BEACH RATS
Touted by Variety as a ”beautifully rendered study of repressed sexuality in un-hip Brooklyn,” writer/director Eliza Hittman’s award-winning Sundance hit follows an aimless teenager who scours hookup sites for older men when not dating a young neighborhood girl. British newcomer Harris Dickson plays Frankie in this contemporary snapshot of budding queer identity that doubles as a portrait of the outskirts of Brooklyn. Opens Friday, Sept. 8. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

HOME AGAIN
Helmed by mother-daughter, director-producer duo Hallie Meyers-Shyer and Nancy Meyers, Home Again stars Reese Witherspoon and touches on what it means for a woman to start over at age 40. The cast includes Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, and Nat Wolff, Pico Alexander and Jon Rudnitsky as three aspiring filmmakers who move in with Witherspoon. Opens Friday, Sept. 8. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

I’M YOUR MAN, MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER
As part of its Rosh Hashanah film series ”5777: A Year in Review,” celebrating the cinematic contributions of major Jewish artists who passed away in the past year, the Washington Jewish Film Festival screens two films by Leonard Cohen on Thursday, Sept. 14. Lian Lunson’s 2005 concert film I’m Your Man, screening at 6:30, offers an intimate look at the songs, poetry and life of influential troubadour, Leonard Cohen. It’s followed by Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs. Miller at 8:30, an unorthodox dream western starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and influenced by the Cohen’s debut album. ”Those lyrics were etched in my subconscious, so when I shot the scenes I fitted them to the songs, as if they were written for them,” wrote Altman in his memoir of the 1971 classic. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $13.50 for each film. Call 202-777-3247 or visit wjff.org.

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IT
Andy Muschietti’s horror film focuses on a terrorized set of seven outcast children in Maine. Bill Skarsgard stars as the eponymous shape-shifting entity known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. King has heaped praise on the film, saying, ”I had hopes, but I was not prepared for how good it really was.” Opens Friday, Sept. 8. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE
Mike Nichols’ exceptional adaptation of the late Carrie Fisher’s best-selling confessional novel, starring Meryl Streep as a drug-addled star constantly overshadowed by her celebrity mother, played by Shirley MacLaine. The comedy is unavoidably bittersweet now that we’ve lost both Fisher and her own mother Debbie Reynolds. Sunday, Sept. 17, at 12:30 p.m. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $13.50. Call 202-777-3247 or visit wjff.org.

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
★★★
In The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Samuel L. Jackson’s tried and true formula is spiked with a potent hit of Ryan Reynolds, the king of Hollywood nonchalance. The heroes never meet a problem that can’t be solved with a gun, a bigger gun, an explosion, or a pithy comeback, while the film feints at real-world commentary by zeroing in on a recognizably unhinged despot as its main villain. The Hitman’s Bodyguard is no twisty, Bourne-ian take on geo-politics; it’s a straightforward, crowd-pleaser, well-executed by professionals who know what they’re here to do. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Andre Hereford)

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THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Landmark’s E Street Cinema presents Richard O’Brien’s camp classic, billed as the longest-running midnight movie in history. Landmark’s showings come with a live shadow cast from the Sonic Transducers, meaning it’s even more interactive than usual. Friday, Sept. 8, and Saturday, Sept. 9, at midnight. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN
The late Debbie Reynolds is recognized for her work in the film adaptation of Meredith Willson’s Broadway hit, screening as part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival’s Rosh Hashanah series, ”5777: A Year In Review.” Her work as the infamous survivor of the RMS Titanic in Charles Walter’s movie musical is one of her most memorable roles. Saturday, Sept. 16, at 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2:30 p.m. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $13.50. Call 202-777-3247 or visit wjff.org.

