now a contributing editor. Snyder began working at This American Life in 1997, almost from its inception. Along with host Ira Glass, she has set the editorial agenda for the program, winning four Peabody Awards along the way. She has produced many of This American Life’s most entertaining and memorable episodes, including “24 Hours at the Golden Apple,” and “Notes on Camp.” In addition, Synder has also headed the show’s most ambitious and topical programs, notably episodes covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care reform, and urban violence in Chicago. In 2013, Snyder approached Koenig about trying something new—a different kind of storytelling—which led the narrative journalism of their podcast, Serial.
About Strathmore
Strathmore presents and produces exemplary visual and performing arts programs for diverse audiences; creates dynamic arts education experiences; and nurtures creative ideas and conversations that advance the future of the arts. The organization’s hallmark is the Music Center at Strathmore, with a 1,976-seat concert hall and education complex. Its core campus also includes the historic Mansion at Strathmore, which features an intimate Music Room and art galleries. Most recently, Strathmore opened AMP, a 250-seat cabaret-style venue located just up Rockville Pike from the core campus in the burgeoning Pike District of Montgomery County. Strathmore’s signature education, mission-driven programs include the Strathmore Student Concerts and the Artist in Residence program.
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Strathmore is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.
Strathmore is also supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
Strathmore Presents
Backstage with the Creators of Serial
Binge-Worthy Journalism with Sarah Koenig & Julie Snyder
Thursday, May 11, 2017
8 p.m.
Tickets $25-$75
Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852
For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.strathmore.org or call (301) 581-5100.
Pop Up Flower Bar …
Got ice? On Friday, May 19, VIDA Fitness’ Penthouse Pool Club on U Street will host its Third Annual ALS Silent Auction fundraising fete. Morning talk show hosts Tommy McFly, and Kelly Collis from 94.7 Fresh FM’s The Tommy Show will emcee the event and auction themselves off to the highest bidder in a chilly Ice Bucket Challenge. In the past two years, the VIDA Fitness ALS Silent Auction Event has raised a combined total of more than $50,000.
The poolside, rooftop cocktail party will include a silent auction to benefit Augie’s Quest, a nonprofit research initiative dedicated to finding a cure for Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The ALS event will run from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and feature complimentary food from the Penthouse Pool Club’s new menu designed by Sean McIntosh. DJ Danny House will spin house tracks while guests bid on silent auction items donated by DC area retailers and businesses including an autographed soccer ball from DC United, a round of golf at Congressional’s Blue Course, tickets to the annual Bacon & Bourbon festival and a Kirk Cousins autographed football. Cocktail attire is required for this public event.
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here. Guests may also sponsor the event for $1000. The sponsorship includes 10 event tickets and access to a cabana suite with a complimentary bottle and bottle service all night long.
For more information on this event, please visit: 3rd Annual ALS Fundraiser & Silent Auction
WHO: Penthouse Pool & Lounge at The Yards
ALS Silent Auction Fundraiser
WHAT: Proceeds to Benefit ALS Foundation Augie’s Quest
Live Entertainment by DJ Danny House
Cocktail Attire Required
Public Event / Cash Bar
Tickets $30 / Available at: http://tinyurl.com/ALSevent2017
WHEN: Friday, May 19
6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
WHERE: Penthouse Pool Club at U Street
Rooftop Pool & Lounge
1612 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Never afraid to speak her mind, pop culture icon Whoopi Goldberg shares her musings on life and unique observations on current events, coupled with an unscripted audience Q&A, in the Music Center at Strathmore on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 8 p.m. The woman who blessed the internet with the “you in danger, girl” meme is one of an elite group of artists who have won a Golden Globe plus an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). She is also a prolific producer and well known for her humanitarian endeavors on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse, and the battle against AIDS. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 10 a.m.
Born and raised in New York City, Goldberg worked in theatre and improvisation in San Diego and the Bay Area, where she created the characters which became “The Spook Show” and evolved into her hit Broadway show, Grammy-winning album, and the HBO special that helped launch her career.
Goldberg made her motion picture debut in Steven Spielberg’s film version of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award, while her performance in Ghost earned her Oscar and Golden Globe awards for Best Supporting Actress. Goldberg has starred in such films as Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Clara’s Heart, The Long Walk Home, Soapdish, Sister Act, Made in America, Boys on the Side, Ghosts of Mississippi, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Girl, Interrupted, and The Lion King, among others. She appeared in the 2015 feature film adaption of Adriana Trigiani’s beloved novel, Big Stone Gap, opposite Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, and Jenna Elfman.
Goldberg’s many television credits range from series, mini-series, and talk shows to movies and specials. She currently moderates ABC’s The View, for which she has won a Daytime Emmy.