THE WIZARD OF OZ
Victor Fleming’s 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel has been touted as the most-watched motion picture in history. With Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Margaret Hamilton. The timeless score is by Harold Arlen and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg. The film marks the debut of ”Capital Classics,” a new hump-day film series at Landmark’s recently refurbished West End Cinema, where Happy Hour-priced beer and wine will be on offer from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. Landmark’s West End Cinema, 2301 M St. NW. Tickets are $12.50. Call 202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

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A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
★★★★
A multi-faceted gem of a musical, Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music is realized with utmost skill and elegance in a brilliant new production at Signature Theatre. Director Eric Schaeffer and company strike an enviable balance between sparkle and understatement, reflecting the myriad aspects of longing explored in Sondheim’s uncharacteristically hopeful roundelay of coupling and uncoupling. Despite an arch comedic streak, the story of conflicted husbands and wives and their would-be partners is plainly sincere about the rush of falling in love. A Little Night Music celebrates the part that lust, romance, infatuation, and passion can play in leading to self-discovery. Featuring Holly Twyford and Bobby Smith. To Oct. 8 in Signature’s Max Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Tickets are $40 to $99. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org. (Andre Hereford)

BIG FISH
★★★
Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and on the film adaptation directed by Tim Burton, the musical Big Fish came and went on Broadway before many had a chance to see how the beloved father-son story translated to the stage. Boasting a book by the film’s screenwriter, John August, and music and lyrics by The Wild Party composer Andrew Lippa, the show is enjoying a D.C. premiere with a diverting production at Keegan Theatre. The wizardly element made Tim Burton a good fit for visualizing the fantastical world of Big Fish on film. Here, however, the onus rests on the show’s co-directors Mark A. Rhea and Colin Smith to realize the implausible characters and feats that live in the fertile imagination of young Will. The results are hit and miss. Closes Saturday, Sept. 9. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 202-265-3767 or visit keegantheatre.com. (AH)

BLUE CAMP
The Rainbow Theatre Project, in residency this season at the District of Columbia Arts Center, offers a staged reading of Tim Caggiano and Jack Calvin Hanna’s drama, depicting what soldiers accused of homosexuality experienced in the days leading up to the Vietnam War. Christopher Janson directs a cast including Dwayne Allen, Logan Beveridge, Andrew Flurer, Dan Guy, Ahsley Ivey, Patrick Joy, Michael King and Topher Williams. Saturday, Sept. 16, at 3 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. DCAC, 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

DON JUAN TENORIO
Nando Lopez helped GALA Hispanic Theatre haul in the Helen Hayes Awards last year with his adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma. He’s back with a world-premiere adaptation of Jose Zorrilla’s tale of ”the infamous seducer of all time,” in honor of the Spanish romantic writer’s 200th birthday. Jose Carrasquillo directs an international cast including Iker Lastra and Luz Nicolas (Spain), Manolo Santalla (Cuba), Carlos Castillo (Venezuela) and Ines Dominguez del Corral (Colombia) in a high-voltage, contemporary and True Blood-style adaptation. Performed in Spanish with English surtitles. Opens Friday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. To Oct. 1. GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $30 to $45. Call 202-234-7174 or visit galatheatre.org.

IN THE HEIGHTS
Round House and Olney team up for a tour-de-force staging of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original Tony-winning success, featuring a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. Marcos Santana directs and choreographs the production, which featuress 21 actors and stars two-time Tony nominee Robin de Jesus, who played Sonny in the original Broadway production. Here, he is Usnavi, our guide through a vibrant Washington Heights neighborhood. With Linedy Genao, Rayanne Gonzales, Natascia Diaz, and Michael J. Mainwaring as Sonny. In previews. Already extended to Oct. 15. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

JULIUS CAESAR
Scena Theatre offers a modern interpretation intentionally teasing out the parallels between today’s Washington and ancient Rome. Robert McNamara directs and stars in Shakespeare’s classic tale of Senators Cassius and Brutus’s plot to kill Caesar and prevent him from becoming all-powerful Emperor, and the civil unrest that ensues. David Bryan Jackson, Ian Armstrong, Barry McEvoy, Ron Litman, Amanda Forstrom, Danielle Davy, Robert Sheire, and Kim Curtis also appear. To Sept. 24. Lab Theatre II in the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $30 to $45. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

LELA & CO.
The experimental, Helen Hayes Award-winning collective Factory449 offers a showcase for a stellar local actress as Rick Hammerly directs fellow company member Felicia Curry as a girl who gets caught up in sex trafficking, exploring her harrowing battle for survival in an increasingly unjust world. The work, written by up-and-coming British playwright Cordelia Lynn and based on a true story, also features Renaldo McClinton. Opens Friday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. To Oct. 1. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Road SE. Tickets are $22. Call 202-631-6291 or visit factory449.com.

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC …BESSIE SMITH
Mosaic Theater Company kicks off its third season with its first musical, a show written by Angelo Parra and directed by Joe Brancato. A hit Off Broadway, The Devil’s Music stars the indomitable Miche Braden, performing 13 songs in character as bisexual blues pioneer Bessie Smith. The concert-style show recreates the boisterous diva’s final performance after she and her band were turned away from a whites-only theater in Memphis in 1937. To Sept. 24. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

WIZARD OF HIP
MetroStage presents a 25th Anniversary revival of a show by the company’s associate artistic director, Thomas W. Jones II. A nonstop comic journey following Afro Jo, an African-American everyman in search of the ultimate state of ”hip,” the show stars Jones, backed by the Lady Doo Wops, Kanysha Williams and Jasmine Eileen Coles. To Sept. 17. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 703-548-9044 or visit metrostage.org.

2 CELLOS
As seen on YouTube, the classical crossover duo of Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser will take Wolf Trap’s amphitheater by storm. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $30 to $65. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

AIDA
Francesca Zambello launches the new season with a dazzling new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, a co-production with the San Francisco, Seattle and Minnesota opera companies. Performed in Italian with projected English titles, Aida focuses on a young woman enslaved by the Egyptians, who don’t know she’s an Ethiopian princess and daughter to their sworn enemy. The visionary artist known as RETNA created the striking sets and costumes, lending the classic story a unique modern edge with his vibran hieroglyphics and calligraphy. Opens Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. To Sept. 23. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $45 to $300. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

ALISON MOYET
It’s been almost a full decade since the bluesy British singer last performed in town — and in 2008 she performed twice at the 9:30 Club, once with Vince Clarke in a dance-oriented Yaz show, and then later supporting her torchy pop solo album The Turn. Now she returns to support Other (★★★★
), which shows Moyet willing to experiment and expand her repertoire while preserving the rich vocals and knack for crafting interesting, complex, multi-layered pop that have consistently marked her career. Far from a former pop icon trying to recapture past glory, the Alison Moyet we hear on Other is every bit as sharp, passionate, and clever as we have come to expect. Monday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $40 in advance, or $45 day-of show. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org. (Sean Maunier)

ARCADE FIRE
Arcade Fire’s Infinite Content Tour arrives in support of fifth album, Everything Now (★★
and a half). As always, the group draw from an eclectic range of styles, this time pulling together bits of disco, reggae and punk, and they do find some success with a handful of fun moments scattered throughout — ”Everything Now,” ”Electric Blue,” ”Creature Comfort,” and the unexpected detour into country on the reprise ”Infinite_Content.” Raw cynicism can make for good songwriting material, but Arcade Fire is trying to somehow be sincere and wry and jaded all at the same time and they don’t quite pull it off. Instead, the album looks and sounds like what it is — a wildly popular indie band, who once won the Grammy for Best Album, attempting to level outsider criticism of the mass culture industry. Saturday, Sept. 16 at the Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW. Call 202-628-3200 or visit livenation.com. (SM)

CHER
With ”Classic Cher” at the Theater at MGM National Harbor, you’ll fall under the diva’s spell instantly, from the moment the purple velvet curtains pull back on a stage fit for an Arabian fairytale. Soon enough, the 70-year-old pop icon, in Queen of Sheba garb, descends from the heavens on a gold-framed aerial platform, singing her truth a la ”Woman’s World.” That No. 1 hit on the Billboard dance chart from 2013 is the newest in an 18-song setlist spanning an impressive fifty years. It’s a showcase of awe-inspiring staging and state-of-the-art light and projection designs in general. It’s also a showcase of Cher and her decades-long, multi-genre, multi-award-winning career as one of the very best and most personable entertainers in the business. Remaining performances in the second leg of her residency are Thursday, Sept. 7, Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, at 8 p.m., at The Theater at MGM National Harbor, 7100 Oxon Hill Rd., Md. Call 301-971-5000 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com. (Doug Rule)

DADDY YANKEE
”Despacito” with singer Luis Fonsi was already the year’s biggest hit in Latin America before Justin Bieber got involved and added his vocals, making it the biggest hit in the world. Wolf Trap scored quite the coup with its spring decision to present the Puerto Rican star singer/rapper Daddy Yankee, also responsible for the decade-old monster ”Gasolina” that ignited the reggaeton craze. Sunday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $45 to $250. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