Goldberg has also produced numerous series, specials, and movies for television, as well as theatrical productions on Broadway and around the world, including the Tony Award-winning Thoroughly Modern Millie and the Tony-nominated Sister Act: The Musical. She produced and made her directorial debut with the Emmy-nominated documentary Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, which premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival before its critically-acclaimed run on HBO. Goldberg and business partner Tom Leonardis produced the docu-series According to Alex for BET and Strut, an original series which follows transgender models breaking down barriers in the world of fashion, for Oxygen.
Whoopi’s Broadway credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Xanadu. She made her West End stage debut in a special limited run as Mother Superior in Sister Act: The Musical in 2011.
In 1992, Whoopi made her debut as an author with her first children’s book, Alice. She also wrote Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners and the Sugar Plum Ballerinas book series for young readers. Her books for adults include Book, Is It Just Me?, and If Someone Says “You Complete Me”…Run!.
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.
- Cochinita Pibil
- Al Pastor
- Grilled Chicken
- Carne Asada
- Braised Chicken Mole
The 6th Annual Vine on the Waterfront Food & Wine Festival is ready to take to the banks of Alexandria’s waterfront on Saturday, June 24th. The festival will take place from 12:00PM to 6:00PM on Old Town’s waterfront at Oronoco Bay Park and will expand to include both restaurants within Alexandria and other eateries throughout the region.
The festival is a community-based event featuring tastes of local foods and wine, as well as artisans, a Children’s Corner, and live entertainment by the Alan Scott Band and Andy Hawk & The Train Wreck Endings. The event will transform Oronoco Bay Park into a lively festival easily accessible by car, Metrorail or Dash Bus.
Attendees will be able to sample food and wine from a variety of local restaurants and Virginia’s wineries. Local restaurants will compete for the best appetizer, the best main course and the best dessert – judged by notable DC foodie judges such as Jen Richer from 94.7FM The Tommy Show, Molly Ahearn of The List Are You On It & Foodie & the Beast and others to be announced soon.
This year’s participating restaurants and wineries include (as of May 30th, more to be announced on website):
| Wineries:
Horton Vineyards |
| Narmada Winery |
| Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery |
| Rebec Vineyards |
| Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery |
| Fabbioli Cellars |
| Democracy Vineyards |
| Castle Gruen Vineyards & Winery LLC |
| Rogers Ford Farm Winery |
| Cobbler Mountain Cider |
Restaurants/Food Vendors:
| Alexandria Cupcake |
| Dolci Gelati |
| Mason Social |
| Carluccio’s |
| HoneyCakes Desserts |
| Heartland Home Foods |
(More to come)
This is a free event to attend; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages.
Tickets are $15 (per area, wine area + food area) and can be purchased online at the festival website. After June 16th, the price is $20 (each area) on site.
This year’s festival partners includes: City of Alexandria, Visit Alexandria, Post Properties, The Parker Apartments, Washington Parent Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Inc. For a complete schedule of activities visit www.vineonthewaterfront.com.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Vine on the Waterfront Food & Wine Festival
When: Saturday, June 24, 2017
Where: Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison Street), Alexandria, VA 22314
Time: 12p.m. – 6p.m.
Website: www.vineonthewaterfront.com
Cost: This is a FREE event to attend; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages.
Tickets are $15 (each area) until June 18 to be purchased online. After June 18th, the price is $20 (each area) on site.
Transportation: Easily accessible via car, Metro rail and Dash Bus
There’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned beach party. Cornhole games, sun and sand, clam bakes….
On June 25th from 11:30 am-9 pm, Drift on 7th brings the beach to its Shaw neighborhood. All the atmosphere, all the fun and games…the only thing missing is the actual ocean. Chef Ferhat Yalcin offers a menu including a clam bake platter for 2 ($50); prime beef cheese burger with fries ($12); Fish and Chips ($14); Fish Tots ($6); hand-cut fries ($3.50); crazy corn ($5); Fried Plantain ($3.50); and a variety of ice cream and sorbets.
Beachy libations will also be available. Seaside classics such as Coronaritas ($8); Jello shots ($5); PBR cans ($5) and frozen drinks ($?) are served in true beach party fashion.
A DJ will spin tunes and on-site beach games will add some extra seaside fun to the day.
Drift on 7th is open Monday through Thursday from 4-11 pm; Friday until 1 am; Saturday from 11:30 am-1 am; Saturday and Sunday brunch from 11:30 am-4 pm. Live Jazz on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 pm and at Sundaybrunch from noon-3 pm. The restaurant is at 1819 7th Street NW right by the Shaw/Howard University Metro station. For reservations and further information, call (202) 350-4350 or log into www.drifton7th.com/reserve