FRENSHIP
L.A.’s James Sunderland and Brett Hite comprise a fledgling dance music production duo just ready to be discovered by fans of ’80s-influenced emotive, melodic electro-pop — particularly of the Swedish variety, from Robyn to Miike Snow and Galantis. One listen to the happy/sad vibe of ”Capsize,” also featuring singer-songwriter Emily Warren, and you’ll be see what we mean, but there’s also the trop-house gem ”Knives,” the Toto-channeling ”1000 Nights,” the Tears for Fears-esqu ”Nowhere” — pretty much every track released so far by the duo is a kind of aural candy. And what better place to discover them than at the intimate DC9, when they’ll perform an early show with an opening set from fellow electro-pop R&B-styled singer-songwriter William Bolton. Afterwards, stay for the free Wig & Disco dance party, a blend of ’70s disco samples with house beats of today, led by two of D.C.’s best underground house DJs, Sean Morris and Bill Spieler. Friday, Sept. 15. Doors at 6:30 p.m. DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. Tickets are $15; free Wig & Disco party starts at 10:30 p.m. Call 202-483-5000 or dcnine.com.

NICK MURPHY (CHET FAKER)
To distinguish himself from another artist by the same name, the Australian singer-songwriter Nick Murphy adopted a moniker in homage to jazz musician Chet Baker — and it stuck, sort of. His latest atmospheric electronic EP, Missing Link, was released under his real name, yet his fake name is listed as prominently (if parenthetically) in the 9:30 Club artist roster. By whatever name, his sludgy hodgepodge of electro-pop, rock, and hip-hop is worth a listen. Charlotte Cardin and Heathered Pearls open. Sunday, Sept. 10, and Monday, Sept. 11. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $35. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

NOT WHAT YOU THINK AT RAINBOW FAMILIES HILLWOOD PICNIC
Started through the former Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington, this a cappella ensemble works for equality and social justice through song and humor. The 12-piece group returns to Hillwood for an annual concert as part of a three-hour family picnic on the lawn, organized by Rainbow Families and starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. Visitor Center Theater at Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $5 in advance, or $18 day-of. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

TAKOMA PARK FOLK FESTIVAL
Now in its 40th year, this celebration of folk music the world over offers performances from 50 acts across six stages — kicking off with the DC Labor Chorus leading a singing procession through the festival grounds. Also part of the festivities is a juried Crafts Show and Sale with 25 artisans working in clay, wood, glass, fiber, paper and other media. Naturally, food vendors will also be on hand. Sunday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd. Free. Call 301-589-0202 or visit tpff.org.

THE NOVEL IDEAS
Based in Boston, this Americana quintet comes to town for a concert and party on the very day it releases new self-titled album, a crowdfunded country/folk set recorded in Los Angeles. Friday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Corner Store Arts, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE. Tickets are $20 donation with RSVP, or $25 walk-in. Call 202-544-5807 or visit cornerstorearts.org.

JON LOVITZ
The Saturday Night Live alum returns to the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse, one of his favorite stops to perform stand-up, he told Metro Weekly a few years ago, ”because it feels like a mini-theater” and the audience ”is very responsive.” Lovitz describes his routine as ”just very silly, my opinions on what’s going on in the world and different things. Stuff about race and words you can’t say.” As part of his routine, Lovitz will ”sing funny songs” while playing the piano. Just don’t expect a reprise of the Pathological Liar or Hanukkah Harry. ”I don’t do any of my characters from Saturday Night Live. I tried doing that, and it never worked.” Thursday, Sept. 7, at 9:45 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 and 10 p.m. Arlington Cinema N’ Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, in Arlington. Tickets are $30. Call 703-486-2345 or visit arlingtondrafthouse.com.

THE DISTRICT IMPROV FESTIVAL
A little over a third of the 41 acts featured in the festival are from our region, and there are at least 12 LGBTQ improvisers who factor into the schedule, including the LGBTQ ensemble Ugh. The festival continues through Sunday, Sept. 10, at Source, 1835 14th St. NW, and Unified Scene Theater, 80 T St. NW. Tickets are $5 to $25, with a several free shows. Visit districtimprov.org for full schedule and more information.

A FASHION DESIGNER AND HIS IDEAL CLIENT
Marjorie Merriweather Post was a premier client of Oldric Royce from the 1940s until her death in 1973. A Prague native who fled the Nazis in 1939, Royce’s life is documented in a biography written by Howard Kurtz, a George Mason University theater professor who will offer a lecture at Post’s estate, where he serves as associate curator of costumes and textiles. Friday, Sept. 15, at 12:45 p.m. Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $18. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

FRANKLIN FOER: WORLD WITHOUT MIND
The Atlantic correspondent explores the existential threat posed by big tech, tracing the intellectual history of computer science, from Descartes and the enlightenment to Stuart Brand and the hippie origins of today’s Silicon Valley. The corporate ambitions of Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon are trampling longstanding liberal values, especially intellectual property and privacy, Foer argues, and the result is a path to a world without private contemplation, autonomous thought, or solitary introspection. Foer will be in conversation with Hanna Rosin, co-host of NPR’s Invisibilia. Thursday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $18, or $30 including one book, $45 for two tickets and one book. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

JANE DICKSON: FAB 5 FREDDY
The artist, known for dark iconic paintings using unusual materials, will discuss Fab 5 Freddy, her portrait of Freddy Braithwaite. Also known as Fab Five Freddy, the seminal hip-hop artist emerged from the 1970s street art scene that also included Jean-Michel Basquait and Keith Haring to become host of Yo! MTV Raps. Saturday, Sept. 10, at 3 p.m. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.

SANDRA GUTIERREZ: THE NEW SOUTHERN-LATINO TABLE
The next Cooking Up History discussion and demo at the Smithsonian’s American History museum focuses on the author of The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes That Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America and the American South. Born in Philadelphia, raised in Guatemala and a longtime resident of North Carolina, Sandra Gutierrez will discuss migration, activism and the culinary movements in the Nuevo South in this discussion co-sponsored with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Note, however, that cooking demos don’t end in public food tastings at the museum. If you’re hungry, you’ll have to settle for the cafeteria. Saturday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanhistory.si.edu.

STORY DISTRICT: PINOT MEMOIR: A TOAST TO 20 YEARS
”Identity Theft: Stories about being confused for someone or something you’re not” is the focus of the next iteration in Story District’s 2nd Tuesday showcase, a mix of first-time and regular storytellers. Tuesday, Sept. 12. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th St. NW. Tickets are $17 in advance, or $20 at the door. Call 202-234-TOWN or visit storydistrict.org.

THE HACKING OF THE AMERICAN MIND
While doing researching for his New York Times bestseller Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease, Robert Lustig made a discovery that reaches even beyond the politics of food. From sugar and soda to social media and smartphones, Big Business is deliberately manipulating our behaviors to keep us hooked, to our detriment, and their profit. Thursday, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit kramers.com.

AMERICAN VISIONARY: JFK’S LIFE AND TIMES
The Smithsonian American Art Museum presents the first event in a national, year-long centennial celebration organized by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. One of the most exhaustively researched collections of Kennedy photos ever assembled, the exhibit brings together images, culled from the former president’s library, foundation, family archives, private collections and Getty Images, that capture the dramatic scope of Kennedy’s life and work. Because his administration coincided with a golden age of photojournalism in America, no single politician was photographed more than Kennedy was over the span of two decades since his first run for Congress as a decorated war hero in 1946. The exhibition is based on the forthcoming book JFK: A Vision for America, also featuring speeches and essays by historians and co-edited by his nephew Stephen Kennedy Smith and Douglas Brinkley. To Sept. 17. Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanart.si.edu.

BODY LANGUAGE: QUEER ACTIVISTS FROM POST-YUGOSLAVIA
A Bosnian refugee, Alma Selimovic was granted political asylum in the U.S. in 2009 on account of the violence and threats she faced as a prominent LGBTQ activist in her homeland. Earlier this year, the visual artist did a two-month residency at Berlin’s Institute fur Alles Mogliche, where she interviewed and created digital drawings of other people from Eastern Europe who are queer, trans and/or gender neutral. Now that she’s back, she’s curated an exhibition of paintings, photographs, and video installations by seven queer artists and activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia: Kristofer Andric, Azra Causevic, Ranka Delic, Nedziba Idrizovic, Damir Prljaca, Anita Prsa, and Alex Spyke. Opening reception and performance is Saturday, Sept. 9, from 3 to 6 p.m. On display to Oct. 7. Otis Street Art Project, 3706 Otis St. Mt. Rainier, Md. Call 202-550-4634 or visit otisstreetarts.wixsite.com.

LISA ALLEN: DISSENT
Protests of Trump’s inauguration and first six months are seen in photographs and screen prints, showing the various forms of dissent that have taken hold and a firsthand look at democracy in action. An artist reception is Saturday, Sept. 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. On display through Sept. 23. Studio Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. Call 202-232-8734 or visit studiogallerydc.com.

MARKUS LUPERTZ
One of Germany’s most prominent and provocative living artists is celebrated at two D.C. museums with two distinct but complementary displays of the neo-expressionist’s works. Taken together, the exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum and the Phillips Collection mark the first in-depth U.S. survey of Lupertz’s practice, and the two museums have teamed up for a joint catalog. Evelyn Hankins curates the Hirshhorn show, Threads of History, offering an in-depth exploration of his early years and over 30 groundbreaking paintings from the ’60s and ’70s, including the 40-foot-long Westwall (Siegfried Line), on view for the first time in the U.S. Closes Sunday, Sept. 10. Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Nearly 50 works are in the comprehensive survey at the Phillips curated by Dorothy Kosinski in close collaboration with Lupertz and Michael Werner and including works spanning his career, including important examples from his ”dithyrambic” pictures and provocative paintings of German motifs. Runs to Sept. 20. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. Tickets $12. Call 202-387-2151 x247 or visit phillipscollection.org.

REVIVAL: WOMEN SCULPTORS AND PHOTO-BASED ARTISTS
The works in this exhibit offer allusive depictions of human and other animal bodies and connect to the unconscious. Video projections, large-scale photographs, and hanging sculptures create immersive, mesmeric environments, while smaller, meticulously wrought works made from hair, yarn, velvet, wax, marble, brambles or taxidermied birds draw viewers close and spark memory and emotion. Louise Bourgeois, Petah Coyne, Lalla Essaydi, Alison Saar and Joana Vasconcelos are among those featured in the exhibition, inspired by a survey of the museum’s collection in its 30th year but including loans from public and private collections as well as artists’ studios. Closes Sunday, Sept. 10. National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW. Admission is $10. Call 202-783-5000 or visit nmwa.org.

TRAWICK PRIZE
Named after a Bethesda, Md., community leader and arts advocate, the Trawick Prize, established in 2003, was one of the first regional competitions and largest prizes to honor visual artists. Works by the eight finalists for the 15th annual competition factor into an exhibition presented by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. The finalists are: Cindy Cheng, Giulia Livi and Ben Piwowar all of Baltimore, Larry Cook of Landover Hills, Md., Amy Finkelstein of Takoma Park, Helen Glazer of Owings Mills, Md., Renee Rendine of Towson, Md., and Michele Montalbano of Burke, Va. They were picked by a panel including Zoe Charlton of American University, 2014 Trawick Prize Winner Neil Feather, and Elizabeth Mead of William & Mary. Opening reception is Friday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. To Sept. 30.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA PRESENTS RETNA
The Kennedy Center hosts an exhibit of this graphic and street artist whose work informs the sets and costumes of the forthcoming production of Aida. Inspired by L.A.’s mural culture, the artist known simply as RETNA fuses fine art with graffiti and the traditional with the contemporary and has worked on advertising campaigns for Louis Vuitton and Nike, in addition to exhibiting at galleries around the world. On exhibit through Sept. 24. Hall of Nations. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

CUBA LIBRE: THE MIXOLOGY MATCH
Downtown’s Cuban restaurant hosts a fundraising cocktail competition with the Cocktail Nation in which eight area mixologists each pick a specific type of rum — white, anejo, spiced, dark — and vy for Best Rum Cocktail as determined by voting patrons as well as panel of judges including Todd Thrasher. A benefit for the nonprofit CORE, which helps children of restaurant employees, also featuring the Latin band Quimbao, the competing mixologists are: Sarah Rosner of Radiator at Mason & Rook, Judy Elahi of True Food Kitchen, Amy Hosseinnian of Buffalo & Bergen, Juan Palomino of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, Jessica Weinstein of Hank’s/JL Restaurant Group, Glendon Hartley of Service Bar DC, Luis Flores of Cuba Libre, and Jamie Imhof of Blackwater Distilling. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 9th St. NW A. Tickets are $40 per person, including tapas and cocktails from all eight competitors. Call 202-408-1600 or visit cubalibrerestaurant.com.

DRINK THE DISTRICT WINE FESTIVAL
More than 100 wines will be available for tasting at this annual event subsuming what had been known as VinoFest. Also on tap will be live music, culinary demonstrations and a local artisan market. Friday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Canal Park, 200 M St. SE. Tickets are $59 to $99 per session. Call 202-618-3663 or visit drinkthedistrict.com.

JOE’S SEAFOOD: PIE IT FORWARD
Throughout September, downtown’s swanky high-end eatery will donate $1 from every slice of its Mostly Raspberry Pie to Fight for Children, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education. Blackberries and blueberries are the supporting fruits in a pie that is served, naturally, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. To Sept. 30. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, 750 15th St. NW. Call 202-489-0140 or visit joes.net.

NATIONAL GALLERY’S GARDEN CAFE: WEEKEND BRUNCH
For a boozy brunch a little more high culture than the average, the National Gallery of Art offers a special brunch buffet all month for $30, with bottomless mimosas setting you back only $10 more. The selections are impressive: from Buttermilk Pancakes to Baked Frittata with bacon lardon, caramelized onions and gruyere, Summer BBQ Short Ribs with kimchi glaze to Roasted Free-Range Airline Chicken with shaved fennel and salsa verde, Baby Kale Salad to Seasonal Freshly Cut Fruit. Not to mention Carrot Cake, Lemon Bar and assorted Freshly Baked Cookies for dessert, and a full coffee menu. Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. National Gallery of Art’s West Garden Court, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. Call 202-842-6716 or visit nga.gov.

PIZZAPALOOZA
Chefs from Chicago and New York will serve up slices of their best pies as well as carve a roasted pig and dish up Italian pastries. Wash it all down with Italian-themed beer and wine. Sunday, Sept. 10, from 3 to 8 p.m. Potomac Plaza at MGM National Harbor, 7100 Harborview Ave., Oxon Hill, Md., Oxon Hill, Md. Tickets are $100 to $150 and include unlimited food and beverage. Call 844-346-4664 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com.

RPM ITALIAN: REVANA VINEYARD WINE DINNER
Bill and Guiliana Rancic’s gorgeous temple to classic Italian is one of those pricey special occasion restaurants that has upped the game in Washington. Any night of the week, you’re likely to find an incredibly knowledgeable and attentive server who can help you pair your steak or seafood main course with the perfect wine. But for one night in mid-September, the focus is on a six-course prix-fixe dinner with pairings from the highly rated Revana Family Vineyard collection, with wines from grapes grown in Napa Valley, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Argentina’s Uco Valley. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. RPM Italian, 650 K St. NW. The Revana dinner is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call 202-204-4480 or visit rpmrestaurants.com.

TEAISM UNION MARKET: MATSUKAWAYA
Teaism is currently sharing its booth in the trendy culinary haven next to Gallaudet University with this Japanese sweets company. Matsukawaya specializes in raw ”wagashi,” or sweets made of fruits with mochi rice, and usually served with matcha tea. Through September. Teaism Union Market, 1309 5th St. NE. Call 202-409-1285 or visit teaism.com.

DEEP SUGAR 14TH ANNIVERSARY
Though still most widely known as a singer, with a roster of club hits, including the late-nineties Top 10 pop hit ”Free,” the Baltimore native Ultra Nate has become known in club circles as a preeminent DJ, in large part due to her regular, high-profile gigs in the Summer house haunt of Ibiza. In Baltimore and in D.C., she’s known for throwing Deep Sugar, the underground soulful house party that draws a mixed crowd, in more ways than one. DJs Byron & Mookie Wizzo open. Saturday, Sept. 9. Doors at 10:30 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

MIXTAPE’S FAREWELL PARTY
It’s billed as the 9th anniversary, but the September edition of this popular monthly party also marks the last. Shea Van Horn, who is currently based in Bangalore, will return for one last time behind the decks with his party co-founder Matt Bailer. We expect a blowout. Saturday, Sept. 9. Doors at 11 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $12. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

ADAMS MORGAN DAY
Back in the summer of 1977, residents and businesses in Adams Morgan hosted a block party. It caught on. Big time. And now, four decades later, what became Adams Morgan Day is renowned as D.C.’s longest-running neighborhood celebration, drawing masses to the neighborhood each year. The festival offers almost any activity you can think of — from live musical acts to board games to painting demonstrations. Bedrock Billiards will serve up free pool throughout the day, while local restaurants will tempt passersby with incredible specials. Sunday, Sept. 10, from noon to 6 p.m. Free. Visit adamsmorganday2017.com. (John Riley)

ALAIN NU
Self-billed as ”The Man Who Knows,” the mentalist returns to the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop with a new monthly workshop, ”Mind, Magic and Merlot.” Part-performance and part-instruction into the mystic arts, the workshop comes with complimentary merlot — at least until supplies run out. Friday, Sept. 8, at 9 p.m. Upper Dance Studio, 545 7th St. SE. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.

ANACOSTIA RIVER EXPLORERS: EDUCATIONAL BOAT TOURS
Funded through the District’s disposable bag fee, this program of the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment offers free, guided motorboat and canoe tours exploring the history, wildlife, environmental threats and efforts to improve the Anacostia River. Full, two-hour (or partial, one-hour) tours, of 12 to 20 people at a time, are offered by the Anacostia Watershed Society and Anacostia Riverkeeper. Call 202-535-2600 for more information, and visit anacostiariverkeeper.org for a schedule of upcoming tours.

FORD’S THEATRE’S HISTORY ON FOOT
A local actor offers the guided tour Investigation: Detective McDevitt, portraying Detective James McDevitt, a D.C. police officer patrolling a half-block from Ford’s Theatre the night President Lincoln was shot. Written by Richard Hellesen and directed by Mark Ramont, the 1.6-mile walking tour revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the assassination. Tours are offered approximately three evenings a week at 6:45 p.m. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17. Call 202-397-7328 or visit fords.org.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
In the year 1527, Henry VII’s ”love for Anne Boleyn pushes him to ask for an annulment of marriage from Queen, Katherine of Aragon.” And Carolyn Spedden, artistic director of the annual festival, now in its 41st year, tells Metro Weekly that ”of all the storylines we do with Henry VIII, Boleyn tends to be the most popular.” Yet there’s a little something for everyone at RennFest, which Spedden calls ”a very inclusive, welcoming event. Everybody should feel comfortable coming through the gates.” That’s true whether your primary motive is to take in the performances — over 200 professionals engaged in everything from jousting to comedic sword-fighting to reenactments to parodies of Shakespeare — or to shop for early holiday gifts from ”the amazing artisans here with their handmade wares.” Or simply to eat a turkey leg, steak on a stake or cheesecake on a stick. Weekends to Oct. 22. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $17 to $25 for a single-day adult ticket. Call 800-296-7304 or visit rennfest.com.

THEATREWEEK KICKOFF PARTY
More than 20 area theater companies will be on hand offering previews, ticket giveaways and special discounts to their upcoming shows at this kickoff to TheatreWeek, a promotion offering discounted tickets from Sept. 19 through Oct. 1. There will also be free food and drink and additional activities at the kickoff party, featuring every company from Arena Stage to Edge of the Universe, Ford’s Theatre to Nu Sass, Shakespeare Theatre to The Welders. Saturday, Sept. 16, from noon to 4 p.m. Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St. NW. Free. Call 202-393-3939 or visit theatreweek.org.

YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS’ THEATER: LGBTQ & YOU
Young Playwrights’ Theater kicks off its season with an LGBTQ edition of its activist-oriented performance series ”Silence Is Violence” celebrating the spirit and perseverance of youth participants of SMYAL and adults through words, visual art, performance and fellowship. Asha ”Boomclak” Santee, J Scales, Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi and Xemiyulu Manibusan all perform, and Rayceen Pendarvis assumes his natural role as guest emcee along with Scott Whalen. Monday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. Blind Whino SW Arts Club, 700 Delaware Ave. SW. Tickets are $12 in advance or ”Name-Your-Own-Price” at the door. Call 202-387-9173 or visit yptdc.org.